Wild Thing

A Novel

By: Josh Bazell

Narrated by: Robert Petkoff, Stephanie Wolfe

Length: 8 hrs and 40 mins

Publisher's summary

It's hard to find work as a doctor when using your real name will get you killed. So hard that when a reclusive billionaire offers Dr. Peter Brown, aka Pietro Brnwa, a job accompanying a sexy but self-destructive paleontologist on the world's worst field assignment, Brown has no real choice but to say yes. Even if it means that an army of murderers, mobsters, and international drug dealers - not to mention the occasional lake monster - are about to have a serious Pietro Brnwa problem.

Facing new and old monsters alike, Dr. Brnwa's story continues in this darkly funny and lightning-paced follow up to Josh Bazell's best-selling debut.

Also listen to the first book, Beat the Reaper.

©2012 Josh Bazell (P)2012 Hachette

Critic reviews

"[Bazell's books] are hard-boiled thrillers, written in one of the most distinctively entertaining new fictional voices I've run across in years, in any genre. There is a massive density of information in [ Wild Thing]...but Bazell wields it with wonderful lightness. Reading him is like being able to monopolize the attention of the most interesting person at a party...It's so rare that you see a really brilliant writer who is committed, 100%, in every sentence, to giving you a good time. Bazell is, and he does." (Lev Grossman, Time)

"Carl Hiaasen fans will relish Bazell's frenetic sequel to 2009's Beat the Reaper...Bazell expertly blends action, farce, and political satire, and his wide-ranging imagination bodes well for the future of the series." ( Publishers Weekly, Starred Review)

"The book is composed in Bazell's propulsive, profanity-laden style, peppering startling violence with detailed footnotes that cover subjects like tooth reinsertions and human cryogenics...Props to Bazell for not cranking out an idle retread of Beat the Reaper. A funny, unexpected journey for our hero that sets up the next installment with finesse." ( Kirkus)

The doctor is definitely IN!

I adored Bazell's debut novel, Beat The Reaper. The fresh, distinctive voice of the main character, an ex-hitman in the witness protection program studying to be a doctor, was a flat-out revelation. Like Carl Hiaasen and the Coen Bros., Bazell has a talent for taking wacky situations and bizarre characters and weaving them into a truly unique story. Practically the minute this book was available on Audible, I downloaded it. I could not wait to re-enter Bazell's world.

Pietro Brnwa, aka Peter Brown, aka Lionel Azimuth, is still on the run from mobsters who want to kill him. He is plucked from a rotten job as a cruise ship doctor by a "reclusive billionaire" who wants him to join an expedition to a remote lake in Minnesota to investigate the possible existence of a serpent-like monster. Yes, you read that right--a "lake monster" in the vein of the Loch Ness monster, that may be a leftover from the dinosaur age. He is accompanied by a possibly alcoholic (and, of course, attractive) paleontologist named Violet Hurst.

I'm going to stop right there as far as outlining the plot, because to reveal too much would spoil it. While in some ways it's a more conventional mystery plot than the first book, don't worry--there's still plenty of great banter, hilarious observations by Pietro/Peter/Lionel, wild plot twists and out-there characters.

Bazell does present some very strong political views, very pro-science, which will no doubt turn off some readers. This includes a mind-bending cameo by a real-life political figure that is still making me laugh (though I'm pretty sure some will not see the humor in it).

Robert Petkoff does a stellar job with the narration--he gets the snarky tone of the character just right.

I just hope Bazell doesn't make us wait another three years for the next book!

So much for the sequel

I really enjoyed Beat the Reaper so I gave this a listen but to my dismay, this book wasn't nearly as good as the first part, which was much more clever and thought out. The sequel was definitely missing that creative format, which was so present in Beat the Reaper. With that said, Wild Thing isn't bad, just not as good and I will say this, Josh Bazell is clearly a really smart guy and some of the subjects discussed in the book such as evolution and science and communism are right on the money. TAlso to note: the narrator also does a very good job too.

Wild Thing is completely uncouth. Slight spoiler.

I knew what I was getting into after reading Beat The Reaper, and at once Josh Bazell opens with teen sex and skinning dipping. But right away the carnage begins with a new lake monster eating kids and the action really doesn't slow down. His language is foul, I have no real idea what the main character looks like as he discribes himself looking like a d--k with a fist for a head. I may be paraphrasing, but you get the idea. He's an MD and in Beat The Reaper you learned about what bones are the ones you can impact to break while in the line of deadly assassin work, this book you learn about fossel fuel and how close we are to the edge of no return in the energy world. Anyway he's hired to protect a beautiful girl and hunt a new river monster with some rich people and Sarah Palin. It's fun, I highly recommend it. Narrators are excellent.

Good, but not as good as Beat the Reaper

Hey, if you like the Peter Brown character and Bazell's wittily crude style (which I do on both counts) you'll enjoy this read. Bezell offers more editorial commentary, and it's spot on and well articulated. Republicans beware, you may not like what he has to say about corporations and our blind policies toward demographics and the environmental fate of the Earth. I think you'll find his reasoning difficult to dispute, which may be even more disturbing. The appendix alone is worth the price of the novel. It's not since MacDonald's Travis McGee stuff that I've read such seamless and intelligent social commentary woven in to the plot and beyond.
In Wild Thing though, we get a less compelling and odd ball (not so much in a good way) plot. But the smart ass Peter Brown shines through none the less making me smile often during the performance.

