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

pretty good

almost same story as the umbrella academy. still a pretty good book to listen to

Great book, loved the concept. Should b a series

Loved it overall, I found it to be entertainingly funny and suspenseful. The characters were intriguing and I wanted more. It should be a series.

Bourne plus Bond plus Potter. Refreshing adventure

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

Good narration and a story line that was engaging and kept you in a state of smile to laughter and yet retained a atmosphere of suspense. A female Bourne/Bond/Potter character who is a reluctant hero. I was never bored during the read.

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

smashup a Bourne book, Bond story, and a few chapters of Harry Potter. Although I hate to say Potter and really think it would be more along the lines of Tim Powers book. I look forward to more stories in the future.

Which character – as performed by Susan Duerden – was your favorite?

The hero, she did this best. The male characters occasionally went into the creepy sounding realm, but it is always a challenge for a narrator to cross gender roles and remain credible in their performance.

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

I did laugh a few times during its course. I usually listen while walking or doing work that a books distraction is welcome. The story wasn't complicated, but I hated missing a detail and rewound frequently to get a higher than average comprehension during this book.

Any additional comments?

Looking forward to more.

Good story, excellent narration.

Would you listen to The Rook again? Why?

Yes. I have already recommended it to several friends.

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

I actually laughed out loud a few times.

Terrible Narrator for a Solid Book

I originally read this book on Kindle and the narrator for this book is a stinker. You can listen to the sample to judge for yourself, but essentially almost every sentence is read with an upward inflection at the end (maybe she thought it was suspenseful?) and it's just so distracting from an otherwise good story. If you like the sample, disregard this and enjoy the book. If you're irritated by the sample, trust your gut and read this book in a different format. I wish they would pay someone else to narrate this story, preferably Imogen Church, Emily Gray or Clare Corbett.

When can I get the next one???

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

Love this book! Love the narration - her accents and voice for different characters is fantastic. I love urban fantasy and this book has an interesting take on the supernatural. THe mystery and the premise of the book will keep you entertained. Highly recommend.

Absolutely Amazing

it is a very amazing intricate and complex story. it is chock-full of multiple character development and a Amazing Story

A must read! (or listen)

This was an edge of your seat thriller with the most unique story line. Highly recommend taking a listen!

Grand!

This is a fun mix of scifi, comedy and mystery. The characters are interesting and loveably human. I definitely recommend!

Returning

I can’t listen to this book. I want to! But I can’t. The narrator has an annoying habit of ending almost every sentence with a lilt, as if unsure or asking a question. It was unbearable. Might check this out in print because the plot seemed interesting.