The Colony

By: F.G. Cottam

Narrated by: David Rintoul

Length: 11 hrs and 32 mins

Publisher's summary

For over a century, the New Hope Island vanishing has tantalized the world. How did 150 people disappear from a lonely Hebridean island, leaving no trace and no clues? Media magnate Alexander McIntyre decides to solve the mystery, and gathers a team of experts to mount an expedition to the island. He hopes running the story as a rolling exclusive will revive the fortunes of his flagship news-stand title. He hopes to find conclusive answers to questions that have teased a curious world for decades. And he wants his own secret theory triumphantly vindicated.

But all is not as it should be on the island. A 1930s cinefilm reveals something as terrifying as it is inexplicable. An Afghan war veteran, sent to secure the island before the experts arrive, witnesses a nightmare far beyond battle trauma. And as expedition members gather, they discover to their gruesome cost that there are some mysteries far safer left unsolved...

©2013 F. G. Cottam (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

Good story, however...

The writing was exceptional and the story would have been the same if it weren't for the shallow, unlikable characters.I loved the idea of the story. Getting together experts of all fields to solve an old mystery. But all of that was overshadowed by the excessive descriptions of the female characters, who are more like props than people and the sheer amount of characters, all of which, male and female are totally forgettable and overall irritating. How many times can you mention how all the female characters are,'shapely and attractive' or how much the men want to sleep with them? The performance was excellent and one of the reasons I kept listening. I loved the mood of the book and I though it had real potential. Personally, I just got tired of the author focusing more on how the women looked and the shallow relationships these people had together. If that aspect of the book had been left out I would have given it five stars all around. The guy is obviously a great storyteller and writer but enough with the 'shapely and voluptuous' descriptions. More substance please. Don't slam me over the head with shallowness.

bad ending

the ending feels like the writer had to pee and didn't want to stop writing, so he just ended things as quickly as possible and threw caution to the wind. just like, "bam, main conflict is over, done, bye!"

The Best Yet

The Colony is the best Cottam too date. Well written, excellent narration and a completed story. Don't take a pass, stop and listen in.

Occasionally dropped the ball.

Where does The Colony rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

The reading was excellent. It was the pacing of the story that occasionally fell short.

Would you be willing to try another book from F.G. Cottam? Why or why not?

Yes. His descriptions were excellent and he knows how to tease out a scene beyond "It was a dark and stormy night.".

What about David Rintoul’s performance did you like?

He performed the book, he didn't just read it. The pacing of his reading was outstanding.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I was on the edge of my seat through many parts, but at other times, the writer pulled back and "told" the story rather than "showed" the story. His tension was uneven and tended to be anti-climactic.

Any additional comments?

I will liken the book's pacing to a roller-coaster. At first there is a long, steep climb. Up, Up, Up we went, getting closer and closer to the fateful moment. However, instead of a death-defying drop at the other side of the apex, there were a series of disappointing hillocks. This does not take away from the excellence of the general craftsmanship of the writer which is why I will be pleased to listen to another one of his books.

This book desperately needs a part 2.

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

The book was exceptionally well paced up until the very end. The characters are well developed, the setting is well described, and the plot is well drawn out. However, the book suffers from quick finish syndrome. Instead of a reasonable and fulfilling conflict with the antagonist, the author leaves the final conflict to be a marginal 5 minutes. Many elements in the story don't pan out, and make you wonder if Cottam put those in just to try to bring about scares any way he possibly could, or if he innocently ran out of steam while writing this book. Basically, it just felt unsatisfying after all the foreplay.

Do you think The Colony needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

Without a doubt. There is something special here, but too many ideas were not fleshed out and too many things were left open ended. Too much happens off screen, too much is left to exposition. This book would be well serviced by a companion book that paints the pictures that the exposition briefly skims over. The audience would be well served by such a venture, and the book would feel complete.

Spooky

What did you love best about The Colony?

The characters were interesting and likable

Who was your favorite character and why?

They were all so unique that I liked each of them

Which scene was your favorite?

This seems like it might be a spoiler if I answered this. There are so many in this book.

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

The most extreme reaction is that I couldn't stop listening. This book kept me "on the edge of my seat".

Any additional comments?

I got this book on a "2 books for one credit sale" without ever having heard of this author before. At first, it seemed slow, as the author introduced each of the characters and I wasn't sure I liked it. Then, as the action started I couldn't stop listening and I certainly couldn't guess what the ending would be. Though it is considered to be in the horror genre, it was more of a great mystery that unfolds bit by bit. I was delighted at the end of this book to discover there was a sequel and immediately purchased it. The author has a very atmospheric writing style that makes you feel as if you are right there experiencing what the characters are going through. It had a really great series of twists and turns as the characters tried to discover what was happening on the island and why. Very enjoyable!

Pretty good

It started a bit slow, but I'm glad I stuck with it, it surprised me.

Excellent Spooky Adventure!

I enjoyed every last twist and turn in this very well told tale, which cleverly weaves misdeeds of the past with eerie events impacting a number of contemporary characters on a mission to uncover what happened to a missing colony of settlers on a desolate island.

Riveting reading

Would you consider the audio edition of The Colony to be better than the print version?

Yes, considering that many reviews of the written version complained of confusion re sudden change of POV and typos. The narrator compensated for these print problems and made the story flow easily.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Colony?

None in particular - I just enjoyed it all. Lots of interesting subplots that tied together well in most cases, although not all characters were well developed.

Have you listened to any of David Rintoul’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Have not listened to him before but will seek him out again in future.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No, as in general I find it exhausting listening to audiobooks for hours at a time. However I really looked forward to my next listen and it made my long drive to work something to get excited about.

Any additional comments?

After years of reading non-fiction personal development books (relevant to my workplace) I have started to seek out good fiction stories for pure enjoyment. As such I may not be a seasoned critic of fiction however I know what I like and this book was a satisfying read. I will be seeking out more books by this author.

Great for a creepy good time.

Some mixed feelings about this one. The writing was wonderful, the plot sufficiently creepy, but in the end it was fairly predictable in its structure and outcome. The front of the book introduced both the problem and the characters in a manner that had me already guessing who was going to be the first victim to go - I was right - and which characters had the greatest chance of surviving - right again. But Cottam was so good at setting the atmosphere, at describing the feelings of the characters and sending a shiver up my spine that in the end I just rolled with it and enjoyed the ride. I loved the bleak Scottish setting and the historic mystery of the vanishing colony. And the ending was handled well in spite of its predictability. I'd love to see what Cottam could do with a more complex storyline.