Gone South

By: Robert R. McCammon

Narrated by: George Newbern

Length: 13 hrs and 33 mins

Publisher's summary

It was hell's season, and the air smelled of burning children.... With "one of the most arresting first sentences in contemporary writing" (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution), Robert McCammon unfurls his visionary masterpiece of survival, redemption, and the astonishing transformations love can create. Gone South chronicles a desperate man's journey through a desperate land, in "a gothic picaresque that mixes gritty plot and black comedy...a smoothly constructed and satisfying story" (The Wall Street Journal). Flooded by memories, poisoned by Agent Orange, Dan Lambert kills a man in a moment of fear and fury - and changes his life forever.

Pursued by police and bounty hunters, Dan flees south toward the Louisiana bayous. In the swamplands he meets Arden Halliday, a young woman who bears the vivid burdens of her own past and who is searching for a legendary faith healer called the Bright Girl. Looking for simple kindness in a world that rarely shows it, bound by a loyalty stronger than love, Dan and Arden set off on a journey of relentless suspense and impassioned discovery...over dark, twisting waterways into the mysterious depths of the human heart.

©1991 McCammon Corporation. All rights reserved. (P)2015 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.

Wonderful McCammon Weirdness

Vietnam vet in trouble seeking redemption is tracked by a former carnival freak and an Elvis impersonator with a dog named Momma, joined by a woman with a huge port stain birthmark. What’s not to love?

Wonderful writing and a great performance

What did you love best about Gone South?

The writing was a breath of fresh air. I've had a run of real duds in the last six months. It was great to listen to Robert McCammon's writing. His characters are very believable, even the odd ones.

What about George Newbern’s performance did you like?

Amazing. I would say he's as good as Edoardo Ballerini from the Mathew Corbett books.

Great storytelling

I started reading Robert McCammon by beginning the Matthew Corbett series and was hooked. Looking for another book by him I thought I'd give this a chance, I was not disappointed! I think I will continue reading more books by this author, I love the writing style, the stories, and the characters he invents. This book follows a man on the run and chronicles his journey, turning into a vehicle for the book's other character, Arden. She is seeking a faith healer deep in the Louisiana bayou. Cynical of her belief but obliged to accompany her, Dan Lambert agrees to take her to a town close by a hideout he plans to lay low in. But two bounty hunters, seeking the $15,000 reward for Lambert follow him and waylay his plans--attracting the attention of even more unscrupulous characters trafficking drugs. What ensues is a dark but humorous adventure for Lambert and Arden, on the run but never seeming to shake the persistent hunters. The characters aren't static, part of what I loved about the story was how they change by the end of the book, their preconceptions challenged and left questioning--leaving for a very satisfying ending.

Great story & excellent narrator

A great story by Robert McCammon. The book has sympathetic characters, some oddities, a road trip searching for a miracle healer, and an uplifting ending. McCammon writes great dialogue, too, and the prose is so discriptive that I felt the heat and humidity of the swamps and bayous. Excellent narration by George Newbern.

Great book!

Another great one from Robert McCammon. Great characters, great story and great narration. Highly recommended.

Incredible and unexpected odyssey!

The story was surprising at every turn. Heroes and anti-heroes that had me cheering and giggling the entire time! It's a great escape, a strange and believable world. Intelligent literary parallels but entirely entertaining. I loved this book!

Great novel

a departure from his horror and historic fiction novels. a story of redemption. Great read.

So good

I really enjoyed this book ,almost as much as his other book , Boy's Life, which by the way was a wonderful book too.

Great story!

As a Louisiana girl, it's nice to read a book about my home state that takes place in locations other than New Orleans. Shreveport, Alexandria, Houma... and even my hometown of Monroe gets a couple mentions!

The story is a fine example of Southern Gothic, and the characters are true Southern Grotesques that are wonderfully interesting.

However, the production team for the audio should have consulted a Louisianian about the pronunciations of certain places, because no viscerally cringed at the mispronunciations of Thibodaux and Acadiana. 😅

Fascinating Story!

Robert McCammon makes the best stories. So many twists and turns and wild characters. I love all of Mr. McCammon’s books because of his fascinating stories.

Going, Going, Gone

Sad to say, this was pretty boring.

A guy accidentally shoots a security guard and has to go on the run. Every time he reaches new destinations, crimes happen all around him despite being innocent.

Classic McCammon.

The story and performance resemble the type in many of his best books.... almost laid back and innocent, although the content certainly isn't.

This is a real easy listen and easily worth your £7.99 monthly spend.

a ride

I loved listening to another place another time. The narrator was excellent, I could have listened to more of this. Brilliant

compelling read

Great story with great characters.. wonderful narration. I listened to this book whilst out walking during lockdown. I walked an extra couple of kilometers each day so I could keep listening to it.

Great story.

Wonderful narrator and as usual McCammon does an amazing job evoking an uncomfortable but beautiful atmosphere.