Pines

By: Blake Crouch

Narrated by: Paul Michael Garcia

Length: 8 hrs and 33 mins

Publisher's Summary

Wayward Pines, Idaho, is quintessential small-town America — or so it seems. Secret Service agent Ethan Burke arrives in search of two missing federal agents, yet soon is facing much more than he bargained for. After a violent accident lands him in the hospital, Ethan comes to with no ID and no cell phone. The medical staff seems friendly enough, but something feels…off. As the days pass, Ethan’s investigation into his colleagues’ disappearance turns up more questions than answers. Why can’t he make contact with his family in the outside world? Why doesn’t anyone believe he is who he says he is? And what’s the purpose of the electrified fences encircling the town? Are they keeping the residents in? Or something else out? Each step toward the truth takes Ethan further from the world he knows, until he must face the horrifying possibility that he may never leave Wayward Pines alive…

©2012 Blake Crouch (P)2012 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Well done story

This was a very interesting and fast paced story. It has a solid plot and fairly well done characters and stays pretty riveting throughout. The ending is a surprise, and ties everything together in a way that makes for a really unique idea. The reader does a great job too. I wonder about its classification- it is listed as mystery/thriller. It does have that - there is mystery and at times it is thrilling. However, I would have classed it as science fiction since I think that was the most dominant genre- that and a touch of horror.

One small complaint though, and this may stem from the genre the writer is trying to produce for - I think it would have been a stronger book without all the torture. I know that is popular and some peole are drawn to it - whole films have been made in recent years that revolve entirely around people being tortured in various ways. It isn't that I am too squeemish or uptight for it, though I do find it uncomfortable at times. More so I just don't find it particularly creative or interesting - ask anyone you know to think of the most horrible ways to hurt and kill someone. Everyone will quickly have lots of ideas. Particularly with a story as strong as this one, with so much that makes it interesting, and so much tension and mystery, I thought this was a major distraction at times. There were points at which clearly it made sense as it was integrated into the story and necessary, but for large portions I thought it served no real purpose and was far more detailed than it needed to be and found myself waiting for those bits to end so we could get back to the good stuff.

Also, it seems like it would have been more interesting if the antagonists had ways of interacting with the hero and with the good guys in ways that didn't always have torture as the main defining interaction - if the " I will now torture and kill you in horrible ways" wasn't the main motivation at all times... It seems a constant threat and, in the end, when we find out what has gone on, what this was all about, it particularly doesn't seem in keeping with the purpose behind the story. I can't give examples without giving spoilers so will leave it at that... As I said, I know it is popular among some audiences, but I really think this author is solid and creative enough to write a really great story without all that - or at least without it factoring so large in the book.

So those of you like me, who are not interested by that, and those of you that really hate that stuff have been warned. However, as I said, there is a lot going for this story and I found it very entertaining and was eager to find out what would happen and what all this was about... So overall, I think it is a pretty good experience and would recommend it.

160 of 173 people found this review helpful

SHOCKED!

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

Yes I would recommend this book. I love the Twilight Zone, Outer Limits, and The Dark Side television shows and this book combined with a little horror mimicked the style of these series. I could not stop listening and found excuses to continue listening. Horror for the sake of horror becomes boring but mix in a little mind twist, a dash of Sci Fi, and "I did not see that coming" and horror becomes the "PINES".

What was one of the most memorable moments of Pines?

The chase!

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

OH YES!!!!

Any additional comments?

Worth the credit.

82 of 92 people found this review helpful

A little above average, maybe?

While I listened to the entire story, it just didn't grab me like I would have wished it to. Too many aborted escapes, too many chases--this took up the great majority of the story. I would have enjoyed it a bit more had the protagonist been somewhat more developed and likeable. I felt I never got to know who this man was. He certainly wasn't the overdone superhero type, yet I found him to be somewhat of a cardboard character. I really didn't care what happened to him, thus there was no tension for me.

On the positive side, I did like the ending. It was unexpected and different. However, it was not a theme I would want to revisit in a sequel.

Additionally, the narrator did a good job which added to the ease of this listen.

