Cell

A Novel

By: Stephen King

Narrated by: Campbell Scott

Length: 12 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's summary

On October 1st, God is in His heaven, the stock market stands at 10,140, most of the planes are on time, and Clayton Riddell, an artist from Maine, is almost bouncing up Boylston Street in Boston. He's just landed a comic book deal that might finally enable him to support his family by making art instead of teaching it. He's already picked up a gift for his long-suffering wife, and he knows just what he'll get for his boy Johnny. Why not a little treat for himself? Clay's feeling good about the future.

That changes in a hurry. The cause of the devastation is a phenomenon that will come to be known as The Pulse, and the delivery method is a cell phone. Everyone's cell phone. Clay and the few desperate survivors who join him suddenly find themselves in the pitch-black night of civilization's darkest age, surrounded by chaos, carnage, and a human horde that has been reduced to its basest nature...and then begins to evolve.

There are 193 million cell phones in the United States alone. Who doesn't have one? Stephen King's utterly gripping, gory, and fascinating novel doesn't just ask the question "Can you hear me now?" It answers it with a vengeance.

©2006 Stephen King (P)2006 Simon & Schuster

Critic reviews

"King's imagining of what is more or less post-Armageddon Boston is rich, and the sociological asides made by his characters along the way...are jaunty and witty." (Publishers Weekly)

choose a different book

narrator was so incredibly boring to listen to. it ruined the story for me.

Good book keeps you listening

Any additional comments?

Sometime I wondered if King wrote the book due to lack of back stories, overall a decent book that will overall make the listening worth it.

Very fun.

I really liked the story. over all it was good. I didn't like the ending much.

Great start, decent end

The most original disaster by Zombie story lines ever. Surprisingly this one lacks Stephan King's trademark prepubescent sexual references, making this story one of his best.

You'll want several hours before you start this, because you won't want to walk away.

I had hoped that one of the main characters could have played more of a role in the very sneaky ending masterminded by a character that readers may not care about at all.

A solid King win!!!

I read/listen to a lot of Stephen King and other novels in the horror genre. I'd been putting this one off, not expecting a whole lot from what I'd heard, not bad, but that it was mediocre. However, I thought Cell was awesome! It's not my favorite Stephen King book, but it's in my top 10, which is saying a lot!
I really love apocalyptic books, and though this wasn't on the level of The Stand (even King can't show up the apocalypse he created in The Stand!), it was still fantastic!
It was kind of The Stand + The Tommyknockers...with some hints of his other novels in there, as well.
I loved the scenario and the unique way the zombie-like people were written.
The narrator did great (although the narrator switches to a dude with a different voice about halfway in only for like 3 or 4 words...I wish I'd recorded exactly where...but you'll notice when you run across it because the other narrator's voice is quite deeper and it actually scared the s*** out of me because it caught me off guard - the only time I jumped! LOL).
The only gripe I have about Cell is that I wasn't so excited about how they wrapped things up. I don't need to have a nicely packaged happy ending, but I like to have it tied up and feel like most questions were answered. I'd read a sequel...it felt like it was made for one.
Bottom line: if you like horror & can stomach gore, plus, zombie and/or apocalyptic stories, then it's worth the credit or the buy!

Campbell Scott is one reason to buy this book...

Scott does the same great job he did with the "The Shining" with the narration of this audiobook. The book itself is a good read (or listen) but Scott, in my opinion, makes it even better. I also had a problem with the very ending but it was not that big of a deal not knowing that one particular thing. Still would have been nice though. Unless it was something bad. I'll shut up now. Get the book!

Unfinished

I enjoyed this book; but it really needs an ending.

Just O.K.

Is there anything you would change about this book?

Great story idea, just never takes shape. Still, not terrible.

If you’ve listened to books by Stephen King before, how does this one compare?

Not his greatest.

Would you listen to another book narrated by Campbell Scott?

Sure.

Do you think Cell needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

Could have potential

Mr. Wallmart

King, the "Wallmart" of modern fiction, is an excellent story teller who always keeps the reader interested. Unfortunately, in many of his stories, including this one, his message,if any, is often vague. Furthermore, he has an irritating habit of expressing his dislike for any kind of music except 1960's rock and roll and seems compelled to have his characters make snide political comments that reflect his liberal philosophy. On the whole, I enjoyed the book.

A good choice for an audiobook

It was very easy to follow the plot in this audiobook. Just a few characters to keep track of. I'm not really a big Stephen King fan, but this was a decent read.