14

By: Peter Clines

Narrated by: Ray Porter

Length: 12 hrs and 34 mins

Publisher's summary

Audie Award Nominee, Science Fiction, 2013

Padlocked doors. Strange light fixtures. Mutant cockroaches.

There are some odd things about Nate’s new apartment. Of course, he has other things on his mind. He hates his job. He has no money in the bank. No girlfriend. No plans for the future. So while his new home isn’t perfect, it’s livable. The rent is low, the property managers are friendly, and the odd little mysteries don’t nag at him too much. At least, not until he meets Mandy, his neighbor across the hall, and notices something unusual about her apartment. And Xela’s apartment. And Tim’s. And Veek’s. Because every room in this old Los Angeles brownstone has a mystery or two. Mysteries that stretch back over a hundred years. Some of them are in plain sight. Some are behind locked doors. And all together these mysteries could mean the end of Nate and his friends. Or the end of everything....

©2012 Peter Clines and Permuted Press (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"A riveting apocalyptic mystery in the style of LOST." (Craig DiLouie, author of The Infection and The Killing Floor)

"A wholly original story that weaves together mystery and the apocalypse like a finely tuned band." (Evan Roy, Bricks of the Dead)

I was hooked from the 2nd chapter

This book, it was a story I looked forward to listening to everyday. Great build up, each character was well played. I actually only purchased 14 because of other reviews, and was not disappointed at all.

I will say that the last 1/3 of the book really took a left turn and went out to lala land with some of the stuff, not explaining a why or how some things happened , but it wrapped it all up and did not leave me hanging at the end.

Good Listen

Not a SciFi fan, but this book had elements of many things with a twist. It was a good listen. Some of the plots twists were strange, and I struggled a bit with them, but all in all, I enjoyed the listen and the narration. I don't think I would have tried this book had it not been on the 'sale rack', but I'm glad I did.

Lovecraft on the West Coast

I love creepy psychological horror, and anything with a Lovecraftian theme, and this book does deliver. The buildup of tension is great - a haunted house tale that counters your expectations completely. Great characters, fun mystery, and the weirdness of California all make this a hard book to hang up.
That said, with the slow build and the rising tension, the payoff felt a bit rushed, too fantastic, and not nearly as personal or as scary as I'd hoped.
Still, the journey is worth it. If Clines writes a sequel, I'll definitely pick that up.

Spoiler: I liked it a lot

I recently read The Hike and was looking for a similar read/listen. Even knowing how this book was going to end didn't stop me from enjoying the ride. It's puzzle elements are put together well and felt easy to understand without being so cryptic. I highly recommend this for anyone looking for a, "trip".

Great characters, witty banter, and squales?

If you could sum up 14 in three words, what would they be?

Funny, mysterious, dimensional

What was one of the most memorable moments of 14?

Nate's first visit to the deck, priceless.

Which scene was your favorite?

When the team first unlocked the control center, the description was so detailed, I could see it happening in my own great room.

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

I blasted through it in just a few days and I usually take weeks to finish a book, I had this on all weekend through dishes, laundry, cleaning, and my kids' nap time.

Amazing!

Out of 400+ titles in my library, this is definitely in my top 5. Peter Clines' writing holds my attention from beginning to end with just enough tension keep me engaged without ever being over the top, no matter the subject. Combined with Ray Porter's narration, this novel is fabulous.

Engaging and Entertaining

Peter Cline's "14" was a very pleasant surprise for me and prompted me to get his other books in this loosely linked series.

The story itself is solid, with enough twists and turns in the plot to keep you guessing without being overly complicated.

Ray Porter's narration was great -- I always enjoy how much nuance he puts into his performances. He changed his voice just enough for each character so I had no trouble at all telling who was who, but didn't push it to the point of distracting excess.

Unexpected

I must say that I bought this without reading much of the jacket. If I could do it again I’d do the same. F@cking a book about the great lord’s return!?! Thought It would be like the movie 1408, another ghost story. Instead I was taken on a journey to unimaginable places and times. Extremely fun book.

Great listen

My son sent me this as a gift, he thought I’d like it. He was correct. The first couple chapters are a little slow building the characters but after that it’s non stop good story until the end. Little bit SiFi, mystery and enough drama to keep the story together. Enjoy.

Good Intro to Clines' books

I don't usually go for science fiction, and fantasy even less, but this story works. Good characters and plot progression - the stranger things get, the more plausible they seem. Narration is really good - I'm going to try more by this author, especially with this same reader.