The Langoliers Audiobook Review
I, and some of my friends, love to read a mystery. What’s not to like? The fiction, one many credit to Edgar Allan Poe, offers a delicious mix of death, suspense, and uncertainty. And all that comes down to the writer. The Mystery Writer. It is the creator of all that conundrum and mayhem that may well hold the clue for those of us who have a real fondness toward this genre. I could cite the incredible imagination these authors possess for delivering on this variety of fiction, but others have said it already, and better. Although, the thought did lead me off on a tangent. Specifically, to recall the TV programs, books, or movies where those writers themselves became subjects woven into such puzzle works. This was the short (and nowhere near definitive) list I came up with:
- Murder, She Wrote (mystery writer solving crimes)
- Castle (mystery writer helps NYPD solve crimes)
- Murder by Death (mystery writers being setup to solve a murder while at dinner)
- Deathtrap (mystery writer pulls off murder… only to be caught by another writer)
- Sleuth (mystery writer plots to kill wife’s lover)
- The Langoliers
Wait a minute… what’s that last one? I know. Isn’t that a Stephen King story? The horror writer?!? What is he, or it, doing in a post talking about mystery writers (and why am I talking to myself?)?
The Book
Simply, it is because this novella, the lead tale from the author’s Four Past Midnight book published back in 1990, remains to this day one of my favorites because I can nestle it, however strangely, in this category. Naturally, I group this one along with King’s other famed novellas like Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption and The Body from 1982’s Different Seasons, and a choice pick of author Joseph Maddrey and myself, The Mist, purely on the strength of its long short story. Today, King is recognized as one of the best storytellers we have in print. But, like author Steven Hart expressed in his recent splendid tribute to the late Ray Bradbury, I’ve felt for a long-time that SK, too,
“… worked best in short forms. The magic was most effective in concentrated doses.”
Whether it is straight horror fiction, redemptive drama or nostalgic tales, his skill in writing the prose has remained exceptional. In the past, his scary stuff unfortunately put off many, which caused them to dismiss his work and ignore many in his ever-growing bibliography. A number of which have nothing to do with that particular realm of dark fiction. The novella The Langoliers, and not necessarily the TV miniseries/movie, was one of those (along with the others I’ve mentioned) that I always encourage people uncomfortable with horror to seek out and read. If they at anytime enjoyed a Twilight Zone episode (I mean, like ever), I was more than confidant they’d have found themselves on the same familiar, fantastic ground that flight #29 covered in this short novel.
In fact, it is one of the key characters in the story, Bob Jenkins, a mystery author, caught up within it all that is so consequential to the final outcome. His presence in the tale is the conduit through which those around him, along with the reader, will filter the unconventional yarn through. You can see Stephen King’s familiarity with the tropes of the mystery/detective form, even as he twisted it so fantastically, in his narrative. What you end up with is both a recognizable homage to this type of literature, and as a point of departure. It’s Jenkins, using the well-worn plot devices of the genre, that figures out what is actually going on with a cross-country red-eye flight from Los Angeles to Boston that goes terribly, and almost, inexplicably wrong. Yes, Stephen King wrote a mystery. Just one a little more incredible and freakish than most. But, a mystery, nonetheless.
The Audiobook
Years later, when I eventually came upon the audiobook, I couldn’t wait to dive right in. I mean, if my experience with the stellar work of the late-Frank Muller, who headlined so successfully the Recorded Books/Penguin Audio productions for Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption and The Body, was any indication, why not? At least, this wasn’t the unfortunately abridged and dramatized (in 3-D sound, mind you) production of The Mist. Sad to say, by the time of this audiobook, the sorely missed Mr. Muller was no longer available. Plus, I now suspect the final axiom from The Pink Chair: Changing Horses Mid-Stream article of last year, written by the good Queen of the Audiobook, Blackstone Audio’s Tanya Perez, came into play with the production of those in the Four Past Midnight audio stable.
