Burning Bright

By: Nick Petrie

Narrated by: Stephen Mendel

Length: 11 hrs and 55 mins

Publisher's Summary

In the new novel featuring war veteran Peter Ash, "an action hero of the likes of Jack Reacher or Jason Bourne" (Lincoln Journal-Star), Ash has a woman's life in his hands - and her mystery is stranger than he could ever imagine.

War veteran Peter Ash sought peace and quiet among the towering redwoods of Northern California, but the trip isn't quite the balm he'd hoped for. The dense forest and close fog cause his claustrophobia to buzz and spark, and then he stumbles upon a grizzly long thought to have vanished from this part of the country. In a fight of man against bear, Peter doesn't favor his odds, so he makes a strategic retreat up a nearby sapling.

There he finds something strange: a climbing rope affixed to a distant branch above. It leads to another and another, up through the giant tree canopy, ending at a hanging platform. On the platform is a woman on the run. From below them come the sounds of men and gunshots.

Just days ago investigative journalist June Cassidy escaped a kidnapping by the men who are still on her trail. She suspects they're after something belonging to her mother, a prominent software designer who recently died in an accident. June needs time to figure out what's going on and help from someone with Peter's particular set of skills.

Only one step ahead of their pursuers, Peter and June must race to unravel this peculiar mystery. What they find leads them to an eccentric recluse, a shadowy pseudomilitary organization, and an extraordinary tool that may change the modern world forever.

©2017 Nick Petrie (P)2017 Penguin Audio

Critic Reviews

"Readers can expect some good twists on the way to a hair-raising finish. Another fine thriller in what's shaping up to be a hell of a series." ( Kirkus Reviews)

"A suspenseful high-tech ride, complete with a steadily mounting body count and a compelling protagonist." ( Booklist)

"A top-notch series of thrillers marked by a considerable sympathy for veterans.... Aficionados of Lee Child's Jack Reacher will enjoy getting to know this new action hero." ( Library Journal)

Riveting initially, but then the let down

I listened to, and enjoyed, Petrie's first book, The Drifter, so my review may, or may not, be colored by that fact. Peter Ash is an engaging, resourceful protagonist and that helped elevate my rating (to 3 stars) for the book. It starts off with a bang and is, for the most part, engaging throughout. I was riveted for probably 3/4 of the book, and then, not so much. Reviews of the written novel have been stellar, but I don't think I'd rate this much higher if I had read the book, instead of listened to it. Some of the dialogue is corny and laden with bad similes ("he folded like a bad hand of poker") - at least to me. As usual, per this type of book (in the realm of Jack Reacher), one must suspend some disbelief about how fast characters fall for one another - but perhaps it's the life-and-death circumstances that cause the almost "love at first sight" reactions. Regardless, overall, I'm disappointed in the book. I was really looking forward to it and started listening as soon as I bought it, so perhaps that led to my inevitable letdown; I may have expected too much. The ending was VERY anti-climactic and the lead up to it (the last 2 hours or so) was as well. The female protagonist, June, is okay, but did some really dumb tech things for someone who is supposed to be quite tech savvy and knows (after a short while) that the entire reason she is being chased is due to a technology breakthrough. Plus she makes a choice at the very end that I found unbelievable for her character based on all of her actions throughout the story. Louis (from The Drifter) an amusing, ex-gangster, makes a fairly lengthy appearance and it is a welcome one. The narrator does a good job with him, but overall he was just - sigh... adequate - perhaps on some of the days the narration was recorded, he was a little more "into it" than others. Not sure what it was, but , he didn't "add" anything to the book - which, let's face it, is what makes an audio book special. So my advice is to take a listen and perhaps be pleasantly surprised and throughly entertained. I really enjoyed the bulk of the book, but as I already wrote, the ending killed it for me.

SPOILER: Peter wasn't involved in the climax, just the baddies? What gives? Shouldn't the whole point of a suspense book like this be to have your hero take part in a great battle at the end? That killed it for me. And we are going to send the psychopath off into the sunset too! Nope, made me mad.

