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Exodus
At the height of the Great Depression, thousands of families who have lost everything are left with no choice but to make the pilgrimage westward in search of a new life. Some will find what they’re looking for. Some will not and will then be forced to make the long journey back home. Then there are the others, those who never make it to either place because they made a stop along the way in a town called Exodus, an abandoned silver mining town in eastern Arizona where nothing good ever happens and most folks never leave.
The Carlsons—John, his wife Anne, and their newborn baby James—are one of countless families heading west, and they’re one of many unfortunate families who decide to make a stop in Exodus. The sign on the highway promises food and gas, both of which the Carlsons need. But the sign doesn’t advertise all that Exodus has to offer.
It doesn’t mention the torture.
The cannibalism.
The death.
Caught now in a horrifying world of madness, Anne has to fight to save her family, though doing so will push her to the very brink of her own sanity.
*A horror novel for mature audiences only.
The Carlsons—John, his wife Anne, and their newborn baby James—are one of countless families heading west, and they’re one of many unfortunate families who decide to make a stop in Exodus. The sign on the highway promises food and gas, both of which the Carlsons need. But the sign doesn’t advertise all that Exodus has to offer.
It doesn’t mention the torture.
The cannibalism.
The death.
Caught now in a horrifying world of madness, Anne has to fight to save her family, though doing so will push her to the very brink of her own sanity.
*A horror novel for mature audiences only.
208 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 29, 2016
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46 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
December 3, 2017
"In the morning, in the evening
Ain’t we got fun?"
If you've been bound, gagged and tossed in a mine somewhere in a rural town called Exodus, then the answer is a resounding 'NO!'
While traveling to California from Oklahoma, in hopes of a better life, John and Anne Carlson realize that they're out of water. Shortly thereafter, their car runs out of gas. John leaves Anne and their two-month-old infant behind while he walks on in search of fuel. After several hours of waiting for her husband to return, Anne fears that something terrible has happened. Cradling baby James within her arms, she hikes down the road, down the path leading straight into Exodus--into one of Hell's outposts--where she will meet a barbaric, incestuous, merciless cannibalistic family. Will she meet the grim fate of so many before her?
Bettes skillfully weaves a most compelling story, one full of suspense, horror, gore and depravity. I was hooked from the very beginning and just had to keep turning the pages to find out what would happen to the poor Carlson family as well as some other unfortunate people who found their way to Exodus.
"The young man began to squirm on the floor, fighting for air, fighting for his life, which he’d already lost. He just didn’t know it yet.
I didn't think the gore was gratuitous or added just for shock value. Sick, twisted things really do happen, sadly, and there are some crazy people in this world who would undoubtedly inflict much of the horrors described within this book.
https://m.ranker.com/list/craziest-ca...
In any event, Bettes' rich, descriptive language enables readers to visualize all the disgusting scenes of torture and those who enjoy meting it out. Sometimes it even triggers olfactory responses... eww....
"He hated the way she smelled, the stench of stale body odor oozing from her every pore, mingling with the stink of piss and shit and stale sex that radiated from her nether regions...[h]e hated the way she farted when she orgasmed, occasionally pushing out a turd in the process."
Really, really eww.... :O
I won't even say who's being referred to that way...or why....
I really enjoyed this book from start to finish. It's not for everyone, but if you enjoy extreme horror, grab a copy and get ready for some fun!
Ain’t we got fun?"
If you've been bound, gagged and tossed in a mine somewhere in a rural town called Exodus, then the answer is a resounding 'NO!'
While traveling to California from Oklahoma, in hopes of a better life, John and Anne Carlson realize that they're out of water. Shortly thereafter, their car runs out of gas. John leaves Anne and their two-month-old infant behind while he walks on in search of fuel. After several hours of waiting for her husband to return, Anne fears that something terrible has happened. Cradling baby James within her arms, she hikes down the road, down the path leading straight into Exodus--into one of Hell's outposts--where she will meet a barbaric, incestuous, merciless cannibalistic family. Will she meet the grim fate of so many before her?
