The Breach

By: Patrick Lee

Narrated by: Jeff Gurner

Length: 8 hrs and 34 mins

Publisher's summary

Thirty years ago, in a facility buried beneath a vast Wyoming emptiness, an experiment gone awry accidentally opened a door. It is the world’s best-kept secret—and its most terrifying. Trying to regain his life in the Alaskan wilds, ex-con/ex-cop Travis Chase stumbles upon an impossible scene: a crashed 747 passenger jet filled with the murdered dead, including the wife of the [resident of the United States.

Though a nightmare of monumental proportions, it pales before the terror to come, as Chase is dragged into a battle for the future that revolves around an amazing artifact. Allied with a beautiful covert operative whose life he saved, Chase must now play the role he’s been destined for—a pawn of incomprehensible forces or humankind’s final hope—as the race toward Apocalypse begins in earnest. Because something is loose in the world. And doomsday is not only possible...it is inevitable.

©2010 Patrick Lee (P)2010 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

"It's all here: brilliantly devious enemies; nifty, innovative gadgets and weaponry; hang-on-to-your-hat action; and razor-sharp plot twists aplenty." ( Publishers Weekly)

"Audacious and terrifying - and uncannily believable." (Lee Child)

Intriguing, thought provoking, great narration

I really enjoyed "The Breach." I actually searched for this book based upon the Narrator. Gurner has been excellent in everything I have listened to.
As for the book, I was very impressed with the story. Very imaginative, very creative. Some of the things that Lee invented and imagined seemed incredibly intelligent. Also, the ending really surprised me. Amazing plot twist, everything before it took on a new meaning. This is both good and bad as it opens up some significant plot holes but it was orchestrated with great technique. Excellent setup.

There are a couple issues I have with Lee's writing. Sometimes he "dangles the bait" a little too much. He'll greatly extend a moment of revelation to the point where it gets a bit aggravating. He'll write something like, "Both Travis and Paige were thinking the exact same thing and it explained everything. It was the key to all their questions. Their looks totally reflected that they were both thinking this one amazing thing" and he'll keep going on for a long, drawn out time before he gets to the point. Sometimes, this is useful. With lesser plot points it's like listening to Morning Radio where they want to keep you on through the commercials.

Before you read my spoilers and if you do, I really did enjoy this book. My issues with it are really only because Patrick Lee's writing really invited me to think about the book a lot. It wasn't a "read it and forget it book." I really did enjoy it and will keep reading the series and future books by Lee.

SPOILER ALERT: (Do not read unless you have made it through 7 Theaterstrasse. This is really just discussion for fans of the book)
I had a big problem with this whole area of the book (7 Theaterstrasse). It highlights Lee's other weakness. Basically the personnel in the house killed people and they killed some more and they killed some more and did I mention they were killing? We get it, lots of dead people. Lee has a habit of over-shocking the reader to the point where you begin to think, "okay, this is incredibly fake." He also missed a huge opportunity in this passage. He mentioned children in the mob. He should have had Paige command "don't fire at the children unless it's life or death!" Then, when Paige is working on the Nuke, he could have had a very young girl advancing on Travis, about to pick up a gun, slowly aiming it at Travis. The conflict of whether or not Travis kills the kid would be tense. How did such a young kid make it so far? Maybe he does end up killing the kid a second before all is clear and it haunts him in the upcoming sequels. Maybe he doesn't. Either way, a big character building opportunity was missed. That brings up my last point. The author doesn't delve deep enough into what made Travis a bad person early in life. There were no reflections on really flawed behavior. Yeah, he thinks about his ex girlfriend a lot but people who are flawed and know it really obsess over their past misgivings.

What a ride!

This story is anything but boring. With multiple dimensions, battles with vaguely described beings and forces, movements backward and forward in time, it takes an alert listener to stay with the story and not get lost. Sometimes I felt like I was visiting a 21st Century "Wonderland" - just needed a white rabbit.

I'll have to listen to it again some day, to fill in the gaps. Jeff Burner did a great job with narration. He's easy to listen to.

I'm going to look for other books by Patrick Lee.

Where is Patrick lee??

One of the best authors nobody seems to know about. Pray for more. Come on Patrick - you have a gift and you went AWOL

Unconventional, unexpected, entertaining.

I never expected what happened next. Especially when I thought I knew what was going to happen. A truly flawed protagonist, bordering on anti-hero. A woman who truly doesn't exist simply for romantic interest; Who is strong, smart, and capable in her own right. Unique and in depth world-building that is believable. The only truly lackluster thing for me was the voice-actor.

Great listen...... Very entertaining.

I liked the fast pace and twist at the end. Narration was great. Going to listen to the rest of the series.

I really enjoyed this book

It drew me right in. I really liked it. Look forward to the next book.

Wildly imaginative

I'd call this a wildly imaginative thriller. Look into it if you like thrillers. And wild imagination.

Can't wait to get to the next book

Love this story. well written, great pace. combines all the elements if great sci-fi.

Exactly what I needed! Really fun action adventure

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Absolutely, I'm only 1/2 way through and already going to get the next two. It's just non-stop fun, light sci-fi adventure (in modern day). Feel's like a blockbuster popcorn summer movie.

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

Pretty hard to. Feels kind of like Fringe or X Files.

What does Jeff Gurner bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

He does the voices very well, brings it to life. The best narrators just become invisible and bring the story to life in your mind, he does a great job.

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

Oh yeah - extreme in the "I'm getting the next ones before this one is done." Just really fun. I'll be up until 5am finishing it tonight.

Any additional comments?

Get it!

A very unusual idea for a story.

I really enjoyed the twists n turns while I tried to see what was coming with no way of predicting that! It kept me guessing the whole time as it got better and I enjoyed it more and more! I hope there's more books dealing with the breach!