A Scarcity of Condors

Venery, Book 3

By: Suanne Laqueur

Narrated by: Darren Eliker, Vanessa DeSilvio

Length: 14 hrs and 1 min

Publisher's summary

Juleón "Jude" Tholet has survival in his DNA. His father, Cleon, lived through imprisonment and torture during Pinochet's military coup in Chile. His mother, Penny, risked everything to gain her husband's freedom and flee the country with their newborn son. But as a closeted gay teenager growing up in Vancouver, Jude is targeted by a neighborhood bully called el Cóndor, culminating in a vicious hate crime that forces the Tholets to flee their country again.

Jude cautiously rebuilds his life in Seattle, becoming an accomplished pianist, but his his wings have been clipped and he cannot seem to soar in his relationships. Only family remains a constant source of strength and joy, until a DNA test reveals something that shocks all the Tholets: Jude is not their child.

Stunned by the test results, the Tholets must dig into their painful past, re-examine their lives in 1973 Santiago and the events surrounding Jude's birth story. It’s a tale rooted in South America’s Operation Condor. It spreads through Pinochet’s terrifying regime of detention camps, torture, disappeared civilians and stolen children. The journey forces Penny Tholet to confront the gaps in her memory while Cleon must re-live an ordeal he’s long kept hidden away in a secret world. The tale ends with Jude digging through his genetic code in a quest to find his biological parents. Are they alive? Or are they among Los Desaparecidos—the Disappeared Ones?

Suanne Laqueur’s third book in the Venery series explores the desperate acts of love made in times of war, and the many ways family can be defined.

©2019 Suanne Laqueur (P)2023 Suanne Laqueur

Emotional and thought-provoking.

Like the other two titles in this series, A Scarcity of Condors is deeply emotional and thought-provoking. Impecably researched, Suanne Laqueur has given us a tiny glimpse of the unspeakable horrors that occurred under Pinohet's rule. Brought to life by the wonderful narrators, we step into the tragic tale of two familes that are deeply intertwined without any prior knowlege. I enjoyed this audiobook as much, if not more, than the book I read when it first released. Highly recommended!

Amazing

This was, by far, one of the best series I’ve ever read/listened to! I already miss every single character. It hit every emotion on every level and I am a richer person because of it.
Suanne Laqueur’s writing is perfection and Darren Eliker and Vanessa DeSilvio’s narrations are phenomenal! These three talents brought the characters to life and gave voices to an entire history of people! Don’t walk, run to get this series!

Audio perfection

I feel broken, but not for the reason you might imagine. This immensely, compelling, thought-provoking, emotional, raw, and beautiful series has come to an end. And it is a good end. But how can I leave these wonderful characters? Suanne Laqueur has woven a saga of epic proportions with the most beautiful painfully resilient characters you can imagine. And as a reader, I have to be satisfied. It doesn’t mean I have to like it. It was a privilege to read and listen to. Darren Eliker and Vanessa DeSilvio as narrators bring such talent and nuance elevating the book to such a high level. I rarely ever listen to books more than once. This will become a series I revisit every year. I know that each time, I will gain more from these characters, from the story, and what it means to truly love. What a gift.

"I can feel your heartbeat."

My mind was blown by An Exaltation of Larks, my heart was broken (and healed) by A Charm of Finches, my soul soared with The Voyages of Trueblood Cay, and with A Scarcity of Condors, I was left reeling. I marvel at the brilliance of the author, pulling all the loose threads together from the other three books into this heart-pounding masterpiece. And because of the incredible voice performers, Darren Eliker and Vanessa DeSilvio, this book is next level. Next level everything. Powerful. Heartfelt. Painful. Joyful. Sexy. Twisty. It’s the perfect wrap-up to the perfect series.

Incredible Narration and Storytelling

I got chills when I first started listening to this book. I had a feeling it was going to be epic. Hauntingly beautiful as its predecessors, A Scarcity of Condors brought everything in the Venery series full circle. I couldn’t love this author/narrator combo more. This might be Darren Eliker’s best narration yet. His multi-character work in this novel is incredible. I don’t want to spoil anything, so all I can say is WOW. Just WOW. Thank you Suanne for this incredible series. I am changed forever after reading.