Doctor Sleep

A Novel

By: Stephen King

Narrated by: Will Patton

Length: 18 hrs and 34 mins

Publisher's summary

Audie Award Winner, Fiction, 2014

Audie Award Nominee, Solo Narration - Male, 2014

Stephen King returns to the characters and territory of one of his most popular novels ever, The Shining, in this instantly riveting novel about the now middle-aged Dan Torrance (the boy protagonist of The Shining) and the very special 12-year-old girl he must save from a tribe of murderous paranormals.

On highways across America, a tribe of people called The True Knot travel in search of sustenance. They look harmless - mostly old, lots of polyester, and married to their RVs. But as Dan Torrance knows, and spunky 12-year-old Abra Stone learns, The True Knot are quasi-immortal, living off the "steam" that children with the "shining" produce when they are slowly tortured to death.

Haunted by the inhabitants of the Overlook Hotel where he spent one horrific childhood year, Dan has been drifting for decades, desperate to shed his father's legacy of despair, alcoholism, and violence. Finally, he settles in a New Hampshire town, an AA community that sustains him, and a job at a nursing home where his remnant "shining" power provides the crucial final comfort to the dying. Aided by a prescient cat, he becomes "Doctor Sleep."

Then Dan meets the evanescent Abra Stone, and it is her spectacular gift, the brightest shining ever seen, that reignites Dan's own demons and summons him to a battle for Abra's soul and survival. This is an epic war between good and evil, a gory, glorious story that will thrill the millions of hyper-devoted fans of The Shining and wildly satisfy anyone new to the territory of this icon in the King canon.

©2013 Stephen King (P)2013 Simon & Schuster

Critic reviews

"Will Patton's delivery enhances King's prose in ways that make King's work so much more enjoyable in audio than just reading it…Patton's narrative voice captures the rhythm of King's words. His character voices, filled with a variety of regional American accents, remain consistent. Most importantly, the sinister aspects that embody characters and moments of this novel are superbly executed and will certainly leave listeners on edge." ( AudioFile)

"King, not one given to sequels, throws fans a big, bloody bone with this long-drooled-for follow-up to The Shining." ( Booklist)

"…a gripping, taut read that provides a satisfying conclusion to Danny Torrance's story." ( Publisher’s Weekly)

Fantastic!

This was my first audible book and it was great! The narrator did an excellent job conveying emotion and he changed his voice just enough to distinguish characters without it being too distracting. I will definitely listen again!

The Torrance Family Continues

Dan Torrance’s return was better than I anticipated. Patton’s narration was enjoyable. I recommend if you are a fan of The Shining. I do, however, disagree with King’s assertion that Kubrick’s movie isn’t great. It is. It’s not the same, but well worth watching.

Danny grows up

I really liked it. The story moved along without getting to long and in depth about.....whatever. That is the one thing Mr King can do is run on. The general story focusing on Danny and his problems and how he overcomes them is awsome. I figure the little girl will do something next in the Shining story. Mr Patton was awesome. Nuff said.

Great Story !

Enjoyed the story especially the narrator. Characters were wonderful and lively . Suspenseful and nerve racking at times.

Wonderful!

This book alone was great but to have Will Patton do such an amazing job at narration made it fantastic!

Everything that goes around comes around

I was impressed about the author's view of the terrible nightmare that alcholism is. I think it is a very improtant link between the Shining and Doctor Sleep.

Not a sleeper, more an active nightmare...

Many sequels are best left unwritten, but Stephen King has broken that rule in crafting a follow-up to "The Shining" that is both a worthy tribute to the original, and a powerful stand-alone work. We re-visit Danny Torrance decades after the events of "The Shining" as an adult, dogged by the demons of alcoholism and some predatory demons in human form who sadistically prey on children possessed of "Shining" skills. When not assisting terminal patients as an orderly in crossing over to the afterlife, the troubled middle-aged Danny, his powers weaker but still potent, rallies to the defense of a girl with growing powers in her early teens sought by the "True Knot," as sinister and deadly a clan of villains as King has ever created. A powerful and dynamic reading by Will Patton is perfect for this tale...

Different than the movie

Book was better than the movie, this is not always the case. I was a little over half way through when I watched the movie, and then I finished the book.

Definitely Recommend

Rivals the Shining, answers all the where are they now questions from the first book.

Loved it

I don’t know how Stephen king can write so many different characters so well. He captures the essence of ordinary people and brings them to life. Yes these books are fiction, but if you allow your imagination to open up you’ll be taken on a ride that, for me anyway, somehow makes it all seem so real.