Forever

By: Pete Hamill

Narrated by: Stevie Ray Dallimore

Length: 6 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's summary

From the shores of Ireland, Cormac O'Connor sets out on a fateful journey to avenge the deaths of his parents and honor the code of his ancestors. His quest brings him to the settlement of New York, seething with tensions between English and Irish, whites and blacks, British and "Americans," where he is swept up in a tide of conspiracy and violence. In return for aiding an African shaman who was brought to America in chains, Cormac is given an otherworldly gift: He will live forever - as long as he never leaves the island of Manhattan.

Cormac comes to know all the buried secrets of Manhattan - the way it has been shaped by greed, race and waves of immigration, by the unleashing of enormous human energies, and above all, by hope.

Through it all, Cormac must fight a force of evil that returns relentlessly in the scions of a single family whose path first crossed his in Ireland. As he searches out these blood enemies, he must watch everyone he touches slip away. And so he seeks the one who can change his fate, the mysterious dark lady who alone can free him from the blessing and the curse of his long life.

Drawing on Pete Hamill's bone-deep knowledge of New York City, Forever is his long-awaited masterpiece, a Shakespearean evocation of the mysteries of time and death, sex and love, character and place. It is both an unforgettable drama and a timeless triumph of storytelling.

©2003 Deidre Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved. (P)2003 Simon & Schuster Inc. All Rights Reserved

Critic reviews

"As always, [Hamill] is perfectly enjoyable to read for his great felicity of style (obviously derived from his years as a journalist) as well as his originality of plot. This absolutely embracing novel is certain to hit the best seller lists." (Booklist)

Is there an unabridged version?

I really enjoyed this book, but would have loved it even more if I could have heard the whole story.
Why only an abridged version?

… please do the whole book please not just part

… this is one of my favorite books … I was so sorry to hear so much cut out for the audible version… the narrator was terrific… please redo it… thanks

Abridged version?

Having read this book years ago, I remembered parts of it… parts which seem to be missing from the audiobook. While the book is one of my favorites of all time, the audiobook seems to be missing a good chunk of the original; I remember descriptions of NYC during the battles over unions as well as mention of a wife and children Cormac had and outlived. My advice, find the original and read it for yourself if you are able.

I Love this book

I read this first when I was in college and it’s always been one of my favorites. I listened to it on Audible this time. What a great story that transcends time.

Unfortunate

When I read “Forever” several years ago I was completely enchanted with the story line AND the history of New York City. I decided to revisit this place of fact and fantasy via Audible. The story was abridged for this version and I feel it lost a great deal in the consolidation of the book. I can’t imagine why anyone would think it prudent to make the story shorter? If he publisher and/or author decide to revisit the project I would consider buying again but ONLY on the condition that it come unabridged!!!

Still good; still fun just too much of Thunder and the politics are missing.

Stevie Ray Dallimore may be the best reader I’ve heard

I don’t recall selecting an abridged version of this book. If I did, I’m sorry I did so. It felt like I missed details but most of all it ended too fast. I loved this story but most of all, I loved this narrator. I’m a narrator and a tough critic. There are several books I won’t listen to because I can’t stand the narrator. Now the bar is set higher than ever.
His work deserves an Audie award.

Needed a strong editor

This abridgement suffers from obvious continuity issues and glarlingly unanswered questions. Eg., the slaves' names being discussed as if the listener already met the characters. Other odd, awkward blurps pop-up throughout. Initially, I was captivated by the vivid descriptions of 18thC life in rustic Ireland and miasmic New York. This fascination was inspired by the author's rich detailing of history through the development of strong, engaging characters. However, the fire of the novel fizzles out with the fire in New York, when the narrative leaps from the 1830's to the year 2000 with some rather contrived explanations for how Cormac has lived his life in between. I wanted to know how he managed to avoid the drafts for the Civil, First, Second, Korean, and Vietnam Wars. I want to know how it is that he paid no taxes when in fact he is employed by several newspapers, and the employed have Social Security Numbers and W-2's. I wanted to know Cormac's reaction to modern technology. Although he learned the art of theater make-up to disguise his age, would that really fool people today? And, if he couldn't go to Irish/Jewish heaven without having eradicated the entire Warren line, then what was the point of his "Irish reason for living?" He knew he couldn't kill them all because he couldn't leave Manhattan. Since he hadn't fulfilled his duty by dispatching many other Warrens, why would Cormac bother with the last Warren available? There's no point to this entire storyline as Cormac doesn't seem to learn, even with the 9/11 tragedy, that bloodthristy lust in the name of familial, religious vengence results in the slaughter of innocents. What could have been an epic novel fails partly, I believe, because Hamill has one two many colliding myths and contrived exceptions to those myths moving along the story. If I had been his editor I would have tried to gently coach him into producing the epic the beginning promises.

Wet dream

Like walking inside a fifteen year old’s wet dream. Personally I felt like I needed a shower afterwards.

Most robotic narration ever

The story is light on details and it’s POV is awkward. Very minimal character development. History is skimmed over. The main character is not very driver. A coworker recommended it with flying marks and I kept waiting for it to become amazing but it never even became mediocre.

Abridged to death

I am absolutely crushed. This gem of a book has been gutted down in this reading to a mere skeleton. All the magic and character are gone. Why would the reader not read the complete story? Who’s choice was it to read the parts he did and cut the parts he didn’t read?

Disgraceful.

I’m very upset.