S. R. Constantine

The book is excellent in its own right. The fact that it is long just prolongs the enjoyment (as anyone who knows the sadness of finishing a masterpiece can attest). Then, along comes Steven Weber who far exceeds expectations from a narrator. He ranks up there with Scott Brick and George Guidall, to name a few. Brilliant.

I read the original Foundation trilogy as a teenager in the 1960s, and I was wondering how much I would recall after all these years. I was pleasantly surprised that I remembered very little, and so I delved in, starting at the beginning. Scott Brick can take even a mediocre story and make it worth a listen, and I was able to enjoy the series as I was unable to in my youth. When the next book in the series was read by Mr. McKeever, I was concerned about the change but, of course, I could not skip this volume as it is part of a whole.

I was stunned… and not in a good way. While Mr. McKeever READS well enough, he does not NARRATE. I felt like I was listening to a children's book written by a completely different author. Even worse, I got the feeling that it was being read by children. The inflection in the voice is all wrong. Stressful situations are read in a matter-of-fact tone rather than with the intensity that is required. None of the dialogue comes across with any degree of realism or believability, and the story itself seems plodding. Pauses in the reading are dreadfully long, and I forced myself to finish the book because Mr. Brick returned to narrate the next… and then all was right with the world again. I could not believe that a reader/narrator could actually make a book seem as though it was written by an entirely different person until listening to this one. I'm rating it 4 stars (would prefer 3-1/2) for the part that the novel plays in the entire series, but that's it.

I saw the movie at least twice and was compelled to listen to the book because 1) it's a Stephen King novel and 2) because it is read by Sissy Spacek, whole played the title role in the movie, and 3) well, because the book is almost always better than the movie. I cannot rate Carrie as one of my King favorites. "The Stand," "11/22/63," "It," and possibly the recently released "Under the Dome" I found more to my liking. Nonetheless, this audiobook is still worthy of purchase. I always appreciated the extra detail from books that is often not communicated in movies. Hence, if you liked the movie, you will find the book enjoyable as well.

I was wrong. I looked around for a short story for a 2-hour ride with my wife. I've enjoyed DeMille's John Corey novels, and Scott Brick (a favorite of mine) is the perfect choice as narrator. He portrays the detective's attitude perfectly. So, when I found this gem, I was delighted by my find and not disappointed by the listen. It blends suspense with humor and was well worth the minimal expense.

With the release of several of Stephen King's short stories on Audible, I decided I'd plow through them as one large collection. Some of the stories left me longing for more. It felt like I was either left hanging, or the ending simply left me with a feeling of "that's it?" UR, on the other hand, was sufficiently thought-provoking that I actually felt satisfied at its conclusion. It's another one of those "what if" stories. Here, the twist is that an attempt is made to change the future (ala Back to the Future) rather than the past. I've always enjoyed this sub genre, and if you do, you'll most likely enjoy it as well. Holter Graham is an excellent narrator, and that always helps.

The premise of this story is quite interesting and thought-provoking, and I found myself just listening (when not doing something else), simply because I could not put it down. I did enjoy the villainy is this book, and at times I wanted to jump in and do some serious strangling of some rather vile characters. The story itself was an interesting character study and reminded me of my readings about Hitler prior to World War II. In this story as well, a scapegoat is critical. Lynch mob mentality, while it may seem far-fetched, has played itself out over and over again in real life. I must admit there were times when I thought Mr. King was a little over-the-top with the characters, possibly over-simplifying, but the story was nonetheless enjoyable, and he did do his research. I did learn something about narrators. Mr. Esparza was an excellent choice for this story (more so than many of King's over novels which deserve the likes of Frank Muller or George Guidall), and he did justice to the many "King-isms." This is to say that while I have come to enjoy favorite narrators and was initially saddened to find none of them enjoined to read this book, I have come to believe that narrators must be as carefully chosen as actors for a movie, and the casting here is exceptional.

Well researched and well written, I believe King has outdone himself on this one. The plot line has elements of love, hate, hope, and despair, and enough intrigue to keep me listening when I would have put others aside. Being an avid Audible member since 2003, this is no minor accolade. I've always been a fan of time travel stories and "the butterfly effect," and this novel is a welcome addition to the sub genre. What makes the story even more compelling is an excellent narration by Craig Wasson. If you enjoy the likes of Stephen Webber, Ron McLarty, Frank Muller, and Scott Brick, add Craig to the list of those with an uncanny ability to enhance an already great story.

I've gone through over 200 books since signing up with Audible in 2003. Carefully chosen, many of the books I listen to deserve high honors, as they tell a good story, well orchestrated with excellent dialogue and believable characters, and narrated with panache. Of all those, Prince of Tides ranks in the rarified top ten percent. The story woven by Mr. Conroy is magnificently told, and I especially like the way the reader is carefully teased with mysteries long before being rewarded with an explanatory chapter. Frank Muller, as narrator, is incredible. The telling of this story could not be done any better by anyone else. It is a shame we have lost his talents. To those who have not yet enjoyed this novel, I promise you will not be dissapointed.

While much of the dialogue was???how should I say this????childish, and the adjectives "jaw-dropping"-ly cliche, I did find the book thoroughly enjoyable, especially because of a well--executed plot that has more twists and turns than Lombard Street in San Francisco (although not as predictable). As for the narrator, I often choose books simply because Scott Brick is narrating. Listening while I'm driving, I love the melodrama.

Very entertaining! If it had been a paperback, I would say I couldn't put it down. As it was, the white knuckles weren't caused by my speed or the traffic as I drove down the freeway. It's a gripping and unpredictable story with characters you can become involved with. The narration is excellent. It's one of the better books I've read/listened to by King, and I've covered just about all of them. I highly recommend it.