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Midnight Son
by
,
In the vast Alaskan Arctic, legend has it there once lived a mythic tribe - Iñukuns. But now Inukuns only exist in rumors and whispers. Until an actor-turned-fugitive named Teddy Kyle Smith had an encounter that brought Iñukuns from myth to reality. Smith was an aspiring actor with a promising career, but it all came crashing down one night in September with a gunshot,
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Audible Audio
Published
October 31st 2019
by Audible Original
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I finished this book in half a day. It was extremely interesting and intriguing! I had never heard of this case before. I enjoyed James' writing. My only complaint is that the story jumps around a lot and I still have some unanswered questions. The formatting of the book wasn't my favorite.
"In the vast Alaskan Arctic, legend has it there once lived a mythic tribe - Iñukuns. But now Inukuns only exist in rumors and whispers. Until an actor-turned-fugitive named Teddy Kyle Smith had an encounter ...more
"In the vast Alaskan Arctic, legend has it there once lived a mythic tribe - Iñukuns. But now Inukuns only exist in rumors and whispers. Until an actor-turned-fugitive named Teddy Kyle Smith had an encounter ...more
An interesting enough story, but the framing rubbed me the wrong way at times with its overly sympathetic view on Teddy. The ending also tried really hard to go for "profound" but ended up feeling really random and as if the creator couldn't think of a proper satisfying or sensible ending so he just settled on whatever. Those last few minutes could've been cut entirely out to leave us on a more open-ended note back at the end of the narrator's journey through the wilderness. I think i would have
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Midnight Son by James Dommek Jr and also narrated by the author. This story is about a guy named Teddy Smith that went a bit nuts and was very dangerous. He was a veteran, sharp shooter, actor, but all in trouble with the law as quite a bit. This tells his story in a an interesting way. It also includes native Alaskan folklore. Great narration.
Audible Original Selction for November 2019
A podcast that examines the story of Teddy Kyle Smith, a well-known Alaska Native actor convicted of attempted murder and sentenced to 99 years in prison. Narrated by Alaskan writer and musician, James Dommek Jr, listeners are taken to the wilderness of Alaska during the manhunt, trial, and appeals as well as the ancient stories of the territory.
The audio certainly held my attention from beginning to end and I would certainly recommend it to true ...more
A podcast that examines the story of Teddy Kyle Smith, a well-known Alaska Native actor convicted of attempted murder and sentenced to 99 years in prison. Narrated by Alaskan writer and musician, James Dommek Jr, listeners are taken to the wilderness of Alaska during the manhunt, trial, and appeals as well as the ancient stories of the territory.
The audio certainly held my attention from beginning to end and I would certainly recommend it to true ...more
This Audible original is very well performed, but the story is simply not good. I gave it two stars (instead of one) because it did provide insight into Native Alaskan culture and life in Alaska in general, but that could have been accomplished in other and better ways.
This wasn’t really an audiobook, it was more of an extended podcast. What’s the difference? I’m not sure but you know it when you hear it!
The story is interesting enough but a little underwhelming.
The story is interesting enough but a little underwhelming.
Okay, sooooo... it wasn't bad. It just didn't stick to the plot half the time.
You see, there was a lot of sidetracking in this story. And it could quite possibly be because so much backstory was needed. But instead of incorporating the backstory at the beginning, it was incorporated throughout the narration. Which... felt a lot like sidetracking. So yeah (shrugs).
You see, there was a lot of sidetracking in this story. And it could quite possibly be because so much backstory was needed. But instead of incorporating the backstory at the beginning, it was incorporated throughout the narration. Which... felt a lot like sidetracking. So yeah (shrugs).
Alaska has always been a strange and fascinating state. The people, especially the natives, are very unique breed of people. This book made me want to know more about the tribes it mentioned and even the specific people involved.
I picked this as one of my free audible originals this month. it wasn't necessarily bad or boring but i'm only giving it two stars because true crime is not my favorite genre—but i knew that going into it. i really liked the format of it being like an extended podcast though because it reminded me of Serial though so if you like true crime, podcasts, and mythology you should definitely check this out
This story was interesting but I feel it needed more. It doesn’t feel completed to me. It was a good build up, but just fell flat in my opinion.
I would score this "book" zero stars if I could. This was a free download from Audible, but not a book or even a documentary, in any sense of the word. While the summary states that James Dommek Jr. "sheds new light on a real-life mystery that pits Native American folklore against the US justice system" he does nothing of the sort. I'm not even sure what his intention was, other than to make a name for himself. There was no mystery. Teddy Kyle Smith was a mentally ill Alaska Native who drank to
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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Ok, I do not usually do written reviews, but this audio production rung all my bells: true crime, alaska, native cultures, history. LOVED IT. The story was so well told, which, of course, is the point. I am not in any way qualified to deem one as a storyteller as it is understood in native cultures, but as a "white girl from out of town" I am in love with this oral history. Dommek killed it, the entire audio production is amazing. I have been an audible member for years and by some twist of fate
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Alaskan True Crime and Mythology
Review of the Audible Originals audiobook edition (2019)
Review of the Audible Originals audiobook edition (2019)
“The experience that Mr. Smith had is a cultural and spiritual experience, that turned out very badly, but, it’s a cultural experience, not a mental illness. He is no more mentally ill than any other belief system that we have that is criticized at times as irrational as well.“ - Angela Greene, Public Defender....more
“You never hear white people vouching for our spiritual experiences. It’s like we don’t get to have
4.5. I thought this book would be a true crime thriller, but it is surprisingly more. I learned about Alaskan folklore, culture, and story telling in a non-traditional voice. The crime parts seemed secondary to the development of the narrator and that became of greater interest. I wouldn't recommend to just anybody but it had my attention the whole time. It also gave a much better view of what it's like to live in the bush than all the TV shows out there glamorizing living off the grid.
