14

By: Peter Clines

Narrated by: Ray Porter

Length: 12 hrs and 34 mins

Publisher's summary

Audie Award Nominee, Science Fiction, 2013

Padlocked doors. Strange light fixtures. Mutant cockroaches.

There are some odd things about Nate’s new apartment. Of course, he has other things on his mind. He hates his job. He has no money in the bank. No girlfriend. No plans for the future. So while his new home isn’t perfect, it’s livable. The rent is low, the property managers are friendly, and the odd little mysteries don’t nag at him too much. At least, not until he meets Mandy, his neighbor across the hall, and notices something unusual about her apartment. And Xela’s apartment. And Tim’s. And Veek’s. Because every room in this old Los Angeles brownstone has a mystery or two. Mysteries that stretch back over a hundred years. Some of them are in plain sight. Some are behind locked doors. And all together these mysteries could mean the end of Nate and his friends. Or the end of everything....

©2012 Peter Clines and Permuted Press (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"A riveting apocalyptic mystery in the style of LOST." (Craig DiLouie, author of The Infection and The Killing Floor)

"A wholly original story that weaves together mystery and the apocalypse like a finely tuned band." (Evan Roy, Bricks of the Dead)

Pretty Cool!

What made the experience of listening to 14 the most enjoyable?

The characters were unique. They all had there talents and hang ups. The way they all come together was fun to listen to. The premise and creativity were great.

What other book might you compare 14 to and why?

I'm not sure I have read anything like this before. It had suspense, mystery, relationships and sci-fi all rolled up in one book.

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

The characters came to life through the voices, and Ray Porter did a good job making the characters sound believable, and not over the top.

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

I did laugh out loud a couple of times...and felt felt some curiosity, suspense, sorrow and all the rest that goes with a book like this.

Any additional comments?

I listened to this book non-stop for 2 days. I just had to know what happened next. The book had concepts that were so close to the edge of reality...things a person would seldom think about. I would love to listen to a sequel.

Definatly worth a credit

Interesting, unforgettable, great characters! Narration is supurb, story is original and moves quickly. Great single book!

Great, great great, then a decline into weirdness

Is there anything you would change about this book?

I felt that the ending was just too weird. I would have made the descent into strangeness a bit less acute.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

I found the way the relationships developed between the characters quite interesting. An odd collection of people.

Cosmic Horror That's... Fun???

This is extremely enjoyable. If you enjoy large casts with good dynamics, mysteries to investigate, and, yes, some cosmic horror... this is a good book for you. Honestly, this would make a wonderful TV series.

I left off a single star only because it sorta broke a rule of cosmic horror by giving the horrors a little too much of a describable form, though their scope and existence is still pretty overwhelming and difficult to imagine.

Good story, great reader

What made the experience of listening to 14 the most enjoyable?

I took a gamble on this book. It is 180 degrees from my usual purchases. BUT.. Ray Porters reading of the book hooked me. The story is actually very good with characters you can identify with. I walk while listening and ended up doing 6-7 miles every time I put the earphones on. This story is fun and interesting. I will be checking out Peter Clines other offerings along with Ray Porter's readings.

An Unexpectedly Great Read

I don't give 5-star reviews lightly, but I thoroughly enjoyed this original work by Peter Clines. Good character development and a very imaginative plot make this one to recommend!

Good Story. Bad Language

I bought this on the recent sale and decided that I might try a new author. This story is intense and very good. I'd love to have some of my other family members read it, but I'd be embarrassed to recommend it because of the language. I probably shouldn't have even finished the book but the story was compelling enough that I felt I had to. I didn't see any negative reviews when I looked the first time and everyone just raved. This book is replete with f-bombs. It is their expletive of choice in this book. Also, there is a very brief sex scene. It was short enough that by the time that they got their clothes off and I tried to skip I went way past it. Backed up enough to hear it anyway. If it bothers you give them about 1 minute and it is over. Overall I have really mixed feelings about it. Loved the story, but hated the language and the brief scene of "comforting".

More, please?

I loved this book. Bizarre, funny, frightening, original, and fast-paced, it swept me along on wave after wave of plot twists, humor, horror, and out-there sci-fi. I can't think of anything bad to say about this, except that I was sorry it ended. However, it was a good ending, and a terrific listen and performance. Looking forward to more from this author!

Slow starter with unfinished business

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I wouldn't recommend this book to friends. The first two hours contained repetitive and tedious descriptions of the inside of an apartment building without anything to make me care about the protagonist.

Would you ever listen to anything by Peter Clines again?

No.

What about Ray Porter’s performance did you like?

Ray Porter's performance was the best part of this audiobook. I probably would have given up on it with a less talented narrator.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

No, I would not.

Any additional comments?

As I already mentioned, the first couple of hours were tedious, even mathematical descriptions of the apartment building in which the characters live. At five hours, I got that first little thrill as the most interesting element of the mystery was introduced. Unfortunately, that part of the story was never resolved; and while the pace of the novel did pick up, the ending was rushed and unsatisfying.

Did not see this coming...

I went into this one blind just at the recommendation of the other reviewers and was not disappointed at all. An intriguing LOST-style mystery, but with actual answers and an appropriately climactic conclusion. Ray Porter's narration is phenomenal and I've just started looking for other books he's read - he's that good.