Get a free audiobook
-
The Institute
- A Novel
- Narrated by: Santino Fontana
- Length: 18 hrs and 59 mins
- Categories: Mystery, Thriller & Suspense, Thriller & Suspense
People who bought this also bought...
-
The Outsider
- Written by: Stephen King
- Narrated by: Will Patton
- Length: 18 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
An 11-year-old boy's violated corpse is found in a town park. Eyewitnesses and fingerprints point unmistakably to one of Flint City's most popular citizens. He is Terry Maitland, Little League coach, English teacher, husband, and father of two girls. Detective Ralph Anderson, whose son Maitland once coached, orders a quick and very public arrest. Maitland has an alibi, but Anderson and the district attorney soon add DNA evidence to go with the fingerprints and witnesses. Their case seems ironclad.
-
-
King is at it, again!
- By Honest V on 2018-06-04
-
The Stand
- Written by: Stephen King
- Narrated by: Grover Gardner
- Length: 47 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This is the way the world ends: with a nanosecond of computer error in a Defense Department laboratory and a million casual contacts that form the links in a chain letter of death. And here is the bleak new world of the day after: a world stripped of its institutions and emptied of 99 percent of its people. A world in which a handful of panicky survivors choose sides - or are chosen.
-
-
Brilliant
- By Grantly on 2018-03-19
-
If It Bleeds
- Written by: Stephen King
- Narrated by: Will Patton, Danny Burstein, Steven Weber
- Length: 15 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From number-one New York Times best-selling author, legendary storyteller, and master of short fiction Stephen King comes an extraordinary collection of four new and compelling novellas - Mr. Harrigan's Phone, The Life of Chuck, Rat, and the title story If It Bleeds - each pulling you into intriguing and frightening places.
-
-
Narration is captivating!
- By Catherine L on 2020-06-25
-
11-22-63
- A Novel
- Written by: Stephen King
- Narrated by: Craig Wasson
- Length: 30 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On November 22, 1963, three shots rang out in Dallas, President Kennedy died, and the world changed. What if you could change it back? In this brilliantly conceived tour de force, Stephen King - who has absorbed the social, political, and popular culture of his generation more imaginatively and thoroughly than any other writer - takes listeners on an incredible journey into the past and the possibility of altering it.
-
-
Craig Wasson increases the value!
- By Anonymous User on 2019-06-08
-
Under the Dome
- A Novel
- Written by: Stephen King
- Narrated by: Raul Esparza
- Length: 34 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On an entirely normal, beautiful fall day in Chester's Mill, Maine, the town is inexplicably and suddenly sealed off from the rest of the world by an invisible force field. Planes crash into it and fall from the sky in flaming wreckage, a gardener's hand is severed as "the dome" comes down on it, people running errands in the neighboring town are divided from their families, and cars explode on impact. No one can fathom what this barrier is, where it came from, and when - or if - it will go away.
-
-
Great book recommend !
- By George w. on 2018-12-07
-
Mr. Mercedes
- A Novel
- Written by: Stephen King
- Narrated by: Will Patton
- Length: 14 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the frigid pre-dawn hours, in a distressed Midwestern city, hundreds of desperate unemployed folks are lined up for a spot at a job fair. Without warning, a lone driver plows through the crowd in a stolen Mercedes, running over the innocent, backing up, and charging again. Eight people are killed; fifteen are wounded. The killer escapes. Mr. Mercedes is a war between good and evil, from the master of suspense whose insight into the mind of this obsessed, insane killer is chilling and unforgettable.
-
-
This is why King gets the BIG BUCKS
- By George Pickstock on 2017-12-08
-
The Outsider
- Written by: Stephen King
- Narrated by: Will Patton
- Length: 18 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
An 11-year-old boy's violated corpse is found in a town park. Eyewitnesses and fingerprints point unmistakably to one of Flint City's most popular citizens. He is Terry Maitland, Little League coach, English teacher, husband, and father of two girls. Detective Ralph Anderson, whose son Maitland once coached, orders a quick and very public arrest. Maitland has an alibi, but Anderson and the district attorney soon add DNA evidence to go with the fingerprints and witnesses. Their case seems ironclad.
