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Exile (Abridged): A Thriller Audiobook
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(3.69) - 2,079 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
From one of America's most compelling novelists comes the mesmerizing story of a lawyer who must defend the woman he loves against a charge of conspiring to assassinate the prime minister of Israel David Wolfe's life is approaching an exhilarating peak: he's a successful San Francisco lawyer, he's about to get married, and he's being primed for a run for Congress. But when the phone rings and he hears the voice of Hana Arif—the Palestinian woman with whom he had a secret affair in law school—he begins a completely unexpected journey. The next day, the prime minister of Israel is assassinated by a suicide bomber while visiting San Francisco; soon, Hana herself is accused of being the mastermind behind the murder. Now David faces an agonizing choice: Will he, a Jew, represent Hana—who may well be guilty—or will he turn away the one woman he can never forget? The most challenging case of David's career requires that he delve deep into the lives of Hana Arif and her militant Palestinian husband, both of whom have always lived in exile. Ultimately, David's quest takes him to Israel and the West Bank, where, in a series of harrowing encounters, he learns that appearances are not at all what they seem. Culminating in a tense and startling trial with international ramifications, Exile is that rare novel that both entertains and enlightens. At once an intricate tale of betrayal and deception, a moving love story, and a fascinating journey into the lethal politics of the Middle East, this is Richard North Patterson at his most brilliant and engrossing.
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"This books begins with the assassination of the peace-seeking prime minister of Israel while speaking in San Francisco. The Palestinian woman accused of orchestrating the suicide bombing calls her former Jewish lover of 13 years before to defend her in the trial that follows. Thus the stage is set for a trial with all sorts of intrigue and twists and turns. However, Richard Patterson uses this event as the springboard to explore the many-faceted struggle between the Palestinians and Israelis over the land they both occupy. While at points it seems overly obvious that Patterson is going to great lengths to explore all sides of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, he does a great job of letting all sides tell their story from their perspective. I was left with a greater appreciation of the issues involved and the difficulty of resolving the conflicts in that war-torn land. So Patterson succeeds in telling a great story, while disabusing us from looking for quick and easy solutions to the centuries-old battles over who has "ownership" and rights in that little strip of land known as the "holy land". Given the conflict that Patterson describes for us, that title is indeed a misnomer."
— Drick (5 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“Brilliant…Patterson has caught lightning in a bottle…Put this one at the top of your hot list.
— Stephen King on Protect and Defend -
[A] spellbinding novel…Patterson's extensive research, plot skills, and ability to create engaging, authentic dialogue set his writing apart…believable and eloquent.
— Associated Press on Balance of Power -
[A] complex tale of personal, political, and criminal betrayals...Dark Lady not only keeps you in suspense; it gives you plenty of social and moral questions to ponder.
— The Wall Street Journal on Dark Lady
Awards
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Among shortlisted titles for Audie Award Finalist, 2008
Exile Listener Reviews
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" Israel vs. Palestine...what more can you say? "
— Kaley, 2/16/2014 -
" Interesting read. Gives a different perspective on the Israeli/Palestenian conflict. "
— Msprissazaz, 1/31/2014 -
" Good fiction read that sets the context for longstanding conflict in the middle east. "
— Christi, 1/19/2014 -
" While long, this story was highly entertaining. It read like several different books, each building on each other to set up the finale. I know it is fiction, but I feel this opened my eyes to some of the strife of life in the West Bank and Israel. Admittedly, I've been pretty ignorant. I loved the characters in this book. I kept wanting to find out what happened to them next. I think I literally cheered during a part towards the end. "
— Nathan, 1/11/2014 -
" Found it interesting but slow "
— Ross, 1/6/2014 -
" Page-turner with a fair and balanced analysis of the Israeli/Palestinian issues. "
— David, 12/31/2013 -
" This is a excellent read, and I can highly recommend it. It is also the second ebook i have read since I bought my Kindle a few weeks ago. "
— Roy, 12/24/2013 -
