The Panther

By: Nelson DeMille

Narrated by: Scott Brick

Length: 21 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's summary

New York Times best-selling author Nelson DeMille returns with another heart-pounding John Corey thriller—this time including Corey’s FBI agent wife Kate Mayfield...and their mission is to catch an elusive terrorist mastermind before he catches them.

Anti-terrorist Task Force agent John Corey and his wife, FBI agent Kate Mayfield, have been posted overseas to Sana'a, Yemen—one of the most dangerous places in the Middle East. While there, they will be working with a small team to track down one of the masterminds behind the USS Cole bombing: A high-ranking Al Qaeda operative known as The Panther. Ruthless and elusive, he's wanted for multiple terrorist acts and murders—and the US Government is determined to bring him down, no matter the cost. As latecomers to a deadly game, John and Kate don't know the rules, the players, or the score. What they do know is that there is more to their assignment than meets the eye—and that the hunters are about to become the hunted.

Filled with breathtaking plot turns and told in John Corey's inimitable voice, The Panther is a brilliant depiction of one of the most treacherous countries in the world and raises disturbing questions about whether we can ever know who our enemies—or our allies—really are.

©2012 Nelson DeMille (P)2012 Hachette Audio

Very good character development, small plot

Where does The Panther rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Nice to listen while traveling alone. Not as captivating as some of the other books

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

There is a single plot. Find the bad guy and kill him. The author does a good job of developing the characters and describing the surroundings of every scene so that you feel you are there. But after a while it gets boring and the pace seems to slow down and drag for a long time.

Which character – as performed by Scott Brick – was your favorite?

The main character of retired NYPD detective is nicely done

serious mission with many Smiles along the way

insight to the military and like agencies to support was well done and better understood thank you

Entertaining, enlightening, and captivating

What made the experience of listening to The Panther the most enjoyable?

Without a doubt, Scott Brick does a masterful job narrating this novel. He captures the dry gallows humor deMille weaves into this tale, probably better than any narrator I've listened to, George Guidall included. I found my self laughing out loud at John Corey's quips and the responses of some of the more serious characters.

What did you like best about this story?

It helped me decide never to visit Yemen.

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

Everything! I don't think I would have gotten nearly as much out of the book if I had merely read it. Scott is a genius at conveying John Corey's sarcasm.

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

Too many to recount, but the many dialogs between John and Kate are priceless.

Any additional comments?

The audio version is the only way to experience this novel to its fullest.

Funny, entertaining, and eerily believable!

Nobody who grew up in a civilized environment wants to believe that this kind of ignorance and brutality truly exists in the world today. But since it does, than this novel & others like it just may be the venue necessary to bring the nastiness into the light.

Read this book. It is excellent, unpredictable, and educational!

He phoned this one in.

Is there anything you would change about this book?

I've never skipped through a Nelson DeMille novel before. He is one of my favorites.

There way to many setup scenes that play out sloooowly. The prose of the first 7/8 of the book is like the collaborative effort of le Carre' and Tolstoy. I'm used to John Corey running down hill with his hair on fire. This novel plays out in Yemen - one of the most dangerous places on earth - and there is less action and suspense than any single chapter of the Lion books.

The novel is almost devoid of suspense till the last few chapters. And the final scene/epilogue: well.... let's just say teleportation must have been employed. Very disappointing.

It won't stop me from buying his next book. I hope I don't feel like a sucker.

As expected from DeMille

Would you listen to The Panther again? Why?

John Corey was on his game and the story was hard to put down.

Who was your favorite character and why?

John of course.

Which scene was your favorite?

When they discovered the goats blood marked on the vehicles.

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

No, just very good listening.

Similar to DeMille's other work

What did you love best about The Panther?

The main character John Corey is back.

Who was your favorite character and why?

John Corey - if you've read some of DeMille's other work and liked it you'll def like this book.

Just a John Corey / Scott Brick fan I guess!

I loved this as much as the others! John Corey's sarcasm and wit make me laugh out loud. Great book, if you loved the others you'll like this too!

John Corey and Nelson DeMille back on track!

First, I am a BIG Nelson Demille and John Corey FAN. I enjoyed Lion's Game, but thought the sequel, The Lion, was not as good. With the Panther John & Kate have a new nemesis, the Panther, and he is a good bad guy.

I really enjoyed this book, and think Scott Brick's narration is spot on. The addition of familiar characters like Brenner, from Up Country, and references to encounters in previous books, like Wild Fire (one of my favorite Demille books), made the book even more enjoyable.

On the flip side, the Panther, Bulus ibn al-Darwish's name is mentioned over and over and over again throughout the book. This repetition was annoying.

Too, while I REALLY enjoy John Corey's quips and sense of humor, it was unclear sometimes what he was really saying, and what he was just thinking. I do not think this was a narration issue.

Final analysis if you enjoyed Lion's Game, and Wild Fire you will equally enjoy the Panther. I know I did.

Great series

Really enjoy this series, narration by Scott Brick is awesome and really captures what John Corey should sound like and because he has done this from the start its even better.