Doctor Sleep

A Novel

By: Stephen King

Narrated by: Will Patton

Length: 18 hrs and 34 mins

Publisher's summary

Audie Award Winner, Fiction, 2014

Audie Award Nominee, Solo Narration - Male, 2014

Stephen King returns to the characters and territory of one of his most popular novels ever, The Shining, in this instantly riveting novel about the now middle-aged Dan Torrance (the boy protagonist of The Shining) and the very special 12-year-old girl he must save from a tribe of murderous paranormals.

On highways across America, a tribe of people called The True Knot travel in search of sustenance. They look harmless - mostly old, lots of polyester, and married to their RVs. But as Dan Torrance knows, and spunky 12-year-old Abra Stone learns, The True Knot are quasi-immortal, living off the "steam" that children with the "shining" produce when they are slowly tortured to death.

Haunted by the inhabitants of the Overlook Hotel where he spent one horrific childhood year, Dan has been drifting for decades, desperate to shed his father's legacy of despair, alcoholism, and violence. Finally, he settles in a New Hampshire town, an AA community that sustains him, and a job at a nursing home where his remnant "shining" power provides the crucial final comfort to the dying. Aided by a prescient cat, he becomes "Doctor Sleep."

Then Dan meets the evanescent Abra Stone, and it is her spectacular gift, the brightest shining ever seen, that reignites Dan's own demons and summons him to a battle for Abra's soul and survival. This is an epic war between good and evil, a gory, glorious story that will thrill the millions of hyper-devoted fans of The Shining and wildly satisfy anyone new to the territory of this icon in the King canon.

©2013 Stephen King (P)2013 Simon & Schuster

Critic reviews

"Will Patton's delivery enhances King's prose in ways that make King's work so much more enjoyable in audio than just reading it…Patton's narrative voice captures the rhythm of King's words. His character voices, filled with a variety of regional American accents, remain consistent. Most importantly, the sinister aspects that embody characters and moments of this novel are superbly executed and will certainly leave listeners on edge." ( AudioFile)

"King, not one given to sequels, throws fans a big, bloody bone with this long-drooled-for follow-up to The Shining." ( Booklist)

"…a gripping, taut read that provides a satisfying conclusion to Danny Torrance's story." ( Publisher’s Weekly)

Really good... until the ending (no spoilers)

Would you listen to Doctor Sleep again? Why?

Yes. It was a cool story. The fact that everything in 'The Shining' is all backstory is cool.

Any additional comments?

This was a really good story and Will Patton did an awesome job reading it. Yet, the ending was kind of a let down. I found it to be kind of underwhelming. It was also a little confusing.

This is just my opinion. I would be interested to know if anyone else feels the same. So, listen to it and drop me a line.

Great story and perdormance

Way too much volume change. had to keep turning it up and down. otherwise it was great

A Sequel Well Worth the Wait!

Would you consider the audio edition of Doctor Sleep to be better than the print version?

Absolutely, but only because of Will Patton. He really delivered!

What about Will Patton’s performance did you like?

Everything - he is exceptional!

Another home run!!

The story was a brilliant follow up to The Shining! Quite unexpected and very entertaining!!!

A good read

Not by far the best book he has ever written, but a very good read I enjoyed it

I Love Will Patton

Stephen King's books are excellent but even better when Will Patton narrates. It is such a joy to listen to him move from one character to the next . Even when he is narrating a new novel but with characters he has brought to life previously he doesn't skip a beat.
I really enjoyed the characters in this novel and the storyline . Hope there's a sequel.

Not The Shining, Different like apples and pineapples

Dr. Sleep is an interesting book. It's not really a sequel to The Shining, despite the many things it has in common. Maybe it would be better to call it a "cousin" to the previous novel. They both have character and a past in common, but as real-life cousins, can grow apart, so too has this book grown apart from it's older relative. I liked this book - King has a flair for writing "real" people- then he puts them in situations that no one else has imagined. Read The Shining - it's still as good or better than you may imagine- then read this book, but expect it to not be the same, but eerily similar- like a new-found relative you didn't know you had.

love Stephen king!

such a great book! The guy reading it did a good job, too. I'll definitely be reading this again!

loved it

This book was thought provoking it kept me interested the whole time. The line between science and religion were explored in a way that was entertaining yet gave pause to many questions. One is what are line's we shouldn't cross?

I loved this book!!!

Any additional comments?

I loved this book!!! It was a fun story with great narration. Its one of those books that you hate to turn off but don't want to get thru it to fast because you don't want it to end. Loved it!!Loved it!!Loved it!!