Race the Darkness

Fatal Dreams Series, Book 1

By: Abbie Roads

Narrated by: Roger Wayne

Length: 9 hrs and 20 mins

Publisher's summary

Criminal investigator Xander Stone doesn't have to question you - he can hear your thoughts. Scarred by lightning, burdened with a power that gives him no peace, Xander struggles to maintain his sanity against the voice that haunts him day and night - the voice of a woman begging him to save her.

Isleen Walker has long since given up hope of escape from the nightmare of captivity and torture that is draining her life, her mind, and her soul. Except there is the man in her feverish dreams, the strangely beautiful man who beckons her to freedom and wholeness. And when he comes, if he comes, it will take all their combined fury and faith to overcome a madman bent on fulfilling a deadly prophecy.

©2016 Abbie Roads (P)2016 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Dark and delicious. Race the Darkness makes your heart race!" (Kerrelyn Sparks, New York Times best-selling author)

Not what I expected

I thought that this was going to be more of a law and order type book, that he could find criminals with his powers. Instead it was mostly a romance. Don't get me wrong, I do like romance novels but I wasn't expecting that. It was good but very unrealistic. Narrator was great.

Better than candy!

Firstly, this is my first book by Abbie Roads. I didn't know what to expect. At first glance, the cover is what made me stop and say, "hmm, what's this?" Then the blurb grabbed my attention but I had no clue that I would be sucked into the world she created.... and love every second of it.

Zander. Oh man, where to start. Hot tempered, brooding and all around badarse CBI interrogator has a secret. A gift really. There is no secret he can't find, all by simply asking you a question.

Isleen and her Gran are being held captive, tortured and all the while awaiting a knight in shinning armor to rescue them.

Both Zander and Isleen have many demons and skeletons in their closets but both are drawn in by the connection they both share. The connection is what leads Zander to her and her Gran.... but what unfolds from there will send him and his family into a tailspin of anger, concussion and an emotional ride that leaves them all in a haze of dust.

Isleen is more than she knows. Zander is a man tormented by things he can't change. Together they're a pack of dynamite waiting to go off... all the same they're just what each other needs.

Time will be the only one to know if what they have can save them both from certain death....

The connection

This book is a really unusual romance story. I enjoyed it and want to read more from this author.

a love that extends all

I loved this book! If you want mystery, intrigue, action and a romance beyond your imagination, this one covers it in spades.

Deadly Prophecy

Criminal investigator Xander Stone is special. He changed after surviving a lightning strike that left him with scars inside and out. After gaining the power of enhanced hearing and the gift/curse of hearing peoples thoughts he determines to help people.

Burdened with a power that gives him no peace, Xander struggles to maintain his sanity against the voice of a woman begging him to save her.

The voice that belongs to Isleen Walker. Isleen with her gran has been in captivity for years. Enduring torture that is draining her life, her mind, and her soul.
Only one man has the power to save and heal her. Except he only appears in her feverish dreams. Or does he?

When Xander finally finds her he sets in motion a terrifying series of events that will only end when a deadly prophecy is fulfilled. Events that will push both to their limits and if their bond isn't strong enough will result in one or both of them dying.

Abbie and Roger do it again. This is one out of the world romantic suspense. But be warned a box of tissues and a large glass of wine will be required to listen to this emotional roller-coaster of a book.

Decent read and listen..

Good grief! This is about a woman and her granddaughter who were held captive, and tortured and starved for 8 years. Isleen was described as being skeletal, with her skin transparent and her hair chopped off like a butcher having hacked at a piece of meat. Four days later she’s having sex with Xander. Yeah, I’m not believing that. I would also like to believe her hair grew 3 inches in those 4 days, but that’s not going to happen either. If she could heal that fast why didn’t she do it while she was held by that nutcase Queen. Why was she almost dead when Xander finally listened to the voice in his head and went after her? Hmmm? I love paranormal books so I was able to overlook some of the things that didn’t make sense. It was partly a page turner but I did skim a lot, too.

I did find myself laughing out loud when Xander, who could read peoples thoughts, questioned a bad guy and answered the guys’ thoughts. The guys were so surprised that they wondered if they’d said their thoughts out loud. It was quite funny, and it happened a couple of times.