Bettes skillfully weaves a most compelling story, one full of suspense, horror, gore and depravity. I was hooked from the very beginning and just had to keep turning the pages to find out what would happen to the poor Carlson family as well as some other unfortunate people who found their way to Exodus.
"The young man began to squirm on the floor, fighting for air, fighting for his life, which he’d already lost. He just didn’t know it yet.
I didn't think the gore was gratuitous or added just for shock value. Sick, twisted things really do happen, sadly, and there are some crazy people in this world who would undoubtedly inflict much of the horrors described within this book.
https://m.ranker.com/list/craziest-ca...
In any event, Bettes' rich, descriptive language enables readers to visualize all the disgusting scenes of torture and those who enjoy meting it out. Sometimes it even triggers olfactory responses... eww....
"He hated the way she smelled, the stench of stale body odor oozing from her every pore, mingling with the stink of piss and shit and stale sex that radiated from her nether regions...[h]e hated the way she farted when she orgasmed, occasionally pushing out a turd in the process."
Really, really eww.... :O
I won't even say who's being referred to that way...or why....
I really enjoyed this book from start to finish. It's not for everyone, but if you enjoy extreme horror, grab a copy and get ready for some fun!
January 15, 2017
Thoroughly dark and disturbing, Exodus is a horrific tale of torture, murder and cannibalism at the hands of a family you can't help but feel sorry for. The author's writing is superb and deposits you deep inside the story as you live through the horror of one woman's desperate attempt to escape the town alive with her newborn. Not for the faint of heart!
January 31, 2017
This superb book is set in the 1930's following a small family escaping Oklahoma after the tragic events of 'black Sunday'. Heading to California in search of a new start, John, Anne and baby James end up having to make an unscheduled stop in a small town called Exodus. Here is where the true horrors begin. Nothing seems right from the second you are introduced to the place and the people. You'd be right to think this and the horrific journey of horror,torture and sick behaviour begins. For many,a visit here will be the last thing you do,will Anne John and James escape?? Enjoy this horrific tale of torture,suffering and survival that will keep you hooked throughout.
June 23, 2017
Wow! I'm a fan of horror but I'll admit some parts made me uncomfortable and made me cringe! I guess you know it's good horror if it makes you cringe! lol The story itself takes place during the great depression and the writer wasted no time jumping straight into the horror! Loved it! Great narration by Rick Gregory! I've listened to a few of his narrations now and really enjoy his work.
December 11, 2016
Stupendous!
Exodus reminded me of the movie "Wrong Turn." Filled with page after page of action, it was like a train wreck. Afraid of what I might see next, but not wanting to miss a thing.
The book is sick and twisted beyond belief! I highly recommend it.
Exodus reminded me of the movie "Wrong Turn." Filled with page after page of action, it was like a train wreck. Afraid of what I might see next, but not wanting to miss a thing.
The book is sick and twisted beyond belief! I highly recommend it.
December 2, 2016
Excellent read!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I'm a fan of the creepy and gory . (Don't judge! LOL) Kim actually made me cringe a few times, and that's not easy to do. Good job!!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I'm a fan of the creepy and gory . (Don't judge! LOL) Kim actually made me cringe a few times, and that's not easy to do. Good job!!
February 23, 2017
Awesome
I loved this book, I couldn't put it down. I will definitely be reading more for this author, she has me hooked.
I loved this book, I couldn't put it down. I will definitely be reading more for this author, she has me hooked.
July 31, 2017
Set during the Great Depression, this horror historical fiction follows the Carlson family as they try to survive the biggest mistake of their lives. They stopped at a small mining town in Arizona (Exodus) on their way to California where they hoped to be hired on as fruit pickers. Now they have to do their best to survive Frank and his murdering cannibalistic family.
This is a horror fest. It’s not for the squeamish. If you can’t handle the first chapter, then this is not the book for you. Such was not the case for me. I listened to the whole thing and was entertained, grossed out, hopeful for the main character, and wanted the despicable family that perpetrated these acts dead.