-
-
King is at it, again!
- By Honest V on 2018-06-04
-
The Stand
- Written by: Stephen King
- Narrated by: Grover Gardner
- Length: 47 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This is the way the world ends: with a nanosecond of computer error in a Defense Department laboratory and a million casual contacts that form the links in a chain letter of death. And here is the bleak new world of the day after: a world stripped of its institutions and emptied of 99 percent of its people. A world in which a handful of panicky survivors choose sides - or are chosen.
-
-
Brilliant
- By Grantly on 2018-03-19
-
If It Bleeds
- Written by: Stephen King
- Narrated by: Will Patton, Danny Burstein, Steven Weber
- Length: 15 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From number-one New York Times best-selling author, legendary storyteller, and master of short fiction Stephen King comes an extraordinary collection of four new and compelling novellas - Mr. Harrigan's Phone, The Life of Chuck, Rat, and the title story If It Bleeds - each pulling you into intriguing and frightening places.
-
-
Narration is captivating!
- By Catherine L on 2020-06-25
-
11-22-63
- A Novel
- Written by: Stephen King
- Narrated by: Craig Wasson
- Length: 30 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On November 22, 1963, three shots rang out in Dallas, President Kennedy died, and the world changed. What if you could change it back? In this brilliantly conceived tour de force, Stephen King - who has absorbed the social, political, and popular culture of his generation more imaginatively and thoroughly than any other writer - takes listeners on an incredible journey into the past and the possibility of altering it.
-
-
Craig Wasson increases the value!
- By Anonymous User on 2019-06-08
-
Under the Dome
- A Novel
- Written by: Stephen King
- Narrated by: Raul Esparza
- Length: 34 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On an entirely normal, beautiful fall day in Chester's Mill, Maine, the town is inexplicably and suddenly sealed off from the rest of the world by an invisible force field. Planes crash into it and fall from the sky in flaming wreckage, a gardener's hand is severed as "the dome" comes down on it, people running errands in the neighboring town are divided from their families, and cars explode on impact. No one can fathom what this barrier is, where it came from, and when - or if - it will go away.
-
-
Great book recommend !
- By George w. on 2018-12-07
-
Mr. Mercedes
- A Novel
- Written by: Stephen King
- Narrated by: Will Patton
- Length: 14 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the frigid pre-dawn hours, in a distressed Midwestern city, hundreds of desperate unemployed folks are lined up for a spot at a job fair. Without warning, a lone driver plows through the crowd in a stolen Mercedes, running over the innocent, backing up, and charging again. Eight people are killed; fifteen are wounded. The killer escapes. Mr. Mercedes is a war between good and evil, from the master of suspense whose insight into the mind of this obsessed, insane killer is chilling and unforgettable.
-
-
This is why King gets the BIG BUCKS
- By George Pickstock on 2017-12-08
-
The Shining
- Written by: Stephen King
- Narrated by: Campbell Scott
- Length: 15 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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.
-
-
so much scarier than I originally read
- By Chelsea Pasq on 2018-07-16
-
Needful Things
- Written by: Stephen King
- Narrated by: Stephen King
- Length: 25 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Leland Gaunt opens a new shop in Castle Rock called Needful Things. Anyone who enters his store finds the object of his or her lifelong dreams and desires: a prized baseball card, a healing amulet. In addition to a token payment, Gaunt requests that each person perform a little "deed", usually a seemingly innocent prank played on someone else from town. These practical jokes cascade out of control, and soon the entire town is doing battle with itself. Only Sheriff Alan Pangborn suspects that Gaunt is behind the population's increasingly violent behavior.
-
-
Previous reviews left me skeptic but was pleasantly surprised.
- By Amazon Customer on 2018-05-20
-
Skeleton Crew
- Written by: Stephen King
- Narrated by: Stephen King, Matthew Broderick, Michael C. Hall, and others
- Length: 22 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The master at his scarifying best! From heart-pounding terror to the eeriest of whimsy - tales from the outer limits of one of the greatest imaginations of our time! Trucks that punish and beautiful teen demons who seduce a young man to massacre; curses whose malevolence grows through the years; obscene presences and angels of grace - here, indeed, is a night-blooming bouquet of chills and thrills.
