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Tears of Glass
A failed quarterback, failed husband and failed human being, finds redemption through the music of a failed songwriter.
This roller-coaster thriller has its genesis in real events, including the ' Accidental ' deaths of twenty two UK scientists all working on US missile systems.
Morgan, a drinking, smoking, womaniser, is drawn to the iconic music of the seventies - Dylan, Carole King, Neil Young, Led Zep - but when he acquires a rejected demo tape by a bluesy pianist, his friends start to meet with bizarre, ' Accidental ' deaths. It eventually dawns that HE is the target . Running to the Californian desert, picking up the inevitable girl en-route, he has no idea that he has stumbled. literally, upon the biggest conspiracy the Intelligence Services have tried to hide since The Wall came down.
The contrast between those who rule our lives and those who try to live by the rules, is brought into sharp focus through a collection of disparate characters, all having their own agenda. The underlying darkness of the message is almost totally masked by the nature of the ' Ripping Yarn.' The reader rides a wave of action, humour, pathos, passion, violence and even enlightenment.
This roller-coaster thriller has its genesis in real events, including the ' Accidental ' deaths of twenty two UK scientists all working on US missile systems.
Morgan, a drinking, smoking, womaniser, is drawn to the iconic music of the seventies - Dylan, Carole King, Neil Young, Led Zep - but when he acquires a rejected demo tape by a bluesy pianist, his friends start to meet with bizarre, ' Accidental ' deaths. It eventually dawns that HE is the target . Running to the Californian desert, picking up the inevitable girl en-route, he has no idea that he has stumbled. literally, upon the biggest conspiracy the Intelligence Services have tried to hide since The Wall came down.
The contrast between those who rule our lives and those who try to live by the rules, is brought into sharp focus through a collection of disparate characters, all having their own agenda. The underlying darkness of the message is almost totally masked by the nature of the ' Ripping Yarn.' The reader rides a wave of action, humour, pathos, passion, violence and even enlightenment.
351 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 2, 2016
120 people are currently reading
243 people want to read
About the author
David Lake
1 book3 followersDavid lake has a background in Science and the Record Industry.
Both facets are represented in Tears Of Glass which was first published in 1994 and re-published as an eBook in 2015
' The World's First Interactive Book '
according to Publishing News as this is the first book ever to have its own soundtrack as part of the narrative.
A number of other 'Firsts 'include the promotion of rock music in English Cathedrals and of launching Vangelis at the Royal Albert Hall.
He lives with his family near London.
Both facets are represented in Tears Of Glass which was first published in 1994 and re-published as an eBook in 2015
' The World's First Interactive Book '
according to Publishing News as this is the first book ever to have its own soundtrack as part of the narrative.
A number of other 'Firsts 'include the promotion of rock music in English Cathedrals and of launching Vangelis at the Royal Albert Hall.
He lives with his family near London.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
February 6, 2017
My original Tears of Glass audiobook review and many others can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.
Tears of Glass by David Lake is an unusual listen with its unique production of the written word and weaving it successfully with a sound track of music representing the late 60’s-80’s time period. The music connects with the listener reminding them of a time long gone and yet hooks the listener with its beat and lyrics.
Morgan is a man who finds himself a failure at everything he has done from his jobs to his career in songwriting to relationships. Now he finds that his friendship circle is growing increasingly smaller due to weird accidents. Accidentally, he becomes involved with government secrets, nuclear war, international espionage and more all because of his passion for 60’s-80’s blues music and a rejected demo tape from a blues artist. Not overly aware at first, he finds himself on the run – confused and having to deal with things larger than ever. Given his penchant for failure, will this be yet one more or will he manage to live a long life?
It is sometimes hard to keep up with all the conspiracies and characters. Lake is a masterful wordsmith describing vividly his characters and the plight they find themselves. The plot and music are cohesive and enhance one another brilliantly. The characters are well-developed and are clearly flawed but real. Lake’s skillful writing and the music choice takes the listener and dumps them smack in the middle of the action. Mixed with dark humor and action, one cannot help but become part of the story.
