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The Survivor

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The Survivor

By: James Herbert
Narrated by: Robert Powell
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About this listen

The living dead. It had been one of the worst crashes in airline history, killing over 300 people and leaving only one survivor. Now the dead were buried and the town of Eton tried to forget. But one man could not rest. Keller had walked from the flames of the wreck, driven on by unseen forces, seeking the answer to his own survival. Until the town was forced to face the shocking, dreadful truth about what was buried in the old graveyard. And a truth Keller did not want to believe.

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 bestselling 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.

©1976 James Herbert (P)2013 Audible Ltd
Fantasy Fiction Survival Scary

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Editor reviews

The Survivor begins with a bang and never lets up. In his morbid Mancunian drawl, decorated actor Robert Powell (The Italian Job, Jesus of Nazareth) delivers this chilling tale, following pilot David Keller as he emerges the lone survivor from a gruesome airplane wreck that claims over 300 passengers. As the townspeople of Eton grapple with the unthinkable tragedy, Keller begins to experience horrific visions, leading him to wonder what unfathomable forces want him alive. Master of the macabre James Herbert transports listeners to an eerily quiet English hamlet as he doles out old-world religion and supernatural specters - hallmarks of the "British Stephen King", to be sure. Powell hosts the proceedings in his lilting, melodious death whisper, as haunting and ominous as Herbert’s ghosts.

Critic reviews

"Herbert was by no means literary, but his work had a raw urgency. His best novels, The Rats and The Fog, had the effect of Mike Tyson in his championship days: no finesse, all crude power. Those books were best sellers because many readers (including me) were too horrified to put them down." (Stephen King)
"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)
All stars
Most relevant
I loved this book which is read brilliantly by Robert Powell who actually starred as the pilot in the film adapted from this book in 1981. I have listened to a few of JH books now but this is one of my favourites along with Magic Cottage, Once and Secret of Crickley Hall.

It had been one of the worst crashes in airline history, killing over 300 people and leaving only one survivor. Now the dead were buried and the town of Eton tried to forget. But one man could not rest.

Keller had walked from the flames of the wreck, driven on by unseen forces, seeking the answer to his own survival. Until the town was forced to face the shocking, dreadful truth about what was buried in the old graveyard. And a truth Keller did not want to believe . . .

Film on my list to re-watch next.

Chiller with great narration

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The narration was excellent resulting in bringing the story to life with suspence, terror and despair. My only negative is the ending, several unanswered questions to close out the story. Maybe others see it differently.

Captivating, but....

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I have always loved James Herbert. Just a profound loss to the literary world. This book, as always, was of the usual high standard.
I found the story, side stories and back stories made for something more understandable.
Let's not forget Robert Powell. I actually believed there was a cast reading this book, such was Robert's skill with accents and different voices.
Highly recommended.

Awesome

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one of James Herbert's best novels. Fantastic atmosphere, great twists and turns and a great ending. Perfect narration by Robert Powell.

Classic Herbert

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Not as visceral as many of Herberts books, this is entertaining and thoughtful. Would be so easy to spoil the ending by saying too much and the journey made by our survivor is well worth your time. Have to say that I did and hope that you will too.

Most enjoyable - even if I guessed the end!

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