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)

Couldn't stop listening

One of the best books I have read in a long time. Really loved the characters and the storyline. Reminded me a lot of the move "the mist" but way better. Also reminds me of the TV show Fringe, which even got a reference in the book. Lots of fun Scooby Doo references also.

Everything you could want in a thriller/mystery/scifi story. Well worth reading.

I hope they make a movie out this outstanding book. Soon.

Great Story and Performance, but ...

Great characters as they discover an ever-growing, eerie mystery and other worldliness. Performed with fine portrayal of different personalities. Occasional moments light humor for relief. Very well done.

However there is a major editing flaw. The first chapter of Part 2 is the same as the last chapter of Part 1. Other than the confusion it causes, the posted listening time is probably inflated.

Great start, messy ending

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

probably not. I really loved the first half of the book, it was different, and I was curious where the story was going, but it got a bit crazy and messy at the end.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

The first half of the book was interesting because it could be very real: the weird landlord, the stiff neighbor, the good looking single girl....I thought there was real suspense in the first half of the book, I couldn't stop listening because I wanted to know why everything seemed so off. It wasn't very predictable and there were some twists but after the mystery is resolved it takes too long to wrap up and its getting weirder, messier and it seems unorganized.

What three words best describe Ray Porter’s performance?

loved his voice, made the characters real.

Do you think 14 needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

too much happened already in the first book. No follow up!

Scooby Doo + H.P. Lovecraft + Joss Whedon

Scooby Doo meets H.P. Lovecraft, as told by Joss Whedon

That's my overall impression. This is not the type of title I would probably have picked on my own - but I'm also trying to make an effort to find books I wouldn't normally.

14 combines mystery, horror, sci-fi, and urban fantasy elements into a world with engaging characters and an interesting journey. 14 is the number of a locked apartment in a building that several residents live in. A building where rents are absurdly cheap and residents are in need of a place to stay with limited means. As the tale unfolds, the "Scooby Gang" discovers odd things about their building that don't make sense and work to unravel the mystery. For the rest, you'll have to read for yourself.

One aspect I enjoyed about this was its rather geeky references, both subtle and obvious. As the group digs further into the mystery, the players even start to identify themselves as members of the Mystery gang..or at least trying to decide which members of the gang each of them are. It's also reminicent of the Buffy the Vampire TV series similar self references to the "Scooby Gang". Indeed, the language and mannerisms of the characters convey a strong feeling of something voiced by Joss Whedon. All of this makes for a generally engaging and entertaining tale.

As for the H.P. Lovecraft, that comes into play later, similar to the way Edgar Rice Burroughs comes into play in the telling of John Carter of Mars. Honestly, the shift in the later portion of the story is not as successful as the beginning, and the main reason I give this only four stars.

Still, the overall effect is more satisfying than not, and I find myself able to easily recommend it. For the audiobook, Ray Porter does an excellent job bringing life to the characters and providing a clear view of the world they live in.

great adventure!!

slow start but worth the effort. highly recommend The Fold as a compliment to this story.

interesting

Very good character development. I enjoyed this book, different from what I normally listen to on my daily commute.

Addictive sci-fy read!

Original read w/ ready player one feel. Cult classic references middle aged & modern youth can both identify with. Flowing addictive pace & consistent storyline. Loved it!

Awesome, long, listen

It was an amazing story with a beautifully weird twist, I highly reccomend if you like this genre and long reads.

Creepy, mysterious and surprising

What did you like best about this story?

Great characters who reacted realistically to events. A deeply mysterious circumstance which kept me guessing. I wanted to step inside the story and live it with the city dwellers. Engendered a sense of wonder and awe. Masterfully crafted mystery with a sci-fi core.

Excellent Mystery Sci-Fi

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

This title lives up to all of the splendid reviews. Also, I can see sequels since not all loose ends are tied.

What did you like best about this story?

I was very happy to see that this novel did not include zombies. I avoided other Clines novels because they did appear to include zombies. Zombie threads are the biggest creative cop-out in modern Sci-Fi literature. Zombies are the 'Vampire & Werewii" of the 21st century and I usually pass-m-up.