The audiobook was very well written and performed by Fred Filbrich. Filbrich is a talented narrator who spoke clearly and concisely but also became the characters. I thought he kept a steady pace with his reading. His voice was steady and calming, delivering the dark humored responses appropriately and well.
The book, in my opinion was unique and well done. With that being said and my passion for classic rock, I found the music distracting at first. But after listening carefully to the words and recognizing how they interconnected with the story, I was fine with it. Could it have been done without the music? Yes, but it might not have been as powerful.
The audio production of this book was good except for hearing Fred Filbrich swallow all too often. I suspect the mike was too close. Other than this, the production was high quality.
Audiobook was provided for review by the author.
Tears of Glass by David Lake is an unusual listen with its unique production of the written word and weaving it successfully with a sound track of music representing the late 60’s-80’s time period. The music connects with the listener reminding them of a time long gone and yet hooks the listener with its beat and lyrics.
Morgan is a man who finds himself a failure at everything he has done from his jobs to his career in songwriting to relationships. Now he finds that his friendship circle is growing increasingly smaller due to weird accidents. Accidentally, he becomes involved with government secrets, nuclear war, international espionage and more all because of his passion for 60’s-80’s blues music and a rejected demo tape from a blues artist. Not overly aware at first, he finds himself on the run – confused and having to deal with things larger than ever. Given his penchant for failure, will this be yet one more or will he manage to live a long life?
It is sometimes hard to keep up with all the conspiracies and characters. Lake is a masterful wordsmith describing vividly his characters and the plight they find themselves. The plot and music are cohesive and enhance one another brilliantly. The characters are well-developed and are clearly flawed but real. Lake’s skillful writing and the music choice takes the listener and dumps them smack in the middle of the action. Mixed with dark humor and action, one cannot help but become part of the story.
The audiobook was very well written and performed by Fred Filbrich. Filbrich is a talented narrator who spoke clearly and concisely but also became the characters. I thought he kept a steady pace with his reading. His voice was steady and calming, delivering the dark humored responses appropriately and well.
The book, in my opinion was unique and well done. With that being said and my passion for classic rock, I found the music distracting at first. But after listening carefully to the words and recognizing how they interconnected with the story, I was fine with it. Could it have been done without the music? Yes, but it might not have been as powerful.
The audio production of this book was good except for hearing Fred Filbrich swallow all too often. I suspect the mike was too close. Other than this, the production was high quality.
Audiobook was provided for review by the author.
April 17, 2017
** Review of Audio Format **
Mind Bending
There is so much going on in this book. It reminded me of the Jason Bourne series. When former football star, now an architect, John Morgan's drinking becomes out of control, he hooks up with a debutante of sorts. Suddenly, people around Morgan are dying all sorts of bizarre and violent deaths. Why is he being singled out and where can he turn to stop the bloodshed?
From the Queen's own secret branch of thugs to the CIA and Russians there is something going on in Morgan's life and he has to figure it out quick or he is going to be dead. When he meets a perpetual student on the road and the singer/songwriter that keeps his sanity in place, Morgan slowly begins to piece together why all of these shadowy people are after him.
The soundtrack that goes with this listen is great. I enjoyed every song and the unique nuances of 'Paul's' voice. The way the soundtrack and Paul are woven into the story is intriguing, though I never quite got his role in the whole affair. The story draws you in from the very beginning and keeps you waiting for the whole thing to unravel at the end. I really, really enjoyed David Lake's writing style and will be on the lookout for more from him. If you are looking for something different and unique, give this audiobook a try, you won't be disappointed!
Fred Filbrich's narration was spot on and I enjoyed every voice he did, including the narrative bits. He made this listen go from great to fantastic and I don't know if I would have gotten as much out of it if he had not been the narrator. I listened on 1.5X speed and it was perfect.
I received this audiobook for free through Audiobook Boom! in exchange for an honest review.
Mind Bending
There is so much going on in this book. It reminded me of the Jason Bourne series. When former football star, now an architect, John Morgan's drinking becomes out of control, he hooks up with a debutante of sorts. Suddenly, people around Morgan are dying all sorts of bizarre and violent deaths. Why is he being singled out and where can he turn to stop the bloodshed?