-
-
Great stories, presentation needs works
- By Priscilla on 2020-01-09
-
Doctor Sleep
- A Novel
- Written by: Stephen King
- Narrated by: Will Patton
- Length: 18 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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. 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.
-
-
Great book
- By Calude Brass on 2018-06-17
-
The Dead Zone
- Written by: Stephen King
- Narrated by: James Franco
- Length: 16 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Johnny Smith awakens from a five-year coma after his car accident and discovers that he can see people's futures and pasts when he touches them. Many consider his talent a gift; Johnny feels cursed. His fiancée married another man during his coma, and people clamor for him to solve their problems. When Johnny has a disturbing vision after he shakes the hand of an ambitious and amoral politician, he must decide if he should take drastic action to change the future.
-
-
Une excellente histoire par un excellent narrateur
- By Anonymous User on 2020-02-24
-
Black House
- Written by: Stephen King, Peter Straub
- Narrated by: Frank Muller
- Length: 26 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Twenty years ago, a boy named Jack Sawyer traveled to a parallel universe called the Territories to save his mother and her “Twinner” from an agonizing death that would have brought cataclysm to the other world. Now Jack is a retired Los Angeles homicide detective living in the nearly nonexistent hamlet of Tamarack, Wisconsin. He has no recollection of his adventures in the Territories....
-
-
Good story, narration could be better
- By Jennifer C on 2021-02-08
-
Salem's Lot
- Written by: Stephen King
- Narrated by: Ron McLarty, Stephen King
- Length: 17 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ben Mears has returned to Jerusalem's Lot in the hopes that living in an old mansion, long the subject of town lore, will help him cast out his own devils and provide inspiration for his new book. But when two young boys venture into the woods and only one comes out alive Mears begins to realize that there may be something sinister at work and that his hometown is under siege by forces of darkness far beyond his control.
-
-
great
- By Tawny on 2018-03-23
-
It
- Written by: Stephen King
- Narrated by: Steven Weber
- Length: 44 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Welcome to Derry, Maine. It’s a small city, a place as hauntingly familiar as your own hometown. Only in Derry the haunting is real. They were seven teenagers when they first stumbled upon the horror. Now they are grown-up men and women who have gone out into the big world to gain success and happiness. But the promise they made 28 years ago calls them reunite in the same place where, as teenagers, they battled an evil creature that preyed on the city’s children.
-
-
Great book to start listening from audible
- By Anonymous User on 2017-09-11
-
The Tommyknockers
- Written by: Stephen King
- Narrated by: Edward Herrmann
- Length: 27 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Writer Bobbi Anderson becomes obsessed with digging up something she's found buried in the woods near her home. With the help of her friend, Jim Gardener, she uncovers an alien spaceship. Though exposure to the Tommyknockers, who piloted the alien ship, has harmful effects on residents' health, the people of Haven develop a talent for creating innovative devices under their increasingly malignant influence.
-
-
Narrator elevates a so-so book
- By Kelly Brianna on 2019-04-02
-
Duma Key
- A Novel
- Written by: Stephen King
- Narrated by: John Slattery
- Length: 21 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A terrible accident takes Edgar Freemantle's right arm and scrambles his memory and his mind, leaving him with little but rage as he begins the ordeal of rehabilitation. When his marriage suddenly ends, Edgar begins to wish he hadn't survived his injuries. He wants out. His psychologist suggests a new life distant from the Twin Cities, along with something else.
-
-
I absolutely LOVED this!
- By hdamoca on 2019-03-14
-
Finders Keepers
- A Novel
- Written by: Stephen King
- Narrated by: Will Patton
- Length: 13 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A masterful, intensely suspenseful novel about a reader whose obsession with a reclusive writer goes far too far - a book about the power of storytelling, starring the same trio of unlikely and winning heroes King introduced in Mr. Mercedes. "Wake up, genius." So begins King's instantly riveting story about a vengeful reader. The genius is John Rothstein, an iconic author who created a famous character, Jimmy Gold, but who hasn't published a book for decades.
-
-
No where near the other books in the series.
