The Jester (Review Two)
By James Patterson, Andrew Gross
Read by Neil Dickson

     James Patterson is back with another coauthored book. Although the The Jester begins in the present, the rest of the tale is an historical mystery. At the start, an artifact, rumored to be linked to a Jester, is uncovered.

     Quickly, the readers are taken back to 1096 to witness the lives of innkeeper Hugh de Luc, his wife and his fellow French villagers. When their village is attacked, Hugh decides to join the Crusades and heads off to Jerusalem. It becomes a long, horrible experience. Sheer chaos ensues towards the end and Hugh wants to escape. After a climatic moment at a church, Hugh takes a few objects and heads back to France.

     Hugh's true test begins when he arrives home to find his child murdered and his wife gone. He hits the road on a personal crusade to find his wife and bring down those responsible for attacking his village. A redheaded, kindhearted jokester turns into a plotting, patient jester who lives by his wit (and way too many male-oriented riddles) as he extracts his revenge.

     When you pick up The Jester audio-ebook, be prepared to react. It's fast, it's gritty, and it's unpredictable. Expect key moments to explode off the e-book pages as the audio plays along. Readers and listeners should be reminded that Patterson has written a realistic version of medieval life. There are plenty of colorful moments, explicit language and love scenes. If you like your books raw and suspense filled, then you will like The Jester.

     The narrator of the audio book is Neil Dickson, a London theatre actor with American TV and movie credits to his name. Some will most likely know him from Freedom Fighters, Murders in the Rue Morgue, and Lionheart. His narration carries off the intensity of the storyline without missing a beat. I found it to be a remarkable listening experience, as he skillfully tackled each character's dialog. Warning: in mixed company or if younger ears are near, earphones are recommended.