Gone South

By: Robert R. McCammon

Narrated by: George Newbern

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.

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!

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.

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.

Incredible and unexpected odyssey!

The story was surprising at every turn. Heroes and anti-heroes that had me cheering and giggling the entire time! It's a great escape, a strange and believable world. Intelligent literary parallels but entirely entertaining. I loved this book!

Great story!

As a Louisiana girl, it's nice to read a book about my home state that takes place in locations other than New Orleans. Shreveport, Alexandria, Houma... and even my hometown of Monroe gets a couple mentions!

The story is a fine example of Southern Gothic, and the characters are true Southern Grotesques that are wonderfully interesting.

However, the production team for the audio should have consulted a Louisianian about the pronunciations of certain places, because no viscerally cringed at the mispronunciations of Thibodaux and Acadiana. 😅

great story

This was a slow starter as most of McCammon stories are, but super story. Narrator, George Newbern was good on all characters

Oh MAMA!

Kept me in high tension while being sarcastic. Great story by McCammon, great performance by George Newbern.

Quirky Crime Quest

McCammon is my favorite author.This wasn't his best title but it's still pretty darn entertaining. The voice and writing are always crisp. The story is engaging and imaginative with a hook that pulls you right in. I found the bounty hunters a bit more comedic than necessary. Personal preference I'd have preferred ruthless and coldblooded, but therein lies the quirk. Also the ending third was a bit muddled and character motivations became questionable. It seemed to slightly lose its footing and try to grasp too many things, but everything was resolved by the end.

The narrator, who was perfect for Boy's Life, was a tad too young and chipper for the gruff Vietnam vet character, but he has a nice southern twang and does a decent job. These are minor things that took the 5th star but it's a solid read.

loveable

I do like that kind of book, where no one is really a bad person but has its quirks, with a lot of hope, a glimpse of surnatural, action, adventure and redemption. An easy listen for those seeking distraction!