The Calling

A Supernatural Thriller

By: Robert Swartwood

Narrated by: Tristan Morris

When eighteen-year-old Christopher Myers' parents are murdered, something is written on his bedroom door, a mark in his parents' blood that convinces the police the killer has targeted Christopher as the next victim. To keep him safe, he travels away with his estranged grandmother and uncle to the small town of Bridgton, New York. And it's in Bridgton that he meets an extraordinary young man who has come with his father to stop an unrelenting evil. Soon Christopher learns of the town's deep dark secret, and how his parents' murder was not so arbitrary, and how he has been brought to Bridgton by forces beyond his power - forces that just may threaten the destruction of all mankind.

©2011 Robert Swartwood (P)2013 Robert Swartwood

Critic reviews

" The Calling is a powerful, gripping and terrifying novel, the sort that possesses your whole life while you're reading it; it'll stalk you through the day, and inform your dreams. Swartwood has delivered a novel that will become a classic." (Tim Lebbon, New York Times bestselling author of Coldbrook and Echo City)

"Robert Swartwood's The Calling is a diabolical rocket sled of a psychological thriller. Told through the vivid, almost druggy point of view of a young man on the edge, tangled in a web of tragedy and surreal horror, Swartwood's novel gets under the skin and stays there. Highly recommended." (Jay Bonansinga, New York Times bestselling co-author of The Walking Dead: Rise of The Governor)

"This novel is small town horror at its best." ( Hellnotes)

A good story, well-told

Disclosure: I received this audiobook for free in return for an honest review.

Some books spend so much time focusing on backstory that I begin to wonder when the action will start. The Calling, most decidedly, is NOT one of those books! The story begins with Chris's discovery of his murdered parents and follows his journey after that event. The Calling includes references to Bible passages as well as supernatural elements -- those details flesh out the story and also make Chris's journey even more dramatic. I found the narration enjoyable and didn't want to stop listening because I wanted to know how it all ended. The Calling is a good story, well-told.

Slow start but decent story

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I would recommend the narrator but for me the story was too slow.

Would you be willing to try another book from Robert Swartwood? Why or why not?

This was my first book from this author so yes I would try another book. I liked the style of writing.

Spooky horror with excellent characters/narration

What made the experience of listening to The Calling the most enjoyable?

The story really kept moving with interesting reveals and new characters. I never really could predict where it was going. It was very dark and spooky and compulsive listening.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Yes. Bad things seem to follow Christopher and the book is never dull. There's many shocking events that take place in this book (no spoilers), and I was always waiting to see what would happen next and how it would play into the overall story arc.

What about Tristan Morris’s performance did you like?

Tristan Morris does excellent narration. I often find fiction narrators difficult to listen to, but he was able to convincingly portray many different characters and give them unique qualities. He's a narrator I will watch.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Ah, if only I had that kind of time.

Enjoyable first listen of a Robert Swartwood novel

I really enjoyed this version of Swartwood's novel, narrator was good, plot was interesting, all around great production.

Slow at first

This was a decent read for those who like reading about the supernatural. Liked it

Creepy and entertaining

What made the experience of listening to The Calling the most enjoyable?

The plot twist and the way it moved around to lead you in a direction, then it shifted and surprised you. Very good.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Calling?

At the ending...but I won't give it away...

Have you listened to any of Tristan Morris’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No. The narrator was very appropriate with the voice for each character.

If you could rename The Calling, what would you call it?

The Realization

Any additional comments?

Great story! Loved every minute of it.

Excellent story, superb voice acting

The Calling is a well-paced and engaging supernatural thriller. Swartwood keeps the story going at a nice clip with plenty of twists and surprises. I listened while in the car and there were several times when I hit to sit idling in my driveway until the chapter ended so I could pull myself away. The characters are multifaceted and well-composed, and the voice acting is excellent—Tristan Morris is also definitely someone to keep an eye on.

Waste of time and disk space!

I found this to be very confusing and boring. Would not recommend this audio book. Many better books are available.

I want my money back!

The best thing about this story was the narrator's performance. Many trivial things were over-explained by the author but the information crucial to the story line at the end was left out. I stuck through this book because I thought it would get better. It didn't. So now, I want my money back.

Too much religion

What was most disappointing about Robert Swartwood’s story?

“The Calling” was written for young, “born again” teens.I found it neither scary nor captivating, only tedious as it went on and on about religion, God and good and evil.

Any additional comments?

I will never listen to another Swartwood book again. I threw away a credit here. I am forced to give one star so it is for the narrator, who did a good job.