Library at Mount Char

By: Scott Hawkins

Narrated by: Hillary Huber

Length: 16 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's Summary

Carolyn's not so different from the other human beings around her. She's sure of it. She likes guacamole and cigarettes and steak. She knows how to use a phone. She even remembers what clothes are for. After all, she was a normal American herself once. That was a long time ago, of course - before the time she calls "adoption day", when she and a dozen other children found themselves being raised by a man they learned to call Father.

Father could do strange things. He could call light from darkness. Sometimes he raised the dead. And when he was disobeyed, the consequences were terrible. In the years since Father took her in, Carolyn hasn't gotten out much. Instead she and her adopted siblings have been raised according to Father's ancient Pelapi customs. They've studied the books in his library and learned some of the secrets behind his equally ancient power. Sometimes they've wondered if their cruel tutor might secretly be God. Now Father is missing. And if God truly is dead, the only thing that matters is who will inherit his library - and with it power over all of creation.

As Carolyn gathers the tools she needs for the battle to come, fierce competitors for this prize align against her. But can Carolyn win? She's sure of it. What she doesn't realize is that her victory may come at an unacceptable price - because in becoming a god, she's forgotten a great deal about being human.

©2015 Scott Hawkins. Recorded by arrangement with Crown, an imprint of Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc. (P)2015 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

Not Your Local Library

I bought this book before leaving for vacation. I had a six hour flight looming before me and I wanted something interesting to read/listen to and to help pass the time. This definitely held my interest and kept me reading/listening throughout the flight.

This is one of those books that you read and then continue to think about long after you have closed the book or shut off the audio. I am still thinking about it and still getting things straight in my head. I enjoyed the book but at the same time, I felt like the first half of the book was totally different from the second half of the book. It almost felt like two authors got together, decided on a concept, each wrote their half of the book and then put them together and called it a novel. The girl we meet at the beginning and then that same girl at the end of the book are light years apart. I must admit that threw me a little as it didn't show her growth and progression as much as just saying this is how it started and boom......here is reality now.

The idea behind the book was intriguing and I am still having internal conversations with myself over the meaning and possibilities that the story suggests. I would recommend this book but beware there are several squeamish inducing things along the way and death and dying is prevalent. If you like books that are not cookie-cutter, then this is a good place to start. I will follow this author to see if there are additional non-cookie-cutter books to make me think.

Masterful and Thought Provoking

One of the hallmarks of a good book is continuing to think about it even after the pages are closed. Reading other peoples' reviews made me concerned that it would be gory or overtly disturbing. I didn't find that to be the case with Mount Char. There was one part that was a bit disquieting for me, but it was resolved in the end.

At its heart, this is a story about trauma and recovery. I've worked with many individuals with complex trauma, and the storyline seemed to be a very compelling narrative that was psychologically sound, albeit on a scale of mythological proportions. I like that the story isn't just about revenge, but its antithesis. The golden bull is one of the most memorable parts of the story and is such a catalyst of insight for and about the characters in the story and human beings in general.

Exceptionally dark, but it does find redemption

Wow. Seriously, people are not exaggerating when they say this story is dark. It includes some of the ugliest ways I've ever heard of people being tortured or murdered. And for most of the story, the main character is hard to sympathize with, despite knowing what she went through. She blatantly manipulates and hurts everyone around her, and causes the deaths of dozens of people, and even more animals, all without a hint of regret. I can understand why this story isn't for a lot of people, and I'm really not sure who I would recommend it to, for fear that they would then hate me.

Aside from all that, for awhile it seemed like the climax was really about 2/3 of the way through the book, with the remaining ~5 hours being an extended epilogue. It wasn't, though. True, most of the action was done, but that time was needed for Carolyn to begin to let go of her hatred and make things better. I still didn't buy her making peace with Father, given what she learns about his relationship to David, but it does end on an optimistic note.

On the plus side, this book is unlike any I've encountered before, and that's refreshing in the fantasy genre, where so many stories are just variations on a theme. And Hawkins definitely went all in, in pursuit of darkness. Also, Hillary Huber did a fantastic job with the narration.

The Greatest Library in the Universe.

Would you listen to Library at Mount Char again? Why?

I would. In fact, I've listened to it twice already. I found the story to be gripping and fresh. Listening to it the second time made me appreciate all the subtle clues that the author has left for us to discover, and gave my second listen a different feel than the first one. I also found the narrator to be suitable in her portrayal of the various characters, though I must say that she makes extensive use of vocal fry (think bedroom voice) and that might annoy some people. I was ok with it though, I found it to be charming.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Library at Mount Char?

Well I won't be giving away any spoilers here but basically the novel was one hell of a ride. The central point of the story is the 12 Librarians search for Father, an almost omnipotent, omniscient being who "adopted" them when they were young and raised them, and taught them many things. These things vary among the 12, as each has a domain that is all his/her own to learn and master.

