Dweller

De: Jeff Strand

Narrado por: Scott Thomas

The lifetime story of a boy and his monster.

When Toby Floren was eight years old, he discovered a monster living in the woods behind his house. A ghastly, frightening creature with claws, fangs, and a taste for human flesh. As he ran out of the forest, screaming, Toby felt that he'd been lucky to escape with his life.

Years later, Toby finds comfort with the creature. It's his own special secret - something that nobody else in the world knows about. Somebody to talk to. Somebody to confide in. Sure, Toby has concerns about his own sanity, but really, what boy wouldn't want to be best friends with a monster in the woods, especially if he's being tormented by bullies? The creature, who he names Owen, may be the answer to his problems...

From Jeff Strand, the author of Pressure, comes the story of a macabre, decades-long friendship. A relationship that will last their entire lives, through times of happiness, tragedy, love, loss, madness, and complete darkness.

©2010 Jeff Strand (P)2016 Jeff Strand

One of Jeff Strand's best.

I'm a huge fan of Jeff Strand's work, to the point where I don't even bother reading the synopsis because I know he's going to deliver, no matter what the story's about. So I went into DWELLER blind. Holy cow.

Strand's versatility is insane. He can write a heartwarming book like BLISTER, hilarious and bloody comedies like the WOLF HUNT series, outstanding coming-of-age books like AUTUMN BLEEDS INTO WINTER, and everything in between. DWELLER would be a mix of all of these.

Long story short, Toby befriends a monster in the woods. Things, both good and bad, happen. (I'm bad at writing a synopsis, but that's basically the nut of it.)

Man, if you're ready to have your emotions run through the wringer, this is the book for you. You'll be laughing on one page, cringing on another, and ready to cry on the next. There were times I audibly gasped while reading, and I screamed in anger and disbelief at least once. Strand does many things with his writing I love, and one of those at the top of the list is how his characters are both developed and treated. They are realistic and the risks they take have consequences. You, the reader, may not like those consequences, but they feel very real all the same.

Scott Thomas, as usual, is brilliant with his reading. Like I said, I've been on a Strand kick as of late, and Thomas has been the ever-reliable narrator on this journey. He absolutely nails it each and every time, and DWELLER is no exception. I said it in past reviews and I'll say it again, with Thomas narrating, you could literally remove the name in the "NAME said" and you'd know who's talking because Thomas' voices are so diverse. He's so good, it's gotten to the point where I'm looking for *his* work too, just as I would an author's. He brings whatever he's reading to life.

DWELLER is a great listen from top to bottom. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Right in the feels.

This book has its sad moments.
This book has its funny moments.
Some horror and some gore.
But above it all, this book is about a boy and a monster, an unlikely pair to be sure.
You'll laugh.. and to be honest, you might cry. One thing you won't do is want to put this book down. Jeff Strand does it again, he has created something truly amazing. Scott Thomas brings his words to life like no one else really can. If you enjoy this as much as I'm sure you will, try Wolf Hunt 1 and 2 or Pressure. Just be prepared. Like this book, neither author or narrator will let you down lightly.

Surprisingly Affecting Boy-And-His-Monster Comedy

An unconventional boy-and-his-monster story in which the pet is the problem. Dweller is a consistently witty and funny comedy about an antisocial misfit who develops a friendship with a fearsome forest monster but there's an unexpected depth. Toby and his monster friend Owen are really just a pair of sad sack screwups who keep accidentally killing people, and it pushes everyone away. Surprisingly, the story isn't just confined to their youthful friendship but Toby grows into a man and we get the sense of how this toxic friendship has affected his life. It soon becomes clear, that Owen the monster symbolizes much more than a hairy, razor-clawed forest beast. Ultimately, this is a story about those jokey guys who are always wisecracking, but you can see in their eyes that something has gone terribly, terribly wrong. Weaves a self-destructive spell on the reader and makes you laugh while leading you into a dark little cave of friendship gone wrong.

Great story but I found myself ready for it to end

This was a good story and beautifully written, but I found myself very bored and ready for it to end by about the 70% mark.

It follows the entire life of a man who befriended a monster as a boy. Through all the good and bad, the monster is there for him and he’s there for the monster.

Dweller

Not all monster are bad. This story is about an 8 year old who befriends a monster living in the wood by his house.
The book is well written and will keep your interest from the first page to the last.

Scott Thomas is perfect for narrating this book. his voice(s) are good and easy to listen to. I look forward to hearing more of his work

Weird, tense and creepy

I enjoyed Strand's Pressure but this was so much better. Weird, tense, creepy and very sad. Very well written. Great character development. Definitely recommend this one.

The narrator did a good job. Very enjoyable.

I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.

If you like

Big foot like creatures, coming of age stories, rooting for the underdog , stories of love, and friendships in unlikely places then you will love this story. I did. This is one I would definitely come back to and listen to again. I was given this audio in exchange for honest and voluntary review.

Monsters and Three Window Giggle Fits

I've been on a Jeff Strand kick lately; his stuff is approachable and fun. Many, like Dweller, are narrated well by Scott Thomas whose voice is a good fit for the whit and breezy horror. Occassionally there are minor pauses on the audio but that may be in part due to a near odyssey timeframe on the character's life to fit the passage of years but it can sometimes feel like the choppiness of calendar pages turning. Stand tends to write comedically derivative horror stuff and Dweller struck me as a little too familiar at times. It's best part is a dark edge willing to go bloody and maybe even sometimes too even too dark here; this create an ambiguous sense of anything could happen that ultimately serves the material well. The lead is a bit too desperate of a loser and some of the character development could have used more subtlety but that works with them plot (and comedic undertones). This is an epic book that follows the lead through different eras of his life. It gets a little slow in the middle but the 50+ year span of time helps add layers with slice of life and drama that gets bittersweet dramatically nevermind the horror.

Surprisingly touching

What made the experience of listening to Dweller the most enjoyable?

I most enjoyed how attached I felt torward Owen. It seemed like he was living on such a fine edge of happiness and sadness. Every time things were going well, they would be ruined. I felt oddly sorry for him and the fact his life had been so drastically altered and out of his control.

What other book might you compare Dweller to and why?

None are even close that I have read.

What about Scott Thomas’s performance did you like?

He was fantastic. His portrayal of Owen was very good and his voice for Toby conveyed the insecurity and feelings of inferiorority that seems to define him.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It certainly made me laugh and there were heartbreaking moments that just broke my heart but, I didn't cry.

Any additional comments?

This book was gifted to me by the author for an honest review and it turned out to be a great story. I was far more invested in the characters than I thought would be possible and I am very glad I gave this book a chance.

A boy and his monster

I really enjoyed the beginning of this book: a unique blend of coming of age with horror. The book began to lose credibility as the main character grows into adulthood and, dimwitted to the point of annoyance, makes some unbelievable choices when he tries to combine his two worlds which detracts from the relationship between human and monster. The narrator added to the story. I received this audio book for free in exchange for an honest review.