The Painter

A novel

By: Peter Heller

Narrated by: Mark Deakins

Length: 11 hrs and 25 mins

Publisher's summary

Peter Heller, the celebrated author of the breakout best seller The Dog Stars, returns with an achingly beautiful, wildly suspenseful second novel about an artist trying to outrun his past.

Jim Stegner has seen his share of violence and loss. Years ago he shot a man in a bar. His marriage disintegrated. He grieved the one thing he loved. In the wake of tragedy, Jim, a well-known expressionist painter, abandoned the art scene of Santa Fe to start fresh in the valleys of rural Colorado. Now he spends his days painting and fly-fishing, trying to find a way to live with the dark impulses that sometimes overtake him. He works with a lovely model. His paintings fetch excellent prices. But one afternoon, on a dirt road, Jim comes across a man beating a small horse, and a brutal encounter rips his quiet life wide open. Fleeing Colorado, chased by men set on retribution, Jim returns to New Mexico, tormented by his own relentless conscience.

A stunning, savage novel of art and violence, love and grief, The Painter is the story of a man who longs to transcend the shadows in his heart, a man intent on using the losses he has suffered to create a meaningful life.

©2014 Peter Heller (P)2014 Random House Audio

I Wanted to Like This

I didn’t loath this book. ..I tolerated it. Though the characters had no redeeming qualities and were most unlikeable, I did need to finish to find out how this book ended. Enjoyable was Heller’s beautiful lyrical prose – despised the narrator’s self-absorption. There were too many sentences where the first word was ‘I’.

Jim Stegner is an artist in the American southwest who has quite a following in the art community. His passion for fly fishing could have led to one romantic story. While Jim is painting and fishing he recounts his egomaniac thoughts. Seriously, the guy paints and fishes for a living – cry me a river. He just about got my interest when, in his self-centered ramblings, stumbles on his recently murdered teenage child. I was beginning to think that maybe there is a reason to Jim Stegner's self-pity. But, within pages, Jim rashly and recklessly murders a complete stranger after an earlier minor skirmish. This isn't his first time either. I cannot care anymore about him. I apparently am the only one at this point, for the murdered victim’s relatives, the authorities and his artistic devotees follow him wherever he goes.

Speaking of following wherever he goes…. The victim’s relatives hunt Jim down to the most remote of locations..... repeatedly. Wouldn’t most people soon wonder how they are able to do that? Wouldn’t most people change their vehicles or their cell phones after realizing that there has to be a signaling device that is enabling this to happen? That clearly was not thought out.

Mark Deakin's did a fine job and was an enjoyable listen.

A STORY AS A HARD DARK BRILLIANT PAINTING

As many fellow listeners I fall in love with The Dog's Stars, so when I found The Painter by the same author I bought it.
At first it was a bit to hard and dark for me. Too much from a masculine mind...not easy to connect. But I just couldn't let it go. As time went by, I started to "see" the feelings, strong and powerful. I quoted see, because I believe the magic of this book is how Mr. Heller telling of the story of a trouble hearted painter, "paints" in beautiful, strong sometimes bright, sometimes gloomy colors the emotions, feelings, sensations,and situations. What I mean is you can see the words as if they were a painting. In The Dog's Stars I loved the poetry of the prose.
In The Painter I loved the beauty of the prose shifted into visual art.
When I review, I do not summarized the story, I assumed you have already read it, I much rather share what I loved or not of a book. So, in this one although it has violence, death, and demons is so, so powerfully human, there is so much love and loss and sadness as much as peace, beauty and happiness...All so very graphic and artistic that it touch me deeply.
The narration is impecable. Mr Mark Deakins delivers the story in clear powerful tones. Conveys rage, frustration, despair and all the necessary emotion to the words.
So, the only thing left is to thank profusely the author, the narrator and AUDIBLE !

Effing Awesome!!!

I don't write many reviews, well hardly any at all, but this book was such a great read! As deep and profound as the other Peter Heller book I read, The Dog Stars, though with a different genre and subject matter. I took a chance on this book even though it wasn't my normal dystopian novel because of how well I thought The Dog Stars was written. I wanted to see if Peter Heller was really that great a writer or if it was just the subject matter that drew me in to the former. Well let me tell you, Peter Heller is a great writer; it's like the story is unfolding all around you in 3D! The imagery is just that fluid and beautiful. And if you're in a bookclub this novel poses MUCH to talk about. I had read The Dog Stars as my first bookclub book about 6yrs ago and that's actually how I got introduced to this author. The Painter was just a pleasure book pick for me in between bookclub picks and now I MUST suggest we read it! I can't believe we haven't read anymore Peter Heller books. Well now I'm hooked for sure and must get some more in my library!

Great Story

This would make a gtrear movie. The narrator did excellent. Ending is unusual...but it works

Another great story from Peter Heller.

I can't wait to listen to it again. I love The Dog Stars and this is just as captivating.

DANGER: TESTOSTERONE FUMES MAY IGNITE

This is a man's man's book! killin', and more killin', and stalkin', and huntin', and bad guys, and police detectives, chase scenes, and Boobs! bouncing, floating, saucy and smirking.
(sigh)
The reader is very good. The book is well-written--interesting internal dialog, as the hot-headed multiple murderer keeps telling himself what a good man he is--but the testosterone storm was really too much for this reader. And, a weird ending.

Layer upon layer of unpredictable story telling.

This book is one of my favorites. With layer upon layer of unpredictable story telling, I guarantee you won't want to stop listening.

Writer with Magnificent Mind

Heller is a master of poetry and romantic era prose added to contemporary story telling.... I don't write lengthy reviews so if you want it short strong you can' go wrong with this multi-plot and character driven gem.... I kid you not, Heller is at rue romantic with a naturalist 's eye for describing the pastoral.....
Rex

Got a little impatient with the painting side

Wanted to move the story a bit faster. Wished the painting part wasn't as much of the story. Guess I like action a little bit more.

Intense

Wow an intense read! Great story and enjoyed the writing - had to listen to a few parts twice as descriptions were so beautiful.