Eclipse

Alexander Cleave is in search of himself as he returns to his childhood home after a career as an actor. Author John Banville tells Cleave's story in a ceaselessly introspective narrative that might encourage some readers to skim, particularly as the plot is being slowly established early in the story. Unfortunately, audiobook listeners do not have the luxury of skimming over the slow spots. Bill Wallis does his masterful best, using changes of inflection and pace to vary the narration, but this character study is not well suited to audio and risks losing listeners impatient for "something to happen." A.C.S. (c) AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine


ECLIPSE is a particularly timely novel as Richard North Patterson weaves an intricate story of corrupt politics in big oil, the birth pangs of an emerging African nation, and the struggles of a charismatic leader to end massive human rights abuses. Peter Francis James holds together the many threads of this complex story as the characters and scenes shift from the jungles of fictional Luandia to California. James is especially adept in his use of accents, shifting seamlessly between American and West African characters. His British-tinged English sounds totally authentic. This thriller combines the talents of a seasoned storyteller and an accomplished narrator. M.O.B. (c) AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine

Starred review from October 20, 2008
This stellar legal thriller from bestseller Patterson (Exile
) both informs and entertains. On the eve of getting a divorce, Damon Pierce, a 40-year-old partner in a huge San Francisco, Calif., law firm, who specializes in international litigation, e-mails Marissa Brand, a woman he was once in love with in college, to update her on his life. Marissa is married to Bobby Okari, a firebrand reformer whose Nigeria-like country, Luandia, is awash in oil. With these riches come the usual scenarios: ecological disasters, a brutal dictator with murderous henchmen, a rapacious foreign oil company and an oppressed populace. After everyone in Okari's village is slaughtered, Bobby is arrested for the lynching of three oil workers. Damon, because he's a good man and because he's still in love with Marissa, signs on to defend Bobby from the bogus charge. Patterson has exerted all his considerable skill in creating a nightmare atmosphere that will cling to readers long after the last page is turned. Author tour.

Starred review from March 2, 2009
Patterson, a former lawyer turned bestselling fiction author, returns with his latest thriller featuring Damon Pierce, a down-and-out lawyer who finds fresh purpose when contacted by a former lover whose husband is being held captive in the West African nation of Luandi. Peter Francis James takes command of the material, offering up realistic African dialects that chillingly convey the hostage’s terror and the ruthlessness of his captors. James’s vocal ability creates a stirring experience that is at once personal and emotional while entertaining and theatrical, making for a truly rousing performance. A Holt hardcover (Reviews, Oct. 20).