Huge Nesbo fan and I rate this as his best yet

Really surprised to read some of the negative reviews on this. They must have been listening to a different book.
Long but fast paced and just a really gripping tale that had me hooked to the end. I thought the ending was just perfect and didn’t see it coming in the classic nesbo way. As always flourless narration from Barrett. Sad when it was over

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19 people found this helpful

where the mountain is king

this story unfolded slowly, like a growing plant, leaf by leaf, layer by layer. 2 brothers: Roy and Carl, stewards of their hostile but beautiful small holding in "the kingdom"; their heritage and live their lives under the rule of the mountain; survive or be annihilated.
this is crafted so eloquently by Jo Nesbo and the fine detail gives atmospheric beauty to a dark story. these brothers are 2 damaged people who have been hewn out of this savage wild land and I still have sympathy for them when all is done.
the melifulence of Sean Barrett's reading calms the listener as he tells the story in fine detail, well nuanced, and exposes the raw underbelly of this community. Carl's childhood nightmare " we were in jail for murder, we killed each other" haunts the story as each chapter reveals love, betrayal and destruction.

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14 people found this helpful

A fantastic but dark listen.

Another really great book from Jo Nesbo. Very different pace and feel to the Harry Hole series, more reminiscence of Head Hunters.
An interesting plot that is never predictable, but there is a sombre feel to the whole book which ventures into some pretty dark places making for a difficult listen at times.

I can see some of the Harry Hole fan club won't like this one, but personally I think this is one of his best. Just not much of a 'pleaser'.

Sean Barrett's narration is brilliant as always.

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1 person found this helpful

A good listen

Sean Barrett makes anything sound good.
I enjoyed the story. Interesting to hear something by Jo Nesbo that wasn't Harry Hole.

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1 person found this helpful

Good but not great

thought the book was stretched out too far to make it one of his best. it was very well performed as a audio book

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another Nesbo smash!

one of the reviews I read before buying the book said 'if you love Nesbo, you'll love this.... why are you still reading???'. from the first grating sentences I was hooked! fantastically read, Nesbo does it again!

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A mixed bag

this is not like he's usual books ,It was slow and I was gonna give up half way though,but I carried on was hoping on a strong finish, but No it wasn't to be .
I am disappointed.

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Like being carried over a waterfall

This book is long, and it starts slowly; so slowly, in fact, that I briefly wondered whether I should give up. I'd bought it on the basis of reading Nesbo before, but this was evidently a very different, standalone novel. Then - without my noticing at first - it began to exert this tightening grip, as the narrator in whose mind you've happily been riding gradually, calmly, becomes something else entirely - without ceasing to be who you thought he was in the first place. There are horrifying, even sickening moments; there is a steel trap of a plot, with real and convincing characters and awful revelations that you realize you had been primed to see all along. And it remains (astonishingly) a humane, deeply serious novel, about the damage people do and are capable of, and about (all kinds of) love. I was blown away by this book.

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Polished Nordic grimness

The writer and the narrator are both top drawer. The 17 hours of audio never lets up, but I had to give it long pauses as the depths that Nesbo goes into the darkness of these folk up in the mountains is quite a sucker punch and I needed some oxygen. Still recommend it highly. It’s certainly not Georgette Heyer.

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1 person found this helpful

Dark and brooding Scandi Noir

It took me a while to get into this, but when I did it was thoroughly absorbing. A dark and brooding story line set in rural Norway. Sean Barrett is perfect as narrator. Probably a touch longer than necessary but that's my only minor gripe.

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