Midnight Son refers to Teddy Kyle Smith, a native Inupiaq Alaskan who realized his dream of becoming a Hollywood actor only to seemingly snap mentally, shoot some people, and disappear in to the Alaskan wilderness, to become the target of an Alaska State Troopers manhunt. The audiobook contains interviews with Teddy and a number of acquaintances and audio from law enforcement and Teddy's courtroom trial. It seems like a straight-ahead "why did he do it?" mystery until the Iñukuns, a mysterious
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This is a very unique book with a story that sounds like it should have gotten a lot more press than it did. An up an coming Native actor in Alaska has some kind of breakdown, may or may not have killed his own mother, and then shoots at the people that come to help. Fleeing, Teddy Smith goes on an epic trek in the arctic wilderness where he claims to have encountered creatures from his people's myth before he gets caught.
James Dommeck, great-grandson of a famed storyteller, looks into the ...more
James Dommeck, great-grandson of a famed storyteller, looks into the ...more
Really enjoyable. I listened to the audiobook, but it was more a presentation than an audiobook. It contained music, personal interviews, and storytelling, and James Dommek Jr. is a good storyteller. This is the true story of Alaskan Native Teddy Smith, a trial for attempted murder, and how a mysterious legendary people, the Enukins, may have played a part.
I hope James Dommek Jr. creates more audio presentations. He's good at it.
I hope James Dommek Jr. creates more audio presentations. He's good at it.
The narration seemed rather unfocused throughout the story, so although it was interesting, I don’t think I got much out of it. There were simply varying themes that the story kept shifting through, so it was difficult to tell where it was going.
This was not quite what I expected. It started a little slow, but was really good by the end. This winds up being a great look at the social justice system, colonialization of indigenous peoples, and all sorts of other issues, while still being engaging and entertaining. Your preconceived notions about spirituality will also be challenged. There is really a lot in these few hours. It's only about three hours. You should definitely carve out some time and listen to this. I need someone to discuss
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This was a weird read (listen). It was done more in a documentary style, which I found kind of distracting at first. When the real audio from the real people in the story would cut in, it felt strange to hear. But I got used to it after a few chapters. It reminded me of the show, Making a Murderer but in Audible format.
I wasn't really into the story until about halfway through the listen when the narrator began explaining about Inukins; strange, little, mythical creatures that the Alaskans ...more
I wasn't really into the story until about halfway through the listen when the narrator began explaining about Inukins; strange, little, mythical creatures that the Alaskans ...more
Wow....what a wonderful listen! This was a monthly freebie from Audible.com and an amazing 4 hour read. The audio version adds realism that you can't get reading to yourself. I really wasn't committed until about 3/4 of the way through the story and then I was totally hooked. Great book....makes one think hard about this countries desire to "take care of everyone". And while "free" looks good to some people....the freedom you give up to get that "free" comes at a high cost.
This story is a narration rather than an audiobook.
A combination of chasing Bigfoot and the story of a native Alaskan who clearly had mental issues.
I think it would be more interesting and captivating if it was a documentary.
Keep it up James but please find more interesting stories to narrate.
A combination of chasing Bigfoot and the story of a native Alaskan who clearly had mental issues.
I think it would be more interesting and captivating if it was a documentary.
Keep it up James but please find more interesting stories to narrate.
I binge listened to this audiobook in one day. It had culture, true crime, and it was well read. I felt like I was there with James Dommek Jr. as he told his story. He highlighted the difficulties and the inequalities that are forced upon the Inuit people. The story is his journey learning more about his cultural history and I am glad that he shared it with the rest of us.
NOTE: Includes some cussing both from the narrator and some of the recorded interviews included in the story.
This story, interesting and intriguing, raises interesting questions about both mental health and the Alaskan justice system. But more than that, it showcased the fact that even when we know enough of the sequence of events to convict someone, we may never really know what happened or why.
This story, interesting and intriguing, raises interesting questions about both mental health and the Alaskan justice system. But more than that, it showcased the fact that even when we know enough of the sequence of events to convict someone, we may never really know what happened or why.
This audiobook was free with my Audible subscription.
I couldn't stop listening, and I would have if it wasn't so intriguing and well done. I hope we'll get more stories about Alaska from James Dommek.
I couldn't stop listening, and I would have if it wasn't so intriguing and well done. I hope we'll get more stories about Alaska from James Dommek.
SUCH an interesting book. Dommek explores the life of Teddy Smith, accused of attempted murder, who claims to have seen Native spirits (I can’t spell the actual name). It’s a great account of Native Alaskan life and culture, racism, and of course, the beauty and brutality of the land.
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
A very interesting story. I suddenly want to go to Alaska, which becomes a main character in this sad story.
3.5 stars. Interesting glimpse of the Native Alaskan life.
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