The Counselor

By: Cormac McCarthy

Narrated by: Jonathan Davis

Length: 3 hrs and 39 mins

Publisher's Summary

On the eve of becoming a married man, the Counselor makes a risky entrée into the drug trade - and gambles that the consequences won' t catch up to him.

Along the gritty terrain of the Texas- Mexico border, a respected and recently engaged lawyer throws his stakes into a cocaine trade worth millions. His hope is that it will be a one-time deal and that, afterward, he can settle into life with his beloved fiancée. But instead, the Counselor finds himself mired in a brutal and dangerous game - one that threatens to destroy everything and everyone he loves.

Deft, shocking, and unforgettable, McCarthy is at his finest in this gripping tale about risk, consequence, and the treacherous balance between the two.

©2013 M-71, Ltd. (P)2013 Recorded Books

A Screenplay Not a Novel Better than the Movie !!

I am a big Cormac McCarthy fan so I decided to give this audiobook a try.

This audiobook is a narrated screenplay, not a narrated novel or short story.

The format and tempo of the content is different. Once you settle into following the dialogue and script notes this is a very good listen.

I want to mention that I found the screenplay narration far more enjoyable than the recent movie. The movie is a jumbled mess of characters and lacks the nuance that was needed to make the film truly effective.

Like all of McCarthy's books The Counselor is rich in dialogue as it probes the darker corners of the human condition.

The movie version of The Counselor an over-acted mess. This screenplay will give you an idea of what might have been.

This is a reading of a screenplay, not a narration

What would have made The Counselor better?

Do not be misled. This is a straightforward reading of ascript. The story may be fine but the delivery is sterile. The work as a screenplay may be good but if you wish to be entertained then this is not for you.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

I could not finish it.

How could the performance have been better?

The work could be adapted asa novel or novels and read that way. This is an announcement of the scene, naming of the character and straight reading of what is said.

What character would you cut from The Counselor?

I did not delve that deeply into this work.

Any additional comments?

Perhaps a screenwriter may derive a benefit, but nota reader.

If you like reading plays, you'll love it!

This is the full screenplay for "The Counselor".
I'm not a huge fan of this style of audio book, but I liked it and found it easy to get through. I personally find that the descriptive text takes me out of it.

This isn’t an audiobook

This is an audio of the movie script, complete with the unspoken parts of the script that give instructions or set the scene. Complete garbage.

Why is this not a classic.

I haven’t seen the movie, which I think was panned, so I guess the screenplay’s subtleties, which abound and yet are profound though secretive, were lost somewhere in the cinematographic efforts. In this second listen, I tried to envision the film and I bet the screenplay is better read and imagined than watched unless the filmmaker, director, actresses, etc., could command a collective genius on par with McCarthy’s quiet pen. Probably unlikely so I’m skipping the movie but will reread this every few years.

Boring performance ruins an average plot

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

A much better performance.

Has The Counselor turned you off from other books in this genre?

No

Would you be willing to try another one of Jonathan Davis’s performances?

I've heard other of his performances that I've really liked. He phoned this one in.

NOT RECOMMENDED

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

Highly intellectual people out of touch with reality

What could Cormac McCarthy have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Write the dialog similar to the way "everyday" people speak

Any additional comments?

I watched the movie and found the plot to be missing something; it didn't flow well, but showed promise of being something better. I purchased the audiobook to hopefully fill in the plot gaps for me, to no avail. My biggest gripe is the dialog. It was as if everyone spoke in riddles and everyone was a philosopher. Questions were continuously answered with questions. My second gripe would be the elaborate murder machines and methods, not very realistic.