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)

Mystery and adventure .... Can't say more

Where does 14 rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I don't want to ruin this with a spoiler, but great reading! Good character development and a mystery that turns kinda scary without bloody gory zombie land overtones yet creepiness is there :-)

An entertaining read but not the best writing

14's plot is very engaging. It draws you into the mystery behind the building where the story takes place, giving it a real presence and character. The mystery unfolds in a very satisfying way and dragged me in chapter after chapter. Unfortunately, where the writer falls short is in dialogue and characterization. The protagonist is wooden and interchangeable. The supporting characters have more to them but they come across as types: The sex pot, the nerdy girl, the "dude", the man with a hidden past ... Clines does a good enough job that you do start to care about these people but the dialogue kills me. Think about the lines in any generic blockbuster film with forced humor, pointless sexual innuendo and repetitive expressions (how many times should the characters "...take a a hit..." off of something?)
I took a creative writing class once and was told to go to public places and listen to real conversations to develop a realistic reparte. This guy needs that. And I hope he gets there because the story in general was actually pretty good.

The narrator was spot on. He melded into the story and did a great job giving the characters distinctive voices.

Different type of mystery .. loved the story!

Where does 14 rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

One of the best. When the author and narrator combine to make me feel as if I"m there with the characters, waiting and searching for answers .. that's awesome. Really good character development. Narrator was spot on.

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

He is one of my favorites.

Any additional comments?

Ask Peter Clines to do another book of this type ... fantasy, terror, gripping!

In spite of the absent Mystery Machine...

This read was awesome! Edge of your seat suspense! I really enjoyed this book. Wish there was more info on Andrew (other-worldly??) to explain some of his strength and the family. Loved this!

Great sci-fi thriller

What initially seemed to be merely odd became terrifying. The characters are engaging and the story line compelling.

Hard to hit the pause button!

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

Sci-fi light.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Veke; smart, dry sense of humor.

Which scene was your favorite?

Finding the control room.

Any additional comments?

I don't consider myself to be a huge sci-fi fan, but I enjoyed the references to fictional characters like Walter Bishop; I felt like I was 'in on the joke.' This was a perfect blend of balancing the everyday drudgery that make up life (traffic, paying bills, sometimes a pointless job--we've all been there!) with the excitement of a good mystery that has the characters (and reader) rushing home to explore. Ray Porter has once again done a fantastic job of vocal characterization to bring the story to life.

Engrossing and Entertaining

I really enjoyed this book. The characters were interesting and the pace of the story was fast. I found that I was engaged with the mystery throughout the entire book; I had no idea what was coming next and this book kept me guessing. I felt at times that I was right there in the building with the characters, many of whom I would have loved to live next door to when I lived in apartment buildings! I am glad that I listened to this on audio, as it added to the atmosphere. The narrator did an excellent job with the different voices.

Mystery that turns into a sci-fi thriller

I hate having the story spoiled by reviews so I'm going to try and be as vague as possible. This book is not a normal sci-fi book that begins with technology or some kind of futuristic world, it's set in today about a guy who is simply trying to find an apartment and his curiosity that leads him to a discovery. Reading the book you don't expect the science fiction, but it comes through after the beginning. I think the science fiction was well woven throughout the story and it comes together in the end.

Interesting - well thought out

I felt this book was well written and deeply thought out. The narrator did an excellent job with the characters. There were beyond the real-world ideas that the author had to portray and he did it well. I didn't give it 5 stars b/c I thought the sci-fi was a bit over the top but I'm glad I listened to this book.

Good sci-fi

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

I think that the audio edition added an element of characterization to the book that was important. The story moves slow, so you need to love the characters-Mr. Clines and Mr. Porter do an excellent job of this.

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

I enjoyed the relationships that were created with the tenants. Mr. Clines did an EXCELLENT job of researching the information that was needed to make the characters believable. There was everything from an artist to a....well...I don't want to spoil anything. :)

Which scene was your favorite?

The rooftop scenes and the portion of the book after 14 was opened.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

There were several. Again I don't want to ruin the surprises, but they all revolved around the people in the story.

Any additional comments?

Mr. Porter does a GREAT job of capturing accents. If there was ever an error it stood out because I thought these characters were real. This did not detract from the book. It only made me appreciate a great narrator.