Reviled

By: Roberto Scarlato

Narrated by: Jason Breckner

Length: 7 hrs and 37 mins

Publisher's Summary

Deep in the Wisconsin woods, a killer waited patiently.

On a cold night in 1999, the notorious Donnie Torr went down in a hail of gunfire. The threat to the town was supposedly eliminated. Now, in 2002, local writer James Dorrell has just purchased a leather jacket at the thrift store. He knows its getting colder, bleaker as the weather grows gray. But what he doesn't know is that the killer lived on, connected to the very vessel of the jacket that James now owns.

With the leather fusing to his skin, his thoughts being perpetrated with malicious fantasies, and his sudden habit of sleep walking, James must discover how the killer accomplished such a curse and why he chose James to do his bidding. Better yet, James will have to figure out an ending for this horrifying tale...that might be his own.

©2017 Roberto Scarlato (P)2017 Roberto Scarlato

Reviled

Reviled is a clever story by Roberto Scarlato.
This story revolves around James who comes across a jacket in a thrift shop .The jacket calls to him,begging to be put on. Donnie Torr was a notorious killer was killed in the late 90s before he met his end.

8 of 8 people found this review helpful

Different parallels

This book took me a long time to get into, required a few restarts. It started out telling the end of a story and then started with a new one. Exciting start, and then a slow buildup to the story that this was telling. While listening to this story I kept thinking I wanted to listen to the story that started this all. Once I fully understood the plan for this I was excited. Not something I had seen before so the style of possession was a great plot. Sadly, I think the potential didn’t play out how I wanted.
James started out as a great character, his wife and their story was great. As it progressed I lost interest in their relationship, as did James. I didn’t like him, he was possessed but I didn’t really care about him as much and more his jacket. I wanted to hear more about what possessed him verses him. I liked the slow possession and his desire to learn who and why he was but again it was unfulfilling. I didn’t really think the possession ever really took hold the way I wanted. Even the way he gained the knowledge just didn’t seem fitting and was lack luster.
All in all I liked the idea of the story but just wanted more. The author is definitely on my list and I would like to see how his future stories turn out. The writing style for this story was neat and I appreciated how the story was written and told.
The narration was decent. Was thinking ok this is average and then all of a sudden I was like wow this character voice is nailing it. The narrator has the ability. Just needs to explore and use it more often.
I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

The Clothes make the man!!!!

Robert Scarlato is one hell of a narrator, I could listen to the dude all day long, but it seems he also has a penchant for writing as well. Turns out, I could read his stuff every chance I get. He has a real sense of pacing and drama, and knows how to set the table when it comes to plot. He is pretty inventive with the ways he makes his protagonists struggle against the plot device. Last book of his he had the MC shuffling a deck of cards one handed for 24 hours, and having to solve a murder on top of that. Here, the set up is a little more gruesome as the demonic soul of a psycho resides in the jacket that James has just purchased, and it wants him to do . . . things.

Scarlato is highly descriptive, and paints a vivid picture, but also fills his characters with a lot of raw emotion. You feel for James, but in a way you really don't want the story to end (because this is one that once you start it, you will not want to stop until you finish). The stakes are high, and in the end you really have to wonder if everything is resolved or not (not gonna give anything away). This would be a great movie for Blumhouse to make, I think it has the right tone to become a flick, and would flourish with the right direction. Maybe Scarlato will do that, since he seems to be amazing at everything else!

Breckner is given the wheel to drive the narrative, and while he is no Scarlato, he is really good. There is a lot of emotions in this story, and he conveys them well. He also has a good cadence/pace and he knows when to speed up and slow down. His application of voices is spot on, too. So he might just be a fella I'll have to keep an eye out for in the future. Even though I did receive a promo code for this review it in no way influenced my considerations of the material, and in fact, inspired me to be more honest. In fact, getting a code generally makes me harsher as a reviewer as I am more often concerned what someone like Me will decide based on my review.


If this review helped, please press the YES below. Thank you immensely!!!

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Great Story Idea

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

The line I found most original was "the fog kidnapped the sun." The story idea was very original, but the execution was choppy with unbelievable dialogs. There were a few small editing quirks, too. The last few chapters were the best part, making it worth the listen.

Basically, Don, an infant was abandoned to a Catholic orphanage and grew up to revile and murder all women because of the lack of maternal love. Somehow, unexplained, he became versed enough in witchcraft to continue his malicious hatred even after death through projecting into inanimate objects. His leather jacket waited for a wearer and upon donning it, evil tendrils fastened themselves into James' flesh making it impossible to remove the coat. As time passed, Don took over more of James as he frantically searched for a way to disengage himself. In the end, the old cliche "love conquers all" wins. But wait... who is hiding in the sunglasses?

Initially I was drawn in by the intriguing possibilities, but by the middle, I still felt no real connection to any of the characters and scenes became disconnected. For one example, a lot of attention was focused on a cop who was obsessed with Don but other than a result of one of his ploys, he never connected with James, and his character was left adrift...

Roberto, you should have narrated your book. Jason is good, but he didn't pull off the depth of feelings needed for the fear, despair, and anger that permeated James.

👏🏻 I applaud the attempt.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Excitingly CREEPY!

A story of possession, dark magic and a nasty serial killer. Roberto Scarlato has a fantastic imagination that caused me to not want to put the book down. The descriptions are extremely vivid and exciting. Question is, can love really fix everything? Recommend you read the book to find out.
I listened to the audiobook and Jason Breckner did a good job with the characters and narration.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Riveting storyline!

An amazing journey of an unsuspecting local writer who stumbles across what would seem to be a normal everyday leather jacket. Little did James know he was about to awaken a very sinister demon. A well written and brilliantly narrated journey that should be enjoyed by all who purchase.

The ending will leave you wanting more, has the demon really been banished or does it lie silent awaiting the next unwilling victim? Find out for your self!

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Gripping Tale

I received this audio book for free in exchange for my honest review. This well written story with it's excellent narration will grip you from the very beginning and not let go till the end.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

scary and entertaining!

this book brings some of my worst fears to life! the writing was great and the narration was perfectly performed. the storyline was great! I loved every second and would recommend it to anyone!

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Very Different

I thought the narrator done a great job telling the story! He done a good job with each of the characters. The story itself was hard for me to keep listening to. Possession of a jacket was too unrealistic for my taste; however, others may really like it. I would suggest to be read by adults due to the language. Sometimes the narrator can kill a story, but it was the opposite in this book.

Unexpectedly entertaining

I don't normally like these types of stories but I have to say, the author proved me wrong. The tale is riveting and captivating.