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Desperation
- Narrated by: Stephen King
- Length: 21 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Release date: 02-02-16
- Language: English
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
- Whispersync for Voice-ready
Regular price: $34.99
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On an entirely normal, beautiful fall day in Chester's Mill, Maine, the town is inexplicably and suddenly sealed off from the rest of the world by an invisible force field. Planes crash into it and fall from the sky in flaming wreckage, a gardener's hand is severed as "the dome" comes down on it, people running errands in the neighboring town are divided from their families, and cars explode on impact. No one can fathom what this barrier is, where it came from, and when - or if - it will go away.
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In a small New England town, over half a century ago, a shadow falls over a small boy playing with his toy soldiers. Jamie Morton looks up to see a striking man, the new minister. Charles Jacobs, along with his beautiful wife, will transform the local church. The men and boys are all a bit in love with Mrs. Jacobs; the women and girls feel the same about Reverend Jacobs - including Jamie’s mother and beloved sister, Claire. With Jamie, the Reverend shares a deeper bond based on a secret obsession.
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The master at his scarifying best! From heart-pounding terror to the eeriest of whimsy - tales from the outer limits of one of the greatest imaginations of our time! Trucks that punish and beautiful teen demons who seduce a young man to massacre; curses whose malevolence grows through the years; obscene presences and angels of grace - here, indeed, is a night-blooming bouquet of chills and thrills.
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Ben Mears has returned to Jerusalem's Lot in the hopes that living in an old mansion, long the subject of town lore, will help him cast out his own devils and provide inspiration for his new book. But when two young boys venture into the woods and only one comes out alive Mears begins to realize that there may be something sinister at work and that his hometown is under siege by forces of darkness far beyond his control.
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Publisher's Summary
"The terror is relentless" (Publishers Weekly) in Stephen King's number-one national best seller about a little mining town, Desperation, that many will enter on their way to somewhere else. But getting out is not easy as it would seem....
Located off a desolate stretch of Interstate 50, Desperation, Nevada, has few connections with the rest of the world. It is a place, though, where the seams between worlds are thin. And it is a place where several travelers are abducted by Collie Entragian, the maniacal police officer of Desperation. Entragian uses various ploys for the abductions, from an arrest for drug possession to "rescuing" a family from a nonexistent gunman. There's something very wrong here, all right, and Entragian is only the surface of it.
The secrets embedded in Desperation's landscape and the evil that infects the town like some viral hot zone are both awesome and terrifying. But as one of the travelers, young David Carver, seems to know - though it scares him nearly to death to realize it - so are the forces summoned to combat them.
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Overall
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4.5 out of 5 stars
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5 Stars1,709
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4 Stars802
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2 Stars75
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1 Stars31
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3 Stars322
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4.5 out of 5 stars
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5 Stars1,593
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4 Stars653
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3 Stars315
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2 Stars74
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jo Green
- Cordova, TN, United States
- 02-20-16
Once again unabridged
I love unabridged books, and I am so glad Desperation is an unabridged option. I like this story better than The Regulators. I actually like to hear Steven King tell his own stories. He is not a professional reader, but his books "sound like him". Please don't ask me to explain, some of you may actually understand anyway. He is one of the original "kill off the good guy" writers, and that keeps me interested.
51 of 58 people found this review helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Reno
- Virginia
- 05-19-16
Another Dimension
If you like Kings more occult/metaphysical stories with evil entities like "It" or "Dreamcatcher" this is one of those, but a bit shorter. This one is got some very graphic horror and violence. I liked it a lot, well worth the money OR the credit!
11 of 12 people found this review helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Kitty
- 02-06-16
Finally!
I've been waiting for this to be available as an unabridged audiobook for years! And read by the author just makes it even better! Listened to it over two days and was not disappointed.
24 of 29 people found this review helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Eric
- 03-20-18
Poor narration. I could listen to only 2 chapters.
Is there anything you would change about this book?
Have this book reread by a professional narrator.
What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)
Never got to it because I couldn’t stand to listen to it.
What didn’t you like about Stephen King’s performance?
His voice, inflection, timbre. He is obviously not a voice actor.
Did Desperation inspire you to do anything?
I would really like to finish it to give you an answer, but I won’t be able to finish it.
Any additional comments?
Although I love Stephen King’s books, it is obvious that he should leave the voice acting up to the professionals.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Rodel
- 09-21-17
One of my favorites!
it's been years since I read this story. it was a great honor to hear Stephen King himself read it.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Grant C
- 09-16-17
Started strong then just faded.
first half of this book was some of the best stuff I've ever read from Stephen King. then something happened. all kinds of details that perhaps clouded the message being given but I truly struggled finished reading this book. one of my least favorites but I'm a Stephen King fan through thick and thin. This is definitely the thin
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Sherri A. Hildebrand
- 03-21-16
Outstanding!
I can clearly see this book made into a movie. It kept my attention through the end, and I was disappointed when it was over. I felt I could easily connect with the characters, and often felt I was accompanying them on their horrible journey. Great book!!
Although the author was also the narrator of the book, and I tend to like him, it would make the book even more gripping to have a narrator who will include the dramatic emphases into his or her dialogue.
7 of 9 people found this review helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Victoria
- United States
- 04-30-16
A return to dark forces after The Mercedes sagas
I like all of the King's books, although I love some. I wasn't in love with Desperation.
Let's face it, he's a better writer than reader. What happened to Patton?
A lot of familiar King themes including a child shall lead them, but a recovering alcoholic will save them. Cack
4 of 5 people found this review helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Samantha oneil
- 02-10-16
Desperation
I hope Stephen King will read all of his books. I've enjoyed this book. I think he does a great job, except Drunken Fireworks, that one is perfect the way it is.
13 of 18 people found this review helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jessica
- LAFAYETTE, IN, United States
- 03-14-16
One of his best
This book was both creepy and touching. I enjoyed Stephen King's narration very much. We could not stop listening.
10 of 14 people found this review helpful