Alternate Routes

De: Tim Powers

Narrado por: Bronson Pinchot

A new novel from award-winning master of fantasy and science fiction Tim Powers. A modern ghost story as only Tim Powers can write it.

Something weird is happening to the Los Angeles freeways - phantom cars, lanes from nowhere, and sometimes unmarked off-ramps that give glimpses of a desolate desert highway - and Sebastian Vickery, disgraced ex-Secret Service agent, is a driver for a covert supernatural-evasion car service. But another government agency is using and perhaps causing the freeway anomalies, and their chief is determined to have Vickery killed because of something he learned years ago at a halted Presidential motorcade.

Reluctantly aided by Ingrid Castine, a member of that agency, and a homeless Mexican boy, and a woman who makes her living costumed as Supergirl on the sidewalk in front of the Chinese Theater, Vickery learns what legendary hell it is that the desert highway leads to - and when Castine deliberately drives into it to save him from capture, he must enter it himself to get her out.

Alternate Routes is a fast-paced supernatural adventure story that sweeps from the sun-blinded streets and labyrinthine freeways of Los Angeles to a horrifying other world out of Greek mythology, and Vickery and Castine must learn to abandon old loyalties and learn loyalty to each other in order to survive as the world goes mad around them.

©2018 Tim Powers (P)2018 Recorded Books

Reseñas de la Crítica

“Powers continues his run of smashing expectations and then playing with the pieces in this entertaining urban fantasy...this calculated, frenetic novel ends with hope for redemption born from chaos. Powers’ work is recommended for urban fantasy fans who enjoy more than a dash of the bizarre.” (Publishers Weekly)

WOW just let go and believe it's real

There is no way to explain the story in just a few words. It's a wild burst of imagination with constant action. Speed up to 1.25 or so as it helps keep the story rushing on. You get dumped right into the story and learn as you read.

Another great story

This is another great book from a great author. There are several twists and turns. The very premise it is based on is intriguing. I recommend it!

Interesting ideas, but a bit slow

The performer was whispering through most of the book, making listening in the car difficult, but not so much that I was motivated to give up on the book. Tim Powers always has original and interesting ideas, but as with some of his other work the story is slow to build. Overall a decent addition to his library and worth reading, but maybe better off on paper.

Hard story Great Performance by Bronson Pinchot

The story is hard to get into. Takes off a little before half way through, then gets muddled toward the last 1/3. It’s a very hard story to tell and Pinchot does a great job.

Powers is always solid.

Tim Powers never disappoints. But, I must admit that I'm not always smart enough to grasp his drug-fueled craziness. Doesn't matter. Powers will always be on my shelves next to, Thompson, Kadrey, Gaiman, and Bukowski.

Audible perfection!

Tim Powers AND Bronson Pinchot??!! I've died and gone to heaven ..This book is an incredible homage to LA, noir, mythology, ghost stories and what it means to be family - all wrapped up in Tim Powers' multileveled and multilayered storytelling. It's action packed, intellectually challenging and poignant. Obviously, I'm a fan girl and this book will take place along my other Powers favorites. As far as narration goes - more fan girling over Bronson Pinchot's pitch perfect delivery of this complicated tale ..simply amazing.
Powers may not be everyone's cup of tea - he really does give the imagination a workout - but if you like meat on the bones of a good story - I'd spend that credit!

Average Powers, exceptional compared to most

Powers excels with his signature style of incorporating big ideas, history and mythology into a thriller format.

Earth-Shattering Action

Some of Powers’ best recent work. Not a fan of Bronson Pinchot’s narration style, so I’ll probably try to read the hardcovers I have of the next two books in the series.

Less than the sum of its parts

I was thrilled to find a new series, in a genre I enjoy, read by one of my favourite narrators. But I found this to be a slog to get through.

Bronson Pinchot is in my top 3 favourite narrators, but his reading of this was oddly… low energy? It seemed like he was trying to keep his voice down so as to not disturb the people in the next room or something. It didn’t help that the story would often have a perspective change occur without a chapter divider to demarcate it. I would frequently lose track of what was happening as a result, and this was probably made worse by Pinchot’s reading not holding my attention.

I suspect the root issue for me here was I just didn’t find the story all that compelling, despite the interesting premise and ideas.

Crazy fun

A strange story and totally enjoyable. There are bits of Dante’s Inferno, Greek mythology, LA freeways - such a wonderful mash.