The Son

By: Philipp Meyer

Narrated by: Will Patton, Kate Mulgrew, Scott Shepherd, Clifton Collins Jr.

Length: 17 hrs and 48 mins

Publisher's summary

Audie Award Finalist, Literary Fiction, 2014

Soon to be a TV Series on AMC starring Pierce Brosnan and co-written by Philipp Meyer.

The critically acclaimed, New York Times bestselling epic, a saga of land, blood, and power that follows the rise of one unforgettable Texas family from the Comanche raids of the 1800s to the oil booms of the 20th century.

Part epic of Texas, part classic coming-of-age story, part unflinching examination of the bloody price of power, The Son is a gripping and utterly transporting novel that maps the legacy of violence in the American west with rare emotional acuity, even as it presents an intimate portrait of one family across two centuries.

Eli McCullough is just twelve-years-old when a marauding band of Comanche storm his Texas homestead and brutally murder his mother and sister, taking him as a captive. Despite their torture and cruelty, Eli—against all odds—adapts to life with the Comanche, learning their ways, their language, taking on a new name, finding a place as the adopted son of the chief of the band, and fighting their wars against not only other Indians, but white men, too-complicating his sense of loyalty, his promised vengeance, and his very understanding of self. But when disease, starvation, and westward expansion finally decimate the Comanche, Eli is left alone in a world in which he belongs nowhere, neither white nor Indian, civilized or fully wild.

Deftly interweaving Eli's story with those of his son, Peter, and his great-granddaughter, JA, The Son deftly explores the legacy of Eli's ruthlessness, his drive to power, and his life-long status as an outsider, even as the McCullough family rises to become one of the richest in Texas, a ranching-and-oil dynasty of unsurpassed wealth and privilege.

Harrowing, panoramic, and deeply evocative, The Son is a fully realized masterwork in the greatest tradition of the American canon-an unforgettable novel that combines the narrative prowess of Larry McMurtry with the knife edge sharpness of Cormac McCarthy.

©2013 Philipp Meyer (P)2013 HarperCollinsPublishers

Texas through the eyes of the McCullough family

In "The Son," Philipp Meyer allows us to follow the triumphs and misfortunes of the McCullough family. It also parallels the the rise of Texas, and thus the McCullough's fate is symbolic of the destiny of the state. Spanning more than 150 years, Meyer takes us from Texas' independence through both World Wars and into modern times.

The book is written through the eyes of three McCullough family members (and near the end a fourth is added): Eli McCullough, the family patriarch; Eli's son Peter; and Jeannie McCullough, Eli's great-granddaughter. Each generation has its own crises to deal with and the history of the times are seamlessly added. The format is consistent with a diary or memoir told by these three characters.

Eli's story was the most interesting to me. His family was attacked by a Comanche raiding party and Eli kidnapped at the tender young age of 13. Initially a slave, Eli would prove his worth and eventually was accepted as a full member of the tribe. He did not have too much difficulty adapting to the new culture, and the Comanche lifestyle seemed to be made just for him. In fact, he had more trouble assimilating to the white man's culture when he returned to it. He joined the Texas Rangers to help himself adapt as it was the closest thing to the Comanche lifestyle that he could find. Blessed with the gift of long life, Eli was over 100 years old when he died. Eli's story started during Texas' independence from Mexico in 1836 and ended during the great depression of the 1930's.

Next was Peter McCullough, Eli's son who was known as the "great disappointment." Peter's story took place in the years around World War I and focused on his philosophical differences with his father and the problems between the whites and the Mexicans in the area surrounding the McCullough ranch in southern Texas. In my opinion, Peter was too compassionate to succeed in the tough Texas landscape and was destined to be the outcast of the McCullough family. It seemed rather ironic that this trait would lead to the downfall of Peter McCullough.

The final point of view followed Jeannie McCullough from the era of the great depression through the time period surrounding the dawning of the 21st century. Living in a man's world, Jeannie suffered the discrimination directed toward women during the time period covered. She learned the skills required to succeed in the cattle business and was better at most things than her brothers, yet she was discouraged from these activities. She was responsible for the transformation of the ranch's main business from cattle to oil, which had been started by Eli before his death.

The performances in this offering were superb. Each of the main characters had a dedicated narrator, thus leaving no doubt as to the identity of the speaker. Also, each narrator was able to convey the emotions associated with the circumstances occurring at the time. I think listening to this was a far more enjoyable experience than simply reading would have been.

I did not really like this book, but also did not dislike it. With the exception of Eli's story, it seemed to lack the substance to grab my attention and interest. Also, I was not able to form a connection with any of the characters. Additionally, I did not care for the inclusion of the Spanish and Comanche languages without corresponding translations into English. Although it was not excessive, there were enough instances to be annoying. For these reasons, I rated this book 3 stars, an average read in my opinion.

worth reading and informative

This novel had detailed knowledge of native american culture and was also very entertaining, the characters were well developed and likeable, I would highly recommend this novel.

Listening late into the night

Would you listen to The Son again? Why?

Listening late into the night, the narrators brought this great story to life, so glad I own a copy, someday to savor once again.

Sweeping epic

Born and raised in Texas, I related to many of the historic details mentioned, references to political figures, the savings and loan debacle of the 80s, the attitudes of the ranchers and farmers. This is a hard story, never softened for the faint of heart. How a man could so vividly espouse the feelings, insecurities, and inner dialogue of a strong woman so convincing is remarkable. The characters are strong and, if not always likeable, they were well developed and interesting. It is a story you will think about.

Wow

I have listened to 208 books in the past 3 years and this is the first one I have ever rated or reviewed. Absolutely incredible, the book, the readers, it is flawless..

An Instant Classic!

I fell in love with the book the moment I pressed play. Westerns are one of my favorite genres. I’ve listened to it several times and so enjoy the world Meyer has created. The multiple times lines running parallel and cast of characters are woven together with elegance . I will most likely listen to this book again and highly recommend it. Meyer’s story telling skills and the narration will grab ahold of you and not let you go.

captivating

Loved this book. But the physical family tree woul have been helpful. performances we're great and looking forward to seeing the AMC show.

Great book!

I loved this one , especially the chapters narrated by will Patton. It’s is violent but so was the old West with the whites taking and settling the Indians lands. A lot of it takes place in Texas and includes the oil industry replacing the big ranches. It is well worth a credit.

My second time to listen

One of the greatest of its kind. If you enjoy Lonesome Dove and the like, this family saga spanning America’s history will deliver.

Didn't want this book to end!!

It was hard to figure out there was 3 storylines into the next round. loved the storyline, very riveting and didn't want it to end.