Fairy Tale
Written by Stephen King
Narrated by Stephen King and Seth Numrich
4.5/5
()
Survival
Friendship
Adventure
Fear
Mystery
Power of Friendship
Chosen One
Reluctant Hero
Fish Out of Water
Amateur Detective
Time Loop
Man's Best Friend
Power of Love
Call to Adventure
Loyal Dog
Family
Courage
Exploration
Loyalty
Trust
About this audiobook
Master storyteller Stephen King goes into the deepest well of his imagination in this #1 New York Times bestselling and spellbinding novel about a young man who inherits the keys to a parallel world where good and evil are at war, and the stakes could not be higher—for that world or ours.
Charlie Reade looks like a regular high school kid, great at baseball and football, a decent student. But he carries a heavy load. His mom was killed in a horrific accident when he was seven, and grief drove his dad to drink. Charlie learned how to take care of himself—and his dad. When Charlie is seventeen, he meets a dog named Radar and her aging master, Howard Bowditch, a recluse in a big house at the top of a big hill, with a locked shed in the backyard. Sometimes strange sounds emerge from that shed.
Charlie starts doing jobs for Mr. Bowditch and loses his heart to Radar. Then, when Bowditch dies, he leaves Charlie a cassette tape telling a story no one would believe. What Bowditch knows, and has kept secret all his long life, is that inside the shed is a portal to another world.
Editor's Note
Good versus evil…
Charlie Reade, a lonely teenager with problems at home, befriends the elderly Mr. Bowditch. The more time Charlie spends at Mr. Bowditch’s home, the more curious he becomes about the shed out back — and the unearthly noises coming from within. Of course, it wouldn’t be a true King (“Billy Summers”) novel if the oddly mysterious didn’t morph into a fantastical adventure full of good versus evil and quests for survival.
Stephen King
Stephen King is the author of more than sixty books, all of them worldwide bestsellers. His recent work includes Never Flinch, the short story collection You Like It Darker, Holly (a New York Times Notable Book of 2023), Fairy Tale, Billy Summers, If It Bleeds, The Institute, Elevation, The Outsider, Sleeping Beauties (cowritten with his son Owen King), and the Bill Hodges trilogy: End of Watch, Finders Keepers, and Mr. Mercedes (an Edgar Award winner for Best Novel and a television series streaming on Peacock). His novel 11/22/63 was named a top ten book of 2011 by The New York Times Book Review and won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Mystery/Thriller. His epic works The Dark Tower, It, Pet Sematary, Doctor Sleep, and Firestarter are the basis for major motion pictures, with It now the highest-grossing horror film of all time. He is the recipient of the 2020 Audio Publishers Association Lifetime Achievement Award, the 2018 PEN America Literary Service Award, the 2014 National Medal of Arts, and the 2003 National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters. He lives in Bangor, Maine, with his wife, novelist Tabitha King.
More audiobooks from Stephen King
Later Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Stand Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5'Salem's Lot Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Carrie Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Quitters, Inc. Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Shining Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Angel of Indian Lake Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Finn Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Killer Inside Me Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Gwendy's Final Task Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Road Rage Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Behaving Badly Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5UR Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Shawshank Redemption Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Dark Tower IV: Wizard and Glass Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Danse Macabre Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsStephen King Wants to Reach Out and Grab You — with His Writing Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Dead Zone Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Institute: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Talisman Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Mr. Mercedes: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Pet Sematary Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/511/22/63: A Novel Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Mile 81: Includes bonus story 'The Dune' Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5LT's Theory of Pets Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Doctor Sleep: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Desperation Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Related to Fairy Tale
Related audiobooks
The Ocean at the End of the Lane: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Holly Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Institute: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Billy Summers Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Eyes of the Dragon Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5If It Bleeds: Mr. Harrigan's Phone, The Life of Chuck, If It Bleeds, Rat Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Finn Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/511/22/63: A Novel Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Outsider: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Talisman Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Elevation Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Sleeping Beauties: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Dead Zone Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Under The Dome: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Good Marriage Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Black House Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Needful Things Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Mr. Mercedes: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5You Like It Darker: Stories Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Revival: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Doctor Sleep: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Desperation Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Full Dark, No Stars Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Wrong Place Wrong Time: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Cell Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Bag Of Bones Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Lisey's Story Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Insomnia Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Firestarter Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Thrillers For You
You Like It Darker: Stories Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Silent Patient Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Never Lie Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Perfect: A Thriller That Will Grab You By Your DNA Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Teacher Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Guest List: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Listen for the Lie: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Boyfriend: A Psychological Thriller Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Inmate Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Leather & Lark Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Leave the World Behind: A Novel Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Midnight Feast: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5We Used to Live Here: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Home Is Where the Bodies Are Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Coworker Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Hunting Party: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Fury Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Bright Young Women: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5What Lies Between Us Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Flicker in the Dark: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Dragon Teeth: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Alice Network: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Silence of the Lambs: 25th Anniversary Edition Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Wrong Place Wrong Time: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Terminal List: A Thriller Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Wife Upstairs Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Dead Zone Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Dark Tower II: The Drawing of the Three Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Fool Me Once Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Related categories
Reviews for Fairy Tale
3,343 ratings275 reviews
What our readers think
Readers find this title to be a fabulous, exciting, and thoroughly enjoyable book. The characters are well-developed and the world created by the author is lovely. The narration is excellent and the details bring the reader into the story. However, some reviewers felt that the plot was lacking and uninspired. Overall, this book is a great read with twists, surprises, and a fantastic narration. It is recommended for those looking for an adventurous book with a twist.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5King does not disappoint. He lulls you with a seemingly coming of age story and then plunges you into a dark fairytale that is so hauntingly beautiful with it brutality that when it’s over, you ache for a world that lives in his mind.
