Another Kind of Eden

By: James Lee Burke

Narrated by: Will Patton

Length: 6 hrs and 19 mins

Publisher's summary

New York Times best-selling author James Lee Burke brings listeners a captivating tale of justice, love, brutality, and mysticism set in the turbulent 1960s.

The American West in the early 1960s appears to be a pastoral paradise: golden wheat fields, mist-filled canyons, frolicking animals. Aspiring novelist Aaron Holland Broussard has observed it from the open door of a boxcar, riding the rails for both inspiration and odd jobs.

Jumping off in Denver, he finds work on a farm and meets Joanne McDuffy, an articulate and fierce college student and gifted painter. Their soul connection is immediate, but their romance is complicated by Joanne’s involvement with a shady professor who is mixed up with a drug-addled cult. When a sinister businessman and his son who wield their influence through vicious cruelty set their sights on Aaron, drawing him into an investigation of grotesque murders, it is clear that this idyllic landscape harbors tremendous power - and evil. Followed by a mysterious shrouded figure who might not be human, Aaron will have to face down all these foes to save the life of the woman he loves and his own.

The latest installment in James Lee Burke’s masterful Holland family saga, Another Kind of Eden is both riveting and one of Burke’s most ambitious works to date. It dismantles the myths of both the 20th-century American West and the peace-and-love decade, excavating the beauty and idealism of the era to show the menace and chaos that lay simmering just beneath the surface.

©2021 James Lee Burke. All rights reserved. (P)2021 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.

Best that Burke Ever Wrote

This is also Patton's best narration. The pieces will all fit together better if you first read Nathaniel Hawthorne's short story, "Young Goodman Brown," which is wonderfully well modernized here.

Beautiful writing, bizarre plot

Lyrical use of words, interesting characters, but plot made no sense to me. Better than the cliches the Dave Robichaux books have become, but still a frustrating book to read.

Another winner, five stars across the board !

First of all, I've never seen a writer use the English language like James Lee Burke. His descriptions and characters are beyond expectation.
Simple as that..
Second, the narration of an audio book performed by Will Patton is mesmerizing to me. I'm my opinion there is none better.
This duo has always been my absolute favorite and I seek them both out repeatedly.
The only downfall for me is that sometimes when I first start listening to a book written and performed by them my brain keeps picturing Dave and Clete from the Robicheaux detective novels. Definitely does not hinder me, not one ioda.

Disappointing

I have been a Burke fan for years. I've read most (or all?) of his books and some twice. He usually has subplot of religious superstition mixed in with his excellant writing: a phantom riverboat, ghosts of Confederate soldiers, etc. and I accepted that because it was not the main trust of the book. This book is all Biblical superstition. The characters are 100% pure, the villains 100% evil. Most of Burke's villains have a satanic reference, but it's usually not the entirety of the character's personality.
Will Patton was excellent as was the writing but the story is a huge disappointment.

don't stay till the end

the reader is way above the content. some where the writer lost himself in something else...........

James Lee Burke

James Lee Burke is a national treasure! When read by Will Patton, I am transformed to the place & time, in this case “Another Kind of Eden”.

James Burke is my favorite writer but not this time.

This is the first book I have read from James Lee Burke that just stepped out of the norms of reality. Although it was interesting at times I found myself also having to force myself to listen.

Love Will Patton's Narration

I've read and listened to many books by James Lee Burke - this was my least favorite. I'm always in awe of his language use and the beautiful descriptions he paints with his words. The story, this time, for me, was a bit esoteric and not fulfilling. I thought the narration by Will Patton was spot on as always. However the story seemed like it was trying to be many things at once and it just sort of fell apart. But, as always, I do look forward to his next novel.

I like the Robicheaux stories but this is silly

Almost finished this but gave up. Silly story that doesn't leave you caring about any of the characters or the ridiculous things that happen with their melodramatic descriptions. I wouldn't recommend

Will patton

I enjoyed this book though it was very different. I have commented on performances before but I have to tell you that I would have given Will Patton a 10 if I could have. His performance made this book. It was excellent. Listen to the book and “enjoy”.