• Strangers

  • By: Dean Koontz
  • Narrated by: Dick Hill
  • Length: 29 hrs and 20 mins
  • 4.2 out of 5 stars (5,804 ratings)

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Strangers  By  cover art

Strangers

By: Dean Koontz
Narrated by: Dick Hill
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Publisher's summary

“The plot twists ingeniously...an engaging, often chilling book.” - The New York Times Book Review

A writer in California. A doctor in Boston. A motel owner and his employee in Nevada. A priest in Chicago. A robber in New York. A little girl in Las Vegas. They’re a handful of people from across the country, living through eerie variations of the same nightmare.

A dark memory is calling out to them. And soon they will be drawn together, deep in the heart of a sprawling desert, where the terrifying truth awaits...

©2008 Dean Koontz (P)2008 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“A unique spellbinder that captures the reader on the first page. Exciting, enjoyable, and an intensely satisfying read.” - Mary Higgins Clark

“[Koontz] is a great storyteller, and Strangers features a plot so original you’ll be reading, with chills, well into the morning." - New York Daily News

“Koontz is a master at constructing vivid, eerily realistic worlds that hold readers spellbound. A memorable thriller.” - Booklist

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What listeners say about Strangers

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

It depends on your personality I guess

I listen to audiobooks in the car on the way to work and back which equals about 1-1/4 hours of listening each day. So a book this long (29 hours) will take me about 4-1/2 weeks to finish.

I've listened to several different readers over the past few years and would give the narrator of this one an average score, say three out of five stars. He does most of the characters reasonably well and has a little trouble with the women voices (but he is a guy with a deep voice so go figure). Generally for me the narrator thing is a non-issue, he doesn't ruin the book in my opinion, and he doesn't make a bad book good (I'm not saying this is a bad book, just that his reading wouldn't make it better if it was).

The book itself has excellent character development and the characters are very believable. They seem like real people with real thoughts and are not superficial or outrageously successful, or "super people", which makes them believable.

Yes this book is long, but so are other books with a lot of detail, which brings me back to my title. If your personality is such that you must move quickly through a book and don't care about character development details but want to get to the action, then either skip this book or wait for an abridged version.

However, if you are like me and can grow to like a story because you grow to understand and then like the characters, then this book is for you.

Bottom line: if you are patient, can delay gratification and like a good mystery, then you will like this book. If you are impatient and need more instant gratification, then you probably better skip it.

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231 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant

20+ years ago, when already a Dean Koontz fan (Whispers, Phantoms), I read, and fell in love with, Strangers. This is the author's epic novel of friendship and hope, sometimes predictable, often suspenseful, always thought-provoking. After reading it the first time, I wondered what treatment it could be given on the big screen by a director like Spielberg. But the story is far too big for a movie, rather it could (and should) be filmed as a TV mini-series. Take note, SciFi Channel! I did find the narration a little slow at times, and didn't approve of all of the characterizations, but after listening for a few hours I became very comfortable with the reader and give him a big 'thumbs up'! For anyone that doesn't balk at a 29-hour listen, this is an outstanding choice. Those that choose not to listen are missing a wonderful experience.

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113 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Good story!

Not really a big Koontz fan but I have to say I really enjoyed this story. The characters seemed to more flesh and blood than is typically the case with Koontz stories. The pace of the story was perfect and the conclusion was great. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for good adventure.

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105 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Where's the Dog?

I am Dean Koontz number one fan, so of course I was thrilled that this was added to Audible. Somehow I missed reading it... It was typical Koontz with several characters being built then they come together as a team with some falling in love. Although he seems to always use the same formula, each are so unique and original that I CANNOT GET ENOUGH. I wish he would write faster... I almost didn't download this because of the comments about the narrator - because a bad narrator can be real irritating and I have dropped some audiobooks midstream because listening to the narrator was so difficult. NOT SO IN THIS CASE. I thought he was just fine. Maybe not the best, but certainly not bad enough to quit or not enjoy the story.

