Severe Clear

A Stone Barrington Novel, Book 24

De: Stuart Woods

Narrado por: Tony Roberts

Stone Barrington is called to Bel-Air to oversee an exclusive event that will gather the top echelons of the beau monde: Hollywood starlets, socialites, politicos, billionaires from overseas. It’s a task in which Stone has a personal stake, and one that is made all the more pleasurable - though somewhat more complicated - with the arrivals of two beautiful women with whom he’s intimately acquainted.

But the grand occasion has also attracted a dangerous criminal group with sinister plans. The hunt to find them leads Stone into a complex web of deceit and misdirection, in a world where the intrigues of government intelligence collide with the clandestine machinations of the upper crust.

As he draws nearer to his quarry, he realizes that the stakes are higher than anybody could ever imagine...and that the enemies he’s seeking might just be hiding in plain sight.

©2012 Stuart Woods (P)2012 Penguin Audio

Good Story

What made the experience of listening to Severe Clear the most enjoyable?

This is only my second audio book. I've found that I sometimes have to go back a bit to re-listen to a segment, especially if I'm driving. I love the fact that it makes my drive time fly by.

The narrarator is great and speaks clearly.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

It definitely kept me on the edge of my seat. Especially when I arrived at work during the good parts. I didn't want to get out of my car!

Terrific!!

Where does Severe Clear rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It's well read and edited

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

The plot was excellent and the sidebars interesting.

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

He breathes life and emotion into the characters

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Terror In Bel Air

Severe clear

I’m sorry to hear about that and I just got back to my house and I was thinking I was just getting

Music

Please don't use music, takes away not adds to the performance. Not to mention guests my ears!

Loved it, but wanted more Dino

Here is a Stone book with a very different start and a unique plot. Most Stone books start at a restaurant over drinks, then the plot unfolds by way of a beautiful woman walking into the bar.

Severe Clear is almost a project management book for the rich and powerful. Stone and his team must open a swanky new hotel in LA while dealing with a potential terrorist threat. The fun here is in the motions and planing meetings that go into making sure everything goes right.

There is a significant side story with Herbert (no longer Herbie) as he helps his new startup deal with potential espionage and employment clauses. This whole bit seems boring and it would be if it weren't for a unique aspect that drives this side story.

Of course Stone's son and his friends are all still absolutely perfect in every way, which bothers me because I think their flawlessness just comes off as fake.

This was a great book and I really enjoyed it but if there is one person I really missed, it was Dino. Sure, Dino is in the book and makes appearances but his is there as a bit player rather than someone right there next to Stone.

As always, Tony Roberts plays the characters extremely well. I wonder if I would like this Audiobook series if Tony did not do the voices?

Pretty Good Read

I did find there was not enough excitement building up to the climax. Kelly should have had more trouble reaching Stone or something. I liked the sub plot with Peter. But it was too insignificant...like it was thrown in without much thought. Souls have been a much longer book too weave the plot and subplots. Next!

I guess writers too have an off day ...

I love everything Stone Barrington. I am a fan of the series and have gotten others to read/listen to the series. But this one was just not as good as the others. Instantly it was predictable and Stone and Dino were barely in the book. It was a book about everyone else in Stone's life but him. He was the sub-character in his own series.

I believe that you could skip this book and go straight to #26 without missing anything!

Definately not Stone at his best!

Is there anything you would change about this book?

Narration wonderful as always-story not well developed, sketchy, found myself for the first time not really caring if Stone won or not!

Which character – as performed by Tony Roberts – was your favorite?

Stone, as always!

Stone should stick to being an attorney!

Woods' writing style and Roberts' narrative style are both plodding. Even this plot, which should have had me in suspense, did not. After 24 books starring Stone Barrington I am not going to abandon him but I am growing tired of listening to uneventful stories. Stone is not aging well with me! If this were the first book one read with these characters I cannot imagine reading a second.

Stone saves LA

True to form Stone. It's an ok story line, kind of predicable. Stone continues to be the luckiest man on earth. Shorter than usual. Fans of Stone will have to read it.