6 of 8 people found this review helpful

Love the Characters, Action & Plot

Petrie has developed a nice group of characters who we come to know with some depth. I like that Peter, the protagonist, is a more 'normal' guy than characters like Reacher. Peter has family, cooks, does laundry - not that I don't enjoy Reacher novels but it is nice that they are different ... The interplay and humor between the characters is nice. The story is interesting, plenty of action but I have to agree with others that the ending falls flat. 3/4 of the book is 5 stars or more, the last 1/4 four stars. While you don't need to listen to the first in the series, it does help to know the PTSD background with more depth than this novel goes into. I love the series and characters and will definitely listen to the next.

3 of 4 people found this review helpful

If you like the F word this one is for you.

Not for those of us who do not think vocabulary should be limited to F...

4 of 6 people found this review helpful

Page Turner

Very entertaining... The action and intrigue grab you from the very beginning, and the pace continues throughout... The underlying mystery, and the tech are clever components to a really good suspense story... The plot moves nicely and trickily... If you haven't already you might want to read The Drifter first. This one could stand alone, but you'll get a lot more outta it w/ the past perspective... This book doesn't focus as much on PTSD, but still deals w/ it in a sensitive and understanding manner... The characters are fantastic... Ashes, June, and Louis are magnificently realized and utterly 3d... Throughout it has fluidity and wit... The narration could be better, but shouldn't keep one from enjoying one fun read... My only complaint, and the only reason I don't give 5* is that the climax is a little quick and convenient for a story that spent a good bit of itself setting up something a bit meatier... Still though, a great read and definitely worth the price or credit, and can't wait to see how this story proceeds...

3 of 5 people found this review helpful

Needs a Different Narrator, Collapses

Is there anything you would change about this book?

The female lead is portrayed as a typically impulsive bundle of emotion. She's supposed to be 30 years old, written as a late teen. The end is as though the author got tired of writing, implausible with way too many loose ends given all the preceding violence.

What didn’t you like about Stephen Mendel’s performance?

Narrator can't do women, bad choice. There are times during the performance when he just reads the story, doesn't "perform" the story. It was like listening to an audiobook 20 years ago.

Could you see Burning Bright being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

No.

Any additional comments?

Plots that depend on supposedly smart, savvy, paranoid main characters making just plain out of character stupid mistakes are irritating.

Great action with hero and heroine interaction

The Peter Asher character delivers another great story and his heroine June Cassidy is a great companion.

Better than Reacher

So happy the Peter Ash character has become a series; the characters all are worth every minute of listening to; especially, regarding acknowledging and detailing the post traumatic stress too many military personnel are suffering from as well as the storyline being so relevant in today's world. I suffer from ptsd too, unrelated to war, and it can be debilitating and catch you in a heartbeat and I'm sure not even a small measure compared to the men and women who lay their lives on the line every day. Having three relatives whose lives and the lives of family members affected by ptsd has also given me insight that many people can't relate to. So, that said, this series, complex characters and storyline give insight to those who might not learn about ptsd any other way while enjoying a really good novel. The author's notes at the end are helpful and informative too. And, lastly, Stephen Mendel makes the listening a pleasure.

Great story, great everything

I loved everything about this book, the plot as well as the characters. I gave the narration 4 stars only because it was maybe a beat too slow. Not enough to make you want to hit fast forward but enough to be aware of it throughout the book. Other than the slowness the narration was very good.

Whole lot of fun to read!

I had never heard of Nick Petrie, much less Peter Ash. What a great character & great writing!

I really like this author

What did you like best about this story?

I like the development of characters and insight into their thinking. This is a bright new spot in my search for new characters and authors that fit part of the genre I like

Which scene was your favorite?

The hospital scene: where he confronts the PTSD

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Just good entertainment

Any additional comments?

I can't wait for the next book