The Black Echo (Harry Bosch #1) (audiobook) by Michael Connelly

12 discs
14 hours
read by Dick Hill

First, let me say that Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch stories are the best series currently being published. I've read and heard books throughout the series and let me heartily recommend hearing the Harry Bosch books rather than reading them.

Why?

First of all, narrator Dick Hill has an amazing voice and he captures Harry Bosch perfectly. There is no one better.

Secondly, Connelly's books really are well-written. I listen to a lot of audiobooks while I commute. Most are fine, but you can always tell the so-so authors. Their prose does not do well when read aloud while Connelly's shines. Combine it with Hill's voice and you have an experience, not just a book. (I'm not kidding, try it - I get two weeks of enjoyment by listening on the way to and from work rather than just two days in the traditional book format).

So, is The Black Echo a good book?

Not just good, it's great.

Michael Connelly

The plot concerns a dead body found in a drainage pipe. It could be just any junkie that crawled in to use drugs and then overdosed but Bosch thinks it looks wrong. Turns out he served in the Vietnam War with the overdose victim and when he starts pulling on loose threads he discovers a much larger conspiracy.

The plot is full of twists, turns, upsetting moments and even a few moments of laugh out loud fun. Connelly's strength is making Heironymous (Harry) Bosch as detailed and developed as possible while making the story move along. Gritty, bleak, despairing and all too human, this version of the L.A. streets and this detective are the best thing going in the world of fiction right now, in my opinion.

I rate this book 5 stars out of 5.

This boo can be found on Amazon.com here: The Black Echo (Harry Bosch Series)

Reviewed on October 9, 2009.