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The Talisman  By  cover art

The Talisman

By: Stephen King, Peter Straub
Narrated by: Frank Muller
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Publisher's summary

On a brisk autumn day, a 13-year-old boy stands on the shores of the gray Atlantic, near a silent amusement park and a fading ocean resort called the Alhambra. The past has driven Jack Sawyer here: His father is gone, his mother is dying, and the world no longer makes sense. But for Jack everything is about to change. For he has been chosen to make a journey back across America - and into another realm.

One of the most influential and heralded works of fantasy ever written, The Talisman is an extraordinary novel of loyalty, awakening, terror, and mystery. Jack Sawyer, on a desperate quest to save his mother's life, must search for a prize across an epic landscape of innocents and monsters, of incredible dangers and even more incredible truths. The prize is essential, but the journey means even more. Let the quest begin....

©2001 Simon & Schuster; 2001 Stephen King and Peter Straub

Critic reviews

Audie Award Winner, Fiction (unabridged), 2002
"A classic...rare and dazzling...a journey to rival the greatest adventure stories ever told." ( New York Daily News)
"Extraordinary...makes your hair stand on end." ( The Washington Post)
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Featured Article: We're Your #1 Fans—A Stephen King Character Guide


With a mind-boggling portfolio of 62 novels and more than 200 short stories (and counting!), Stephen King undeniably reigns supreme over literary horror. From Danny Torrance to the dreaded Pennywise, check out some of his most iconic characters with this comprehensive look. (But beware: there are spoilers ahead! So, much like when you press play on a Stephen King audiobook, you should proceed with caution.)

What listeners say about The Talisman

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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    10,176
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    3,647
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  • 3 Stars
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  • 2 Stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

I enjoyed the performance Most

I enjoyed the performance but thought at times thexstory was being dragged out a bit

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

A Bit Bizzare

A good road story sandwiched between a weak beginning and an erratic ending.

This wasn't my favorite King novel, but others seem to love it. There is a good road story somewhere in the middle, but overall I found it to be a bit too bizzare for my taste. I found myself losing focus a lot and not being invested enough to relisten to those parts.

I can't help but feel that Straub had a huge role in writing this, because the writing itself didn't feel like King's other works. The characters didn't feel like his either.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Best way to handle a King book

Fantastic audible and the narration was perfect. The voice actor kept me engaged throughout the reading. It saddens me to know he passed away. He really had a great voice.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

wow what a long book 📖

This was a really good book very long but if you can hang in there everything starts to make sents and it is a really good book I am really glad I took the time to listen to this book.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A fine book

This is a fine contemporary urban fantasy novel. The character Wolf, the hero’s friend is the most endearing one I remember from Stephen Kings works.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

I enjoyed this book very much

Stephen King has a way of crafting masterpieces like this book. I would recommend it

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Incredible book; incredible storyteller

Not to fly in the face of the previous review, but I felt the narrator for this book was incredible. I don’t normally enjoy audiobooks because of the narrator, but Frank was incredible - this felt like listening to an old fashioned radio story! Did the book justice. Fantastic story!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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one of the best

I loved EVERYTHING about The Black House and The Talisman. I also enjoyed how it tied into the Dark Tower series.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great story

I like the story but the narrator is not the right fit for this book he speed reads it. I slowed down the playing speed but still there are times where it's still such a jumble where you're trying to figure out what the heck is going on.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

NOT King's best

I love king and I have ready many of his great stories. Something that I have struggled with is his use of description in his writing. at times King takes you into his character and gives you the deepest thoughts and feelings and philosophy and... well everything. When balanced properly, this description can be an amazing help in understanding the story... but when overdone it becomes long winded and boring. This story was the latter.

I love the fantasy and creativity and there are scenes and chapters that are fun and capture the imagination. But there are long winded explanations that carry on and on.

If you loved It, The Stand, Tommyknockers, you may not find this story as appealing. But if you are trying to digest Kings literary Canon, go for it.

Not a bad book, just not his best.

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