Lexicon

De: Max Barry

Narrado por: Heather Corrigan, Zach Appelman

Winner of the Aurealis Awards Best Science Fiction Novel 2013

Two years ago, something terrible was unleashed in an Australian mining town called Broken Hill. Thousands died. Few people know what really happened. Emily Ruff is one of them. She belongs to an elite organisation of 'poets': masters of manipulation who use language to warp others to their will. She was one of their most promising recruits until she made a catastrophic mistake: she fell in love.

Wil Parke knows the truth too, only he doesn't remember it. And he doesn't know why he's immune to the poets' powers. But he knows he needs to run. As their stories converge, the past is revealed, and the race is on for a deadly weapon: a word. Because the poets know that words can kill...

©2013 Max Barry (P)2013 Penguin Audiobooks US

Reseñas de la Crítica

"Insanely good. Dark and twisted and sweet and humane all at once" (Lauren Beukes, author of Zoo City and The Shining Girls)

"About as close you can get to the perfect cerebral thriller: searingly smart, ridiculously funny, and fast as hell. Lexicon reads like Elmore Leonard high out of his mind on Snow Crash." (Lev Grossman, author of The Magicians)

Great story let down by terrible accent

Is there anything you would change about this book?

The story itself is pretty much perfect. Great pace and there's nothing I would change. The only thing is I would like to explore this world a lot deeper. There are some parts that seem a bit glossed over, but this doesn't hurt the story at all.

What did you like best about this story?

This story unfolds beautifully. Loved the drama that came from jumping between key points in time. It's really clever actually. Super rewarding as things fall in to place.

Would you be willing to try another one of Heather Corrigan and Zach Appelman ’s performances?

They are both excellent narrators but Heather Corrigan's appalling Australian accent was unbearable. I would listen to more performances by these two, as long as Heather stuck with her native accent. Zach's performance was flawless and engaging.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

This book should become a movie and sure I would go and see it, but like most cinematic appropriations- it won't compare to the book in terms of narrative.

Very Enjoyable

This book is rather gripping and based on an extremely interesting premise.

I would certainly recommend it. However, as the previous reviewer noted, the Australian accents are appalling and, as an Australian listener, distractingly so. Still, the book is worth it if you can overlook this.

One of the best and original thrillers I have listened to in a long time.

Brilliant & original, but, oh, dreadful accents!

As you can see by my ratings, the performance of this audio book did not go down well. In fact it soured me too it, in the end. The monstrously awful Australian accents for me spoiled what could have been an excellent read. Every time I heard these awful Aussie accents, I physically cringed. I agree with another reviewer who said that if you - the audio producer - cannot find a real Ausssie narrator then DON'T DO the ACCENTS AT ALL. Having said all this, I believe that if the book had been performed well it may well have rated 5 stars. It was a breath of fresh air finding something so original. The pace was fast and the thrills were there too. Recommended, if you can get past the accents.

Terrible Dialogue, Worse Accents

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

Being Australian, I cannot get past the accents they try to put on. One of them sounds like a mix of Irish and cockney Londoner.
All one of the main characters seems to do is run around complaining about things and dropping the F bomb a lot.
If you can get past the appalling accents and the terrible dialogue then maybe this book is for you, as the story has potential.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

The idea behind the story and the mythology that surrounds it are interesting. The way the characters talk to each other is the least interesting.

How could the performance have been better?

Don't use an accent for the Australian characters. Just don't. If you can't hire Australians to do the part then don't bother faking an accent, it's just so bad.

What character would you cut from Lexicon?

I'd cut Will, he doesn't seem to add anything in the beginning, tell it from someone else's point of view.

Any additional comments?

The accents, oh god the accents.