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Full Dark, No Stars
- Narrated by: Craig Wasson, Jessica Hecht
- Length: 14 hrs and 52 mins
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Full Dark, No Stars
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Summary
‘I believe there is another man inside every man, a stranger....' writes Wilfred Leland James in the early pages of the riveting confession that makes up '1922', the first in this pitch-black quartet of mesmerising tales from Stephen King, linked by the theme of retribution. For James, that stranger is awakened when his wife, Arlette, proposes selling off the family homestead and moving to Omaha, setting in motion a gruesome train of murder and madness.
In 'Big Driver', a cozy-mystery writer named Tess encounters the stranger is along a back road in Massachusetts when she takes a shortcut home after a book-club engagement. Violated and left for dead, Tess plots a revenge that will bring her face to face with another stranger: the one inside herself.
'Fair Extension', the shortest of these tales, is perhaps the nastiest and certainly the funniest. Making a deal with the devil not only saves Harry Streeter from a fatal cancer but provides rich recompense for a lifetime of resentment. When her husband of more than 20 years is away on one of his business trips, Darcy Anderson looks for batteries in the garage. Her toe knocks up against a box under a worktable, and she discovers the stranger inside her husband. It’s a horrifying discovery, rendered with bristling intensity, and it definitively ends 'A Good Marriage'.
Like Different Seasons and Four Past Midnight, which generated such enduring hit films as The Shawshank Redemption and Stand by Me, Full Dark, No Stars proves Stephen King a master of the long-story form.
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What listeners say about Full Dark, No Stars
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Louise
- 19-05-22
Ruined by dreadful narration
I downloaded this book after listening to 11.22.63 and desperately wanting more. Craig Wasson was superb, again! However, I found Jessica Hecht’s narration almost unbearable. I felt as though she hadn’t read the stories before, so she would deliver a line with a delighted tone of voice, when the line was supposed to express abject terror. I also wonder whether she knew she was narrating to a sane audience of adults, as she used the same tone of voice I use to speak to a baby or toddler. Utterly bizarre and inexplicable.
The stories were entertaining. I found it irritating that the chapters shown in the app don’t say where each short story ends, so you don’t know where the breaks will come.
Overall, it was okay, but ruined by Hecht and saved by Wasson.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
- Bongobabe
- 07-01-11
Not your usual King batch of tales
This set of stories is very different from others previously written by King. Although the style is clearly King's, these subject matters are very different.
The theme of retribution (or lack of...discuss) is miles apart from what readers will have experienced. A refreshing change maybe for some, but for others (me included), they feel a little 2D - not what I expect from King's characters. The very short and humourous tale about Streeter is by far the best.
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4 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- JETNT
- 13-12-17
Good. But could only listen to Craig Wasson.
Jessica Hecht is unbearable to listen to. Very bad narrative. No doubt good stories, but I couldn't continue after the first few minutes of listening to her. Craig Wasson, brilliant as usual.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Sharon
- 06-01-16
Another gripping "read"!
Really good stories. I've always loved Stephen King, and this was no exception. I particularly enjoyed the lady take, really good end to the four stories.
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Scritty
- 25-10-15
Short Stories At Their Best
What made the experience of listening to Full Dark, No Stars the most enjoyable?
King's afterword sums up these stories very well, They are of varied length, the first a fair bit longer than the others. All have a tale to tell. Revenge, error and regret. A little supernatural in places but really relying on simple human nastiness for most of its impact.
What was one of the most memorable moments of Full Dark, No Stars?
The central act in the first story was memorable. A messy nasty business that rang of truth. Forbid that I ever see anything like it IRL.
Have you listened to any of Craig Wasson and Jessica Hecht ’s other performances? How does this one compare?
Listened to Craig a couple of times. He has a slightly "smoky" voice. Impressed with Jessica first time I've heard her I think.
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
The third story - the lack of emotion of the main protagonist. Some people you meet will be like this! And you'd never know...
Any additional comments?
One of King's best books. Great modern short stories (not so short mind you) all with a ring of reality that is the most uncomfortable thing about them
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kindle Customer
- 28-01-18
Great stories ruined by the female narration
I am a huge Stephen king and these stories didn’t disappoint. Finishing this rather too quickly than I hoped. How web Jessica Hecht’s voice is grating and almost mechanical as another reviewer has already mentioned. You don’t really get a true sense of the characters through the rather strained and ultimately annoying voices she puts on. I won’t be purchasing any more with her narrating. Craig Wasson in the other hand was good and saved this from complete disaster.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
- Simon
- 01-05-11
Good Yarns, Bad Narration
This is not Stevies finest collection of books, certainly not a patch on Four Past Midnight. But while the yarns are good, two of them are ruined by the sickly narration Jessica Hecht.
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7 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Joanne
- 22-02-15
Thrillingly disturbing, each and every tale!
Loved it
As I said above disturbingly thrilling or something like that!no disappointment involved, fine chilling stories to ponder
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Laura
- 18-07-17
Brilliant!
I have just started to get into Stephen King, I listened to The Shining first and then this and I have to say that I think this is EVEN better than The Shining! The narrators were brilliant, they added so much to the stories, I'm glad I listened to this rather than read it. I'm sure I will listen to this again in the future. All the stories are intriguing and you find yourself really liking and identifying with characters, even when their actions might be questionable. I can't wait to listen to more Stephen King!
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- I. Badheka
- 08-11-22
Love the story
Narration is meh in my opinion. The different voices used for females sounded more like a mocking TikTok.
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