Cannibalism, murder, rape, human lactation fascination, and incest make up this story. Frank’s family owns and runs the little diner in Exodus as well as the thrift store where they sell those items they take off of their victims. Frank’s mom is a loud, heavy handed matriarch that rules over her kids. Frank’s brother and his sister carry of an affair that they have to hide from Frank, since he gets rather jealous if his sister/lover even looks at another man. Yep, it’s one severely messed up family.
Sometimes the creepiness was a bit excessive like it was pushed to such a height simply to get a reaction out of the reader instead of moving the story forward. Occasionally it was gratuitous horror but over all I enjoyed the tale. I was really rooting for Anne, hoping she would get out of this hell hole with her baby James.
Speaking of them, this story was extra creepy for me because so many of the names match names of my family members. My paternal grandparents (also named John and Anne) were migrant farmers from Tennessee that went out to California to work in the fruit orchards. I have lots of cousins in small mining towns in Arizona because of this migration. My dad is also named James, though he was born in the 1940s instead of the 1930s. The characters John and Anne lost their first born daughter Sarah due to illness. My sister is named Sarah. So, yeah, talk about creepy! Now I want to ask my dad if there are any stories from that migration that the family doesn’t like to talk about.
Initially, I hoped that one of the Exodus siblings might turn good and help Anne, John, and James escape. Frank’s sister was the most likely candidate however she has a lot of serious character flaws to overcome. I did find that I was a bit squeamish about people suckling on Anne (she’s lactating for baby James). It didn’t bother me when it happened in Grapes of Wrath but here it feels like a violation instead of sharing nutrition.
Perhaps 2/3 of the way through, we get an info dump on Frank and his motivations. He’s this big monstrous object doing horrible things for most of the book and then we get a peak inside his head. I would have liked a bit more of that behind-the-scenes stuff in the first 2/3 of the book instead of one big info dump. Still, we got to know Frank a bit more before the big, messy finale. The ending was a good solid one that wraps up any questions. If you’re in the mood for a good jolt of horror to the system, then this in your book. I will be avoiding meat at small diners for a while.
I received a free copy of this book.
The Narration: Rick Gregory did a great job with this book. His female voices are feminine and distinct. He has individual voices for each of the characters and he’s so good at being scared and determined, or disgusting and sly, or angry and violent with his voice. He also went the extra mile and did a little special affect that included Frank’s favorite song that he likes to work to – ‘Ain’t We Got Fun’. He plays it in just the right moments and in little snippets so it doesn’t eclipse the narration.
This is a horror fest. It’s not for the squeamish. If you can’t handle the first chapter, then this is not the book for you. Such was not the case for me. I listened to the whole thing and was entertained, grossed out, hopeful for the main character, and wanted the despicable family that perpetrated these acts dead.
Cannibalism, murder, rape, human lactation fascination, and incest make up this story. Frank’s family owns and runs the little diner in Exodus as well as the thrift store where they sell those items they take off of their victims. Frank’s mom is a loud, heavy handed matriarch that rules over her kids. Frank’s brother and his sister carry of an affair that they have to hide from Frank, since he gets rather jealous if his sister/lover even looks at another man. Yep, it’s one severely messed up family.
Sometimes the creepiness was a bit excessive like it was pushed to such a height simply to get a reaction out of the reader instead of moving the story forward. Occasionally it was gratuitous horror but over all I enjoyed the tale. I was really rooting for Anne, hoping she would get out of this hell hole with her baby James.
Speaking of them, this story was extra creepy for me because so many of the names match names of my family members. My paternal grandparents (also named John and Anne) were migrant farmers from Tennessee that went out to California to work in the fruit orchards. I have lots of cousins in small mining towns in Arizona because of this migration. My dad is also named James, though he was born in the 1940s instead of the 1930s. The characters John and Anne lost their first born daughter Sarah due to illness. My sister is named Sarah. So, yeah, talk about creepy! Now I want to ask my dad if there are any stories from that migration that the family doesn’t like to talk about.
Initially, I hoped that one of the Exodus siblings might turn good and help Anne, John, and James escape. Frank’s sister was the most likely candidate however she has a lot of serious character flaws to overcome. I did find that I was a bit squeamish about people suckling on Anne (she’s lactating for baby James). It didn’t bother me when it happened in Grapes of Wrath but here it feels like a violation instead of sharing nutrition.
