Pegasus Descending

I have been a James Lee Burke fan for years, having read every single one of his books once and sometimes twice, or more. This is the first book I have listened to and at the beginning I had great fears because Dave was such a close friend.

Will Patton does an absolutely amazing job of narrating Pegasus Descending. Though I had a different voice for Dave (a good friend is from Baton Rouge and I was using that deeper more accented voice in my head), Patton very soon won me over.

I have always been in love with the beauty of the language that Burke uses. "...sunset like the gilt edge on a Bible." He summons such detailed images to your mind like no one else can do. There is a small scene where Robichaux is drunk and he's watching the man next to him in a bar peel an egg. I was in that bar, smelling the smells, seeing the little chip of egg shell on the man's finger. Maybe I was tipsy too. It's a small, but amazing scene.

The story is one of Burke's best. Robichaux has been settled down in his heart by his new wife and this gives him a new maturity and grace. It's a quite wonderful change to see. The characters are terrifically written and Will Patton does a most excellent job, an award-winning job with the voice of Monarch. He's captured the winningness of his personality as well as the evil and danger that lurks there.

I would guess that there is a not a person who reads that would not love this book.

If you haven't read the Robichaux series from start to finish, you have such a treat ahead for you. I wish I could have them surgically removed from my brain so that I could again read them for the first time.

I think there are 15 books in this series and Robichaux is FAR from becoming a tired, re-formulated hero (such as Lucas Davenport). I hope Mr. Burke has 15 more books in him.

I have most of Burke's books in print, and now I want to own them all in Mr. Patton's voice.

Really, I can't recommend this highly enough.

If you've done any listening at all, you know that a narrator can make or break a book. The combination of James Lee Burke's writing and Will Patton's narrating a Dave Robicheaux story is on a par with Dean Koontz and David Aaron Baker's rendition of the Odd Thomas books. The narrator makes the book come alive. I've listened to The Tin Roof Blowdown and Crusader's Cross, and both are worth a re-listen, but this is Burke at his best. Audible has some other Dave Robicheaux books but I probably won't listen to them because they have a different narrator. This is not a criticism of the narrator, but Will Patton is the embodiment of the New Iberia detective. I never have trouble identifying the character speaking because of the many voices Patton uses. His Louisiana accent gives a marvelous flavor to this very well written book. Burke's wonderful descriptive phrases are generously scattered throughout the book. I bought the book for my wife to read and she enjoyed it as much as I did (she prefers reading, go figure). I would give this book more than five stars if I could.

One of James Lee Burke's best!!

I would rank it 1-2 with his "The Tin Roof Blowdown".

It's definitely a "can't put down" listen!!

A couple breaks Dave Robichaux gets are a bit far-fetched, but it doesn't distract from story.

Highly Recommended!

Burke is always good, but this one may be his best. All elements of his writing and storytelling are at their peak here, from his vivid imagery and apt metaphors to his dark insights into human nature, and he tells one of the most riveting stories Robicheaux has yet wandered through, all with an attention to language most writers these days don't even understand. This is a great novel for Robicheaux fans, and a great place to dive into the series if you've never read him before.

Will Patton is a very good reader, even though he sounds more Dixie than Cajun and screws up Clete Purcell something awful, not to mention a few local names. He's smart and has an appreciation for Burke's language, and you feel that in this narration. Overall, this is a book to make you fall in love with James Lee Burke, and I can't recommend it enough.

This book was wonderful. James Lee Burke has the best way of weaving sights & sounds & smells together that you will wonder in your older yrs if your memories are books you have read or actual events that took place in your life.
Thank you for a wonderfull 12 hrs.

Narration is excellent. The characters come alive & it is difficult to stop listening.

I've only read two Dave Robicheaux novels, but if they are all this good I'll be amazed. The story is feels rooted in reality, if not implausible. A gritty detective story with all the necessary elements, sexual depravity, evil psychopaths, corrupted DAs, alcoholic sidekicks, femme fatales... At it's heart is Dave Robicheaux, a man of feeling and depth, with a willingness to kick ass of those who deserve it.

If images had calories, this book would bust the most generous diet. It is as rich and complex as a thick steamy gumbo and just as satisfying. Both story and narration are totally entertaining. This book is very well suited for audio. I'd consider listening to this one more than once.

Is there a killer in each of us? When is killing ever justified?
Every time I finish a book of Mr. Burke's, I am sure it is the best one. The writing is not just passion, intrigue or morality. The words are flowing poetry that you can touch, taste and smell.

Burke is one of the most descriptive writers I have ever read. I have read and listened to nearly all of his books. When he teams up with Will Patton there is no better listening experience. Kudos to both the writer and the narrator.