From the Queen's own secret branch of thugs to the CIA and Russians there is something going on in Morgan's life and he has to figure it out quick or he is going to be dead. When he meets a perpetual student on the road and the singer/songwriter that keeps his sanity in place, Morgan slowly begins to piece together why all of these shadowy people are after him.
The soundtrack that goes with this listen is great. I enjoyed every song and the unique nuances of 'Paul's' voice. The way the soundtrack and Paul are woven into the story is intriguing, though I never quite got his role in the whole affair. The story draws you in from the very beginning and keeps you waiting for the whole thing to unravel at the end. I really, really enjoyed David Lake's writing style and will be on the lookout for more from him. If you are looking for something different and unique, give this audiobook a try, you won't be disappointed!
Fred Filbrich's narration was spot on and I enjoyed every voice he did, including the narrative bits. He made this listen go from great to fantastic and I don't know if I would have gotten as much out of it if he had not been the narrator. I listened on 1.5X speed and it was perfect.
I received this audiobook for free through Audiobook Boom! in exchange for an honest review.
May 21, 2017
Tears of Glass is a fantastically well written, fast paced story that kept me at the edge of my seat throughout. The scene setting is perfect and the characters development is amazing as well. His writing is extremely vivid and his attention to detail is worthy of endless praise. He makes picturing the story incredibly easy and in spite of being quite complex, it is surprisingly easy to grasp the story fully and trust me, I enjoyed reading every bit of it.
All in all, Tears of Glass by David Lake turned out to be so much better than what I had anticipated and I'd recommend this book to absolutely anybody looking for a well crafted, fast paced story. I personally guarantee that you won't be disappointed.
All in all, Tears of Glass by David Lake turned out to be so much better than what I had anticipated and I'd recommend this book to absolutely anybody looking for a well crafted, fast paced story. I personally guarantee that you won't be disappointed.
November 20, 2017
Throughout the book,I just kept thinking that I'd read similar,but better.
It never really gripped me...at times it was ridiculous,but without being amusingly so....
Everyone else seems to like it,so maybe it's just me.
It never really gripped me...at times it was ridiculous,but without being amusingly so....
Everyone else seems to like it,so maybe it's just me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 13, 2017
An interesting weave of plots and characters.
November 15, 2020
Good story
This book turned out to be something very different to what I was expecting. I'm parts I found myself lost until I started putting it all together.
This book turned out to be something very different to what I was expecting. I'm parts I found myself lost until I started putting it all together.
May 21, 2017
Excellent and thought provoking. A cross between Dr.Strangelove and Easy Rider. The copy I have has a tape cassette of original music by a wonderful singer- songwriter and the tracks are an integral part of the narrative.
A failed quarterback, failed husband and failed architect, runs to the LA deserts when he realises someone is trying to kill him. He meets up with a girl and they are both become a target.
They have no idea why, but it coincided with the main character, Morgan, finding the tape. The music is mostly blues-based ballads written and sung by Paul Millns.
After a rising body count, narrow escapes and a trip to London, Morgan discovers the CIA are the cause of his problems. This very Non-PC character would prefer to drink and smoke himself to death and objects to governmental forces doing it for him.
There is a dark humour masking a conspiracy theory based on the deaths of 22 British Scientists in the late eighties. This governmental conspiracy is so alarming that I feel like hitting the Jack Daniel's myself!
The Sunday Times called it - THE PIONEERING, PARANOIA, CALIFORNIAN THRILLER
The Independent said - 3 parts BIG SLEEP to 2 parts WILT
Enjoy it if you find a copy, but there's an E BOOK coming out shortly
A failed quarterback, failed husband and failed architect, runs to the LA deserts when he realises someone is trying to kill him. He meets up with a girl and they are both become a target.
They have no idea why, but it coincided with the main character, Morgan, finding the tape. The music is mostly blues-based ballads written and sung by Paul Millns.