Perhaps 2/3 of the way through, we get an info dump on Frank and his motivations. He’s this big monstrous object doing horrible things for most of the book and then we get a peak inside his head. I would have liked a bit more of that behind-the-scenes stuff in the first 2/3 of the book instead of one big info dump. Still, we got to know Frank a bit more before the big, messy finale. The ending was a good solid one that wraps up any questions. If you’re in the mood for a good jolt of horror to the system, then this in your book. I will be avoiding meat at small diners for a while.
I received a free copy of this book.
The Narration: Rick Gregory did a great job with this book. His female voices are feminine and distinct. He has individual voices for each of the characters and he’s so good at being scared and determined, or disgusting and sly, or angry and violent with his voice. He also went the extra mile and did a little special affect that included Frank’s favorite song that he likes to work to – ‘Ain’t We Got Fun’. He plays it in just the right moments and in little snippets so it doesn’t eclipse the narration.
January 21, 2017
Anne, John, and baby James Carlson are on a journey to a better life in California, everybody is doing it. There's nothing left from where they came, it was the great depression.
Anne didn't consider herself lucky, but she knew for what she had she wasnt going to complain.
John was a hard working man for his family, he didn't want his son and wife to suffer the hunger or thirst of the time, so when he saw the sign for Exodus he knew he needed to stop to get gas and water, he really didn't have a choice when their truck stopped running now he really needed gas.
These few events set off a terrifying journey for the Carlsons. Will they still just be passing through? Will they be leaving the way they came? Whole? This book is one of Kimberly Bette's best books scary, gruesome, and a little bit of brotherly love! Enjoy (on an empty stomach or else).
Anne didn't consider herself lucky, but she knew for what she had she wasnt going to complain.
John was a hard working man for his family, he didn't want his son and wife to suffer the hunger or thirst of the time, so when he saw the sign for Exodus he knew he needed to stop to get gas and water, he really didn't have a choice when their truck stopped running now he really needed gas.
These few events set off a terrifying journey for the Carlsons. Will they still just be passing through? Will they be leaving the way they came? Whole? This book is one of Kimberly Bette's best books scary, gruesome, and a little bit of brotherly love! Enjoy (on an empty stomach or else).
January 31, 2017
Wrong Turn...
This book is a stand-alone.
This book is told in the third person.
This book is DARK!! Full of gorey detail.
There are lots of triggers. Incest may be the biggest one. But if you've ever seen the movie 'Wrong Turn' this is the behind the scenes things they can't show on cable TV.
And I loved every page of it.
It's sick, twisted, and even more twisted.
The writing flowed, I had to know what happened next. This book is a page turner.
This author has out down herself with the sick and twisted, over the top DARK.
I would recommend this sick and twisted tale.
This book is a stand-alone.
This book is told in the third person.
This book is DARK!! Full of gorey detail.
There are lots of triggers. Incest may be the biggest one. But if you've ever seen the movie 'Wrong Turn' this is the behind the scenes things they can't show on cable TV.
And I loved every page of it.
It's sick, twisted, and even more twisted.
The writing flowed, I had to know what happened next. This book is a page turner.
This author has out down herself with the sick and twisted, over the top DARK.
I would recommend this sick and twisted tale.
December 7, 2016
Do you like gore? Do you like psychopaths? Do you like terror? Then this book is for YOU! This author has a truly rare talent of bringing this story to life. I find her work to be scarier than ANY Steven King book and even MORE twisted than Richard Laymon in some ways. This is a HORROR novel. This will disturb you. I am haunted by Exodus and it's residents. I will be for some time. And I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT!!!!!
January 8, 2017
What a deliciously disturbing read! Well, perhaps the word "delicious" shouldn't be used to describe this book. Delightfully disgusting might be a better fit. Either way, this book is perfect for those among us who enjoy those dark, unsettling stories that you can't put down, but are almost afraid to keep reading. Seriously, I spent the whole book wondering if I could make it through, but unable to stop myself. I enjoyed it immensely!