Anyway, I’ve heard of some dysfunctional families before but this had to be the most dysfunctional family EVER. Xander’s family was pretty unfeeling but they weren't anywhere near Isleen's. Alex was cracked for the longest time, Matt was mean and hateful, until he got things together, Row was awesome, Kent was kind nice, as time went on, Camille was a mean and vicious slut, BUT there was no help for Isleen's family.

My biggest gripe? Another author who chose the word “baby” and went with it through the entire book. Xander called Isleen “baby” a total of 44 times. No sweetheart, darling, sweets, honey, nothing but “baby.” A reason I will not read this author again. I hate when a word of endearment is used over and over and over again. Geez! Change it around occasionally.

There was explicit sex in this book and the F-bomb is used 176 times.

As to the narrator: Roger Wayne was very good. None of the men had goofy voices and all the women sounded like women, and his inflections and emotions were nearly perfect. I would definitely listen to him again.

Fascinating

This is the first time I have read this author. I wasn't sure what to expect, and was delighted at how good it was. Parts were frightening, funny, sad, emotional and romantic. Strong characters who seemed larger than life. Others that were irritating and there were some really evil men involved too.

Amazing narration and definitely voice actor!

Roger Wayne's performance in this story was truly exceptional! 💎 His ability to portray various emotions and different characters made for a truly captivating listening experience. 📚💕 It almost felt like there were multiple narrators bringing the story to life. 😳

As for the story itself, it definitely takes the trophy 🏆 when it comes to dysfunctional families. 🤨 It's unfortunate; but not surprising that in a country where religious cultists can hide behind the Bible and hold positions of power, such stories exist. Take away the supernatural, and you have a random weird story about someone in the USA.

One aspect of the story that I didn't particularly enjoy was the eight-year gap before Xander finds Isleen. Imagine listening to a woman crying for help for such a long time! It would be incredibly distressing! I’d be heavily medicated. 😶 And it's quite puzzling how Isleen, who has been imprisoned and starved to the point of being skeletal, could still have such a strong sexual inclination towards Xander. It's certainly more disturbing than the family issues.

Nevertheless, Roger Wayne's narration truly made this story interesting and it's definitely a great addition to any audible library. 📚 🎧 💕

It had a great start, but then became a mess.

What did you like best about Race the Darkness? What did you like least?

The beginning with Xander conducting an interrogation. This had so much potential, but began to derail after he finds Isleen. The grandmother, Gail character's backstory made very little sense to me. My biggest cripe was when Xander met Queen and she talks about King so he impersonates him to get into the room. Then he forgets all about King's involvement even when there are attacks to Isleen and her grandmother, until the very end of the story. Not even believable.

Would you ever listen to anything by Abbie Roads again?

Not sure, was pretty disappointed by this one.

Which character – as performed by Roger Wayne – was your favorite?

Xander and Kent - loved the dialogue.

Was Race the Darkness worth the listening time?

Sure, once I suspended all logic.

Any additional comments?

Again, I felt this story had enormous potential, but the half explanations and ridiculous plot twists were maddening.

Don't close your eyes.

Would you listen to Race the Darkness again? Why?

I don’t normally read/listen to these types of books; I like my sweet HEA, but this one . . .
Abbie Roads uses such vivid descriptions that several times I had to close the book to clear the visual from my mind. It’s that good.

Xander Stone, after being hit by lightning, was given the gift, or curse, of being able to hear people’s thoughts. The police use this ability during their interrogations. For years Xander was plagued by an internal voice begging him to save someone, an unknown woman. He drank until the voice was silenced.

Isleen Walker and her grandmother had been held captive and tortured for eight years. The only thing that kept her alive was her frail grandmother’s promise that her savior would come and save them. It was too late. The last stabbing in her side would be the end of her, if not Queen would finish it in the morning. Grandma lied, he wasn’t going to rescue her.

The story is so involved and intense that you don’t know where she is going to take you next. Your heart starts to calm down and she scares you with something else.

Roger Wayne was an exceptional narrator.

Who was your favorite character and why?

There were several, but I pick Isleen Walker. She went through so much but never gave up hope. Xander the hero because how he protected her, and Rowena for being the mother neither of them had.

Have you listened to any of Roger Wayne’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No

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

Yes,

Any additional comments?

This was a scary story, and Roger's inflections fit the type of story.