Limitless

A Novel

By: Alan Glynn

Narrated by: Fred Berman

Now a major motion picture starring Bradley Cooper, Robert DeNiro, and Abbie Cornish.

Alan Glynn's Limitless is a high-concept thriller for this Adderall age, and a haunting meditation on the allure and the curse of human potential.

A burnout at thirty-five, months behind on his book, low on cash, and something of a loser, Eddie Spinola could use a shot in the arm. One day he randomly runs into Vernon, his ex-wife's brother, and his ex-dealer. Now employed by a shadowy pharmaceutical company, Vernon has something that might help: a new designer drug that stimulates brain function. One pill and Eddie is hooked. His book is finished within days; he learns and synthesizes information at a frightening rate; and he can go a long time without sleep or food. Naturally, he begins to play the stock market. But when Vernon turns up dead, Eddie makes off with the only stash of the drug in existence. Then come the side effects: black-outs, blinding headaches, and violent outbursts he can't seem to remember.

©2001 Alan Glynn (P)2011 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

“Alan Glynn has created enough twists and thrills to keep readers up late--even without resorting to illegal and dangerous substances.” —The New York Times Book Review

“A compulsive chemical thriller.” —San Francisco Chronicle

Entertaining, Slightly different than movie

I felt that the narrator was very talented, and had a melodic cadence to his voices which was very easy to listen to for several hours. I also enjoyed his many and varied dialects and characterizations.

The ending was different than the movie. I liked the movie, and the novel equally well. They were different enough to both be interesting, but similar enough that the one seemed, to me anyhow, to add to the other.

Good! Movie better

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

The added details, and change of storyline from movie.

What did you like best about this story?

The change in storyline kept me listening.

Would you listen to another book narrated by Fred Berman?

I would try another.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Movie was already made...wouldn't change a thing.

good booj

the narration was good. he used different types voices for the different characters. the story was good. I wasn't completely satisfied with it. but overall a good book.

Good, though not for fans of the movie.

if you want this for the movie experience, you will be disappointed. I'm glad I listened, but it was different.

Better than the movie.

If you enjoyed the movie then this is worth experiencing. The story is much more developed. Great performance as well.

Great book love the performance

movie was pretty faithful besides the end. Definitely love the ties back to the government.

The movie was better

there's not much more to say than that if you like the movie but wish it had a darker undertone then you'll like the book otherwise skip it and enjoy the movie.

No, drugs really aren't good for you

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

With an ending substantially differing from the movie, the book posits a situation where a drug designed to enhancing cognitive ability is also mortally addicting. In the end, the protagonist dies, so it is realistic. The subject of drug use is presented in a way that makes identifying with the protagonist - why he turned to the drugs - very easy to understand - as I suppose you could identify with users of other controlled substances, given sufficiently challenging circumstances.

What did you like best about this story?

The story seemed quite realistic; quite plausible.

limitless limited

I purchased the book in hopes it was better than the movie, but in the end I liked the movie better. The narration was good and the story line was very close to the movie through most of the book. While I won't listen to it again, I did enjoy listening to it.

Better than the movie

Loved it! The narrator was perfect. Had me hanging on to every word. Now to start book 2.