What Dreams May Come by Richard Matheson (Audiobook Review)

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Title: What Dreams May Come
Author: Richard Matheson
Narrator: Robertson Dean
Copyright: 2009 Blackstone Audio
Duration: 8 hours, 32 minutes
Genres: paranormal, supernatural, romance
Filed in: Audiobook Reviews
Review copy provided by Blackstone Audio.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: What Dreams May Come is a winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award, one of AudioFile’s Best Fantasy Audiobooks of 2009, and a New York Times bestselling novel.
What happens to us after we die? Chris Nielsen had no idea, until an unexpected accident cut his life short, separating him from his beloved wife, Annie. Now Chris must discover the true nature of life after death. But even Heaven is not complete without Annie, and the divided soul mates will do anything to reach each other across the boundaries between life and death. When tragedy threatens to divide them forever, Chris risks his very soul to save Annie from an eternity of despair.
Based on a wealth of research into the subject of life after death, this powerful story of the boundaries of existence and the love that transcends them was the basis for the Oscar-winning film starring Robin Williams.
Copyright 2009, Blackstone Audio

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: I recently finished Matheson’s audiobook, Somewhere in Time, a tale of a love that transcended time, and now I’ve read What Dreams May Come, which is about a love that transcends death. I’m beginning to think that Richard Matheson, a master of horror, is a romantic at heart. Well, for you horror fans, never fear, I think you’ll get your fill here anyway.
What Dreams May Come starts at the end, the end of Chris Neilsen’s life. So unwilling is Chris to leave his beloved Ann, he actually remains on Earth for a while, haunting his family, trying to let them know that death is not the end. Eventually, he is convinced to move on, and he finds himself in Summerland, a perfect existence of peace and harmony. But there is still discord within Chris, he cannot truly be at peace until Ann rejoins him.
Chris is told that his wife’s time will come in 24 years, a period that will pass quickly in Summerland. Then the unthinkable happens. Annie, separated from her soul-mate, and not really believing in an afterlife, loses hope.
I sort of liked Matheson’s Summerland, his version of heaven, pure bliss. Chris’ faithful old dog Katie was even there waiting for him. The only obvious flaw in Summerland, is that God did not seem to be present there. Well, it’s only a work of fiction after all.
It is when Chris makes the decision to venture down into the depths of hell to retrieve Ann that really strikes home. I found Matheson’s view of hell to be quite apt and terrifying. Everything gray and dark. Stagnant pools of fetid water with things lurking just beneath the surface. Screaming masses completely incapable of the smallest act of kindness or compassion, seeking only to hurt. In the author’s words, people punished not for their sins, but by them. This was a scary place, and Matheson rendered it vividly.
Robertson Dean was a good choice as narrator for What Dreams May Come. He has a deep, somber sounding voice that fit the audiobook well. Dean also narrated Matheson’s I Am Legend
What Dreams May Come is a good audiobook. A love story of sorts, although not as mushy as Somewhere in Time. Fans of Matheson’s darker stories will find plenty to keep them reading here.

FILM ADAPTATION: What Dreams May Come was adapted to film in 1998, and starred Robin Williams, Cuba Gooding Jr, and Annabella Sciorra. I’ve seen this movie, and it wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great either. It earned about $71 million which isn’t bad, unfortunately, they spent more than $85 million to make it, which isn’t great.

CHECK OUT THESE OTHER AUDIOBOOK REVIEWS:
I Am Legend by Richard Matheson (Audiobook Review)
A Stir of Echoes by Richard Matheson (Audiobook Review)
It by Stephen King (Audiobook Review)

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If you like this audiobook review, you can purchase the audiobook here:
Get “What Dreams May Come by Richard Matheson (Unabridged Audiobook) from Blackstone Audio.

Interested in the movie?
Get "What Dreams May Come" starring Robin Williams, on DVD from Amazon.com.

This audiobook review is based on the unabridged audiobook.
Audiobook review by Steven Brandt
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