Fault
Line: A Novel ,
by Barry Eisler (Read by Rob Shapiro)
Alex can almost see the dollars flooding
his bank account, not to mention the professional acclaim
he'll receive when his client finalizes his patent application
for Obsidian, sure to be the biggest "dotcom"
of the decade. When the inventor fails to show up for
a meeting with venture capitalists, patent attorney
Alex Treven's world suddenly collapses. The murders
of both the inventor and the only other person familiar
with Obsidian send Alex into hiding and force him to
contact his estranged big brother Ben, a "black
ops" assassin who is about to find that doing good
might be more dangerous than doing bad.
Barry Eisler's story is more than a fast-paced
mystery thriller with spine-tingling situations and
a myriad of surprises. It is a study of family dynamics
and the all-too-common, long term resentments that siblings
often harbor as a result of youthful misunderstandings.
In this day of identity theft and terrorist threats,
Fault Line reads like a survival manual for domestic
safety. Eisler discloses detailed information about
surveillance and anti-personnel techniques used and
circumvented by shadowy governmental and industrial
operatives.
Rob Shapiro's narration is perfectly pitched
and paced for this audio book. He is able to portray
a variety of characters, ranging from a provocative
Iranian woman to a gravely-voiced African American military
man.
I enjoyed this book the first time I heard
it for its exciting plot, but I listened to it again
and loved it for far more. By knowing a little about
the invention, Obsidian, and its importance for the
security of network infrastructures, the main players'
motivations become much clearer. Plot twists become
even more intriguing, because they emerge as the direct
result of characters' successes or failures. Eisler's
prose is spare but powerful. His description of the
pain inflicted on various unfortunate victims is so
vivid that it elicits a deliciously visceral shuddering
and inner cringing. Although probably not the ideal
book for a family road trip, Fault Line is an
exceptionally satisfying adventure for an adult commute.
Ruth
Mormon
5/29/09
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