Gone South

By: Robert R. McCammon

Narrated by: George Newbern

Length: 13 hrs and 33 mins

Publisher's summary

It was hell's season, and the air smelled of burning children.... With "one of the most arresting first sentences in contemporary writing" (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution), Robert McCammon unfurls his visionary masterpiece of survival, redemption, and the astonishing transformations love can create. Gone South chronicles a desperate man's journey through a desperate land, in "a gothic picaresque that mixes gritty plot and black comedy...a smoothly constructed and satisfying story" (The Wall Street Journal). Flooded by memories, poisoned by Agent Orange, Dan Lambert kills a man in a moment of fear and fury - and changes his life forever.

Pursued by police and bounty hunters, Dan flees south toward the Louisiana bayous. In the swamplands he meets Arden Halliday, a young woman who bears the vivid burdens of her own past and who is searching for a legendary faith healer called the Bright Girl. Looking for simple kindness in a world that rarely shows it, bound by a loyalty stronger than love, Dan and Arden set off on a journey of relentless suspense and impassioned discovery...over dark, twisting waterways into the mysterious depths of the human heart.

©1991 McCammon Corporation. All rights reserved. (P)2015 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.

Loved this book!

I enjoy all of Robert McCammon's books and this is up there as one of my favorites! Enjoy it! Ok

Quirky caper

I especially enjoyed this book after listening to a string of mediocre books. Robert McCammon delivers a solid tale of a decent man on the lam after committing a murder and the quirky characters he meets along the way. The narrator is very good and I smiled every time Pelvis spoke. But Dan's lines were delivered in a too-calm, sometimes upbeat manner which seemed unrealistic.
I continue to be amazed that I never heard of McCammon until I got my Audible account. The Matthew Corbett series is among the best I've read in decades.

My favorite listen this year.

Fabulously bizzare! Sad, funny, exciting, unforgettable characters, PERFECT ENDING! You cannot have a better time listening to a book. period!

An unexpected story

What amazing character development and a beautifully woven story. Rich imagery takes you from what seems like a straightforward tale to a twist and tangle of meaning and the building of connection through the most broken of characters. At the end, you don’t even see the brokenness - just the beauty.

Great novel

a departure from his horror and historic fiction novels. a story of redemption. Great read.

I have become a Robert McCammon fan!

I loved the book. I loved the characters and the setting, want more! looking for his next book now.

Amazing

I’m not a fan of horror. And although this book has its dark moments it’s so well written you move on from them and revel in the story. The performance is outstanding. What a wonderful narrator. Highly recommend !

George Newbern delivers big with this classic!

Listening to: “Gone South” last chapters/ last quarter or the book. A favorite. Dan (Protagonist- now wanted for two murders that were self defense in a stolen station wagon) with his new passenger Amber (16 year old girl with the left side of her face one huge birth mark; other side gorgeous) needing to find the: “Bright-girl” a rumored white which of the swamps in the Deep South. They are being chased by: “Clint” with his twin brother: “Flint” that is attached to Clint’s torso with only a neck and deformed head; one deformed arm with hand that hides under Clint’s shirts! He is accompanied by: “Pelvis Esley” a drop dead perfect Elvis look a like and doofus all day! Clint’s boss made him take Pelvis to train him. Oh, he has a Bulldog: “Mama” Pelvis takes everywhere much to Clint’s dismay! In the Swamp of the Deep South, they know the supernatural is as natural as the swamp-grass and humility that in-compasses the South. Whether good or evil; ghosts or demons- they all live here and are watching or waiting- or is “The Bright-girl” just another adolescent girl’s fantasy; a miracle worker that can remove her birthmark and save Dan? A very enjoyable; entertaining read/listen with suspense, terrifying settings and random characters, twists, turns and enough humor to keep the experience even more enjoyable!

it's not a horror novel...but very fun!

this popped up on a list of good horror novels from a YouTuber that I follow. that's the only reason I decided to read it.

but I loved the story and characters so much that I it didn't matter.

this is a hero's journey story of sorts. there's action, tragedy, violence, and a lot of comedy too.

the narrator is practically invisible...which is as it should be.

one tiny nit pick the ending felt a little rushed...but over all I really enjoyed it...an unexpected treat!

Tension and humor

A great variety of characters who are in tense situations and have hard choices to make. They and the author also have a sense of humor to lighten it up. Narrator is good, sometimes a bit 'sleepy' yet easy to listen to.