The Shining

By: Stephen King

Narrated by: Campbell Scott

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • ONE OF TIME'S 100 BEST MYSTERY AND THRILLER BOOKS OF ALL TIME • In this masterpiece of modern American horror that inspired Stanley Kubrick’s classic film, Jack Torrance takes a job as the caretaker of the remote Overlook Hotel. As the brutal winter sets in, the hotel’s dark secrets begin to unravel.

“An undisputed master of suspense and terror.” —The Washington Post

Jack Torrance’s new job at the Overlook Hotel is the perfect chance for a fresh start. As the off-season caretaker at the atmospheric old hotel, he’ll have plenty of time to spend reconnecting with his family and working on his writing. But as the harsh winter weather sets in, the idyllic location feels ever more remote . . . and more sinister. And the only one to notice the strange and terrible forces gathering around the Overlook is Danny Torrance, a uniquely gifted five-year-old.

Critic reviews

“A master storyteller.” —Los Angeles Times

“Scary! . . . Serves up horrors at a brisk, unflagging pace.” —The New York Times

“Guaranteed to frighten you into fits. . . . with a climax that is literally explosive.” —Cosmopolitan

“The most wonderfully gruesome man on the planet.” —USA Today

“An undisputed master of suspense and terror.” —The Washington Post

“[King] probably knows more about scary goings-on in confined, isolated places than anybody since Edgar Allan Poe.” —Entertainment Weekly

“He’s the author who can always make the improbable so scary you’ll feel compelled to check the locks on the front door.” —The Boston Globe

“This chilling novel will haunt you, and make your blood run cold and your heart race with fear.” —Nashville Banner

“Peerless imagination.” —The Observer (London)

Campbell Scott does a great job on The Shining

Would you listen to The Shining again? Why?

Absolutely, I wasn't completely convinced I would like Campbell Scott's reading of this but he did a fantastic job. I was worried he wouldn't be able to sound menacing enough when required but he did just fine! I was able to soak a lot of detail in that I didn't get reading it. Definitely a great performance!

What did you like best about this story?

The detailed characterization, fantastic setting and the slow burn horror King can do so well.

Which scene was your favorite?

The scene where Wendy and Jack face off towards the end of the stormy

If you could rename The Shining, what would you call it?

The Overlook

Any additional comments?

Great reading of a fantastic book.

Heading.

Book was decent, but the narration was very monotone. I actually think I prefer the movie to the book.

Scariest book I ever read

I read this book when I was a teen so it is hard to compare to the Audible version, however, I believe to get the full fear factor it has to be read.

Monotone

Terrifying story, great writing, everything you'll need from a Stephen King Novel. But the reading was not so we'll done, he read it so flat and monotone with very little emotion Only during the conversations between characters did it change but barely.

Classic

There’s probably not much need to review the story itself. It’s tormenting and enthralling. However, the monotone reader took away from the intensity.

great book

loved it, such a good book with such in depth details. I strongly recommend it

I wish stephen king would narate all his books

I love the story of the shining and the overlook but the narater plays a huge part in telling the story and how you see everything. this book along with others make it a hard listen because the narater uses the same voice for all the caricatures dispite his best efforts

Different from the movie, but still good

I had heard the book was different from the movie and being a huge fan of the movie I wanted to check it out. I loved the additional character background. It enriched both the book and the movie for me.

Worth it

I've seen the movie of course but the book is just so much better. Now I know why Stephen King didn't like the movie.

I couldn’t stop listening!

Moving on to Dr. Sleep next! This is a captivating novel that I couldn’t get enough of.