Terminus

By: Peter Clines

Narrated by: Ray Porter

Length: 11 hrs and 21 mins

Publisher's summary

Murdoch’s past has finally come crashing down on him. His former girlfriend. His Family. He’s been happily avoiding them for ages, trying to live something close to a normal life. But now he’s been drawn back into another one of their ludicrous attempts to bring about the end of all things. 

Chase has spent the past year just trying to get away. Trying to escape the memories that won’t stop following him, the moment when his life collapsed. He’s traveled around the world trying to stay ahead of it all, but those final moments may be catching up with him at last. 

Anne is tired of living in the past. She’s finally looking to the future and embracing her destiny. She’s going to lead the Family forward on their greatest, final crusade to destroy the hated Machine of their long-time adversary. 

Their paths will intersect in the middle of nowhere, on an uncharted island where the walls of reality are thin...and an apocalyptic threat is tearing its way through.

©2020 Peter Clines (P)2020 Audible Originals, LLC.

Super dope entry in the Threshold series

Heck, this was good. This return to the present fits perfectly as a follow-up to 14 and The Fold. I’d say it’s more 14 than The Fold (though I liked The Fold better), but I don’t know how to get more into it without spoilers.

I guess I can say that, unlike the first three books in the series, you really do need to have read the previous books, 14 and The Fold (Dead Moon isn’t necessary) for this one to make sense.

If you’re into the Threshold series so far you’re gonna love this one.

Better than Dead Moon but...

I absolutely loved 14, and I really liked The Fold. I have listened to both many times with no diminished enjoyment. Dead Moon I could barely slog through. I appreciate the author working to incorporate 14, The Fold and Terminus into a cohesive storyline, but for me it didn't feel like it was the original plan, more of something he did because everyone cried for it. The characters were barely developed and only in the most ham-handed fashion (sorry, but having a character constantly only know things because their dead daughter showed him something once is not character development), some very clunky dialogue, convenient skill sets (oh, you were an honest policeman? oh, you were an electrician?) and convenient emotional ties (oh, your daughter died at the same age as some other kids and so now we are going to have a fight about it?) and a surprising lack of peril. Don't get me wrong, people are killed and cities are destroyed left and right, but you don't actually feel worried about it. Also, it was pretty apparent that Clines ran out of ways to describe how big the alpha predators are and seemed as tired of doing so as I was of listening to it. The book also seemed a bit lazy. Mechanics are poorly described and consciousness transference is literally glossed over with no explanation or even attempt at one. The kidnapping of a main character and transport across the world? Don't ask how, but it happened. Even the reasoning behind two random civilians being on a cargo freighter is under-explained, possibly to add an air of "mystery", but instead just adding to plot convenience.
Perhaps one day Clines will give us a novel explaining how the Family developed- why they are mutated at a certain age and to varying degrees, where their money comes from, how they and Alex originally learned of the Alpha Predators and each other's existence, why Alex wrote and published a book describing his formulas and the mechanics of his work when you'd assume he wanted to keep it all secret from the Family... But those answers aren't found here.
Lastly, Ray Porter. I have always really enjoyed Ray Porter but find myself more and more annoyed with how he does women's voices- they always sound like an 80's movie drag queen. He also is typically pretty great with accents but they seemed come and go here.
I don't plan on returning this book, but doubt I'll give it more than one re-listen. Fans of the series should give it a go and there is enjoyable material there, but I'm not holding my breath until another book comes out.

Overboard on politics.

Insult Trump, marriage is exploiting women, boys club mentioned anytime two guys talk, mansplaining, me too, and my favorite cheering the world ending monster killing "right wing militia types" trying to defend LA. Great story do we really need all this dragged into sifi?

A lot better than Dead Moon at least.

If 14 was a perfect ten, The Fold, a seven, and Dead Moon a zero, this one was a five or six.

Which makes it just okay....but at least not a Dead Moon.

way too rushed, predictable

I'm a huge fan of 14 and the Fold, but this and Dead Moon are pretty bad. it's way too rushed and nothing felt impactful or surprising. narration is amazing, but that's about it.

