Bunyan and Henry; Or, the Beautiful Destiny
A Novel
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Narrated by:
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Tanis Parenteau
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Ari Fliakos
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JD Jackson
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By:
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Mark Cecil
About this listen
A large-hearted reimagining of beloved all-American legends, this epic debut novel brings men of myth Paul Bunyan and John Henry alive like never before, teaming up for an adventure quest with deeper interrogations of race, class, and industrialization.
Paul Bunyan—legendary larger-than-life American lumberjack—is a man down on his luck. With a load of family debts on his broad back, he ekes out a miserable miner’s life in Lump Town, a bleak hamlet controlled by famed industrialist El Boffo. When Bunyan's wife Lucette falls ill with a disease caused by the toxic mineral Lump, he embarks on a quest to save her. His only guide: the Chilali—a mysterious creature who speaks only in questions.
Bunyan’s path leads to The Windy City—and to John Henry. Henry is not yet the “steel-drivin’” man known to folklore, but a fugitive on the run from a rigged, racist prison system. As Bunyan and Henry strive to reunite with the families they love, they must work together to solve riddles, forge weapons, brawl with a behemoth, and confront at every turn the relentless, duplicitous El Boffo.
A richly imaginative reinvention of myth, Bunyan and Henry is at once a timeless quest, a fresh origin story, and an urgent modern fable that wrestles with the two sides of the American dream—its wild idealism and cruel underbelly—to inspire the awakening of the folk hero in us all.
©2024 Mark Cecil (P)2024 Random House AudioListeners also enjoyed...
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Critic reviews
“With the might of a hammer and the slice of an axe, Bunyan and Henry takes aim at a host of societal blights, from capitalism to climate change, and smashes them all to smithereens. Mark Cecil has crafted an unforgettable cast of characters who will make you shout with joy and rage in anger, and a plot so romping and rollicking you’ll feel like you’re there. This isn’t your typical bedtime fable; it’s packed with searing social commentary delivered in the most delectable way. Cecil’s debut is an undeniably bright light to behold in a world sometimes full of so much dark, inspiring all of us to follow our own beautiful destinies. What a marvel.”—Mateo Askaripour, New York Times bestselling author of Black Buck
“A hopeful Twainian nod to brotherhood that puts the fun in profundity, even as it remixes American myth to the most sobering beats of our modern times.”—Matthew Quick, New York Times bestselling author of The Silver Linings Playbook and We Are the Light
"Cecil has quilted American folklore into a patchwork of courage, tenderness, and generosity of spirit. This is a book unafraid to stare the cruelties of this nation in the eye—and yet remains ever stitched-through with hope."—GennaRose Nethercott, author of Thistlefoot
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Story
In Navola, a city-state dominated by a handful of influential families, business is power, and power is everything. For generations, the di Regulai family—merchant bankers with a vast empire—has nurtured tendrils that stretch to the farthest reaches of the known world. And though they claim not to be political, their wealth has bought cities and toppled kingdoms. Soon, Davico di Regulai will be expected to take the reins of power from his father and demonstrate his mastery of the games of Navolese diplomacy. But in Navola, strange and ancient undercurrents lurk behind the gilt and grandeur.
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Needlessly brutal
- By David Thurlow on 10-06-24
By: Paolo Bacigalupi
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The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel
- The Lost Stories Collection
- By: Michael Scott
- Narrated by: Alan Kelly
- Length: 11 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
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Nicholas Flamel appeared in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series - but did you know he really lived? You can learn his secrets in the best-selling Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series, and discover the Lost Stories - tales of myth, legend, and magic, previously lost to history and never before heard!
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Changes in pronunciations make it hard to listen
- By Gerald Thomas on 11-08-21
By: Michael Scott
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The Drawing of the Dark
- A Novel
- By: Tim Powers
- Narrated by: Charles Johnston
- Length: 11 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
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Brian Duffy, aging soldier of fortune, had been hired in Venice by a strange old man who called himself Aurelianus Ambrosius. He was supposed to go to Vienna and act as bouncer at an inn where the fabulous Herzwesten beer was brewed. That was clear enough. But why was he guided and guarded on the trip by creatures from the ancient legends? Why should he be attacked by ifrits and saved by mythical dwarfs? What was so important about the Herzwesten beer to the Fisher King—whoever he was?
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Excellent Debut!
