NOS4A2

A Novel

By: Joe Hill

Narrated by: Kate Mulgrew

Length: 19 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's summary

The spine-tingling, bone-chilling novel of supernatural suspense from the number one New York Times best-selling author of The Fireman and Horns - now an AMC original series starring Zachary Quinto, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Ashleigh Cummings.

"A masterwork of horror." (Time)

Victoria McQueen has an uncanny knack for finding things: a misplaced bracelet, a missing photograph, answers to unanswerable questions. When she rides her bicycle over the rickety old covered bridge in the woods near her house, she always emerges in the places she needs to be.

Charles Talent Manx has a gift of his own. He likes to take children for rides in his 1938 Rolls-Royce Wraith with the vanity plate NOS4A2. In the Wraith, he and his innocent guests can slip out of the everyday world and onto hidden roads that lead to an astonishing playground of amusements he calls Christmasland.

The journey across the highway of Charlie's twisted imagination transforms his precious passengers, leaving them as terrifying and unstoppable as their benefactor.

Then comes the day when Vic goes looking for trouble...and finds her way to Charlie. That was a lifetime ago. Now, the only kid ever to escape Charlie's evil is all grown up and desperate to forget. But Charlie Manx hasn't stopped thinking about Victoria McQueen. On the road again, he won't slow down until he's taken his revenge. He's after something very special - something Vic can never replace.

As a life-and-death battle of wills builds, Vic McQueen prepares to destroy Charlie once and for all - or die trying.

©2013 Joe Hill (P)2013 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

"Quite simply the best horror writer of our generation, Joe Hill’s masterful storytelling is on full display in NOS4A2. It is by turns terrifying and hilarious, horrifying and full of heart, and relentlessly compelling." (Michael Koryta, New York Times bestselling author of The Prophet)

"Fascinating and utterly engaging, this novel is sure to leave readers wanting more. One thing is for certain, however. After reading this book, readers will never hear Christmas carols in quite the same way again." ( Library Journal, starred review)

"[A] new take on the fantasy-horror genre...Highly recommended." ( The Sun Herald Sydney, Australia)

Essential Lovecraft

A great collection of some of his best stories. Haunting and dark. Still the reigning master of horror and the unknown that sits waiting at the edge of our dreams.

Excellent

loved it! I really loved the style that this book was written in and the performance was awesome. she really got in to every character and man can she do a great bad guy voice!!

Couldn't Stop Listening

The narration was fantastic and it really gave new meaning on vampires. Joe Hill writes a lot like his dad and has mastered the art of keeping his readers hooked until the end. I cannot wait to sink my teeth into another story of his.

Almost Gave up on it, glad I didn't.

What made the experience of listening to NOS4A2 the most enjoyable?

From the middle part on, it was fast paced, and felt like a Stephen King novel.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Vic

Have you listened to any of Kate Mulgrew’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No

Who was the most memorable character of NOS4A2 and why?

Charlie Talent Manx

Any additional comments?

If anybody has ever started a novel and thought about putting it down, but stuck with it, I'm part of that group. Glad I stuck with it. After about two hours of audio I almost was done, and part of it, and I've got to be honest, I wasn't sure if I could put up with another 20 hours of Kate's voice. So after two hours, I stopped for about a week. Finally decided to give it another go, and glad I did. It's a scary story, mixed with realistic super natural horror. Charlie Manx has lived for over a century, stealing kids, giving them the ultimate fantasy, a reality in which every day is Christmas and every night is Christmas Eve, filled with games, rides, and fun. The climax of the book comes with Manx comes back from the decades long coma and gets Vic's son. From that point on, it felt like I was in a Stephen King novel and I wasn't able to put it down. I have an hour commute each way during the week, and then I was getting home and listening with my headsets into the wee hours of the night. That's when you know it's a great novel and worthy of five stars. I can see where Joe Hill gets his talent. This is my first book of his, as I am a huge fan of his dad and wanted to give him a shot. Exceeded my expectations, and then some.

Cliffhanger

This is the best book I've read in a while. The heroine in the story has a hard life and makes bad choices, but isn't that fate sometimes? The villain or protagonist is just horrible and tricky. It's not your typical vampire story with a cape, fangs, or biting of the neck, but something happens to cause young children to continue to "live" after death at the hands of the protagonist. Kinda like zombie/vampire beings, but they are confined to a dream world. Very good book, I just wish the ending were a little different.

Kate Mulgrew not only read this book, she acted it

The story was great, Kate was excellent. She is a master at voices and a superb actress.

decent

Is there anything you would change about this book?

this has nothing to do with the story itself as i love the author, however the voice reading it annoys me.

A different sort of Vampire.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes. The characters were well developed, the plot engaging, and the ending was appropriate.

What did you like best about this story?

I loved the covered bridge, wish I had one of those myself!

What about Kate Mulgrew’s performance did you like?

Great voice that let you listen to the story and not hear her voice. You could actually hear each character taking on a life of their own.

Who was the most memorable character of NOS4A2 and why?

The gas mask man. He was a character you could really enjoy hating.

GR8B00K

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Absolutely. It is a well written, original story that is narrated almost to perfection.

What did you like best about this story?

The originality of the story. I can't say that I've read anything quite like it.

Which character – as performed by Kate Mulgrew – was your favorite?

The main character, Vic. While I adore Kate's voice, she wasn't able to resonate the deepness needed for some of the male characters to truly come to life.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Most definitely, and had I the time, I would have.

Any additional comments?

Mr. Hill has gotten immeasurably better with every novel. I don't doubt that the next will be even better. However, I still feel that some of his dialogues don't feel quite right. Occasionally a character will say something that doesn't seem to fit them. However, it happens much less often in this novel than either of his previous ones.

obviously SK

great story. any seasoned SK reader nails it for his work in chapter 1. obvious references and ties to other works throughout, but that's part of what I like about his newer stuff. prepare to get attached to the characters and maybe shed a tear or two.