Ghost Story

By: Peter Straub

Narrated by: Buck Schirner

Length: 22 hrs and 33 mins

Publisher's Summary

#1 New York Times bestselling author Peter Straub’s classic tale of horror, secrets, and the dangerous ghosts of the past...

What was the worst thing you’ve ever done?

In the sleepy town of Milburn, New York, four old men gather to tell each other stories - some true, some made-up, all of them frightening. A simple pastime to divert themselves from their quiet lives.

But one story is coming back to haunt them and their small town. A tale of something they did long ago. A wicked mistake. A horrifying accident. And they are about to learn that no one can bury the past forever...

©1989 Peter Straub (P)2012 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Great Story! The Best of Peter Straub

If you are looking for fast-paced horror this is not the book for you. But if you enjoy an interesting, eerie story that slowly unfolds you will love this book. It is well written, steady paced, and, for the most part, well narrated.
I was initially discouraged from this book because other listeners had complained of bad narration. While it is true that the narrator does a poor impersonation of a woman's voice it is not completely off-putting. Imagine Charlton Heston impersonating a woman and you will have a good idea of what to expect.
The main characters are wealthy, retirement-aged, small town men who befriended one another years before the story picks up. Don't let this put you off. The characters will become relatable and endearing shortly into the story.
If you enjoy this book, you will also enjoy The Good House by Tananarive Due and Phantoms by Dean Koontz.

35 of 36 people found this review helpful

Stop complaining about the narrator

I almost didn't get this book because so many people complained about the narrator. While he doesn't do Stella any justice, all the other voices were really good! The narrator had to do upwards of 20 voices, if not more! He did a great job! I was really impressed.
Overall the book was good. I'm not much into fiction but I love scary stories. This wasn't the scariest novel I've ever read, but it was pretty intense at times. I enjoyed it. It was certainly unique.

32 of 33 people found this review helpful

Slow steady boil to frightening

Thoroughly enjoyed this book & can't believe I hadn't ever read it before. Narrator did a nice job with so many characters.

6 of 6 people found this review helpful

More than ghosts!

If you are looking for a book that is short, fast paced, has thrills in every chapter, and lots lots of ghosts, this isn’t it.

However, this is a well written eerie story that covers the adult lifetimes of five men, now at retirement age. An incident that happened when they were young men bound them together and twisted their individual and collective fates. The consequences happened subtly at first and to some more than others. In their late years things get more intense and blatant; they realize that the consequences of their youthful deed will kill them, all their relatives, and many others.

The story is created in layers. The horror in the present is punctuated by flashbacks into the lives of the five members of the Chowder Club that has kept them close friends over the many years. They enlist the help of the nephew of an already deceased member and find that he has been affected too. The “evil” that is toying with them gradually comes into focus. Their town and its people come under siege. This requires that the author explain the histories and relationships of some spouses, business clients, friends, and the sheriff.

Peter Straub does an excellent job of creating all the story strands and weaving them together. Be prepared to sit back and let the 22.5 hours unwind. The end is satisfying, but leaves just enough to the listener’s imagination.

Buck Schirner's narration is more than adequate. Since most characters are male, a male narrator is most appropriate. It’s understood that he can’t do female voices.

11 of 12 people found this review helpful

The Root of Evil

Steven King named Peter Straub's Ghost Story as one of the greatest horror novels of modern times, alongside The Exorcist and Rosemary's Baby. King's comparison is very well earned.

Like with those novels, Straub takes his sweet time building up his world, specifically the town of Milburn and the history of the Chowder Society, but if you give this a chance you will not be disappointed. A deeply frightening story about the root of all supernatural horrors. I very highly recommend checking it out... this ghost story will really haunt you.

8 of 9 people found this review helpful

Long Story Short.

Quite a few reviewers have said the first part of the book (it's three parts) was long and uneventful. It's true. However the author spends quite a bit of time getting you to know the characters and shows you how each ended up where they are at and why they are in the book. I enjoyed it and will listen to it again one day. I highly recommend it.