Excellent addition to the series

Peter has said in interviews that he doesn’t like it when you have to read the entire series for the latest book to make any sense, and he writes with that in mind. Terminus, as in Dead Moon, doesn’t require you to have read -14- and The Fold to make sense - but it sure helps. Fans of the series have been clamoring for a direct sequel to the first two books. We only kind of get that, as only two of the characters we’ve met thus far actually return...though one we’ve only met indirectly shows up in spades. Well...two of him show up, but that’s complicated. If you’re clamoring for more of a direct sequel, like me, you’re going to have to wait. Damn you, Peter!!!! *dramatically shakes fist at the heavens*
Clines jumps directly into the action here. No time is wasted AT ALL. The story has a large, international cast, tight pacing, monsters, mayhem, and - as a bonus to me - the destruction of Los Angeles. Don’t worry, it all gets sorted out in the end. Sort of. Well...not so much actually. How does one say that it both IS and ISN’T ok? Schrödinger’s Ending? Have I coined a new phrase? Anyway. Fans of Lovecraftian horror should enjoy this, though in this one we don’t get the slow burn of creeping existential dread. All in all, Terminus is an exciting addition to the Threshold series, even if the stories are only tangentially related to each other.

What happened to the Peter Clines who wrote 14

This was a struggle to finish. so disappointing considering how good 14 and Ex-Heroes were. Also the leftist pandering toward the end of the book was very jarring and out of place. Hard Pass unfortunately.

MORE THRESHOLD PLEASE!!!

Love this series, relisten over and over. Super excited about this one.
TERMINUS was a little harder for me to follow. Love the characters and RAY PORTER. Feel like it’s building up and “gathering” and hope for more and more and more of this story - this world - to unfold.
Liked DEAD MOON as a far-off off-shoot, because I love space scifi and zombies and found the characters engaging. But glad to be back.
14 is my favorite, and TERMINUS was enjoyable to me as story/character development... not so much as a stand-alone story.
As a reference: I LOVE Wil Wheaton narrating John Scalzi (LOCK-IN, HEAD-ON & REDSHIRTS) and Ernest Cline, Adam Baldwin and Bronson Pinchot narrating Larry Correia (GRIMNOIR & TOM STRANGER), and Rosario Dawson narrating Andy Weir (ARTEMIS).

If you liked 14 and the fold......

Some new characters, some characters you will know. loved the the twists and turns. too many spoilers to say too much. But I was glad to get more on the story from the fold and 14.

Ruined by identity politics

If you want to be able to enjoy getting lost in a book, look elsewhere. If you enjoy being preached at and being on the receiving end of a bunch of virtue signaling identity politics, this 'book' is for you.

Welcome return of familiar characters

After the amazing first two books in the Threshold series, 14 and The Fold, I was a little disappointed in Dead Moon, which seemed to have only tenuous connections to the first 2. Now Terminus returns familiar characters and situations with some surprises along the way. A satisfying book, and I would leave Dead Moon out and read/listen to 14, The Fold and Terminus as a trilogy, treating Dead Moon as a spin off (it's not a bad book, just doesn't seem to fit) in future. Terminus is so good I got to the end and immediately started listening again, which I also did with the first 2

Ray and Peter deliver again

14 is my all time favourite book. Ever.
Then we have The Fold, followed by Dead Moon.
Dead Moon being the week link.
This one though us a gripper from start to finish.
There is the welcome return of an old face. As well as.some new people.
If you buy one book this year. Buy 14!
Then you'll become hooked and get the rest

They are that giid.

better be another book

if Mr. Clines doesn't continue this story with these characters he should be put in jail and be forced to write manyore adventures

Another Threshold Classic

A perfect conclusion to the Threshold trilogy, likeable characters and a great Lost style island mystery connected to 14 and The Fold. I hope Mr Clines gives us more Threshold stories in this universe or another.........

A little let down

I have loved this series of books so far, and unlike some, actually enjoyed the Dead Moon book.
But this one.. I felt like it had such potential.. but it just missed the mark a few times, and then abruptly ended.

A good listen but not as good as 14

A good listen but not as good as 14. I enjoyed it but didn't have the same pace as the first book in the series. Perhaps this is always a problem with sequels as they seldom live up to your expectations of the first. Never the less, I did enjoy it.

fantastic listen.

I honestly have nothing bad to say about this book! fantastic work by Peter Clines brilliantly performed by Ray porter. 👌

Back on track after number 3

After the disappointing Dead Moon, this was a really enjoyable listen.

Out of the series this book had the biggest feeling of dread and an overwhelming sense of defeat and loss. I hope this is the last of the series as it's time to end but really enjoyable overall.

Absolutely brilliant...

Perfect end to the trilogy. Masterfully narrated. I'm going to start them again..... More please

really good overall

a good story and very well performed, I recommend this audio book very much, 15 words is a stupid idea