After a rising body count, narrow escapes and a trip to London, Morgan discovers the CIA are the cause of his problems. This very Non-PC character would prefer to drink and smoke himself to death and objects to governmental forces doing it for him.
There is a dark humour masking a conspiracy theory based on the deaths of 22 British Scientists in the late eighties. This governmental conspiracy is so alarming that I feel like hitting the Jack Daniel's myself!
The Sunday Times called it - THE PIONEERING, PARANOIA, CALIFORNIAN THRILLER
The Independent said - 3 parts BIG SLEEP to 2 parts WILT
Enjoy it if you find a copy, but there's an E BOOK coming out shortly
April 26, 2016
Outstanding Read!! I was hooked from the very first chapter and was kept mesmerized by the fantastic characters and flow of the story. The author has gone above and beyond with his elaborate show of both book and musical all rolled into one, I loved it. Finally, an interactive book for adults that is both stimulating to the mind, calming to the heart and soothing to the ears. Kudos to Mr. Lake for his wonderful creation, please give us more!!!
August 17, 2017
I thought this was very interesting listen but very confusing at times. I really enjoyed the twists and turns that at times is rather shocking. There were a few times my mouth fell open and I thought oh my. I never really got a handle on this audio beside the high government wants Morgan dead because they thought he knows something he should not. I never worked out what was so important about the tape from what I could tell the only important it has is that Morgan loved it and it fit his feelings. I do use music myself to go with the mood I am in. Some songs tell my story or part of it and pull me in. I just thought playing each song all the way through gave it more important than it needed. I think part of each song would have been better. I did enjoy how the narrator pointed out things about Morgan or what he was doing throughout the music. Since I listened to this I wonder how the songs were dealt with in the book it’s self.
Mr. Filbrich did a really good job of narration, there was a little issue at the beginning where you could hear him swallow but over time that went away. He has improved in this area from other audios of his I have listened to. He has a very lovely voice that is very pleasant to listen to. I loved his British accent I thought it was wonderful. I thought the narrator bought the story to life but needs to work on giving more emotion to his characters. I found them to be a little flat at times not enough excitement when they are in danger or when they are working on their relationship. They just didn’t connect as a couple no passion. I just didn’t feel the excitement or rush from gets into a fight or near death. I thought his male and female voices were lovely. I had no trouble knowing who was talking. There are no background noises, no volume changes, if any breaks were taken I could not tell. Over all I thought he did a really good job and look forward to listening to more of his work.
When the author went into the science part of the bomb I was totally lost and went way over my head as things were pointed out which made it a little hard to understand and was confusing. At times I found my mind wondering. I am unsure if too much information was given or not enough. It was a good ending but confusing. I found the part about what the government has for defense very interesting. I am unsure of what happened to the bomb that were made since the whole book was built around it I would have liked more information at the end. It does seem that the author has set this up for a series since the ending was unclear. It will be interesting to see where he takes this story.
Bottom line I enjoyed it, I thought it was worth my time but was confusing. The twists are outstanding and some shocking. The surprises keep you on your toes. Not everything is as it seems. I do feel that some of the songs takes away from what the author really wanted us to see. For a debut story it was good.
Mr. Filbrich did a really good job of narration, there was a little issue at the beginning where you could hear him swallow but over time that went away. He has improved in this area from other audios of his I have listened to. He has a very lovely voice that is very pleasant to listen to. I loved his British accent I thought it was wonderful. I thought the narrator bought the story to life but needs to work on giving more emotion to his characters. I found them to be a little flat at times not enough excitement when they are in danger or when they are working on their relationship. They just didn’t connect as a couple no passion. I just didn’t feel the excitement or rush from gets into a fight or near death. I thought his male and female voices were lovely. I had no trouble knowing who was talking. There are no background noises, no volume changes, if any breaks were taken I could not tell. Over all I thought he did a really good job and look forward to listening to more of his work.
When the author went into the science part of the bomb I was totally lost and went way over my head as things were pointed out which made it a little hard to understand and was confusing. At times I found my mind wondering. I am unsure if too much information was given or not enough. It was a good ending but confusing. I found the part about what the government has for defense very interesting. I am unsure of what happened to the bomb that were made since the whole book was built around it I would have liked more information at the end. It does seem that the author has set this up for a series since the ending was unclear. It will be interesting to see where he takes this story.
