Audiobook Sample
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- Title: Wild Lands
- Author: Paul Greci
- Narrator: Tristan Morris
- Length: 09:40:00
- Version: Abridged
- Release Date: 29/01/2019
- Publisher: Macmillan Audio
- Genre: Teen, Mystery & Thriller, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Action & Adventure
- ISBN13: 9.78E+12
The crunch of gravel under my boots slowed as Tristan Morris’ voice in my earbuds described Travis and Jess’s first night in the Alaskan wilderness. I was hiking through the Sierra Madre mountains when Wild Lands gripped me – the perfect companion for my own journey through untamed landscapes. Paul Greci’s YA thriller isn’t just another survival story; it’s a visceral exploration of humanity’s raw edges when civilization crumbles, narrated with such authenticity by Morris that I found myself glancing over my shoulder at imaginary threats.
Greci’s decades of Alaskan wilderness experience permeate every chapter. You can almost feel the bite of frost in Travis’s breath as he and his sister navigate this new world order where the rules have dissolved like permafrost in summer. The story unfolds like a topographic map of human nature – revealing both the treacherous cliffs of desperation and the unexpected oases of compassion that emerge when society collapses.
Tristan Morris’ narration deserves special praise. His performance reminds me of those Oaxacan storytelling nights – knowing exactly when to let silence speak volumes, when to quicken the pace like a racing heartbeat. His vocal distinctions between characters are subtle yet effective, particularly in conveying Jess’s youthful resilience transforming into hardened survival instinct. The audio production enhances the experience with subtle environmental sounds that never overpower the narration but deepen the immersion.
The novel’s greatest strength lies in its psychological authenticity. Having documented survival stories from earthquake survivors in Nepal to hurricane refugees in New Orleans, I recognize the truth in Greci’s portrayal of how crisis distills people to their essence. One scene where Travis must decide whether to help a wounded stranger particularly resonated with me – it echoed a moment I witnessed in Chile after the 2010 earthquake, when a shopkeeper chose between guarding his ruined store or aiding his neighbors.
While the pacing is relentless (perfect for audio consumption during long drives or hikes), some character relationships could benefit from deeper development. Certain alliances form almost miraculously fast in this harsh world. Yet this minor critique fades against the novel’s strengths – its unflinching look at moral ambiguity, its reverence for the Alaskan wilderness (rendered with geographic precision that would satisfy any anthropologist), and its refusal to offer easy answers.
For listeners who enjoyed The 5th Wave or Hatchet, this audiobook delivers that same heart-thumping suspense with added layers of environmental commentary and sibling dynamics. It’s particularly compelling for road trip listening – though fair warning, you might find yourself driving more cautiously as Morris’ narration ratchets up the tension.
The wilderness survival genre often romanticizes isolation, but Greci and Morris together reveal the profound truth that even in collapse, we remain bound to each other. As Travis and Jess’s journey demonstrates, the wildest lands aren’t just those without roads or cities, but the uncharted territories within ourselves when pushed to the edge.
May your journeys – both literary and literal – be filled with such compelling stories,
Marcus Rivera
