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  • City on Fire

  • The City, Book 1
  • By: Don Winslow
  • Narrated by: Ari Fliakos
  • Length: 8 hrs and 54 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (242 ratings)
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City on Fire cover art

City on Fire

By: Don Winslow
Narrated by: Ari Fliakos
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Summary

The new thriller from the number one international best seller—the start of a brand-new trilogy. 

Providence, RI, 1986. 

Twenty-nine-year-old Danny Ryan is a hard-working longshoreman, loving husband, loyal friend and occasional 'muscle' for the Irish crime syndicate that oversees much of the city. He yearns for something more and dreams of starting over fresh, someplace far away.

But when a modern-day Helen of Troy triggers a war between rival mob factions, Danny is embroiled in a conflict he can’t escape. Now it is up to him to step into the breach to protect his family, the friends who are closer to him than brothers and the only home he’s ever known.

Exploring classic themes of loyalty, betrayal, honour and corruption on both sides of the law, City on Fire is a contemporary Iliad from Don Winslow.

©2021 Don Winslow, Simburo inc (P)2021 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

"One of America’s greatest storytellers." (Stephen King)

"No one fuses action with emotion like Winslow." (The Times)

What listeners say about City on Fire

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

As good as the best of Scorsese

Once upon a time Don Winslow wrote good books. Really good, serviceable genre-fiction like
The Dawn Patrol, and The Gentlemen’s Hour…. But since The Power of the Dog, Winslow has been so much more. Now he’s a great writer.

He has something to say - both about America’s past and it’s future. The books from the second half of Winslow’s career are more complex, more real, more visceral. Now he creates great, multifaceted characters, adrift in amoral tides… And he doesn’t let any of them reach a shore until everyone has paid their price.

Read this. Read all his books since 2005 - particularly the Power of the Dog Trilogy and The Force. It’s rare to see a writer suddenly get a such bump in their powers.

Like Scorsese at the hight of his craft and Gillian (writing Better Call Saul), he has something important to say about the American Dream and its dark underbelly. It’s definitely worth stopping to listen.

If this is the start of a new trilogy, you can pour me another double.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Master storyteller.

Don Winslow is one of America’s best authors in any genre.
Cinematic at its best and no wastage of words;
A genuine artist at work, he knows how to tell a story and delivers another knockout, apparently the first of three.
A master at work again.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Well written but overly violent

Too much gratuitous violence and criminality made it difficult to care deeply about any of the characters. The body count is high. But as far as I was concerned the sooner they eliminated each other or get caught the better.
That said the writing is first class. Very concise and often witty.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Gripping and exceptional narration

This was really gripping. Couldn’t stop listening and was a bit sad when it ended.

Very well written with great characters and superb narration.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Waiting for the rest of the trilogy!

The character sketches at the beginning were a slow burn but important to the story - which developed very well and left me wanting more. Now! 😊

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic! My new favourite author

Compelling story and great narration. I was hooked from the first minute. The characters are all very relatable & realistic and the pace is perfect

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

The Irish Sopranos

Very enjoyable story: if you like gangster novels or films, think Goodfellas or TV shows like the Sopranos, you’ll certainly find this a fun listen.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Solid crime thriller

Not quite in the class of some of his recent work, but an enjoyable read with some sparkling dialogue expertly narrated. Wouldn't be surprised to see it shortlisted for the bad sex award and gender politics not the author's strong suit.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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A great start!

I am looking forward to the next one! Narration was a bit natty but not bad once you get in the groove. I enjoyed watching a new kind of world develop , full of violence and fear, jealousy and stupidity, that had nothing to do with politics.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Good Mob Story

Violent and with graphic language, this work is a very good example of the genre. Well read.

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