The Son

A Novel

By: Jo Nesbø

Narrated by: Gildart Jackson

Length: 17 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's summary

The author of the best-selling Harry Hole series now gives us an electrifying stand-alone novel set inside Oslo’s maze of especially venal, high-level corruption.

Sonny Lofthus is a strangely charismatic and complacent young man. Sonny’s been in prison for a dozen years, nearly half his life. The inmates who seek out his uncanny abilities to soothe leave his cell feeling absolved. They don’t know or care that Sonny has a serious heroin habit - or where or how he gets his uninterrupted supply of the drug. Or that he’s serving time for other peoples’ crimes.

Sonny took the first steps toward addiction when his father took his own life rather than face exposure as a corrupt cop. Now Sonny is the seemingly malleable center of a whole infrastructure of corruption: prison staff, police, lawyers, a desperate priest - all of them focused on keeping him high and in jail. And all of them under the thumb of the Twin, Oslo’s crime overlord. As long as Sonny gets his dope, he’s happy to play the criminal and the prison’s in-house savior.

But when he learns a stunning, long-hidden secret concerning his father, he makes a brilliantly executed escape from prison - and from the person he’d let himself become - and begins hunting down those responsible for the crimes against him.... The darkly looming question is: Who will get to him first - the criminals or the cops?

©2014 Jo Nesbø (P)2014 Random House Audio

Love Jo Nesbo!

I was so sad that I had finished all Harry Hole books that I thought I would like this book no matter what. I might have, if it was not for the narrator.... He killed it...... So sad... Everything else went away, could not concentrate in the story, the plot, nothing... :(

Nesbo delivers, even without Harry Hole.

Any additional comments?

I really thought I would miss Harry, but the new characters draw you in along with a great plot. As usual there are more twists and turns than Lombard Street - Nesbo always keeps you guessing. He just keeps getting better and better.

The Father, the Son, and Righteous Vengeance

Would you consider the audio edition of The Son: A Novel to be better than the print version?

The son. Desolated by his father's death, a death to protect his son and wife, begins a cycle of self-destruction, incarceration, liberation, and vengeance on those who played a part in the death of an honest, gifted law enforcement agent...the father.

What other book might you compare The Son: A Novel to and why?

I've read whodunits enough to state that this novel compares to none I've ever read, before. If this is an example of the superb plot, character development, point and counterpoint of Mr. Nesbo, I will read more.

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

I liked the narrator. The intonation of the female voices left something to be desired. That is a minor issue, compared with the quiet and truly narrative manner of this oral presentation;

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Simply, The Son. He is central.

riveting story, great characters

What made the experience of listening to The Son: A Novel the most enjoyable?

This book kept me raptured beginning to end. The two main characters were terrific--The Son, a sweet mass murderer! (if that sounds funny, you must listen) and his pursuer, the flawed but likable Simon, the cop who's pursuing Sonny.

Any additional comments?

Narrator was good with two main characters and most of the men, but awful and strained with the women characters.

Another great book from this terrific writer.

Jo Nesbø impresses me to no end. I love the Harry Hole series and didn't know what to expect with this one. I thought without Harry it would be second rate. I was SO wrong.

This is simply an engaging mystery. Yes, again it's dark like his other books. But the characters are so engaging I could over look it. (Yes, they are implausible. That's why it's fiction.)

There are plenty of reviews on this site with more detail about the book. I don't need to rehash it. What I can tell you is this: if you're a fan of authors like Dennis Lehane, Stieg Larsson, and Adrian McKinty then you need to give Nesbø a listen.

Revenge and Forgiveness

The Son is in prison for two murders he didn't commit. After hearing information about his fathers murder, he escapes from prison to seek revenge upon the guilty. Simon is the detective on his trail, he knew Sonny's father many years back and doesn't want to see Sonny get hurt. The Twin is also looking for Sonny. He had an important part in the death/suicide of Sonnys father. All this comes together in another thrilling Jo Nesbo story.
I thoroughly enjoyed listening to Gildart Jackson narrating this book. He touched on the tone of the story making it easy to listen to.

Excellent story about the love of son

If you could sum up The Son: A Novel in three words, what would they be?

well written story

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Son: A Novel?

Forgiveness and generosity

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

Vocal intonation of character

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

no but it could be

excellent book. Loved it

Just excellent... All around! Can't wait for the movie. I wish there could be a sequel but I just don't see how.

This is a narrator review

Only 2.5 hours in. The story is incredible and I will write a review for it on completion. The narrator has golden moments, otherwise I’d of returned this recording and bought the book already. Unfortunately, he has vast stretches where he sounds like a backwards Count Chocula, or like he is reading a Dr. Suess. Mostly during dialogue which is a shame.
Not bad enough for me personally, but it may be off-putting enough for you!
I gave two stars, 0-1 are where I draw the line, unless the story is also borderline (then it is a 3).

Masterpiece!!!

The Son is my favorite book by Jo Nesbø. It is thrilling detective/romantic/vengeance story. Everything is packed into one book and narrated so well you would find very hard time to stop listening. Characters are brilliantly designed. You will laugh, cry and think about whether to agree with all their opinions about life. I went through this audiobook for four times already and I am looking forward to returning to it again.