Night Vision

By: Randy Wayne White

Narrated by: George Guidall

Length: 10 hrs and 19 mins

Publisher's summary

Doc Ford is on a collision course with death in this extraordinary new novel from the New York Times best-selling author.

A lot is going on in the trailer park known as Little Guadalajara, inhabited principally by illegal laborers. The park manager is the hired gun of a financial syndicate that wants to develop the property, and he's prepared to do whatever it takes - but he can't figure out what to do about the teenage girl, the one the laborers believe has some sort of gift.

When she witnesses him killing a man, though, and runs, there's nothing left to figure: He's got to find her fast and shut her up good. Her only hope for survival: a marine biologist (and sometimes more) named Doc Ford, who along with his friend Tomlinson, must undertake a search through an underground, invisible nation... and just hope he reaches her first.

©2011 Randy Wayne White (P)2011 Penguin

nicely crafted

Combined with the creative and expressive reading of George Guidall, this audio book is an entertaining fictional excursion into the underworld dealings of Florida Latino gangs and Steroid labs. The protagonist Dr. Ford makes for a formidable foil.

Nothing Much Good Happens in a Trailer Park

This is a Doc Ford thriller set in his base in the Florida Everglades. The premise is to help a psychic 13-year-old girl, Tula, who is stopping in a nearby Florida trailer park on her way from Guatemala. She is looking for her mother, who disappeared. Tula has a special skill; she speaks with God through Joan of Arc. Blocking the way is the steroid-crazed manager of the trailer park, Harris Squires. Next mix-in a team of lethal gang bangers and meth cookers and you have quite an amalgam.

This entertaining book gives you some nice snippets about wildlife and ocean biology as Doc Ford is a marine biologist when he is not reverting to his Special Forces skills. There is even a nice love story. Of course she is very rich which makes things neat.

Randy Wayne White creates a pretty complex set of circumstances to navigate. The best part is there is a high speed (read high action) conclusion that is very entertaining. I found the Joan of Arc bit a little oppressive as the plot unwound. My preference is to not overload on religious mysticism in a thriller. However, Doc Ford comes through like the cavalry to save the day and the maiden. This is not the best in this long-running series but it does touch on the plight of illegals in America in an enlightened fashion.

kinda so so

not one of my favorites but a pretty decent listen. the storyline is a little dark for my taste has a Tippy toad around pornography. like I said decent listen but not one of my favorites.

Bumbling fool!

I really liked this guy in the early books, but as I get into the later books he seems more like a bumbling fool then he does a highly trained operative!
If not for George Guidall I'm not sure I could've made it through the last couple of books!

Current social issues

In-depth character development and their roles in current society. Providing enough background for Dr Ford

Garden Variety Doc Ford fare...meaning it is good

Good Stuff...sadly I will now listen to all Doc Ford novels with the recent Ian destruction os Sanibel Island on my mind...

Engaging and good detail.

The detail in the adventures makes feel as though I am watching the event like a movie. The story is very engaging. I feel connected to the characters the way a good books should achieve.

Doc Ford Shines in NIGHT VISION

What made the experience of listening to Night Vision the most enjoyable?

This book is typical of the Doc Ford series --it starts off being one thing and then evolves into something else, taking devious twists and turns along the way. And despite the shocking violence there is real heart here, too.

What other book might you compare Night Vision to and why?

This book will appeal to the fans of John D. MacDonald's Travis McGee series

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

George Guidall is the undisputed king of narrators. His performance is layered, complex, and crystal clear.

Review of the "Publishers Summary"...

The Publishers Summary needs to be revised! It is a little misleading. ???Hired gun of a financial syndicate??? isn???t even close! And he doesn???t kill a man. I cant help wondering if they even read the book or just skimmed? Maybe the summary was written before the book was complete or something but since this is my first Randy Wayne White, I chose it based on the Publishers Summary and the Narrator. The book was really interesting and entertaining just not what I was thinking. As usual the Narrator (George Guidall) delivered! I have listened to enough audio books to know that the narrator can make or break the book. Guidall never disappoints. He could read anything and make it enjoyable! Great performer! I will definitely read more of White to learn more about his Doc character but after Night Vision I understand why White is a best seller. I recomend him.

Thoughts from a Doc Ford "noobie"

Although I've seen some less than stellar reviews of Night Vision as compared to Randy Wayne White's previous works, I found Night Vision entertaining and a page turner. Perhaps that's because it is only the second in the Doc Ford series I've read (the first was Sanibel Flats, and I'm now reading the print version of Dead Silence). Therefore, I have little to which I can compare. I must admit I was somewhat disappointed at the rather limited role of Doc's buddy Tomlinson, and found that Tula, the gifted and mystical teen in trouble, forced me to stretch the limits of my imagination. What I did find intriguing was White's juxtaposition of saintly Tula and the evil Harris, especially the development of their characters toward the end of the book.

All in all, it was fun. Great action and suspense, excellent imagery, and notwithstanding some predictability here and there, there were some neat twists I didn't see coming. Guidall does a very good job of narration, and I think Night Vision is still a good read for Doc Ford fans even though I enjoyed Sanibel Flats much more.