The Shining

By: Stephen King

Narrated by: Campbell Scott

Danny is only five years old, but in the words of old Mr Hallorann he is a 'shiner', aglow with psychic voltage. When his father becomes caretaker of the Overlook Hotel, Danny's visions grow out of control. As winter closes in and blizzards cut them off, the hotel seems to develop a life of its own. It is meant to be empty. So who is the lady in Room 217, and who are the masked guests going up and down in the elevator? And why do the hedges shaped like animals seem so alive? Somewhere, somehow, there is an evil force in the hotel - and that, too, is beginning to shine….

©1977 Stephen King (P)2005 Simon & Schuster Audio Division, Simon & Schuster, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Obviously a masterpiece, probably the best supernatural novel in a hundred years.'' (Peter Straub)

Thrilling

Thrilling from start to finish.
The performance was stellar and the story chilling.
First time I have ever truly been frightened by a book.
Can't wait for the next one

Awesome performance by the narrator

Campbell Scott is really good at his job. Different accents, different tones, pacing… it really feels like the radio play with several different actors. Bravo!

Wow!

This book blew me away. I am a lifelong King fanatic and I thought I was ready for this book but instead this book was ready for me. The Shining is so scary I almost rolled my car on several occasions while listening to it while driving. Everything from the story to the plot to the narration and the characters are absolutely amazing. If you are looking for now just a good horror read but a great read full stop, then The Shinning needs to be the next book you listen to/open. The 1980 Stanley Kubrick film and the really bad mini-series from 1997 just don't do this masterpiece of a book justice. Just read it and you will see what I mean. Every character is brought to life with such raw emotion that often you will forget that you are reading fiction. Such a good book! Adding it to my all-time favorites!

Better than the movie.

When I was younger I tried to watch the movie but found it dretfuly boring. But I was always curious about why people liked it so much.
Now after finishing the book I get why it is so good.
It's why easier to understand the plot of the story and the point. My theory is that Tony who had the shining in the 20's was sacrificed in demon-god in the hotel to make it great but ended up only making the demon itself great.

A great listen

This book is rightly considered one of Stephen Kings masterpieces. I especially enjoyed the parts where Doc, a five year old, tries to understand the complicated feelings of adults.

Not Great, Not Terrible

Coming into this, I had high hopes. Many people have recommended ‘The Shining’ to me. It’s not fair to hold a book to the standard of all the hype, so I must admit a touch of bias. Overall, the book isn’t terrible, but it’s not great either. Scott does a fantastic job narrating the story and giving characters voices.

The story felt painfully slow at times, delivering exposition and backstory that’s not incredibly relevant. It takes a long time before you get some real spooks. And at around 16 hours of runtime, you’ll be sitting there for a while.

This is a deeply psychological and character driven novel. If you enjoy deep character exploration mixed with slow-burning horror, you’ll enjoy ‘The Shining. If you enjoy something more action-packed, this might not be the best choice.

Great Narrator

Such an amazing narration. Very lively and animated. It goes without saying that Stephen King's The Shinning is a great novel.

Great book!!!

Narrator great. Story lost me half way but picked up again. Great book! I really enjoyed it.

scary and brilliant

this is a very scary and gripping novel. narration is very good. ....must try this!

thrilling story

I love to listen to this classic horror story. I loved the flash forwards because it made me curious how the story would lead up to this ending