The Ballad of Ballard and Sandrine: A Novel
Written by Peter Straub
Narrated by Michael Kramer
2.5/5
()
Currently unavailable
Currently unavailable
About this audiobook
Peter Straub masterfully weaves horror and suspense into a love story unlike any other: the ballad of Ballard and Sandrine.
Ballard and his considerably younger lover Sandrine have been brought together by a shared erotic obsession of the darkest kind. As they travel down a remote part of the Amazon River on a luxurious yacht, they spend their days indulging in their macabre pastime. Through a haze of pain and pleasure, the lovers are witness to a series of increasingly sinister portents, dreams and visions that haunt their claustrophobic and disturbing world. With Peter Straub's signature, breathtaking twists and an astonishing climax, you'll never forget The Ballad of Ballard and Sandrine.
Peter Straub
Born in Milwaukee, Peter Straub is the author of fifteen novels, which have been translated into more than twenty languages. He has won the British Fantasy Award, two Bram Stoker awards and two World Fantasy awards. His most recent publications are his acclaimed novel Mr X, a collection of short stories, Magic Terror, and Black House, the international bestselling novel that he co-wrote with Stephen King.
More audiobooks from Peter Straub
5 Stories Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Ghost Story Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Mr. X Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Floating Dragon Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Houses Without Doors Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Isn't It Romantic? Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Shadowland Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Lost Boy, Lost Girl Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Hellfire Club Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Mrs. God: A Novel Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5
Related to The Ballad of Ballard and Sandrine
Related audiobooks
Bat Story: Adventure Stories for Kids Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Rime of the Ancient Mariner: Classic Tales Edition Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Weeps Indigo Box Set 1-4 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsOscar Wilde - The Happy Prince and Other Tales Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBlade in the Water - Cherringham - A Cosy Crime Series: Mystery Shorts 11 (Unabridged) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Blood Lust: A Dark Vampire Romance Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGolden Bloodline: Unvailing The Riley Legacy Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDying to Cruise Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Merman's Jewel Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Cowboy's Brazilian Bride Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Cowboy and the Brazilian Blaze Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTamed by the Cowgirl Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Promise: A Novel (Booker Prize Winner) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Her Prodigal Passion: A Wallflower and Rake Hot Regency Romance Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Mountain Man's Melody: A Grumpy-Sunshine Romance Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Boutique in Bar Harbor: A Fake Engagement Romance Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsEmma (Premium) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Blackbeard Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCoral Celebration Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAmong The Vines And Haunting Skies: The Journal Of Samantha Harrow Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Poetry Of Hell Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Oscar Wilde - Short Stories Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Duke of the Moors: A Historical Regency Romance Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Drifter's Bride Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSand Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Passerby: A Psychological Thriller Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5All Body Bags and No Knickers: Mercenaries in Suits Book 3 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Horror Fiction For You
What Moves the Dead Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Dead Until Dark Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Hidden Pictures: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Holly Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Watchers Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Frankenstein Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Under The Dome: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Reformatory: A Novel Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5It Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5FantasticLand: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Legend of Sleepy Hollow: Classic Tales Edition Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Last House on Needless Street Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Lamb Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Needful Things Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Different Seasons Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Coraline Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Green Mile Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Mr. Mercedes: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5If It Bleeds Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Head Full of Ghosts Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Misery Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Troop Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Intensity: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Silence of the Lambs: 25th Anniversary Edition Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Clown Brigade Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Don't Fear the Reaper Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Later Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Our Hideous Progeny: A Novel Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Dead Zone Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Reviews for The Ballad of Ballard and Sandrine
32 ratings3 reviews
- Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5Seriously. Weird. Novella. I actually debated whether to rate this 1 or 5. I have no idea what category to put it in.A couple, of greatly disparate ages, floating in a yacht down the Amazon. They are in lust. Over a period of 25 years, there are chapters from this year, that year, whatever year in no order. They are on the yacht no matter what year. They never see anyone else on the yacht - no servants, no crew. I don't normally do book report style reviews, but really, what else to say?
- Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5Every so often, I'll come across a book and wonder what I just read. When this happens, I either put the book down and go for a walk, or I turn to the first page and try again. I went for a walk today.
The Ballad of Ballard and Sandrine tells the story of two lovers - an older man and the daughter of his client - throughout the decades. Think Memento, if Memento ended with the beginning, as well.
Normally, I'll rehash some of the events for summary purposes, but I don't know what I read, so I can't. I know that they're on a boat. That Sandrine is a bit independent. That they both fell in love with each other the moment they met each other. That Ballard might have something to do with the mob. That, on the yacht, an invisible bird-speaking servants run the show. And thrown in there is a giant bug in a cage, which they might be eating, or they might be eating toucan. - Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Sandrine and Ballard make an unusual couple. He is many years her senior and over the course of this short novella they enjoy a passionate, if unsettling, relationship that spans 25 years. Their story takes place on the Amazon River as they cruise on several different yachts. Although on the surface everything seems normal and quite idyllic, the reader soon discovers there is a dark side to relationship - in more ways than one.
Peter Straub had always been a “take him or leave him” kind of author for me personally, despite the fact that I do gravitate towards his books from time to time. Although this little e-book sounded intriguing in its description it was a little too disjointed for my taste. Neither of the principal characters really appealed to me in any way, so the madness and horror that ensued lost its power. The ongoing poetic descriptions of floating down the Amazon just were not enough to carry the book. Sorry Mr. Straub but for me this one was a miss.