Bottom line I enjoyed it, I thought it was worth my time but was confusing. The twists are outstanding and some shocking. The surprises keep you on your toes. Not everything is as it seems. I do feel that some of the songs takes away from what the author really wanted us to see. For a debut story it was good.
August 5, 2017
Tears of Glass feels like a narrative constructed for a screen rather than a novel. There were quite a few moments where visual cues would have significantly helped the reader get a better idea of what was happening.
Morgan is an ex-football player that seems to be holding a bit of nostalgia for those days. He has the classic ‘bad boy’ feel to him, without embracing the excess hostility or emotional distress. Which, I suppose is a good thing considering people around him are dying left and right. All because of a mysterious tape. From there, things blow up on a huge scale.
An air of mystery surrounds the first few chapters. There a lot of information purposefully withheld to leave the readers in the dark about certain things. Things are left rather vague. Now, normally, that would be an excellent device to draw readers in and keep them guessing. Unfortunately, this one worked a little too well. It took a few chapters to get the story, plot, and characters organized and discerned into their proper places.
Once things got organized, the story was interesting enough. I liked how things started small, but once they got going, the repercussions were massive. I think the ending was pretty fitting for the sequence of events. A little on the cliché side, and definitely with a romantic hero vibe.
The language of the narrative was lighthearted and wordy. It seemed to add to the relaxed tone of the novel itself. There’s quite a bit of action, but the way it’s told and the way the characters react make things seem more mellow than they’re supposed to be.
Characters weren’t bad. Making an effort to make the female lead a feminist was nice. However, she was stereotyped as a “man hater” and illustrated some of the misconceptions of feminists. Sara was still a very likeable character, though. Morgan’s character wasn’t bad either. I enjoyed the fact that he was a music nut. Beyond that, his character didn’t feel too original. He felt very two-dimensional. Sort of like he had a cardboard cutout standing in for him while everything else was going on.
Feeling lost at the beginning of a novel isn’t always a good thing. I think there are areas that could be polished a little better and made to fit the platform. It had its ups and downs, like any novel. All in all, though, it wasn’t a bad book.
Morgan is an ex-football player that seems to be holding a bit of nostalgia for those days. He has the classic ‘bad boy’ feel to him, without embracing the excess hostility or emotional distress. Which, I suppose is a good thing considering people around him are dying left and right. All because of a mysterious tape. From there, things blow up on a huge scale.
An air of mystery surrounds the first few chapters. There a lot of information purposefully withheld to leave the readers in the dark about certain things. Things are left rather vague. Now, normally, that would be an excellent device to draw readers in and keep them guessing. Unfortunately, this one worked a little too well. It took a few chapters to get the story, plot, and characters organized and discerned into their proper places.
Once things got organized, the story was interesting enough. I liked how things started small, but once they got going, the repercussions were massive. I think the ending was pretty fitting for the sequence of events. A little on the cliché side, and definitely with a romantic hero vibe.
The language of the narrative was lighthearted and wordy. It seemed to add to the relaxed tone of the novel itself. There’s quite a bit of action, but the way it’s told and the way the characters react make things seem more mellow than they’re supposed to be.
Characters weren’t bad. Making an effort to make the female lead a feminist was nice. However, she was stereotyped as a “man hater” and illustrated some of the misconceptions of feminists. Sara was still a very likeable character, though. Morgan’s character wasn’t bad either. I enjoyed the fact that he was a music nut. Beyond that, his character didn’t feel too original. He felt very two-dimensional. Sort of like he had a cardboard cutout standing in for him while everything else was going on.
Feeling lost at the beginning of a novel isn’t always a good thing. I think there are areas that could be polished a little better and made to fit the platform. It had its ups and downs, like any novel. All in all, though, it wasn’t a bad book.
