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)

Excellent read

Wasnt sure how I would like this at first but it works really well. This is one of the best books I have 'read' for a while - the story line is creative and its narrated well. It lends itself to a good follow on novel..

Strange mixture of 5-star and 0-star book

This is an almost exact copy of my review of Peter Clines' more recent novel, The Fold, because exactly the same good and bad points apply.

I've given this book a 5-star rating because most of it really deserves it. Until it gets to the bad part it's a really terrific piece of science fiction, among the finest to come out in the last few years. It's very well written, with sparse, punchy prose that brings the story alive. The characters are believable, the story is great and based on some fascinating ideas.

Much of the structure is clearly based on the basic Scooby Doo plot scheme, and this is something that the author constantly has the characters joke about. It can get a little irritating at times but doesn't really detract from the story or the quality of the book.

But then we come to the bad part. To describe it in any way would be a spoiler, but the whole book really collapses towards the end. It's as though the talented, mature writer who produced the first three quarters was suddenly replaced by a 14-year-old in love with tenth-rate Japanese horror movies and auto-genereated Saturday morning cartoons. It's incomprehensible, because the rest of the book is so truly outstanding.

I'd still recommend it, and I don't regret reading it. But man it would be so much better if the same writer who wrote the majority of the book could get the manuscript back and rewrite the ending.

Best narrator ever

Creative story with engaging characters, with fantastically good narrator. It held my attention to the end of the last chapter.

Enjoyable Read

Would you consider the audio edition of 14 to be better than the print version?

I have not read the book so no comparison.

What was one of the most memorable moments of 14?

Opening the door to 14,

Which character – as performed by Ray Porter – was your favorite?

The main character, of course.

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

The first half I wanted to eep listening

Any additional comments?

Narrator is awesome!

The Story Will Suck You In Faster Than #14 Can!

What did you love best about 14?

Having only read reviews with out spoilers, I had no idea what to expect. Some of the negative reviews called the story predictable. I did not find anything predictable at all.

What I liked best about this story was it kept me guessing until the end about what was going on. This book is great science fiction. There are a lot of comparisons to the TV show Lost, and the book even makes a joke about Lost, but at the end of the book there are answers.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Nate is the obvious choice for favorite character. However this book sports a great ensemble cast of neighbors (like LOST) that are almost as likeable as Nate.

Which character – as performed by Ray Porter – was your favorite?

This is my first book narrated by Ray Porter. He was fantastic. He brought all of the characters to life, so I won't pick and choose.

Any additional comments?

Read the synopses and sample the reviews. If science fiction is your genre, I doubt you will be disappointed.

This book has great characters and lots of surprises

Good storyline - keeps your attention

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

Original, fast paced, and interesting

Who was your favorite character and why?

Nate - he's innocent and inquisitive. He keeps on going.

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

No

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

No

Any additional comments?

Sci-Fi reduced the rating somewhat (I'm not a big Sci-Fi fan), but a good storyline and a page-turner rendered the "4" rating. The recording itself has only one flaw: chapter 42 is a duplicate of chapter 41 - exactly the same recording. However, you won't miss much - chapter 42 appears to only introduce an asthma reaction to one of the characters.

WOW WOW AND WOW

1st book I bought from others reviews reader 5 stars many characters made up a voice for them all 1st download was like WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON IN THIS HOUSE.....A must read 4 sure 2nd download got you on your toes edge of your sit.Pulled in my driveway and sat in the car for a half hr/45min in the a/c could not stop listening.

Wonderful! Edge of Your Seat Read!

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

This was an unexpected treasure to find! I listen while driving and found myself sitting in my car long after reaching my destination or driving around the block often with this book because I didn't want to turn it off!

Any additional comments?

This was magical, suspenseful, FUNNY and just fun to listen to. This is one of those books that would be great to give as a gift. I can think of quite a few people that would enjoy this as much as I did.

I liked it!

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

Yes, time well spent, and I could not relate to the reviewers who though all the good stuff was in the back of the book: the interactions of all the building tenants was pretty fulfilling for me from the beginning.

Would you recommend 14 to your friends? Why or why not?

Yes, my friends who like this type of genre.

What three words best describe Ray Porter’s performance?

Engaging, quirky in all the right places and I felt he really captured the essence of each person's character.

Could you see 14 being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

Yeah, I think a movie would work.

Worth the time and money

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

I found the story to be fully engaging from the beginning. I am listening to it for a second time in two months. I loved the way I wasn't quite sure if it was a mystery, sci-fi or true crime.