Eutopia

A Novel of Terrible Optimism

By: David Nickle

Narrated by: Oliver Wyman

The year is 1911. In Cold Spring Harbour, New York, the newly formed Eugenics Records Office is sending its agents to catalogue the infirm, the insane, and the criminal - with an eye to a cull, for the betterment of all. Near Cracked Wheel, Montana, a terrible illness leaves Jason Thistledown an orphan, stranded in his dead mother's cabin until the spring thaw shows him the true meaning of devastation - and the barest thread of hope. At the edge of the utopian mill town of Eliada, Idaho, Doctor Andrew Waggoner faces a Klansman's noose and glimpses wonder in the twisting face of the patient known only as Mister Juke. And deep in a mountain lake overlooking that town, something stirs, and thinks, in its way: Things are looking up.

Eutopia follows Jason and Andrew as together and alone, they delve into the secrets of Eliada - industrialist Garrison Harper's attempt to incubate a perfect community on the edge of the dark woods and mountains of northern Idaho. What they find reveals the true, terrible cost of perfection - the cruelty of the surgeon's knife - the folly of the cull - and a monstrous pact with beings that use perfection as a weapon, and faith as a trap.

©2011 David Nickle (P)2011 Audible, Inc.

Dull

Would you try another book from David Nickle and/or Oliver Wyman?

I don't think I'll be looking for other titles from this author. The narrator was OK, not great, not bad. His narration tended to make me tune out unless there was something very interesting going on.

What do you think your next listen will be?

Hopefully something wonderful. I like long stories that keep me engaged for many days/weeks, full of detailed characters, settings and a well defined plot.

What aspect of Oliver Wyman???s performance would you have changed?

A little more energy and enthusiasm would've been welcome.

You didn???t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

I can't think of a single thing I did like about this story.

Any additional comments?

The dialogue of the characters in this book really annoyed me. The prim, proper English combined with the simple, almost juvenile way of speaking just didn't ring true with me. The characters were not very realistic and I didn't sympathize with any of them.
I found myself wondering what in the world was going on for most of this story, I just couldn't keep up with it. Whether it was because my attention kept wandering or because it wasn't explained very clearly I can't tell. Maybe it was a combination of both.

I Was Misled

What disappointed you about Eutopia?

From the book summary, the cover and the audio sample, I thought this book was about a social experiment gone horribly wrong and the impact it had on real people and families. Instead it is a story in the sci-fi/horror genre which is not a type of book I enjoy. As it got more and more

This is a horror story - not a distopian fiction

I probably could have figured this out myself if I read more of the reviews ahead of time. But from the book description I thought this might be more of a look into a distopian society...but it was really just a Stephen King style horror story.

Slow and confusing to follow.

I managed to finish it but the sci-fi went too far and was confusing to follow.

Eutopia

This is the FIRST book I've purchased from Audible that I didn't finish .....I wanted to but it just went on and on a on on and it lost me about 2/3 through. Very different.

Couldn't finish!

Would you ever listen to anything by David Nickle again?

No

Any additional comments?

I agree that the synopsis was extremely misleading. I didn't not expect a very silly scifi novel. This is the first book in years that I have not finished. I even went back and tried to give it a second chance, but was again disgusted by the contrived and unimaginative story.

19th Century horror/fantasy

What made the experience of listening to Eutopia the most enjoyable?

Good narrator! Love the historical touches.

What did you like best about this story?

It really should be either a novel about Eugenics gone wrong (can it go any other way?) or a horror story with supernatural beings -- not both. But it was fun trying to figure out the "mystery" and who was zoomin' who.

Entertaining

Any additional comments?

While not in the same league as Stephen King, the idea for the story was so unique that it kept my interest. Its nice to read something with an original approach. I found it well described and details seemed realistic for such a strange concept. I also liked the time period and the dialogue felt accurate historically.
The narrator was slightly above average in that he neither added or detracted to the story line. All in all I would say that it was worth my time to listen and with the exception of the ending, a well crafted book. While I would not rush out and buy another book from this author I would at least be motivated to explore his other works.

Wonderful prose

Any additional comments?

Though the story itself was sorely lacking (limited creativity), I remained glued to the book due to Nickle's exceptional prose; his descriptions easily painted images in my mind and helped me feel the thoughts and emotions of the story's many characters. It is seldom to read/listen to a book that is so finely crafted.

Not dystopian!

This is very much a horror story, not a dystopian story. Also, it was rather boring.