Hammurabi Road

A Tale of Northern Ontario Vengeance

By: Steve Vernon

Narrated by: Robert Thaler

Hammurabi Road is a dark redneck-noir novella of retribution, backwoods justice, and getting closer to a black bear than was ever dreamed possible. We start off with the eternal triangle - four men ride out in a pick-up truck; three in front and one duct-taped and bound in the back. It is a clear-cut case of Northern Ontario railroad vengeance, served up as cold as a frozen hunting knife. Fans of the movie and television series Fargo are going to love Hammurabi Road.

©2007 Steve Vernon (P)2017 Steve Vernon

Critic reviews

Praise for Steve Vernon: "If Harlan Ellison, Richard Matheson and Robert Bloch had a three-way sex romp in a hot tub, and then a team of scientists came in and filtered out the water and mixed the leftover DNA into a test tube, the resulting genetic experiment would most likely grow up into Steve Vernon." ( Bookgasm)

Raunchy Fun

What made the experience of listening to Hammurabi Road the most enjoyable?

I read some of the reviews and decided to buy, I was not acquainted with the author and found him to be an original . All kinds of stuff gets thrown at you in this thing which I like. The set ups are dark and the style is free form which matches the chaos that ensues. Its worth double the price that there moving this thing at. I don't get Audible. They price turds high and practically give material like this away. I guess people are stupid. They'll shell out 30 bucks for hacks and miss the real stuff

What was one of the most memorable moments of Hammurabi Road?

this is one of the first reviews I've ever written, I guess that makes it memorable.

Which character – as performed by Robert Thaler – was your favorite?

I think Thaler got loose off the leash too much in this one. I came over from his narration of an alternate history of WWII and MacArthur which was superb but in this one he kind of sat on my face. The book agrees with that approach I guess but he can do a lot better.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I laughed quite a bit but its dark and dirty.

Any additional comments?

Vernon has real talent. The story is a pile driver. When these rednecks run into the bear you get choice happenings.

Good Story... Outré narrator

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes. I know many friends who would absolutely love the story and the performance.

Would you be willing to try another book from Steve Vernon? Why or why not?

Yes. I love his writing. He has a very stylized way of writing. I think he is very creative with his word usage and I think he has a very great grasp on what makes characters unique and real.

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

I did listen to it in one setting. I personally struggled with the narration. It is unique, and fit the story fine, but it was just not something I particularly cared for. With audiobooks, I always recommend listening to a sample first to make sure it is something that jives with you personally. This story was very good and very interesting, but I believe the experience would have been better for me if I read this and created my own "voices" for the tale.

Any additional comments?

Although I didn't care for the narrator, I absolutely enjoyed the story. I am a bit picky when it comes to story, and even pickier when it comes to narration. This was one of the few times I just had a hard time getting past the narration. Even so, I cannot deny that it fits the story well and the story itself is very good. I would recommend it, but after listening to the sample first!

Wowsa

you got to run with this. Its part dream and part real and all unexpected. I loved this thing, I don't bother with reviews usually but its the first I've heard from this writer and there will be more now. He has a great way with words and mixing metaphors. Sure its crude sometimes but that adds to thhe fun.The guy is brave and writes from the gut, he's also hilarious.

The story gets told in third person so the narrator is a big part of the plot. There's actually a black bear who makes a significant appearance but the guys in the story are like dark versions of Larry,Curly and Moe. I kept seeing Billie Bob Thornton in this. That would be premium. The narrator sells it with something I can only call off beat and out there.

Hilarious Hi-jinks and great cast of characters

This book was amazing. Steve Vernon has done it once more. The characters felt real and there motivations for their actions were well defined. The adventures that take place are exquisitely hilarious and just this side of far fetched to be believed. First time, in my 25 years of listening to audio books, I have had to pull off the road to keep from wrecking because i was laughing so hard.

Robert Thaler's Performance was stellar. If there was ever a time that the narrator inhabited the mind of the characters, it is here. He not only brought the characters to life, he made it feel as though there was a hole group of narrators.

I requested a free review copy of this audio book and I am leaving a voluntary and honest review.

An Hilarious Tale!

HAMMURABI ROAD is one messed up, creative, and funny as heck novella! Listening to the audio made me burst out laughing several times, (which is generally frowned upon at work.) What made it even worse was that I couldn't explain why I was laughing so hard, because these people? They wouldn't get why the bear scene was so funny.

As is stated in the summary, this is the tale of 4 men on the road, three in the front and one tied up in the back. We're talking Canadian backwoods men and they're looking for revenge. What they get instead is a bear, a possibility of mistaken identity, and some flashbacks of "Shut the F up, Donnie," from the Big Lebowski.

I listened to this on audio, narrated by Robert Thaler, who is new to me. His voice took a bit of getting used to, but once I did, I let him tell me the story of these rednecks and their revenge and I lost myself for a while.

Over the top and not afraid of offending anyone, HAMMURABI ROAD is an hilarious way to spend a few hours!

Recommended!

*I received this audio free from the author in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it.*

First Rate. violent and poetic

Where does Hammurabi Road rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I listen to many because I review art and culture in the area. Many audio books can be profoundly dull. This one is NOT. I do love the writer. The single best and most free form piece I've heard in quite some time

Who was your favorite character and why?

the single person narration. He's a wacky porn poet and his visions are dead on, no pun intended.

Have you listened to any of Robert Thaler’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

He narrated a book on MacArthur and WWII. Very talented and unique. I just wanted him to step back from the writing a little bit in this work is all. My interpretation.

Any additional comments?

packs a real punch. Rolls up into Beckett in tone and feel near the end. Starts out like Hunter S. Thompson or something. Writer has the gift.

Way better than the cover

I listened to this in one sitting. I was initially turned off by the grumbly opening to the narration, but wow, the story was very nicely done. Surreal, weird - I enjoyed it.

Northern-southern Gothic. Loved it.

I thought this one was Mccarthy-esqe. Great characters, good dark, gritty story. Gets really bizarre too, right up my alley. The narrator really leans into it; a little much at first, but you get used to it and it works really well. This story is absolutely essential Steve Vernon listening. Highly recommend it.

Cult classic

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

most definitely. Its the best thing I've stumbled across in months. I read a lot of horror from Lovecraft to Stephen King, etc. and a friend turned me on to this guy. He is hilarious and sick.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Hammurabi Road?

Come on. The Bear scene. That alone with the long monologue that is a stream of brilliance is enough to shore this thing up as a classic. Why the hell nobody knows yet about Vernon is beyond me, this cat slings words together as well as King and he goes right to the gut

Which character – as performed by Robert Thaler – was your favorite?

I loved what Thaler did with the bear, giving him a voice like a Mountie or something. Way out there but spot on. And Hanlon or whatever the characters name was is so off the wall that he grabbed me. that character was very real, crude,funny but real insightful out of nowhere

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

I did

Any additional comments?

I haven't had this much fun with a book since I was small and my Uncle read me Cask of Amontillado. I'm going to dig into this writer's collection. He's a genuine find and that's very rare in my opinion.

Three Men and a Bear

The book is extremely creative, and, a little bit odd. It's not for those who are easily offended by vulgarity or those with a delicate constitution. The characters are crude, rough, uneducated, men from northern Ontario. They start off on their mission due to ignorant minds and cavalier attitudes. In order to not give away to much about the story, let me just say there is strange, unexpected redemption involved for some.