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The Dark cover art

The Dark

By: James Herbert
Narrated by: Sean Barrett
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Editor reviews

Take the haunting suspense of James Herbert's text, add the chilling timbre of actor, Sean Barrett's voice, and you get an audiobook that must be listened to in one sitting. Long one of Britain's most popular horror writers, James Herbert is at his peak here with The Dark. Similar to his much-celebrated The Fog, the characters in this audiobook are driven to madness and terrifying violence as an amorphous and invisible antagonist descends upon the town. With a sinister performance, Sean Barrett will have listeners frozen over the pause button as the characters try to outlast one of our most primal fears: the dark.

Summary

Night falls. It came like a malignant shadow with seductive promises of power. And somewhere in the night...a small girl smiled as her mother burned...asylum inmates slaughtered their attendants...in slimy tunnels once-human creatures gathered. Madness raged as the lights began to fade and humanity was attacked by an ancient, unstoppable evil.

James Herbert was one of Britain's greatest popular novelists and our #1 best-selling writer of chiller fiction. Widely imitated and hugely influential, he wrote 23 novels which have collectively sold over 54 million copies worldwide and been translated into 34 languages. Born in London in the forties, James Herbert was art director of an advertising agency before turning to writing fiction in 1975. His first novel, The Rats, was an instant best-seller and is now recognised as a classic of popular contemporary fiction.

Herbert went on to publish a new top ten best-seller every year until 1988. He wrote six more best-selling novels in the 1990s and three more since: Once, Nobody True and The Secret of Crickley Hall. Herbert died in March 2013 at the age of 69.

©1980 James Herbert (P)2013 Audible Ltd

Critic reviews

"Herbert was by no means literary, but his work had a raw urgency. His best novels, The Rats and The Fog,
"There are few things I would like to do less than lie under a cloudy night sky while someone read aloud the more vivid passages of Moon. In the thriller genre, do recommendations come any higher?" (Andrew Postman, The New York Times Book Review)
"Herbert goes out in a blaze of glory" ( Daily Mail)

What listeners say about The Dark

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

Typical James Herbert

This book was a typical James Herbert. Although it isn't a new story and I have read it years ago it was still very enjoyable having a very good narrator who can do the various voices. Although not as scary as some of his books it was still a gripping listen

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12 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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very scary listen

gripping and well read. this will have your imagination working overtime. I was jumping at shadows and turning on the lights all round the house.

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8 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Let's hope it never happens

Would you listen to The Dark again? Why?

Yes because it a story you can keep listening to

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

The full unabridged version. Had a 3hour cassette years ago but didn't compare

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Beware the Future

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6 people found this helpful

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

Too grim n gory for me

If you consider I am a fan of Zombie stories, it may add to the context that I found this book way too grim and gory, I really didnt like it at all. I guess if you like films like SAW and you like your people chopped up for no reason then this may be for you, but its not what I wanted to read - not to relax, not to enjoy, not for anything really. And I have read and liked other Herbert books so I am not new to the author.

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4 people found this helpful

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

fab journey through the dark.

The narrator took me through the dark on a roller coaster of a ride. Fab

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4 people found this helpful

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

Exciting supernatural horror adventure

James Herbert was on ripping form when he wrote this. Sean Barrett is a great narrator. if you liked Rats then you are in safe hands here.

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4 people found this helpful

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    2 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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Not for me

Stuck with it for 5 gruelling hours 🥴 intense .....makes for miserable reading. Like a zombie movie.

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2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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don't go into the dark

kept you wondering what was going to happen next. a good story

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2 people found this helpful

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

Gripping supernatural horror

Narrator was excellent! able to become every character effortlessly.
No holds barred grousome gore and depraved evil detail.
Gripping, fast paced, edge of seat page turner, with lots of paranormal intrigue.
One major let down unfortunately was the hurried ending, definitely deserved more time and care.

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1 person found this helpful

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

On point.

Great story, brilliant performance that brings the story to life. could see it as a tv mini series.

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1 person found this helpful