Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
Blaze  By  cover art

Blaze

By: Richard Bachman, Stephen King
Narrated by: Ron McLarty
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $17.96

Buy for $17.96

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

A fellow named Richard Bachman wrote Blaze in 1973 on an Olivetti typewriter, then turned the machine over to Stephen King, who used it to write Carrie. Bachman died in 1985 (from "cancer of the pseudonym"), but in late 2006, King found the original typescript of Blaze among his papers at the University of Maine's Fogler Library ("How did this get here?!") and decided that, with a little revision, it ought to be published.

Blaze is the story of Clayton Blaisdell, Jr., and of the crimes committed against him and the crimes he commits, including his last, the kidnapping of a baby heir worth millions. Blaze has been a slow thinker since childhood, when his father threw him down the stairs and then threw him down again. After escaping an abusive institution for boys when he was a teenager, Blaze hooks up with George, a seasoned criminal who thinks he has all the answers. But then George is killed, and Blaze, though haunted by his partner, is on his own.

He becomes one of the most sympathetic criminals in all of literature. This is a crime story of surprising strength and sadness, with a suspenseful current sustained by the classic workings of fate and character, as taut and riveting as Stephen King's The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon.

©2007 Stephen King (P)2007 Simon and Schuster Inc. All rights reserved.

Critic reviews

"This diverting soft-boiled crime novel reflects influences ranging from John Steinbeck to James M. Cain." ( Publishers Weekly)

What listeners say about Blaze

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1,263
  • 4 Stars
    689
  • 3 Stars
    380
  • 2 Stars
    69
  • 1 Stars
    37
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1,367
  • 4 Stars
    388
  • 3 Stars
    133
  • 2 Stars
    18
  • 1 Stars
    10
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1,061
  • 4 Stars
    499
  • 3 Stars
    271
  • 2 Stars
    61
  • 1 Stars
    20

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Stephen King at his Best!

Blaze was well written and the performance by Mr. McLarty could not have been better! Hard to put this jewel of a story down.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Blaze Will Steal Your Heart

Clayton Blaisdell Jr. is an endearing man, whom we should feel guilty for loving, but don't. Damaged, homicidal, and definitely with at least one loose screw (from being tossed down the stairs as a baby), "Blaze," as he's known, is a two-strikes guy barreling through life looking for his third. This marvelous mixture of drama and semi-madness will make you laugh, cry, gasp, and hunger for more. With definite influences from Steinbeck to James M. Cain, it's a delicious crime novel treat. The narration by Ron McLarty is excellent and captures the heart of each character. I highly recommend this Stephen King "Bachman" book.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Good, but lacking

The book is written well and in Stephen Kings often dilluted style. With that being said, i love stephen kings writing, however, after reading too much of him the writing is almost see through.

Overall the book has an emersive story and is interesting right down to the last, however, the book also has some faults. Stephen King identifies his faults right in the preface, which may be where i got them from, or perhaps the book itself gave them to me. Regardless, the fact that the flashbacks are more entertaining than the actual story and the constant demented simplicity of the current situation in the story makes for a boring main storyline.

Characters are well developed and the story is well rounded. Good read, hard to stay interested though.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

enjoyed this story

really great story....even though blaze was a criminal you did feel awfully bad for him...

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great and sad story

Well written, and the narrator was perfect for the role. It’s a sad story...a true “horror” of a destroyed life.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Love Mr. King!!

As always Stephen King delivers!! I absolutely love this and all of his other works too!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Close to but better than Of Mice and Men

A story where you'll find yourself loving the bad guys. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and think it would make an excellent movie. The reader gave great personalities to the characters.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

great story

I've read all of King's writings. including all the bachman books. this is by far the best bachman book, and one of King's best. sad story, but amazing read. narrator was great as well. his voice for George and blaze are spot on.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

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

will give you conflicting feelings

Any additional comments?

Blaze is the lead character. The story current story of his criminal undergoing unfolds alongside the filling in of his personal history. I found my feelings toward him ever-changing. He's simple-minded and has had a hard life and is caught up is a major crime. For me this was engrossing and sad. It makes you wish for the impossible ending.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Pleasantly surprised

It is a good thing that I overlooked the fact that Stephen King was involved in this; if not, I would have missed reading a very good story. The story of "Blaze" is one filled with "what ifs" and sad turns, but the reader can't help but wishing for the best outcome. In many aspects, it made me reassess some long standing opinions and judgements. The narration was top-notch. I have great respect for Ron McLarty and his ability to create an unique voice for each character, withouth falling in caricature.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful