The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell

By: Robert Dugoni

Narrated by: Robert Dugoni

Length: 11 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's Summary

Wall Street Journal and New York Times bestselling author Robert Dugoni’s coming-of-age story is, according to Booklist, “a novel that, if it doesn’t cross entirely over into John Irving territory, certainly nestles in close to the border.”

Sam Hill always saw the world through different eyes. Born with red pupils, he was called “Devil Boy” or Sam “Hell” by his classmates; “God’s will” is what his mother called his ocular albinism. Her words were of little comfort, but Sam persevered, buoyed by his mother’s devout faith, his father’s practical wisdom, and his two other misfit friends.

Sam believed it was God who sent Ernie Cantwell, the only African American kid in his class, to be the friend he so desperately needed. And that it was God’s idea for Mickie Kennedy to storm into Our Lady of Mercy like a tornado, uprooting every rule Sam had been taught about boys and girls.

Forty years later, Sam, a small-town eye doctor, is no longer certain anything was by design - especially not the tragedy that caused him to turn his back on his friends, his hometown, and the life he’d always known. Running from the pain, eyes closed, served little purpose. Now, as he looks back on his life, Sam embarks on a journey that will take him halfway around the world. This time, his eyes are wide open - bringing into clear view what changed him, defined him, and made him so afraid, until he can finally see what truly matters.

©2018 Robert Dugoni (P)2018 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic Reviews

"Author Robert Dugoni narrates Sam's life journey in an earnest and steadfast voice. Hearing the story through the author's own voice lends it an intimacy that enhances it wonderfully. Sam's life is filled with love, loss, tragedy, comedy, and everything in between. Sounding mature and dark at times, Dugoni artfully breathes life into every scene of a story about living life on the right terms regardless of its ups and downs." (AudioFile)

Wow..allow yourself to be submerged in this book

If I had read/listened to this book and didn’t know the author, there’s no way you would have convinced me Robert Dugoni wrote it. “The Extraordinary Life of Same Hell: A Novel” is by far the best novel, I’ve been able to relate to, in a long time.

From the minute I started reading/listening I was completely taken in. I was the child, who grew up to be a man, who seemed to take care of everyone, except himself. His life wasn’t just “extraordinary” it was emotional, tender, heartbreaking, and full of love for this boy, because he was different, because he was bullied, because he was taken advantage of and because he couldn’t understand why God allowed all these things to happen?! Until the end....and the end was a magical understanding he received in his life, from God, from his mother and her faith.

This is so hard to review because I just don’t want to give ANYTHING away. But to be Sam, is to be that child or that teenager, or even that adult, where so many things happen in your life and you just look to God and say “Please tell me why?”

Yes it’s spiritual, but in a broad way, so it’s not preaching to you. I wouldn’t have cared if it was but some do and I just wanted to say that. I will say Sam was brought up in the Catholic Church so God was always around him. But in the end he only heard one voice, his mothers, and she always said, “ Sam, My beautiful baby, everything happens for a reason.”

I literally listened and read this in one sitting. My husband was having surgery on May 15, 2018 and it was a long difficult surgery. I needed inspiration and God gave me this book, I’m so thankful for it too! The author did narrate this, so I just assumed it was his story, from his life..but...I can’t tell you, because even that will be giving it away...I will tell you though, my head was on my pillow at 4 am and tears were rolling down my face and I found myself saying, “Thank you for this book...I don’t think I could have gotten through today without it..”...I’m emotional just remembering that thought.

Please read/ listen/buy the book/get the Kindle edition, do whatever you have to in order to get it! I promise if you don’t feel the warmth and message I did, tell Amazon in your review that I lied..but I’m not...Recommend to EVERYONE 5 plus ⭐️

Outstanding Mr. Dugoni 💜❤️

175 of 183 people found this review helpful

Warning about the ending

I’m a 58 year old man who mostly listens to English murder mysteries, spy novels and historical nonfiction. I chose this book on a whim from an Editor’s selection email. I should warn people like myself that you should not listen to the last 45 minutes in a public place like a grocery store or you risk have people approach you about why you are crying. I felt silly. This is a wonderful story.

187 of 196 people found this review helpful

A very, very special novel!

I am a major fan of the works of fiction author Robert Dugoni; I have copies of all of his books. All except SAM HELL are of the mystery/thriller genre with some being legal thrillers and some being modern detective thrillers. With THE EXTRAORDINARY LIFE OF SAM HELL Dugoni strays from mystery/thrillers into literary fiction with a novel so powerful that it will win awards and it needs to be a movie. Robert Dugoni narrates this audio novel himself; his narration is marvelous.

