Wanderers

A Novel

By: Chuck Wendig

Narrated by: Dominic Hoffman, Xe Sands

Length: 32 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's summary

A decadent rock star. A deeply religious radio host. A disgraced scientist. And a teenage girl who may be the world’s last hope. From the mind of Chuck Wendig comes "a magnum opus...a story about survival that’s not just about you and me, but all of us, together" (Kirkus Reviews starred review).

Nominated for the Bram Stoker Award

Named one of the Best Books of the Year by:

• The Washington Post
• NPR
• The Dallas Morning News
• Kirkus Reviews
• Publishers Weekly
• Library Journal
• Polygon

Shana wakes up one morning to discover her little sister in the grip of a strange malady. She appears to be sleepwalking. She cannot talk and cannot be woken up. And she is heading with inexorable determination to a destination that only she knows. But Shana and her sister are not alone. Soon, they are joined by a flock of sleepwalkers from across America, on the same mysterious journey. And like Shana, there are other "shepherds" who follow the flock to protect their friends and family on the long dark road ahead.

For as the sleepwalking phenomenon awakens terror and violence in America, the real danger may not be the epidemic but the fear of it. With society collapsing all around them - and an ultraviolent militia threatening to exterminate them - the fate of the sleepwalkers depends on unraveling the mystery behind the epidemic. The terrifying secret will either tear the nation apart - or bring the survivors together to remake a shattered world.

In development for TV by Glen Mazzara, executive producer of The Walking Dead

Look for the sequel in 2022

Praise for Wanderers

"This career-defining epic deserves its inevitable comparisons to Stephen King’s The Stand." (Publishers Weekly starred review)

"A suspenseful, twisty, satisfying, surprising, thought-provoking epic." (Harlan Coben, number one New York Times best-selling author of Run Away)

"A true tour de force." (Erin Morgenstern, New York Times best-selling author of The Night Circus)

"A masterpiece with prose as sharp and heartbreaking as Station Eleven." (Peng Shepherd, author of The Book of M)

"A magnum opus.... It reminded me of Stephen King’s The Stand - but dare I say, this story is even better." (James Rollins, number one New York Times best-selling author of Crucible)

"An inventive, fierce, uncompromising, stay-up-way-past-bedtime masterwork." (Paul Tremblay, author of A Head Full of Ghosts and The Cabin at the End of the World)

"An American epic for these times." (Charles Soule, author of The Oracle Year)

©2019 Chuck Wendig (P)2019 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"Wanderers is amazing - huge, current, both broad and intensely personal, blending the contemplative apocalypse of Station Eleven with the compulsive readability of the best thrillers." (Django Wexler, author of the Shadow Campaigns series)

"Chuck Wendig’s latest, Wanderers, is a magnum opus of both storytelling and prose, epic in scope, yet told with an intimacy that hooked me from the first page. It reminded me of a technological version of Stephen King’s The Stand - but dare I say, this is even better: a postapocalyptic horror story that bares the best and worst of humanity in all its rawest forms. Don’t miss this tour de force. It left me awed." (James Rollins, number-one New York Times best-selling author of Crucible)

"With Wanderers, Chuck Wendig levels up - and when you consider the high level he was already writing at, that's saying something." (John Scalzi, New York Times best-selling author of The Consuming Fire)

Rare thing

I’m 11 chapters in and I can’t stop listening to this book. It’s thoroughly engaging. The science is fascinating. I really want to know why the sleepwalking is happening. I’m enjoying the heck out of this book.

Good narrative along the lines of the stand

I enjoyed this book very much and I would recommend it to you. if you liked the stand and swan song then you might like this one.

Different sort of dystopian/apocalyptic tale

I did like it. Zombies but not zombies; an all knowing A/I, the CDC, hillbillies with guns and God, an aging rock star
and a road trip. Some editing could have kept the pace going a bit better and the not very veiled Social commentary was at times forced, but overall an interesting story, with a cloud of uncertainty at the end.

Outstanding

Hard to put down. kept my interest despite need to work. Both author and narrators are excel!ent.

What an Excellent Story

Grateful to have had this book to accompany me on a strange journey of my own.

Very creative and perfect performance!

I see this book had some negative reviews, and I was really surprised. It was very long and kept my interest through the whole thing. The characters were diverse and well developed. I did not think that this book was extremely political, as some stated. What surprised me the most was it was written before our coronavirus nightmare begin.

Epic saga from Wendig

I love Wendig's other series, Miriam Black and Atlanta Burns. This new book has similar tone, compelling characters, and a twisty plot. Thoroughly enjoyed and recommend.

Scarily Relevant to the Present!

Holy smokes, what a rollercoaster. Listening to this book during the COVID-19 pandemic, the week Michigan forbade all nonessential travel, was creepy as hell. I had to keep looking at the publication date.
Anyway, it’s a gripping story of a global pandemic, and a preemptive response to it, and all the disturbingly real ways that our country dealt with them. I was riveted. It’s been REALLY easy to suspend disbelief on this one, given that we’re all self-quarantined if not working an “essential” job. I’m going to go recommend it to everyone, just as my friend S.A. Hunt did. I’m so glad she did!

Great Read...err Listen!

First of all, this book is on point in current times, culturally, politically, and sociologically. The character development is fantastic, the empathized with every one of the main and supporting characters. The story draws you in and makes you want to make it to the end to learn what happens to all of the characters. Do they live, so they die, do they go bat shit crazy and try to kill everyone they know? It’s a great mystery, sci-fi, near future apocalypse story. Good job to the narrators and most of all the author, Chuck Wendig.

way too long

This very much reminded me of The Stand but of course the 2000 version. The female narrator got on my nerves, and 32 hours is way too long.