The Fold by Peter Clines (Narrated by Ray Porter)

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: Threshold (Book 2)

Genre:  Science fiction, mystery, Lovecraftian horror

Published: 2nd June 2015 by Crown (US)

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The Fold is yet another utterly absorbing and entertaining genre-bending novel by Peter Clines, which was impeccably narrated by Ray Porter.

I didn’t even realise that I’ve read the first book in the Threshold series, 14, almost exactly a year ago. It must be something related to this bizarre universe that Clines have created in his series of connected stand-alone novels which triggered such a coincidence. The Fold is the second book in the series, with a completely different story and new cast of characters in the same universe.

Knowing that 14 and The Fold are somewhat connected did reduce the mystery ever so slightly, but Clines still managed to create enough suspense to keep me engaged. The first chapter of the book was an instant attention grabber. And although nothing much really happened for about a third of the book, I was hooked to my earphones as Ray Porter flawlessly brought the characters and story to life. From there on, the story moved from engaging to absolutely riveting.

I warmed up to the main character, Leland “Mike” Erikson almost instantly. A genius with eidetic memory, Mike opted to be as normal as possible, working as a high-school teacher in a small town in Maine. One of his closest friends, Reggie Magnus, who worked on high-tech, secretive government projects had been trying for years to get Mike to work for him. And he finally succeeded. Mike has been tasked to monitor and report on the Albuquerque Door project. A project involving a device which can teleport anything across any distance with a single step by means of ‘folding’ the dimensions. Everything seemed to be working well, but somehow one can’t shake off the feeling that all is not what it appeared to be. Don’t worry about the science as it is very much dialed down that it can be enjoyed even by those who are disinclined towards hard science fiction.

I simply can’t get enough of this blend of science-fiction, mystery and Lovecraftian horror. With 14 and The Fold, Peter Clines has earned a new fan of his Threshold series. I also hope that Ray Porter continues to narrate his books because he has the perfect cadence and timing for the kind of witty and snappy dialogue in Clines’ books. Porter is also exceptional in giving his characters’ distinct voices and his accents are impeccable. In short, The Fold is a compulsively addictive read, or rather listen, that kept me wanting more.

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You can order the book / audiobook from: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Book Depository (Free shipping | Bookshop.Org

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