The Institute

By: Stephen King

Narrated by: Santino Fontana

Length: 18 hrs and 59 mins

Publisher's summary

Combining the suspense of The Outsider with the childhood camaraderie in It, The Institute is a powerful new novel from Stephen King which is destined to become the number one blockbuster of autumn 2019.

Deep in the woods of Maine, there is a dark state facility where kids, abducted from across the United States, are incarcerated. In the Institute they are subjected to a series of tests and procedures meant to combine their exceptional gifts - telepathy, telekinesis - for concentrated effect.

Luke Ellis is the latest recruit. He's just a regular 12-year-old, except he's not just smart, he's super-smart. And he has another gift which the Institute wants to use....

Far away in a small town in South Carolina, former cop Tim Jamieson has taken a job working for the local Sheriff. He's basically just walking the beat. But he's about to take on the biggest case of his career.

Back in the Institute's downtrodden playground and corridors where posters advertise 'just another day in paradise', Luke, his friend Kalisha and the other kids are in no doubt that they are prisoners, not guests. And there is no hope of escape.

But great events can turn on small hinges, and Luke is about to team up with a new, even younger recruit, Avery Dixon, whose ability to read minds is off the scale. While the Institute may want to harness their powers for covert ends, the combined intelligence of Luke and Avery is beyond anything that even those who run the experiments - even the infamous Mrs Sigsby - suspect.

Thrilling, suspenseful, heartbreaking, The Institute is a stunning novel of childhood betrayed and hope regained.

©2019 Stephen King (P)2019 Simon & Schuster Audio

King at his best

The Institute is up there with The Stand, It and other best of King works. He's also arguably at the stage of his career when he writes much better and finishes a story much better, so when it's good - it's really good. Sure, he's cultural references are all over the place now, especially when describing modern teenagers. Also he now wears his politics on his sleeve way too clearly. That's funny, since the very structure of this (and all other best Stephen King works) goes against, subconsciously subverts his conscious party of choice. Those are minor nitpicks on a solid work. The last third of the book is a real page turner (or, I guess, minute listener).

Mr. Fontana, however, is sadly not on par with other Stephen King readers. He's okay doing the kids' voices, but lacks the gravitas and skill to do the rest of it.

Nice and innovative

The story is a classic King, characters you can relate to, and a story with a twist

First Stephen kings book I read

It was awesome, and Im afraid what if its true? What if there is institute for real? When I started this, I didn't know where the story will take but I thought its about Tim. But when I enter to luke ellis story it was like adventure.

Classic King with secret societies

The story flows well and avoids going too far down rabbit holes despite the content. I feel like this could have been a much longer story - maybe there’s an unedited version out there? Initially I found the narrator a bit of a change but he really grew on me. He was able to separate out the characters really well and some of the characters were hilarious. I guess if there could be improvement it’s in the voices of old males in the story. But this story has mainly young characters and I really enjoyed the narration.

Great book

Absolutely loved this book and the narration was great. A really captivating story. Would highly recommend!

Thrilling and gripping - excellent

I loved this story. Rich, interesting, and deeply thought provoking. I learn from Stephen King every time I read one of his stories.

It's good but I feel like I've been here before...

Stephen King may have been the man who popularised and even pioneered the "psychic kid, government conspiracy" genera but ironically this book feels a bit unoriginal. don't get me wrong, the characters are great (the good ones particularly, I felt like the bad ones were not Kings best), the story is good and I wanted to know what happened. The problem was it just felt like it didn't bring much new to a well trodden trope. I wasn't surprised by anything, and despite the content which is frequently horrific I wasn't shocked. It's funny that the likes of stranger things, which owe so much to king feel fresh and original (or at least like an original take), but in this one it's a bit like Kings homage to King. May be a good first time King story, but when you've been reading the guy for a few decades it feel a bit like you've already heard this story.

Fantastic Novel

I loved this novel from start to finish! The characters are so amazingly substantial, and the story itself is remarkable.
I would recommend this audiobook to anyone who (like me) has enjoyed King’s contemporary work.

Awesome

Loved the story, very gripping and exciting. A definite read. Love the narration as well!

Another incredible novel by the master.

Loved this from cover to cover. Great performance and even though it is fiction it’s somehow believable. Talk about messing with your mind.