Billy Summers

De: Stephen King

Narrado por: Paul Sparks

The number one New York Times Best seller

An Esquire Best Book of the Year

A Wall Street Journal Favorite Book of the Year

A Goodreads Choice Awards Finalist

From legendary storyteller Stephen King, whose “restless imagination is a power that cannot be contained” (The New York Times Book Review), comes a thrilling new novel about a good guy in a bad job.

Billy Summers is a man in a room with a gun. He’s a killer for hire and the best in the business. But he’ll do the job only if the target is a truly bad guy. And now Billy wants out. But first there is one last hit. Billy is among the best snipers in the world, a decorated Iraq war vet, a Houdini when it comes to vanishing after the job is done. So what could possibly go wrong?

How about everything.

This spectacular can’t-pause novel is part war story, part love letter to small town America and the people who live there, and it features one of the most compelling and surprising duos in King fiction, who set out to avenge the crimes of an extraordinarily evil man. It’s about love, luck, fate, and a complex hero with one last shot at redemption.

You won’t put this story down, and you won’t forget Billy.

©2021 Stephen King. All rights reserved. (P)2021 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.

Excellent, nice change up from Mr King!

First things first, the narrator. Paul Sparks, is far better than some of these early reviews reflect! I can not stress enough the importance of SAMPLING a read before purchasing or listing to. Then you know what to expect! That said, Paul Sparks nailed it. This is not a “Will Patton’ story, it is a very different one…. If you are a true king avid reader, you will be pleasantly pleased! As with his previous works that depart from his typical better know horror, some of his best works in fact, he weaves a story that will keep the more causal of readers- not “page turning enthusiast” turning the pages! It’s that entertainingly engaging! Admirers of Jeffery Deaver, Rollins, Dean Koontz. Preston-Childs “Pendergast” novels and the like should enjoy Stephen King most recent endeavor! Never laking in intrigue, suspense, drama, thrills and subtle twists that twist tighter right to the very end!! Classic Stephen King if you really read and know Stephen King, the master of storytelling……….

Narrator, Actor Paul Sparks & audio quality.

As far as audio (audio levels-engineering) quality being poor or hard to hear in this audiobook, I’ve found none. I listen with headphones (med quality pair ear buds 40$), through home amplifier via Amazon Echo bluetooth, and car sound system via Bluetooth/iPhone. And I’ve found Paul’s voice to be no problem for me. Now there are some very minor audio level changes that are typical in longer audiobooks with many takes. If you experience an issue, I would suggest re-downloading at higher quality perhaps or contact Audible support.

I’ve been an Audible member since 2009 and this new Stephen King put me at 875 plus audiobooks. I have my favorite narrators & have purchased books based on narrators in the past. But SK’s Under The Dome, narrated by Raul Esparza- an actor primarily in plays at the time & an no other narration credits either at that time, taught me a very valuable lesson. No prior narration experience doesn’t mean anything if their talented.

To this day it is among my most favorite audiobooks. He did an amazing job with a huge host of characters. Some may be aware SK is a huge audiobook fan and insists on the best available talent available. Going back to when his children were young and there was a FFA Air Traffic Controller’s strike, he paid his children to read & record books on tape for him to listen to while touring- partly because audiobooks were so hard to find back then or weren’t made at all.

I’ve found this new SK to be a great book. Writer’s age like us and certainly their prose changes in kind. I allow for the author’s I listen to to also grow & change, so I enjoy a bit of a different style through the years. Out of the several thousand books I’ve read thus far, SK has certainly written many of my favorites. Hope you enjoy.

Don’t forget, if your a member, and you can’t live with a particular book, you can exchange them.

Wonderful story

What I have always loved about Kong’s writing is how you get to KNOW the characters. This story takes you on a journey with so many wonderful characters some of which are one man.
I cried at the end of this story but there is a message in this to all of us and for this I’m thankful-hope lives ✌️

Great story

The only thing I can't stand which always gets me eye rolling is King shoehorning liberal nonsense where they are not warranted, needed, and feel not only misplaced but in poor taste! I'm a moderate politically but listening to this already ages so poorly on that front and comes up almost prejudiced at times.I'm no trump fan but for no reason a Rapist gets his "maga swagger on" is a quote that Is disgusting bottom line!
That being said it's my favorite non supernatural story! I rank it with Shawshank easily and hope he one day continues this world he has built

King, you have done it again!

My son and I, and late father, are generational King readers. My late father said, "Stephen King's books are a gift from the literary gods". In King's new book, Billy Summers, the gods have blessed him, and the reader, again. I would recommend this to any new king reader or seasoned veteran. Thank you Mr. King for a wonderful escape into your limitless imagination and fantastic world of King!

Performance was good

I don’t know why so many people didn’t like Paul Sparks. I thought he was good!

great story. King still has it.

I loved this novel. The depth of the characterization is classic King, you KNOW the characters like they're people in your own life. The story is well told, quite suspend at times, and fully fleshed it and resolved at the end. It's a great story. King always been one of my favorite authors. He seems to be getting better with age, like a fine wine. More introspective.

I don't understand the negative reviews about the narrator. I thought he was a perfect voice for the story. I did think the volume was too low on my phone a couple of times, kept trying to turn it up. I'd say that was a production issue, not the voice actor's fault, but it was a minor issue compared to how great the story and narration was.

Don't be turned off by the reviewers who claim there is too much politics in the novel either. Admittedly, there are a few anti-Trump references, but not so many that I'd call it "too political." Artists have a right to express their political views. I can say that even as as a person who voted for Trump, twice. My mind and world view is encompass enough to be able to appreciate a novel for its own artistic merits and intrinsic value and not let myself be put off by Mr. King having different political views than I do. I have friends and family with different politics views than I do as well. We agree to disagree and let it go at that. By the same token, I wouldn't enjoy an inferior novel just because the author put in remarks that agreed with and promoted my politics leanings.

You can't go wrong with this, or just about anything King has written. Enjoy.

Don’t listen to the haters

Great story and characters with suspense and heart, all of what I’ve come to expect from Later King™. And in spite of what the haters will have you believe, there are hardly any references to politics/Trump and these things are NOT at all central to the book or story. The people with real TDS are the ones that can’t handle ANYTHING negative even being insinuated about the guy they (wrongly) think is still president. I read or listened to plenty of terrorism/espionage thrillers that were critical of politicians I like (Clinton and Obama) without getting all sanctimonious and indignant about it. I guess we now know who the real snowflakes are. And in spite of what you say, you’ll all still buy his next book.

I agree with some of the comments that the narration is a bit quiet in terms of volume. Aside from that, though, I liked the narrator and had no other issues.

Excellent Book

First Stephen King book that I've read or listened to in years. Good story. Kept me engaged. Really an amazing writer. I need to seek out some more of his recent works.
Narrator was great. Not too quiet as some have said. Maybe the earbuds I use help. Again, kept me engaged.

I see a lot of complaints about too much politics inserted here and there. For real? I don't feel this at all, my political views aside. Our world has become so incredibly political, how can anyone realistically write anything set in current day USA without the political landscape being a part of it to some degree? It's not in your face at all, unless you really can't stand to hear views differing from your own. It easily contains wayyyy less politics than I hear on any given morning sitting at my local cafe having my breakfast.

less fantasy, less gore, great story

I very much appreciate Stephen King putting together such a great story that has so much reality built-in, and great character development without so much fantasy and gore. I thoroughly enjoyed this story!