The Tracker

Sam Callahan, Book 1

By: Chad Zunker

Narrated by: Noah Berman

Length: 9 hrs and 12 mins

Publisher's summary

Trust no one. Sam Callahan learned this lesson from a childhood spent in abusive foster care, on the streets, and locked in juvie. With the past behind him and his future staked on law school, he is moonlighting as a political tracker, paid to hide in crowds and shadow candidates, recording their missteps for use by their opponents. One night, after an anonymous text tip, Sam witnesses a congressional candidate and a mysterious blonde in a motel indiscretion that ends in murder, recording it all on his phone.

Now Sam is a target. Set up to take the fall and pursued by both assassins and the FBI, he is forced to go on the run. Using the street skills forged during his troubled youth - as well as his heightened mental abilities - Sam goes underground until he can uncover who is behind the conspiracy and how far up it goes. A taut thriller with an unforgettable young hero, The Tracker is a heart-stopping debut from an exciting new voice.

Revised edition: This edition of The Tracker includes editorial revisions.

©2017 Chad Zunker (P)2016 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.

Just don't.

Ridiculous story line leading to an utterly unbelievable denouement. It is like something a high school English student might write. The narrator is ok. I have to give him credit for being able to get through the story without dissolving into laughter.

Almost Good

The story starts out very interesting, with suspense and an exciting premise. Immediately the adventure starts but the flaws are too many to overcome. Sam is being chased relentlessly by assassin's because he witnesses a murder in the course of his job following political canidates. I am drawn into the story, and really enjoy how he uses his former life in foster care and having lived on the streets his whole life to stay alive by using all the many ingenious things he learned in that horrible situation. To me this story goes down hill after a great beginning because the author seems bound to throw in a little romance that throws the whole rhythm off. It then becomes " The Hardy boy meets Nancy Drew. I was really disappointed. Also, everyone around him ends up dead, but there seems to be no sadness or remorse of this fact. Odd. Because I liked the character Sam I had to keep staying with it until close to the end and by then i just gave up. Anticlimactic ending to a possible great beginning. Sorry to say this, and others may not agree, but because of these flaws i just couldn't stick it out. it's still a book I recommend because the character Sam is really an interesting guy. For the price, a nice diversion.

WOW!! I can't wait for Book 2 in the series!

I listened to the first release of audio version of The Tracker and I posted a 5 star review on April 9, 2016 soon after it was released. In reading about the book recently on the author's page, I learned it was to be re-released on February 14, 2017 with some changes and another narrator. Since Audible no longer carries the original release which is in my Audible library, I decided to purchase the new release. (With my Kindle unlimited account the price is $2.99.) So now I have 2 audio copies and I do not plan to return either.

I listened to over 400 Audible books in 2016 and The Tracker easily ranks in the best one percent. It is simply an extraordinary suspense thriller. The protagonist Sam Callahan is a law student working on a congressional campaign in Texas tracking the opposition candidate when bad things start to happen. Author Chad Zunker is a great writing talent and story teller with this being his first released novel. The narrator of the first audio version was Justin D Torres who did a stellar job. Noah Berman does equally well narrating this re-release.

The differences in the first and second releases are not substantial, but they are sufficient to make it marginally better. The Tracker is a novel that I can VERY HIGHLY RECOMMEND without reservation to listeners regardless of their preferred genres.

Just okay

The plot was unrealistic and immature. The narration had no life. I just could not connect to the story.

Very Good!

I didn't have a lot of expectations from this book when I downloaded if. I just needed something to fill the time until one out my favorite authors was available. I found myself immediately engaged. The author did a great job of combining the past life of the main character with the present. I find many authors do a terrible job of transitioning to the past to provide essential background information. Not here; I enjoyed the back story as much as the main plot line. Looking forward to this author's next book.

Loved the book.

Any additional comments?

Loved the book and waiting for the next. Appreciated there was none of the foul language that many authors feel are required for a good book.

Entertained yes

Totally unbelievable but entertaining none the less. I would listen to another Sam Callahan story or something like it.

#2 in the wish list...

An introduction to Sam, we learn his whole story from the beginning and intertwined is his race to find the truth and save his life. I liked it, great introduction to the characters I am sure we will see in future stories, interesting plot involving the probable crookedness of politics and it's coverups and what lengths one will go to obtain the ultimate goal and finally a really good narration.

Young and old, who is this about.

Story jumped around so much, it was hard to keep up with which story was going on.
Made no sense most of the time. Even the ending was strange.

Sensational

A true delight from beginning to end. Creative, insightful & enlightening. Please provide more of this author's works.

A Fascinating Timeline

I just love how this story is told. It's a unique use of the flashback technique that tells you Everything you need or want to know about Sam, efficiently and elegantly whilst propelling the story in an exciting fashion.

In Sam you have a potentially unique genius who, having endured and survived a truly difficult and heart rending childhood, is just about to finally complete his law degree and become a much sought after legal mind.

Until a part time, stop gap job leads him to become sought after for all the wrong reasons! You cannot put this book down, as much as you may have other things to do, this book will keep you guessing and wondering how it can ever be successfully resolved!

I discovered this title as part of my Kindle Unlimited subscription. I doubt that I would have discovered it otherwise. This novel alone is worth the subscription fee! The narrator is well chosen, he gives the story credibility.

A totally engrossing listen. Enjoy!

Brilliant book

Slightly irritating that every chapter opens with a timeline countdown. Wears thin but other than that can't wait for next Sam Callahan!