Stephen King, one of the most a course in miracles on this planet, has written more than seventy works of written terror, suspense, and a bit of humor just for good measure. His works encompass not only novels, but novellas, epic novels, and screenplays. But of all the traditional printed material, none of them come close to the sheer enjoyment of listening to his stories being shared by professional narrators! Stephen King audio books can take you to an entirely different dimension, where your imagination is assisted along by a professional story teller.
What’s The Big Deal Behind Audio Books?
Simply put: TIME. It’s something that seems to grow shorter as each year passes. Each spare minute is filled with jobs, chores, and responsibilities that rarely allow us any time to simply sit back and enjoy ourselves anymore. The unfortunate casualty of our day and age is traditional reading. Honestly, ask yourself this: when was the last time you sat down with a good book (maybe by that cozy fireplace, with a cup o’ joe) and just read? Has it been a while? For me, it’s some distant dream. Everything is about multi-tasking these days, and so why shouldn’t we upgrade reading to the next best thing? Enter audio books.
Audio books allows us to do two things, to kill two birds with one stone. Do you have to walk your dog? Maybe start your exercise routine? Do you have to commute two hours to work everyday? And finally, have you tried reading an actual book while doing these things? Of course not (or at least you shouldn’t!). But audio books give you the freedom to enjoy the reading that you’ve missed, by providing a way to include the hobby in your multi-tasked, rat-raced world. In other words: walk your dog, listen to Stephen King audio books. Driving to work? Throw in the Dark Tower series on your way to work – and not only enjoy it, but make travel time go by faster!
Who Narrates Stephen King Audio Books and Are They Any Good?
I will say one thing, and anyone who has ever listened to audio books can attest to this: the narrator can make or break a story hands down. Just imagine Ben Stein’s deadpan voice reading Stephen King’s stories. Sounds boring doesn’t it? That’s where talents like Frank Muller, George Guidall, and even Stephen King himself come to the rescue. If you’re really lucky, you’ll not only get one narrator, but a fully dramatized cast for your audio book (even better).
Stephen King confessed that when he writes, he sometimes hears a voice. Not that of his own, but of Frank Muller. Frank Muller’s career spanned some 25 years, with many of his works devoted to Stephen King audio books. He was also my personal favorite, especially when listening to the Dark Tower series (the first few installments), before he passed away. Stephen King has spoken of his loss in a deeply impacted way – for they were good friends. But still, George Guidall was chosen to take over the series, and although his style took some getting used to, his introduction to Stephen King’s works worked out well in the end.
So, simply put, Stephen King’s books are taken to an entirely different level when they are read aloud by gifted narrators like the ones mentioned above. Otherwise, there is no purpose, and you might as well try to let your own “imaginative voice” read to you.
Get Stephen King Audio Books While They’re Hot!
Downloading and listening to Stephen King audio books is easier than you might think. In fact, it’s far easier to simply hop online these days, browse the audio books that you want, download it to your iPod (for instance), and be on your way. In my case, I can usually download a Stephen King audio book to my iPod within 10 to 15 minutes before heading out the door!
For those of you who haven’t yet had the opportunity to enjoy Stephen King audio books, then you might be missing out on one of the century’s most prolific authors. Do you like long, epic stories? Do you want to get lost into an entirely different (yet somehow eerily similar) world? Then of the Stephen King audio books available, the Dark Tower series should be first on your list! The Dark Tower series encompasses seven separate novels that span thousands of pages, and was written over the course of nearly three-and-a-half decades (yes, DECADES). It is Stephen King’s magnum opus – THE ultimate epic tale woven from past, present, and future, with our hero Roland of Gilead – the last true Gunslinger, and his intrepid entourage. The Dark Tower audio books last over 130 hours. Grasp that for a bit and think about how lost in a world you can get, with that kind of time.