
Wild Thing
A Novel
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Narrated by:
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Robert Petkoff
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Stephanie Wolfe
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By:
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Josh Bazell
About this listen
It's hard to find work as a doctor when using your real name will get you killed. So hard that when a reclusive billionaire offers Dr. Peter Brown, aka Pietro Brnwa, a job accompanying a sexy but self-destructive paleontologist on the world's worst field assignment, Brown has no real choice but to say yes. Even if it means that an army of murderers, mobsters, and international drug dealers - not to mention the occasional lake monster - are about to have a serious Pietro Brnwa problem.
Facing new and old monsters alike, Dr. Brnwa's story continues in this darkly funny and lightning-paced follow up to Josh Bazell's best-selling debut.
Also listen to the first book, Beat the Reaper.©2012 Josh Bazell (P)2012 HachetteListeners also enjoyed...
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Critic reviews
Pietro Brnwa, aka Peter Brown, aka Lionel Azimuth, is still on the run from mobsters who want to kill him. He is plucked from a rotten job as a cruise ship doctor by a "reclusive billionaire" who wants him to join an expedition to a remote lake in Minnesota to investigate the possible existence of a serpent-like monster. Yes, you read that right--a "lake monster" in the vein of the Loch Ness monster, that may be a leftover from the dinosaur age. He is accompanied by a possibly alcoholic (and, of course, attractive) paleontologist named Violet Hurst.
I'm going to stop right there as far as outlining the plot, because to reveal too much would spoil it. While in some ways it's a more conventional mystery plot than the first book, don't worry--there's still plenty of great banter, hilarious observations by Pietro/Peter/Lionel, wild plot twists and out-there characters.
Bazell does present some very strong political views, very pro-science, which will no doubt turn off some readers. This includes a mind-bending cameo by a real-life political figure that is still making me laugh (though I'm pretty sure some will not see the humor in it).
Robert Petkoff does a stellar job with the narration--he gets the snarky tone of the character just right.
I just hope Bazell doesn't make us wait another three years for the next book!
The doctor is definitely IN!
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So much for the sequel
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Wild Thing is completely uncouth. Slight spoiler.
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The story is extremely strange, not nearly as cohesive as the first book, and I would strongly advise against reading the second without reading the first. Bazell isn't cautious at all about revealing many plot points from BTR, and there are spoilers galore in this second in the series.
The performances are flawless.I kept waiting for Stephanie Wolfe's voice to jump in, but it isn't until the afterword, which is where the amazing passion and intellect of Josh Bazell comes to a full boil.
For me, it was a great, fun book with Carl Hiassen-like assaults on the Right, the 1% and their disregard for - well, anybody but themselves. There are a lot of laugh-out-loud and gotta-write-that-down moments, and as with BTR, I also bought the Kindle version and will be listening to this audiobook again.
Progressive politicos will love it
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The production and narration were very good. It was the story that bugged me.
Disappointing Second Effort
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Fun, Profane, Politically Opinionated
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Would you listen to Wild Thing again? Why?
Unlike it's predecessor in almost every way, Wild Thing is an entertaining merry-go-round of information expertly blended into a plot, filled with a blur of vivid imagery that will keep you guessing.Ex-hitman turned hippocratic oath holder Lionel Azimuth, aka Peter Brown, aka Pietro Brnwa has been living with a series of unfortunate events hanging over him, like a cloud of crap constantly raining down on his existence. So when a job offer by a billionaire comes around to go on an expedition with a sexy paleontologist, it can only mean more trouble for Lionel.
As the plot thickens, Dr. Azimuth's sea creature safari quickly becomes a thrilling murder mystery chocked full of unsavory characters and edge-of-your-seat intrigue. Amidst all the chaos it seems someone's on to the good doctor, and it's only a matter of time before the mob comes calling. Lionel's luck sucks, but he beat the reaper once. Can he do it again?
Josh Bazell throws his readers a curve ball. The disorienting world of a well known character plopped into this strange almost paranormal situation feels like a complete departure from Beat the Reaper, and gives Wild Thing an air of being a fish out of water. But what starts out as a surreal hodge-podge of various blockbuster movie ideas is just the misdirection gravy Bazell builds his story under. The cloaking thread along with the deposition-like memoire style storytelling creates a collage of sequenced memories, tasks, trivia, and situations which are used to construct the plot lines, while masking the outcome.
This novel is an insane politically charged page turner. That may turn off quite a few readers. You definitely know where the author stands on several issues by the end of the book. Wild Thing was well written despite being heavily ladened with info dumps, which could have become boring or preachy. Paired with the exquisite narration of Robert Petkoff who's voice and portrayal of all the various characters brought out the life of even the most seemingly mundane monologues. Petkoff was perfection with his attitude and inflections, voicing Bazell's smart, funny, and gritty world wonderfully. He's my new favorite narrator. I read the first book but after hearing the second, I will only be enjoying this series through audiobook from now on. I can't recommend the sound version enough. It's truely what an audiobook experience should be.
With his exciting way of storytelling, Bazell doesn't fall into the usual traps and devices overused by many authors. His writing style is cleverly crafted, witty, and just as equally informative as it is entertaining, marking Wild Thing and Bazell a stand out among their contemporaries.
A Wildly Different Thriller
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Would you try another book from Josh Bazell and/or Robert Petkoff and Stephanie Wolfe ?
I think Petkoff is a perfect narrator for this character, and I'd definitely go for this combination of narrator and character again. He doesn't have much of a flair for character voices, but he has a great delivery that sells the humor. Wolfe only reads a 20-minute appendix at the end of the book, so I couldn't really judge her merits as a narrator.Would you be willing to try another book from Josh Bazell? Why or why not?
Absolutely. I loved Bazell's first book, Beat The Reaper, and I think that some of his talent is still on display here. The problem is that the plot kind of unravels near the end of the book. The end result is a bit anti-climatic and doesn't quite hold together. It didn't turn me off on him as a writer, but it was fairly disappointing after his fantastic debut.Was Wild Thing worth the listening time?
Yes and no. I'm glad I read it, because I love the main character and am still looking forward to the next book by Bazell, but this one doesn't quite live up to the merit of his first book. Luckily it's a reasonable length, so it doesn't overstay its welcome.Any additional comments?
The book has several scenes that derail into rants about conservative politics and/or religion that may offend some readers. I consider myself a fairly liberal atheist/agnostic, and I still thought the scenes were a bit heavy-handed and out of place.Great main character with a faulty plot
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A really fun ride
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Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
The story wasn't bad, but when you've read Beat the Reaper it's hard to have the highest of hopes, it wasn't a complete miss and was entertained through all of it. The narrator once again embodies the main character and the other voices well which holds your attention throughout the eight hours of story telling.What other book might you compare Wild Thing to and why?
Beat the Reaper as it's the follow up.Have you listened to any of Robert Petkoff and Stephanie Wolfe ’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
Yes once again Beat the Reaper and this tries it's best to follow up but only falls short in story alone not in the narrating.Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
The recounts of the "Wild Thing" can be horrifying and make you sweat a little without notice.Any additional comments?
Wasn't a bad listen, I'd keep an eye out for both the narrator and the author whenever possible.Decent Follow Up to Beat the Reaper
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