London Bridges – by James Patterson
Reviewed by Bill Cummings
Leased-operator,
Prime, Inc.
Listening Time: 8 hours
Publisher: Time Warner Audio
Retail: $39.98
Genre: Mystery
Plot: The good guys, including Dr. Alex Cross, from the FBI, CIA, Interpol, etc. go global to find clues to the identity and whereabouts of the greedy and ruthless Russian mafia perpetrators, “The Wolf” and “The Weasel,” who have taken drastic and tragic measures to get a large ransom from the government.
What was your favorite moment? Of many, the best would be Cross chasing the unknown driver of a car that sped away from the site of a resort explosion along the French Riviera.
Which character was your favorite? Dr. Cross. I like the good guys who must take great risks and use extraordinary mental calculations to narrow down the possibilities – in this case, the illusion of so many culprits.
Did the audiobook have a message or theme? Being a criminal does pay for a time, but in time goodness prevails and the wrongdoer suffers miserably. Many innocents lose all as the discovery unfolds.
What did you like or dislike? I always like to pull out the clues and pretend I’m helping to solve the problems. It was impossible in London Bridges because of the neopolitical depth. Nonetheless, the fictional aspects kept me riveted as though these events or similar events could occur. Or will they? Or have they occurred already?
Would you recommend?: Yes. It’s entertaining, especially while driving. Excellent way to pass the time.
Narrator’s style: Peter Jay Fernandez and Dennis O’Hare excelled while reading to make me feel almost like they were actually there. It was difficult to believe they were reading.
How would you grade the book? B-, because it borders on science fiction, and I like “whodunit” mysteries.
Chasing the Devil – by Sheriff David Reichert
Reviewed by Don Thompson Sr.
Company Driver,
Smith Transport
Listening Time: 6 hours
Publisher: Time Warner Audio
Retail: $29.98
Genre: Non-fiction
Plot: This is the true story about one of the longest investigations and the great police work done by many of Washington state’s police agencies. It is the true story of one man’s unwillingness to quit. Sheriff Reichert’s faith in God, his family’s support and his common sense, professionalism and plain good police work. One of the most ruthless, inhuman serial killers was loose. He would claim more than 70 victims before he was caught. The capacity of the human species for evil amazes me. We are one of the few species who kill for recreation. This killer terrorized Washington for more than 20 years. He played games with the police, appeared to be just a plain guy, with a job and a wife and a house. Nothing special about him, except his ability to hide the fact he was a cold-blooded killer, devoid of human emotions or compassion toward his victims.
Sheriff Reichert’s description managed to convey the horror without making the reader sick. One of the things that did come out was that the sheriff was a man of strong Christian faith. This faith sustained him all through this hunt.
Which character was your favorite? Of course, Sheriff Reichert was my favorite because he never quit, even when it looked hopeless. He kept believing he would solve this case. He endured problems with his family over it; he was involved, and he would see it through.
Did the audiobook have a message or theme? One of the messages that came out is that there are individuals who have a propensity toward evil. From what I saw of the killer, Gary Ridgeway, he was evil, not insane, not misunderstood but truly evil. He displayed no remorse, no emotions; he liked killing.
This book had some excerpts from interviews with Ted Bundy and Gary Ridgeway. Sheriff Reichert picked up on Bundy’s attempt to manipulate him from the start, just to cheat the hangman a little longer. Bottom line, good always wins out over evil, sooner or later.
What did you like or dislike? I enjoyed the book, not because of the killing – I saw enough in the military to last a lifetime. I did enjoy the police work, the science that changed before my very eyes from when the case began until its closing. The forensic pathology was tremendous; we have come a long way in identifying evidence in criminal cases. I liked the fact that if you commit a crime, you will get caught, sooner or later. Crime does not pay; it only looks that way sometimes.
I found nothing to dislike about this book. It was well-written and enough details were given, yet not enough to glorify the heinous acts of an evil person. It was very objective and like Joe Friday on Dragnet used to say, “Just the facts.”
Would you recommend?: I’d recommend this book to some and not to others. I wouldn’t have my wife read it because she has a temperament not suited to horrible acts. If you want to see modern police work, see how hard our police officers work on our behalf to protect us, I recommend this book. If you like to hear about evil for evil’s sake, I guess this would be a good book. If you think there are no really bad or truly evil people in the world, I’d recommend this book. I would also add that I think it would be a good read and helpful to law enforcement officers to read this, for a number of reasons.
Narrator’s style: I felt like the sheriff himself was telling the story, not someone else. In other words, the narrator (Dennis Boutsikaris) disappeared, leaving only the story. This is the highest praise I can bestow. There was nothing to dislike.
How would you grade the book? A+
Fishing on the Edge – by Mike Iaconelli
With his colorful tattoos and booming hip-hop soundtrack, 2003 Bassmaster Classic winner Mike Iaconelli has turned the world of big-money competitive bass fishing upside down. In Fishing on the Edge, he tells his own story – and it’s a whopper: a Philly-born, Jersey-bred Yankee who’s been stealing the spotlight from bass fishing’s traditionally all-Southern anglers, attracting fans and dominating one of the fastest-growing sports in America.
Iaconelli lets you in on the secrets to his extraordinary success – how he developed his “power” fishing style, how he attacks the water, positions the boat, and perseveres through those days when the bass just aren’t biting.
Abridged on four CDs
Retail: $27.50
Random House Audio
Drivers, here is your chance to review the latest audiobooks. Tell our readers what you like or dislike about the plot and characters, and why you would recommend it to other drivers. At left is one of the audiobooks available in the Truckers News audiobook library. Contact Kristin Walters at (800) 633-5953, ext. 1204, or via e-mail at [email protected] to reserve an audiobook. It will be sent to you free of charge for your review. Audiobooks are available on a first-call, first-served basis.
Audiobook Sources
Audiobooks may be purchased or rented from the following sources:
AUDIO ADVENTURES, (800) 551-6692, for 14-day rental of most major titles.
OASIS AUDIO, www.oasisaudio.com, for purchase.
Simon & Schuster Audio, (800) 223-2336, for purchase.
Audiobooks from these publishers, Random House, Time Warner and Topics Entertainment are available for purchase from www.amazon.com, www.barnesandnoble.com and www.borders.com.
