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A Density of Souls
A Density of Souls
A Density of Souls
Audiobook8 hours

A Density of Souls

Written by Christopher Rice

Narrated by James Daniels

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

()

About this audiobook

Four childhood friends in present-day New Orleans are torn apart by envy, passion, and a secret murder.

Five years ago, Meredith, Brandon, Greg, and Stephen quickly discover the fragile boundaries between friendship and betrayal as they enter high school and form new allegiances. Meredith, Brandon, and Greg gain popularity, while Stephen is viciously treated as an outcast. Then two violent deaths destroy the already delicate bonds of their friendship.

When the friends are drawn back together, new facts about their mutual history are exposed and what was held to be a tragic accident is revealed as murder. As the true story emerges, other secrets begin to unravel with more dangerous, far-reaching consequences.

A Density of Souls is a stunning debut novel that uncovers the darker side of the teenage psyche.

LanguageEnglish
Release dateMay 16, 2017
ISBN9781543612936
A Density of Souls
Author

Christopher Rice

Christopher Rice is an Amazon Charts bestselling author whose works include Bone Music and Blood Echo in The Burning Girl series; the New York Times bestseller A Density of Souls; and the Bram Stoker Award finalists The Heavens Rise and The Vines. He is an executive producer of The Vampire Chronicles, a television show based on the bestselling novels by his mother, Anne Rice. Together they penned Ramses the Damned: The Passion of Cleopatra. With his best friend and producing partner, New York Times bestselling novelist Eric Shaw Quinn, he runs the podcast and video network TDPS, which you can find at www.TheDinnerPartyShow.com. Visit him at www.christopherricebooks.com.

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Reviews for A Density of Souls

Rating: 3.833333379084967 out of 5 stars
4/5

306 ratings14 reviews

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  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This book came to my attention because it was written by the son of one of my favourite authors, Anne Rice. Based in New Orleans, this books is about four young friends whose relationships change dramatically when they enter High School. I found the depth of the relationships absolutely fascinating and the insights by each of the characters to be beyond their years, but altogether convincing.I enjoyed re-reading certain sections throughout the book in order to savour the language and the writing. There were also particular sections I needed to pause and reflect on, as they were deeply moving and poignant.I couldn't help but compare Christopher's writing to that of Anne Rice, and I was surprised to draw the conclusion that this book is better than some of her novels. I wonder if they share a happy rivalry.This book isn't for everyone. Some of the themes are quite heavy going and include violence and sexual themes. The review on the book cover claims this book is a "shocking, sexy tale. An intricate novel about four childhood pals whose friendships deteriorate into a nightmare of violence and chaos" and I can't help but agree.I thoroughly enjoyed this debut novel by Christopher Rice, although I don't think I would have the courage to recommend it to anyone.

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I received a copy of this from Goodreads Giveaways.

