• Livia Lone

  • A Livia Lone Novel, Book 1
  • By: Barry Eisler
  • Narrated by: Barry Eisler
  • Length: 10 hrs and 15 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (3,577 ratings)

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Livia Lone  By  cover art

Livia Lone

By: Barry Eisler
Narrated by: Barry Eisler
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Publisher's summary

“An absolutely first-rate thriller.”—New York Times Book Review

Seattle PD sex-crimes detective Livia Lone knows the monsters she hunts. Sold by her Thai parents along with her little sister, Nason; abused by the men who trafficked them; marooned in America...the only thing that kept Livia alive as a teenager was her determination to find Nason.

Livia has never stopped looking. And she copes with her failure to protect her sister by doing everything she can to put predators in prison.

Or, when that fails, by putting them in the ground.

But when a fresh lead offers new hope of finding Nason and the men who trafficked them both, Livia will have to go beyond just being a cop. Beyond even being a vigilante. She’ll have to relive the horrors of the past. Take on one of the most powerful men in the US government. And uncover a conspiracy of almost unimaginable evil.

In every way, it’s an unfair fight. But Livia has two advantages: her unending love for Nason—

And a lifelong lust for vengeance.

©2016 Barry Eisler (P)2016 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

"Author Barry Eisler narrates his own work with the skill of a professional voice actor.... He never strains credulity as Livia transitions from child victim to confident woman and avenging angel for the abused. Livia's male abusers—especially her stepfather—practically hiss with vileness, like coiled snakes. When young Livia learns jujutsu and starts fighting back, listeners will share her visceral catharsis and newfound empowerment." (AudioFile)

What listeners say about Livia Lone

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    2,349
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Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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    2,132
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    730
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

This is a heartbreaker that makes u want 2 hit someone!

This is another really Excellent book from Barry Eisler. Although I would really like more of the John Rain series, his last book (Gods Eye View) and this one really demonstrate his writing as well as his narrating abilities.
This is a very dark story involving human trafficking and the sex industry. There were scenes that were somewhat difficult to listen to, however this story is a work of fiction. I realize that there are people that just do not want to listen to books like this but I also think it is very important not to bury our heads in the sand and think that will make this awful side of (in)humanity go away.
I agree with Audible listener Wayne in saying this book has my most HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION.
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104 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A difficult listen, but a must listen novel

Livia Lone is a dark and painful novel. Its topic is from the most depraved portions of humanity. The topic of this novel is sexual abuse and sex trafficking of preteen and early teen girls. It is also a story of retribution, righteous retribution. Livia Lone is a beautifully written and narrated audiobook about painful situations. It is not like Eisler's John Rain series or even similar to The God's Eye View (Eisler's prior book). As has now become the norm Barry Eisler narrates his own audiobooks. He is a very dependable 5 star narrator. Livia Lone has my HIGHEST POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION.

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36 people found this helpful

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

WOW! What a story. Great Narration too!

Wow this was some story. So many emotions, hate, revenge, disgust, sad, satisfaction, justice. Livia Lone was a determined, strong and compelling character for sure!

The story line and plot was great. You lived through this girl's life back and forth from THEN and NOW. I liked the way you got the history from the past to the present like that. You really got to know the Livia and what made her. I was also quite surprised at the end. Which is good because usually I can figure things out.

I highly recommend this book if you are not queasy listener it does contain some scenes that some readers/listeners wouldn't like. Some I didn't care for but for as brutal as some of this was it was very well written.

As for the narrator. He was the author of the book and did a fantastic job. He read with emotion and did a good job on the female voice.
Thank you for such a riveting story Mr. Eisler.

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19 people found this helpful

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

Wishing Livia was real...

To start, I really like Eisler's work... particularly when he focuses on troubled vigilante protagonists who are driven to seek justice (his forays into "political" thrillers are not quite as strong).

I had a hard time putting this book down. It was disturbing and satisfying at the same time. You hate everyone you are supposed to hate and you don't feel even a twinge of guilt when Livia does "bad" things. The story is based on disgusting and disturbing activities that really happen, and, while Livia was a survivor, I suspect she exists only in this fiction: too bad.

It is suspenseful, and the story unfolds with "then" and "now" sections, which gradually come together at the end - this was really well done. You become fully immersed in Livia's world and at some points you might find yourself wanting join in with Livia as she doles out some justice.

The narration is good (Eisler narrates his own works and is decent at it, although you can tell it is not his primary occupation). There is some swearing and sex (not overly graphic but it is violent) and the premise behind the entire story is mature.

I will be buying any other Eisler books when they come out.

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17 people found this helpful

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

A mixed bag from Eisler

Any additional comments?

Warning: There will be a few SPOILERS as I leave examples to some of my concerns, but I will tread lightly as possible.

I’m a fairly big Barry Eisler fan, particularly of his great John Rain series. Until Eisler's last novel, The God’s Eye View, I thought he could do little wrong. I didn’t like God’s Eye View almost at all, feeling it was Eisler’s first flat out failure.

Livia Lone is a better novel. Eisler’s heart is generally in the right place this time. But some scene leave me genuinely baffled. As other reviewers have mentioned, there are part in Livia Lone that make you want to hit something. The subject is Andrew Vachssian child abuse of a sexual nature. Like Vachss, the story is classic pulp with touches of noir. Unflinching.

