Award wining author C. F. Waller is best known for 2015 Reader Favorite Award winners SOUTH FACE and FREE DIVE. He recently released TOURISTS OF THE APOCALYPSE which was recognized by Readers Favorite in 2016, as well as Shelf Media.
He published his first science fiction novel at age forty-seven, after a flight on an ill-fated commercial airliner over the Atlantic Ocean nearly became an episode of Why Planes Crash. This experience illustrated for him first hand that writing about exotic or dangerous locales was safer than traveling to them. Since then, he likes to think his meticulous research and storytelling gives readers a clear sense of their grandeur, without the inherent risk of flying.
After narrowly escaping the academic death-grip of several universities, Charles worked in nightclubs, took a turn as a new car salesman, and also as a hurricane shutter engineer. His favorite authors include, Oscar Wilde, Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., and Michael Crichton. The later being especially close to his heart as Crichton epitomizes the tecno-thriller genre and the failure of humans to interact with technology.
Though he will forever be a Midwestern boy at heart, he now lives on the gulf coast of Florida with his wife, Tina, and one fuzzy feline companion. If he’s not working on a new novel, you can find him volunteering at church, playing overly competitive Yahtzee with his spouse, or indulging in an unhealthy addiction to competitive cooking shows on television.
I received a free copy of this audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
This was such a unique take on immortality and society. I really enjoyed listening to it and it was full of suspense and mystery. The beginning felt quite confusing and a bit slow, but it was worth it for the story. For a story centred around immortality, I didn't need to suspend belief as it was based around telomeres and human biology. It was really interesting.
“The Calling Tree” is a rather unique and interesting book packed with action, intrigue, mystery, and immortality. It is wonderfully written by C. F. Waller and the audiobook edition is narrated by Wyatt Baker. The book opens by placing the reader into a scene where one immediately begins asking questions. Who are the good and the bad guys? Is the book futuristic, present, or glimpses back into the past? What is so special about these people being hunted down? No need to be concerned as all of these are answered as the book skillfully unravels to fill in all the gaps. If you enjoy books having covert societies living among us and the people assigned to track them down, I think you will like The Calling Tree. It has a feel of both a mystery and suspense with a mix of science fiction and a dash of paranormal.
What do you get when you have a society of immortals living amongst us, a special team of people hired to hunt down and destroy them, and nearly every page turn throws you a curve ball or plot twist? Well that is really what the premise of this book is centered upon. I enjoyed the book opening by hooking the reader with so many questions that it was hard to put it down until they each answered. I like the author’s use of descriptive language including his focus on the character’s looks and dress. Because of this, I felt I had a very good idea of who they were simply by how they dressed. This descriptiveness extended to the character’s emotions making them appear to be more human-like.
I felt the author did a decent amount of research involving human longevity or life extension. The reader is treated to some medical and genetic details involving telomeres cells which are a core component believed to be linked to the aging process. I did not feel I had to suspend belief in the immortals having some medical background in the field. It was not a deep-dive or long drawn-out dry discussion into the science of aging, but enough to whet one’s interest should you desire to do their own study on the subject. One of the things I found most interesting was that the term immortal does not equate to eternal life in this context. These “immortals” can and do die at the hands of the cleaning crew assigned to track them down.
At times, I found the writing to feel a bit forced or wandering, but as a whole I felt it was solid and enjoyable. Although the book can be read as a stand-alone, the ending does contain some open-ended plots that defiantly point to a series of future books; which is not a bad thing. Even with the book ending in an open fashion, the story itself is complete enough for the reader to be satisfied if they did not want to be tied to a series or have to wait for the next book to be released. Much of the first half of the book sets up the many characters, their roles, and the world they live in, and I’m sure much of this setup will be leveraged by any planned future books in the series.
Wyatt Baker performed the book’s audio narration, and generally he did an excellent job. At the time of this review, he has narrated a total of two books on audible, so a few slight issues with the audio would be expected. I did not find his narration to be in the top of those I have listened too, but by no means was he the worst. I felt he was able to voice the multiple characters quite well; even the female characters were done well. I would rate the book’s narration average, but this does not mean it was bad; just not exceptional. He was able to weave in a few audio special effects such as placing a slight echo when we were listening to a character’s inner voice. There were a few slightly noticeable volume inconstancies, but no other audio artifacts were noticeable when I listened; no page turns, swallows, or other background distractions. His deeper voice added to the suspense and at times dark feel to the book. I would need to listen to more book by this narrator to better rate his works.
A note to parents and younger readers, this book is really directed towards a mature audience. It includes some scenes of graphic and intense violence which may not be appropriate for younger hearers. The book includes some discussion around prostitution, drug use, and has some topics involving alcohol. I will say the author spared his readers from overly using vulgar or obscene language which appears to be more and more rare in many of today’s books.
