Iron House
By John Hart
Release Date: June 23, 2011
Audiobook Available from WV Reads!
4 Stars! - This was actually my second time through this story but first audio version. I admit I thought the audio performance was a let down of my expectations. Hart's breathless pace and fascinating characters made up for the long and less than engaging narration. Almost non-stop action here in the dark tale of two orphaned boys in North Carolina and the hands dealt by fate.
The hero Michael is an anti-hero in so many ways. His life was rough and violent since childhood, and he's not entirely sorry. I'll be honest that the set up is half the intrigue. One brother adopted by a senator's family and the other a mobster's. Both families become huge components of the story. Some might find younger brother Julian more compelling than Michael or others less. Elena is Michael's girlfriend suddenly facing commitment to a man she is realizing she hardly knows. And while she doesn't make the best choices, it's hard not to sympathize with her as well.
I have to mention the disappointing narration by Scott Sowers. He is excellent at the descriptions in Hart's sharp prose. But his accents and female voices were terrible. And he would be better suited to a story with fewer people in each scene. His voice does not change much between the male characters and it makes it hard to draw the picture. I'd recommend reading this one instead of listening. Finally, I'd like to mention that Hart usually brings in a touch of Southern spirits. He doesn't really write paranormal or religious stories but they usually factor in here and there. He's a master of the Southern gothic feel though complete with shady family dynamics and settings vivid enough to almost feel the muggy heat. This should probably come with a warning about the violence level. It's definitely brutal. And wildly enough, it feels like the edge of your seat finale comes with still 3 hours left. But there's hardly a dull moment in the entire book, filled with mystery, action, romance, and relationship dynamics.
(NS)
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