Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
The Bird Eater  By  cover art

The Bird Eater

By: Ania Ahlborn
Narrated by: Peter Berkrot
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $20.00

Buy for $20.00

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

Twenty years ago, the mysterious death of his aunt left Aaron Holbrook orphaned and alone. He abandoned his rural Arkansas hometown vowing never to return, until his seven-year-old son died in an accident, plunging Aaron into a nightmare of addiction and grief. Desperate to reclaim a piece of himself, he returns to the hills of his childhood, to Holbrook House, where he hopes to find peace among the memories of his youth. But solace doesn't come easy. Someone - or something - has other plans.

Like Aaron, Holbrook House is but a shell of what it once was, a target for vandals and ghost hunters who have nicknamed it "the devil's den." Aaron doesn't believe in the paranormal - at least, not until a strange boy begins following him wherever he goes. Plagued by violent dreams and disturbing visions, Aaron begins to wonder if he's losing his mind. But a festering darkness lurks at the heart of Holbrook House…a darkness that grins from within the shadows, delighting in Aaron's sorrow, biding its time.

©2014 Ania Ahlborn (P)2013 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.

What listeners say about The Bird Eater

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    140
  • 4 Stars
    131
  • 3 Stars
    84
  • 2 Stars
    42
  • 1 Stars
    15
Performance
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    155
  • 4 Stars
    122
  • 3 Stars
    50
  • 2 Stars
    24
  • 1 Stars
    15
Story
  • 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    123
  • 4 Stars
    99
  • 3 Stars
    81
  • 2 Stars
    43
  • 1 Stars
    18

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars
  • KK
  • 05-14-14

Terrible Narration

Would you try another book from Ania Ahlborn and/or Peter Berkrot?

I will absolutely try another book by Ahlborn, but I will avoid this narrator at all costs.

How could the performance have been better?

I couldn't even listen to it--I read most of this book on my Kindle. The narrator felt the need to make every single sentence sound scary--save it for the scenes that actually require it! Terrible.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Left a lot to be desired.

Would you try another book from Ania Ahlborn and/or Peter Berkrot?

Perhaps. This book wasn't bad by any means and would be willing to try another from the author (Ania). The narration wasn't bad, but it seemed forced - to be more creepy. He was also very breathy and once I picked up on his heavy intakes of breath, I couldn't un-hear it.

What was most disappointing about Ania Ahlborn’s story?

The fact that I was left questioning so much of what was going on with the story. I felt like no questions were answered. I assume this was to add a scare factor to the book, but it ended up just making it shallow and unbelievable. It lost all horror value because there was no real reason given to why what was going on was happening.

What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?

I didn't like how breathy and forced the narrator was. He sounded like a movie voice over for a trailer and it was hard to listen to.

I liked the emphasis and pace that was read, I could easily understand what he was saying.

What character would you cut from The Bird Eater?

Hazel. She was very pointless and right when you think she might actually have something to offer to the story, she gets pointlessly cut from the story.

Any additional comments?

The book wasn't bad, I am not upset I listened to it. It just made me wish there was more explanation, such as, why did the child eat birds? Why was he in this home? What caused this family curse? Instead it was all just empty and then ongoing. It felt unfinished and not well thought out. Laving out those details made it much less frightening and more frustrating.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

WAS THE NARRATOR ON A BREATHING MACHINE!!!!

Every other sentence the narrator took a large breath. Hey Pete, why didm' t you add some open mouthed chewing to the loud breathing, that would have been the cherry on my ear sunday!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Stopped listening...

Don't rely on the Amazon reviews unless you're a fan of drivel. Listened to about 6 hours and just couldn't go on. Silly, poorly written story and horrible narration. I'll be returning this one...

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

creepy as heck!

I enjoyed the book. the narrator is definitely a horror genre voice. wow he freaked me out as the story unfolded. great overall.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars

Slow and goes no where

I like other books by this author but this book just went nowhere for me. The story behind the boy is poorly fleshed out and the whole lost love angle seemed juvenile and just weird. The ending was very predictable but the idea story as a whole was an interesting concept it just wasn't executed well. The narrator is very good though.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
  • KM
  • 12-11-15

Super creepy

This book is extremely dark and disturbing but the characters are so likeable it's tough to put down. The narration was awesome. Emotions really came through.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

I liked this book alot!!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

The story was scary, just the right amount! I like the narrator, I'd recommend this book to someone who likes supernatural books! I was never bored or too scared...just the right amount!

What about Peter Berkrot’s performance did you like?

I think he was emotional when needed, he did other "voices" well...he was pleasant to listen to.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Not too bad....had potential.

There were some really good parts in this story, but also very slow moving at times. I think the overall story line was really quite silly which is why I only gave three stars. It’s really too bad because the author proves herself to have a lot of potential.

I liked the narrator a lot, thought he did a fine job!

I like the genre this author writes in, primarily Horror, so I would definitely try another one of her books. The cover art for this audiobook is great (!), I love it(!!), and probably the main reason I chose it. Great to have something so cool to look at each time I brought this book up on my device. 😊

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Scary from beginning to end! Narrator- UGH

I loved the intensity from the first chapter forward. Ania doesn’t hold back. The creeping doom for the main character is not predictable. Despite my complete enjoyment of the novel and the fact that I missed sleep because I needed to listen to it, I did have an issue with the narration.
What I did not like was the narrator. Ugh. He was trying way too hard to be scary and gruff, he took in a breath to punctuate every sentence, and he had no Arkansas accent.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!