The Lost Coast

A Larison Short Story

By: Barry Eisler

Narrated by: Barry Eisler

For Larison, a man off the grid and on the run, the sleepy northern California town of Arcata, gateway to the state's fabled Lost Coast, seems like a perfect place to disappear for a while. But Arcata isn't nearly as sleepy as it seems, and when three locals decide Larison would make a perfect target for their twisted sport, Larison exacts a lifetime of vengeance in one explosive evening.

©2011 Barry Eisler (P)2011 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Not as bad as the reviews say

If you could sum up The Lost Coast in three words, what would they be?

Not that bad

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

Not what you expect from Barry Eisler but gives you insight to that freak Larison.

Which scene was your favorite?

To short to really have one.

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

No

Any additional comments?

If your homophobic then this is not for you. Deliverance but not with hicks...it is OK but wouldn't want to see it in a movie.

Not My Favorite Character in the Series

Is there anything you would change about this book?

I was glad it was a short story. I don't like bashing people for their beliefs and this book crossed the line for me. I am open to all lifestyles and would have preferred consensual activities.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Larison but because he was the main character. He didn't play off of anyone else.

Which scene was your favorite?

No one.

Could you see The Lost Coast being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

No.

Any additional comments?

I didn't care for this story. I'm not sure why it is relevant to the other story lines. Stick to John Rain and all is well. Let Larison fade away.

Sounds like Larison to me.

Don't understand the reviews saying its a graphic rape scene. I would imagine if the readers normally read/listen to books comparable to Eisler, they've doubtless read much more graphic sex/ rape scenes involving women.
In my opinion, the story was typical Eisler, just part of Larison's backstory.
I enjoyed it as much as any of his books.

ok story...mispronounced location

the story was ok. My issue is that the author/reader mispronounced the City of Arcata with a short ' a' sound instead of the proper long 'a'...as in "haven'. Since he did apparently do some homework/research on the locale for the story I am surprised that he didn't figure out how to pronounce the name of the town.

The story of a villain

Any additional comments?

Many of the reviewers seem to not get that Larison isn’t supposed to be John Rain II or even Dox. He’s a bad dude. Just conflicted enough to show us his humanity, but you’re missing the point if you think Eisler intends this to be accepted heroism. (Though the weird rebel rock intro and outro confuses that message a bit.)

Honestly I think most of the negative reactions here have more to do with the homosexuality. Usually we get chaste homosexuality in popular media and that’s not what this is at all (though it’s mostly in the scheme of things this is on the spare side for Eisler, if you’re familiar with his heterosexual sex scenes, this doesn’t hold a candle to those). The problem is the ambiguity of scene of fellatio. It’s at knife point, but Eisler portrays victim as a closeted homosexuality who is more dazed at his own self revelation than coercion. Which is....a double standard, frankly. Eisler would never write that scene with a woman even in the same villainous context. So granted that.

(NOTE: If you think a college student is a child then you should have more of a problem allowing them in war, right? Not an original argument, no, but it always blows my mind the hypocrisy.)

Anyway, the point is Larison serves back what a trio of “fag bashers” meant to reign on him, which is as sympathetic as we get with Larison. Because otherwise he’s still the villainous rogue he has has been in the other Eisler novels.

I’ve noticed a couple things recently on Audible concerning Eisler. He has a huge fan base with a hefty portion of those who Eisler seems to be increasingly aware of and to not like and trying to be shake away. It’s hard to imagine this Larison story as not having been intended to piss-off a section of Red Staters who don’t aren’t sensitive to nuances of social and even political leftism that Eisler presents as objective fact (like America is in its twilight, as the villain in the Dox short says....maybe Eisler doesn’t believe it, I don’t know, but it jives with what seems to have been some of his views presented in Detachment).

I don’t agree with some of what is presented, but who cares? I would never just read things I only agree with. And I’m glad Eisler is becoming the kind of writer who doesn’t mind losing readers to say his truths or present provocative ideas.

Dubious MM consent, dubious anti-hero

Larrison has never been a favorite character of mine from the John Rain series; he’s always been the scary pragmatist, doing good, bad, or even ugly things when needs must. He’s a little too anti-hero, emphasis on the anti, if you know what I mean. But, great series have layered, unique characters and Larrison is definitely that.

This short is gritty and visceral, and includes a scene of questionably coerced MM oral. I found it to be appropriate as part of developing Larrison’s dark edge. This is a good short to listen to before diving into book 7, The Detachment, where Larrison and the other series heavies square off.

Larison is a Scary Dude

I really liked this short story. Of all the characters in John Rain's world, Larison clearly is the one you never want to mess with. This story is simply a 45 minute answer to "Why wouldn't you want to cross Larison?" Because he is a hardened killer who just happens to have issues as well. Now most of it comes from his time interrogating people. He can't get some voices, images, whatever out of his head. It makes him deadly. And he is gay...so what?!

I think it was Eisler who said, what would happen if Larison came across some homophobes who wanted to beat up gay people? Okay I'm paraphrasing, I hope, but this is what happens. You mess with Larison, you play with death. Larison is the only character in the John Rain world that scares the crap out of me. He's like the silent pit bull that let's the burglar in the house, but won't let him leave because what would be the fun in that? He decides to take a break from looking over his shoulder and steps right in it.

My impression is that this story is very appropriate to the Larison character. In terms of the story, I didn't find anything too particularly graphic. It's what happens, right? If you are use to snapping bones protruding out of skin, or brain matter landing on the sofa, this may not be your thing. But if you know anything about Larison (read Inside Out or The Detachment), it makes perfect sense.

If I want a quick listen to a story in the John Rain universe, this is one of my favorites. I also like the Dox short story, The Khmer Kill too!

Larson grows on ya

unfortunately, i didn't read this in the right order, and already know a lot about Larison. some may find themselves not liking him if they read this first, but even if i had, I'd still find him badass aF.
there are homophobic themes, violence (as usual!), and a pretty graphic sex scene in this short. if you feel this isn't for you, skip this one. if you don't mind violence against homophobes who commit similar violence, read on

It was & wasn't what I expected

Being familiar with the Larison character I knew what the story would be. It was and wasn't what I expected. Not the genres I read, but well done Barry.

NOT EXPECTED/ENJOYED

What would have made The Lost Coast better?

There should have been more disclosure in the synopsis that this was an erotic homosexual rape short story. Sure, it involves Larison, and anyone who knows this series knows his "secret" but this short story amounted to nothing more than a forcible rape by Larison of a young college male. There was nothing entertaining, enjoyable, or worth the cost of the audiobook about it.
The synopsis says of the story: "...when three locals decide Larison would make a perfect target for their twisted sport, Larison exacts a lifetime of vengeance in one explosive evening. "

Reading this, anyone is sure to think that it's going to be some shooter violence revenge. I mean, we're talking about a hardened killer, right? Beating a couple guys up, and then forcing the weakest of them all to perform oral sex on him is not my (or anyone's, I'd think) idea of "a lifetime of vengeance in one explosive evening."

EPIC FAIL.
It may be enough to make me abandon this series, and this author altogether, which would be something I regret as all his other works that I've read or listened to have been great.

But seriously... homosexual rape? That's Eisler's idea of a lifetime of vengeance??
Did I mention: EPIC FAIL?

Has The Lost Coast turned you off from other books in this genre?

It's quite possible turned me off from any new works by Eisler (I've already read or listened to everything currently available by him).

What didn’t you like about Barry Eisler’s performance?

The performance was ok; I'm just so disgusted with the story-line that I didn't want to give any positive review.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from The Lost Coast?

I'd have cut the entire story...