August 5, 2020
Ok there's allot of information in this book with a clusterf**k of scenarios,theories,political mumbo jumbo, and great suspenseful action that blew mind literally! At times I wanted to stop reading all the long tirades,rants,speeches,thoughts,and conspiring conversations. Then I'm following along with the song lyrics feeling The Groove working through different characters mind,positions, storylines,and mental stability. Very suspenseful and boring intermittently,yet exploratory and imaginative to captivate your focus at certain moments.
April 15, 2020
A Cabal that controls nuclear bombs.
In this mystery, we learn a Canal has taken control of the nuclear power of the world. Follow Morgan as he tries to stop them. This book will teach you and intrigue you. You will learn more than you might want to know and be scared at how easily it was all done. Quite an interesting read.
In this mystery, we learn a Canal has taken control of the nuclear power of the world. Follow Morgan as he tries to stop them. This book will teach you and intrigue you. You will learn more than you might want to know and be scared at how easily it was all done. Quite an interesting read.
April 26, 2020
This is the second book in a row that i had to give up on before getting far. This time it's possibly my fault. The book jumps around from character to character and place to place, and i just wasn't following what was going on at all. After about a quarter of the way through the book, i realized i still had no idea what was going on, so i gave up.
November 24, 2017
Very touching
English author . LA part was very correct. London deemed OK. Good story. Lots of action. Good read. Good ending.
English author . LA part was very correct. London deemed OK. Good story. Lots of action. Good read. Good ending.
January 30, 2018
Long
Too long was this book, not enough to keep reader on track, kept focusing out too long on other things.
Too long was this book, not enough to keep reader on track, kept focusing out too long on other things.
March 19, 2017
Tears of Glass
: David Lake
This is a unique approach to an audiobook, adding an original soundtrack was amazing. The storyline kept me wanting to know what's going to happen next.
The narration was well done.The characters were well portrayed by Fred Filbrich.
"I was voluntarily provided this review copy audiobook at no charge by the author, publisher and/or narrator."
April 11, 2017
( Format : Audiobook )
""I told you when i came i was a stranger.""
Simply brilliant.
When i was gifted a copy of Tears of Glass by the rights holder, via Audiobook Boom, i knew nothing about it other than it was different in presentation. So i was unprepared for the perfect symbiosis of story, narrator and music. This latter not used simply as an occasional backtrack, but to actually further enhance the atmosphere and be an integral part of the story itself. The main protagonist, Morgan, has been given a taped recording of tracks of a singer-songwriter-pianist, Paul Millns, a Brit who had come to America to try to further his musical/recording career unsuccessfully. The girlfriend who gave Morgan the tape is murdered and, following further deaths, he decides that someone seems out to get him so goes on the run, taking the music tape with him. Somehow, the tracks on it reflect his feelings each time one is played.
The story is a real mystery thriller with so many dimensions to it that it more far reaching than a simple police chase, including not only murder and mayhem but also international political intrigue, deception, and involving not just the Americas, London and Moscow but pretty much everywhere. Yet it is so easy - no, a joy - to hear with excellent characterisations, natural dialogue and a feeling of reality despite the very fast paced action. And the music!
Of course, the whole is also dependent on the skill of the narrator and here Fred Filbrich excels. His is far more of a reading than a performance, with only slight attempts to distinguish different voices from each other. And yet they are completely recognisable for who they are within the plot. He is pace perfect and so in synch with the text, it almost felt, when i thought about it afterwards, that he had somehow managed to bypass speech and simply planted the entire story in my mind. Masterful.
One thing puzzles me - who provided the music for this recording?
This is a book i want to talk about, and one where i am having to hold back on giving away the complete story. So i will stop now, other than to say, buy it, listen to it, sit back and enjoy...
""I told you when i came i was a stranger.""
Simply brilliant.
When i was gifted a copy of Tears of Glass by the rights holder, via Audiobook Boom, i knew nothing about it other than it was different in presentation. So i was unprepared for the perfect symbiosis of story, narrator and music. This latter not used simply as an occasional backtrack, but to actually further enhance the atmosphere and be an integral part of the story itself. The main protagonist, Morgan, has been given a taped recording of tracks of a singer-songwriter-pianist, Paul Millns, a Brit who had come to America to try to further his musical/recording career unsuccessfully. The girlfriend who gave Morgan the tape is murdered and, following further deaths, he decides that someone seems out to get him so goes on the run, taking the music tape with him. Somehow, the tracks on it reflect his feelings each time one is played.
