Rhubarb and Custard

Good clear narration in old fashioned perfect BBC diction, somewhat at odds with the actual time period of the setting, where such language style has been long retired by the Beeb and is heard less and less even at Royal Ascot. It's like a delicious custard salted with sharp rhubarb.

There are so many "he's"; the paragraphs run on between the action and MCs so it's confusing to work out exactly which "he" we are on at the time until we get a name/location drop. Clearly all these threads converge, when the intricate and detailed labyrinth winds to grim end.

I enjoy complex tales, and although somewhat irked by all the "he's" , it does make you engage noodle more than just a passive listen.

ENJOYABLE BUT HARD GOING

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Good story but overlong.

I like the story and I listened all the way through because I really wanted to know how it would play out. However, the book was about twice as long as it needed to be. I got through it by playing the second half at 1.25x normal speed.

The narrator has a great voice and was very good at different voices and accents, though why Italians speaking Italian in Italy need to portrayed as having an accent is beyond me. Unfortunately he read as though he had no idea what the next word would be, often stripping the sentence of it's meaning.

Not bad enough to request a refund, but I won't be buying any more by this writer or narrator.

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1 person found this helpful

Allright but not a classic Gerald

I am a big Seymour fan, but this one is a bit flat. fI don't think he brought anything new or incisive to the mob story thing. His usual good research and decent characters but not his best.

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Great read fr my walking

I really enjoyed this book the author is a great story teller I’m a fan of mafia stories of was interested first time I read a book by this author I would recommend it it kept me completed hooked to the end of the book plus it was company on my long walks

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very good read

well-researched and I think near to factual.first class plot, believable characters. kept me wanting more

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Seymour at his best

I'm a keen fan of Gerald Seymour and have read several of his books set in the Middle East.

I had not read this one and the setting in Naples and Rome as well as London was much more familiar and immediately recognisable. This made the thriller all the more fascinating as I could picture the settings.

His story telling is always interesting and varied and he weaves together several apparently different strands in a magical way. An excellent story which was very believable and kept me interested to the very end. I thoroughly recommend it.

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Seymour at his best

I have been reading Gerald Seymour Books since his very first novel. I don't recall ever reading a Seymour novel that hasn't gripped me from start to finish. This is my sixth Seymour novel on Audiobook and they have all been top notch and in all probability will get the books I read many years ago to listen to on Audiobook. This particular novel, The Collaborator really is an excellent read, or should I say listen. Seymour fans will not be disappointed by this offering. Long may he reign!

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1 person found this helpful

An out of the ordinary thriller

Pretty well gripped me from the off, this one. Stimulating to have central characters that didn't follow familiar stereotypes and a plot that twisted and turned to arrive at an unexpected ending. It required a degree of concentration to keep up with the time and scene shifts, but this did serve to keep my attention. A good value length too!

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Excellent listen

What made the experience of listening to The Collaborator the most enjoyable?

Narrator was marvellous, am now seeking out other books read by him

Any additional comments?

Loved this so much am now both reading and listening to authors other works. Highly recommended

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Stick it out, it's worth it

I give this book four stars rather than five that it could have had from me, not because of the writing, but for the audio production. Here's why: the book is written in a style that is not at linear. Rather it's written in slices that shift rapidly back and forth between parallel scenes happening simultaneously in different parts of the world. It's more like peeling back the layers of an onion than reading a straightforward narrative. The producer doesn't leave enough time between vignettes to give the listener adequate warning that you've shifted in time and place. It's not the narrator's fault or the author's, it's just a quirk of the recording. HOWEVER, if you stick it out for the first 3 hours you'll get used to it, it's worth it. The story is great, complex, compelling and a rare look at longstanding Balkan hatreds, western indifference, arms dealers and governmental hubris. A really great book that requires diligence. I recommend listening in long stretches at a time to get into the rhythm of it. Perfect for a long drive or daily long commutes.

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9 people found this helpful