Which character – as performed by Hillary Huber – was your favorite?

The main character, Carolyn's, of course. Her portrayal is spot on, imbuing Carolyn with the necessary emotion (or lack thereof) that the story demanded. Again, she does make use of vocal fry though so take that into account.

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

A word of caution to the squeamish. This is a violent and gory book. Some might say that the author made it too violent and over-the-top but I disagree. The scenes of violence are all brutal and described in minute, gory details but it never seems like it was done to excess. Aside from the violence, there are also scenes that might disturb more sensitive sensibilities like talking decapitated heads, repeated suicides, and others. For me, all this was necessary for the reader's/listener's understanding of the world and the characters that Scott Hawkins has created. The world of the Pelapi is dangerous and brutal, and it deserved to be shown as such.

Any additional comments?

If you are a fan of strange stories, stories with preternatural elements, stories with lots of mystery and a satisfying conclusion, give The Library of Mount Char a try.

Zelazny meets Lovecraft meets Adams?

Take the family dysfunction of Nine Princes in Amber, mix in a little cosmic horror of Lovecraft, add a dash of absurdist Hitchhiker's Guide humor and snark, and the author's own quirky style and talent and you have The Library at Mount Char. That's not to say this book is derivative in any way--but it's hard to place it in any one genre. I love it when I have no idea where a book is headed and this one definitely does that. Just read it, and watch out for Barry O'Shea (no idea if that's how it's spelled...but if you listen to the book you'll get it).

Still Thinking About This Book

If you could sum up Library at Mount Char in three words, what would they be?

Philosophical, fast-paced, horror.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Carolyn is my favorite, probably because most of the novel is told through her perspective. It's very interesting that so much is from her POV and yet there is still a lot about her that is a mystery to the reader. In some ways this book is a character study of a very disturbed person, that becomes weirdly relatable by the end of the novel. Steve was also a great character, as someone who is more grounded in normal reality, he provides a "way in" to parts of the story. Erwin is just the best. He provides some needed (dark) comic relief throughout the novel.

What about Hillary Huber’s performance did you like?

She did a good job differentiating character voices. She also did some very good subtle work with tone and inflection when reading the different character's thoughts.

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

Yes. I had a tough time putting this down and ended up listening to it over four nights.

Any additional comments?

The Library at Mount Char is a story that grows larger the deeper you get into it. As events speed up, bigger questions get asked. I really was engaged with this aspect of the book, that it started as sort of a microcosm of Carolyn's character, and ended up speculating on much grander themes. I think it's fair to say that The Library asks more questions than it seeks to answer. Certainly, I think the author's main goal was to entertain, and the novel does not take itself too seriously. I really enjoyed mulling over the various philosophical problems presented on my own terms, rather than being spoon-fed an agenda. I simply loved the plot of this story. I am firmly a fan of horror, action, and suspense. Make no mistake, this is a graphically violent book. If that's not your cup of tea, then perhaps leave this one alone. If thrilling action and intense horror sound like a good time to you, then by all means listen to this book. I found the narrative to be very fast-paced and engaging. There are plenty of outlandish sets and characters that keep everything moving very quickly! I would definitely read more from this author.

perplexed

even after listening to this story for Lord knows how many hours I'm still not sure what to think of it. is a rambling convoluted tale that doesn't seem to make any sense whatsoever and yes there are parts that are quite interesting if you can get around that. I'm not sure I would recommend spending money on it but if you have free credits it might be worth a listen

Sucked

If you’re looking for the F bomb every other word and pointless violence, this is the book for you.

A Little Too Much At Some Points

The story was quite good and unlike anything I've ever read. It's definitely unique and quite creative. At some points, it was a little too much to take in though (there's some violence and other such stuff in there). But I'm glad that prior to listening to the book, I researched it thoroughly so that I was prepared for all that.
The narrator was gooood. I appreciated the effort she put into making sure that each character had it's own voice. I also like how she didn't rush her speech. She spoke slow like (I guess to give depth to the story), but surprisingly it didn't bother me because it allowed each word to sink in.
Great story overall and I'm glad I went for it!

An amazing adventure!

(Warning: Don't read this book if you have an aversion to gore...there is a healthy dose throughout.)
Wow...this book was captivating! It's one that I will think of often for the rest of my life.
The ending left open the possibility of a sequel, and I would love to see maybe a series of shorter length adventures (as opposed to something of the same magnitude as this one) involving the trio of characters from the end of the book (and maybe reviving some of the others).
Hillary Huber did an outstanding job with the range of character's voices...I could always tell who was speaking. And she nailed everyone's personalities, too.
Kudos and thank you, Scott Hawkins!