Knots and Crosses

By: Ian Rankin

Narrated by: Michael Page

Length: 5 hrs and 58 mins

Publisher's Summary

Detective John Rebus' city is being terrorized by a baffling series of murders…and he's tied to a maniac by an invisible knot of blood. As the ghoulish killings mount and the tabloid headlines scream, Rebus cannot stop the feverish shrieks from within his own mind. Because he isn't just one cop trying to catch a killer - he's the man who's got all the pieces to the puzzle…

©2013 Ian Rankin (P)2013 Brilliance Audio, Inc

Classic Rebus, Terrible Narrator

What made the experience of listening to Knots and Crosses the most enjoyable?

This is the first Rebus novel, his orgin story, telling about his time in the SAS and it sets him up for all the other novels and pre Siobhan Clark

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Michael Page?

Peter Forbes

Any additional comments?

The narrator is English, which should have disqualified him. it is painful to listen to his attempts at a Scottish accent and his female voices are particularly unsettling.

8 of 8 people found this review helpful

I've Read Mixed Reviews and Can Marry Them

If you could sum up Knots and Crosses in three words, what would they be?

Rebus's Start

Would you ever listen to anything by Ian Rankin again?

Definitely--this is where he gets started but all of following books are better.

Would you listen to another book narrated by Michael Page?

Yes, not as good as McPhearson, but good enough.

Any additional comments?

Okay, here's the scoop. This isn't a great book--but I would recommend it to Rebus fans because this is where it all got started. It's written by a grad student. It's got plenty of flaws--kind of shallow, trite, all that. But, if you are ua Rebus fans this is w ell worth the listen as you see him at his beginning and you can appreciate Rankin's growth as a writer.

6 of 6 people found this review helpful

Hard to appreciate a book with a poor narrator

The narration is so frustrating, I can't really follow the story. The narrators voices and accents are unpleasant. The story skips between different characters, but it took at least an hour to realise that was what was happening, as the narrator kept on reading in the same voice and tone. The story might be okay. I'll have to read it instead.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Exhausting detail on bars and drinking

I kept hoping for something about police procedure or some plot movement, but the only movement was from bar to bar. I was disappointed.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Meeting Rebus, Properly

The first John Rebus book I enjoyed was Saints of the Shadow Bible (#19). I liked it so well I decided to try the series. It was interesting to see Rebus transform from being almost mechanical and disengaged to become a no-nonsense force of authority not to be toyed with. The book seemed a little slow at first, but kept gaining momentum. Now, I'm officially hooked!

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

I'm so glad I finally read this.

How have I failed to read this series before?? This was great. Interesting characters and a story that draws one in. Rebus is, like most people, flawed but good.

Michael Page is a great narrator until he has to do women's voices. That can use some work.

I'm thrilled this is just the first of the Rebus books. So much more to delve into.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

I love Ian Rankin's' stories.

Loved it; I plan to read more of Ian Rankin's novels. Funny, very entertaining, dramatic, brilliant use of descriptive language, the incorporation of historical facts and sophisticated grammatical word play.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Admit that I didn't finish it

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I would not recommend listening to this book as narrated. The story might be Ok, it not a little slow.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

Faster pace, more likable main character, better narrator.

How could the performance have been better?

The voices of several characters sound like pirate voices. And when he tried to do the daughter's voice, it made me laugh it was so bad. The narration was too distracting.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

If I didn't have to drive anywhere.

Any additional comments?

I might try another by this author if a different person narrated it.

3 of 4 people found this review helpful

Trite and formulaic

Written like the lines were pieced together from other pot boilers. Bad story; bad characters; bad writing. Rankin has such a good reputation. This was very disappointing.

4 of 6 people found this review helpful

Not the greatest detective

I've got to say I was definitely not impressed. Firstly, I disliked Rebus intensely. He's a self-righteous judgmental ass. And definitely not all that bright. Does he improve later on?

I also found the reason for the killings and kidnappings a stretch. And again judgmental.

The constant reference to Rebus's religion annoyed me no end, since he'd immediately turn around and do something he'd then term sinful.

I did love the descriptions of the city and the atmosphere was nicely noir.

4 of 7 people found this review helpful