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Shop nowSyndrome E
Narrator
Gildart Jackson
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Translator
Mark Polizzotti
Length
13 hours 18 minutes
Language
English
The classic police procedural meets cutting-edge science in this huge international bestseller. Already a runaway bestseller in France, Syndrome E tells the story of beleaguered detective Lucie Henebelle, whose old friend has developed a case of spontaneous blindness after watching an extremely rare—and violent—film from the 1950s. Embedded in the film are subliminal images so unspeakably heinous that Lucie realizes she must get to the bottom of it—especially when nearly everyone who comes into contact with the film starts turning up dead. Enlisting the help of Inspector Franck Sharko—a brooding, broken analyst for the Paris police who is exploring the film's connection to five murdered men left in the woods—Lucie begins to strip away the layers of what is perhaps the most disturbing and powerful film ever made. Soon Sharko and Lucie find themselves mired in a darkness that spreads across politics, religion, science, and art while stretching from France to Canada, Egypt to Rwanda, and beyond. And just who is responsible for this darkness will blow listeners' minds, as Syndrome E forces them to consider: What if the earliest and most brilliant advances and discoveries of neuroscience were not used for good but for evil? With this taut US debut, Thilliez explores the origins of violence through cutting-edge and popular science in a breakneck thriller rich with shocking plot twists and profound questions about the nature of humanity.
Franck Thilliez is the author of several bestselling novels in his native France. Syndrome E was his first novel to be translated into English in the United States.
Gildart Jackson’s acting credits span the stage and screen. He is most often recognized for his roles as Gideon on Charmed and Simon Prentiss on General Hospital. He has also starred in numerous television shows, including CSI and Vegas, and he played the lead in the highly acclaimed independent feature film You, directed by his wife, Melora Hardin.
Mark Polizzotti has translated numerous books from the French, including works by André Breton, Jean Echenoz, Marguerite Duras, and Gustave Flaubert. He is the author of Revolution of the Mind: The Life of André Breton; a collection of poems, The New Life; and the collaborative novel S. He lives in Massachusetts.
Reviews
“Blending science and neurology into the intrigue of his excellent thriller, Thilliez takes us into the maze of the human brain, with all the evils it can unleash.”
“Here’s something different for American listeners, a gripping horror-suspense novel from acclaimed French author Franck Thilliez. Be warned: it’s gruesome. The audiobook benefits greatly from the performance of narrator Gildart Jackson, a TV and film actor with great range and skill. He moves easily from a French accent to Egyptian and Canadian accents, making each character distinct. His subtlety makes the descriptions of horrible experiments even more frightening as ruthless scientists try to determine what causes people to fly into murderous rages. The emotionally damaged detective, from “Columbo” to “Monk,” is common stock in mysteries, so the foibles of detective Franck Sharko will not shock listeners.”
“A tour de force…A captivating plot that keeps the reader in his seat until the final moments.”
“Franck Thilliez leads his story like a beating drum, multiplying the reverberations without ever losing track of the psychological development of his characters…A reflection on the origins of violence that is as playful as it is erudite. Essential reading!”
“Spare evocative prose propels French author Thilliez’s stellar US debut…This is a crackerjack story that most readers will devour in one sitting.”“Thilliez delivers crisp prose and a scorching plot that takes readers from the lively streets of Paris to the deadly Egyptian desert.”
“With a fascinating blend of noir procedural, espionage flavor, and an eerie setup that makes the video from The Ring seem harmless, it is no surprise that Syndrome E has already been an international sensation. Beneath its dazzling, byzantine plot are menacing questions of what lurks at the intersection between the new and chilling capabilities of neuroscience and the ancient but more-chilling capabilities of human evil.”
“This novel boasts distinctive characters you want to spend time with, a lively plot, evocative settings, fun film references and, icing on the cake, an enjoyable offbeat romance.”
“Gildart Jackson’s gentle, well-paced, fully voiced, polished reading is perfect for this excellent, complex story about two smart, sensitive, very human professionals who solve an almost unsolvable series of crimes. Outstanding. Don’t miss this one.”
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