In summary, I liked the book’s premise and the way the author revealed the story over time. The characters were complex, likeable, and I found myself caring for them and the actions they were required to take. The book includes elements of friendships and relationships and at times can be rather emotional. If you are one who likes mysteries which a hint of science fiction, I would recommend you pick up The Calling Tree in either audiobook or another format.
**I received this audio book for free from Audiobook Boom and the author for a honest review.**
Title: The Calling Tree: A Tale of Immortality Author: C.F. Waller Narrator: Wyatt Baker Length: 9hrs and 7mins Publisher: C.F. Waller Date: 7-11-2017
Dominick Dunn is in people acquisition. When the phone rings he shuffles off to the far corners of the globe to retrieve the captured, then turns them over to his employer. He doesn't actually believe these people are immortal, but the pay is good and he likes to travel. Despite rumors that his quarry meets an unthinkable fate at the hands of his employer, he's content with his lot in life. Aaron Wessker is miserable. His life has not gone according to plan. Trapped in a dead end job bartending in Vegas, he longs for a family he lacks, or at least the possibility of a girlfriend. Their lives are about to intersect, causing them both to rethink their place in the world. More importantly they will have to change their opinions of the possibility of immortality. Unfortunately for both of them they will have to do this very quickly. Dunn's quarry is also being pursued by something much more deadly than his employers. Dominick Dunn is about to become the hunted and Aaron's world is about to be turned on its side.
Have you ever listened too or read a novel where you thought it was going in one direction and went a completely different way? C.F. Waller is becoming one of my favorite authors quickly. Every time I listen or read another one of his novels I think I'm not going to enjoy it as much as his others and BAM, it ends up being better than the one I had already finished. The Calling Tree is an excellent novel about immortality. Wyatt Baker does an amazing job at expressing emotions and making each character unique.
At first not having read much on what this book was actually about and just seeing who the author was, I was thinking it was going to have some kind of vampire or other twist to it when I realized immortality was one of the main themes throughout the novel, but if that is what you are looking for then The Calling Tree is not the book for you! However, if you like novels about immortality, the true nature of humans, history and family, then The Calling Tree is a must add to your list. I read a lot of books addressing the whole immortality subject. Whether it be vampires, werewolves, making a name for themselves through art, writing or something else. There are tons on the subject, but I haven't read one until now where the subject isn't over blown, it just simply is a matter of living. This is how I would think an immortal would live their life.
You should really listen to this audio book! So far I have to admin my recommendations to now say you need to listen and read everything by C.F. Waller because I can't just pick one book from his collection that I like the most!
A solid three stars. Awesome cover and I enjoyed the story and the characters a lot, but there is a formalness to the writing that never let me wholly sink into it. And as I listened (I had the audio version) I finally figured out what created this terseness. Two things: there is s decided lack of contractions and the speech tags are too often not simply 'said.' I'm not one who claims a writer should never use anything other than ""bla, bla, bla," she said." But it sure is hard to make ""bla, bla, bla," she reiterated" as inconspicuous. None of this is helped by Baker's narration, which, though smooth, is additionally stiff in places, with a couple oddly pronounced or emphasized words. As an aside on the narration, I greatly disliked the echoing effect used to show internal thoughts.
There were one or two possible consistency issues that I raised my eyebrows at. For example, at one point a waitress walked by after I was sure the characters had left her bar and gone to a different restaurant. Maybe I misunderstood something, but...
Lastly, there were a few aspects of the story that irked me a little, though these are personal pet peeves and might not bother others. Most of them are men relating to women issues that I figure are symptoms of a male author, as there is a decided male gaze.
One, every waitress in the book is hit on by someone. The vast majority of female background characters, in fact, only seem to be there for a man to comment on. Two, the 'hero' gets the girl for no apparent reason at the end. I suppose just because that's what is supposed to happen. There is nothing up to that moment to suggest there is a romance in play or even that she is a woman interested in romance. Three, (sorry to be vague, but I'm trying to avoid a whole spoiler) the very last little twist isn't possible without the 'wife's' death. And since they all know that would be inevitable in order for that twist to occur, that means they threw her life away in the end. This seems unlikely if he loved her so much, but also and more importantly, makes her feel like a substance-less prop, as female characters so often are.
All in all, not bad at all, but maybe not my favorite of the year.
I wasn't sure what to expect from this audiobook, as it's completely different than anything I've read from this author. But I know that this author is very talented, so I was excited to give it a chance and see what he did with this genre. And....I absolutely fell in love with everything about this audiobook! It's fun when you have no idea where things are going because it was then filled with pleasant surprises and action that didn't seem to stop. I'm picky about my supernatural stories but this was so well done that I just couldn't get enough. The narrator did a brilliant job, easily able to switch characters and make my imagination bring these all to life. I did have a little problem between Decker and Aaron but that was my fault; each chapter character change is titled with the correct individual. I was so impressed with all the different types of characters, what a wonderful description the author gives to bring these all to life for the listener/reader. I really hope there is another book to follow this up as I really want more of this crazy world the writer has gotten me into. Absolutely fabulous!
