awesome writing, awesome narration

Engaging story momentum coupled with awesome writing. The narrator brought the characters to life in such a way one could almost imagine seeing the film

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The love of family and friends

Would you consider the audio edition of The Nothingness of Ben to be better than the print version?

I have not read the print version, but enjoyed listening to this story.

Who was your favorite character and why?

It has to be Ben, he had so much to cope with, some difficult decisions to make. He got through it all making the best decisions he could, keeping his family together was hard work and he triumphed in the end.

Have you listened to any of Charlie David’s other performances? How does this one compare?

I have listened to Charlie before and enjoyed his work, he did a great job here with these characters too.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes it was, as with many books on audio it's a bit like switching off a movie half way through, now tell me who does that?

Any additional comments?

I enjoyed this story and I will be looking out for more books on audible by this author.

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4.75 stars!

**AUDIO REVIEW**

Ben Walsh is faced with bringing up his three younger brothers after the death of their parents in a car crash. Forced to leave New York and move to Austin, Texas, Ben feels overwhelmed by it all and finds a friend in Travis Atwood, a neighbour who his parents had taken under their wing before their death. Travis provides much needed support for Ben, and his brothers, but something else too. Ben just needs to see that New York isnt the be all and end all.

I loved this story! Ben is a self absorbed young litigator, and he really has a shock to the system having to deal with the aftermath of his parents death. Travis is a lovely young man, who knows more about Ben's brothers than Ben does. And those boys?? oh. My heart broke for them, it really did. For Ben too, once it hit him.

Ben has some difficult decisions to make, and I loved that he makes sure that all FOUR of them make those decisions, and the boys are given all their options. The way Ben deals with Quentin, and Jason, superbly done, I doubt even a parent could deal with things like that thrown at them all at once, let alone a big brother who hasnt seen his younger brothers but once or twice last couple of years.

I also loved that with the New York boyfriend, David, and with Travis, Ben is completely different in the bedroom.

I particularly loved how everything crept up on them both, then BOOM it all went belly up THEN finally Ben came to his senses. Also, it didnt end where I thought it would, that really surprised me, the added extrabits. Its not really an epilogue, I just thought it would have ended a little earlier.

Charlie David narrates this tale, and he does an outstanding job. His (American) accent is soft, and subtle, making for easy listening. His Texas tone he uses for Travis and the other locals, is just how I imagine Texans to sounds, drawing out all the words. Each character is easily defined, making mutli person conversations easy to listen to without losing who is who.

The only reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is because its written entirely from Ben's point of view and I would LOVED to have heard from Travis too. I like to hear from major players in stories, thats just MY opinion, but thats the only reason, its a single person point of view.

4.75 stars

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expected more.. silly me

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

a week ending really but in line with the complete story

What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?

the 'nothingness' of ben is a good title, as nothing really happens.

If this book were a film would you go see it?

no

Any additional comments?

having first read the return by the same writer/narrator. in which ben and his 'family' are mentioned I felt I should listen to this one to see how they fit together.. I wish I hadn't,the story is ok in itself and the narration not too bad, but there is no great wonder, no suspense.. even the walk round New York with Jason was a nothingness really.. just an excuse to throw in references to stonewall etc.. very weak,all in all a nothing story really.. I wasn't over impressed with 'the return' and this one is even less so..

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A mediocre story aggravated by a mediocre narrator

There were chapters I enjoyed but lots of paragraphs were just words to make a full novel. On Monday they ate macaroni on Tuesday they went to a football party on Wednesday a friend called, that kind of nothingness. This was read dry and emotionless, sometimes skimming over pauses where they really should have been a pause, i.e. a new chapter. Also annoying was the background of the recording, which was not completely silent: you heard the narrator move and turn paper pages.

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