• Dead Eye: Pennies for the Ferryman

  • By: Jim Bernheimer
  • Narrated by: Jeffrey Kafer
  • Length: 8 hrs and 39 mins
  • 4.1 out of 5 stars (876 ratings)

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Dead Eye: Pennies for the Ferryman  By  cover art

Dead Eye: Pennies for the Ferryman

By: Jim Bernheimer
Narrated by: Jeffrey Kafer
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Publisher's summary

"My name is Mike Ross. I'm a Ferryman. I help people with ghost problems, or ghosts with people problems. Funny thing, no one ever helps me with my problems. Civil War ghosts bent on killing me, Skinwalkers who just want my body, and a vindictive spirit linked both to my bloodline and my destiny.... It turns out the dead still hold a good deal of influence over the world, and they don't want to give it up. I'm in way over my head. Fortunately, I'm too stubborn to quit."

©2009 David Wood- Gryphonwood Press (P)2012 David Wood- Gryphonwood Press

What listeners say about Dead Eye: Pennies for the Ferryman

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

It's not you, it's me, but really it's you

I had to use this line from the book as the title of my review because, a. it's funny and will give you an idea of the ironic/sardonic tone of the book, b. it conveys the "every man" status of the protagonist, Mike Ross, who recognizes this sentiment when he gets the brush-off.. Mike acquires a "gift" to see ghosts and interact with them via a cornea transplant following major injuries in the Iraq war. Mike not only has war wounds to overcome, but he's short, broke, and uneducated. He'd like to use his new abilities to make some money, but his efforts, while useful in protecting the living and assisting the dead, almost never pan out with much moolah. And Mike's new talents greatly hamper his love life and family relationships (see title above) so ultimately, this guy is no Gary Stu! After listening 1/2 way to two books (one sci-fi, one fantasy) in a row where the primary protagonist was all that and a bag of chips (Atlas/Adonis rolled into one, every woman falls at his feet, yada, yada), I was thrilled to pieces to meet Mike Ross; a guy who doesn't get anything for free and yet keeps trying - my kind of hero.

In this urban noir fantasy, Jim Bernheimer not only provides some realistic living men and women, he borrows from the gangster and Civil War eras to populate the world with some memorable ghostly characters. This is a fast paced adventure that stands well on it's own, but definitely made me want to read the sequels.

Jeffrey Kafer does a great job at invoking the dry, wry tone of the noir story and provides good characters voices as well. Nice performance!

Some reviewers have compared this to Dresden, but Dead Eye actually reminded me more of the nicely done Felix Castor series by Mike Carey. If you like urban noir, if you enjoy a hero who's only human, if you like your ghosts to have a bit of moxie, and if you like a bit of history thrown into your fantasy fiction, you'll like Dead Eye.

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33 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing!!!

This book was awesome!!!!

I decided to listen to a small 30 minute piece and I couldn't stop!!!!

PS
I already bought the second book and I'm just waiting for the weekend.

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18 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Keep your iron tools handy.

A funny story about a guy who becomes a ferry man and helps souls cross over. Unfortunately he has to make a living somehow and ghost don't make a lot of money. In the meantime he is having problems with girls, ghost, skin walkers, soldiers and even mobsters. He never seems to get a break. It is not a book for deep thinking and some of the points of views are stereo typical but I enjoyed the story and will be getting the next one. The narrator was good, but dry and I can't help but think it would have been funnier if it had a different narrator. The story picks up the second half of the book. I happened to pick this up because a guy who likes Monster Hunter International recommended this book and was glad I read the reviewers other books.

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14 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Add the others Audible!

This was good I had this in my wish list for a while, hmmming and hawing... Glad I finally took the plunge. I had listened to Confessions of a D list Super Villan, and really enjoyed that, but this seemed so different I wasn't sure.
Bernheimer's style of writing is no nonsense. He doesn't waste time explaining scenes and feelings and thoughts that have no bearing on the story, it's straight to the point, which is a nice change of pace. Mike Ross is a war vet that has a cornea transplant and can suddenly see ghosts. It's so much more complex and fun than that of course, but you should listen to it.
Apparently it's a series and there's more books. So come on Audible! I hate when you just add one book from a series. Keep them coming.

