A Stir of Echoes

By: Richard Matheson

Narrated by: Scott Brick

Length: 6 hrs and 44 mins

Publisher's Summary

Tom Wallace lived an ordinary life, until a chance event awakened psychic abilities he never knew he possessed. Now, he's hearing the private thoughts of the people around him - and learning shocking secrets he never wanted to know. But as Tom's existence becomes a waking nightmare, even greater jolts are in store, as he becomes the unwilling recipient of a compelling message from beyond the grave.

This eerie ghost story, by the award-winning author of Hell House and I Am Legend, inspired the acclaimed 1999 film starring Kevin Bacon.

©1986 Richard Matheson (P)2009 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic Reviews

"Perhaps no author living is as responsible for chilling a generation with tantalizing nightmare visions." ( The New York Times)
"One of the most important writers of the twentieth century." ( Ray Bradbury)
"Matheson is one of the great names in American terror fiction." ( Philadelphia Inquirer)

Damn you, David Koepp!

I first knew of this when I watched the film as a child. It immediately became a favorite. After finishing this book, I realize that the film massively missed the mark. The film is so narrow sighted and pointless by comparison.

Matheson is a master of the spine tinglers. A champi9n of suspense, and a grest one to make you think about life, society, and humanity in different lights. This book was deeply emotional, relatable in many ways, and a damn good read. One hell of a roller coaster, and worth every second spent on it.
I highly recommend it.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Great story

Narrator is perfect. Story was really good! S.King says this author influenced his own writing, after reading this I could feel the similarities. I recommend.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Matheson is excellent

One of the subtle things I loved most about "Echoes" is how this starts to affect this man in his everyday life and his family/wife. And the unexpected turns things take. Twists and turns have become in a way cliche, but this is done well and predates so much of this "genre" of "esp" story. And you can see the groundwork for things like King's Dead Zone etc. Looking forward to more Matheson.

7 of 11 people found this review helpful

Better Than The Movie

This is an extremely well written story and quite different from the movie. I found the book to be far better. The narrator was very effective and it was hard to stop listening. I will not hesitate to listen to this again.

2 of 3 people found this review helpful

A little dated and overly dramatic

Sad to say, the world is so much worse now that this little story seems Mild in comparison to reality.

Solid Read. Not outstanding, but good.

There was never a dull minute in this novel. That being said, it was not particularly suspenseful either, but I did enjoy it and consider it to be a good read.
I was not prepaired to be swepted into a murder/mystery genre. I had anticipated this book to be an older Horror and Sci-Fi novel. And it was for 3/4s of the book, but that other ¼ was all neiborhood drama, ‘shocking’ insites, and all the other generic items you get when reading a murder mystery.

check this out

loved the movie but the book is excellent!!! great story. scott brick is a great reader

Clever title for an eye-rolling character development.

I had such great hopes during the first part of this book! The husband’s unexpected “gift” of reading minds and seeing spirits and the contrarian wife who borders on breakdown coming to terms with it grows tiresome LONG before the plot is allowed to develop any further. Then when it finally moves along, it’s over and you’re left with... REALLY?

Great reader performance and meh story.

Enjoyed

Not as gritty as I had hoped, then I see it written something like 60 years ago and can appreciate it more I suppose. Still enjoyed and glad I listened.

The book and movie are NOT the same!

Tom is a regular guy with an active social life. His life is very interwoven with his neighbors and he has a sweet little family.
The book was written in 1958 and it shows in fun little ways like the neighbors knowing all of each others business whether they want to or not, and other little social norms like the husband going to the grocery store for his wife, and all the meals are home cooked .
Sigh, makes me wish I could visit. But not say. Because only white males really had such a fantastic deal in those days, and I'm pretty sure my homemaking skills would get me beat on a regular basis much like one of the women in the book... but anyways back on track.
Tom is your everyday likable guy with a wife and baby who adore him and another baby on the way. One night, at a party at his brother in laws house, he allows his brother in law to hypnotize him for the groups entertainment.
But something must have gone wrong, because now Tom is seeing things, knowing things, that he shouldn't.
There was a movie with this title that came out in the late 90's and the two do have a lot in common. However, the book and the movie are different enough that I still recommend trying the book even if you've seen the movie.
The narrator, Scott Brick, did an excellent job. 5 stars

6 of 13 people found this review helpful

Scott Brick's brilliant narration of a Great Story

Would you consider the audio edition of A Stir of Echoes to be better than the print version?

Only seen the movie and listened to this

What did you like best about this story?

The descriptions of losing your mind to another power

What about Scott Brick’s performance did you like?

Excellent character voices and superb use of temprement and tone
and very good at first person narrative

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes it is one of the best stories in the ghost story genre

Any additional comments?

I consider the author to be one of the greatest writers.