11 of 13 people found this review helpful

Give it time to get into gear...

Any additional comments?

This download is separated int three parts. The first is very, very slow moving. Add to the overall blandness of the beginning; a narrator that sounds as if he is just about ready to keel over and die, ( he ends his sentences with a wierd kind of gasp, like he's run out of air) you might be tempted to leave the book unfinished: DON'T!
I put my Ipod on double speed and the narration sounded just about normal.
When this book took off, it was worth the agony and doubt of the first part. Death and betrayal and destruction in a smalltown community, which, strangely, seems to have a problem with primiscuity among its leading, and aged citizens.( Thankfully there were no embarassing descriptions of senoir love making.) Reminded me a lot of Stephen King, sans the anticlimactic ending. Good story, give it a chance.

11 of 13 people found this review helpful

Fun and spooky, perfect for October

Would you consider the audio edition of Ghost Story to be better than the print version?

I have not read the print version, but it's definitely better than the movie!

What did you like best about this story?

The intricacies of the American Gothic represented. This is a traditional masculine Gothic tale that is complex and heavily character driven. Tons of embedded narratives allow for multiple ghost stories within "Ghost Story". And for the more horror-oriented it includes hints of witchcraft, ghosts, changelings, vampires, werewolves, haunted houses AND murder! What more could one want?

Which scene was your favorite?

I liked the embedded narrative about Fenny Bate the best. It is a story told by Sears about when he was a new school teacher in the town, and his experience trying to act as mentor to Fenny Bate. I don't want to give spoilers, but the tale is at once frightening, disturbing and tragic. There are many great scenes in the novel, but this one struck me the most.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I couldn't if I tried! It's too long for that. I did have the urge to listen to it for large blocks of time.

Any additional comments?

This book is perfect for October. If you have seen the movie, don't let it fool you. "Ghost Story" is chilling and complex, and will keep you at the edge of your seat.

10 of 12 people found this review helpful

Great story; so-so performance

If you could sum up Ghost Story in three words, what would they be?

A great book.

What did you like best about this story?

It is numerous ghost stories, tied to earlier writers, and expanding on themes that they explored in a more modern context. But, there are numerous layers to this story.

Would you be willing to try another one of Buck Schirner’s performances?

I would but he was the wrong narrator for this book.

If you could rename Ghost Story, what would you call it?

Ghost Story

Any additional comments?

This was one of my favorite books when I read it 30 some years ago. It remains a great story. Unfortunately, the narrator is really not appropriate for this story. He creates a lot of inappropriate voices for characters and it is clear that he really doesn't have a good handle on the book. He was ok but his reading takes away from the overall enjoyment.

4 of 5 people found this review helpful

A Must Read for Horror Fans

I am a fan of horror fiction. Not the slasher stuff or anything too corporeal but rather all things paranormal. The last 10 years have seen an explosion of the horror genre and the “paranormal twist” has been applied to almost every genre – its paranormal meets romance, paranormal meets detective mystery, and don’t get me started about zombies. Don’t get me wrong, I love the selection but sometimes I just crave the unadorned, back-to-the-basics ghost story. That is why when I came across Peter Straub’s “Ghost Story,” the unadorned title sold me.

“Ghost Story” is long, the characters are numerous, and it takes a while to get used to Straub’s shifting perspective, but those that stick with this book will enjoy what they find. This is a well written novel with a tight plot that is very good at setting a gloomy tone with tension that slowly builds. The mystery is slowly revealed and compelling. One particular aspect of this novel that I found unique was that the paranormal entities were multidimensional and had character with motivations that made sense. I am happy I found this novel, and I would put it on my list of “must reads” for the genre.

One other thing worth mentioning here is that the narration is excellent, and really helped with the shifting perspective and with keeping track of characters.

6 of 8 people found this review helpful