
Big Machine
A Novel
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Narrated by:
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Sean Crisden
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By:
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Victor LaValle
About this listen
Ricky Rice is a middling hustler with a lingering junk habit, a bum knee, and a haunted mind. A survivor of a suicide cult, he scrapes by as a porter at a bus depot in Utica, New York, until one day a mysterious letter arrives, summoning him to enlist in a band of paranormal investigators comprised of former addicts and petty criminals, all of whom had at some point in their wasted lives heard what may have been the voice of God.
Infused with the wonder of a disquieting dream and laced with Victor LaValle's fiendish comic sensibility, Big Machine is a mind-rattling mystery about doubt, faith, and the monsters we carry within us.
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Performance
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14
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Overall
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Performance
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There are some odd things about Nate’s new apartment. Of course, he has other things on his mind. He hates his job. He has no money in the bank. No girlfriend. No plans for the future. So while his new home isn’t perfect, it’s livable. The rent is low, the property managers are friendly, and the odd little mysteries don’t nag at him too much. At least, not until he meets Mandy, his neighbor across the hall, and notices something unusual about her apartment. And Xela’s apartment. And Tim’s. And Veek’s.
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Super solid listen!!
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
It’s been a decade since Trumanell Branson disappeared, leaving only a bloody handprint behind. Her pretty face still hangs like a watchful queen on the posters on the walls of the town’s Baptist church, the police station, and in the high school. They all promise the same thing: We will find you. Meanwhile, Tru's brother, Wyatt, lives as a pariah in the desolation of the old family house, cleared of wrongdoing by the police but tried and sentenced in the court of public opinion and in a new documentary about the crime.
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On the edge of my ladder
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Featured Article: Looking for a Fright? Here Are the Best Contemporary Horror Authors to Listen to Right Now
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Really enjoyed this narrator !
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Peters out at the end
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I like Victor LaValle. The dude is crazy good. I didn’t read anything about this one prior to picking and digging right in. I don’t really need to with LaValle. I know it is going to be weird, interesting, entertaining and smart. I also know that most of the time I won’t know wtf is going on or where it’s going. The only thing I’ll know for sure is that it won’t be what I think it is…and that’s a good thing.
Cockeyed gospels, soul eating cats, chaffing nipples, heavenly voices, churches made from Clay and an epic road trip with the Grey Lady.
There were elements and concepts here that were truly superb and others that felt a little forced and flat. I still liked it though. Not my favorite of Victor’s, but even that is better than a lot of guys (gals) can do.
Victor LaValle is good. Real good.
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Great work by an amazing author
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No more
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Overall though, I liked this book. The narrator's reading & performance were superb. I liked it, not loved it like I did "The Changeling" but it was good & I loved the very deep & thought provoking sentiments surrounding the topics of trauma, religion/faith, redemption, recovery, & second chances.
I just hate that it ends on something of a cliffhanger and I'm pretty certain that from when the book was published, there doesn't seem to be a sequel in the works. So I'll just have to sit with that I guess.
Another Good One From Mr. Lavalle
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Great narrator
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Doubt is a big machine.
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My favorite by this author!
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Weird but amazing!
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