The story is a real mystery thriller with so many dimensions to it that it more far reaching than a simple police chase, including not only murder and mayhem but also international political intrigue, deception, and involving not just the Americas, London and Moscow but pretty much everywhere. Yet it is so easy - no, a joy - to hear with excellent characterisations, natural dialogue and a feeling of reality despite the very fast paced action. And the music!
Of course, the whole is also dependent on the skill of the narrator and here Fred Filbrich excels. His is far more of a reading than a performance, with only slight attempts to distinguish different voices from each other. And yet they are completely recognisable for who they are within the plot. He is pace perfect and so in synch with the text, it almost felt, when i thought about it afterwards, that he had somehow managed to bypass speech and simply planted the entire story in my mind. Masterful.
One thing puzzles me - who provided the music for this recording?
This is a book i want to talk about, and one where i am having to hold back on giving away the complete story. So i will stop now, other than to say, buy it, listen to it, sit back and enjoy...
April 21, 2017
I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by David Lake. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.
Morgan gets a demo tape from his girlfriend, and since then it seems a wave of murders is chasing him. Someone is trying to kill him but Morgan does not know why. During his trip he will meet a girl and Paul Millns, the blues musician that Morgan has been listening to on that tape. They will become a target and escape to Europe, where they will find out that it is the CIA who is behind the murder attempts. Morgan has been mixed, without knowing, in dark affairs related to espionage.
The concept of this book is something totally new. Several tracks from this tape are interweaved with the narration, giving a special atmosphere and complementing the story. It felt unique, but somehow I think this story and the way it was told, would have worked better on screen. I tend to listen audiobooks at higher than 1x speed to prevent my attention from wandering, so I had to change the speed whenever a song was coming. It broke the rhythm for me. It is not a critique towards de book, but just an opinion from somebody who listens to books at a higher speed, as I know many people do.
I found the story very confusing, and at times I was as lost as Morgan. I think the idea was quite original, but the execution failed for me. It could be that I had troubles connecting to the characters, and I did not really care for them. I think there was something missing to bring them to life. They had interesting conversations but I found their attitudes and words annoying and not making a lot of sense.
I also had issues with the narration. I listened to the fist ten minutes one day in the evening, just before going to bed. It could be that the house was completely silent, but I was so bothered by the noises in the narration that I had to turn it off and start over the day after. At first I thought it was an artifact created by the microphone, but later I thought that those noises could just have been the narrator swallowing and making mouth sounds. For the rest, Fred Filbrich was great. His interpretation of the characters was spot on, and his accents credible.
After all the good reviews I have read about this book I am a bit disappointed that I did not get the 'concept'. That paired with the audio production issues made this book hard for me to enjoy.
Morgan gets a demo tape from his girlfriend, and since then it seems a wave of murders is chasing him. Someone is trying to kill him but Morgan does not know why. During his trip he will meet a girl and Paul Millns, the blues musician that Morgan has been listening to on that tape. They will become a target and escape to Europe, where they will find out that it is the CIA who is behind the murder attempts. Morgan has been mixed, without knowing, in dark affairs related to espionage.
The concept of this book is something totally new. Several tracks from this tape are interweaved with the narration, giving a special atmosphere and complementing the story. It felt unique, but somehow I think this story and the way it was told, would have worked better on screen. I tend to listen audiobooks at higher than 1x speed to prevent my attention from wandering, so I had to change the speed whenever a song was coming. It broke the rhythm for me. It is not a critique towards de book, but just an opinion from somebody who listens to books at a higher speed, as I know many people do.
I found the story very confusing, and at times I was as lost as Morgan. I think the idea was quite original, but the execution failed for me. It could be that I had troubles connecting to the characters, and I did not really care for them. I think there was something missing to bring them to life. They had interesting conversations but I found their attitudes and words annoying and not making a lot of sense.
