Brilliant but...

I nearly abandoned this book in favour of a print version. The narrator started off at such a gallop it was hard to follow.The volume needs pushing up because the whole book is a little quieter than usual. Except for Gus... anytime he speaks, he shouts. So it was uncomfortable trying to hear one minute and having my ears blown off the next. But I got into it and I'm glad I stuck with it. The narrator settled into a better pace and really brought the characters to life. Its a wonderful book and really paints a vivid picture of the gritty living and harsh realities of the first settlers and to an extent the native Indians. Enjoy!

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6 people found this helpful

Best talking book I have heard

It is long, but for the first time ever I finished a talking book and went back to start all over again - and some of the chapters I had already played twice over anyway. I frequently found myself taking longer walks or sitting in the car after I'd arrived at my destination simply to hear more or to hear it again. If you have never read a Western, don't let that put you off as I hadn't either; just consider this a fabulous story, a work of historical fiction that happens to be set in the American West. I came to care deeply about many of the characters and am now going back to read the "prequel" books to find out more about them. Lonesome Dove is nothing less than a masterpiece, one I cannot believe I had never come across before. The reading could not be bettered. Have only bought 20+ audio books so far, but have heard many, many others over the years and this is the best.

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1 person found this helpful

Probably the best book ever?

What can I say, I’m completely devastated to have finished this book. I was unsure to start with but I think that’s because it’s not my usual genre, but wow the performance completely transports you to the harsh plains of the Wild West and the narrator’s ability to change his voice is unbelievable. There are many characters with different intertwining stories that will have you completely immersed into their world and lives. I wish I could experience this book for the first time all over again.

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Here's to the sunny slopes of long ago...

Wow ; What a great tale. Takes a while to get going, but once the cattle drive starts then the story starts. The narration is everything and it's pretty good here. I could almost smell grass of the plains, the cattle and horses . The relationship between Gus and Woodrow was handled well. The pacing is pretty interesting all the way through. Only part I wasn't fond of was the ending ; there wasn't one to speak of. But don't let it put you off. It won that Pulizer for a reason.

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A masterpiece of a novel, enriched by wonderful narration

A true masterpiece of a novel - one that immerses you fully in the lives of the rich, complex characters and the landscape of the much fabled western frontier. Hilarious and heart breaking in equal measure, it has that essential quality of all good novels in making you feel the full range of human emotions and transporting you completely to the journey it describes.

The narration only enriches the novel, adding complexity and nuance to the characters and clearly delineating between them. You’ll be left standing breathlessly on the Great Plains long after the story ends.

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Much more than a western

One of my all time favourite novels, an epic story with wonderful characters. Lee Horsely narrates it brilliantly...I thought his accent was too strong at first, but I settled into it quickly and he does the voice of Augustus McCray perfectly. Try it even if you don't like westerns...it's a story about the end of an era, loss, getting old and the beauty and wonder you can find in life despite terrible hardships and suffering.

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brilliant

Loved every moment, the narrator was incredible. Will definetly listen to this one again.

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Outstanding

Brings one of the greatest ever novels alive in the most spectacular way. A delight and a life experience. Not not miss.

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4 people found this helpful

What a journey

This was the first Western I had read. Until about an hour or so in I was skeptical. It seemed slow with not much happening. I’m glad I did keep listening, because I ended up hooked.

You grow attached to the story and it’s characters. Listening to it, it’s as though you were right there with them. What’s more, it contains every conceivable emotion you could think of. Human nature was captured wonderfully. You’ll likely feel almost a sense of loss at no longer being part of the world when you finish it.

The narration was perfect for the story. Albeit it, the voice for Gus did take a bit of getting used to. I don’t know whether it developed into less of a shout or I just got used to it. Either way, it was fine after a while.

More than worthy of the plaudits it receives

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36 hours of sheer pleasure! Cannot recommend highly enough

What a brilliant gripping story of ordinary people caught up in the brutality of the colonial project. A corrective to the simplistic western, it is subtle, ironic, often funny, frequently tragic. The characters are superbly drawn, and Mcmurty is a male writer who depicts female characters with depth and complexity. Narration absolutely pitch perfect.

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