Gold & silver glitter! Since they say that glitter is the herpes of the crafting world I have to point out that immortals are the herpes of the earth in this book! Just can't get rid of them! Terminator style crazies! I love Waller! Such a great storyteller! Always original. I loved that this book has so much history in it too. It never hurts to learn while reading or listening to fiction! Great first book in a series & I can't wait for more! Thanks for such an enjoyable ride! Great narration too!
I was voluntarily provided this review copy at no charge by the author, publisher and or narrator.
The Calling Tree is probably not what I expected; it was a pleasant surprise. When it comes to immortality, Waller writes in a completely different way. I found myself rooting for the bad guys for a bit. This is an excellent start to a new series. The mystery and suspense will keep readers on the edge of their seat.
It took me a while to get into it, but once I did, I couldn’t stop listening! I loved The Calling Tree, I recommend it to all readers. The overall rating for me is four stars for the story and four stars for the narration.
Book 1 of the calling tree series. The listener is taken into a world where immortals, short timers, and age frozen beings collide. The twists and turns keep you in suspense. A bit of humor lightens the mood. This was something different than I normally listen to. I'm sure others will like it.
The narration was well done. The characters were well portrayed by Wyatt Baker.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
I really liked the concept of this book. What if there were immortal people around us every day and we didn't know it? I wasn't really sure what to expect, but the author took me on quite a ride. The narration is pretty good, though I do feel that is one small area where the story was held back. There could have been more emotions in the narrator's voice than he showed.
I received a free copy of this audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left my honest review. The free copy did not influence my review in any way.
My review is based on the Audiobook. The Calling Tree is a very interesting tale about immortals and those who want what they have. It is told from various points of view which was confusing at the start but the narrator did a great job of giving distinct voices to each character so I was able to follow along easily once the characters were introduced. I found the story to have great characters that I quickly became invested in and the world building was on point. I look forward to seeing where the Author takes this story in Book 2.
This was a great read!The story has a faction of immortals silencing another faction that has been outed.Apparently humans are the second try at populating the earth.The storyline was swell.Wyatt Baker is a wonderful narrator.I look forward to the next book...if there is one.I was provided this book for review by the author, narrator or publisher.
They just keep getting better! The Calling Tree is my 3rd C.F. Waller book, and definitely NOT my last. I really enjoyed this story and look forward to the next book. I could not put this one down! Loaded w/action, mystery, adventure and surprises all the way to the end. Narration by Wyatt Baker was great, he managed different voices for each character, and they were consistent, very well done!
The audio book must be better than the e-book. It badly needs editing. I just couldn't get into this book, even though the theme sounded interesting to me. I rarely abandon a book once I start it but after slugging through nearly half of it I couldn't go on.
It took a bit to get into it, but it's worth it. It is a story of survival and betrayal, centuries of both. The characters are very interesting, but very different. They blend very well though in this action packed tale. I will be checking out book two to read.
In this science fiction, Waller goes out of his way to make this story believable, and for a minute there, he had me. With the plot centered on Dominick Dunn as the main character and the other characters being just that, secondary, I begin to question the purpose of the story. Until I realized there were hidden depths to this story, that were revealed, one layer at a time. Nothing was as it seem. Dunn is non-descriptive, lacks personality, and easily led. Yet the author put him in the role of “people acquisitioner working, with semi-immortals and immortals. These immortals couldn’t be killed. There was a lot of fighting between this group, but throughout it all, the acquisitioner remained in the background, not participating, while these people were getting killed all around him. The big surprise come at the end, when the "real" secret is revealed. I can't give away the secret without giving away the plot. So you SciFi lovers, get ready to be amazed.
Regardless of talk that his quarry encounters a strange fortune, to do with his boss, Dominick Dunn is satisfied with his portion in life. His wage is decent and on top of that he enjoys traveling. His business is in retrieving people and he’ll venture far away even across the world to recover the apprehended. Then he’ll hand them over to his boss. Aaron Wessker enters the story―a depressed guy. His job as a bartender is getting him nowhere and he wishes he had family or at least a significant other. Dominick and Aaron meet and their lives change forever. This tale is packed with shockers, conspiracy, twists and turns. Not anything is predictable and the plot throws for a loop. Quite riveting!
I enjoyed reading this book. Thought the concept very interesting. Characters well thought out and detailed. Not a lot of repetitive words. Only wish I could have gone through and proofread it for the author. Nothing more frustrating than to read a great book with a lot of grammatical errors. Other than that, good book!!
Loved this book a lot. Very different from books I've been reading lately. I love the incorporation of biblical history intertwined with mythology. The pacing is great and the action kept me on the edge of my seat. Definitely recommend this read!