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The Taker Audiobook
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(3.00) - 3,502 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
True love can last an eternity … but immortality comes at a price.
On the midnight shift at a hospital in rural Maine, Dr. Luke Findley is expecting another quiet evening of frostbite and the occasional domestic dispute. But the minute Lanore McIlvrae—Lanny—walks into his ER, she changes his life forever. A mysterious woman with a past and plenty of dark secrets, Lanny is unlike anyone Luke has ever met. He is inexplicably drawn to her … despite the fact that she is a murder suspect with a police escort. And as she begins to tell her story, a story of enduring love and consummate betrayal that transcends time and mortality, Luke finds himself utterly captivated.
Her impassioned account begins at the turn of the nineteenth century in the same small town of St. Andrew, Maine, back when it was a Puritan settlement. Consumed as a child by her love for the son of the town's founder, Lanny will do anything to be with him forever. But the price she pays is steep—an immortal bond that chains her to a terrible fate for all eternity. And now, two centuries later, the key to her healing and her salvation lies with Dr. Luke Findley.
Part historical novel, part supernatural page-turner, The Taker is an unforgettable tale about the power of unrequited love not only to elevate and sustain, but also to blind and ultimately destroy, and how each of us is responsible for finding our own path to redemption.
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"I met this author at one of "Turn the Page Bookstore" signings. She is a very nice and lively person. That alone was enough for me to support her. The description of the story sounded interesting to me so I bought the book. I am not a fan of historical romance, which this basically is, but it is more than that. I haven't read any story like this before and I couldn't wait to see how it all played out. Others have talked about the sex scenes. They are not graphic and were needed to tell the story. I think my only disappointment was that we didn't hear more of the present day with Luke, but he is more of a means to tell the story. I was very pleased with the story and would definitely read this author again."
— Donna (5 out of 5 stars)
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“Alma Katsu’s searing tale of otherworldly lovers and eternal obsession will seduce you from page one. With its elegant prose and riveting plot, The Taker is as irresistible as the hauntingly beautiful, pleasure-seeking immortals who scorch its pages. A wicked, sensuous, shattering love story that I can’t recommend enough. You have to experience it for yourself!”
— Kresley Cole, #1 New York Times bestselling author -
“Alma Katsu’s debut takes the reader on a spell-binding journey through time. This sensual tale of star-crossed love, betrayal, and redemption is a rare and addictive treat. Pleasurable from page one.”
— Danielle Trussoni, New York Times bestselling author of Angelology -
“This is a great book. And by great, I mean, devastatingly so, like reading The Scarlet Letter, while riding a roller coaster, on acid. Seductive, daring, soaring, and ultimately gut-wrenching, The Taker is a lush, historical rendering of transcendent love, paranormal beings, and the depths of pain that can be felt by immortal hearts.”
— Jamie Ford, New York Times bestselling author of Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet -
“A centuries-spanning epic that will keep you turning pages all night. This marvelous debut is a thinking person’s guilty pleasure.”
— Scott Westerfeld, New York Times bestselling author of Leviathan -
“Alma Katsu’s addictive tale of immortal love is brutal, wrenching, and ultimately moving. Gothic and richly detailed, The Taker it is an astonishing good read.”
— Meg Waite Clayton, New York Times bestselling author of The Wednesday Sisters -
“Katsu shows considerable skill in rendering a world where Adair's unspeakable evilness and Lanny's wild passion make the supernatural seem possible. The result is a novel full of surprises and a powerful evocation of the dark side of romantic love.”
— Publishers Weekly -
“Readers won’t be able to tear their eyes away from Katsu’s mesmerizing tale.”
— Booklist (starred review) -
“Alma Katsu’s The Taker is a frighteningly compelling story about those most human monsters—desire and obsession. It will curl your hair and keep you up late at night.”
— Keith Donahue, author of The Stolen Child -
“The Taker is a sexy, dark romance. Alma Katsu’s tale of immortality and unrequited love covers hundreds of years but never strays from this question: What price are we willing to pay to completely possess another?”
