Review of the "Publishers Summary"...

The Publishers Summary needs to be revised! It is a little misleading. ???Hired gun of a financial syndicate??? isn???t even close! And he doesn???t kill a man. I cant help wondering if they even read the book or just skimmed? Maybe the summary was written before the book was complete or something but since this is my first Randy Wayne White, I chose it based on the Publishers Summary and the Narrator. The book was really interesting and entertaining just not what I was thinking. As usual the Narrator (George Guidall) delivered! I have listened to enough audio books to know that the narrator can make or break the book. Guidall never disappoints. He could read anything and make it enjoyable! Great performer! I will definitely read more of White to learn more about his Doc character but after Night Vision I understand why White is a best seller. I recomend him.

2 people found this helpful

Doc Ford Shines in NIGHT VISION

What made the experience of listening to Night Vision the most enjoyable?

This book is typical of the Doc Ford series --it starts off being one thing and then evolves into something else, taking devious twists and turns along the way. And despite the shocking violence there is real heart here, too.

What other book might you compare Night Vision to and why?

This book will appeal to the fans of John D. MacDonald's Travis McGee series

Have you listened to any of George Guidall’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

George Guidall is the undisputed king of narrators. His performance is layered, complex, and crystal clear.

1 person found this helpful

Sick, Perverted Violence

What would have made Night Vision better?

I've read all of Randy Wayne White's books, and this one was beyond disappointing. The entire book was taken up with the sick, perverted antics of the hideously twisted bad guys (and gal). There was hardly anything of Doc and Tomlinson and the gang at Dinkin's Bay, or of Doc's collecting and time on his boat among the mangroves and islands of South Florida. The violence was over the top, gratuitous and disturbingly graphic. The only redeeming aspect of the book were the two interesting characters at the center of the story: the young Guatemalan girl that Ford is out to save, and the creep who finally redeems himself through the grace of the girl's faith. Unfortunately that's not enough to save this book - not by a long shot. The Doc Ford series has been trending this way -- as do many in this genre. Nevada Barr's Anna Pigeon series springs to mind. Sure, they've always had some violence in them -- the very premise of the Ford character is based on a world of violence. But in the earlier books the violence did not so grossly subsume everything else. Now it seems each new release has to ratchet up the evil and the hatred and the violence. Is that really what readers want? Not me. This will be my last Doc Ford novel.

Has Night Vision turned you off from other books in this genre?

yes

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

I love George Guidall. I felt bad for him having to narrate this book.

5 people found this helpful

Thoughts from a Doc Ford "noobie"

Although I've seen some less than stellar reviews of Night Vision as compared to Randy Wayne White's previous works, I found Night Vision entertaining and a page turner. Perhaps that's because it is only the second in the Doc Ford series I've read (the first was Sanibel Flats, and I'm now reading the print version of Dead Silence). Therefore, I have little to which I can compare. I must admit I was somewhat disappointed at the rather limited role of Doc's buddy Tomlinson, and found that Tula, the gifted and mystical teen in trouble, forced me to stretch the limits of my imagination. What I did find intriguing was White's juxtaposition of saintly Tula and the evil Harris, especially the development of their characters toward the end of the book.

All in all, it was fun. Great action and suspense, excellent imagery, and notwithstanding some predictability here and there, there were some neat twists I didn't see coming. Guidall does a very good job of narration, and I think Night Vision is still a good read for Doc Ford fans even though I enjoyed Sanibel Flats much more.

1 person found this helpful

nicely crafted

Combined with the creative and expressive reading of George Guidall, this audio book is an entertaining fictional excursion into the underworld dealings of Florida Latino gangs and Steroid labs. The protagonist Dr. Ford makes for a formidable foil.

3 people found this helpful

kinda so so

not one of my favorites but a pretty decent listen. the storyline is a little dark for my taste has a Tippy toad around pornography. like I said decent listen but not one of my favorites.

good read. Fairly exciting and not really predict

able. Read my book, here I Stand by Robert Fletcher. No fiction. For fiction, Night Vision is great. Here I Stand by Robert Fletcher is true and exciting.

Least Favorite of the Doc Ford Audiobooks

Would you try another book from Randy Wayne White and/or George Guidall?

Yes, I am a fan of Randy Wayne White and the Doc Ford books. Unfortunately, George Guidall is the wrong narrator for these audiobooks. His voice for Doc's dialogues is too old sounding, and he makes Tomlinson sound like a Hispanic person.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

Most interesting was the character of Tullia. Least interesting was the whole trailer park scene.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of George Guidall?

The narrator for the first Doc Ford audiobooks in the series was outstanding. I imagine that RWW decided he was too expensive to use for later books, but I really believe that was a mistake. That guy nailed the Tomlinson character as he is portrayed in the writing, and Doc sounded much more age appropriate and capable of the physical actions that were being described.

Was Night Vision worth the listening time?

In retrospect, I probably wouldn't have purchased this audiobook based on my listening experience, but I haven't lost faith in the Doc Ford series

Any additional comments?

Narration is so important. Don't skimp on the cost of a good narrator to save on production costs up front.

Bumbling fool!

I really liked this guy in the early books, but as I get into the later books he seems more like a bumbling fool then he does a highly trained operative!
If not for George Guidall I'm not sure I could've made it through the last couple of books!

Nothing Much Good Happens in a Trailer Park

This is a Doc Ford thriller set in his base in the Florida Everglades. The premise is to help a psychic 13-year-old girl, Tula, who is stopping in a nearby Florida trailer park on her way from Guatemala. She is looking for her mother, who disappeared. Tula has a special skill; she speaks with God through Joan of Arc. Blocking the way is the steroid-crazed manager of the trailer park, Harris Squires. Next mix-in a team of lethal gang bangers and meth cookers and you have quite an amalgam.

This entertaining book gives you some nice snippets about wildlife and ocean biology as Doc Ford is a marine biologist when he is not reverting to his Special Forces skills. There is even a nice love story. Of course she is very rich which makes things neat.

Randy Wayne White creates a pretty complex set of circumstances to navigate. The best part is there is a high speed (read high action) conclusion that is very entertaining. I found the Joan of Arc bit a little oppressive as the plot unwound. My preference is to not overload on religious mysticism in a thriller. However, Doc Ford comes through like the cavalry to save the day and the maiden. This is not the best in this long-running series but it does touch on the plight of illegals in America in an enlightened fashion.