Play Audiobook Sample
Gone South (Abridged) Audiobook
Play Audiobook Sample
(3.02) - 2,320 listener ratings
Quick Stats About this Audiobook
Total Audiobook Chapters:
Longest Chapter Length:
Shortest Chapter Length:
Average Chapter Length:
Audiobooks by this Author:
Publisher Description
With "one of the most arresting first sentences in contemporary writing" (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution), Robert McCammon unfurls his visionary masterpiece of survival, redemption, and the astonishing transformations love can create.
Gone South chronicles a desperate man's journey through a desperate land, in "a gothic picaresque that mixes gritty plot and black comedy...a smoothly constructed and satisfying story" (The Wall Street Journal).
Flooded by memories, poisoned by Agent Orange, Dan Lambert kills a man in a moment of fear and fury -- and changes his life forever. Pursued by police and bounty hunters, Dan flees south toward the Louisiana bayous. In the swamplands he meets Arden Halliday, a young woman who bears the vivid burdens of her own past, and who is searching for a legendary faith healer called the Bright Girl. Looking for simple kindness in a world that rarely shows it, bound by a loyalty stronger than love, Dan and Arden set off on a journey of relentless suspense and impassioned discovery... over dark, twisting waterways into the mysterious depths of the human heart.
Download and start listening now!
"I LOVED this book. I totally didn't expect it to be so affecting. What I figured would be a reasonably run-of-the-mill story about a man down on his luck who becomes a fugitive from the law after killing another in the heat of the moment became the story of several strangers ultimately on a quest for purpose, for a refuge from their everyday lives. Ironically, this book was written in 1991, so when you'd expect some of the characters to whip out their cell phones or fire up the Internet, they don't...and it's great."
— Larry (5 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
-
“No one can paint word pictures as vividly as Robert McCammon.”
— Sandra Brown, New York Times bestselling author -
“Part crime novel, part quest…McCammon creates a type of story all his own.”
— Wall Street Journal -
“A story so bravely innovative it will electrify your imagination. Utterly absorbing.”
— Tulsa World (Oklahoma) -
“The book recalls an action-packed popular movie, with car chases, some evil dope runners, murderous alligators, and an explosive climax involving a Vietnam-era patrol boat. It’s a strong adventure yarn.”
— Publishers Weekly -
“A captivating but calculatedly eccentric fable of an outlaw Vietnam vet who learns about the power of redemption…Lots of surprises, not the least of which is McCammon's ability to humanize deeply even the most absurd of characters. With its careening plot, jackhammer suspense, and very Dean Koontz-like upbeat moral gloss…[it’s] a real crowd-pleaser.”
— Kirkus Reviews -
“A psychodrama set in the Louisiana swamps that engages readers in such a way as to make even the greatest doubters continue reading the fantastic plot to its unlikely conclusion..YAs will agonize over the plight of these four flesh-and-blood characters whose complex inner dilemmas crash headlong into their shared yet diverse destinies. Very simply, an excellent work of fiction.”
— School Library Journal
Gone South Listener Reviews
-
" "Gone South" is a term guys used in the Viet Nam war when someone had lost it and gone over the edge. This is what happens to Dan Lambert years after the war while fighting Leukemia (from Agent orange). This is a good book with some funny characters Dan meets before he finds out that "Gone South" was the best place he could be. The local is in the deep bayou of Louisiana. "
— Jane, 2/17/2014 -
" crazy vets heading south,...are you seriously doubting the potential of this book ? OK I shall break it down,.... traumatized vets + redneck world = one hell of a kick ass journey "
— Oglaigh, 2/9/2014 -
" This truly weird and wonderful book was my introduction to Robert McCammon, and I had a blast getting to know him. "
— Graceann, 2/8/2014 -
" The cast of characters in this book is one of the most unique I've ever seen. I didn't find anyone overly likable, but I stayed interested in how their stories would play out the whole time. At times I found there was a little too much going on in this book. This isn't my favorite of McCammon's work, but it was enjoyable. "
— Pam, 1/29/2014 -
" Gripping story, wonderful characters. "Gone South" is a term for someone who has left the plan of action, and that has definitely happened with our main characters. Oh, Southern Gothic. Need I say more? "
— Kym, 1/24/2014 -
" I enjoyed the book a lot. It wasn't my favorite of Mccammons but it was worth the read. It's not a horror like he is known for but it does have a little weirdness which I enjoyed. "
— Matthew, 1/24/2014 -
" This is a crazy book. It's like three -- maybe even four -- stories in one, with a bunch of people who would never have crossed paths otherwise. Sure, it's a hormone-packed chase book, but there's definitely more to it than that. "
— Mai, 1/20/2014 -
" Good. The last quarter of the book was the best. "
— Kenyson, 1/7/2014 -
" a different kind of story for McCammon .. I really must re-read many of these books ... i remember the general ideas ... that i loved them.. but have forgotten so many of the details! There is something for everyone in McCammon's library! "