February 4, 2017
This book is the definition of horror. It was written very well-almost too well. I felt like I was Anne. It was scary. And gross. And disturbing. I normally read during my lunch breaks, but this one was a hard one for me to read during lunch. It was almost too disturbing for me to finish, but I did and it was worth it. I loved the ending. Totally worth the read if you loved the movie The Hills Have Eyes...which this story reminded me a lot of.
February 7, 2017
A truly fascinating, disgusting, and horrific book. I loved it!
In the time of the Great Depression, what's a family to do to keep their small town diner in business? Serve the choicest cuts of meat, of course. As travelers pass through on their way to California, who's going to notice if a few of the diner's customers go missing?
A thorough, detailed, and gruesome tale that is amazingly disturbing. Very well written and terrifying real. Well done!
In the time of the Great Depression, what's a family to do to keep their small town diner in business? Serve the choicest cuts of meat, of course. As travelers pass through on their way to California, who's going to notice if a few of the diner's customers go missing?
A thorough, detailed, and gruesome tale that is amazingly disturbing. Very well written and terrifying real. Well done!
June 24, 2017
Review originally published at: http://www.lomeraniel.com/audiobookre...
I have received a free copy of this book in audio format from the narrator in exchange for an honest review.
After the crash of the 29 many people started to move west in search for a new opportunity in life. Anne, her husband John, and their baby James, are one of these many families who lost everything and dreamed of something new. They are forced to make a stop in the way due to running out of water and gas, and stumble upon Exodus, an abandoned mining town, where just one family seems to remain. They run the only businesses left in town and make their profits from the constant current of people moving west. But just some are able to continue their way after making a stop at Exodus.
I was not sure what I was up against before starting this book. I got a warning saying that it was going to be a very crude book. And it was, but in a good way. It often happens in horror stories, that the author goes for making a statement and imprinting some images in the reader's mind, but at times there is not much of a plot or characters that are more than two dimensional. This is not the case. Exodus is a tale of horror, gore, cannibalism and incest. It is so gruesome at moments that I was torn between the need of taking a break and continuing listening to it. it is incredible, with very powerful images and many horrible facts tied together; but it is also wonderfully well written, with credible characters and relationships, that in very disturbing way, make sense.
There is a soundtrack to this book, which helps set an atmosphere to this story. In a way it is what it shows how disturbed is one of the characters, but also reminds us of the fact that the book is set in the early 30's. After a while the song stuck in my head, while I was able to see Frank cutting meat on his cutting table. And the song kept playing on and on. On and on.
I really enjoyed Rick Gregory's narration. He has a soothing voice, which contrasted with the horrible facts happening in the book. Gregory is also able to deliver different voices for all the characters but in a subtle way, which makes you forget that you are listening to a book, and makes you believe you are watching it. He included excerpts of the song which Frank listened again and again, 'Ain't we got fun' by Van and Schenck, which I think worked great to set the mood. I think it is worth mentioning that this song was an anthem of the Roaring Twenties, and it appeared on several movies of the time. It was a great choice by the Bettes and a great choice by Gregory to include excerpts along the book.
I found the audio production mostly correct, but I noticed a noise 34:53, just after announcing chapter three.
I absolutely loved this book, much more than I expected. It is indeed a gruesome book, ideal for horror fans, but I also enjoyed the power of the unique characters in the story, which makes this story stand out among others.
I have received a free copy of this book in audio format from the narrator in exchange for an honest review.
After the crash of the 29 many people started to move west in search for a new opportunity in life. Anne, her husband John, and their baby James, are one of these many families who lost everything and dreamed of something new. They are forced to make a stop in the way due to running out of water and gas, and stumble upon Exodus, an abandoned mining town, where just one family seems to remain. They run the only businesses left in town and make their profits from the constant current of people moving west. But just some are able to continue their way after making a stop at Exodus.
