The Black Box: Harry Bosch, Book 18

As the saying goes, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." Sadly, I preordered this book from the main page, and the book listings don't show the narrators there. As such, I was unable to see who was reading this book. Heck, I didn't even bother to read the reviews because there has never been such a thing as a bad Harry Bosch novel. It never even occurred to me that the publishing house for a Harry Bosch novel would commit such an incredible blunder as to change the narrator, after 18 books, to someone not only unfamiliar, but inept! When I started listening, I was shocked to not only NOT hear Dick Hill or Len Cariou, but to hear this droning voice that almost put me to sleep.

Mcconnohie literally reads the book... doesn't perform it, but reads it. There were no attempts to assign a unique quality of voice to a particular character, no inflections for different emotions during the story... I imagine that most parents reading a story book to their child would do a better job than this narrator has done. It is so poorly read that I cannot even tell if the book is any good.

I will admit that after reading some of the other reviews that I didn't make it as far as they did! I gave up after only 30 minutes! Who makes the decisions on these narrators? Doesn't Michael Connelly have a say in how the book should be read? Why, on earth, would the powers that be take such a popular series as the Harry Bosch novels, whose followers practically count the days until the next book is released, and then disappoint these fans with such a worthless read (or listen?) This was a huge letdown. Shame on Brilliance Audio and even shame on Michael Connelly if he has any say in the choice of his narrators.

Can you tell that I am NOT recommending this book??! Let's hope they get it right the next time... too bad we will have to wait for probably a year to find out.

I am not sure any one but die-hard Harry Bosch fans could get through it.

Not one of his better tries. It felt like Mr. Connelly was just going through the motions to get another book out there. I wanted to shout, "Show, not Tell" please review creative writing 101. So disappointing.

Very monotone, and almost like it is a news report.

Disappointment.

Mr. Connelly starts connecting the wide spread pieces of the puzzle together into an interesting shape. It just wasn't done in his good style. The narrator made a so-so book even more below average.

I'm a huge Connelly fan, I have read or listened to everything. I'm half way through the book and the story is solid, but not the best (The Drop, 9 Dragons, The Reversal, The Poet - being the best). I have never written a review before completing the story but I'm fed up with this narrator, he is so bad. I was so looking forward to 11/26 - the release of this book, and was so disappointed 15 minutes in after hearing this voice droning on.

I'm at a loss as to why a series of this caliber and success would choose this narrator. I hope there was a very good reason for parting ways with Len Cariou, he was the best Bosch narrator.

A great way of tying together 20 years of Bosch stories.

No, this was a really bad performance.

Bosch would be a great character for a TV series.

Only die hard Connelly/Bosch fans should buy this. If this were my first Connelly listen I would never buy anything else (due to the narrator).

No because: The poor performance of the reader really detracts from the whole exprience.

I'm reviewing after only listening for 2hrs, so I can't say what I like best. But I felt I had to comment on how boring the reader is.

He sounds almost mechanical.

I might finish listening but right now I'm really tempted to invest in the ebook as well and enjoy "Harry Bosch" that way because at this juncture I'm too distracted by the change in readers. Harry had a voice and it's not Mr Connohie!

Although I will listen to this book I have no sudden rush to get to it. Knowing that the narrator is new to this series really puts a damper on it. When are these guys realize that the narrator is such a big part of the books.

Maybe. Die-hard Connelly/Bosch fans will enjoy this, but it was lacking a bit in suspense and excitement. Maybe it was the narrator - he was fine, but he really just read the book out loud without a lot of emphasis on characters and individual voices.

In previous Bosch novels, tension builds as Bosch gradually pulls together the evidence and the truth starts to take shape. Here, the mystery wasn't very complex, and each of Harry's steps in the case seemed more like tedious obstacles on the way to a foregone conclusion.

There was a little character development between Bosch and his daughter Maddie, but nothing earth-shaking. An even smaller arc with Hannah, Bosch's ladyfriend from The Drop. Some very minor departmental politics that barely even register when compared to Bosch's old nemesis, Irvin Irving. In all, this was good, but didn't quite live up to my excitement for a new Bosch novel.

Absolutely! Everything else of his I've read/listened to, I've really enjoyed.

It would be hard to find a more perfect voice for Bosch than Len Cariou, who read several earlier entries in this series. The narrator was okay, but didn't knock my socks off.

Maybe. I have a feeling if they ever tried to make these books into movies I'd hate them. Still, I liked "The Lincoln Lawyer," based on another Connelly novel, so who knows?

I am three hours into this and am finding it pretty boring...so far it is a lot of background and the narrator is not interesting...I miss the usual narrators A LOT...

The least interesting - the narrator

I have listened to every one and I am really disappointed in this one so far

sorry to be so negarive - I love Harry Bosch

The promise of another Michael Connelly book.
The fear that the great books of the past will not have another successor to remind us of this author's great skills.

Weaving in the international aspect and historical events but then the author seemed to have phoned the story in, it was not developed and the outcome seemed obvious. Even Harry seemed one dimensional.
But I am not sure the narrator did not cause this reaction.

The narration reminded me of narrators of the old film strips shown in schools and guaranteed to put children to sleep. It was bad. The gentleman has a voice but no calling to deliver a mystery and especially the weathered tough but soft Harry Bosch.

Only if you love Harry Bosch and Michael Connelly but it will worry you that we won't have a new Connelly in the future with the greatness of past books. I hope it was mostly the narrator.

I'm amazed- and not in a good way. The story was mediocre and plodding. Harry Bosch has taken a wimpy turn. Other characters were shallow and in some cases unlikable (Maddy- the whiny daughter). The story plodded (redundant, I know, but the best adjective that applies) until the last couple of hours when some action started. Even then we're supposed to believe Bosch would stoop to forcing a made-under-duress confession that was so blatantly inadmissible that I wondered at the stupidity of the idea. In previous books, Connelly has shown us Harry's flaws but he was, at least, believable.. I didn't LIKE Harry much throughout this book. I kept waiting to get that previous admiration back but it didn't happen.

The narration? The narration was just plain droning. McConnohie read it in a bored (and boring) monotone. I always suspect there's always some background drama (change of publisher, narrator wants a raise, etc.) when a series changes narrators. To their credit, Hill, Cariou and Giles each 'performed' their respective narrations- McConnohie simply read this book aloud. It didn't work.

I pre-ordered The Black Box because after 17 great Harry Bosch books, I was positive # 18 would continue the tradition of excellence. I started reading it five minutes after it was released. Had they been available,I would have been shocked to see the current reviews- but after reading it I have to concur.

Will I read # 19? Oh yes, absolutely. I'll give Bosch a chance to redeem himself in my eyes. In fact, over this long, gray, WA state winter, I'll go back to book one and read them all again. I want to like Harry again.

No, I wouldn't listen to The Black Box again as once is enough for me with the chosen narrator.

I love Harry Bosch's persistence in seeking out murderers for the sake of victims and victim's families. His fly-in-the-face of bureaucrats and politics gives him character and depth.