— Mark, 12/29/2013 -
" This is my first read of Robert McCammons work. I was impressed and will be reading more of his books. "
— Ralph, 12/1/2013 -
" A great coming of age story, showing McCammon's range of story telling. One of the best! "
— Lee, 11/29/2013 -
" This was a fun, wild ride! "
— Enid, 11/20/2013 -
" Good book, but not his best. "
— Mandy, 11/10/2013 -
" This book had such tight writing and richly drawn characters I remember them 16 years later. One of the best books I ever read in the genre. "
— Chris, 11/8/2013 -
" This is the second McCammon book I've read and now I'm officially a fan. His book "A Boy's Life" is one of my favorite reads. And this story while also based on the South is very different from that book. It was a interesting story with a great group of off the wall characters. "
— Melissa, 11/4/2013 -
" I ended up really liking this one, the last few chapters were real page turners and the end of Arden's search was sweet. "
— Mark, 8/25/2013 -
" Entertaining, gritty, and funny Southern Gothic/noir tale involving a Viet Nam vet who kills a banker and then chased by a pair of unusual bounty hunters for a $15K bounty. Great stuff. "
— Ed, 5/6/2013 -
" No where near as good as Boy's Life, and sometimes dragging in it's pace, but nonetheless a decent book. If you've only read this book by McCammon, I wouldn't judge him on it. "
— Tim, 1/25/2013 -
" This has to be my favorite book I've read in the past 20 years. Would be a great movie. "
— Bob, 12/5/2012 -
" Good book. A little far fetched at times, but still worth a read. "
— Jennifer, 11/30/2012 -
" I liked it in the way that you like something that also makes you a little bit ashamed to like it... it was a creepy little mystery with weird characters. "
— Sharla, 7/21/2012 -
" This book was good...not as good as Swan Song or Stinger though "
— Deedra, 5/9/2012 -
" A great ride! Hilarious and a lot of fun. Will definitely be looking for more McCammon novels! "
— Stunatra, 2/8/2012 -
" This is one I've re-read a few times. It's a wild ride with bizarre characters and situations, a lot of fun. "
— Carol, 1/5/2012 -
" One of the strangest, loveliest stories I've ever read... "
— Kevin, 12/29/2011 -
" I read this along time ago and it was good. It was more funny than anything else. Both of the bounty hunters was a trip. They was like comic relief in a horror flick. McCammon was the man back in the day. "
— Mischelle, 12/16/2011 -
" Wow. This was one of the best books I've ever read. Excellent character development and a very exciting story. "
— David, 11/30/2011 -
" This was my first McCammon book. It started off with a bang and kept up throughout. The level of tension was done well, and I think many readers can empathize with the predicament the protagonist finds himself in. "
— Glenn, 10/20/2011 -
" Wow. This was one of the best books I've ever read. Excellent character development and a very exciting story. "
— David, 9/11/2011 -
" No where near as good as Boy's Life, and sometimes dragging in it's pace, but nonetheless a decent book. If you've only read this book by McCammon, I wouldn't judge him on it. "
— Tim, 8/3/2011 -
" A very atmospheric book. I have never been to the swamp lands of the deep South, but this was the next best thing. The ending felt disappointing initially, but on reflection I thought it was done very well. "
— Jayne, 7/24/2011 -
" This book was good...not as good as Swan Song or Stinger though "
— Deedra, 7/7/2011 -
" This is the second McCammon book I've read and now I'm officially a fan. His book "A Boy's Life" is one of my favorite reads. And this story while also based on the South is very different from that book. It was a interesting story with a great group of off the wall characters. "
— Melissa, 7/5/2011 -
" One of the strangest, loveliest stories I've ever read... "
— Kevin, 6/18/2011 -
" Another great read. Heartfelt characters. Ruthless drug runners, and people of the bayou, a place where a man can stay lost. A world far from the rat race of the this world. Thoroughly absorbing, the real meaning of miracles. "
— Stephen, 5/27/2011 -
" This book had such tight writing and richly drawn characters I remember them 16 years later. One of the best books I ever read in the genre. "
— Chris, 4/21/2011 -
" crazy vets heading south,...are you seriously doubting the potential of this book ? OK I shall break it down,.... traumatized vets + redneck world = one hell of a kick ass journey "
— Oglaigh, 4/9/2011 -
" An odd tale, read after McCammon's pretty nearly fabulous "Boy's Life," this one cuts down on the King worship and is decent enough. "
— Tim, 12/11/2010
About Robert McCammon
Robert McCammon is the New York Times bestselling author of numerous novels, including the award-winning Boy’s Life. There are more than four million copies of his books in print.
About Will Patton
Will Patton is an award-winning actor and narrator. HIs narrations have earned the prestigious Audie Award for Best Fiction Narration and also won dozens of AudioFile Earphones Awards. His numerous film credits include Remember the Titans, The Punisher, The Mothman Prophesies, Armageddon, and The Spitfire Grill. He starred in the TNT miniseries Into the West and on the CBS series The Agency and won Obie Awards in the theater for his performances in Fool for Love and What Did He See.