• Monument 14

  • Monument 14, Book 1
  • By: Emmy Laybourne
  • Narrated by: Todd Haberkorn
  • Length: 6 hrs and 54 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (434 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
Monument 14  By  cover art

Monument 14

By: Emmy Laybourne
Narrated by: Todd Haberkorn
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $20.00

Buy for $20.00

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

In Emmy Laybourne’s action-packed debut novel, six high school kids (some popular, some not), two eighth graders (one a tech genius), and six little kids trapped together in a chain superstore build a refuge for themselves inside. While outside, a series of escalating disasters, beginning with a monster hailstorm and ending with a chemical weapons spill, seems to be tearing the world - as they know it - apart.

©2012 Emmy Laybourne (P)2012 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

What listeners say about Monument 14

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    244
  • 4 Stars
    123
  • 3 Stars
    52
  • 2 Stars
    9
  • 1 Stars
    6
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    226
  • 4 Stars
    120
  • 3 Stars
    31
  • 2 Stars
    9
  • 1 Stars
    1
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    211
  • 4 Stars
    111
  • 3 Stars
    48
  • 2 Stars
    14
  • 1 Stars
    6

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Dull

The summary describes this as action packed. There is a bit of action at the beginning, to set up the scenario, and a little at the end, but aside from that nothing happens.... Nothing. And I don't mean no action, I mean little to no plot. Hours of what will we have for breakfast and who is the leader who will decide our chores (not try to figure out what is happening, or come up with a plan, or anything else that logically the characters would and should be concerned about).

We hear very little about what happened, and no explanation of why it happened, and no real idea of its impact in the world - it is almost entirely ignored aside from being a set up for the scenario for the kids. So we have kids in a store during some unexplained catastrophe. It tries then to focus on what the kids do, but do not expect Lord of the Flies-like tension... There is little tension... The kid set up as the bad guy is a very nothing sort of bad guy with hardly any real conflict, and does very little, the good guys are equally anemic in their goodness... the characters on the whole are incredibly flat, and their relationships completely uncompelling, uninteresting and not at all well developed. The main character is in love with a girl because she is "perfect, smart, funny, a 'goddess'".. Well, we will have to take his word on that because she does absilutely nothing to warrant any of those advectives in any way, does nothing to warrant very many adjectives of any sort really, and the interaction between the main character and his crush does nothing to make the reader feel concerend with their relationship or understanding of the crush.

Very little goes on in this story and it doesn't succeed in being a character driven story as the characters are just so dull and the relationships are so uninteresting. The premise is nearly completely unexplored as well, which is surprising as that could have been interesting. Once the kids get into the store, there are no threats, no real hardships (except deciding what to eat and where to sleep, etc). So it doesn't even really work as a survival story. There isn't even the emotional component you would expect with a bunch of young kids (some teens and some very young little kids) who have lost everything. The occassional mention of how they miss their parents but nothing major - and though I don't want hours of kids in emotional anguish, it would have at least made sense and been something to connect to.

Also, be warned parents - there is a bizarre amount of drugs and sex and alcohol and vulgarity for no apparent reason. This does not make the story more interesting, and is not a major element, though a frequent one, and is totally perplexing as it goes no where and contributes very little to the story or the characters. Even that element is dull and never really develops properly. There are too many undeveloped threads like that - that never seem to amount to something that can hold the story together or give it some direction or shape.

I hate giving reviews like this... But the description makes it seem like something it isn't and I think like minded people will be as disappointed as I was, so thought I should warn.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Nice book

Interesting story, short on the believability, short on action, short on thrill. Safe for younger teens and adults who like to avoid the heavy hitting dystopian thriller.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Should be porn, NOT for children (or any decent adult)

First, I’ll say the performer did an excellent job. The author though, that’s a different story. The story is full of filth. It’s takes awhile before it comes out, but it does. I always read or listen to books before I allow my children to read something I know nothing about. I am so very thankful I did. I don’t even want to write the words or descriptions used in the book. And trust me, they were not just something that was sneaked it with the idea that adults would understand but would be over children heads Not at all. These were very descriptive sexual scenes. The story line itself was okay, but the language and sexual stuff should be left out. I have never returned an Audible book but I certainly will this one. And I will avoid this author from now on.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

I've listened 5th or 6th time 5/5 stars

The Monument 14 are 14 students from kindergarten to seniors in high school are taking refuge in a super department store during a major works disaster. This is my comfort series like comfort food or super soft warm blankets. Not because the series is soft. The characters are tough, resourceful kids who fight for each other in different fallible and, yet heroic ways. And there is love and it's tested. Great characters. Great stories.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Monument 14

I really enjoyed this book. I’m an adult but I still enjoyed it. It was written beautifully and the performer was good. His voice was even and he didn’t mess up anywhere that I heard. Their was a lot of characters but not too much to follow. I’m excited to read the rest of series!!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

good

loved it great story I couldn't stop listing to it so I got the next book can't wait to see what happens next.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

VERY GOOD

Loved this book. I could not wait to download the second in the series.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Listening for a second time

Would you consider the audio edition of Monument 14 to be better than the print version?

The first in a 3 book series, had me on my toes the entire time. I really cared about the "kids" in this book. If you like the "Hunger Games" or "Walking Dead" this series might pull you in. I loved all 3 books.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Not Just for Teens

Where does Monument 14 rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Excellent. I looked forward to listening each time I exercised.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Monument 14?

Don't want to give it away.

Which character – as performed by Todd Haberkorn – was your favorite?

They were all good.

Any additional comments?

Even though the story involves teens and kids, it is interesting enough to be enjoyed by adults. There are some graphic descriptions of wounds and sex so it is not appropriate for kids.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Very good

The book was very very good! I can't wait to start the next one. I recommend it strongly to anyone interested.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful