Fairy Tale

By: Stephen King

Narrated by: Seth Numrich, Stephen King

Winner of the 2023 Audie Award for Best Male Narrator

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.

Critic reviews

"High-schooler Charlie Reade, son of a widowed recovering alcoholic, is walking by the town’s rundown “psycho house" when he hears a distressed barking. Entering the backyard, Charlie finds the house's owner, Mr. Bowditch, laying on the ground—with a broken leg—guarded by his faithful old dog, Radar. Charlie becomes caretaker for Mr. Bowditch and forms a strong bond with ailing Radar. Soon Charlie finds a mysterious shed in the backyard that serves an entrance to a different world where it may be possible to reverse the dog's aging. Numrich’s narration of Charlie’s quest is everything a reader appreciates. He uses unique voices for all of the characters, both human and inhuman, drawing readers completely into the parallel universe, and sounds convincing as a teenager. The narration undoubtedly drives the story and will keep listeners entranced. This gateway fantasy is ideal for anyone looking for a world-building journey similar to Frodo’s quest in The Hobbit. Charlie is highly likable and his devotion to Radar only adds to the appeal. Fans of all things Stephen King may also enjoy the parallels between his narration of Bowditch’s recorded messages to Charlie and his cameos in the film adaptations of his novels." (Suzanne Temple)

"Seth Numrich’s narration of 17-year-old Charlie Reade’s story is moving and frightening in equal measure. Charlie befriends a reclusive curmudgeon, Howard Bowditch, and his aging dog, and inherits Howard’s house and dog when he dies. Howard also leaves Charlie a cassette recording — voiced remarkably by Stephen King. On it, Howard recounts a story within the story, involving a locked shed, a portal to a dying world, and Charlie’s part in a plan for salvation. Numrich creates a distinctive voice for each character, complete with growls and guttural snarls for evildoers. He even makes a hum sound threatening. Listeners will be drawn into this audiobook by the intimate tone of Numrich’s narration, which is like hearing Charlie himself."

5 hours in and really drawn to the characters

What can you say that hasn't been said about Stephen King? His characters pull you in right away and the subtle references to his other stories is a treat. Can't wait to finish!

My new favorite King novel!

Absolutely captivating, emotional and amazing!!! I couldn't put it down! I lost count of how many times I cried both happy and sad tears. Now I'm sad this story is over.

The best kind of Stephen King book

Awesomeness! Definitely one of my new favorites. My favorites of his are always ones with a bit of fantasy thrown in (like Taliman & Dark Tower). I don't think you will be let down by this...eventual fairy tale.

I hope to see the movie one day

Seth Numrich was awesome, all the different voices he kept track of and his smooth clear voice made this audio book for me. Love the book.

Loved it!

I love a good King book and this definitely was good! I listened to the audible version and bought a hard copy for my library. King’s books are often so rich and detailed that I like to wait a year and read them again. Some I have read over and over. I generally read/listen to more than 100 books each year and rarely review, but this is one I loved and will read again. The narrator in the audible version was excellent!