The Son

By: Philipp Meyer

Narrated by: Will Patton, Kate Mulgrew, Scott Shepherd, Clifton Collins Jr.

Length: 17 hrs and 48 mins

Publisher's summary

Audie Award Finalist, Literary Fiction, 2014

Soon to be a TV Series on AMC starring Pierce Brosnan and co-written by Philipp Meyer.

The critically acclaimed, New York Times bestselling epic, a saga of land, blood, and power that follows the rise of one unforgettable Texas family from the Comanche raids of the 1800s to the oil booms of the 20th century.

Part epic of Texas, part classic coming-of-age story, part unflinching examination of the bloody price of power, The Son is a gripping and utterly transporting novel that maps the legacy of violence in the American west with rare emotional acuity, even as it presents an intimate portrait of one family across two centuries.

Eli McCullough is just twelve-years-old when a marauding band of Comanche storm his Texas homestead and brutally murder his mother and sister, taking him as a captive. Despite their torture and cruelty, Eli—against all odds—adapts to life with the Comanche, learning their ways, their language, taking on a new name, finding a place as the adopted son of the chief of the band, and fighting their wars against not only other Indians, but white men, too-complicating his sense of loyalty, his promised vengeance, and his very understanding of self. But when disease, starvation, and westward expansion finally decimate the Comanche, Eli is left alone in a world in which he belongs nowhere, neither white nor Indian, civilized or fully wild.

Deftly interweaving Eli's story with those of his son, Peter, and his great-granddaughter, JA, The Son deftly explores the legacy of Eli's ruthlessness, his drive to power, and his life-long status as an outsider, even as the McCullough family rises to become one of the richest in Texas, a ranching-and-oil dynasty of unsurpassed wealth and privilege.

Harrowing, panoramic, and deeply evocative, The Son is a fully realized masterwork in the greatest tradition of the American canon-an unforgettable novel that combines the narrative prowess of Larry McMurtry with the knife edge sharpness of Cormac McCarthy.

©2013 Philipp Meyer (P)2013 HarperCollinsPublishers

Excellent !!

Very much enjoyed this well written story ! I highly recommend listening to the Audible presentation !

Absolutely One of the Best Stories Ever!

Loved the history, storyline and characters. I read it when first published and now listened to it on Audible. Left with same profound feelings.

10/10

One of the best books I’ve ever read. Just amazing and captivating. A superb history and family tale.

Amazing

Great book…. Great narration…..a step back in the past… makes you wonder if the Industrial Revolution was a good idea…..

I WOULD SAY YOU SHOOT LIKE A WOMAN, BUT

THAT WOULD NOT BE FAIR TO THE WOMEN.
It has been a long time since I have been so engrossed in a novel. This is the type of book, when listening you occasionally come to reality and have to determine where your at and what your doing. This book is why I suffer so many inferior writings. So well written, you don't listen to it, you live it.

Horror
I read a lot of horror novels, but this is in parts more horrific than any made up horror involving made up characters. There is torture and rape, but what makes it so horrific, is you know these things actually happened to real people. I am amazed at the way humans treat humans, because of skin color, culture or religion. This is an eye opener and some may decided they rather keep their heads buried in the sand.

SHE WAS EITHER SOFT HEADED OR A QUAKER
The story is told through the eyes of four people. Most people will love the adventures of Eli McCullough, the patriarch of the novel. Those reviewers who did not give this five stars, were disappointed in the other characters. Paul McCullough is a weak liberal whose story takes place mostly in the 19teens. Jeanne Anne McCullough is a strong woman whose story starts in the 1940's and continues through the 80's. None of the characters are heroes, or politically correct. All the characters have faults, like real people. John Wayne would approve of Eli, but not the rest.

YOU CAN SPOT A FORD DRIVER BY THE CAST ON HIS ARM
The narrators are more than excellent, the cream of the crop. Will Patton and Kate Mulgrew were already two of my favorites. The other two are also great.

I'M A HICK WITH AN ART COLLECTION.

No hero, no plot

I appreciated the historical context of conflicts among White newcomers, Indians, and Mexicans as well as the background of Texas cattle and oil. I did not like the characters and, without a plot, their stories grew tiresome.

Characters don't ring true.

While people differ in their capability to fight, the fighting spirit of the south in the civil war much less Texans, make the behavior of the mom & older brother unrealistic. It reads more like a backward projection of contemporary values.

fabulous

Cannot be as eloquent as the first reviewer,but agree with the conclusion. One of the best ever.

Written old style with great performances

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

The only thing missing was the genealogy chart in front of written edition but that makes one listen a second time.

What other book might you compare The Son to and why?

All the Pretty Horses, Meridian, Lonesome Dove

Which character – as performed by the narrators – was your favorite?

Eli and Peter

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

No,though brutal at times and necessarily so. Especially interesting to this Texan.

Any additional comments?

The historical details and observations about life at different times in different cultures were most excellent. Should win an award for vocal performance and receive serious book award consideration; can't believe it's not best seller yet.

Rich and Satisfying!

If you could sum up The Son in three words, what would they be?

Complex. Nostalgic. Brutal.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Peter McCullough, because he agonized over his good fortune, verses the right way to live life on earth.

Which scene was your favorite?

When Maria Garcia returned to the Ranch, and Peter fell in love with her. His journals were filled with sharp longing; their situation, emotions were raw and haunting.

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

Were it possible, yes.. but I enjoyed each different chapter, a different character and time frame, converging into the big picture.

Any additional comments?

It. Was. Amazing.