Sam Hill was called "Sam Hell" or "Devil Boy" because he was born with ocular albinism which resulted in his eyes (the iris part) being red. The novel covers 40 years from the time he entered school at age 5. Other than the protagonist this novel has some wonderful main characters including Sam's parents, his best friend Ernie Cantwell, and his sort of girl friend and later business partner Mickie Kennedy. Sam Hill's profession is ophthalmologist.

I listened to SAM HELL twice over several weeks before writing this review. I recommend it to everyone regardless of genre preferences. It is a very, very special novel!

70 of 73 people found this review helpful

An unexpected surprise. Loved it!

I've read/listened to many of Dugoni's books, enjoying every one of them. I look forward to anything new he might gift us with. This story was really unexpected in comparison to his previous novels. What a wonderful surprise! Dugoni's still a fantastic story teller, but in a whole new way.

Dugoni himself performing the audio was wonderful. I wasn't sure at first, but then appreciated knowing the story was being told as he intended, not as interpreted by an actor. He reminds me a tiny bit of Earl Hamner narrating The Waltons (a good thing in my opinion).

Thank you, Mr Dugoni! Looking forward to more by you!!

23 of 24 people found this review helpful

It's pretty good

I downloaded this audiobook because it had amazing reviews. It is enjoyable and the characters come alive to a large degree. The author does a fine job narrating. I just found it to be a little too pat, a little too sentimental. The story wraps up a little too nicely. Maybe the lead character was a little too nice. I can't quite put my finger on it, but I just didn't love it.

41 of 44 people found this review helpful

Good story & an education

Ocular albinism. A condition most of us have likely never heard of, but around which Dugoni writes a good story. Rather heavily weighted in Catholic theology, but the family love at the core was always a delight. Not sure Dugoni was the best narrator for his story, but awarding 4 stars anyway.

8 of 8 people found this review helpful

Sensational

I enjoyed the narrator/authors voice and the connection to the characters. From beginning to the end I couldn’t wait to hear the rest. The characters are well formed and believable. Worth every minute of my time.

21 of 23 people found this review helpful

lazy ending

I had hoped for a better ending, the last bit just seemed lazy. Great idea and parts of this were very good.

13 of 14 people found this review helpful

Good story, awful reading

I think I would have liked this book more had I read it. I was excited that the author was also the reader, as I reasoned his personal connection had a lot of potential to make the story more robust. Unfortunately something about the voices used for the characters (hearing a man read for empowered female characters made the characters seem like cliched tropes. Don't get me started on the black character) and the consistent stumbles over words started to get very distracting. I also found the accents to be somewhat insulting - everything sounded like a bad caricature of an Irish accent and when the reader read in Spanish I physically cringed. I understand the personal connection to the story, but maybe it's a disservice to the overall work to not call in the experts.

43 of 50 people found this review helpful

It's a Rough Life for Sam but Turns Out Okay

At first I couldn't tell if this was supposed to be a YA book or for adults, but after the adult scenes I realized the mature themes weren't for kids.

Bullying, fear, honesty, faith, forgiveness, death, acceptance, alcoholism, child abuse, spousal abuse, sex outside of marriage, murder, stalking, prayers, miracles, and finances are some of the topics addressed in this story which starts at the protagonist's birth and extends into his middle age.

While you might expect a more fantasy/paranormal tale from the title, Sam Hell doesn't go in those directions. In the end, all the heartache Sam has lived through is in one way or another "redeemed". I won't spoil it for you, but it doesn't end on a downer.

Somewhat reflective of real life, the popular kids in school grow up to have a troubled adulthood. The bullies grow up to be bigger bullies. And the misfits are broken and remade by their troubles, finally coming into their own later in life, smart, solid, and successful.

21 of 24 people found this review helpful

Wow!

I really wasn't sure what to expect form this book, and I am so glad that I bought it.
The writing is so good that I felt it was a real life story, I loved the main characters, Mother was such a strong woman and made her son realise that he, alone, had to fight his own battles, though she was always there for support. I just loved all of the characters, and teared up frequently during my reading of this. I think that this is one of my favourite books of the year!

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

An extraordinary read!

Slow start, but bare with it, as the story pulls you in deep. Brilliant read!