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)

Better than I thought

What made the experience of listening to 14 the most enjoyable?

The twists in the story

What did you like best about this story?

The different charactes

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

Narration is a little slow

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

No, it takes time to sink in

Absolutely Excellent

I am not a great fan of re-reading, but this is a story I have been able to come back to multiple times. Fantastic story, allusions, mystery, action and above all, humor!

Caught by surprise

Great story! Well told never got tired of hearing it. Can't wait to read more from this author.

Unexpected and out of context in a good way

What made the experience of listening to 14 the most enjoyable?

It was truly different from the books I have been listening to most recently. I just didn't know where the story was going and I thoroughly enjoyed the ride.

What other book might you compare 14 to and why?

I guess that's the charm of the book, it is different. The beginning felt, to me, a bit like The Secret History but unlike that book, which ended with a thud, just as I felt 14 slowing down, it kicked up again in a whole new way. Very satisfying

Which scene was your favorite?

We all love the reveal, is that the prestige? The exploration of the building was the best.

Could not stop listening

What did you love best about 14?

How it kept you listening.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The Indian girl and loved the way all the characters sounded different and how well the reader did with giving them their own personality.

Have you listened to any of Ray Porter’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

NA

Worth a listen.

Engaging from beginning to end follow this up with The Fold. This book made me a Peter Clines fan.

Scooby and friends save the world

I was prepared to consider this book "filler" until I got more credits. I didn't expect to like it. However, I became totally engrossed in part 1 and almost wrote a review at that point stating how really interesting the plot evolution was.

Then came part 2, and the (SPOILER ALERT!) evil flying squid-whales in a false universe (a la Matrix) stretched my interest a bit far. At this point, I was just marking time for it to come to its predictable conclusion. It's not that I don't love Matrix-like plots, but this got a bit ridiculous, especially with all the Scooby Do references.

All in all, though, I think it an acceptable read (I would probably stop at the end of part 1), especially if you don't spend a credit on it. The author can build a plot, and he just needs to restrain the urge to leap into never never land.

14

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

This book really held my attention and was quite intriguing for the first 3/4 but then it fell off quite a bit. Waht had been easy to believe became far too obscure.

Would you be willing to try another book from Peter Clines? Why or why not?

Yes, his construction is good

What about Ray Porter’s performance did you like?

He did a good job and each character was easily recognizable

Was 14 worth the listening time?

yes, I will try another from this author

Any additional comments?

The characters were well drawn and believable.

modern take on Lovecraft mithos

An excellent audio version of a fantasy thriller with a realistic,contemporary set of characthers. A modern take on the H.P.Lovecraft mithos with subtle irony and an amazing work of narrative growing tension.Very entertaining, funny, chilling at the end. Perfect audio book for disconnecting tension,stress, altough some drops of social situation, crisis.

LOST, MYST, and Lovecraft

This audiobook was a terrific surprise. Mysterious apartment building, a bunch of tenants banding together to figure it out, classics horror elements, humor, even a love story. Believable characters too - they behave like real people, as if you and your friends stumbled on a mystery and started looking into it.

The narrator is a treasure. There are MANY characters in this novel, and he gives each a distinctive voice. You always know who is talking. He has a range of accents and dialects that he uses to great effect.

To say more would be to give too much away. This novel is a hidden gem. I haven't enjoyed a book (or audiobook) this much in years. Incredibly addictive.