• The Elephant of Surprise

  • The Russel Middlebrook Series
  • By: Brent Hartinger
  • Narrated by: Josh Hurley
  • Length: 5 hrs and 10 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (169 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
The Elephant of Surprise  By  cover art

The Elephant of Surprise

By: Brent Hartinger
Narrated by: Josh Hurley
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $19.95

Buy for $19.95

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

Book 4 in the Lambda Award-winning Russel Middlebrook Series!

People aren't always what they seem to be. Sometimes we even surprise ourselves. So discovers seventeen-year-old Russel Middlebrook in The Elephant of Surprise, a stand-alone sequel to Brent Hartinger's landmark 2003 gay young adult novel Geography Club (which has now been adapted as a feature film co-starring Scott Bakula and Nikki Blonsky). In this latest audiobook, Russel and his friends Min and Gunnar are laughing about something they call the Elephant of Surprise - the tendency for life to never turn out as expected. Sure enough, Russel soon happens upon a hot but mysterious homeless activist named Wade, even as he's drawn back to an old flame named Kevin.

Meanwhile, Min is learning surprising things about her girlfriend Leah, and Gunnar just wants to be left alone to pursue his latest technology obsession. But the elephant is definitely on the move in all three of their lives. Just who is Wade and what are he and his friends planning? What is Leah hiding? And why is Gunnar taking naked pictures of Kevin in the shower?

The Elephant of Surprise includes Hartinger's trademark combination of humor and romance, angst and optimism. Before the story is over, Russel and his friends will learn that the Elephant of Surprise really does appear when you least expect him - and that when he stomps on you, it really, really hurts.

©2013 Brent Hartinger (P)2013 Audible Inc.

What listeners say about The Elephant of Surprise

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    112
  • 4 Stars
    36
  • 3 Stars
    16
  • 2 Stars
    4
  • 1 Stars
    1
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    133
  • 4 Stars
    22
  • 3 Stars
    4
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    104
  • 4 Stars
    29
  • 3 Stars
    18
  • 2 Stars
    7
  • 1 Stars
    1

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Please write about their senior year one day!

Such a great ending. We've all grown up with Russel. It's hard to let him go. What a great character.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing!!

Amazing story! I hope there will be more! Kevin and Russell deserve happiness, even if it arrived a little too late lol

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Meh

If I am being really honest, this is my least favorite Russell Middlebrook book. While I was happy to return to the only Russel perspective, this one didn’t have as much punch as the other ones dead. I wasn’t too crazy about Russell falling in love with a homeless kid who ate out of dumpsters and what not.

Also, why can’t Russell be with a good guy like Otto but he lives nearby? All these recent boys tricking him and making him feel bad.

Overall this installment was OK. Hoping the next one is better.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great stories!

I really enjoy The series, as well as the others that I’ve listened to! I want to follow Russell Middlebrook through his entire life, lol.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

such a great series truly one of the best.

loved every minute of this book such a greeat writer. Its truly a mesmerizing book and such a great love story.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Alot of fun

Narrator is excellent. He makes the lead character, Russell, come alive. Russell's running narration is sweat, witty, insightful & occasionally overly dramatic (but in a hilarious way). I recommend this and all the Russell Middlebrook series

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!