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  • The Shining

  • Written by: Stephen King
  • Narrated by: Campbell Scott
  • Length: 15 hrs and 50 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (1,381 ratings)

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The Shining cover art

The Shining

Written by: Stephen King
Narrated by: Campbell Scott
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Publisher's Summary

Before Doctor Sleep, there was The Shining, a classic of modern American horror from the undisputed master, Stephen King.

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.

©1977 Stephen King (P)2005 Random House Audio

What the critics say

"A master storyteller." ( Los Angeles Times)
"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)
"Scary!... Serves up horrors at a brisk, unflagging pace." ( The New York Times)

Editorial Review

Get lost in the twisting, turning, creepy maze that is the classic horror, The Shining by Stephen King. You might make it out alive.

This classic by Stephen King embodies his style entirely in a dark, slow-growing horror that will creep in on you. What starts as simply unsettling becomes alarming and terrifying for a true horror story that cuts to the bone. This story has gone from mere book to legend, with iconic characters previously brought to life in Stanley Kubrick’s film adaptation of The Shining.

Jack Torrance, the writer’s block-prone antagonist played out by the legendary Jack Nicholson. His wife Wendy (Shelley Duvall), son Danny Torrance (Danny Lloyd), and the head chef Dick (Scatman Crothers) is isolated in the Overlook Hotel, where they all begin to wonder what haunts Room 237. The box office hit was known for infamous scenes like Jack’s smashing through the bathroom door and the tense moments where he chases his young son through a frozen hedge maze. This horror film brought many fans to the original novel, as avid Shining followers wanted more of the Torrance family and the tension and fear of Stephen King.

Campbell Scott narrates this audiobook version of the book, bringing all the tension and suspense you want from a Stephen King novel to life. He expertly navigates the different characters, giving each their own distinct voice and tone while maintaining cohesion and a mood that builds psycho-like as the story goes on. It is the ideal way to tell a slow-building horror, and the result is outstanding.

Whether you are an avid fan of Stephen King, horror movies, or The Shining specifically, or if this is your first time encountering the story, this audiobook adaptation is the perfect way to dive into the snowbound, secluded world of The Shining. And though it may not be the scariest of King’s novels, it is sure to give you a few shivers and unsettling feelings at the very least. Be warned.

Featured Article: The Best Horror Movies Based on Books for Fans of Scary Movies

If you’re a horror genre fan, you’ve likely watched all the classic horror films and some eerie new releases. Audiobooks stand at the crossroads between books and movies, where you can enjoy thrilling horror novels and short stories with all the sound effects and acting talent of a Hollywood blockbuster. It doesn’t have to be Halloween for you to have a good scare. Whether it’s ghost stories or scary sci-fi tales that get you on the edge of your seat, we’ve gathered a list of the best horror movies based on books on Audible to add to your audio booklist.

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What listeners say about The Shining

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

so much scarier than I originally read

this was a "re-read" for me ans MAN, Campbell Scott does an amazing job with the narration. The voice acting scared the crap out of me and made me check my back seats as I was driving. The story is terrifying, one of King's best in my opinion. This is pure horror and Scott really makes you feel that.

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Campbell Scott performed wonderfully!

After purchasing this book, I read the reviews and realized in a panic that not many people appreciated this orators delivery and found him "boring". After initially listening out of obligation to my purchase, I realized soon in that I respectfully disagreed with these comments. I binged this 15 hour + book in 2 days. We're all aware of Stephen Kings brilliance but I continually found myself enraptured by the delivery of certain lines, especially when things begin to pick up in part 3. Please consider this ebook - it's sure to make an impression

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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Scary!!

A thousand times more terrifying than the movie or mini series. I don't always love Stephen Kings work (the first book I read was Dragon Eye) but this is one of his very best and worth the listen. Also, Leave space in your freezer!

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

so good!!

I almost didn't download this because of the negative reviews on Campbell Scott. I'm so glad I didn't listen. He read the book Exactly the way that it was meant to be read. His performance, although nowhere near the calibre of Steven Weber's read of "It" was perfect for this story and I would highly recommend that you don't pass on this one. This story is in my opinion Stephen King's finest and the book is far superior to either of the film's although if you've only seen the Jack Nicholson version prepare for a much different plot.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Worth a listen

This was actually pretty good. It definitely drags on in some places because King loves to set atmosphere, which is fine, it just gets a little boring. I absolutely love the Shining movie and figured I had to give this a whirl just to compare the two and find out what I didn't totally understand in the movie *cough cough dog suit man cough cough*. I enjoyed finding similarities and finding out what Kubrick left out and put in. Honestly the movie and the book tell very different stories. The book is very supernatural and I find the movie to be more about severe cabin fever with some ghosts. Both good.

The performance was awesome. I feel like if I read the book myself I would have been lost the whole time, but Campbell differentiated the characters extremely well.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Dreadful Narration

This is, by far, the dullest narration I've ever heard. Campbell Scott not only cannot be bothered to attempt at different voices for the characters, but he's also dreadfully monotone. Hours in, and it's difficult to make heads or tails of what is happening in the story, because Ben Stein here has zero charisma. This is a shame, because The Shining is truly a fantastic book. But, whoever chose Campbell Scott to narrate this seemingly did not audition him.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Captivating

Saw the film, then the sequel film back to back recently. Found that the film's were done quite well.
But watching them, you can feel certain aspects of character feelings not portrayed as deeply as a novel so decided to listen to this.

It is quite captivating. The erie aspects of the hotel and all that it is can be felt quite strongly by each character. really enjoyed this. However in current day (2021) the horror aspects aren't that scary anymore.
I do understand that this wasn't meant to truly scare the reader/listener but rather be disturbing and dread filled.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
  • JJ
  • 2021-06-23

Great story

The story is better than the movie! Although the narrator was great, the screaming was deafening. The last 2 hours of the book was so full of Jack yelling it was unbearable. Bad enough Audible app has no volume, but narrator needs to realize yelling is yelling.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Campbell Scott was fantastic

Great narration. I’ve listened to books that I haven’t enjoyed solely because of an ill-casted narrator but Campbell Scott nails this.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Better than the Movie

AS usual, the audio of this book was so much better than the movie. You really got into the characters.

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