• The Watchers

  • By: Jon Steele
  • Narrated by: Jonathan Davis
  • Length: 21 hrs and 44 mins
  • 3.8 out of 5 stars (401 ratings)

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The Watchers  By  cover art

The Watchers

By: Jon Steele
Narrated by: Jonathan Davis
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Publisher's summary

Beneath Lausanne Cathedral, in Switzerland, there is a secret buried before time began, something unknown to angels and men, until now....

Marc Rochat watches over the city at night from the belfry of the cathedral. He lives in a world of shadows and "beforetimes" and imaginary beings.

Katherine Taylor, call girl and daydreamer, is about to discover that her real-life fairy tale is too good to be true.

Jay Harper, private detective, wakes up in a crummy hotel room with no memory. When the telephone rings and he's offered a job, he knows he has no choice but to accept.

Three lives, one purpose: save what's left of paradise before all hell breaks loose.

©2012 Jon Steele (P)2012 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“A seductive cosmic thriller stoked by historic fact, an ancient Jewish religious text, and a literary classic... Steele’s lavishly atmospheric, witty, bloody, and swashbuckling tale of age-old struggles for dominion between angels and demons is the propitious first book in an ambitious series.” (Booklist, starred)

“An imaginative metaphysical thriller… Steele keeps his tale tantalizingly ambiguous, casting it with fey characters and skillfully concealing until the climax whether apparent weird events haven’t been manipulated to make them seem so. This solidly plotted tale, the first in a trilogy, will appeal to readers who like a hint of uncanny in their fiction.” (Publishers Weekly)

“A first novel (and first in a series) from Steele, for years a master cameraman for Independent Television News and author of War Junkie, an underground classic; really smart work for serious thriller readers.” (Library Journal)

What listeners say about The Watchers

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    158
  • 4 Stars
    110
  • 3 Stars
    67
  • 2 Stars
    35
  • 1 Stars
    31
Performance
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  • 4 Stars
    80
  • 3 Stars
    36
  • 2 Stars
    14
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Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
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    139
  • 4 Stars
    82
  • 3 Stars
    69
  • 2 Stars
    25
  • 1 Stars
    32

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Very slow for me.

The Authors does draw a picture of everything. It is a well written book but you must be patient.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Outstanding!

This story requires thoughtful attention as it develops and carries you through the twists and turns of the lives of the characters. I found myself laughing out loud at times and holding my breath during times of high tension. Truly entertaining.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent read

A beautifully written complex story. Be patient as it is slow to get started. Well written cast of complex and perfectly flawed characters all struggling to find their way.

I loved the author's knowledge of apocryphal books and his use of Latin and French throughout the story.

Loved it!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great listen

It took me a little bit to really get into it but it was worth the wait, worth trying to understand what was going on in the beginning. It all came together very nicely and I've already got the next book lined up. The narrator was wonderful, great voices for different characters.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful!

I love this story and entire concept of our place in the grand scheme of things.

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

painful

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

So boring. Nothing else to say. I can't remember anything about it. I became catatonic. I could not get pass second chapter.

Any additional comments?

Don't waste your credits.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Long book - would have been better at 7 hours long

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

If you have 21+hours to invest in a so-so story, then yes.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

I was glad that the story eventually progressed and reached an ending. I had my doubts, but was somewhat surprised by the ending.

What aspect of Jonathan Davis’s performance would you have changed?

Shorten the book by at least 7 hours

Do you think The Watchers needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

No, unless it is cut down to a manageable size story.

Any additional comments?

Good idea and good story, just too much background and too much detail on side stories.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

A new "Hunchback" with a twisted bit of fun

I was uncertain how to categorize this book, and now that I am done, I am even more uncertain. It is not classic lit like Hunchback, and it is not religious, in spite of the references to a forgotten book of the Bible and angels. It is a mystery wrapped in a supernatural snuff film. Weird enough? Wait. High priced/smart alec call girl I really liked, the slow but SOOOOO sweet bell ringer at the church I want to bake cookies for, and an "investigator" who may be a complete hot mess, all chasing angels and dead people killed in truly creative and terrifying ways, and I love them all. Their set-ups are very cliche, but very quickly after meeting them, I didn't care. Maybe I shouldn't love this, maybe this book follows no acceptable method of writing I learned in English class, but I loved it, I still think about the story and the characters, and I have no higher praise for any book.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

A Mixed Fantasy

Would you listen to The Watchers again? Why?

No. It was a very long book. Story was engrossing at times but not enough to re-read.

Would you be willing to try another book from Jon Steele? Why or why not?

Yes, U would try another. This is his first book, it will be interesting to see how his writing matures.

Which character – as performed by Jonathan Davis – was your favorite?

He did a great performance as a cat. I also enjoyed his performan of the lead 3 characters, Marc, Harper, and Catherine.

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

No. Much to long to read in one sitting. It took me three days to complete the book.

Any additional comments?

This book was a very mixed experience. The characters were well-written and unforgettable; very endearing. The mystery story is intriguing. It was the fantasy part of the story that seemed to be a mishmash of fantasy and multiple religions lumped together. The story probably could have been better without the fantasy element. I also was not fond of the ending; it was not satisfying to me at all.

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Considering not finishing the book

I really wanted to get into this book. The publishers summary and other feedback drew me to this story. The summary sounds interesting for the genre, well known reader, interesting locations, buildings, history, detectives, and the possibility of fairy tale underworld.

I have listened to many other books narrated by Jonathan Davis, and did a fine job and trying to bring this story to life.

The story leaves me wanting more than what I have found included with in the book. I'm currently about 1/3 the way through the book and the story has not hooked me yet. I see where the story is going, I'm not sure what the end looks yet, and I'm not sure that I will ever know. At this point I have not been drawn into caring about the characters enough to care how to see how the story will unfold. The descriptions of the historic and beautiful locations have not generated the imagery that I had hoped to draw me into the location and time of the story. Fortunately looking at images of the cities and buildings and reading about their history online can do the job where the author fell short for me.

So for now, I've read a few more reviews and strongly considering skipping the remaining portion of the book and leave the end a mystery.

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