A thriller with a really interesting background

Would you consider the audio edition of The Torah Codes to be better than the print version?

I listened to this book in exchange for an honest review.

I am a fan of the mystery-thriller genre, but had not read the original book. However, I did thoroughly enjoy Bryan Reid's narration, which had a good deal of first-person narration by the main character, Nathan Yimorshi. I felt that his steady pacing and vocal tone suited the book well, and brought Yimorshi and the characters around him to life, so given the choice I would much rather have listened to than simply read the text.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I did like the protagonist, Yimorshi, very much. It was unusual to hear the story from the point of view of a main character affected by bipolar disorder. He was likeable and inventive (especially in his approach to shooing away the bad guy, which was a great, fun part of the book), and together with the performance, made for a character where I really wanted to know what he'd do/say next.

Which character – as performed by Bryan Reid – was your favourite?

The Rabbi was superb, I thought. I'm afraid that I came to the book with very little first-hand knowledge of The Torah or Jewish culture, (which turned out not to be a problem as everything is explained well both in the book itself, and with further detail in the appendix).

All the characters were very distinct throughout the book, but the Rabbi was voiced beautifully, in his tone, his inflection, radiating warmth and guidance.

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

I did listen to this book in some long sittings, where time flew by as I got lost in it, but it's a little long, in my opinion, for one sitting. It is a compelling listen, the plot intriguing, the characters' conversations fun and nicely frank, and the tension doesn't drop - but by its nature, it's long.

Any additional comments?

It's impossible to explain without spoilers, but it has a very satisfyingly concluded end for the characters. Occasionally, with such long, dangerous adventure thrillers, endings can feel flimsy or there to shock, or simply tacked on. That's not the case here.

(Also, as a non-expert on some of the concepts surrounding The Torah Codes and MEG and so on, I did also enjoy finding out more in the appendix about what elements of the story are based in reality or realistic theory, and once more, the explanations were clear and concise.)

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