Ama is a 2016 supernatural horror audiobook written by Daniel MacKillican, narrated by Matthew Lloyd Davies, and audio published by Daniel MacKillican.  Death is not the end for Jason Drake. Because of the murder he committed in life, hell awaits him. But Jason is not concerned about his own soul, he wants a chance to save his daughter, and give her back the life that was taken away too soon. A demon offers him this chance, if he plays her simple game.

The reading was actually really good.  Some of the best I’ve heard.  Matthew Lloyd Davies has a great talent that shows how well paced and clear his voice is. In terms of the story it’s an original take on the concept of the afterlife, pain, grief, and redemption. Davies’ narration does a great job of giving the story depth and good pacing as we follow Jason’s journey. There are some interesting twists, and many thoughtful points that help make the story memorable. There are some cringe moments where people are being brutally tortured offering a shocking and disturbing experience. Despite the fact that the story lacks any side stories or subplots Jason’s tale is filled with complexity. The ending is definitely not what you’d expect being both a good and bad ending but it wraps of the story pretty well. (5 out of 5)

There are some pretty awesome characters. Jason is the main protagonist of the story and Davies’ delivery as Jason is both comforting and sympathetic. There’s a genuine feeling to his portrayal that makes the character feel grounded, real. Jason is by accounts a good man in a terrible situation and the temptations and choices he makes often have him doing bad things to accomplish his goal. But he’s only human and that what makes him such a great character. The anger and regret he experiences definitely makes him a much more engaging and interesting character. We do get to see Jason’s life and the events that lead him there giving us more perspective.

Also, our main antagonist of the story is the demoness Lilith. Although not Satan, Lilith shows that she’s just as cruel, conniving, and intense. I love the moments where we get to see her character taunting Jason and his determination to prove her wrong. Yeah, she could easily stop Jason but I like villains who are all powerful yet find some interest or humor in allowing our hero a chance. I really like Davies’ portrayal of the character and his delivery is both playful and condescending. She is one of my favorite villains in literature. (5 out of 5)

I really did appreciate the high production value behind the recording. Davies has definitely shown himself to be a well paced and diverse narrator. The diversity he brings to the characters makes them stand out, providing deep personalities that helps to counter balance the dark tone of the story. His reading was also clear and concise painting as grand a picture as the writer himself. There are also some pretty neat sound effects to keep the story lively. There are some loud groans from some pretty nasty creatures that come off somewhere between creepy and disturbing.

Really enjoyed this reading and I like Daniel MacKillican’s writing style as well as Davies’ narration.  He’s descriptive in all the best ways, without it feeling contrived or inconsistent. Love the depiction of hell, the rules, the setting, its inhabitants.  Most of the time we envision hell as a land of fire and brimstone or as a dark void.  In this book, hell is an infinite desert where food turns to dust in your mouth, water turns scalding hot when drunk, demons run amok wanting to corrupt souls, and raging sandstorms powerful enough to knock you off your feet. 

The rules surrounding death and rebirth are interesting.  People who sustain injury or damage keep it forever unless they receives head injury or brain damage, in which they’ll be reborn in hell but in good health. There are numerous elements incorporated to the story that is handled really well and is actually pretty thought provoking.  Concepts such as hell dealing with alternate dimensions and time travel are introduced and quite frankly add depth to the setting. I really appreciate how well the dialogue was handled, both the writing and reading. It made for good, engaging conversations between characters.

There’s a lot of brutality to some of the events. People are being brutally tortured, people get their heads ripped off, some even have their flesh torn apart. Its definitely cringe worthy and it makes the concept of hell even more frightening. The characters are well-written and offer a lot of insight into the setting and our main protagonist. The writing is complex and will definitely have readers thinking. As you can see, I really enjoyed the writing. (5 out of 5)

The Verdict: In the end, Ama is a surprising good audiobook. In a world where the market is flooded with thousands of self published books each year, it’s hard to find such a gem. And it’s with the talent of both the author and the narrator that make this a special experience. The characters are interesting, the depiction of hell unique, the writing is good, and the sound production is fantastic. Ama gets 5 out of 5. I can’t wait to see what other projects both of these talented artist are involved in.