- By David J. West on 08-29-24
By: Tim Powers
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Ancient Civilizations
- Lamentations and Magic, Book 1
- By: Russell Cowdrey
- Narrated by: James Anderson Foster
- Length: 11 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
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A jaded thief and an idealistic archaeologist form an unlikely partnership to solve an ancient mystery. Opposed at every turn by unknown forces, their journey takes them across 1880s Egypt in search of a lost temple to the other side of the universe, where magic is all too real. Being a foreigner's bastard, Louisa learned early to take from the world before it took from her. Like a whisper in the sands of time, a stolen letter hints at the unimaginable.
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World Building with all my faves
- By J Sullivan on 04-17-24
By: Russell Cowdrey
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Tess of the Road
- By: Rachel Hartman
- Narrated by: Katharine Lee McEwan
- Length: 16 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
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In the medieval kingdom of Goredd, women are expected to be ladies, men are their protectors, and dragons can be whomever they choose. Tess is none of these things. Tess is...different. She speaks out of turn, has wild ideas, and can't seem to keep out of trouble. Then Tess goes too far. Tess's family decide the only path for her is a nunnery. But on the day she is to join the nuns, Tess chooses a different path for herself. She cuts her hair, pulls on her boots, and sets out on a journey. She's not running away, she's running towards something.
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Beautiful and Boring, Both.
- By Ryan on 04-05-19
By: Rachel Hartman
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Excalibur
- The Arthurian Chronicles, Book 1
- By: Peter Gibbons
- Narrated by: Sean Barrett
- Length: 10 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
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A country left in ruins after the fall of the Roman Empire is plundered and broken. Saxon hordes have invaded and conquered the East coast of Britain in a blood-soaked Great War which tore the old kingdoms apart. From Bernicia to Kent, land and kingdoms are now under Saxon rule. But these new conquerors want more…Britain's remaining kingdoms are jaded by the constant threat of war, their Kings old, alliances fickle and frayed. It seems Britain must fall enslaved to the brutal and marauding conquerors from across the sea.
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Well that was a nice surprise!!
- By Justin Stuelke on 07-25-24
By: Peter Gibbons
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Navola
- A Novel
- By: Paolo Bacigalupi
- Narrated by: Marc Vietor
- Length: 20 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
In Navola, a city-state dominated by a handful of influential families, business is power, and power is everything. For generations, the di Regulai family—merchant bankers with a vast empire—has nurtured tendrils that stretch to the farthest reaches of the known world. And though they claim not to be political, their wealth has bought cities and toppled kingdoms. Soon, Davico di Regulai will be expected to take the reins of power from his father and demonstrate his mastery of the games of Navolese diplomacy. But in Navola, strange and ancient undercurrents lurk behind the gilt and grandeur.
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Needlessly brutal
- By David Thurlow on 10-06-24
By: Paolo Bacigalupi
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The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel
- The Lost Stories Collection
- By: Michael Scott
- Narrated by: Alan Kelly
- Length: 11 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Nicholas Flamel appeared in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series - but did you know he really lived? You can learn his secrets in the best-selling Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series, and discover the Lost Stories - tales of myth, legend, and magic, previously lost to history and never before heard!
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Changes in pronunciations make it hard to listen
- By Gerald Thomas on 11-08-21
By: Michael Scott
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Heavenly Chaos
- Heavenly Chaos, Book 1
- By: Daniel Schinhofen
- Narrated by: Andrea Parsneau
- Length: 11 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
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Benedict Aaron Rodney had a terrible life for eighteen years. Then, something miraculous happened: the Heavens stepped in, granting him a Sphere. Spontaneous manifestation of a Sphere was very rare, but it happened on occasion. Benedict, while being beaten unconscious and having his bones broken, was suddenly the Holder of a Sphere of Regeneration.
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Bad
- By Jack Brown on 07-02-24
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The First
- The First, Book 1
- By: Kipjo Ewers
- Narrated by: Tyla Collier
- Length: 12 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
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After spending four years on death row for the brutal murder of her husband, Sophia Dennison takes her final walk in the Mountain View Facility in Gatesville and is put to death by lethal injection at 12:00 a.m. Several hours after Sophia's execution, FBI agent Mark Armitage is called to investigate a serious disturbance at the prison.
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A black female complete bad ass!!!