I also had issues with the narration. I listened to the fist ten minutes one day in the evening, just before going to bed. It could be that the house was completely silent, but I was so bothered by the noises in the narration that I had to turn it off and start over the day after. At first I thought it was an artifact created by the microphone, but later I thought that those noises could just have been the narrator swallowing and making mouth sounds. For the rest, Fred Filbrich was great. His interpretation of the characters was spot on, and his accents credible.
After all the good reviews I have read about this book I am a bit disappointed that I did not get the 'concept'. That paired with the audio production issues made this book hard for me to enjoy.
May 2, 2017
*Be sure to check out my blog post for this book, featuring and audio excerpt of the book! Check it out here!*
Gritty, raw, and like something out of an old Hollywood film.
As this book was originally written in the early 90s, it has an interesting air to it. It's age is noticeable, but with the story setting, fits very well. The classic music references make the author's love of music obvious, and is contagious. The nostalgia mixed with adrenaline and the darker side of life make a smashing mix.
If this was a movie, it would be darker, deep, and an instant cult classic. As it is, we now have an entertaining audiobook to wrap us in the story, complete with music played in spots throughout the book, making it all feel much more real. Even if you're not a fan of music in general, or the genres of music in the book, any reader will appreciate the incorporation and importance to the story, and the creative mix the author presents.
I loved the fact the story included and revolved around real events in history. As a minor history fanatic, I was quickly wrapped up in the conspiracy and danger the characters found themselves dealing with. I could easily imagine the events actually happening, which is the mark of any good story.
The writing is, obviously, styled quite 90's era, but isn't unpleasant. The whole experience simply felt nostalgic, and I'm pleased that the republishing of this novel was done so well. It feels polished and smooth as the story unfolds, and the talented narration keeps it flowing well.
I would recommend this book and audiobook to anyone who finds the synopsis interesting - you won't be disappointed.
*I was given a complimentary audiobook copy of this novel, from the author via Audiobookworm Promotions, to listen to in exchange for an honest review.
Parents guide: this story is not for younger audiences, as there is drug use, language and mature themes.
Gritty, raw, and like something out of an old Hollywood film.
As this book was originally written in the early 90s, it has an interesting air to it. It's age is noticeable, but with the story setting, fits very well. The classic music references make the author's love of music obvious, and is contagious. The nostalgia mixed with adrenaline and the darker side of life make a smashing mix.
If this was a movie, it would be darker, deep, and an instant cult classic. As it is, we now have an entertaining audiobook to wrap us in the story, complete with music played in spots throughout the book, making it all feel much more real. Even if you're not a fan of music in general, or the genres of music in the book, any reader will appreciate the incorporation and importance to the story, and the creative mix the author presents.
I loved the fact the story included and revolved around real events in history. As a minor history fanatic, I was quickly wrapped up in the conspiracy and danger the characters found themselves dealing with. I could easily imagine the events actually happening, which is the mark of any good story.
The writing is, obviously, styled quite 90's era, but isn't unpleasant. The whole experience simply felt nostalgic, and I'm pleased that the republishing of this novel was done so well. It feels polished and smooth as the story unfolds, and the talented narration keeps it flowing well.
I would recommend this book and audiobook to anyone who finds the synopsis interesting - you won't be disappointed.
*I was given a complimentary audiobook copy of this novel, from the author via Audiobookworm Promotions, to listen to in exchange for an honest review.
Parents guide: this story is not for younger audiences, as there is drug use, language and mature themes.
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September 16, 2018Don’t bother. Characters a poorly developed, the plot is disconnected, and you have to read over half the book before any real dots can be connected. Morgan and Sir Anthony are the only notable characters. The rest bleed into oblivion because half the book is all about Morgan’s pov and philosophies which he rambles about, and the other half is spent trying to figure out how a guy like Tony becomes Sir Anthony. The idea that there is an organization controlling the world like puppets honestly doesn’t seem that far fetched, but the way all these characters babble on and on about it is incredulous. I have never not finished a book!!!! First time for everything.
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