Pines

This was a very interesting and fast paced story. It has a solid plot and fairly well done characters and stays pretty riveting throughout. The ending is a surprise, and ties everything together in a way that makes for a really unique idea. The reader does a great job too. I wonder about its classification- it is listed as mystery/thriller. It does have that - there is mystery and at times it is thrilling. However, I would have classed it as science fiction since I think that was the most dominant genre- that and a touch of horror.

One small complaint though, and this may stem from the genre the writer is trying to produce for - I think it would have been a stronger book without all the torture. I know that is popular and some peole are drawn to it - whole films have been made in recent years that revolve entirely around people being tortured in various ways. It isn't that I am too squeemish or uptight for it, though I do find it uncomfortable at times. More so I just don't find it particularly creative or interesting - ask anyone you know to think of the most horrible ways to hurt and kill someone. Everyone will quickly have lots of ideas. Particularly with a story as strong as this one, with so much that makes it interesting, and so much tension and mystery, I thought this was a major distraction at times. There were points at which clearly it made sense as it was integrated into the story and necessary, but for large portions I thought it served no real purpose and was far more detailed than it needed to be and found myself waiting for those bits to end so we could get back to the good stuff.

Also, it seems like it would have been more interesting if the antagonists had ways of interacting with the hero and with the good guys in ways that didn't always have torture as the main defining interaction - if the " I will now torture and kill you in horrible ways" wasn't the main motivation at all times... It seems a constant threat and, in the end, when we find out what has gone on, what this was all about, it particularly doesn't seem in keeping with the purpose behind the story. I can't give examples without giving spoilers so will leave it at that... As I said, I know it is popular among some audiences, but I really think this author is solid and creative enough to write a really great story without all that - or at least without it factoring so large in the book.

So those of you like me, who are not interested by that, and those of you that really hate that stuff have been warned. However, as I said, there is a lot going for this story and I found it very entertaining and was eager to find out what would happen and what all this was about... So overall, I think it is a pretty good experience and would recommend it.

Yes I would recommend this book. I love the Twilight Zone, Outer Limits, and The Dark Side television shows and this book combined with a little horror mimicked the style of these series. I could not stop listening and found excuses to continue listening. Horror for the sake of horror becomes boring but mix in a little mind twist, a dash of Sci Fi, and "I did not see that coming" and horror becomes the "PINES".

The chase!

OH YES!!!!

Worth the credit.

While I listened to the entire story, it just didn't grab me like I would have wished it to. Too many aborted escapes, too many chases--this took up the great majority of the story. I would have enjoyed it a bit more had the protagonist been somewhat more developed and likeable. I felt I never got to know who this man was. He certainly wasn't the overdone superhero type, yet I found him to be somewhat of a cardboard character. I really didn't care what happened to him, thus there was no tension for me.

On the positive side, I did like the ending. It was unexpected and different. However, it was not a theme I would want to revisit in a sequel.

Additionally, the narrator did a good job which added to the ease of this listen.

The Twilight Zone
The more I listened to this the more I thought the Twilight Zone. An isolated town. A man who does not know who he is. No road in or out. How did he get here? What do they want with him? What about the strange town folk?

As I read other reviews, I found lots of people compared this to The Twilight Zone. The book is fast paced, with lots of twists and turns. It has fear and Science Fiction. This is the type of book I eat up. Every page, every sentence is exciting, no wasted space here.

I had never even heard of Blake Crouch, but thinks to someone I am following, I was lead to this masterpiece. Finding someone who has similar taste to your own is the biggest benefit to being an Audible member. There are so many books and authors. Taste vary so much. Often I have been disappointed by books with high ratings, but rarely does that happen when I take the advise of this individual I am following. This is the sixth book, she has recommended that I have read and they were all five star books. I might just go down her list of five star books and listen to them all. I also like a reviewer who can tell you what books are not so good. Bad reviews often lead to unhelpful votes by those who love the author, but I appreciate knowing a story falls short, has a bad narrator, is chick lit, wastes the time of a person of my taste. If you have been burned too many times, take the time to find reviewers who match your taste. Don't follow me if I don't match your style, but do yourself a favor and find the people who do match your tastes and review books yourself, not just the books you love, but the not so good and the bad, someone may be depending upon you.

This is the best book I have listen to in months.

You've crossed over into The Twilight Zone.

<br/>wow. what a great story! the pines is a great mix-up of different types of genres that come together that make up a thrilling listen. the story starts out simple enough.<br/><br/>ethan burke wakes up in a field not knowing where he is or who he is. all he knows is that he's injured. as he shambles toward the town, he starts to remember a few things. he runs into a few kind people who notice his terrible bruises and offer him help, but he doggedly says he can make it the couple of blocks to the hospital. however, something's nagging at him. he's trying to remember a name, a name that has caused this pain. along his way, he stops at a phone booth and notices how skinny the phone book is. it's only 8 pages. so he starts reading through it until he recognizes part of a name- mac. that name arouses anger in him so he stalks off to confront mac.<br/><br/>as ethan begins investigating the missing secret services agents, he notices things aren't what they seem in this small idyllic town. what follows is a creepy secret that is slowly revealed about the town, wayward pines. the more the story unfolded, the more engrossed i became in wanting to know what the heck is going on.<br/><br/>the story is delicious to listen to. throw in a little shutter island to develop some intrigue, add a little tales from the dark side to get your heart pounding, add a dash of logan's run to keep you guessing, and finish with a red pill to add a matrix-like twist to blow your mind!<br/><br/>overall, an excellent story that will keep you listening late into the night. it's definitely one of those stories you'll remember long after listening to it.<br/><br/>NOTE: at the time of this review, the audio book is on sale for $4.95. I recommend you download it immediately as it is a steal. i paid regular price, and it was worth every dollar!

One word, 2 letters. WOW! This offering from Blake Crouch and narrated exquistely by Paul Garci, is a winner, and moves to my all time best list.

The plot twists, the choices the characters need to make, the challenges and nuances, are all there, with occasional gore and violence, but nothing gratuitous, at least in my estimation.

Granted, there is some, if not a lot, of belief suspension required to complete the story line, but once you have digested this, the story plot does clarify, and the resolution does promote thought and consideration at the the end.

I recommend this book to fantasy, sci fi and mystery readers most highly.

With over 4,000 reviews, I'm sure there's nothing that I can add to the list of great reviews. I loved it. As soon as my mind adjusted to the "Twilight Zonish" feel to the book, I couldn't put it down. When I finished, I immediately purchased book 2. I sped through that in a day and was immediately onto book 3. It's a great trilogy! Just sad to see it end.

Just finished one heck of a ride. I do not want to describe the plot for fear of disclosing too much. It is THAT kind of story. Plenty of twists and turns and a big bang ending. You will not want to stop listening. The story grabs you and does not let go. Great performance and great story. I really hope there is a sequel.

As the story unfolds it becomes less believable. We have an agent of the US government who appears to be marooned in a small town, and he seems to remain clueless and helpless through much of the story. It does remind me of the kind of artificial plot lines that showed up in some of the mediocre episodes of the Twilight Zone TV series

The "reveal" at the end of the novel is even less believable. I can not see me ever buying any further installments to this series.

Masterful storytelling. Spun with just the right amount of suspense and character development. Not too much, not too little. I didn't see it coming and I loved it! The narrator was great and brought the character to life. My only complaint is that I was up half the night because I could NOT stop listening. I will be wanting more from the author. It was simply brilliant!