My problem with Eisler’s spin on the material is that he goes way over the line in detail of the abuse to the point the intent feels cheapened. Early on we get a standard Kill Bill type scene of a female jujitsu expert luring a rapist someplace quiet. That’s fine. What bugged me was the NEXT scene where the woman goes home and relives the murder in a rater graphic masturbation session.

Don’t misunderstand...I’m no prude. Normally I’m down for Eisler’s sensuality, even if by now those scenes play more like a recurring joke more than a natural part of the story.

I guess I’m just uncomfortable with the same approach taken to the sex/masturbation scene as applied later to a scene coerced fellatio via a little girl. I’m sure it is unintentional on Eisler’s part. Honestly I have no idea what he’s thinking. Or maybe I’m weird, ha. I feel like if we’re getting into scenes where we’re dealing graphically with kids being sexually abused, it should be a more serious novel than a standard revenge story that only seems marginally different because the main character is a woman instead of tale your pick of action heroes.

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17 people found this helpful

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

Whoa.. Where Did That Come From? Awesome!

Barry Eisler- where have you been all my life?

'Livia Lone' is my first Eisler novel and I bought it due to all of the positive reviews. I became enthralled with Livia, grown vigilante cop and a child who was sold by her parents into the corrupt human trafficking world of Thailand. After a long boat ride she ends up in the United States and she is adopted- and must learn to protect herself against all people who intend to harm her. Unfortunately, there are many in her path.

Awesome character, amazing character development- I hung on every word and morally cheered for Livia. She's a tough butt-kicking no-nonsense broad who has had to be tough to survive, and I loved every minute of her story.

Well done Mr. Eisler- I hope you'll continue writing about Livia and her challenges. Amazing character.

5 Big Stars!

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15 people found this helpful

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

in the end, the bad guys did win

This is another one of those scenarios where I just cannot fathom how so many have given this book good ratings. As another reviewer mentioned, human trafficking has been addressed SO much better in many other books, notably several by European authors. This one is disgustingly and unnecessarily graphic in its depictions of rape - it kind of makes you feel like your brain is being raped. The revenge taken is completely ridiculous and unbelievable, but the path that gets you there is so utterly improbable that you expect nothing less. Saddest of all, the bad guys do win in this tragic waste of my time, because they own Livia, motivating every thought, every move, every relationship, every sad, empty act of violence the main character perpetrates.
In the end, I didn't give a rat's *#@ about what happened to anyone in this overly violent, totally unrealistic and, frankly, insulting book.
I won't be giving Eisler another chance, because I feel like he would have to ask forgiveness for this piece of crap first.

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

One of the best revenge novels out there

I love revenge stories. This is one of the best out there with a satisfying ending that ties everything together. Having read Eisler's Rain novels, I already knew he was an author I liked. But Livia Lone is even better.
His use of forensics, psychology, fire arms expertise, martial arts is masterful. It all rolls along as part of the story, not clunky sermons for tech geeks.
I am now downloading his latest novel and am eager to see how he brings all of his series together. If you aren't aware of Eisler yet, you now have a bunch of great options to download for a while.

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

AWFUL!

What did you like about this audiobook?

The language is juvenile and full of cliches. There are pages and pages of gratuitous sexual violence and child rape. I imagine this is how child pornography smut reads. The entire first half of this book feels very exploitive and is told in such explicit detail, it made me nauseous.

The second half of this book is no better. The main character reinvents herself into a cliched action-hero warrior. She becomes a jujitsu expert in high school! She wins the state championship wrestling competition! She becomes a deadly ninja vigilante, killing rapists by night, working as a straight-laced cop by day. Good grief, it's awful. I should also mention that she gets her sexual thrills from killing and these scenes are also told in nauseating detail. She bites off one guy's penis off and shoves it down his throat, and no detail is spared.

Excuse me now, while I go shower with a bottle of Clorox

Does the author present information in a way that is interesting and insightful, and if so, how does he achieve this?

NO!

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

A truly moving book.

This is a truly moving book. If the subject matter of human trafficking is upsetting to you, this is not for you. I cried at many places in this book. Livia Lone and her little sister, Nason, life is irrevocably changed because of the poverty in Thailand and the hopelessness of its people.

This is human trafficking at its’ worst. Livia and Nason are separate and Livia life is the desperate need to find her sister and the guilt that it is her fault they were separated. Why is it that once you become a victim, you are constricted to be powerless for the rest of your life?

Livia fights the bonds of victimology. She finds her strength and self-esteem in her athleticism. She acquires the means to find her sister; she becomes a cop. She is a cop by day and a vigilante at night.This is a poignant story of a young girl must accept degradation, to keep Nason safe and hope for information to be reunited with her.

The twist and turns are engrossing. When luxury and privilege are added to Livia’s, why is she not happy? What holds her to the past? What is luxury when you are still expected to endure the life of sexual abuse?

This story presents a picture of how human traffic is enabled in our society and of the many helpless people (children, youth, and adults) who are forced to satisfy the need of the depraved abusers.

Normally, I do not like an author as a narrator. Many do not have the range of voices. Barry Eisler does an excellent job. I never read one of his books before. I am trying another one of his books.

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