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12 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Like Harry Dresden? You will love Michael Ross!

I loved the book. It was quick, witty, and has that dash of snark sarcasm I look for in the protagonist. Great Contemporary Fantasy!

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Same fight, different page

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

I think this would be better read. Listening to the many, many fight sequences blow by blow got tedious quickly.

Would you recommend Dead Eye: Pennies for the Ferryman to your friends? Why or why not?

I think if you like the genre and I do, this was decent. The plotting upstages the writing.

What three words best describe Jeffrey Kafer’s voice?

I wished he would pronounce the 't' in the word interesting, not in-ner-esting.

Do you think Dead Eye: Pennies for the Ferryman needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

A sequel is already out in ebooks. I read it and liked it. Better read than listen.

Any additional comments?

I think this would make an excellent movie.

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Wow not my genre of books but I really liked it!!!

Any additional comments?

ok, if you have read Confessions of a D-List Super hero then the main characters are the same but in different Genre's. Which is actually awesome in my opinion. The reason why you like D-List superhero is the main character is a Sarcastic Hero that doesn't want to be the hero. Same here!!!
The main character in Dead Eye, Mike Ross, is very down to earth and unlike the whiner super hero's you read about in comics that are "cursed with power". Mike is more annoyed and confused with his "gift". He is the reluctant hero type and his sarcasm is much more humorous than whinning hero's in other books. I had a chance to speak with the author and he did say if you like D-list superhero you will like this book. He was right. A definate must read!!!!

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

He's not Felix, but he's not bad either... meh...

It is in a similar vein as Carey's Felix Castor books or even Dresden's books (in setting more so than in tone). I liked Felix's character the most of the three since he was dry and funny and tongue in cheek; Dead Eye's main character (Mike Ross) is dry and almost funny, but not at all tongue in cheek. Dresden is more slapstick than dry. So in the scale of popular urban fantasy main males, Mike is mid-range in the "do-I-give-a-hoot-if-he-drops-dead" scale.

The women are caricatures.
Female 1: Bimbo-y and elusive even though Mike wants to bed her.
Female 2: bimbo-y and elusive even though Mike wants to bed her.
Female 3: Mike's Mom. Judgemental and hard-working.
Female 4: a ghost: abused wife turned "run off with first manghost she finds"
Oh, there are couple more but they aren't even as "robust" as the ones listed above.

The story itself isn't that bad, and, while there is a bit of politicking going on, it wasn't over-the-top (though you'll finish the book knowing how Bernheimer feels about the treatment of veterans and government financial responsibilities). I am on the edge on whether or not I care enough to read the next book in the series. I don't think I do, but it is close. It's just a bit too slowly paced, the characters are poorly drawn, and, really, nothing actually happens in the story...

The narration is also... meh... I actually started this and stopped because he was so boring. I picked it back up and, after a couple hours, the narrator kinda blends into the background. He doesn't add anything to the story, and I suspect part of the slow pacing is his fault. But he isn't "bad" either. The whole thing is just sorta ho-hum, really.

There is nothing graphic (sex, violence) and I don't recall any swearing.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Life as a Ferryman

I found Dead Eye to be interesting and enjoyable. It reminds me of The Dresden Files
series by Jim Butcher mixed with a little of the Sandman Slim series by Richard Kadrey.
The main character is a man named Mike Ross who returns from the Iraq War to find that he has the ability to see and interact with ghosts, and skin walkers.Mike is what they call a Ferryman and he has the ability to send spirits on. This is the first book in this series and I will defiantly be checking out the next book.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Very fun Read

What did you love best about Dead Eye: Pennies for the Ferryman?

My favorite thing about this book was the attitude, irreverence, of the main character.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Dead Eye: Pennies for the Ferryman?

One of the most memerable momments was the release of the lost childrens' souls in the

What about Jeffrey Kafer’s performance did you like?

His ability with is voice and the ability to play both men and women

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5 people found this helpful