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11.22.63

Literary suspense from the No. 1 bestseller

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11.22.63

By: Stephen King
Narrated by: Craig Wasson
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WHAT IF you could go back in time and change the course of history? WHAT IF the watershed moment you could change was the JFK assassination? 11/22/63, the date that Kennedy was shot - unless . . .

King takes his protagonist Jake Epping, a high school English teacher from Lisbon Falls, Maine, 2011, on a fascinating journey back to 1958 - from a world of mobile phones and iPods to a new world of Elvis and JFK, of Plymouth Fury cars and Lindy Hopping, of a troubled loner named Lee Harvey Oswald and a beautiful high school librarian named Sadie Dunhill, who becomes the love of Jake's life - a life that transgresses all the normal rules of time.

With extraordinary imaginative power, King weaves the social, political and popular culture of his baby-boom American generation into a devastating exercise in escalating suspense.

(P)2011 Simon & Schuster Audio©2011 Stephen King Crime Fiction Science Fiction Suspense Thriller & Suspense Fiction Time Travel Exciting
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Critic reviews

The reader feels the benefit of 40 years of narrative craftsmanship and reflection on his nation's history. Going backwards proves to be another step forward for the most remarkable storyteller in modern American literature.
The pages of 11.22.63 fly by, filled with immediacy, pathos and suspense. It takes great brazenness to go anywhere near this subject matter. But it takes great skill to make this story even remotely credible. Mr. King makes it all look easy, which is surely his book's fanciest trick.
Stephen King at his epic, pedal-to-metal best
not just an accomplished time-travel yarn but an action-heavy meditation on chance, choice and fate.
The details of Fifties America, the cars, the clothes, the food, the televisions with wonky horizontal hold, are so vivid that you begin to wonder whether the author himself hasn't had access to a time machine.
...But as you worry at the paradoxes and the brilliantly explained pseudo science there is no denying that this monster yearn is blindingly impressive. Manly writers run out of steam as they get older. King, though, writes books that are ever longer and more demanding. I can't wait to see what he will tackle next.
Stephen King's new novel, 11.22.63, combines a variety of genres, being a JFK assassination, a story of time travel, a variation on the grail quest, a novel of voyeurism, a love story, a historical novel, a counter-factual historical novel and the chilling tale of a sinister animate universe, a form which can be traced back to the ghost stories of MR James.
The master of the pen has written yet another extraordinary novel.
Fine stories to take with us into the night.
America's greatest living novelist.
A wonderful book: page-turningly exciting, witty, wise, melancholic. But also utterly human, profoundly decent
Take King's hand and allow him to lead you into a past so vibrant and complete that you can almost taste it. But hold on tight, the Master of Horror has now become the Master of Time . . . Utterly enthralling, emotional and magical
King's gift of storytelling is unrivalled. His ferocious imagination is unlimited.
'King's most purely entertaining novel in years . . . utterly compelling.'
'Staggeringly addictive.'
'Tight and energetic from start to finish.'
'The pedal is indeed to the metal.'
Delivers a lot of praise and enjoy. The story comes off the blocks with almost alarming speed ... he tells a story like a pro .... 11.22.63 kept me up all night.
Stephen King at his epic, pedal-to-metal best
Not just an accomplished time-travel yarn but an action-heavy meditation on chance, choice and fate.
Perhaps only seasoned storyteller Stephen King could accomplish changing the course of history in his vast time-travelling masterpiece whilst effortlessly weaving political and social details with abundant humour. King's intriguing new story structure will surely catapult the author to another best-seller.
All stars
Most relevant
Reading the reviews of the audio and book version I can see why people are split on it. For me, I thought it was stunning. Craig Wasson's reading at times was genuinely moving and managed to bring me to tears and "I am not what you would call a crying man". The ending while some would say could be predicted is delivered in a way that it is at times shocking but also deeply moving.

The story centres on 1 man, Jake Epping; and is 1st person narrative so is deeply descriptive and paints truly wonderful images of a time that Stephen King seems to hold dear, the trip back to Derry was great and at the same time chilling resulting in me grabbing my copy of IT for a re-read!

Do not go in to this book expecting a JFK story, that isn’t what you’re getting and in fact JFK doesn’t appear till part 4 of the download! It's a time travel story, it's a romance, it's a tragedy, it's a comedy but most of all it’s a story of 1 man trying to do the right thing.

I honestly don’t think you can go wrong with this book, give it a little time, let the images and the characters wash over you and just… live as Jake Epping did.

NOT A CONSPIRACY STORY!!

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Can our hero change the past? Does it want to be changed?
A brilliant book by an author I hadn't read before. It contains different elements: history (the assassination of JFK), time travel (a portal in present time to 1958), murder (removing folk to change the future) and love (brought tears to my eyes a couple of times - yes, really). The narrator, Craig Wasson, is fantastic, bringing the characters to life and making it very hard to switch off. Hope my next selection is as enjoyable. Recommended.

"The Past Is Obdurate."

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I had finished listening to The Stand and Under the Dome and decided to download this after reading such promising reviews. Firstly let me state this book is completely different to most of his other work and NOT a typical horror novel at all. Honestly, I was unsure of this book but continued to listen anyway, I'm so glad I did. It is in parts simply beautiful, I loved being transported to another world, where the characters were wonderful, colourful and endearing. It's so easy to visualise the 60's as King diligently illustrates the picture through Jake's eyes. The narration is superb. I found nearing the end of the book I was gripped but had a lump in my throat, some of the characters are so easy to empathise with and I felt their sorrow.

It is apparent that King has researched the book greatly, it's beautifully written and the characters are charming.

Strangely endearing....

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Stephen King adds a comment at the end of this book that he originally wanted to write this back in 1974 but is glad he waited. I absolutely agree. Back in 1974 he was at the start of his writing career, with lots of promise but still raw - now he's like the smooth purring engine of a classic car that's been tuned to perfection. This is in my view the best of all his works - totally gripping as a suspenseful thriller, plus characterisation of the highest quality, and as engaging a love story as it is possible to encounter.
He presents us with an intriguing question - what if it were possible to travel back nearly 50 years to prevent a terrible event taking place. And more than this - what if you could change the past and crucially what implications might it have for the future not just of the main characters in the story, but for humankind as a whole? The "problem" for the writer is persuade the reader/listener to accept the impossibility and keep us reading/listening, and King more than meets the challenge. Once we get over that hurdle we're hooked. He also cleverly (tho briefly) links in characters from an old 1986 novel, IT which is like saying hi to old friends.
Craig Wasson's reading, with his range of voices (including one reminiscent of the late John Houseman) adds hugely to this work. I give it 5 stars - I'd give it 10 but only 5 are allowed!
I doubt that anyone listening to this will easily forget it. Enjoy!!

11.22.63 Review by John Moore, audible reader

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Can't think of anything bad about this book. Stephen King at his usual best. Yes it was long but I like that, more value for money! This book became a companion and I was sad when it ended. I loved the main character Jake. I loved the idea of time travel. I loved the way the story unfolded beyond the main event. I loved the love story. I loved the 'time of ago'. The narrator was great, creating both emotion and disbelief, I think I even heard tears. I highly recommend this book.

Fab Fab Fab

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