Good People

By: Marcus Sakey

Narrated by: Joyce Bean, Dan John Miller

Length: 8 hrs and 27 mins

Publisher's Summary

The $400,000 would take care of the mortgage payments that are starting to back up on Tom and Anna Reed. It would cover the credit-card debt they can't get out from under. It would help them find a way to have the child they desperately want but can't seem to conceive. It is more money than either of them has ever seen in one place, and they have no idea what it's doing in their house.

But wherever it came from, it is clear what the money could do for them if they kept it. What Tom and Anna can't imagine in this single, defining moment is that nothing comes for free.

Before the week is over, they'll know exactly where that $400,000 came from - and come face to face with the brutal truth that in order to save your own life, sometimes you have no choice but to destroy your dreams forever.

©2008 Marcus Sakey (P)2008 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

What were the producers thinking?

I listen to audiobooks all the time. Perhaps I have been lucky, because I had never encountered this: a man reads the male parts of the story and a woman reads the female parts even within the same paragraph!!!! (I have seen other books where a male will read one chapter and a female another, like in Gone Girl. This is different -- the woman would read her one line of dialogue, for example, in the middle of a description read by the male reader). Incredibly distracting. Plus, their voices -- while both OK by themselves -- did not match each other.

I wonder if they recorded the entire book with the male reader and then found that his rendition of the female lines was not good? Whatever the reason, THIS was a mistake.

The story itself is only OK. This is perhaps my third or fourth Sakey book in a row (started with Brilliance and really enjoyed it). It was the weakest. As the publisher's blurb explains, this is the story about a run-of-the-mill couple who find $400,000 and decide to keep it -- with disastrous consequences. The theme (average people facing temptations they should have walked away from) is a common Sakey theme. In this novel, the conversations about "Woe is us, why did we do this when we had everything we wanted to already?" get repetitious. The twists and turns, as always, are ingenious (and surprising)...but the conversations get in the way.

I will read other Sakey's, for sure. But this one was only so-so.

A Home Run

Unlike the Chicago Cubs, Sakey hits another home run with his third book. Listening to this book is like taking a ride on the famous "L". The train like the book takes you through different neighborhoods, some seamy, some upscale, some working class. You look into the windows and see the people living there. Sakey has a real gift for bringing his characters to life, and tying them into the plot.

This is a totally engaging read. You know right away that things are going to go wrong, but Sakey really churns it up into a mess that makes mighty fine reading.

It's one part, so he really moves it along quickly. You want to keep listening to see what's going to happen next.

I also liked the use of two readers, a male and a female. Added a lot to the listening experience.

Highly recommend this for a good listen.

You can wait for the movie....

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

It wasn't a total waste of time, but got to be predictable as the story moved on.

Would you be willing to try another book from Marcus Sakey? Why or why not?

Yes, because his novel Brilliance is incredible

Which character – as performed by Joyce Bean and Dan John Miller – was your favorite?

Didn't really have a favorite because as the story goes along it's hard to cheer for anyone.

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

I believe it's going to be a movie later this year staring James Franco

Below average narration

I think I like the story but the audible version of this book is lacking. It's not all the performers fault
the producer was really lazy.

worst. story. ever.

Insanely horrible storyline. It was like a lesson in bad decision making and white privilege elitism at it's worse. Very good narration. I'd listen to them again but this book was pretty bad.

Wanted to like this more as I'm a fan of Mr. Sakey

There are couple of good quotes at the end of this book, about 4 minutes to 3 minutes left. Overall, the story was decent, but nothing great. Given my thoughts about this book, I have to decide whether to read any other works by Mr. Sakey.

I love Mr. Sakey's show, especially his personality. I hope he continues to make new episodes because I think that's where his talent truly lies.

Unlikeable Characters

What disappointed you about Good People?

Story over the top. No redeeming characters. Any we might have liked are undeveloped.

Any additional comments?

Not a single character I could relate to or empathize with.