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The Dead Zone

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The Dead Zone

Written by: Stephen King
Narrated by: James Franco
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The #1 New York Times bestseller and “frightening” (The New York Times) thriller from master storyteller Stephen King about a clairvoyant man who must weigh his options when he sees the terrible future awaiting mankind.

When Johnny Smith was six years old, head trauma caused by a bad ice-skating accident left him with a nasty bruise on his forehead and, from time to time, those hunches…infrequent but accurate snippets of things to come. But it isn’t until Johnny’s a grown man—now having survived a horrifying auto injury that plunged him into a coma lasting four-and-a-half years—that his special abilities really push to the fore. Johnny Smith has come back from the void with an extraordinary gift that becomes his life’s curse…presenting visions of what was and what will be for both the innocent and guilty alike. But when he encounters a ruthlessly ambitious and amoral man who promises a terrifying fate for all humanity, Johnny must find a way to prevent a harrowing predestination from becoming reality… Genre Fiction Horror Supernatural Suspense Thriller & Suspense Scary Paranormal Fiction Royalty
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Featured Article: Stephen King’s 32 Best Audiobooks: The Definitive List

Stephen King is one of the most prolific authors of all time. He has published 61 novels, more than 200 short stories, and six nonfiction books—and he shows no sign of stopping. With such an extensive portfolio, choosing one audiobook can be daunting. We’ve compiled a list of the 32 best Stephen King audiobooks to make the choice easier. Whether you’re looking to get stuck into one of his creepy, classic stories or a sci-fi novella, you’ll find a title on this list that will get your heart racing.

Featured Article: Stephen King’s 32 Best Audiobooks: The Definitive List
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The book was quite good and the boys work was on point and extremely well done. Would definitely recommend a listen.

Good listen

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Don't get this audiobook looking for allegory or symbolism. There is no clever metaphorical commentary on the human condition in 'The Dead Zone'. This book is about a guy who wakes up from a coma with psychic powers who reluctantly admits he has them and uses them to fight evil. It's a simple story crafted to provide straight-up entertainment - but it's brilliant at it.
(*Please Note: the book is far from superficial.. there are well-thought-out discussions and numerous scenes with emotional depth.. but the book mainly delivers on a singular goal: providing a diverting experience).
The plot is captivating & fairly straightforward, the setting is immersive, and the pacing is relentless. This is a legitimate page-turner.
This book was the first of King's books to top the New York Times Best-Seller list - and written early enough in his career that the author wasn't overimpressed with his own success. He simply wrote honestly with intelligence and imagination. Prepare to lose yourself in one of Stephen King's best works.

The narration is decent but unspectacular. Actor James Franco does a nice job reading the book.. clearly, with emotiveness, and with impressive voice-acting (the portrayal of the villainous Congressman Greg Stillman is genuinely chilling).. but he whispers somewhat, his tone is too mechanical, and his pacing is plodding (I had to speed playback to 1.20X to get a comfortable reading rate).

If you can convince yourself to relax and simply enjoy a quality distraction, this is a 9.5 star book. Relatively weak narration brings this recording down to 8.5 stars out of 10. But I can easily recommend this audiobook.

Exemplary King. "Adequate" Narration

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The Dead Zone is an original and well created story. Protagonist John Smith was very likable and relatable. I felt my heart going out to him many times throughout the book and his hardships. I wish there was more to Bannerman/Dodd story and I feel like the supernatural explanation of "The Dead Zone" was left unexplained but hey, that's Stephen King for you.

James Franco did a fantastic job with this novel. His voice acting was perfect for ever role he dove into and I really hope he does more books in the future; specifically more Stephen King books.

Overall I thought narrator James Franco and protagonist John Smith made this a great read.

Original Story

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As always, the book is better than the movie. I am not a fan of science fiction, but this was more. A very interesting story. I have one more Stephen King book to read and I will do so.

The dead zone

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I really enjoyed the style in which this story was read. The story itself was okay, not my favourite King but I have not been able to get through the paperback after a couple of tries and I am glad I finally was able to know how it ended.

Great performance from Franco

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