The Brotherhood of the Wheel

By: R. S. Belcher

Narrated by: Bronson Pinchot

Length: 14 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's summary

R. S. Belcher, the acclaimed author of The Six-Gun Tarot and The Shotgun Arcana, launches a gritty new urban fantasy series about the mysterious society of truckers known only as The Brotherhood of the Wheel.

In AD 1119, a group of nine crusaders became known as the Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon - a militant monastic order charged with protecting pilgrims and caravans traveling on the roads to and from the Holy Land. In time, the Knights Templar would grow in power and, ultimately, be laid low. But a small offshoot of the Templars endure and have returned to the order's original mission: to defend the roads of the world and guard those who travel on them.

Theirs is a secret line of knights: truckers, bikers, taxi hacks, state troopers, bus drivers, RV gypsies - any of the folks who live and work on the asphalt arteries of America. They call themselves the Brotherhood of the Wheel. Jimmy Aussapile is one such knight. He's driving a big rig down South when a promise to a ghostly hitchhiker sets him on a quest to find out the terrible truth behind a string of children gone missing all across the country. The road leads him to Lovina Hewitt, a skeptical Louisiana State Police investigator working the same case and, eventually, to a forgotten town that's not on any map - and to the secret behind the eerie Black-Eyed Kids said to prowl the highways.

©2016 Rod Belcher (P)2016 Audible, Inc.

Amazing

Extremely well written. Character development was very good, even for bit parts. The plot itself is so well thought out that it wouldn't surprise me a bit if it were based in fact. Great book.

FANTASTIC!

Would you listen to The Brotherhood of the Wheel again? Why?

Yes, in fact I am listening it to it for the second time now. I am hearing details that I missed the first time.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Brotherhood of the Wheel?

When Ava and Agnes are on the road in the dark, surrounded by shadows and all seems lost...

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

Bronson Pinchot's performance in this book was simply outstanding. I listened to his performance in Nightwise and enjoyed it very much. His performance in this book was even better! The combination of a great story and an awesome narrator really made this story come alive for me.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When Mark is in Atlanta recalls how he and Dewey met as kids. Also in the Hotel Mark tells what happened him and Dewey.

Any additional comments?

This is best story I’ve heard in a very long time. As others have said, it has the same feeling as Steven King’s “The Stand” but with less filler/detail. I could not pull myself away from this, and was sorry when it ended. (I never write full Audible book reviews; the fact I am writing this shows how much I enjoyed this book.)

Wow! Can't wait for the next installment

I totally agree with the other reviews. This is one of the best books that I have listened to in a while. I loved all of the characters. The story grabbed me and kept building until the end.It left me wanting to know what happens next. I'll be waiting to get back on the road with this unlikely group of heroes. The wheel turns.

More than I expected!

This is a great book! I am not really sure what I expected, exactly, but this book is one that I really ended up enjoying. It is a typical good vs. evil book, with a very creative plot. I don't like to give away story lines at all, so let me just say that this book is a great blend of action and fantasy with some fantastically terrifying bits thrown in for good measure! Great characters and the story really moves along nicely. The narrator is a great one, I have listened to books he has read before, but his Irish accent left quite a bit to be desired. Haha...but it didn't detract too much. Great book!

Strong Story in an Interesting Universe

This book takes place in the same universe as "Nightwise" but is an entirely independent story. Sneeze and you will miss the one reference cross-over. Although the book took a few minutes to grab me, once the pieces were in place the story was intriguing and engaging. The main characters are individuals with their own stories, strengths and weaknesses. The universe is one in which magic and supernatural powers exist, but are on the fringes of society. The more you know, the less safe you feel. As usual, the narrator does a fantastic job with all the characters, making them come to life. I strongly recommend this as a great listen. The Wheel Turns!

Amazing narration, really good story

I stand in awe of Pinchot's narration. So well done! The story had more of the supernatural than I expected, but it held me to the end, with engaging characters. I'd love to learn more about Jimmy, Heck, Lavinia and Max. Hope Belcher reprises them in a sequel.

PLEASE SEND MORE

Any additional comments?

Can't wait for the next of this series. Love the writing and narration -- the BEST!

Fun, engaging, won’t pass the Bechdel Test

Bronson Pinchot’s performance is great. The first five minutes I was dubious and then I fell in love with him. Other good things: fun, nail biting suspense, decent characters, good story (Though I do have some issues with it, to follow).
Aless good thing: I spent the ENTIRE book wondering WHY DOES HECK HAVE A SCOTTISH ACCENT???? The text says he has a Scottish and southern accent (this is not just Bronson Pinchot’s interpretation, though he manages to pull it off very well, no mean feat). WHY???? He grew up in the states, raised by a mother and stepfather who are American (of Scottish descent). WTF?
Other annoying things: pretty sure this book does NOT pass the Bechdel Test. That is, it’s pretty sexist. People will disagree because it has some great female characters, but that doesn’t make it not sexist, especially if the focus of those female characters is always on the male characters.
The last big annoyance: as a recovering Wiccan, I have to say that the portrayal of the “ancient forces” at work in the book was ... flawed. And that’s being polite. I could be even more polite and call it simplistic. Or slightly rude and say he didn’t know what the hell he was talking about.
Also, the human bad guys were all obvious slimy, dirty mouth-breathers who practically had signs on the foreheads declaring “I am a bad guy”. Oy.
Having said all those things, I enjoyed the book, and definitely the performance!

Loved this book!

Characters are plot are top notch. Urban fantasy meets suspense and makes for a terrific book.

Not too shabby!

I actually really enjoyed this book... It has it all!Big Rigs, motorcycles, CB radio's, damsels in distress, good vs evil, and super bad dudes + supernatural bad dudes. What's not too love?