Adrenaline

By: Jeff Abbott

Narrated by: Kevin T. Collins

Length: 14 hrs and 34 mins

Publisher's summary

A brilliant young CIA agent has it all - until he's the lone survivor of a terrorist attack that his wife may or may not have been involved in planning - in Jeff Abbott's "exhilarating" (Harlan Coben) thriller, the launch of his fan favorite Sam Capra series.

"If you knew this was our final day together, what would you say to me?"

"Anything but good-bye. I can't ever say good-bye to you."

Sam Capra is living the life of his dreams. He's a brilliant young CIA agent. His wife Lucy is seven months pregnant with their first child. They have a wonderful home, and are deeply in love. They have everything they could hope for...until they lose it all in one horrifying moment.

Sam receives a call from Lucy while he's at work. She tells him to leave the building immediately. He does...just before it explodes, killing everyone inside. Lucy vanishes, and Sam wakes up in a prison cell. As the lone survivor of the attack, he is branded by the CIA as a murderer and a traitor.

Escaping from the agency, Sam launches into a desperate hunt to save his kidnapped wife and child, and to reveal the unknown enemy who has set him up and stolen his family. But the destruction of Sam's life was only step one in an extraordinary plot - and now Sam must become a new kind of hero.

"Breathless fun." (Cleveland Plain Dealer)

"Nail-biting." (Austin Chronicle)

"Irresistible." (Ventura County Star)

"Heart-pounding thrills." (Dallas Morning News)

"A grand slam home run." (Associated Press)

©2011 Jeff Abbott (P)2011 Hachette

Thrilling to the end!

I heard about this book on NPR and it sounded good. I was excited to see it available on Audible! I just finished the book and it was thrilling to the end. Great story of international (mostly European) intrigue. The book is written from the viewpoint of Sam, who had seen his wife abducted and thereby looks like a traitor to his employer (CIA). Sam tries to find his wife and winds up in a plot line with not just kidnapping, but weapons, trafficking, more kidnapping, and the list goes on. Very well written and enjoyable to read.
The narrator does an absolutely wonderful job with many languages and dialects. Exceptionally well done, in my opinion.
I recommended this book to several folks before I finished it and recommend it highly to anyone who enjoys a strong plot, good story-telling and, for Audible folks - fun dialects as well.

Good story

I liked the complexity of the story. However I feel the reader was a bit TOO energized- often seeming fake excitement. Perhaps two readers?
Also the parkour theme could have been played up more.

A little too much of unrealistic facts

An otherwise great story struggles with the need to go over the top with impossible physics, and with too much emotional burden on a father that loses his never met child.

Would I like to know how & when Sam finds his son?

The answer is, of course! But, alas, I won't be able to by listening on Audible because I can't bear the over-the-top narration. The narrator has a very nice voice and did a good job with distinct voices for all the various characters - BUT the narration was so overly dramatic that I really had difficulty making it to the end. Since Mr Collins narrates all the Sam Capra books, I'll have to pass on the rest of the series. Too bad.

Very Good

This captured my attention. The writing is good, not great. I expect Abbott's writing will improve and I look forward to more stories about "Sam."

The interest in Parkour or "free running" is very cool and a thread throughout. The only other reference I know of it comes from a book by John Twelve Hawks called the Traveler. I recommend both.

Good read / listen

Calm down, narrator!

Here we go again. I guess that there are some audiobook listeners who want their narration to be just short of a dramatic presentation with all but the stage players. Not I. Just read the book narrator. I don't need a Broadway play, just a book. Chill.

if you like deus ex machina this is your book

What would have made Adrenaline better?

Let the hero solve his problems without external help. Show the reader how the hero developed his skill set.

Has Adrenaline turned you off from other books in this genre?

no

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

reader was ok

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

nope

Any additional comments?

no

Not a thriller...

I gave Jeff Abbott another chance, however, I found the second book, “Adrenaline”, was just as weak as the first one I listened to. The first hours were painfully slow, in fact, I almost stopped there, but I chalked it up to background information that might come in handy later on. Nope. At least nothing very interesting.
The narrator was ok, but I don’t think I’ll go looking for him any time soon, either.
All in all, a sleeper...

Trigger Alert: abduction and rape

The narrator irritated me. Attempted to dramatize the story by increasing the volume and cadence of his reading. The main character Sam was hardheaded. And not very likable. I could not stand Howell’s voice or characterization. I really wanted to listen to hear the end of the story but I had to stop when rape was introduced.I determined that this story was not worth my time. I’m going to return it.

Horrible book...

I made a mistake, I thought this was written for adults. Your 7th grader might like it since no cuss words are used- instead the author literally writes 'bad words.' Ugh.. Tediously full of - I've got to find my family! I've got to find my family! The book is so namby-pamby. If you like a simpleton who does improbable things with a transparent plot line, go for it. I got it based on some reviews and it's one of the few of the hundreds of Audible books I've downloaded where I felt like throwing my iphone on the wall. The narrator doesn't help - he makes the dumb book even dumber.