2 people found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Great! This one was great! I loved Seth too! Thanks
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5It pulls you into the adventure. It’s not what you’re expecting. Keeps you on your toes.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I fell in love with the characters. I didn’t want the story to end. All good things do.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I'm no good at writing reviews. I will just say that I enjoyed the tale immensely and another great work by a great writer.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I think this book just shows how vast the imagination can become if you let your mind go to different places, places created in your mind. The good and evil in all places, the good that become bad, being forced to be on a side you don’t want to be on but keeps you alive. Being courageous and selfless for others. It was by far the best fairy tale I’ve ever read!!
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Different genre from what Mr. King's usual, but definitely as good as any of his books. Of course you can read traces of him everywhere, and that's fantastic
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5What a magnificent piece of magic. I loved every bIt of this book
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5A book I will most definitely reread! The narrator made this book go from a 7-10 in the first chapter.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5One of Stephen King’s best. Twists and turns to keep you engaged till the end.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This is one of my favorite books and one of King’s best!
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Mr. King, thank you so much for this story! I have been looking for this gateway to another world in my head like this ever since the Tower series. You took me away...
Far, far away and wishing I could go back. PLEASE LOL :)1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Amazing book! Loved loved loved this book! Feel empty without it!
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Bros. Grimm Meets Lovecraft. It is beautifully done. The narrator did an excellent job with such a large number of characters.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Amazing! I want to read more books like this. Such a great book.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5It has been a Loooong time since I’ve had a book Hangover. I don’t want it to be done! I want more Empis stories!!!
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Beautiful storytelling but I wish I knew more about what happened to all the creatures in the other world.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I enjoyed this one a lot. The narration was excellent.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I’m a big fan of Stephen King and this book didn’t disappoint me, I loved it and I will definitely read it again in some months, I’m sure of it.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5As if the story wasn’t incredible and immersive enough as it was, this narrator though! I just want him to read every book to me from now on. I can’t get over his intonation, and the way he differentiates voices. His giantesses! I fell out of my chair laughing while “Hannah” was singing her lewd song with the voice he gave her. In general, I prefer reading to audiobooks, but I am thrilled I made an exception this time. I knew King wouldn’t disappoint, but the reading on this is PHENOMENAL.
That acknowledged, this is one of those stories I feel like I’ve waited my whole life for. I love a dark fairytale, and this one effortlessly weaves the reality of our world with the horrible magic of another - without leaving loose ends, but also without unnecessary explanations. The story moves along at a rapid clip, but tells every juicy, adventurous step along the way. Highly recommend to almost everyone I know, whether they love fantasy, horror, adventure, or a good coming of age story.1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Absolutely outstanding. Really incredible how big a story king was able to cram into this and still wrap it up nicely.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5It delivered. As always.
On to the next one !1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5It's a lovely story. A boy, his dog, a magical kingdom.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Another edge of my seat King Story. One good book
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5OMG!!! This is one if Stephen King's best works! Not scary but there are some tense moments! I really loved listening to this!
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Excellent book! I enjoyed every single minute of it. Even the narrator was great!
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5One of Stephen King's best. A wonderful adventure with scary parts and cringy parts, written in King's wonderful narrative style. If you read The Talisman you'll love this book. I look forward to reading it again.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Just outstanding once again Stephen King has wrote a captivating and exhilarating tale.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5This is one of my favorite novels I have read. I love Stephen King and I read every book he writes, I make it a point to do so. This is one of my favorite books that he has ever written. I was hooked from the very beginning and I could not stop. It's a beautiful story and absolutely fantastic in every way. It was incredible and I absolutely loved it I'm honestly heartbroken that I'm done.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Wow! Such an amazing story! King always has a way to paint a readers mind. His usage of imagery is amazing and it helps us with the characters, setting and overall story. While listening, I always had a good understanding of what was being described and was able to imagine is clearly. Its over and I just want more! More story, more character development!
It has to be noted, the sound/audio is top tier. The sound overall was clean, but it's the Readers themselves. The way that each character has a distinct and different sound. It helps you connect with them as a whole and really helps with the imagery!
10/10 will recommend this to everyone!1 person found this helpful