Earthbound

By: Richard Matheson

Narrated by: Bronson Pinchot

Length: 6 hrs and 18 mins

Publisher's summary

David and Ellen Cooper came to the lonely beachside cottage in hopes of rekindling their troubled marriage. Yet they are not alone on their second honeymoon. Marianna, a beautiful and enigmatic stranger, comes to visit David whenever Ellen is away.

Who is Marianna, and where has she come from?

Even as he succumbs to her seductive charms, David realizes that Marianna is far more than a threat to his marriage, for her secrets lie deep in the past and beyond the grave. And her unholy desires endanger the life and soul of everyone she touches.

©1989 Richard Matheson (P)2010 Blackstone Audiobooks

Critic reviews

“The author who influenced me the most as a writer was Richard Matheson.” (Stephen King)

“In 1982, before Matheson achieved the cult-and-grandmaster status he enjoys today, Playboy Press published a version of this erotic ghost story that was so severely edited that the author took his name off the book, which was presented as by ‘Logan Swanson’…the author injects some excellent suspense into this [‘approved and restored’ version].” ( Publishers Weekly)

"Matheson, master of both horror and suspense, here gives us a picture of a man obsessed, then possessed, by the ghost of Marianna, a beautiful, depraved woman...Incredibly powerful." ( Library Journal)

Definitely not Matheson's best

Bronson Pinchot's narration is, as usual, excellent. But even he wasn't able to save this book.

Fun listen

Love me some Matheson, but not his best work. Still it was a fun listen. I was disappointed that Bronson Pinchot didn't read it in his Balki voice.

Not his best, but still enjoyable

The story is an interesting exploration of what drives a man to be unfaithful. Lots and lots of inner monologue and self exploration. The ghosts activities struck me as a pale rehashing of the haunting shown in Hell House. The events of the haunting manufactured to continue the self exploration of the main character rather than drive the plot. The main character, David, is the only one who is developed and has drives and wishes. Everybody else is there to give him reasons to act. Still an enjoyable story.

The Narrator, Bronson Pinchot, is not very good. inflection misplaced constantly and some of the fight scenes are read very stiffly, as if he wasn't sure they were really shouting at each other at the time.

Huge matheson fan, disappointed in this one.

I have loved absolutely every story i've read by Richard Matheson, he really has a way of writing believable characters regardless of the setting - this book was a huge letdown. Seemed so focused on sex and the characters weren't compelling and I did not care about anything at the end. It just felt trashy and focused on sex above any character or storyline - I wouldn't recommend this one.

irritating...(spoilers)

this book was just that! what a whiny, immature main character...i barely made it through the entire book...i'm annoyed even writing this review...

Loved the concept

This storyline had such great potential but it was drown in needless detail and boring dialog. This is the first book I have read by Richard Matheson, from whom I expected more. I guess we all have our weak works and I think this is Matheson's. I will read more of his work as I suspect this is not representative.
Bronson Pinchot, did fairly well reading the male parts, but his attempts to read the female parts were just awful. I listen to audio books often and have certainly heard male readers read female parts, and female readers read male parts. Some are better at it others, but Mr. Pinchot, sadly did not make the mark.

Disappointing & frustrating

The main character was hard to “like” & the story was hard to finish. I enjoyed I am Legend & Stir of Echoes, but not this one.