Loner

A Novel

By: Teddy Wayne

Narrated by: David Bendena

David Federman has never felt appreciated. An academically gifted yet painfully forgettable member of his New Jersey high school class, the withdrawn, mild-mannered freshman arrives at Harvard fully expecting to be embraced by a new tribe of high-achieving peers. But, initially, his social prospects seem unlikely to change, sentencing him to a lifetime of anonymity. Then he meets Veronica Morgan Wells. Struck by her beauty, wit, and sophisticated Manhattan upbringing, David falls feverishly in love. Determined to win her attention and an invite into her glamorous world, he begins compromising his moral standards for this one, great shot at happiness. But both Veronica and David, it turns out, are not exactly as they seem.

©2016 Teddy Wayne (P)2016 Dreamscape Media, LLC

Loved it!!

It wasnt what I expected but it was great to listen to until the end. If you liked the book You by Caroline Kepnes you'll like this because they're quite similar. I liked that it wasn't too long and didn't drag on.

Sad and disturbing

Watching this lonely (by choice!) guy unravel was like watching an accident happen in slow motion knowing you cannot stop it.
Interesting for those who like to learn about the human mind.

Wow! Not What I Expected! Bravo, Encore!

Would you consider the audio edition of Loner to be better than the print version?

Not applicable. Audio version because I can multi-task as I listen to story.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Loner?

This question encourages story spoilers..., hmmm, I enjoyed David's mother and how she cared about him. There are definitely other memorable moments...the ice cream party; a specific moment of sexual intercourse between David and Sara; at a club in New York when David returned with drinks for Veronica and her friends only for him to realized he had been manipulated once again. Of course, the ending is unforgettable!

Have you listened to any of David Bendena’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

My first listen. His tone, cadence and entire narration was perfect for this story. I will look for his other performances.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Not really moved me, but I do plan to listen to this story again. This is among my top 10.

Any additional comments?

Intriguing story, complex,

Not a likable protagonist

I assume the main character telling the story is supposed to be creepy, but this was just yucky. The author does show some insight to the situation and keeps you wondering what will happen next, but the ending ruined it for me. If the aim was for disgust--he succeeds with this effort.

Great story. Creeps you out

This was a great story that had me hooked the entire time. The grammar used kept me more intrigued. I think have he reason I rated so high is because most people that hear the story will start to think about a 'loner' they know in their lives.

Excellent!

Loved this book! Loved the prose. Loved the slow burn storyline. If you enjoyed Caroline Kepnes novels (Which I did), you'll probably enjoy this.

Wow.

Chilling story in all the good ways. Almost a psychological thriller in how painfully, emotionally and personally the story was told. Amazing narration.

I'm torn on this one. Contains mild spoilers!!!

It's rare I take the time to do more than just give the stars as a review. This book has me torn on how to process it. It was kinda like a car accident you can't take your eyes off of as you drive by. I seriously did not like the main character. He was a creepy guy right off the bat. This was like a peep into a stalkers mind, or worse a future criminal. Because before he knew he was being manipulated, he had these tendencies. The writing itself was intriguing and the narrative was amazing. The topic was disturbing. It was a dark world inside David's mind. But it definitely showed the lengths someone can go to insinuating themselves in your world when they are disillusioned about the importance of another that's in their sights. It could have gone so much further and thankfully it didn't. But that harmless bump into someone may not be so harmless. I must give this author huge props tho because it held my attention and drove me to listen even tho I was skeeved out by this guy. That is the reason I rated so high. I went into this book thinking it was going to be like a young adult coming of age and realizing the shallowness of the pretty people and what he had in front of him was where he truly belong... oh boy was I wrong. Now to clarify, this is not a negative review by any stretch. The author made me THINK, FEEL and mostly REACT. That is talent. My hats off to you as I bow to your talent. I will seek more books from Mr. Wayne. Bravo!!!

Starts off slowly, ends with a rush

This was a great book. If you like getting into the mind a character, you will enjoy this story. Though it starts off slowly, it was intriguing enough to hold my interest entirely. It is very worth your while to listen all the way to the end!

Creepy look at college campus

This was a story I could have turned off because the main character was pretty creepy and warped but I felt compelled to keep listening. It's a work of fiction that more than likely draws from realities of campus life at Harvard and many other schools. It is plausible to say that some elite academics lacking social experience and skill may take wild risks and create their own inner reality while maintaining a relatively normal 'brainy' facade. It's creepy.....