The Rook Audiobook By Daniel O'Malley cover art

The Rook

A Novel

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The Rook

By: Daniel O'Malley
Narrated by: Susan Duerden
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Buy for $35.09

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Myfanwy Thomas awakens in a London park surrounded by dead bodies. With her memory gone, she must trust the instructions left by her former in order to survive. 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.

Battling to save herself, Myfanwy will encounter a person with four bodies, a woman who can enter her dreams, children transformed into deadly fighters, and terrifyingly vast conspiracy.

Suspenseful and hilarious, The Rook is an outrageously imaginative thriller for readers who like their espionage with a dollop of purple slime.

"Utterly convincing and engrossing -- -totally thought-through and frequently hilarious....Even this aging, jaded, attention-deficit-disordered critic was blown away."-Lev Grossman, Time Adventure Espionage Paranormal Spies & Politics Fantasy Suspense Fiction Witty Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Thriller & Suspense Funny Action & Adventure Exciting Science Fiction Feel-Good

Critic reviews

"A near-perfect supernatural thriller...Don't start this book unless you've got lots of time, because you won't want to put it down. It's that good."
—David Keymer, Library Journal
"The Rook is going to kick off my Best Books of the Year list. The opening page alone is a gem, and the narrative just keeps getting better...This is wonderful entertainment."
—Charlaine Harris, on her blog
"The Rook has got it all: secret powers, mysterious organizations, dark corners...twisted scientists, and a duck that can see the future...Hands down I have not enjoyed a good supernatural novel this much for quite some time...It's just that good."
—James Floyd Kelly, Wired.com
"A beguiling and inventive first novel...The Rook is expertly written...full of narrative energy."
—David Walton, Cleveland Plain Dealer
"A creative mix of suspense, the supernatural, and espionage thrills. It's loaded with dry wit and doesn't take itself too seriously...Certainly one of the most unusual stories you will read this year."
—Christian DuChateau, CNN.com
"Great, rattling fun, as if Neil Gaiman took Buffy the Vampire Slayer and crossed it with Torchwood... Throughout a rip-roaring narrative, O'Malley off-handedly weaves deadpan humor."
—Joyce Saenz Harris, Dallas Morning News
"Adroitly straddles the thin line between fantasy, thriller, and spoof....O'Malley is a nimble writer, effortlessly leaping back and forth between comedy and action."—David Pitt, Booklist
"Peppered with sly humor, referential social commentary, and the ironic, double-layered self-awareness that will have genre fans believing Buffy the Vampire Slayer has joined Ghostbusters."—Kirkus
"Wholly refreshing...If you like Harry Potter, Buffy, X-Men, or any assorted series that mixes humor and the supernatural, you'll probably love The Rook."
—Alex Zalben, MTV Geek
"Impressive....Dry wit, surprising reversals of fortune, and a clever if offbeat plot make this a winner."—Publishers Weekly
Unique Storyline • Effective Dual Narrative • Strong Female Protagonist • Compelling Mystery • Excellent Worldbuilding

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I didn’t expect to love this book as much as I did. Actually, I wasn’t sure I even wanted to listen to it. I bought this audiobook through an Audible sale and didn’t really know what to expect (although one reviewer’s reference to Harry Dresden definitely piqued my interest). So for a few months it just sat in my library until the guilt at buying a book and not listening to it finally got to me and I decided to give it a chance. Five minutes later, I was hooked!

When Myfanwy (pronounced like Tiffany with an “M”) Thomas wakes up without any memory of who she is or how she wound up in a London park surrounded by dead men wearing suits and latex gloves, she finds two letters in her jacket pocket that were written to her by the jacket’s previous owner -- who happens to be the former owner of Myfanwy’s own body! I say “former” because we learn, through a series of subsequent letters, that Myfanwy’s memories and personality have been erased, and the person who opens Myfanwy’s eyes in that park is not the same Myfanwy who closed them moments before. Oh yeah, it also turns out that the person responsible for Myfanwy’s memory loss is one of her co-workers. But not just any co-worker: the “bad guy” is another high-ranking, supernaturally gifted person (like Myfanwy herself) working for the Chequy, a super-secret organization dedicated to protecting Queen and Country against paranormal threats (like dragons and houses made of slime).

Does this sound like the script to an extremely cheesy B-movie? Yes! But that’s because I am not as talented as Daniel O’Malley, who has managed to turn what should be a played-out-supernatural-who-dunnit into a fresh, imaginative, and FUN debut novel. For me, this book embodies the very best of escapism fiction: it’s clever, the characters are well-developed, the plot moves briskly without feeling rushed, and you can get lost in the story for hours without losing yourself to the story (which is a good thing when you have a job!)

Finally, I know others reviewers have complained about the narrator. Personally, I thought she was excellent! I would, however, recommend listening to the preview. The narrator’s voice and cadence remain consistent throughout the book, so if you enjoy the preview, there’s a good chance you will enjoy this narrator. If not? Then I would highly recommend buying this book in print, because it really is that good!

UNEXPECTEDLY FUNNY AND CLEVER

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Would you listen to The Rook again? Why?

Very seldom am I tempted to listen to a story again. Though I know the second time, when enough time has elapsed, can be pretty good. Rook would be on the list for consideration, though next time I may read it. I was not as impressed by the delivery of the reader.

What did you like best about this story?

I liked the interesting world the author created, and the uniqueness of the superhero like characters.

What three words best describe Susan Duerden’s performance?

reading grocery list

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

the very beginning, surrounded by bodies and no memory. Fun and gripping.

Pure fun

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If you could sum up The Rook in three words, what would they be?

Interesting, captivating, quirky

Who was your favorite character and why?

Main character

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

Accents and and she is very emotive with her voice. Does the characters well.

great listen to an interesting story

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First a confession. I normally shy away from female protagonists. In fantasy worlds they so often end up as either the ultra sexy master of everything caricature of femininity or a man that the author insists on referring to as "she". Myfanwy however is neither of these stereotypes. She is a highly competent and complex character that is powerful enough to be the main character of a fantasy novel, but maintains realistic human limitations as well as distinctly feminine characteristics. I know and love woman just like her and it was wonderful to read about a woman like that taking on extraordinary circumstances in a fantasy world.

I must also recognize the wonderful job done by the narrator Susan Duerden, this was one of those times when narrator and story were perfectly matched.

Extraordinary femal protagonist

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Something new and different. I hope this is the beginning of a series. The reader was great too.

Wonderful! Hope there are more.

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