Three into One

Title: THREE INTO ONE

Author: Julie Elizabeth Powell

Type of Book: Audiobook - Unabridged

Narrator: Phil Mayes

Length: 21 minutes

Genre: Science Fiction, Short Story

Release Date: July 3, 2015

Publisher: Julie Elizabeth Powell

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This audiobook is extremely short. The entire thing only lasts twenty-one minutes, but those twenty-one minutes pack in a lot of story.

Thomas is an odd child. He has always been this way. Then, one night at the age of seven, he experiences something that affects him in a very strange way.

This event not only makes him seem even weirder than he had before, but it also alters him physically.

What happened that night? How does a seven year old wake up in the middle of a forest with no memory of how he got there?

The answers to those questions will affect not only Thomas, but the rest of humanity.

I enjoyed listening to this audiobook and was surprised to find out that it is narrator Phil Mayes first professional narration. He did a wonderful job in voicing not only the children's voices but also as the voice of the third-party storyteller. He speaks clearly and is easily understood which is important for the listener. I rate the narration as 5 out of 5 stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The only thing I disliked about this audiobook was the story's ending. I felt that it could have been wrapped up in a much neater fashion. I assume that the author left the story unfinished for a reason. I understand that this tactic leaves the listener able to speculate on the various outcomes for the story and it's characters. But, to me this audiobook actually seemed like it was the opening chapter for a novel and that the listener was left 'hanging' just as the story seemed about to get even more interesting.

With that said, if author Julie Elizabeth Powell ever decides to turn this story into a full-length novel, I would be very interested in reading it. It is for that reason that I rate "Three Into One" as 4 out of 5 stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

~ I received a free copy of this audiobook from the narrator in exchange for an honest review.

Thomas has always been odd. But then one day when he was nearly 7 years old something mysterious happens. He doesn’t recall how he ended up in that forest. Things got odder afterwards, like all of Thomas’s hair falling out. Thomas keeps his secret of that night, what little he can remember. Meanwhile, Chris is also odd, her red hair going grey way too early and her long arms that folks can’t help but notice. As with Thomas, this oddness came over her all at once just before her 7th birthday. She has vague memories of that strange night in the woods. Then there is Zach, who recalls seeing the other two in the woods that night. Now, 50 years later, the Event is nearly upon them, something that could affect all of Earth.

This was an interesting little bit of fiction. It wasn’t what I was expecting at all. Based on the description of the book, I expected the story to have some underlying moral bits about accepting folks no matter what they look like. However, this is more like the beginning of a good scifi story. I was drawn in by these kids, wanting to know what happened that night in the woods. There’s plenty of little hints that whatever it was, it was otherworldly.

As the tale moves forward, we do see that the physical differences in Thomas and Chris make them feel like outsiders. Yet there are just a few references to how the world treats them because of these differences. The main focus of the story is the mystery of that night in the woods and how it still affects them 50 years later. I liked this because I really wanted to know what was coming and how these three people were the focus of it. I was fully engaged in the story, holding my breath to see how it turned out.

And then the story ended. I never got my answers. I was left to ponder and wonder with only these tiny little bits to puzzle over. Strange lights; sudden physical changes in 2 children; a third child who knows deep inside that he must accomplish something monumental. Basically, this is a really good start to something bigger and I just wish the ‘something bigger’ was out there for me to enjoy. As it stands, it left me with too many questions unanswered.

I received a copy of this audiobook at no cost from the narrator (via a post on GoodReads Audiobooks group) in exchange for an honest review.

Narration: Phil Mayes did a good job with this story. The kids had few lines, the bulk of the story being told by an outsider looking in. He did those few kid lines well. I liked his pacing, especially when the mysterious bits came up. He had a great way of just slightly stretching certain phrases, adding to the suspense of the book.