The Rook

A Novel

By: Daniel O'Malley

Narrated by: Susan Duerden

Length: 17 hrs and 46 mins

Publisher's summary

Myfanwy Thomas awakes in a London park surrounded by dead bodies. With her memory gone, her only hope of survival is to trust the instructions left in her pocket by her former self. She quickly learns that she is a Rook, a high-level operative in a secret agency that protects the world from supernatural threats. But there is a mole inside the organization - and this person wants her dead.

As Myfanwy battles to save herself, she encounters a person with four bodies, a woman who can enter her dreams, children transformed into deadly fighters, and an unimaginably vast conspiracy.

Suspenseful and hilarious, The Rookis an outrageously inventive debut for listeners who like their espionage with a dollop of purple slime.

©2012 Daniel O'Malley (P)2012 Hachette

Great read

I was recommended this book. It took me a bit to get into it but once I did I was hooked. The reader made it especially wonderful! I’m not sure I would have enjoyed it as much without the English narrative. She did an exceptional job with different voices. I have listened to a lot of audiobooks but this is one of my favorites. I usually do murder mystery books but thoroughly enjoyed this book!

Frisky Narrator

Susan Duerden, the narrator, used her extensive background as a reader for romance novels to build the listener’s anticipation for the book’s several climaxes. Whew, I need a cigarette.

Loved

Fell in love with this thanks to my local library and had to 'reread'it with Audible.

Awesome Book

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

At least as good and since it is audible you can do other things while listening which you cannot do while reading -- such as drive your daily commute to and from work, prepare dinner in the kitchen, mow the lawn, etc......

What did you like best about this story?

The characters and the premise of the story

What about Susan Duerden’s performance did you like?

She did an awesome job !!! Really drew you into the story and characters.

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

When Rook Thomas reconnected with her sister and the ending when she was happy with her life and had become the best of both her personalities.

Any additional comments?

Was extremely sorry to come to the end of the book. It would be great if the author wrote a sequel or two.

Dear You...

Fabulous entertainment! Great writing, fantastic and wonderfully convoluted plot, complicated and believable characters, excellent narration. I am listening to The Rook again prior to listening to the sequel, which I have been waiting for ever since I first listened to it! Really, it is that good...

Great story, terrible performance.

The story draws you in from the first page. Which is great, if you're reading in on paper. If you're listening to audio, the performance of the reader is the other side of the coin that can either make or break the overall success of the book.
To me, the reader's non-stop sing-song intonation was so annoying, that I almost gave up on the book several times. She ends every... single... sentence... on the same note. It's teeth-clenchingly, mind-numbingly, nails-on-the-chalk-board irritating. Even her lovely English accent doesn't make up for it.
On the other hand, the fact that I managed to get through the story, despite my dislike of the narrator, is a testament to how good the book itself was and makes it worth an audible credit.

Super human Intrigue, Mystery and paperwork!

I have listened to this audiobook 6 times and read the hard copy another 4. I really do love this story, as it combines a rare combination of what I love in a story . Intrigue, Mystery, Horror and kick ass heroics while being properly civilized. I really do want more.

Loved it

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

Don't know

What other book might you compare The Rook to and why?

Very unusual story

What about Susan Duerden’s performance did you like?

Good voices

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

Laughed out loud many times.

Any additional comments?

Didn't want to stop listening

Fun fantasy thriller with humour and strong women characters

The story captured me from the beginning—a woman wakes up with amnesia, surrounded by dead. She finds notes written by her former self to help fill in her missing memories. It turns out she’s a government agent who battles supernatural creatures—and someone in her own agency is trying to destroy her.

The story, characters and dialogue are entertaining and intelligent, and there’s a good dose of humour to go along with the story. Occasionally it seems a little bit too long, but generally the action is fast paced and the main character is engaging and endearing.

The narrator is superb—she does different voices but not in a cheesy way.

Recommended!

My favorite fiction of all time

What made the experience of listening to The Rook the most enjoyable?

Grabbed me from the start. Up until this book, I never bought fiction, listen once, whats the point. I have listened to this book 4 times, like watching a favorite movie.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Mifawney of course. Her absolute candor and confusion of waking up in a in a new body with a personality totally opposed to her predecessor. Marvey!

What does Susan Duerden bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Fantastic narration, dissapointed to see she didn't do sequel, high bar to meet for next narrator.

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

Yes, Yes, and Yes.

Any additional comments?

This wasn't my type of reading, but something caught my attention in checking it out. Now it is my favorite genre. It led me to Ben Aaronovitch, Benedict Jacka, Paul Cornell, Mark Frost, John Conroe, Garon Whited, Steve Mchugh and many others. My life is so much fuller as a result. Thank you Daniel.