The Book of Fate

By: Brad Meltzer

Narrated by: Scott Brick

Length: 18 hrs and 10 mins

Publisher's Summary

In six minutes, one of us would be dead. None of us knew it was coming. So says Wes Holloway, a once-cocky and ambitious presidential aide, about the day that changed his life forever. On that Fourth of July, Wes put Ron Boyle, the chief executive's oldest friend, into the presidential limousine. By the time the trip came to an end, Wes was permanently disfigured, and Boyle was dead, the victim of a crazed assassin.

Eight years later, Boyle is spotted, alive and well, in Malaysia. In that moment, Wes has the chance to undo the worst day of his life. Trying to figure out what really happened takes Wes back to a decade-old presidential crossword puzzle, mysterious facts buried in Masonic history, and a 200-year-old code invented by Thomas Jefferson.

But what Wes doesn't realize is that The Book of Fate holds everyone's secrets. Especially the ones worth dying for. The Book of Fate. What does it say about you?

©2006 Forty-Four Steps, Inc., All Rights Reserved (P)2006 Hachette Audio, a Division of the Hachette Book Group USA

Critic Reviews

"Meltzer's many fans will enjoy this substantial meal of a book." (Publishers Weekly)
"Skillfully written...the plot fluidly integrates historical fact and fiction....Fans of thrillers that reach far back into history will be, well, thrilled." (Booklist)

Too Much Psychobabble

I got through this one, but I don't know how. The basic plot line is pretty good and the reader does his usual first-rate job.

The main character strikes me as having been marinated too long in the current therapeutic culture to be an action hero. Nearly 95 percent of the book passes before our poor little, traumatized Everyman begins to suck it up and do what needs to be done.

There is also too much agonizing over loyalty questions in a political setting. Hello? Politics? Loyalty? What are you thinking?

There is also a lot of gratuitous bickering among the members of the supporting cast. It's fine to provide occasional diversions, but these seemed just to kill time. They did not advance the plot and did not amuse me.

Maybe I'm being hasty, but Brad Meltzer is off my list for the time being. He has too much competition for me to bother with him.

13 of 13 people found this review helpful

Story is sidetracked by repeatedness and errors.

I drive a minimum of 1,000 miles per week and most of that time is spent "reading" audiobooks. I have to say that this book was a let-down for 3 main reasons.

First, I was ecpecting a "National Treasure" type storyline filled with deep conspiracies and secret societies. The conspiracies turned out to be very shallow not so much unbelievable as uninteresting.

Second, the story is dotted with several annoying little errors. Reviewer 'Bob' pointed out that "exploding flashbulbs" are no longer used. Also mentioned in the book is a 9mm Sig Revolver -- should be pistol -- as well as a tow truck with matching yellow sirens -- wouldn't the sirens be audible and the LIGHTS be yellow?

Lastly, although the caracter relationships are well developped -- the caracters themselves are hard to care about. The protagonist is so self-pitying and whiny, you almost hope for the worst just to shut him up.

20 of 21 people found this review helpful

not the book you expected

If you are expecting a Da Vinci Code-type of mystery, with secret societies and conspiracies reaching into the upper levels of the US government, this is not that book. I think whoever wrote the synopsis of the book was trying to cash in on DaVinci Code furor, and really misrepresented this book. Any reference to the Freemasons could have been removed and the book would have not been the less for it.

That being said, it was a good book. It was suspenseful, entertaining, full of charcters that I was interested in, and it kept me guessing the whole time. The first half of the book had relatively little foul language, but he made it up in the end, when the author seemed to run out of creativity for word choice and anyone who was emotional used the "f" word to express themselves.

The political arena is where this author shines, and I especially liked the view of the most powerful man in the world when he now has no power. Super interesting to me.

I liked this author's previous books (not the 10th Justice so much, but the others) and will keep listening to his future books, but I thought you ought to know that this isn't the book they want you to think it is. (Hey, is there some kind of conspiracy at work here?)

16 of 17 people found this review helpful

I agree, Hard to get through

I agree with most everything Bob said below. I?m only on the first half and I?m looking for something else to download because I just can?t seem to get into this book. While Scott Brick has been my favorite reader I have to say he?s getting a little old. He reads every book the same and so they all start to sound alike. Maybe I?ve OD?ed on him after the Dune books and many other since.

Scott, I know you have to make a living but I think you should give it a rest for awhile and maybe work on your style a little.

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

An unhappy first

I have been an Audible listener for nearly ten years and, until this book, I had never failed to finish a book. I'm sorry to say that streak has been broken. It wasn't a matter of being bored, this book is so bad that it actually became unbearable. I just couldn't go on. I didn't even make it far enough in to find out what the damn Book of Secrets was. Seriously, this is really bad.

9 of 10 people found this review helpful

a good book

I enjoyed the book and the 18 hours went by quickly. In reading several summaries and even in listening to the introduction, one gets the impression that the Masons figure prominently in the book. They do not. However, the book is enjoyable especially if listen while exercising.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Sophisticated intrigue

Although it takes some time to get used to the self-pitying protagonist, the twisting plot and skillful characterizations make this book quite an enjoyable read. The narration is excellent. However, be aware that the Masonic mystery that the book is promoted on is a very small part of the story. All in all, a worthwhile listen.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

A good read

Fairly interesting. A little confusing at times, but all in all a good book.

3 of 4 people found this review helpful

Long & boring

Sometimes an author can over do the building of sympathy to the point you want the hero to just die already and quite crying.

The book was long and didn't have anything to keep you listening. You think it can't get more boring.. something must happen soon. It doesn't.

Poor story executed poorly. Ending was uneventful and made me feel like I wasted 18 hours.

If you must listen to this get the abridged...I can't think of anything you would really miss.

3 of 4 people found this review helpful

Tedious

Way too long!(18 hours). Not that exciting & has nothing to do with Free Masons. THe main character is pathetic, evoking little if any sympathy. The abridged version is probably a little better.

3 of 4 people found this review helpful