Title: Everything’s Eventual, 5 Dark Tales
Author: Stephen King
Narrator: Various
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audiobooks
Duration: 7 hours, 18 minutes
Copyright: 2002
Genres: short fiction, horror, supernatural
Filed in: Audiobook reviews
Review copy provided by Kearney Public Library.
THE GIST: The 14 short stories included in Stephen King’s “Everything’s Eventual” have been published in several audiobook products. Recorded Books published a two volume set which contained all 14 stories; you can find links to my audiobook reviews for those below. Simon & Schuster also released two volumes from this anthology, and “Everything’s Eventual, 5 Dark Tales” is the first.
HIGHLIGHTS:
“autopsy Room 4”
narrated by Oliver Platt
All Howard wanted was a relaxing game of golf on a Saturday afternoon. Searching for his ball in the rough at the fourteenth hole, Howard experiences a sharp, stinging pain on his left calf, and then nothing.
Howard wakes from one nightmare, into another that is far worse. He is wheeled into an operating room. There are doctors with sharp instruments hovering over him. Howard is completely paralyzed and cannot make a sound or even blink his eyes. As he watches in silent horror, the doctors prepare to begin the autopsy.
This is one of the most chilling stories I’ve ever read. Imagine being alive and conscious, but unable to tell or show anyone as they prepare to perform an autopsy on you! Brr!
“Lucky Quarter”
narrated by Judith Ivy
Darlene is just a working-class girl, trying to raise her two kids on the wages and tips of a hotel chambermaid in Carson City, Nevada. That’s why, upon discovering that one of the hotel guests has left a single quarter in her tip envelope, all she can do is laugh. Further inspection reveals, however, that the quarter was not the only thing in her envelope. The guest in room 322 also left a note, proclaiming “This is a lucky quarter. It’s true, lucky you!” The note makes Darlene laugh even harder as she wonders how this is going to help her pay for the shoes and braces that her kids need.
Deciding that the quarter is bad karma, she vows to get rid of it as quickly as possible, and drops it into the slot-machine in the hotel’s lobby. This is merely the beginning of a winning streak that goes far beyond Darlene’s wildest dreams.
“Lucky Quarter” doesn’t offer much to the reader, I’m sorry to say. Only Stephen King could have successfully marketed this story. It’s only redeeming value is that it’s so short, you barely have time to get bored with it. Luckily for us, “Lucky Quarter” is probably the worst we will find in the “Everything’s Eventual” collection.
“The Road Virus Heads North”
narrated by Jay O Sanders
Travelling home one day, Richard decides to stop when he spots a garage sale. While browsing the items, an unusual painting catchs his eye and he decides to buy it. The painting portrays a dangerous looking young man in a souped-up car, but Richard soon notices that this is no ordinary painting. As Richard drives home, the scenery in the painting begins to change into familiar places, and it soon becomes clear that the hoodlum in the painting is following him home. Richard almost convinces himself that his imagination is playing tricks on him, until the souped-up car pulls into his driveway.
Stephen King seems to like the idea of spooky paintings; he used the idea in two novels, “Rose Madder”, and more recently “Duma Key.” I agree with King, it makes for some creepy subject matter.
FULL LIST OF STORIES ON THIS AUDIOBOOK:
“Everything’s Eventual”
“Autopsy Room 4”
“The Little Sisters of Eluria”
“Lucky Quarter”
“The Road Virus Heads North”
CHECK OUT THESE OTHER AUDIOBOOK REVIEWS:
Everything’s Eventual, Volume 1 by Stephen King (Audiobook Review)
Everything’s Eventual, Volume 2 by Stephen King (Audiobook Review)
Everything’s Eventual: 5 Dark Tales by Stephen King (Audiobook Review)
The Man In The Black Suit, 4 Dark Tales by Stephen King (Audiobook Review)
Blood and Smoke by Stephen King (Audiobook Review)
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If you liked this audiobook review, you can purchase the audiobook here:
Get "Everything's Eventual: Five Dark Tales", Unabridged Audiobook, AudioCD, from Amazon.com.
This audiobook review is based on the unabridged audiobook.
Audiobook review by Steven Brandt
Come back soon for more audiobook reviews from AudioBook Heaven.
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