- By Sophia Barrett on 10-10-24
By: Kipjo Ewers
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The Ruthless Lady's Guide to Wizardry
- By: C. M. Waggoner
- Narrated by: Ava Lucas
- Length: 13 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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Dellaria Wells, petty con artist, occasional thief, and partly educated fire witch, is behind on her rent - again. Then she sees a “wanted” sign seeking Female Persons, of Martial or Magical ability, to guard a Lady of some Importance. Delly fast-talks her way into the job and joins a team of highly peculiar women tasked with protecting their wealthy charge from unknown assassins. Delly quickly sets her sights on one of her companions, the confident and well-bred Winn Cynallum. The job looks like nothing but romance and easy money until things take a deadly (and undead) turn.
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Do not recommend
- By Sullivan on 01-30-21
By: C. M. Waggoner
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Glorious Exploits
- A Novel
- By: Ferdia Lennon
- Narrated by: Ferdia Lennon
- Length: 8 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
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On the island of Sicily amid the Peloponnesian War, the Syracusans have figured out what to do with the surviving Athenians who had the gall to invade their city: they’ve herded the sorry prisoners of war into a rock quarry and left them to rot. Looking for a way to pass the time, Lampo and Gelon, two unemployed potters with a soft spot for poetry and drink, head down into the quarry to feed the Athenians if, and only if, they can manage a few choice lines from their great playwright Euripides. Before long, the two mates hatch a plan to direct a full-blown production of Medea.
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Funny, Touching, Historical fiction
- By David Spells on 04-16-24
By: Ferdia Lennon
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A Gathering of Ravens
- A Novel (The Grimnir Series, Book 1)
- By: Scott Oden
- Narrated by: Paul Woodson
- Length: 12 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
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To the Danes, he is skraelingr; to the English, he is orcnéas; to the Irish, he is fomóraig. He is Corpse-maker and Life-quencher, the Bringer of Night, the Son of the Wolf and Brother of the Serpent. He is Grimnir, and he is the last of his kind - the last in a long line of monsters who have plagued humanity since the Elder Days. Drawn from his lair by a thirst for vengeance against the Dane who slew his brother, Grimnir emerges into a world that’s changed. A new faith has arisen. The Old Ways are dying; even still, Grimnir’s vengeance cannot be denied.
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Like The Last Unicorn, Only the Unicorn is an Orc
- By ArcaneBard on 04-22-20
By: Scott Oden
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A Town Called Discovery
- By: RR Haywood
- Narrated by: Carl Prekopp
- Length: 10 hrs
- Unabridged
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A man falls from the sky. He has no memory. He has no sense of self. What lies ahead are a series of tests, each more brutal than the last, and if he gets through them all, he might just reach a town called Discovery.
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More please
- By As happy as a monkey with two bananas in his hands on 10-19-20
By: RR Haywood
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This Body's Not Big Enough for Both of Us
- A Novel
- By: Edgar Cantero
- Narrated by: January LaVoy
- Length: 7 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
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In a dingy office in Fisherman's Wharf, the glass panel in the door bears the names of A. Kimrean and Z. Kimrean. Private Eyes. Behind the door there is only one desk, one chair, one scrawny androgynous P.I. in a tank top and skimpy waistcoat. A.Z., as they are collectively known, are twin brother and sister. He's pure misanthropic logic, she's wild hedonistic creativity. The Kimreans have been locked in mortal battle since they were in utero...which is tricky because they, very literally, share one single body. That's right. One body, two pilots.
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Great setup, average execution.
- By Christian Hess on 05-14-19
By: Edgar Cantero
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Quoz
- A Financial Thriller
- By: Mel Mattison
- Narrated by: Kyle Snyder
- Length: 9 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
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It's 2027. The AI revolution has merged with quantum computing to take control of global financial markets. Operated by the mysterious Bank for International Settlements based in Basel, Switzerland, the quantum supercomputer known as ICARUS has promised the world a more stable economy, devoid of bank failures and volatile share prices. And it has delivered . . . until now.
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Fantastic Read! A sleeper hit in the making.
- By A Kasaija on 07-12-24
By: Mel Mattison
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Wrath
- By: Sharon Moalem MD PhD, Daniel Kraus
- Narrated by: Ryder Smith
- Length: 10 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
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New York Times bestselling coauthors Shäron Moalem and Daniel Kraus's terrifying sci-fi horror thriller takes place in a future that is much nearer than you think. It is a world where scientific experimentation is exploited for commercial profit and under-supervised cutting-edge technology creates a menace that threatens the very fabric of our existence.
