Wasteland

By: Keith Crews

Narrated by: John Bell

Length: 9 hrs and 51 mins

Publisher's summary

Angelo Marchetti is dead. However, death is not the end for the mafia hitman, but rather a doorway into a harsh frontier otherwise known as the Wasteland. Armed with just his Elitario training and signature tools of the killing trade known as Thunder and Lightning, he must confront the forces of darkness in order to survive.Lost upon the flat tundra of a frozen wilderness, he traverses the barren plateau until he finds a small ghost-like-town named “Boondocks.” There, the Hitman avails a saloon for shelter and seeks out the barkeep so that he might come to learn how to get back to the living-world. However, the price of earning that knowledge along with its salvation might just condemn his soul for all eternity in the process.Three enchanted drinks will come to find the Hitman’s lips in exchange for three answers to three of his questions. The ancient ritual offers a reward to the bearer of the dark nectars: safe passage beyond the frozen pass. And so the Hitman undertakes the drinking ceremony with a degree of trepidation, but nonetheless with an understanding that the prize is well worth the fare.Fall back through the years as each mystical spell is consumed and discover how an innocent boy matures into a cold blooded killer for the mob. The journey through time is replete with peril and an ever growing awareness that this Death Merchant is different than all those who have come before him, and perhaps is special in a way that has yet to be truly realized.

©2010 Keith Crews (P)2010 Keith Crews

Awesome fun...a great listen :)

Any additional comments?

A loved how the guns we're explained in the story. At first, I didn't see the relevance of Thunder and Lightning, but in the end, it all came together :)

Loved it!

An unusual story. I was expecting more of a supernatural element, but I was nonetheless taken with the story. The writing style was creative and I enjoyed the way the author played with words. It will be interesting to see how the second book will be tied into this one. I'm hoping it will have more of a dark fantasy type of atmosphere. Over all I was thorougly entertained. Well done :)

Unfinished

Is there anything you would change about this book?

This is part one of a supposed 3 part trilogy - part 2 was available for a very short time and there has never been a part 3 to the best of my knowledge.

For that reason I cannot recommend it.

What do you think your next listen will be?

the 3rd part of this if it ever appears!

What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?

performance was fine

Was Wasteland worth the listening time?

no- you cant get the sequel "last train to diavolo" and the 3rd part has never been written

Any additional comments?

unfinished.

not bad, not remarkable

One thing that struck me right away was that Crews left no adjective or cliche unused in this book! I almost turned it off in the first hour as every line sounds so verbose. The story did hook me a little and then I got into it. I can't say that I enjoyed it as much as I just followed it. Sure seems that Crews is highly influenced by Stephen Kings Gunslinger in where this story is going, certainly not saying it is anywhere in the ballpark with the Dark Tower series.

Really good books I will listen to twice, I certainly won't do that here.

Pretty Good

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

I enjoyed this story, even though it wasn't what I expected. I thought it would be more 'supernatural', but the author hooked me anyway. There is a bit of the supernatural in it--after all it starts with the main caracter dead and in a mysterious halfway bar.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

I probably would have gone more horror/supernatual with the story. Also, the author should have done a bit of research and not named handguns 'howitzers' (lol).

What does John Bell bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The narrator was good.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Probably not.

Any additional comments?

The story ends with a great set up for a second book in the series. I'll probably get it if it comes out.

Unlikable Protagonist

Crews spins a Mafia-yarn with very little in the way of the supernatural category it's listed in. I was almost done with it when the author made a crucial, amateurish mistake: he made the protagonist unredeemable. Sure, we knew he was a hit-man, but his actions spoke louder than the "love" that supposedly drove him. I have to at least have some connection with a protagonist, even if he's a bad guy. Take "Sandman Slim," for example. He's been to hell itself, enjoys violence quite a bit. But ultimately, he's still half-angel, making him do what he does for good. Even the serial-killing Dexter works for the side of justice. Crews' characters are stereotypes, not worth your time.