The Taking

A Novel

By: Dean Koontz

Narrated by: Ari Meyers

Length: 9 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's summary

In one of the most dazzling books of his celebrated career, Dean Koontz delivers a masterwork of suspense that surpasses even his own inimitable reputation as a chronicler of our worst fears - and best dreams. In The Taking, he tells the story of a community cut off from a world under siege and the terrifying battle for survival waged by a young couple and their neighbors as familiar streets become fog-shrouded death traps. Gripping, heartbreaking, and triumphant in the face of mankind’s darkest hour, here is a small-town slice-of-doomsday thriller that strikes to the core of each of us to ask: What would you do in the midst of the Taking?

On the morning that will mark the end of the world they have known, Molly and Neil Sloan awaken to the drumbeat of rain on their roof. It has haunted their sleep, invaded their dreams, and now they rise to find a luminous silvery downpour drenching their small California mountain town. A strange scent hangs faintly in the air, and the young couple cannot shake the sense of something wrong.

As hours pass and the rain continues to fall, Molly and Neil listen to disturbing news of extreme weather phenomena across the globe. Before evening, their little town loses television and radio reception. Then telephone and the Internet are gone. With the ceaseless rain now comes an obscuring fog that transforms the once-friendly village into a ghostly labyrinth. By nightfall the Sloans have gathered with some of their neighbors to deal with community damage...but also because they feel the need to band together against some unknown threat, some enemy they cannot identify or even imagine.

In the night, strange noises arise, and at a distance, in the rain and the mist, mysterious lights are seen drifting among the trees. The rain diminishes with the dawn, but a moody gray-purple twilight prevails. Soon Molly, Neil, and their small band of friends will be forced to draw on reserves of strength, courage, and humanity they never knew they had. For within the misty gloom they will encounter something that reveals in a terrifying instant what is happening to their world - something that is hunting them with ruthless efficiency.

Epic in scope, searingly intimate, and immediate in perspective, The Taking is an adventure story like no other, a relentless roller-coaster that brings apocalypse to Main Street and showcases the talents of one of our most original and mesmerizing novelists at the pinnacle of his powers.

©2004 Dean Koontz (P)2004 Random House, Inc. Random House Audio, a division of Random House, Inc.

Intense, nightmarish and ....Hope!

One of Koontz's finest novels. I read The Taking in 2004 when it was just released. It was the first time since childhood that a book left me prolonging going to bed for fear of what I might dream of. waking up to the crack of Thunder and a downpour of rain 3 hrs later only chilled me more. Yet I had to finish and could not put the book down I knew there was going to be a positive ending that would hit me right in the heart to the soul. One of many reasons I'm such a fan of Dean Koontz is for his optimistic end which is always not what I would expect it to be. Revisiting the tale again on audible was just as thrilling if not more so. Narration was spot on! Will enjoy over and over!

Great book - suspenseful with an interesting end

I loved this book so much the first time I read it that I bought it on audible to "read" again. The ending twist was one I did not see coming and thoroughly enjoyed. I rarely get surprised, as I'm good at seeing what comes next but this book had me at the edge of my seat several times. Well worth the read.

excellent story of hope, despair and destiny.

with the apocalypse raining down upon mankind koontz focused on compassion and humanity and left science and religion to play behind the scenes. as always man's ever present for legged friend was present leading the way.

I love this book!

Excellent descriptions, intense build up and great story line. philisophical discussion at the end is icing on the cake.

A Hellish Story from a Hellish World

If you are a Stephen King's fan then this book will reminds you of his short story "The mist". If you are a survival horror video game fan then this book will makes you feel like you are back in the ghostly town of "Silent Hill" once again. I like the eerie atmosphere the story brings about from the start and never lets go of you. It has what makes Hitchcock's films so great, ordinary people placed in unordinary situation. This book places you and the heroine of the story right in the middle of a hellish world that is not unlike the town of "Silent Hill" game, except on a plantary scale. A place where there are walking deads, ghosts, and things that passes through solid objects and make grown man cry out in terror. A place where the laws normal physic does not exist, and strange creatures roam the pitch black night and yellow hellish day. I Love this book and hope it will be made into a movie someday.

On an audiobook note, the sound of the reader is so bad that even on the highest quality she sounded like a strangle cat. I did like the way audible have the story in two parts so my mini iPod don't choke on it.

One of my favorites

I love this book more and more every time I read or listen to it.

yawn

This book was a struggle to finish. The story is stagnant and slow, the characters underdeveloped.
However, I disagree with poor reviews on the narrator. She made this drawn out book somewhat bearable.
I do not recommend this book even for Koontz die hard fan.

awesome

Dean Koontz never disappoints. thrilling finish this book in one day. amazingly captivating awesome

One of my favorites

Love it...... Dean Koontz is one of my favorite authors and this is in my top 5 of his books. The Taking is fast paced great read that sucks you in the first couple pages and doesn't stop till the end.

A bit boring

Good read if you just want to read but not so interesting. very predictable