29 of 33 people found this review helpful

be prepared to be blown away

Any additional comments?

wow. what a great story! the pines is a great mix-up of different types of genres that come together that make up a thrilling listen. the story starts out simple enough.

ethan burke wakes up in a field not knowing where he is or who he is. all he knows is that he's injured. as he shambles toward the town, he starts to remember a few things. he runs into a few kind people who notice his terrible bruises and offer him help, but he doggedly says he can make it the couple of blocks to the hospital. however, something's nagging at him. he's trying to remember a name, a name that has caused this pain. along his way, he stops at a phone booth and notices how skinny the phone book is. it's only 8 pages. so he starts reading through it until he recognizes part of a name- mac. that name arouses anger in him so he stalks off to confront mac.

as ethan begins investigating the missing secret services agents, he notices things aren't what they seem in this small idyllic town. what follows is a creepy secret that is slowly revealed about the town, wayward pines. the more the story unfolded, the more engrossed i became in wanting to know what the heck is going on.

the story is delicious to listen to. throw in a little shutter island to develop some intrigue, add a little tales from the dark side to get your heart pounding, add a dash of logan's run to keep you guessing, and finish with a red pill to add a matrix-like twist to blow your mind!

overall, an excellent story that will keep you listening late into the night. it's definitely one of those stories you'll remember long after listening to it.

NOTE: at the time of this review, the audio book is on sale for $4.95. I recommend you download it immediately as it is a steal. i paid regular price, and it was worth every dollar!

45 of 55 people found this review helpful

Finished The Whole Trilogy In 3 Days

Any additional comments?

With over 4,000 reviews, I'm sure there's nothing that I can add to the list of great reviews. I loved it. As soon as my mind adjusted to the "Twilight Zonish" feel to the book, I couldn't put it down. When I finished, I immediately purchased book 2. I sped through that in a day and was immediately onto book 3. It's a great trilogy! Just sad to see it end.

11 of 13 people found this review helpful

Plot and Protagonist - Just Not a Good Fit

As the story unfolds it becomes less believable. We have an agent of the US government who appears to be marooned in a small town, and he seems to remain clueless and helpless through much of the story. It does remind me of the kind of artificial plot lines that showed up in some of the mediocre episodes of the Twilight Zone TV series

The "reveal" at the end of the novel is even less believable. I can not see me ever buying any further installments to this series.

15 of 18 people found this review helpful

I had no idea

One word, 2 letters. WOW! This offering from Blake Crouch and narrated exquistely by Paul Garci, is a winner, and moves to my all time best list.

The plot twists, the choices the characters need to make, the challenges and nuances, are all there, with occasional gore and violence, but nothing gratuitous, at least in my estimation.

Granted, there is some, if not a lot, of belief suspension required to complete the story line, but once you have digested this, the story plot does clarify, and the resolution does promote thought and consideration at the the end.

I recommend this book to fantasy, sci fi and mystery readers most highly.

49 of 62 people found this review helpful

WOW....just WOW

Masterful storytelling. Spun with just the right amount of suspense and character development. Not too much, not too little. I didn't see it coming and I loved it! The narrator was great and brought the character to life. My only complaint is that I was up half the night because I could NOT stop listening. I will be wanting more from the author. It was simply brilliant!

21 of 27 people found this review helpful

Very slow to get going then... average

I was sent this audiobook by a friend so I knew nothing about it before listening. For the first two thirds I listened on double speed as it wasn't really engaging me but I wanted to be polite to my pal who loved it. There's a little town that's too perfect, amnesia, a man in peril not knowing what's going on, so far so very cliched.

Then it picked up the pace and I became engaged for an hour or so till the plot veered off into the ludicrous. It wasn't utterly terrible, but it was very average and deeply unlikely. If you loved Girlfriend in a Coma by Douglas Coupland years ago, you might like this. If you've ever watched much in the way of sophisticated science fiction you're likely to find this very so so.

There's lots of great reviews so I appear to be in the minority. I suspect because I have read so much science fiction that this didn't impress me too much as it's loaded with tropes and is rather slow. the voice talent is excellent and engaging for sure. If you were on a long car journey you wouldn't be utterly wasting your time listening to this. But there are many better listens than this for sure.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Weird semi si-fantasy. Quite creepy

This novel is a bit creepy, a sort of Twilight Zoneish kind of writing. A real surreal sense of What the Hell???? happens to protagonist Ethan Burke when he arrives in, what appears to be a quiet Rocky mountain town. As the story arc continues the strangeness increases until the reader is just as confused as the protagonist..something I appreciate in a book-I like stories that I can't figure out ahead of time.

This plot takes a lot of left turns without signaling and I found myself having to really pay attention to what I was listening to..something I'm not in the habit of doing as audio books are a kind of "listen while doing something else" thing for me. I had to rewind (in a digital way) several times. Ethan suffers several prisoner of war flashbacks that seem to effect him as he tries to make sense of his missing phone, wallet, inability to contact the world outside Idaho and the listener starts to wonder if he is going thru mental instability and everything is really as it should be. There was a real "Children of the Corn" moment in the book, as Ethan finds himself being chased by The Pines children as he runs, naked, thru the town trying to get away all the time knowing that theres no way of leaving the town. I was listening to this while my grand daughter was reading and she told me to put on headphones as the story was scaring her-shes 9.