I was not sure what I was up against before starting this book. I got a warning saying that it was going to be a very crude book. And it was, but in a good way. It often happens in horror stories, that the author goes for making a statement and imprinting some images in the reader's mind, but at times there is not much of a plot or characters that are more than two dimensional. This is not the case. Exodus is a tale of horror, gore, cannibalism and incest. It is so gruesome at moments that I was torn between the need of taking a break and continuing listening to it. it is incredible, with very powerful images and many horrible facts tied together; but it is also wonderfully well written, with credible characters and relationships, that in very disturbing way, make sense.
There is a soundtrack to this book, which helps set an atmosphere to this story. In a way it is what it shows how disturbed is one of the characters, but also reminds us of the fact that the book is set in the early 30's. After a while the song stuck in my head, while I was able to see Frank cutting meat on his cutting table. And the song kept playing on and on. On and on.
I really enjoyed Rick Gregory's narration. He has a soothing voice, which contrasted with the horrible facts happening in the book. Gregory is also able to deliver different voices for all the characters but in a subtle way, which makes you forget that you are listening to a book, and makes you believe you are watching it. He included excerpts of the song which Frank listened again and again, 'Ain't we got fun' by Van and Schenck, which I think worked great to set the mood. I think it is worth mentioning that this song was an anthem of the Roaring Twenties, and it appeared on several movies of the time. It was a great choice by the Bettes and a great choice by Gregory to include excerpts along the book.
I found the audio production mostly correct, but I noticed a noise 34:53, just after announcing chapter three.
I absolutely loved this book, much more than I expected. It is indeed a gruesome book, ideal for horror fans, but I also enjoyed the power of the unique characters in the story, which makes this story stand out among others.
August 16, 2017
3.5 Stars
This story was disturbing, disgusting, creepy, and vile....
...and I kinda liked it.
There are few people I feel could get away with writing a story about the horrors of motherhood and it becomes an actual horror story. Yes, this story isn't original--very reminiscent of Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Wrong Turn, and those other cannibal/torture-related stories. However, what sets this gruesome depiction apart from the others is the idea of motherhood--how far will you go to save your child? How far will you go to love your child? What does it take to keep a family together? These questions are asked through three different perspectives--Ann's, Vera's, and Vera's mother (Of course Ann is the best mom here, obviously).
I was very impressed with the music that was played throughout the audiobook--I think that was a great addition to the story and really gave you something to ruminate on.
Some negative things I will say is that the narrator did a good job, but it wasn't the best narration I've experienced. He attempted to use different voices for each character, but there were times where all the voices sounded the same and I couldn't pick out who was talking (especially between Frank and Mimi). Another negative is that the inflection the narrator used during times of stress for the characters lacked. For instance, when Ann first met Vera and her husband was missing. The writing appeared to have Ann worried, but the narrator sounded joyful (when Ann was answering Vera's questions about Baby James). If I narrated, my voice would have been hesitant and showed more appropriate emotion. Finally, the last negative thing about the book, itself, is that many parts of Vera's characterization was repeated MANY MANY MANY unnecessary times. How many times do we need to hear that she gets turned on by one specific thing (that I won't spoil for you). I just felt the flow of the story could have been improved with a fiercer editing process.
This story was disturbing, disgusting, creepy, and vile....
...and I kinda liked it.
There are few people I feel could get away with writing a story about the horrors of motherhood and it becomes an actual horror story. Yes, this story isn't original--very reminiscent of Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Wrong Turn, and those other cannibal/torture-related stories. However, what sets this gruesome depiction apart from the others is the idea of motherhood--how far will you go to save your child? How far will you go to love your child? What does it take to keep a family together? These questions are asked through three different perspectives--Ann's, Vera's, and Vera's mother (Of course Ann is the best mom here, obviously).
I was very impressed with the music that was played throughout the audiobook--I think that was a great addition to the story and really gave you something to ruminate on.
