The Twelve

Publisher's Summary

The end of the world was only the beginning.

In his internationally best-selling and critically acclaimed novel The Passage, Justin Cronin constructed an unforgettable world transformed by a government experiment gone horribly wrong. Now the scope widens and the intensity deepens as the epic story surges forward with...

The Twelve

In the present day, as the man-made apocalypse unfolds, three strangers navigate the chaos. Lila, a doctor and an expectant mother, is so shattered by the spread of violence and infection that she continues to plan for her child’s arrival even as society dissolves around her. Kittridge, known to the world as "Last Stand in Denver", has been forced to flee his stronghold and is now on the road, dodging the infected, armed but alone and well aware that a tank of gas will get him only so far. April is a teenager fighting to guide her little brother safely through a landscape of death and ruin. These three will learn that they have not been fully abandoned - and that in connection lies hope, even on the darkest of nights.

One hundred years in the future, Amy and the others fight on for humankind’s salvation...unaware that the rules have changed. The enemy has evolved, and a dark new order has arisen with a vision of the future infinitely more horrifying than man’s extinction. If the Twelve are to fall, one of those united to vanquish them will have to pay the ultimate price.

A heart-stopping thriller rendered with masterful literary skill, The Twelve is a grand and gripping tale of sacrifice and survival.

©2012 Justin Cronin (P)2012 Random House Audio

Critic Reviews

Named one of the Ten Best Novels of the Year by Time and Library Journal, and one of the Best Books of the Year by The Washington Post, Esquire, U.S. News & World Report NPR/On Point, and St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"[A] blockbuster." ( The New York Times Book Review)

"Magnificent...Cronin has taken his literary gifts, and he has weaponized them.... The Passage can stand proudly next to Stephen King’s apocalyptic masterpiece The Stand, but a closer match would be Cormac McCarthy’s The Road." ( Time)

TWO IN THIS SERIES IS ENOUGH

I listened to the first of this series "The Passage".This title was fun and fairly well written, but it was a little hard to follow and jumped around a bit. It was a new take on an old idea "vampires", and how they were created by the government to be super human fighters.
The second in this series "The Twelve" is more of the same, except it jumps timeline and from place to place so much that it is very hard to follow. I did like that it gave some more missing details and background. But I don't think it was worthy of an entire second part in this continuing series. It could have easily been edited and added to the first book. This second book seemed forced and predictable. Since it seemed to come to a satisfactory conclusion I will opt out on a third and final in the series.

104 of 112 people found this review helpful

So much awful dialogue I can't do the third book.

I don't think the author should write people of color because he's awful at it. I am also convinced that the first two books could easily have been one had the numerous superfluous boring internal and external conversations been eliminated - I won't do the 3rd

19 of 20 people found this review helpful

Twelve hours of boredom

This could have been a nice short story rather than a long drawn out epic novel.
I'd skip large portions of the book and pick it up a chapter or two later and not miss a beat.

19 of 20 people found this review helpful

Not as good at the first book

What did you like best about The Twelve: A Novel? What did you like least?

I loved the Passage and was very much looking forward to this new book. I purchased it as soon as it came out, however, it was dissapointing. I have to admit I felt a little cheated with this one. The story seemed dull comparison to the first book. If he writes another sequel I would buy it, with hope that it compares to the first book again.

9 of 9 people found this review helpful

Pointless

This book adds precious little to the story, but manages to do so for twenty six hours.

26 of 28 people found this review helpful

Overreaching

The Twelve tries to expand the story too much in one book. The author tries to keep the action fast-paced while juggling a multitude of characters in a series of related, but different stories. He jumps from one group of characters to the next so quickly that it becomes very difficult to follow when listening. Scott Brick's sing-song narration doesn't help, either. The resulting audio book is a disappointing follow up to The Passage.

The book really seems to fall apart around 22-23 hours. Switching back and forth between story lines came so frequently at this point that I had to put the book aside for awhile. I got so frustrated with Brick's sing-song, monotonous deliverance, I thought I would scream. I usually like Scott Brick, but not when a real performance is required to help distinguish the characters. It seems like Brick gets bored while reading long books, so he tends to drone on and on with little change in inflection, tone or cadence. If I remember correctly, three readers were used in the first book.

The book probably works better on paper than in audio. I find it easier to deal with a multitude of characters in a herky-jerky story when I can visually see the names and can quickly turn pages to reread a section. The Audible app doesn't allow you to easily go back or especially forward to listen to a part you didn't understand without frequent bookmarks or complicated fast forwards and inaccurate scrubbing.

Since this book is part of a trilogy, readers are certain to buy it, despite the reviews, to continue the story that began in The Passage. I plan on listening to both books again in hopes that I enjoy The Twelve more the second time. I have no idea how Cronin will handle the third book, but I hope it's more in the style of the first book and not the second. I also hope Brick steps up and gives the next book a performance that it deserves.

8 of 8 people found this review helpful

Will probably pass on the last installment

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

No, there is no "hope" in this story, no light at the end of the tunnel just doom and gloom.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

Some redeeming quality,action or feat that can save the world and human race.

What about Scott Brick’s performance did you like?

Always a winner.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Passages yes, this one no. Was simply too complex with all the characters and flipping back and forth between past, present and future.

Any additional comments?

Could hardly wait for this book to come out and purchased it immediately. It was a disappointment.

16 of 17 people found this review helpful

Not as good as The Passage

What disappointed you about The Twelve: A Novel?

Not nearly as good as the passage. Seems slower paced, contrived.

What was most disappointing about Justin Cronin’s story?

Preaching religion.

Have you listened to any of Scott Brick’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

He's okay.

Any additional comments?

Was really looking forward to this book after listening to The Passage. Not looking forward to third book.

7 of 7 people found this review helpful

Can I get my money back?

Would you try another book from Justin Cronin and/or Scott Brick?

Scott Brick is the best! He really needs to watch who he lends his voice to. I loved the first book of this trilogy and looked forward to the Twelve....I finally gave up waiting for it to get better by chapter 10. It's like being inside a schizophrenic mind. If you don't believe me read the Washington Post review. Wish I would have read it first.

What could Justin Cronin have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Wrote with some semblance of order.

Which character – as performed by Scott Brick – was your favorite?

None

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from The Twelve: A Novel?

How about all of it?

30 of 33 people found this review helpful

Piece of crap

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

6 year olds.

Has The Twelve: A Novel turned you off from other books in this genre?

yes

Would you be willing to try another one of Scott Brick’s performances?

no

What character would you cut from The Twelve: A Novel?

i would cut the book

Any additional comments?

having read and enjoyed The Passage immensely, i was eagerly awaiting to read the twelve. Only when I started, none of the stuff that I enjoyed in the previous book - the apocalyptic atmosphere, the chapters where Amy and Woldgast spend his last days in the cabin, utterly alone, none of it was anywhere to be found.
In fact this book is probably the biggest piece of crap i read in the recent years. A mediocre adventure book, which I at least three times forced myself to read to the end. Avoid it at all costs.

30 of 33 people found this review helpful