" learned a few things about the conflict but predictable and slow "
— Daniel, 12/3/2013 -
" meh. This is actually one of those books that would be better as a made-for-tv movie. Very predictable and rather poorly written. "
— Kathryn, 12/1/2013 -
" Excellent. Solution to mystery was rather predictable, but the rest of the book was excellent. Very, very complex at times due to the nature of the Israeli/Palestinian issue. Worth the read. "
— Bob, 11/3/2013 -
" It was a little slow-going at first, and I caught on very early on to what was going on behind the scene, but still a captivating book. If you're in for a long read, this is a good one. "
— Kelly, 10/23/2013 -
" It was a fast moving read. I was really interested in the research the author did into the struggle between Palestinians and Jews in Israel. "
— Jessica, 10/7/2013 -
" This was a good book. Kept my attention. There were things that were left unanswered that I would have liked to have known and the ending was a bit to fairy tale for a story about Jews and Arabs. At least it was well written. "
— Rebecca, 8/31/2013 -
" A lot of loose ends- not his best book. "
— MJ, 2/7/2013 -
" Learned a lot about the Palestinian - Israeli conflict. "
— Kirsten, 8/30/2012 -
" Wonderfully written - suspenseful, insightful about the struggles between the Israelis and Palestinians - and incorporating a legal struggle in the US into the mix. A very balanced view of the conflict. "
— Janice, 4/26/2012 -
" I like books that illustrate other cultures. While this mystery was fairly predictable, I really enjoyed how it educated me on both (some) Israeli and Palestinian perspectives. "
— Allen, 2/17/2012 -
" A page turner! What a read from beginning to end. Patterson did his homework, researched the issues in Israel and Palestine, and brings to the page a balanced viewpoint for the reader to understand. Very exciting conflict of politics and people. "
— Alice, 2/11/2012 -
" I'm in the middle of this. Having recently read Eclipse, which I found fascinating, I'm expecting a very good read. "
— Catherine, 10/11/2011 -
" I'm in the middle of it - but Patterson delivers, as usual. The level of detail is, as always, amazing. It's the first time he's tackled the middle east, but he does a typically good job of delving into multiple viewpoints. That's why he's one of my favorites! I'll write more when I finish it! "
— Christine, 9/26/2011 -
" better than I thought it would be, although a bit predictable. "
— Alyaaf, 7/14/2011 -
" Terrorists, deception, relationships and family are all pulled together in this who done it story of different cultures. A good read. "
— Bev, 5/23/2011 -
" I enjoyed seeing what appears to be a balanced discussion of a very difficult situation "
— Sid, 5/14/2011 -
" Learned a lot about the Palestinian - Israeli conflict. "
— Kirsten, 4/16/2011 -
" I've read books by Patterson before and he does court room drama well. But, he wanders off from the courtroom and gives you the whole Israel/Palestine history. It is useful to know, but was a bit overlong. Plus the ending was predictable - I was waiting for the sting in the tail which never came. "
— Susan, 4/11/2011 -
" This was an excellent book that revolves around Israeli-Palestinian relations. It is very detailed on this topic and I feel like I learned a lot, as well as enjoying a compelling story. "
— Kami, 2/20/2011 -
" Couldn't finish this one. Too much Israel/Palestine data at this time for me. "
— Donna, 2/17/2011 -
" I really like how Richard North Patterson does extensive research in the areas he is writing on. I feel like I learn something while I am being entertained. "
— Jake, 2/16/2011 -
" Compelling story woven around the struggles in the Middle East. "
— Kathi, 1/15/2011 -
" A lot of loose ends- not his best book. "
— MJ, 12/13/2010 -
" It was difficult to stay with until the last 1/3 of the book where it got my interest and I really enjoyed it. "
— Melinda, 11/18/2010
About Richard North Patterson
Richard North Patterson is the New York Times bestselling author of The Devil’s Light, In the Name of Honor, The Spire, and a number of other bestselling and critically acclaimed novels. Formerly a trial lawyer, he was the SEC’s liaison to the Watergate special prosecutor and has served on the boards of several Washington advocacy groups. Patterson has appeared on such programs as the Today show, Good Morning America, Hardball with Chris Matthews, and Buchanan and Press.
About Dennis Boutsikaris
Dennis Boutsikaris is a two-time OBIE award winner. He has received five Audie Awards and seven Golden Earphone Awards for his work in over 100 audiobooks and was voted one of the Best Voices of the Year by AudioFile magazine. He has appeared in numerous Broadway, television, and film roles. He played Mozart on Broadway in Amadeus and has appeared on television shows including Shameless, The Good Wife, House M.D., Grey’s Anatomy, ER, and Law & Order.