- By anthony barber on 2018-07-27
-
The Talisman
- Written by: Stephen King, Peter Straub
- Narrated by: Frank Muller
- Length: 28 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On a brisk autumn day, a 13-year-old boy stands on the shores of the gray Atlantic, near a silent amusement park and a fading ocean resort called the Alhambra. The past has driven Jack Sawyer here: His father is gone, his mother is dying, and the world no longer makes sense. But for Jack everything is about to change. For he has been chosen to make a journey back across America - and into another realm. One of the most influential and heralded works of fantasy ever written, The Talisman is an extraordinary novel of loyalty, awakening, terror, and mystery.
-
-
Fabulous book and excellent narration.
- By hdamoca on 2018-03-27
Publisher's Summary
A 2020 Thriller/Suspense Audie Award winner!
A New York Times 100 Notable Books of 2019 selection
From number one New York Times best-selling author Stephen King, the most riveting and unforgettable story of kids confronting evil since It.
“This is King at his best” (The St. Louis Post-Dispatch).
In the middle of the night, in a house on a quiet street in suburban Minneapolis, intruders silently murder Luke Ellis' parents and load him into a black SUV. The operation takes less than two minutes. Luke will wake up at The Institute, in a room that looks just like his own, except there's no window. And outside his door are other doors, behind which are other kids with special talents - telekinesis and telepathy - who got to this place the same way Luke did: Kalisha, Nick, George, Iris, and 10-year-old Avery Dixon. They are all in Front Half. Others, Luke learns, graduated to Back Half, "like the roach motel," Kalisha says. "You check in, but you don't check out."
In this most sinister of institutions, the director, Mrs. Sigsby, and her staff are ruthlessly dedicated to extracting from these children the force of their extranormal gifts. There are no scruples here. If you go along, you get tokens for the vending machines. If you don't, punishment is brutal. As each new victim disappears to Back Half, Luke becomes more and more desperate to get out and get help. But no one has ever escaped from the Institute.
As psychically terrifying as Firestarter, and with the spectacular kid power of It, The Institute is “is another winner: creepy and touching and horrifyingly believable, all at once” (The Boston Globe).
What the critics say
"Stephen King's newest audiobook is compulsively entertaining and features a dazzling performance by narrator Santino Fontana.... Fontana does wonders with this diverse lineup of young characters who band together to fight their captors. Each of them sounds authentic and unique. Meanwhile, the adult characters, with a few exceptions, are a nightmarish bunch. Through them, Fontana shows that evil can have many different voices.... [King's] and Fontana's talents are a winning combination." (AudioFile magazine)
More from the same
What listeners say about The Institute
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 2019-09-17
A modern classic
Not a scary book. But a thrilling, entertaining and emotionally resonant sci-fi/mystery. One of Stephen King's best. An imaginative and surprising narrative with memorable characters. And Santino Fontana's vocal performance is pitch perfect.
7 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Amazon Customer
- 2019-09-15
another awesome Stephen King adventure
was really happy with this book I didn't allow myself to read to much about it going in as I knew I wouldn't be dissipointed with anything published by Mr King. this book grabbed my attention from the opening chapter and didn't let go even at the end. I didn't want it to end! don't want to say anything so I don't spoil any future buyers reading or listening experience. all I can say is it's awesome and well worth it!
5 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Daniel
- 2019-12-10
Another great King story
I've never listened to any audiobooks by Santino Fontana before but I thought he was fantastic. This was a great story mainly told from the perspective of a 12 year old boy. Great build-up with a decent climax. I feel like more could have been done with the ending, but it's satisfactory and King isn't known for his endings anyways. Definitely recommend.
4 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Courtney
- 2019-10-22
so good
I couldn't stop listening !! it was so hard to turn off and go to bed!!!
4 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- naveriaheights
- 2019-10-22
Great read
This was a captivating story with the expected depth and character development from King. He builds up to moments that are both truly shocking and satisfying. It was read so well. Recommend to anyone who likes King or simply into thrillers especially with a paranormal edge.
4 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- The Kurtenbach
- 2020-11-22
Typical, and that’s not a bad thing!
