• False Memory

  • By: Dean Koontz
  • Narrated by: Stephen Lang
  • Length: 21 hrs and 19 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (2,560 ratings)

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.
False Memory  By  cover art

False Memory

By: Dean Koontz
Narrated by: Stephen Lang
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $27.97

Buy for $27.97

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

It's a fear more paralyzing than falling. More terrifying than absolute darkness. More horrifying than anything you can imagine. It's the one fear you cannot escape, no matter where you run...no matter where you hide. It's the fear of yourself. It's real. It can happen to you. And facing it can be deadly.

Fear for your mind.

©2000 Dean Koontz (P)2007 Random House, Inc. Random House Audio, a division of Random House, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Viscerally exciting...an extended, tense tour de force...an expertly crafted, ornate suspenser...Koontz fans will love it." (Publishers Weekly)

What listeners say about False Memory

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1,478
  • 4 Stars
    683
  • 3 Stars
    260
  • 2 Stars
    70
  • 1 Stars
    69
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1,315
  • 4 Stars
    365
  • 3 Stars
    113
  • 2 Stars
    21
  • 1 Stars
    21
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1,207
  • 4 Stars
    379
  • 3 Stars
    178
  • 2 Stars
    39
  • 1 Stars
    30

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

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

spectacular

First of all, congratulations to Stephen Lang, for doing such a superb job with the book, I enjoyed him the second time now, he also reads "by the light of the moon" by Dean Koontz. This book, together with "The face" ranks among my top 3 Koontz-books, absolutely world-class. The audio book breaks down pretty much in 3 seven hour parts and I can honestly say that the middle part represents the strongest I have come about in the thriller-genre. While some argue that the book is too long, I think that everybody who brings an appreciation for creativity to the book, will fall in love with this one, leave alone the suspense. Is the book too long? Sure it is, Koontz-novels almost always are. However, I would have to contain myself not to call this book the work of genius. While I do not want to spoil anything here, let's just say that the evil force behind it all has been fleshed out in *creative* (the key-word to the book) detail, keeping the listender mesmerized and literally sweaty handed. The way Koontz ties up the loose ends are brilliant, tongue-in-cheek and even good for a laugh. The characters are extremely likeable, a former weakness of Koontz, and just a certain form of "literature" that shows up again and again throughout the book shows, Koontz still has a deep, playful passion for writing and the fact that he is kind of a mass producer does not take away from the quality at all. The plot unfolds a bit slow at the beginning, but this time there is a method to the (descriptive) madness. The horror gets so real. The listener will get over-compensated for a not so spectacular beginning. This book will split the critics down the middle one more time, as they will love or hate it, this one is more complex (like "the face"), and less linear than for example "the husband". In my opinion, this 700 + books is merely about 50 pages too long and he should have taken it out of the last third, but who am I. It's the journey that counts and this is a MASTERPIECE

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

59 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Koontz did it again.......

The over all book was great. Koontz did it again. Giving full characteration and not missing a beat. It felt a little slow in places however it gives the second half that much more life. This is worth purchasing.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

24 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Yet again an amazing read.

I've been hooked on the works of Dean Koontz since my mother introduced me to the J. O. Sanders narrated audio rendition of Dragon Tears back in 1993, when I was thirteen. From there I progressed to titles such as Mr. Murder (also read by Sanders), to Hideaway, Watchers, Midnight and others. I picked up False Memory back in the spring of '06 I believe, courtesy of the Twin Falls public library. I found it to be an excellent read. And as is sometimes rarely the case when dealing with audioboks from the public library, none of the casettes were damaged and so I was able to read the entire book. I found it here on Audible recently and was delighted.
False Memory begins innocently enough as do most of Koontz's books. Marty Rhodes wakes up to her morning grape juice and then takes Valet, her Golden Retriever, out for a walk. Returning home she's suddenly gripped by a terrible, inexplicable feeling that something is wrong. Meanwhile her house painter husband Dusty has his own troubles, for his brother Skeet seems bent on suicide and attempts to throw himself off the roof of the house Dusty and his company have been contracted to paint while its owners are on vacation. He successfully rescues Skeet but is disturbed by the incident. It's not long before things take a disturbing turn as a close friend of Marty's who had been suffering from a crippling Agorophobia suddenly commits suicide, though not before discovering a truth that places her life and those of her friends in danger. Another excellent Koontz villain brought to life by an excellent narrator. Well worth the time and money.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

20 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars

repetitive

The story is scary...anything that plays with the psyche is scary...but Koontz in this book goes on and on and on describing the characters and their issues, when it could easily have been explained in a LOT less pages. It took forever to get the heart of the story. If it wasn't for the dragging, it would've been a very stark and scary book about human nature.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

19 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Bravo!

This is now my favorite Koontz audio book. The narrator was superb and the story breathtaking. I generally only listen to audio books in my car commuting to work, but I found myself unable to wait for the story and listened to most of it at home.
Some people find the level of detail Koontz uses to be overdone and tedious to listen to. Although I have occasionally shared that opinion, I was mesmerized throughout this story and cannot think of anything I would have liked changed.
Another classic from a master of suspense.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

17 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

eye-widening experience!

This is my first Dean Koontz book EVER. I loved it! The narration was really good. The story line was REALLY good. As someone who suffers from mental illness, I was able to relate to the characters and their "irrational" fears.

There were so many parts of the book that made my eyes pop out of my head. I couldn't believe the twists and was totally into the story. I was not disappointed and am now looking for another Koontz book.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

16 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Awesome

Loved it! This is my first Koontz book and could not "put it down." I found myself sitting in the car after I got home just to see what happened next.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

10 people found this helpful

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

Dean at His Best

This story takes its time. Characters are sculpted with careful detail. The horror comes home real and powerful. The narcassistic solipsism of the villian just builds and builds to a surprising climax.

The only downside I found was that some of the denouement included information that might have been better foreshadowed earlier in the story. Some of the last minute connections came off darn convenient because we were not given clues earlier.

But no matter. We had a 24 hour car trip, and this book kept us going and awake -- and made us sit and listen for several hours after we got home. Good story!

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Give it a chance...

I just finished listening to this book..

It took awhile to get into the story -- but by the time PART TWO hit it was an AWESOME listen...







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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

False Memory

I loved this book! It was so much fun to listen to & conjure up images in my mind as the story builds. It makes one realize how we all just automaticly put our full trust in those in the medical fields...especially when we are in immediate need of care! Dean Koontz is a masterful writer ...and this is one of my all time favorites...as is "The Face". My job allows me to listen to audio books all day long...so this book helped to make my time go right along!! Thanks again to Dean Koontz!!

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

9 people found this helpful