Half as good as "Beat the Reaper"

Half as Good as "Beat the Reaper" which still places it very high on my list. Does not have the intensity or pace of BTR, but is still well-written. I am not rating based on Bazell's Politics. I am not rating his views on Global warming. I am rating the writing and the story. If I can stomach Steven Hunter for the sake of his great story-telling ability, then I suggest "Wild Thing" is just as tasty a dish even if you don't like the color of the napkin. Actually, I think he treated Palin with mild whimsy, compared to Captain Bonobo (Obama) in Hunter's "Soft Target".

I do wish we had stayed on the cruise ship for the whole book. Imagine the fun he could have had. After BTR, you never want to go near a hospital again. Just think of what Josh could have done with our desire to take a nice cruise.

The Narration was great. If it bothers you, beware the profanity

Fun book.

Here I noticed a bunch of quite similar reviews disparaging this book because of its political viewpoint - comparing it negatively to the previous work by this author. So I bought it and on the contrary, as I suspected, it had a perfectly sane outlook. The main character comments in an normal way on the environment and the American economy.

I believe the ones who were critical of this work did not understand the previous book. The protagonist in both works was from a background that left him deeply injured by European (Nazi) fascism and American (mob) fascism. Readers who expect a book that would celebrate America’s current wave of the same destructive political thinking would be wasting their time looking for it here. .

In all, this was for me a light, fun read, although not as much a blast as the remarkable Beat the Reaper. Great narrators. Recommend.

Wild Thing, I think I liked you...

But I wanna know for sure.
Well, let's get this out of the way up front: this novel is not as good as 'Beat the Reaper'. Then again, what could have been? That book was lightning in a bottle if I've ever seen it. I honestly think that if Josh Bazell had simply tried to recreate the feel of the first novel, then this would have been far less interesting. I'd like it on record that I fully support his decision to go bugnuts crazy with this sequel even if it doesn't always work.
It's as if someone told him that this would be his last novel and that he should try to get everything (every ridiculous, nutbar, nonsensical, opinionated, wild thing (see what I did there?)) he could think of out of his system and into this book. There is a whole lot of (cough) 'stuff' thrown against the wall here, and while some definitely falls off, what sticks is pretty darn intriguing. I mean, a Scooby-Doo/Hardy Boys plot? Why the heck not? It's SO differerent from the first novel that I think it works pretty well.
Though nowhere near as well paced and clean burning as the first (this has some bloat to it), a lake monster hunt led by a (crazy?) Vietnam vet. near a town being strangled by meth is far from an uninteresting idea. Actually, as crazy as this book is I began to wonder if it would really take that sharp turn into fantasyland (and maybe it did. I'm not telling).
Our main character Lionel Azimuth/Peter Brown/Pietro Brnwa is still quite the bad@$$ and the new character of Violet Hearst is pretty great as well. It was nice to see our many named protagonist paired with someone just as intelligent and witty as he was. Their interactions are very snappy and entertaing and the writing is still very engaging in that tough-guy-crime-fiction sort of way that was so effective in 'Beat the Reaper'.
However, we run into some problems when Mr. Bazell tries to shift perspective on us. Even though the chapters from the others' viewpoints weren't poorly written, I was always dying to get back to the main character's POV. Also, there were quite a few literal footnotes jammed into the text that killed the momentum at certain points. They worked much better in print when you weren't forced to read them (not that you wouldn't want to, but done this way it really screws with the flow).
I should also mention that you are going to encounter some left leaning opinions here. Not a problem for me, but I suppose it could be a deal breaker for some. Honestly, there's a good time to be had here if you don't hold the first book over this one's head.
The narrator, Robert Petkoff, does just as good a job here as he did with 'Beat the Reaper', and I really didn't mind Violet Hearst's report (narrated by Stephanie Wolfe) that served as as a kind of coda, either (though, again, be ready for the author's opinions).
In conclusion, it's not a masterpiece of mayhem the way the first was, but it's crazy in its own special way, and definitely worth your time.

Zippy dialogue

What did you like best about this story?

The dialogue is humorous and the plot moves along quickly. I like the snarky tone.

Any additional comments?

I really like Josh Bazell's voice. Very entertaining!

My Alter Ego

If you could sum up Wild Thing in three words, what would they be?

Fun Riveting Page-turner

What did you like best about this story?

I could really identify with the protagonist

What does Robert Petkoff and Stephanie Wolfe bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I think this does better as an audible- but did not read the paperback so...

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

no specific scene - just the flow of the book captivated me

Any additional comments?

I can't wait for the next one - Is there a Josh Bazell fan club?

I CANT BELIEVE IT

Would you listen to Wild Thing again? Why?

Yes i will and have just to make sure i did not miss anything i like the voices and story line

What other book might you compare Wild Thing to and why?

Not sure

What about Robert Petkoff and Stephanie Wolfe ’s performance did you like?

They meshed well together

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I could not believe the ending...