It’s Stephen King, so it reads just like Stephen King: strangely compelling, even when it’s bloated with descriptions or just wandering around instead of getting to the point. This made 12 hours in the car by myself very easy and enjoyable. It’s kinda like that movie on Rotten Tomatoes that only gets 63%, but you love it anyway because it struck your mood just right. Good bang for your buck. Not everything needs to be Hemingway.
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Amazon Customer
- 2019-09-27
Great book, good narration
I love Stephen King books and this was another great one. I thought it was almost done somewhere around the middle, but there was a lot more story. Narration was great, he did use different voices for characters but it wasn't over the top.
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Brian Darnell
- 2020-04-26
Fantastic book and beautifully read.
This was a fantastic book and was beautifully read. The reader brought the characters to life.
It reminds me of Stand By Me meets Firestarter.
A pleasure.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Kathryn Henderson
- 2020-04-24
very interesting
I really liked this audio book. I couldn't stop listening. I want some more of the same
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Robert
- 2020-03-21
A worth while read!
A great book, another masterpiece by the greatest author alive. I do highly recommend it.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Amazon Customer
- 2019-11-29
Not number one, but still a really good read!
Spoiler Free Review:
This really was a good read and I don't think it was as incredibly predictable as some people claim. There were certainly aha moments, where you could piece together what was going on with the Institute and where things were going to go. In general though I wasn't predicting every little thing and waiting for things I knew would happen. the book still kept me guessing. Yes, this is not a terribly uncommon premise for a book, but I think King added enough of a unique twist to make it a nice addition to the collection of stories about kids getting kidnapped for experimental psychic testing.
It is a bit long and drags a tiny bit in some parts (any longer book will have this problem), so if a big book intimidates you, this might not be for you. Also, as the description for the book reveals, this is a book with quite a bit of unpleasant things happening to children, so if you're not a fan of child abuse, this probably isn't a book for you either.
I really enjoyed the narrator for this book. Like a lot of novels it is read in third person and the narrator has a "narrator voice" he uses. However, if the third person observation is the thoughts of a specific character, is describing what a specific character is doing, or is just about a certain character, he will use that character's voice instead of the narrator one. I thought this was a nice touch and I haven't heard it done like that before (although I will say I haven't read THAT many books on Audible yet so it could actually be very common). He did struggle a little bit with accents, but it wasn't the worst I've ever heard and personally didn't find it overly distracting.
The characters were all fairly interesting. There was strong development of our main characters throughout the book and I was able to connect and feel for them and their struggles. There were maybe a few too many side characters that didn't add as much to the story and could have been left out, but overall I enjoyed the main ones and understood their emotions, struggles, and growth in the story.
Overall, I would recommend the read. Although not an incredibly unique premise, it was still well written and brought some interesting ideas to the table. It has a dark atmosphere like any traditional King book, but still has that sliver of hope that everyone will get out okay. If you want to find out what happens to Luke and his friends and the secret of The Institute, you should dive in and find out!
With Spoiler Review:
I did not expect the book to go the way it did. I expected it to be almost entirely about the main characters' time in the Institute and maybe the last section be an escape. Based on the fact so many people in the reviews described it as boring and incredibly predictable, I was actually really surprised that a basic story about children being tortured for their powers and a simple escape at the end was actually NOT what I got.
Instead we open with the story of Tim and how he ends up in a small town in South Carolina (which at the time was weird, but we soon learn why he's important to the story). It then shifts to the main story of Luke and his time in The Institute. For the first 2/3 of the book we follow Luke and the abuse him and his friends have to go through. The reader is left in the dark for a LONG time on what exactly is going on at the Institute. You're given bits and pieces and it is possible to guess and figure out (especially if you have seen movies/read other books with a similar premise). Since it's not a new story, figuring out Big Brother is real, is not incredibly hard to figure out.
2/3 of the way into the book, Luke actually escapes quite easily and the rest of the story is about his revenge, trying to stay safe, getting the other kids out, and finally learning all the details of what's happening at the Institute. This is also where Tim comes back into the story as he helps Luke on this journey of revenge and freeing his friends. A secret organization trying to protect the world from itself and abusing kids to do it (again, not an incredibly new story, but still has a unique way of telling it). At the end Luke and a few of his friends are able to escape after a pretty intense climax at the institute. We find out there are many like this one around the world and that they all came crashing down (literally) because of the children and their revolt.
