The Lost City of the Monkey God: A True Story by Douglas Preston
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Summary
A five-hundred-year-old legend. An ancient curse. A stunning medical mystery. And a pioneering journey into the unknown heart of the world's densest jungle.
This audiobook is filled with a thrilling and enjoyable narrative. It captures a profoundly significant moment in history, and only time will reveal where this discovery will lead humanity.
I found the story itself to be captivating and well-written, and honestly, I think I would have enjoyed it more if I had read it instead of listening to the audiobook. Bill Mumy has a pleasant voice, and his speech pattern reminds me of Casey Casem, which is cool. However, his constant mispronunciations of the place names, especially the one where the story is set, were cringe-worthy. It's pretty disappointing, considering that the narrator is from California and should be familiar with Spanish influences, even if he doesn't speak the language. These mispronunciations really threw me off. If it weren't for that, I would have given the narration a solid 4-star rating. I might give Mumy another chance and listen to something else he narrates, as long as it's written in plain American English without any foreign words or place names.
If I hadn't listened to this book, I would've lost interest pretty quickly. I get that the author was trying to weave together various events, but honestly, this book could've been significantly shorter and still conveyed its message effectively.
This book consists of about 10% genuine adventure and exploration, while the remaining 90% feels like filler material and tangential content.
The final chapter takes a complete departure from Ciudad Blanca, and the author goes on a tangent about how infectious diseases in impoverished areas could turn into global epidemics due to global warming. It's not that the science is inaccurate, but rather, I feel like the author used the allure and legend of the lost city as a way to sell a book that delves into a different topic. It's almost like I got a bait-and-switch situation here.
I can't understand why they would choose a narrator who struggles with pronouncing Spanish words for a story based in Central America! Seriously, finding someone who can say "Mosquitias" or "ciudad" correctly isn't that difficult, is it? It's such a shame because it completely spoiled the book for me.
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