• Doctor Sleep

  • A Novel
  • By: Stephen King
  • Narrated by: Will Patton
  • Length: 18 hrs and 34 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (38,255 ratings)

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Doctor Sleep  By  cover art

Doctor Sleep

By: Stephen King
Narrated by: Will Patton
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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)

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What listeners say about Doctor Sleep

Average customer ratings
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  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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The King does it again!

If you could sum up Doctor Sleep in three words, what would they be?

Confession heals Guilt

Who was your favorite character and why?

Dan Torrence is my favorite character, not just because he's the main protagonist in the story, but because he showed true character development in recovering from a shaky and distraught past.

Who was the most memorable character of Doctor Sleep and why?

Abra's Great Grandmother, Momo. Momo had a lot of insight throughout the entire book. She was an untapped font of strange knowledge.

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Stephen King is a beast

Is King capable of writing a below average story? This is a perfect end to the Shining. I dread the day I finish King's last book, and hope he continues to put new ones out. This story will not disappoint.

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Somewhat Surprised!

We ALL know sequels never really stand up to the original that it’s continuing, but I have to say, King did a tremendous job with this novel. Absolutely fascinating story and he ties things in nicely with the original The Shining mythos. Great performance by Will Patton (as usual, the guy is nails) solidifies this as a must have for any King fan.

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Got sucked right in.

Just wish I read the shining first, instead going off what I remember from the movie.

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An Unforgettable Scare

Who would take the Shining and grind it up with the horrors of alcoholism, that would be Stephen King of course! Twisted, sick, and super awesome having it read to me as an audiobook.

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Loved it

I absolutely loved the book! I loved learning about where Doc’s life ended up! I enjoyed all the twists and little surprises! I cried, I laughed and got angry at this book! I had such a hatred for the True Knot and actually cheered whenever one of them died! I was so invested in the story that I thought about the book when I wasn’t reading it and dreamed of it at night.

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love

I loved this book! Pulls details from The Shining, but definitely its own story! And as always Will Patton does an AMAZING job reading it

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Nostalgic, well crafted and a great sequel

I am a big fan of The Shining, the book and the film, so I was cautious about this novel. the story is well crafted, beautiful, and satisfying as a sequel. Will Patton does a great job with the voices. I've been a Stephen King fan since middle school (quite a while now) and this book didnt disappoint. his character development and attention to those quirks that make people unique was evident in this novel. bravo!!

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  • MJ
  • 01-23-14

Stephen has Another Good One!!!!

I really didn't think I would enjoy it, the beginning kind of freaked me out, it was so strange and a few times I just wanted to say "oh the heck with it" but then you get to a certain part and it gets to you, it's another really good Stephen King story just like the good old days. I enjoyed it, loved knowing what happens to Danny. It's a story that really had to be written since so many of us really wanted to know what happened to Danny and his mom. Thank you Mr. King for enjoyable hours of listening to this book, awaiting the next one of course, you are back in the groove once again.

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Masterful Reading And a Great Story!

Whatever happened to that kid in "The Shining"? He never showed up in the Dark Tower...Did he? Well, Here's the Answer!

THANK YOU STEPHEN KING! and family. You did right by this ... shall we say series now. Although The Talisman and Black House bled into The Dark Tower series, those books stood well on their own but somewhat disappointed in that they finished off somewhere else.

Happy to report The Shining and Doctor Sleep are very complete. One of King's finest in that you KNOW he loved this bunch of characters and you feel it in his writing.

Wil Patton reading adds to the creepiness. He draws you in like any good story teller and creates the atmosphere this book deserves. Should he do The Shining too. YES he should. But Cambell Scott does that read justice so listen in pure joy and horror.

Heaven just Heaven! with a touch of Stephen King Hell. The Most Satisfying Audible read so far this year!

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