The book finishes with the children escaping and going on to live their lives free, but with the remains of the institute still existing. Will the institutes come back? King leaves it open for the reader to guess if this world will once again see the secret kidnapping and abuse of children for the "good of the world". At least for now we know that a few children are free, including Luke, and they get to go to live "normal" lives.
I would be interested to see if there will be a sequel to this with Luke and his friends as adults coming back to defeat a reformed Institute, It Part 2 style. Or maybe even a prequel going into how the Institutes first started and the experiences of the different kids trapped there. I guess time will tell. It would also be cool to see King expand on the Institute and it's leading organization. This book goes through a lot about what the one location does and how it fits into the bigger whole, but I would have liked to see at least a little more about this secret Illuminati like organization that runs the operation. It was a great read and I enjoyed the journey. It's far from perfect and somehow still needed a little more despite it's length. There were some sections that could have been left out or at least tidied up a little bit, but that is usually the case with King books and for me is something I've grown to like with his style.
This was a great read and I recommend taking a look!
32 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Sherry Wyatt
- 2020-01-21
Disappointment
Was this written by the REAL Stephen King???
It dragged on forever and I only stuck with it to see if it would get better. It didn’t. No disrespect, Mr King. I am a huge fan, but I will be returning this one
23 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Verified Amazon Buyer of Things
- 2019-11-17
Save Your Money
I never thought I’d title a King review like this, but I did. Everyone is complaining about the Trump references, but those didn’t bother me. (They wouldn’t have bothered me had they not been there, either.)
What bothered me is that this read like a novel written by someone pretending to be Stephen King, and then who slapped King’s name in it and sent it in.
The beginning with Tim was good. Then the cold transition to Luke was good. Even the beginning at the Institute up until Harry was good. I was thinking about Desperation, or once Salem’s Lot was mentioned, I figured he’d tie in the “other” world like he did with The Dark Tower and Hearts In Atlantis.
But no. Nothing. Just a predictable end and an afterword to explain all the stuff that didn’t need explaining. Stephen King books don’t have happy endings. Why did this one?
21 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Kindle Customer
- 2020-01-11
Excellent!!
I loved it. A very compelling story. Rose the hat would be pissed to know that all that steam was in one building for the taking. Thanks for another great story.
16 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Brad Terry
- 2019-10-01
Disappointed
I remained hopeful for the full 18 hours of listening, but alas the last hour held all the juice, and was crammed into such a fraction of what I felt like was a large investment of my time. This is not the King I know and love. There seemed to be multiple missed opportunities to expand and develop these characters and instead those voids were filled with snarky political jabs that didn’t contribute anything to the story. I was also disappointed that Tim and his SC crew were bookended instead of developed a little more. The entirety of the story just felt like something was...missing. I got a Nazi Germany vibe from The Institute the whole time, but throwing in the visit from the Lisping Man after the fact (that went nowhere) was the only link to that, and felt very much like an afterthought, a quick add-in to give it some background that definitely deserved a little more.
The narration was top notch and quite honestly the only thing that kept me listening until the end. Otherwise, I was rather disappointed.
119 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Kimberly
- 2019-09-22
Suffer The Children
First thing I want to say is great narration. Don’t let the narrator be the reason you don’t spend a precious credit on this book.
Stephen King has written a few novels and short stories about suffering children who come together to defeat evil throughout his career, so I am not surprised by his return to this genre. Two of the books he has written about suffering children banding together to defeat evil, have recently been released as Major Motion Pictures, so it’s probably not a coincidence that the release of this novel coincides with the release of these Movies.
I liked this book but I don’t think it is on par in with his other works. It’s not horrible, it just feels like it was rushed and the ending didn’t work well in my opinion.
When I finished this book I thought wow, this is missing a lot of information and details about the characters. Stephen King usually provides that extra layer of character development for the benefit of the reader and surprisingly this book is absolutely missing those details.
I hope that SK will write a sequel to The Institute. I want what the original is missing, details and a proper ending.