    This book starts out fast and never slows down. For most of the book Ii really thought I was going to give it a five star rating. Keeping in mind it was written by a 21 year old and also his first novel. I had some issues with the ending though and what happened to with one of the characters. I was happy to read in the Afterword that is in the newest printing of the book that the author's father had some of the same issues. Christopher Rice explains about why things were kept in and why things were cut and pretty much answered all my questions. I look forward to reading the rest of his work and see how far he has come as a writer since A Density Of Souls.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Christopher Rice wrote in such a captivating way that I honestly could not put this book down. There are areas that are lacking, however, the overall plot was fantastic, the story drawas you into itself. Plot twists are found throughout the book, or at least what I percieved as such. Overall, this was a fantastic read!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Up to the time they entered their teens, Brandon, Greg, Stephen and Meredith were close friends, doing everything together, but that all changed as they moved on to high school when Greg and Brandon, now popular sports jocks turned on Stephen and Meredith became for a time little more than a bystander. In their childhood Brandon and Greg did things with Stephen they would now rather forget, Stephen however has grown to accept the very things that frightened him when he thought about other boys. To make matters worse, while Brandon and Greg, now well built muscular youths have the physical power over the slender Stephen, and as Greg tries to ignore what he had with Stephen and now dates Meredith, it seems Stephen has an even stronger power over his two one-time friends. A power Greg would prefer to ignore but ultimately, and disastrously, cannot, whereas Brandon actively pursues his hatred and directs it at the entire gay community with tragic results.Meredith, for her part, while secretly knowing all along what took place between the young Greg and Stephen, and after she overcomes her own problems, sees the truth of the situation and becomes a crucial support to Stephen and also to Greg's mother, who is inflicted with more than her fair share of trouble. That is not to say the the other excessively wealthy parents of our four youngsters escape, money certainly does not buy peace of mind.Fortunately for Stephen his power to bring out the true nature of other men works both ways, just as Greg is unable to accept what Stephen stirs in him, there are those who, seemingly straight, respond positively and act upon their feelings; Stephen can find devoted lovers.The Density of Souls is a powerful, complex and thought provoking novel, yes it may be a little over-wrought and extreme at times, but this is not to detract from it. This is my second Christopher Rice novel and I am now a dedicated fan greatly impressed by his ability to create and control complex plots and loving his more appealing characters. (I hope he does not desert this form altogether.)
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Meredith, Brandon, Stephen and Greg were practically inseparable as children; playing hide and seek and constantly riding their bikes together through the New Orleans woods. The four friends shared an unbreakable bond and an undeniable connection with each other that they all believed would last forever. Such strong friendship should last forever; but teenagers can be fickle.By the time Meredith, Brandon, Stephen and Greg enter high school, something has changed within the dynamic of their friendship. Suddenly, the four young friends are living drastically different lives; and deep feelings of envy, rage, and secret passions have succeeded in tearing their friendship apart. Soon, two violent deaths irrevocably disrupt the core of what these friends once shared, and they all go their separate ways - certain that they will never see each other ever again.Five years later, the friends are reunited with each other. And, when one of the mysterious deaths that initially drove them apart is discovered to have actually been murder, secrets once thought to be deeply buried begin to unravel. And the casual cruelties inflicted by thoughtless high school students from the past, suddenly have the potential to develop into acts of brutal violence that threaten to engulf an entire city in the present.First of all, let me say that I initially thought that this mystery was really quite good. I wanted so much to like this book. I thought the premise was intriguing and I found myself really feeling for the characters and what they were going through. However, by about halfway through the book, I noticed that the story was starting to slide slightly off track for me.I wasn't quite sure why I felt this way at first, but was finally able to put my finger on the specific reason for these feelings. In my opinion, as a debut novel, this began off as an intriguing mystery and initially had such promise. However, I must say that I found Mr. Rice's writing style to be incredibly detailed and somewhat overwritten at times - some of the overly descriptive passages were hard for me to follow. Overall, I was disappointed to discover that this book was ultimately just not my cup of tea - I had to give it a C!
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I read this book when I was a teenager, in fact I read it twice, and loved it. As an adult, the books I love are ones which really build the characters and consider the human condition. A similar reader will really like this book. It's a nice combination of an entertaining storyline with mystery and some twists and turns, whilst working hard to develop the characters and the author really allows any reader to relate to the characters. An enjoyable read, good for someone to who wants to chill with a book on holiday or whatever, but who wants to keep their brain ticking over nicely at the same time.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    A good, if somewhat melodramatic story.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Christopher Rice wrote in such a captivating way that I honestly could not put this book down. There are areas that are lacking, however, the overall plot was fantastic, the story drawas you into itself. Plot twists are found throughout the book, or at least what I percieved as such. Overall, this was a fantastic read!
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    A good book to read on the beach or in a doctor's waiting room. Easy to read, enjoyable story. Worth picking up at the library or at a used bookstore.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    A fantastic first book. Christopher Rice takes us to dark places and long kept secrets and never once lets us slip away. There was not a point in this book that I wanted to put it down. Full of great images and a storyline that will keep you thinking well after you finish the last page.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Very much a first novel. The main character is clearly a stand in for the author, the location is the same one the author was raised in, and other bits seem like Rice was definitely trying to deal with some issues. But if Anne Rice was my mother I'd have issues too, so that's pretty forgivable. Powerful imagery, and a gay story in which not only does neither man in the main couple get killed or die of some disease, but they even get to be happy together at the end. Wow. Now *that's* novel. Lovely themes of death, and resurrection of the spirit/soul, and deep in the bone bonds. It took me three years to figure out some of the more subtle symbolism though.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This book was a bit darker than I expected, especially from a first time writer. I did enjoy it though. Christopher Rice took a lot of chances with this and it paid off for him. The ending is a bit twisted though. I would have to warn that those who are squeamish, or those who have a problem with homosexuality would not like this book. If you are ok with that though, then this book is a pretty good murder mystery. I would dare to say that I enjoyed reading Christopher's book almost more than I like reading his mothers books. I will give him a B+.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I was blown away by the power of his narration. As a fan of Anne Rice’s very early work, I know how things can start off with a bang and end with a whimper. I hope Chris manages to hold on to whatever he has better than his mom did. My curiosity to see how like or unlike his mom’s writing was well rewarded. He has all her descriptive power without bogging us down in her minutiae. He does dialogue a bit better than mom, I think. Pacing is better, too. Well, I take that back, her pacing is OK – at least in the early novels. The details aren’t too thick on the ground until the later Vampire Novels and the witch novels, which I hated.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I am of two minds on this one. Christopher's writing is beautiful -- it's lush and descriptive and he manages to mostly avoid his mother's purple prose. And on the one hand he really nails the cliques and insecurities and pain of high school, but on the other some of his characters are just cliched to the extreme. But the thing is, you care about them, and you want to understand them, even when they're being pretentious, self-involved jerks. He tries to fit too much into the plot, and I really think a few of the 'twists' could have been left out -- but overall I did enjoy the book and think I'll pick up another of his books.