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The Son

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The Son

By: Philipp Meyer
Narrated by: Will Patton, Kate Mulgrew, Scott Shepherd, Clifton Collins Jr.
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About this listen

 THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
NOW A MAJOR TV SERIES starring Pierce Brosnan and co-written by Philipp Meyer

The critically acclaimed, New York Times-bestselling epic, a saga of land, blood and power, follows the rise of one unforgettable Texas family from the Comanche raids of the 1800s to the oil booms of the 20th century.

Eli McCullough is just twelve years old when a marauding band of Comanche storm his Texas homestead, brutally murder his mother and sister and take him captive. Despite their torture and cruelty, Eli - against all odds - adapts to life with the Comanche, learning their ways and language, taking on a new name, finding a place as the adopted son of the band's chief and fighting their wars against not only other Indians but white men too, which complicates his sense of loyalty, his promised vengeance and his very understanding of self. But when disease, starvation and westward expansion finally decimate the Comanche, Eli is left alone in a world in which he belongs nowhere, neither white nor Indian, civilized nor fully wild.

Deftly interweaving Eli’s story with those of his son Peter and his great-granddaughter JA, The Son maps the legacy of Eli’s ruthlessness, his drive to power and his lifelong status as an outsider, even as the McCullough family rises to become one of the richest in Texas, a ranching and oil dynasty that is as resilient and dangerous as the land they claim. Yet, like all empires, the McCulloughs must eventually face the consequences of their choices.

Panoramic, deeply evocative and utterly transporting, The Son is a masterpiece American novel - part epic of Texas, part classic coming-of-age story - that combines the narrative prowess of Larry McMurtry with the knife-edge sharpness of Cormac McCarthy.

'Stunning ... a book that for once really does deserve to be called a masterpiece' Kate Atkinson

'Magnificent ... McCarthy's Border Trilogy is a point of reference, as is There Will Be Blood, but it is not fanciful to be reminded of certain passages from Moby-Dick - it's that good'The Times

'Brilliant ... a wonderful novel' Lionel Shriver
©2013 Philipp Meyer (P)2013 Simon & Schuster Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Wild West Old West

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All stars
Most relevant  
the journey of eli is incredible. the detail of his growing up with Indians is fascinating.

captivating. at times brutal. brillian narration.

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An epic story following three generations of the same family. Brutal in places exploring prejudice and laying it bare. America will never be tamed, it is still at war. This book tells a vivid story and the narrators bring this story to life. Fabulous.

An incredible story

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Brilliant narration lets you live the emotions of the characters. Very enjoyable listen start to end.

Taste the frontier

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One of the all time great novels. Written and told in a unique and memorable way.

Phenomenal

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Fabulous, did not in any way detract from the mental pictures formed when reading for the first time. An extraordinary book. Read/hear it.

Masterful

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a wonderful story, with wonderful characters with some of the most magnificent narrators I've heard.
I've just finished it, and I'm already missing them.

wonderful!

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Amazing detail and beautiful writing. Gripping at times causing me to pause whatever I was doing just to take it all in. The research the writer did really shows.

Intricate. Graphic!

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I was really looking forward to this book as it had good reviews. I found it quite boring to be truthful

The son

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I'm not sure what was better, the fantastic performance by the voice talent or the storyline. I haven't read a book in years that was this good..I almost dreaded every new chapter because I knew it took me closer to the end of the book... an outstanding story, intertwined histories, thoughtful writing, and it really made me pause to think in many places about the passage of time, change, and the passing of traditions and learning between generations.

I didn't want this story to end...

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Split into different characters and timelines. I enjoyed some a lot more than others and the novel failed to really bring them all together into a cohesive piece. It felt disjointed throughout, though the writing and research is great and there are some wonderful moments. The story of the Comanches was the most engaging and poignant.

Saga of the old West and it's demise

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