If you are an avid Dean Koontz fan you will enjoy this book. You may also be wondering, like me, where was the dog?

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92 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

I liked the Whole book

Read all of your reviews and decided to get the book anyway I liked it. It was A little slow to get started but wow once it did I was glad that I didnt pay much attion to the ones that said that it wasent worth the read... I enjoyed the whole book :)

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52 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Dos Equis

Let me say it again, I am a Koontz fan. He is one of my favorites, yet this book will put you to sleep. I listened to 19 hours of this 29 hour snail paced nothing happening book. 19 hours, just ten hours to go and I could not hack it. Knowing that Koontz often has twists at the end of his books, I was looking at listening a whole day to this and could not do it.

FIBBING IS NOT ACCEPTABLE
It could be argued that this has character development. The way in which he develops the characters is simplistic. One guy was in Vietnam and so we have a long drawn out history on him. One girl was abused by her dad, so we have a long drawn out history on her. This is not the way you develop characters. Characters are developed through the story. George R.R. Martin, Robin Hobb, and Orson Scott Card are the Character development experts and it is not done through long histories on each and every character. This was released in 1986 and is better then some of his earlier works. We still get descriptions of some of the more mundane parts of life, like he had orange marmalade on his toast, but it is not as bad as his earlier writings.

Gunsmoke

I have often wondered how some of this early boring stuff ever got published and sold and then I start thinking. When I was a kid, all TV shows were an hour long. Gunsmoke was one of our favorite shows. If I try to watch it today it seems so long and so boring, so I guess people and tastes change.

DOS EQUIS, Heineken, CORONA
At least Koontz knows his beer, this is the third book in a row by him in which he has mentioned Dos Equis. This time Heineken and Corona also get plugs. If I wrote a book it would have to include Bohemia, Tsing Tao and Product 19.

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45 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Classic Dean Koontz, not old and no amazing dogs

This is classic Dean Koontz at his very best, this book is more reminiscent of books like Dark Rivers of the Heart and The Good Guy. There are thankfully no dogs to save the day, no families consisting of novelist, artist, 2 girls and a dog (Mr. Koontz, these families simply arent relatable unless were you), and in the best tradition of Dean Koontz, this book doesnt require you to suspend disbelief, it is all, sadly, too plausible.

If you are a long time fan of DK and liked books like Fear Nothing, Dragon Tears, and Dark Rivers of the Heart, then this will be another of your favorites.

Dick Hill does a good job on the narration, accents are not his forte, everyone sound New Jersey Jewish, but its not a detriment to this work.

This is the book that will engulf your attention until its done, its one I know I will listen to again at some point.

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40 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

irritating narrator

The story is fine as are most everything by Big Dean.
The narrator is the problem. He has a fine reading voice, and some of his characters sound fine.
His characters to whom he imparts New Yorkish type accents sound cartoonish and very unreal.
His female voices sound amateurish.
These two accents range from mildly to extremely irritating, as the audibook progresses.
I believe that a narrator has two ways to go when he reads. If he does characters, as does this author, he needs to perfect them. If he can't or won't, than he should just read the story straight through, don't 'create' characters.
I prefer books where the narrator simply reads, and does not try and create "radio theatre", which is to bring in sounds and character accents.
I would have rated this audiobook at least a star higher with a successful narrator.

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36 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

You gotta get this book

I'm a huge Koontz fan, trying to read his books as soon as they hit the streets. I have thought "In the Corner of his Eye" was my all time favorite but "Strangers" comes a close second. The characterizations are awesome, you really get to know each and every one of the people whose story he is telling. They are living breathing folks that you come to care deeply about and to cheer on when things go so amiss for them. I miss these guys now that I've finished the book and wonder often how their lives would progree.

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28 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Best Koontz book ever

This is great entertainment! The characters are interesting and well-developed. The dialog flows easily and enhances the story, and it is read beautifully, each character with a distinct voice. The plot has many twists and turns that keep you wanting more. A great read.

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27 people found this helpful