“Wow, I don’t like to start off a review with an interjection unless I really mean it, but seriously this book grabbed me by my haunches and threw me overboard. James and Maya were so incredibly likable and relatable. I feel like I knew them or had at least met someone like them once in my life…” [more]
Source: Audiobook: Taking On Water by David Rawding (Narrated by Curt Simmons) | Brian’s Book Blog
Thank you to AudioFile Magazine for the Earphones Award for Omari And The People. This is my first audiobook award. I am truly honored it comes from AudioFile Magazine.
AudioFile Audiobook Review: Like Robin Hood, the Phantom Thief, Omari, robs from the wealthy and gives to the poor. But he’s changed when flames engulf his City on the Sea of Providence, somewhere in Arabia. Curt Simmons has a great baritone voice with a charming timbre. He adds a subtle Middle Eastern accent to his narration of this atmospheric action-adventure. Besides Omari, the magical tale is peopled… Read More
“Wow. I wasn’t sure what to expect with Stephen’s book. It definitely intrigues me. And I’m happy to be given the opportunity to review the audiobook. The audiobook adds an extra level of interest. Stephen’s writing and Curt’s narration produce powerful images in your mind. The author has an intrinsic ability to shape his words into something tangible.
He doesn’t tell you what happens; he shows you. And Curt complements Stephen’s work beautifully. You can smell the fire and picture the people as they flee the burning city. Omari and the People is truly a character-driven piece.” more […]
Source: Audio Review: Omari and the People by Stephen Whitfield – Siobhan’s Novelties
“Omari and the People is a beautifully written adventure of Omari, a thief and self-proclaimed loner, and his journey not only leading a caravan of newly disenfranchised people across the dangerous, dry desert, but a journey to find himself and his purpose along the way. As the caravan makes its way across the desert seeking a rumored but never seen oasis, they have to overcome numerous obstacles from hunger and dehydration, 
heat, and sandstorms to war with an opposing caravan and betrayal by those unhappy within their own camp. The narration brings this beautiful imagery and assortment of larger-than-life characters to life in a way I’ve never experienced.” more […]
OK, the summary is clunky and I want to rewrite it. Now that I’ve gotten that out of the way…
I enjoyed Omari and the People. It’s a journey-based story, with commentary on human nature- love, friendship, independence, the desire for challenges, the fear of insecurity, and the nature of hope. It’s got magical realism (or perhaps I should say, the world is akin to ours but there’s a character who is magical). It’s got a reluctant hero (Omari). 
It’s got a stoic best friend that I adored (Umbarek…I may be misspelling that as I listened to it on audiobook). It’s got several fierce female characters, all very different from one another (Saba, Safia, Gonzala, Umal, etc). It’s pretty much got all the elements of an epic.
Source: Omari and The People by Stephen Whitfield (plus a giveaway!) – Printcess
“Nearly all of the folktales that survive today have origins in the oral tradition. They were passed down from generation to generation and from culture to culture by master storytellers. Omari and the People, by Stephen Whitfield, is written in the style of a folktale — one that tells the story of a hero’s journey to save himself and his wandering band of nomads — and as such is a perfect fit for the audiobook format. Having Curt Simmons performing the narration just makes it that much better!
Whitfield’s prose is simple and stark, yet utterly powerful. As the story unfolds, we travel with the titular Omari and his caravan as they search for a new life beyond the seemingly endless swaths of desert separating them from their potential future. The story may seem simple on the surface” – more […]
“The narrator brought this story to life in a way that I am not sure I could have by just reading the words on a page. His soothing voice and tone drew me into the story 
and captured my attention to the point that I didn’t want to stop listening. I quickly became immersed in the story and couldn’t wait to find out what happened next. I could’ve easily listened to this story in one 11+ hour sitting if life hadn’t demanded otherwise.” more […]
Source: Never Too Many To Read…
“You know what I love most about reading? It’s that moment when you realise you’ve utterly transcended the page and find yourself experiencing another world. Author Stephen Whitfield and narrator Curt Simmons have 
combined their exceptional talents to create vivid settings and deeply raw characters that make Omari and the People a rare find.” more […]
OCTOBER 3, 2016 | KRISTIN
“This story is reminiscent of the classic adventure stories. There is adventure, magic, romance, and intrigue and the story kept me entertained and wanting to know what was going to happen from the beginning. I loved the way the author describes the landscape in which the story unfolds. I felt like I had been transported to a Middle Eastern desert and could picture it so vividly in my mind.
There is magic, but it is subtle. There are sword fights, but they’re few and far between. This book is much more about the characters and their development and relationships than about the excitement of magic and battle. The characters will draw you in at times, irritate you at others, and from time to time there will a character or two that have you wondering whether those characters are good or evil.” […]
Source: Omari and the People #Audiobook Review and #Giveaway | Kristin Reads
Where I Got It: Review copy Narrator: Curt Simmons Publisher: ShirleyCastle Press (2016) Length: 11 hours 17 minutes
“Omari is a talented thief, but he’s not so smart when it comes to women. He has riches, a beautiful wife, and a big house. Yet his wife becomes angry with him and heads off to the city guard to tell of his many crimes. In an attempt to erase evidence of his wrongdoings, he sets fire to his house. Unfortunately, the flames don’t stop there and the entire city is lost. Now Omari, feeling quite bad about this, tells the people a lie about a wonderful land beyond the desert sands. There the adventure begins as a discordant group of people must either come together to succeed or will fall apart under the numerous assaults they suffer.
This is a beautiful, captivating story. In very little time,” […]
Source: Omari and the People by Stephen Whitfield | Dab of Darkness
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