I am also curious to know if one of the characters in this book is related to a character from another book.
If a sequel does exist, I’m certain that it will be released at some advantageous opportunity for SK to capitalize on his brand.
My advice to you Constant Reader, do yourself a favor and skip this one unless or until SK releases a sequel.
38 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- J. Welsh
- 2019-10-22
Be Kind Mr. King
I've always enjoyed Mr. King's books. As a teenage boy in the eighties, my reading diet contained plenty of the King. I grew up reading his books and I have enjoyed watching plenty of them get turned into movies. His character development is always an attractive piece of his stories for me personally. Sadly, we have reached a time where talented Artist can no longer keep their opinion out of their work. I'm not a fan of cheap shots or insults towards anyone no matter how differently we think. I have kids and it takes work to raise them to be kind. So, it disappoints me when Mr. King uses his medium to insult the intellect of Trump and his supporters. It shows poor discernment on behalf of the writer because the metaphor adds no value to the writing. It merely demonstrates that he can't resist taking a cheap shot at those who disagree with him politically instead of prioritizing good writing. Save your digs for social media where they belong and focus on the quality story telling that I have always enjoyed.
11 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Chris Gorrell
- 2019-10-01
So so
Not one of King’s strongest work. Could have done without King’s political views inserted into the story.
11 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Jim "The Impatient"
- 2020-05-03
Hope Don't Win Horse Races
Adult readers, B+
Young readers A-
This is a Juvenile book, but it is still good. Well written as you would expect, with one of King's better endings. Story is not too original but satisfying. Not really any scary parts in the book and the so called torture is like, he roughed the kid up. That and a sort of water boarding.
Book has an Orson Scott Card feel to it.
I recommend the book.
Now but an egg in your shoe and beat it.
8 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Wendi
- 2019-09-21
I really wanted to like this novel.. but..
Sometimes Stephen keeps me glued to a story. I have called in sick to work because I had to read a new section of the 'Green Mile,' and I think I ran and hid at the library and neglected my family for a day when I read 11-22-63. There have been so many others that I have devoured voraciously, and I *really* wanted to like 'The Institute,' but alas I did not.
The story starts out with a drifter in New England who takes a job as a door knocker/security person. He seems interesting enough. Then we get into the kiddos who have found themselves at 'The Institute' where weird things happen. Seemingly gifted children are subjected to several movies, food, and testing- and we really don't know why. It seems that there is a government conspiracy to suck the smart out of children for a greater purpose.
The problem is, it's repetitive and boring. I couldn't quite get into it. I felt like I was skimming the surface of the story because there was just, well.. no point where I could bite into it.
King's books are often hit or miss for me, and this one wasn't terrible, but it wasn't anything to write home to mom about.. And, I am disappointed.
-Wendi
195 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Maxime
- 2020-12-28
is this supposed to be horror?
i can't bring myself to get into the story because of that God awful narrator who sounds like he's having a lively conversation during brunch rather than trying to set the mood of the story.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Mareva
- 2020-11-15
Enjoyable
Listened while driving. Easily could be an enjoyable movie to watch. The reader did a great job!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Client d'Amazon
- 2020-10-17
époustouflant
Un vrai plaisir d'ecouter Santino Fontana lire ce roman. Beaucoup de justesse dans les personnages et les voix.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Cheerioh
- 2020-07-22
Sympa, excellent narrateur
Luke est un petit gars exceptionnel, mais voilà il est enlevé et se réveille dans un centre pour enfants qui lui ressemblent. Ça c'est le pitch de départ, dans l'univers du Maine cher à Stephen King. Plutôt soft, quelques longueurs mais globalement sympa. Servi par un excellent narrateur.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- GOUSSELOT
- 2020-07-14
Great !!!!! :-)
Probably the best novel by Stephen King!!! Superbly imagined by the author & Perfectly read by Santino Fontana!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Gilles
- 2020-04-26
Gripping story
Amazing and gripping story. It lives up to my expectations. As good as Doctor Sleep.
Even if those 2 books are not related, The Institute has a lot of similarities with this other Stephen King's novel in the way it is pieced together. That doesn't make it less effective though.
The pace and the characters are still very compelling.