Cell by Stephen King (Audiobook Review)

Those clever little gadgets we carry with us everywhere we go just might be the death of us all.

Audiobook Reviews from Audiobook-Heaven

Title:Cell
Author: Stephen King
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Narrator: Campbell Scott
Duration: 12 hours, 27 minutes
Copyright: 2006
Genres: horror, post apocalypse, science fiction
Filed in: Audiobook reviews
Review copy provided by Kearney public Library.

THE GIST: What is the one thing that almost every American carries with them no matter where they go? Cell phones, naturally. If you were a terrorist who had developed an electronic pulse that could erase the human mind, how would you deploy it? Cell phones, naturally.

That is the premise behind Stephen King’s terrifying audio book, “Cell." An unknown agent, whether terrorist or scientist, has done just that. Anyone who was holding a cell phone to their ear when the Pulse went out, was instantly devolved into a mindless zombie, bent on nothing but destruction. During the first devastating hours after the Pulse, most of the "phone-crazies" destroy themselves and each other. But not enough of them, not nearly enough.

Clayton Riddell never owned a cell phone, a fact which probably saved his life on October 1. On a business trip to Boston, Clay witnesses first-hand the madness and destruction in the first hours of post-Pulse America, but Clay can think of only one thing: the stylish red cell phone his twelve-year-old son begged for, and received, on his last birthday. Clay knows he must get back home to Maine as quickly as possible to determine the fate of his wife and son.

Clay joins the hordes of people fleeing Boston, which is now burning to the ground. The roads are jammed with crashed vehicles, and the only way out is on foot. Clay and his new friends will have to be careful to avoid the phoners, who begin to display increasingly alarming behavior over the next several days. No longer bent on destruction, the zombies are now flocking together in groups, killing only the "normals.” Worse yet, they begin to develop extraordinary mental powers, telepathy, levitation, and mind control.

It’s going to be a long walk to Maine, and there’s no telling what Clay will find if he makes it home.

MY THOUGHTS: That Stephen King sure likes exploring those civilization-ending scenarios, doesn’t he? Well, as a matter of fact, I rather enjoy those types of stories too. “Cell” isn't quite on the scale of "The Stand", but I found the cell phone angle interesting. If some mad scientist or terrorist group really did send a brain-scrambling pulse through every cell phone in the world, I wonder how many people they would catch?

Another favorite author of mine, Greg Bear, did an audio book about cell phones gone bad as well. Follow the link below to read my audio book review on “Dead Lines.”

NARRATOR: Campbell Scott also narrated Stephen King’s audio book "The Shining." As far as audio book narrators go, Campbell Scott is not brilliant, but he is more than adequate. He's one of those narrators that I found questionable at first, but grows on me over time. Now that I’ve heard two of his audio books, I'm beginning to appreciate him a little more.

FINAL WORD: “Cell” was written in 2006, and for me this audio book represents a return to vintage Stephen King after a little bit of a dry spell. Stephen King’s writing really seemed to turn a corner during this period and his audio books since have been some of his best.

CHECK OUT THESE OTHER AUDIOBOOK REVIEWS:
The Shining by Stephen King (Audiobook Review)
Firestarter by Stephen King (Audiobook Review)
Dead Lines by Greg Bear (Audiobook Review)

If you liked this audiobook review, you can purchase the audiobook here:
Get "Cell" by Stephen King (Unabridged Audiobook) from Amazon.com.

This audiobook review is based on the unabridged audio book.
Audio book review by Steven Brandt
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