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So incredible but NOT for the faint of heart
- By Megan on 09-25-24
By: Sharon Moalem MD PhD, and others
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The Wicked Deep
- By: Shea Ernshaw
- Narrated by: Casey Turner
- Length: 8 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
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Welcome to the cursed town of Sparrow...where, two centuries ago, three sisters were sentenced to death for witchery. Stones were tied to their ankles, and they were drowned in the deep waters surrounding the town. Now, for a brief time each summer, the sisters return, stealing the bodies of three weak-hearted girls so that they may seek their revenge, luring boys into the harbor and pulling them under.
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can't keep my attention. I tried to like it.
- By HARRIS' on 04-10-18
By: Shea Ernshaw
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Daemon Voices
- On Stories and Storytelling
- By: Philip Pullman
- Narrated by: Philip Pullman, Simon Mason
- Length: 12 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
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One of the most highly acclaimed and best-selling authors of our time now gives us a book that charts the history of his own enchantment with story - from his own books to those of Blake, Milton, Dickens, and the Brothers Grimm, among others - and delves into the role of story in education, religion, and science. At once personal and wide-ranging, Daemon Voices is both a revelation of the writing mind and the methods of a great contemporary master and a fascinating exploration of storytelling itself.
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Mixed views
- By Luna on 08-03-19
By: Philip Pullman
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Sorcerer
- Dear Spellbook, Volume One
- By: Peter J. Lee
- Narrated by: Travis Baldree
- Length: 12 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
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Hello stranger, my name is Tal, and I’m not an adventurer—those people are crazy. I’m just a sorcerer who is masquerading as a wizard. Oh, and I’m searching for answers about my parents’ mysterious deaths. Also monsters and other foes seem to show up wherever I go. All right, I see it. My new traveling companions are seasoned adventurers and are teaching me their ways—or at least they were before something happened to Time.
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A Masterful Story and a Facinating Premise
- By O-C on 04-05-23
By: Peter J. Lee
What listeners say about Bunyan and Henry; Or, the Beautiful Destiny
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Takoyaki94611
- 12-05-24
Brilliantly crafted tale & 10/10 narration
The writing and character development is wonderful, the tone of the writing suits the story so well. Truly one of the best books I’ve read. I just finished a second listen in the course of 3 months and would happily start all over tomorrow. The narration is also a perfect match for the story — visceral and authentic.
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- Tricia in KY
- 04-11-24
A story I don’t forget with incredible performance!
This book was recommended to me by a friend. It’s not something I would have picked up, but I’m so glad I did. It is such a creative telling an old folktale, but with impeccable writing and delivery. The narrator of this book is honestly my favorite of any book I’ve ever read. It makes such a big difference. The story is heartwarming, sometimes heartbreaking but reminds us all that there is a beautiful destiny ahead! I will remember this read for a long time.
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- SS
- 04-18-24
Beautifully written and narrated
I generally only listen to books when I go on walks, but I couldn’t wait to get back to this one. It was so thoughtful and well written. The character development and story flowed seamlessly. It never dragged and always left me curious and often feeling inspired. I also truly enjoyed the narrators. Their voices were perfect match in my mind.
Running errands will be a lot less enjoyable now that I finished.
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- Mary Lewis
- 04-10-24
Great Author & Narrator!
Mark Cecil has written a truly imaginative & timely story. The narrator does a fantastic job also-always holding your interest. This is a book that you will want to share & discuss with all of your family & friends. Hoping Cecil will continue to develop his thoughts with more books.
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- Amazon Customer
- 04-18-24
Good Triumphs over Evil, The Better Fairytale
Mark Cecil retells our favorite long ago fairytails, weaving them together in a wonderous journey. Almost impossible to believe this is his debut novel, Mark is an amazing storyteller and a heartwarming soul. Please keep writing.
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- M
- 01-08-25
Disappointed
The voice actor was fantastic but I quit a little over halfway because the story got bogged down with lack of interesting plot. Instead of showcasing the social injustices through the plot, they felt like monologues in the middle of the story. Maybe I need to push through that part of the story, but I couldn't muster the energy. I thought the beginning was interesting and engaging, for what it's worth.
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