House of The Rising Sun

A Novel

By: James Lee Burke

Narrated by: Will Patton

Bestselling author James Lee Burke’s “stunning” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) masterpiece is the story of a father and son separated by war, circumstance, and a race for the Holy Grail—a thrilling entry in the Holland family saga.

After a violent encounter that leaves four Mexican soldiers dead, Texas Ranger Hackberry Holland escapes the country in possession of a stolen artifact believed to be the mythic cup of Christ, earning the ire of a bloodthirsty Austrian arms dealer who places Hack’s son, Ishmael, squarely in the cross hairs of a plot to recapture his prize.

On the journey from revolutionary Mexico in 1918 to the saloons of San Antonio during the Hole in the Wall Gang’s reign, we meet three extraordinary women: the Danish immigrant who is Ishmael’s mother and Hackberry’s one true love; a brothel madam descended from the Crusader knight who brought the Shroud of Turin back from the Holy Land; and a onetime lover of the Sundance Kid, whose wiles rival those of Lady Macbeth. In her own way, each woman will aid Hack in his quest to reconcile with Ishmael, to vanquish their enemies, and to return the Grail to its rightful place.

An epic tale of love, loss, betrayal, vengeance, and retribution, The House of the Rising Sun further cements Burke’s reputation as “one of America’s all-time masters” (New York Journal of Books).

Don't say masterpiece unless you really mean it

I think this may be Jim Burke's greatest novel. Every element of this recorded book is superb. The characterization, dialogue, plot. Not nearly as over-the-top as some previous works. More poetic than anything I've read of his, and I've read them all. Truly epic. I may have to read it again.

Entertainment and education

I’ve never read nor listened to any writing by Mr. Burke that didn’t entertain or educate.

Shakespeare writing about Texas

Would you listen to House of the Rising Sun again? Why?

Amazingly written book about Good, Evil, and the Old \west. I would definitely read it again and expect, as in reading Shakespeare's Dramas based on complicated heroes and heroines, find it more interesting each listening.

What did you like best about this story?

Burke's style of writing with his unbelievable attention to describing total scenes - down to such fine nuances as the smells of the scene can be mesmerizing. He also captured so well the eternal battle of good and evil as they rage in the behavior and emotions of a large and smart man.

Which character – as performed by Will Patton – was your favorite?

This is hard since they were all done so well. Obviously Hack and Ruby as well as Ishmael and the assorted side characters. I think I will always think about Andre as well.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I did react strongly to the narrative and the agony of the characters. There is little to cry or laugh about but plenty of empathize with.

Any additional comments?

Patton's narration was spot on. Perfect accents and clear distinction between characters helped in the mental visualization of the action.

Will Patton

Will Patton does a great job reading this story and doing different accents, glad I bought this

What a Character!

I thought that Hack was a great character. He was adequately flawed and good and often made me laugh out loud. And the performance was superb. I will be looking for more books by this author AND narrator. A great read to the end!