Some negative things I will say is that the narrator did a good job, but it wasn't the best narration I've experienced. He attempted to use different voices for each character, but there were times where all the voices sounded the same and I couldn't pick out who was talking (especially between Frank and Mimi). Another negative is that the inflection the narrator used during times of stress for the characters lacked. For instance, when Ann first met Vera and her husband was missing. The writing appeared to have Ann worried, but the narrator sounded joyful (when Ann was answering Vera's questions about Baby James). If I narrated, my voice would have been hesitant and showed more appropriate emotion. Finally, the last negative thing about the book, itself, is that many parts of Vera's characterization was repeated MANY MANY MANY unnecessary times. How many times do we need to hear that she gets turned on by one specific thing (that I won't spoil for you). I just felt the flow of the story could have been improved with a fiercer editing process.
October 6, 2017
If gore is your thing, this novel will certainly hit the mark. You get murder, cannibalism, incest, and some pretty freaky fetishes. The victims were sympathetic, and the bad guys were appropriately repulsive as individuals, and insane in their actions. The novel is classified as horror, but it's important to distinguish that Exodus is not so much scary as simply gross and gory. Cringe-worthy, even.
The choice of time, place and plot by Kimberly A. Bettes was what brought me to this novel. Something as dry and desperate as a desert (and deserted) town on the way from the Dust Bowl to the promised land of California storms was genius. The writing was decent, but somewhat repetitive and not as creative as it could have been. The same word or phrase could be repeated two or three times in the same paragraph, and characterizations weren't as much enhanced as restated.
The Audible narration did little to strengthen the story. The reading was slow and deliberate with no affect or emotion at all. I would have appreciated differentiation between voices, as I often couldn't figure out which character was supposed to be speaking. As well there were frequent unexpected pauses, almost as if the narrator hesitated while moving to the next line or turning a page. The audio version seemed to have been "produced" without any editing, which it certainly could have used.
As a final warning: If you're not a vegetarian, you may find yourself reconsidering meat consumption after reading/listening to Exodus. You'll always wonder, and fear, just where that meat you're being served came from.
The choice of time, place and plot by Kimberly A. Bettes was what brought me to this novel. Something as dry and desperate as a desert (and deserted) town on the way from the Dust Bowl to the promised land of California storms was genius. The writing was decent, but somewhat repetitive and not as creative as it could have been. The same word or phrase could be repeated two or three times in the same paragraph, and characterizations weren't as much enhanced as restated.
The Audible narration did little to strengthen the story. The reading was slow and deliberate with no affect or emotion at all. I would have appreciated differentiation between voices, as I often couldn't figure out which character was supposed to be speaking. As well there were frequent unexpected pauses, almost as if the narrator hesitated while moving to the next line or turning a page. The audio version seemed to have been "produced" without any editing, which it certainly could have used.
As a final warning: If you're not a vegetarian, you may find yourself reconsidering meat consumption after reading/listening to Exodus. You'll always wonder, and fear, just where that meat you're being served came from.
July 6, 2017
WARNING! This is an especially horrific thriller. I can't imagine a much more dysfunctional or disgusting family than that depicted in this story. It is based on an interesting premise, however, and quite suspenseful. Although very extreme, it is almost plausible. There's no supernatural or paranormal element to this story.
Rick Gregory's performance is adequate. There is some music included in this audiobook, but it is integral to the story.
NOTE: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
Rick Gregory's performance is adequate. There is some music included in this audiobook, but it is integral to the story.
NOTE: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
October 31, 2018
This was a gruesome story, and you definitely shouldn't eat while reading or listening. I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator, Rick Gregory, did a good job conveying all the details. It was an eerie but nice touch to include some of the actual music as the story moved, made me think differently about one song in particular. The ending was different than I anticipated and left me with a couple questions so I know I cared about what was going on.
I received an audiobook of this story as a gift, and this is my unsolicited review.
I received an audiobook of this story as a gift, and this is my unsolicited review.
November 13, 2017
I couldn't finish this.The narration by Rick Gregory was good.I just couldn't take the contents of the story.“I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.”
September 17, 2018
It was creepy, super gross, and sexually disgusting. If that is your thing, then this book is for you. It went a little out of my comfort zone a few times with the sex scenes, but the story was definitely engaging.
December 20, 2021
It's creepy, gory, scary and gross. All the things you want in a good horror story.
December 13, 2016
Great Book!
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