— Alexi Zentner, author of Touch
The Taker Listener Reviews
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" 3.5 stars. It's very compelling and it was hard to put down, but I didn't really like any of the characters. "
— Ryn, 2/15/2014 -
" What a disappointment this book was. I read it to the end just to find out what happened, but I was not excited at all. Luke is a good character, a worn-down divorced doctor, but Lanny, oh my, she is just ridiculous.This book is not worth all the hype. "
— K., 2/5/2014 -
" Pretty close to the beginning. I am enjoying it so far. A vampire story in Maine - with part of it in the present and part in the early 19th century. "
— Sumiko, 1/29/2014 -
" Intriguing but very dark story "
— jen8998, 1/6/2014 -
" I won this book on Twitter and probably wouldn't have read it otherwise, but I enjoyed it despite paranormal not usually being my thing. Still, it reads a little like a more sensational and less-accomplished version of The Historian. "
— Kathleen, 12/3/2013 -
" Interesting. It was about alchemy and immortality and the price that comes with that. Had a reading marathon to finish tonight. "
— Tess, 11/8/2013 -
" Good Read!!! I can't wait until the final part comes out in 2013 - The Descent. "
— Amanda, 9/11/2013 -
" Almost vampire but not quite. Started off good but kinda lost steam in the middle. The ending was perplexing in the fact that it just lingered. No resolution. Still a solidly written book. 3.5 stars "
— Rachelle, 8/5/2013 -
" I got this book free as I subscribe to newbooks magazine, and I'm really glad I did! Great characters and great story, simple to read and compelling. "
— Elizabeth, 6/23/2013 -
" I really liked this book. Although the ending was kind of like what the? But overall really good. Now to get the second book. :) "
— Kristal, 12/8/2012 -
" I loved it! Would recommend it to anyone and I can't wait to start book 2! "
— Krista, 5/18/2012 -
" LOVED LOVED LOVED! *Review to come shortly.* This was such a different read. Was refreshing to read about a new kind of paranormal. I so liked this read. "
— Natasha, 11/7/2011 -
" Reminiscent of The Gargoyle, without the melted penis. Interesting story kept me reading. "
— Beth, 11/1/2011 -
" This was a great story idea, but not a great book. I stuck with it, just hoping it would get better and redeem itself, and after I was 80% through it, I just felt like I had to stick with it because I already wasted enough time. After all that, it was still just a solid 2. "
— Heather, 10/24/2011 -
" Really enjoyed reading this, though I feel much was left out or glossed over. "
— Ro, 10/22/2011 -
" I enjoyed The Taker. It is unlike the books I usually read since it includes a science fiction component. The book was a unique story and Alma Katsu's style of writing engaged my attention page after page. Highly recommend this book. "
— Charlene, 10/16/2011 -
" Another awesome story - Original, a bit raunch at times, I suppose, but keeps you enthralled with it's twists. "
— Hybridmobile, 10/15/2011 -
" Creepy, intense...I loved it...can't wait to read next one, the first chapter was in the back of this one and due out fall 2012! "
— Susan, 10/14/2011
About Alma Katsu
Alma Katsu is the award-winning author of five novels. Prior to the publication of her first novel, she had a thirty-five-year career as a senior intelligence analyst for several US agencies, including the CIA and NSA, as well as RAND, the global policy think tank. She is a graduate of the master’s writing program at the Johns Hopkins University and received her bachelor’s degree from Brandeis University. She is a consultant to government and private industry on future trends and analytic methods.
About Laurel Lefkow
Laurel Lefkow is an accomplished radio actress and winner of several AudioFile Earphones Awards for audiobook narration. Her many theater credits include Look Back in Anger, Little Foxes, The Heiress, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and The Boy Next Door. On television she can be seen in A Class Act, Small Metal Jacket, and The Perfect Family.