The Passage

A Novel (Book One of The Passage Trilogy)

By: Justin Cronin

Narrated by: Scott Brick, Adenrele Ojo, Abby Craden

Length: 36 hrs and 49 mins

Publisher's summary

New York Times best seller.

This thrilling novel kicks off what Stephen King calls “a trilogy that will stand as one of the great achievements in American fantasy fiction".

Now a FOX TV series!

Named one of Paste’s best horror books of the decade.

Named one of the 10 best novels of the year by TIME and one of the best books of the year by The Washington Post, Esquire, U.S. News & World Report, NPR/On Point, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, BookPage, and Library Journal.

“It happened fast. Thirty-two minutes for one world to die, another to be born".

An epic and gripping tale of catastrophe and survival, The Passage is the story of Amy - abandoned by her mother at the age of six, pursued, and then imprisoned by the shadowy figures behind a government experiment of apocalyptic proportions. But Special Agent Brad Wolgast, the lawman sent to track her down, is disarmed by the curiously quiet girl and risks everything to save her. As the experiment goes nightmarishly wrong, Wolgast secures her escape - but he can’t stop society’s collapse. And as Amy walks alone, across miles and decades, into a future dark with violence and despair, she is filled with the mysterious and terrifying knowledge that only she has the power to save the ruined world. Look for the entire Passage trilogy:

• The Passage
• The Twelve
• The City of Mirrors

©2010 Justin Cronin (P)2010 Random House

Critic reviews

“[A] blockbuster.” (The New York Times)

“Mythic storytelling.” (San Francisco Chronicle)

“Magnificent...Cronin has taken his literary gifts, and he has weaponized them...The Passage can stand proudly next to Stephen King’s apocalyptic masterpiece The Stand, but a closer match would be Cormac McCarthy’s The Road: A story about human beings trying to generate new hope in a world from which all hope has long since been burnt.” (Time)

sad it ended

I was totaly invested in this book. It was entertaining and scary. It took a while to get use to the narrator's voice because he sounds a little creepy but the content totally makes up for it.

An Epic Adventure Novel - Could Not Stop Listening

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yeah, it's a little of The Stand, and yes it is like reading two novels instead of one. In fact, after the first part finished, and we zipped into the future, I almost stopped listening because it seemed so different a story, but I held on and the story began rocking for me again. It's an incredibly complicated weave of a bunch of different characters, some you love and others you hate. It's totally unpredictable, not your traditional thriller. I can totally recommend this book, even at 2 credits. This is my second listen of this book. I wanted to read it again before I started The Twelve because it had been a little too long since I read The Passage and I was afraid I would not remember every part of the first story and be able to relate it to the story of The Twelve. As to the narrator, I've heard that you either hate or love Scott Brick. I love the rhythm of Scott Brick's storytelling; I found his voice a perfect match for such a long story.

loved it

loved it decided to listen to it after eating the first episode of the tv series and can't wait to start the 2nd and 3rd books

Good

I'm more of a comedy fan so take this for what it's worth. I really couldn't stop listening and the performances and most of the story is awesome. The author doesn't like to leave lose ends which is great except sometimes it seems like he's picking on his characters taking some things too far.

Great Performance

Scott Brick has a phenomenal voice for this. Him and Stephen Pacy are the best I’ve heard so far. This story had its lulls but I will definitely be continuing on with this franchise. This would make for a cool mini-series

Engrossing storytelling

Sucked me into the narrative immediately and did not let go. Narrator was excellent as well.

Great writing! Didn't want it to end!

Narrators were excellent. Gripping story. Been looking in the trees for days and wanted to leave the lights on...

Part 1?

If you liked the ending to the last episode of The Sopranos you'll like the ending to The Passage. I have to assume there is a second volume coming. Other than the cliff hanger ending I did enjoy the book. It works great as something to listen to on a cross country car trip.

The characters draw you in

What a book this turned out to be. I'm on to "The Twelve" even after 36 hours of listening to this journey, I can't get enough.
When starting the book, you feel it will be another vampire story, with people getting the virus, turning to undead, and killing the world. The Passage is a complex story of interconnected people all part of the apocalypse. You grow to love the characters, suffering right along with them, saddened with their demise. At the heart of everything is a child called Amy. What and Why she is, slowly unfolds as the book progresses, as each new character is introduced they intermingle with her purpose. Not many high points to be had in this one, just a sad existence of survival and hope.

AWESOME!

I just loved it, couldn't stop listening. I clean when I listen to books on tape, needless to say my house and garage is spotless.