A Stained White Radiance

A Dave Robicheaux Novel, Book 5

De: James Lee Burke

Narrado por: Mark Hammer

Duración: 12 h y 8 m

Resumen del Editor

From the best-selling author who "can touch you in ways few writers can" (The Washington Post), James Lee Burke's fifth Dave Robicheaux novel is now an audiobook.

Cajun police detective Dave Robicheaux knows the Sonnier family of New Iberia - their connections to the CIA, the mob, and to a former Klansman now running for state office. And he knows their past - as dark and murky as a night on the Louisiana bayou. An assassination attempt and the death of a cop draw Robicheaux into the Sonniers' dangerous web of madness, murder and incest. But Robicheaux has devils of his own. And they've come out of hiding to destroy the tormented investigator - and the people he holds most dear.

Filled with the usual Burke combination of brilliant action and a stunning novelistic theme, A Stained White Radiance will keep Burke's fans riveted - and win him many new ones.

©1992 James Lee Burke (P)2012 Simon & Schuster

Reseñas de la Crítica

"James Lee Burke is the best writer of detective fiction on the American scene and A Stained White Radiance is proof.... It takes the crime novel into places it's never gone before." ( San Francisco Examiner)

Where oh where is Will Patton??

What a narrator!! All characters sounded the same except the child and Clete Purcell. If I had not been listening closely I would have been confused after the first hour. I wondered how I had missed this book in the series and now I know! No more Mr. Hammond for me thank you!!! I really didn’t want to give 5 stars to any part but I don’t know how to erase them. Only 1 star to performance and 4stars to overall.

More politics than I like.

Somebody with the talent of James Lee Burke would do well to leave his left wing leanings out of a good story. Most who doesn't hold the same beliefs are relegated to beer swilling, toothless, ignorant characters. The rest are corrupt officials and politicians. Lots of Republican and right-wing references but never any mention of the Klan origins. The insults are mostly just subtle and cruel.

A great writer at work here

James Lee Burke is a gifted writer, very few writers have his talent. This book takes the storyline and characters into some dysfunctional waters, there are some twists and turns and moments when you can be immersed in the world of South Louisiana and taken by the beautiful dialog and become a part of the world and scene. The series is amazing and pulls no punches in looking at uncomfortable topics. If you crave to find a writer with talent and want to be taken with great narration that is a match to some of the best dialog I have ever listened to then this is a series to get into.
Recommended enthusiastically.

Sensations

What did you love best about A Stained White Radiance?

James Lee Burke has the ability to create the stage of new Iberia. I can see it, feel it,and smell it in my mind. Thank you for the experiences. I wait for each new release.

Great story line, great book series. Horrible narrator

James Lee Burke’s Dave Robicheaux series is a wonderful collections of books that I started years ago. The author is a very talented guy and I really do love his work. However the narrator (M. Hammer) on this particular recording, and the other recordings in the series by the same narrator, are just impossible to get through for me. His pronunciations of French/Cajun names and words is pretty rough to start with. Then there is the accent he uses. I think this guy is under the impression that very single person from Louisiana is an uneducated wretch who cannot speak correctly or without sounding like they have spent their entire lives in a backwoods southern trailer park where half the people are cooking methamphetamines. I tried and tried again to keep going with this book but ultimately decided to just order the paperback online so I didn’t have to hear Mark Hammer’s version. I even returned this book to audible. At the time of the review, I have 150 books in my audible library and this is only the second book I have ever returned. And it’s the first book I have ever written a review of. The narrator’s performance is just that bad.

“A Stained White Radiance” seems to be just as good as the author’s other works, I really want to stress that. This negative review is 100% about the narrator, Hammer. Not about the author or the series. Will Patton is the other narrator in this series and he does a wonderful job with the Dave Robicheaux story. I have listened to all of the Patton narrated non-abridged Robicheaux novels by Burke. They are all worth the time I spent listening to them. I hope Patton will record the books originally done by M. Hammer to complete the series. But until then, I will be reading paperback copies of the Hammer recorded Robicheaux audio books.

Entertaining, but not my favorite story.

First off, I love the Dave Robicheaux novels and have read most of them more than once. I prefer Will Patton as the narrator, but Mark Hammer has really stepped up his game in the last few books. As usual, this book was very detailed, well written, and entertaining, but I found the premise of the story to be rather mediocre. Nothing special. Obviously that is just my opinion and it's not realistic to expect all 20 or so novels to have a stellar story. So as long as it stays true to the characters and is engaging, then who cares?! I still enjoyed the book (even my 2nd time reading it), but I just found myself not really caring about what was happening in the story. If you enjoyed the previous Dave Robicheaux novels, definitely check this one out.

James Lee Burke, what else can you say

OK, I started this series somewhere in the middle. But I reached a point where narrator Will Patton brings Burke's books to life in an extraordinary way. I was so prejudiced to Patton as narrator that I didn't really want to go back to the earlier narrators to get the complete series.
But audible has its wily ways, offering the earlier books in special offerings that I bite on and this is one of them. I suppose I will eventually get them all listened to.

This is a typical Dave Robicheaux novel. Dave is his usual conflicted self, the recovering alcoholic, the tormented Viet Nam vet, the detective who tries to do the right thing but will go over the edge if the circumstance warrants. In this story he gets involved with a family from the wrong side of the tracks that he grew up with, knows their history, even likes them all, and even dated the sister in high school. All of them are up to questionable activities even as adults but Dave is pulled into their lives, their seeming webs of deceit. And, of course, there are plenty of bad guys, local and out of New Orleans, that keep things interesting, keep Dave and his pal, Clete Purceel, occupied trying to solve the crimes, set things right.

You even forget that Will Patton isn't narrating and Mark Hammer does a serviceable job.

Bottom line is, James Lee Burke does his usual job of writing a great story.

A Stained White Radiance

Love all Burke’s books. Love the Robicheaux series. And love Mark Hammer as narrator! Well done!

excellent

James Lee Burke never disappoints. Outstanding narration as well. I wish I had read this series in order!

Louisiana Love

What made the experience of listening to A Stained White Radiance the most enjoyable?

I like the interaction between Dave and his daughter. He's such a nice guy and tough cop. His patience with his sick wife is refreshing.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

I got a bit confused at the end so I think this one is a definite re-listen. Not my favorite storyline. I found it a little difficult to concentrate on the story. Not sure why unless I just missed something in the beginning and can't make the pieces fit.

What about Mark Hammer’s performance did you like?

Good pace, great dialects, great rhythm to his story telling. I just think maybe the story was a bit lacking. Still it's worth the listen.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Because of the length it was difficult but did finish in two days.