FICTION REVIEWS

In this gritty but heartfelt fantasy adventure about friendship and sacrifice, Michael voiced over half a dozen distinct and memorable characters both old and young, male and female. 

But it was a talking dog that stood out from the rest to become the true fan favorite of listeners in both the US and UK: Malakai, the canine spirit guide with attitude, sent from above by "The Big Man" to help the protagonist, Dr. Scott Weaver, find his true path to redemption.  

For context, below is the preview summary of HEALERS from its page on Audible.com. Malakai is introduced in the second paragraph. 

"Dr. Scott Weaver, a snarky middle-aged dead man with a gift, hates his job. After committing suicide when one of his patients dies on the table, Scott wakes to find himself stuck in his own personal purgatory—where he can only leave if he works as a "Healer" to save all the poor citizens of the corrupt Blister City. But one night on the job, he is unable to heal an old friend. Filled with the guilt, Scott travels down a dark path filled with gritty strip clubs and rundown bars.

Doomed to remain stuck in his world forever, Scott is sent Malakai, a canine companion from above with just as much attitude as him. With his time in purgatory coming to an end, Malakai steers Scott onto the right path to gain redemption. But when Scott's powers fail him again, he battles with self doubt and wonders if he healed the wrong man.

He is soon faced with a devastating choice: make one last heal and redeem himself from his own personal hell, or commit the ultimate sin to condemn himself in order to save countless souls from a fate worse than death."

Here are a few quotes from listener reviews on both sides of the Pond that specifically mention everyone's favorite trash-talking canine spirit guide: 

The talking dog and Barry were my favorite characters, although Ginger and Nancy came in a close second. Michael Bridges did a great job narrating. 

Malakai, the canine guide with attitude, steals every scene he's in. 

One element I particularly appreciated was the unusual choice of a canine sidekick. Malakai wasn’t just comic relief—he added texture to the emotional stakes and proved to be a welcome foil to Scott’s self-destructive spiral. 

The dynamic between Scott and his canine companion, Malakai, added a great balance of humor and heart.   

If you’re into morally gray characters, gritty afterlife tales, and redemption arcs with bite (and a dog with serious sass), Healers is definitely worth the listen. 

Some parts hit hard while others made me laugh unexpectedly. The dog was a perfect addition. The narration fits the vibe too - dry when it needs to be, emotional when it counts.

This was gritty and actually surprisingly heartfelt. There's sex, violence, and a trash-talking dog spirit guide so it ticks all the boxes for me. There's a grubby world on display but it's got charm and depth.   

Dr. Weaver’s snarky charm and his journey through Blister City—alongside his loyal dog, Malakai—make for a weird, wonderful tale of redemption.  

Following the main character's descent and eventual begrudging path toward redemption, guided by a sarcastic canine, kept me hooked.  

Dr. Weaver's snarky voice and his reluctant journey through Blister City kept me hooked. The addition of Malakai, his canine companion, brought a great dynamic. 

I really enjoyed the snarky narration and the unusual concept of a dead doctor working as a healer in purgatory. The introduction of Malakai, his canine companion, added a layer of unexpected warmth and guidance to Scott's journey. 

HEALERS is a raw, captivating listen! Scott’s snarky journey through Blister City’s dark underbelly, paired with Malakai’s sharp wit, kept me hooked. A unique blend of redemption and moral dilemmas—fantastic audiobook!

AND,

I look forward to Reynolds writing more books like this with complex, involving plots. If she does, I hope she uses the same reader. The well written narration by the author given multiple realistic voices by the reader (including a dog from New Jersey) pulled me in.