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Full Dark, No Stars

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Full Dark, No Stars

By: Stephen King
Narrated by: Craig Wasson, Jessica Hecht
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About this listen

‘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.

©2010 Stephen King (P)2010 Simon & Schuster Audio division
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What listeners say about Full Dark, No Stars

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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

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

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

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

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

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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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

4 gripping suspenseful Novellas

Another masterpiece of charactisations & story telling. I'm a huge King fan anyway and Full dark, No stars, did not disappoint. I absolutely devoured these four stories of revenge! I'm a little late to this party but that's alright! It's a must read.

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

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

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

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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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

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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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant Collection of Short Stories!

The short stories are brilliant and Craig Watson is fantastic as ever but Jessica Hecht has an annoying voice and I think it would have been better if all the four short stories were all read by Craig Wasson or a different actor.
That is the reason for the three stars for the performance.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Utterly compelling

As a Stephen King lover, this is my first audiobook experience and it hasn't disappointed. All four stories, as usual with King, are more shocking because the horror he creates takes place in the everyday.
The stories stayed with me and the growing dismay I felt as each one - until the last of course- drew to a close dissolved instantly as a new and equally compelling narrative began.
The characters draw you in, making you care what happens to, or becomes of, them and the sense of place in all of them is very real.
I loved this and didn't want it to end.

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4 people found this helpful

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

Brilliant, all of them

The first story starts slow, but stick with it, well worth it. Great morals and very thought provoking. Enjoyed all of them.

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3 people found this helpful