On the other side, I wondered why it took Ethan so long to decide thing in The Pines were not normal. Why didn't he go to a bank and tyy to contact his home bank for money? Why not call his credit card company and get a new card-and if he was unable to do these things, it seemed he would have figured out that the town was not normal sooner. It just wasn't what an average person would do, much less a Secret Service Agent.

I'm sure some will think the story should rate 5 stars for excitement alone...but for me, it didn't. I couldn't get away from the B movie or TV series feeling, an Under the Dome, Outer Limits, TZ version of sci-fi/fantasy. it was good, but not that good. It held my attention but seemed -well-too contrived. I went between 3 and 4 stars. for me 3 is an average novel-nothing sterling or wonderful/nothing awful either. Just Meh..its ok. But it was more than that. It was a different story arc with a lot of but....why is this his thinking?

I dunno. A strange book, worth a listen for a real fan of B grade movies and stories.

The narrator was great, however. I've never listened to Paul Garcia before but I'll be sure to check out other audio books he's done. His work was real solid 5 star for me-masculine but not Dick Hill-ish in tone. Dramatic but not overdone. He does the weird parts very nicely, with a touch of irony that kind of got me on occasion.

A good listen even for urban fantasy readers and a must listen for those who love the strange. Good luck!

5 of 6 people found this review helpful

Simmering suspense

Good story, well written and keeps you speculating until the truth is revealed. I really enjoyed this novel and will get book 2.Touches of 'The Wicker Man' and 'The X Files' plausible characters and fast paced. Well worth a punt .

11 of 11 people found this review helpful

All are welcome at Wayward Pines!

What did you like best about Pines? What did you like least?

I did like the idea of the story, but quite a few times it was a little slow going.

What aspect of Paul Michael Garcia’s performance might you have changed?

I thought his performance was ok. However he could have been a little more creative with some of the character's voices.

Do you think Pines needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

There are already 2 follow-up books to the Pines.

9 of 9 people found this review helpful

Don't miss this one!

If you could sum up Pines in three words, what would they be?

Vivid. Imaginative. Terrifying.

What other book might you compare Pines to, and why?

Brave New World and 1984. An imaginative and frightening vision of a possible future;
I sincerely hope Blake Crouch has got it completely wrong!

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

'You can check out any time you like... but you can never leave!'

9 of 9 people found this review helpful

Original thriller

Gripping storyline and moody athmosphere, you get attached to the characters, i was so captivated i listened to it in a day without noticing!

8 of 8 people found this review helpful

Great suspence

A brilliant twist and well read, this is a great novel, and will definitely look for other audiobooks by same Auther

6 of 6 people found this review helpful

Gripping story. Keeps you on your toes.

Any additional comments?

This is a terrific book, gripping from the very start and very clever. It keeps you guessing. As the story progresses it is hard to pin it down to a specific genre - at some point it seems to be a psychological thriller but then maybe it is a crime mystery or maybe a horror or even a scifi? I looked for these audiobooks after enjoying the TV series based on the books so, before I started I already knew the big secret 'reveal' of the plot but this didn't spoil it for me. It is similar enough to the TV series to have the same haunting atmosphere but different enough to still be fresh. The narrator does a pretty good job reflecting the tension and mystery. A little gory for the squeamish but I really enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone looking for something exciting, compelling and a bit out of the ordinary.

8 of 9 people found this review helpful

Brilliant

Was hooked on the tv show and got into the books straight away. Love it

7 of 8 people found this review helpful

A real must listen

Where does Pines rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

The best by far and I have listened to a lot. Loved it.

What other book might you compare Pines to, and why?

Watched films like this but not listened to a book like this.

What does Paul Michael Garcia bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

Love listening to his voice, compare him to Sean Barrett

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

Yes WOW got this is good

Any additional comments?

Can`t wait to listen to the next book in the trilogy

6 of 7 people found this review helpful

Good if over-hyped

Would you try another book written by Blake Crouch or narrated by Paul Michael Garcia?

Yes

If you’ve listened to books by Blake Crouch before, how does this one compare?

N/A

Would you listen to another book narrated by Paul Michael Garcia?

Yes

Could you see Pines being made into a movie or a TV series? Who would the stars be?

The guy on the cover.

Any additional comments?

Great premise but it felt like it was being dragged out by the end.

7 of 9 people found this review helpful

A different kind of dystopia

I love dystopic fiction and this trilogy was entertaining. The premise was refreshing and I'd say they were very easy and quite compelling to listen to.

6 of 8 people found this review helpful