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Pet Sematary cover art

Pet Sematary

By: Stephen King
Narrated by: Michael C. Hall
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Publisher's Summary

For the first time in unabridged audio download comes the perennial classic from Stephen King - timeless and topical. 

The house looked right, felt right to Dr Louis Creed. Rambling, old, unsmart and comfortable. A place where the family could settle, the children grow and play and explore. The rolling hills and meadows of Maine seemed a world away from the fume-choked dangers of Chicago. 

Only the occasional big truck out on the two-lane highway, grinding up through the gears, hammering down the long gradients, growled out an intrusive threat. But behind the house and far away from the road: that was safe. Just a carefully cleared path up into the woods where generations of local children have processed with the solemn innocence of the young, taking with them their dear departed pets for burial. 

A sad place maybe, but safe. Surely a safe place. Not a place to seep into your dreams, to wake you, sweating with fear and foreboding. 

©1983 Stephen King (P)2018 Simon & Schuster Audio

What listeners say about Pet Sematary

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As a parent, a horrifying story

I read this book years ago when I was in school. But as a father to a 2-year-old boy now, I found it particularly terrifying this time around. King has an Author’s Note at the beginning. In it, he says that whenever someone asks him the scariest story he has written, he always responds with “Pet Sematary” without any hesitation. The reason isn’t a typical one, and I think you need to be a parent to fully grasp the horror of what happens in the book.

The story is solid, even though it drags a little in some spots. But it contains all the classic King elements of mystery and supernatural horror. And it’s the narration by TV’s Dexter, Michael C. Hall that makes this audiobook stand out. His steady voice oozes character, especially with the character of Jud Crandall. He does a great job of nailing the old man’s Maine accent and makes it seem effortless.

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4 people found this helpful

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  • Amy
  • 19-05-2018

Loved it

Firstly, Michael C. Hall is now my favorite audible narrator, absolutely brilliant and perfect for the book. I loved the story as well, classic Stephen King.

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2 people found this helpful

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A Deeply Upsetting Book

I've listened, and read, to many of King's books. Most often, I read his books as a form of sublime escapism. I couldn't stop shivering during parts of Under The Dome, and It - Pennywise - that damned thing beyond existence that fed on Derry since before Derry existed - still haunts the dark doorway of my hallway on nights I feel particularly sensitive. While often unsettling, I embrace these feelings and memories with a sort of sensual pleasure. King wanted me to feel that way, wanted me to fear that way, wanted me to escape that way, and I let him make me. I enjoy his reading for that quality. I can read, or listen, and the story unfolds before me - feelings and all.
While similar in the sense that King applies familiar structural, thematic, setting, and character elements from his repertoire within Pet Sematary, the story overall has a tone dissimilar to any of his works I've consumed so far. I don't want to spoil the story too much, so I'll try my best not to, but King's focus on the intimate, domestic feelings and experiences surrounding death and grief have an altogether different feeling to those of the rest of the story. While taken as a whole, it most certainly is a horror novel, but the personal reflections of King's own experiences within, and the emotional depths into which he plunges himself, his reader, and, of course, Lewis, Rachel, Gage, 'Church, Judd, and Ellie, especially during the evermore heart-wrenching than gut-wrenching night after the funeral, make Pet Sematary feel like it's desecrating something deeply spiritual and intimate. That's not to say it's a bad book - I'd argue it's been my favourite of King's so far! - but I am saying you should treat this book with respect. It's deeply upsetting; it falls into emotional wells deeper than King normally bores; and while the book itself has a prominent supernatural vein running throughout it (again, a favourite of mine by him so far), and the main messages of the book may be the competing and often contradictory 'Sometimes Dead Is Better', and 'Death Isn't Always Natural', the book leaves lasting impressions where you may not expect. I found myself pausing the audiobook earlier today, as I found myself emotionally overwhelmed by some of its descriptions. I do not pause King books out of habit, as I find they unsettle me but do not upset me. I paused this one, as it did both.

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1 person found this helpful

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Dexter reads Horror King

There’s something inexplicably creepy about a sociopathic serial killer narrating a Stephen ‘King of Horror’ King novel.

The effect was a spine tingling, chillingly good read.

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Wow

This is without a doubt the best audiobook I’ve ever listened to. I have never been this gripped I couldn’t stop coming back for more even though at times it scared me then I had to start and stop. The narration was amazing and Michael C hall did a wonder job making it feel real and sympathising with the characters at times the story could be Long winded but I think it just added to the suspense. This book is best listening with your full attention instead of background while you are doing a hobby and the ending was unexpected when you think about everything else that happened in the story. This story will take a few days to sink in I think.

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Creepy chills

The narrator was excellent. My first audible book and it was a fabulous experience 😊

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Great naration

After listening to IT my choice had to be Pet Sematery, a great story with exceptional voice acting.

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Hauntingly captivating

A classic horror well revived by the chilling voice of Michael.C Hall. A must listen

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Audible ruined it

Why was the story shortened, things are missing, like entire passages for instance chapter 19. This is really bad. This is NOT the Per Sematary I read 10 years ago,

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Classic Horror at its Best

Chilling, intriguing and organically creepy, Pet Semetary is so much more than it seems. An amazing premise and story that hooks you immediately and you offer thrill after thrill before an amazingly bleak and horrific climax. My first Stephen King novel and it definitely won’t be my last.

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