Replay

By: Ken Grimwood

Narrated by: William Dufris

Length: 11 hrs and 26 mins

Publisher's summary

In 1988, 43-year-old Jeff Winston died of a heart attack. But then he awoke, and it was 1963; Jeff was 18 all over again, his memory of the next two decades intact. This time around, Jeff would gain all the power and wealth he never had before. This time around he'd know how to do it right. Until next time.

©1998 Ken Grimwood (P)2008 Tantor

Critic reviews

World Fantasy Award, Best Novel, 1988

Intriguing premise that plays out with twists

Much enjoyed this book, and intriguing premise that plays out as expected at first, the has several pleasant twist to the plot. Very thought provoking.

ALL TIME FAVORITE BOOK!

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

I love them both. The audio version makes you slow down and really pay attention, the only drawback being that you can't 'see' some of the more exotic/foreign names that come up and it's harder to look them up when you want to learn more about some of the events in the book.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I hate to say it, but the slutty Sharla character is one of my favorites. No pretense, no lies just 'okay, let's go' or 'for that much money you can have another one for the road'. I like that she shows up in a few of the replays. She's not the greatest person but at least she's honest.

Which character – as performed by William Dufris – was your favorite?

I really like the way that he did the ladies' voices - he made them sound genuine and real.

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

This book ALWAYS puts me in a reflective mood. The possibilities are endless.

Any additional comments?

This book has been one of my all time favorite books for decades. To spend the money to have it on audio as well as print was a pleasure and a privilege.

Loved this book!

So thought provoking! What could you do with five live times? Loved it.
Story was unique, sometimes It felt like an episode of twilight zone. Great narration. I highly recommend it.

What would happen if ...

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

Yes.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Jeff. Very authentic.

What about William Dufris’s performance did you like?

Witty, calm, likable, charming.

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

Yes.

Any additional comments?

I've always been intrigued by the thought of reliving my life, knowing then what I know now. This book took me on such a journey over and over again, testing out what would happen during various scenarios. The ending was a happy and hopeful one. Can't wait to read another book by this author!

I really enjoyed this book

Love this book! the narrator was smooth and concise, without being to wordy. Great story of something no I have never read about. And probably never will again.

Great story, horrible narrator!

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

It was a great story that kept your attention. I sat in my garage at home many times because I didn't want to stop listening.

What other book might you compare Replay to and why?

11/22/63 by Stephen King. He got his premise for his book from Replay and I can see the correlation. If you like this book, you MUST read 11/22/63!

What didn’t you like about William Dufris’s performance?

To put it nicely, I HATED his narration. Several times I thought about getting it in paperback so I could read it in a normal voice. His "female" characters voice was awful and he made the narrator sound exhausted all the time. Took away from the book for sure.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When he lost his daughter Gretchen and grieved over that, it was sad.

Any additional comments?

Get a new narrator and this would be a 5 star book easily!

Love this book

Good story and nice performance. Makes you think, wonder what it must be like to live your life over and over again.

Great story!

I really enjoyed the story and specially its conclusion.
Although I was really annoyed by the narrator’s voice (he sounded like he had a cold) and it took some getting used to.

*SPOILER ALERT*
I loved that the were no higher meanings to their life and they remained just as ignorant to what death means as we are. They had to figure life out, and they realized that having more chances doesn’t “really” change anything.

Unsatisfying

I felt cheated by the conclusion. The plot was vague. Seemed like wishful thinking.

A thoughtful, middle-aged fantasy

I remember reading this book many years ago, so listening to it brought back memories. The author does a pretty good job with his characters making decent decisions with their fore-knowledge, while experiencing the pleasures of riches. The narrator was a bit dull in delivery, but the story will keep you interested.