The set of four novellas were each parceled out by the audiobook publisher to a handful of actors and personalities instead of veteran narrators (“not that there’s anything wrong with that“). Maine humorist and author, Tim Sample, read The Sun Dog. Actor Ken Howard got The Library Policeman, and the great James Woods performed Secret Window, Secret Garden. But easily the strongest Stephen King creation in that foursome, The Langoliers, road on the vocal talent of the well-known and respected actor William Dafoe. Surely, what could possibly go wrong? Regrettably, plenty.
Without question, Dafoe remains an accomplished and skillful actor. One, certainly, unafraid to take on difficult and challenging work (The Last Temptation of Christ, Antichrist to list a couple — and not because ‘christ’ is in the name, either). In this case though, King’s story and characters required something Mr. Dafoe couldn’t deliver on for the most part: appealing vocalizations. A couple he nailed, Brian Engle, the off-duty airline pilot, and the psychotic Craig Toomey. Nevertheless, the rest of the cast were either wholly inconsistent or came off as caricatured, whiney, or just plain irritating, at least to this listener. And don’t get me started on his takes with the female characters. This is one of those rare instances where I’d tell prospective book listeners to read the source novella, instead.
I hate to write that about any audiobook, let alone one that recounts one of my most-liked pieces of imaginative fiction. But there it is. Movie or TV actors performing book narration duties may sound like a good idea, initially (and it may sell more audiobooks), but I’ve found it a mixed bag (I exclude instances where celebs read their autobiographies, though). It’s too bad this was a match-up made on the other side of that time rip. Note: if another audiobook publisher would take one more shot at this, who would I like to see as the narrator, you may be asking? Conversely, it would another actor. The same guy who delivered Craig Toomey so forcefully in Tom Holland’s ’95 TV adaptation, Bronson Pinchot. Given his career, and present-day voice work in the audiobook field, he certainly has the skills for pulling off this novella’s demands. Oh, and while we’re at it, I sincerely hope someone in their right mind produces a straight and unabridged telling for The Mist. That one is sorely overdue.
It Rains... You Get Wet 
15 Responses to “The Langoliers Audiobook Review”
Hello Michael, hope you’re well 🙂
Audiobooks are something I’ve been thinking of getting into so thanks for this post. I used to drive to work but now in my new job I catch the train instead. I’ve become reacquainted with my iPod after a long time apart so thought I might give podcasts and audiobooks a go.
The Langoliers sounds intriguing! Think I might try the book, though, not the audiobook!
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Good to hear from you, Claire. I’m a big fan of the audiobook form and everything I listen to resides on my iPod (which travels with me everywhere I go). Happy to say most publishers these days make it much easier to transfer them to the device. For older a-books (multiple CDs and cassettes), there are ways to still get there, too. I know since I’ve performed just about all of them ;-). I hope you give them a whirl and enjoy the experience. Many thanks for the kind words and sentiments, Claire.
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Oooh, a horror fiction read by Willem Dafoe, that’s gotta be extra bone-chilling 😀 Good one, Michael. Have a wonderful weekend, my friend!
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This is certainly one of Stephen King’s best (no doubt that’s why ABC picked it up for a movie/miniseries). Having Willem Dafoe sure did sound like a great idea, but the execution (especially compared with experienced narrators) was lacking. It’s well worth the read, and since its a novella, it won’t take you long to get through it. Especially since it’s very good. Thanks so much, Ruth.
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When I first started listening to audiobooks, my first two listens were World War Z, with the celebrity cast, and The Mist, in that godawful 3-D sound. While I enjoyed WWZ, I had already read the book, and i found the MIst to be utter “meh”. It wasn’t until my next book (Michael Connelly’s The Lincoln Lawyer) with its non-celebrity narration, and totally 2-D sound that I began to realize how the potential for audiobooks.
The Langoliers is actually one of my favorite King novellas, and I agree, Pinchot would most definitely nail it.
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Agreed.
Yep, you described what was so wrong about ‘The Mist’, my friend. I really wish someone out there will both give ‘The Langoliers’ and ‘The Mist’ a true “… non-celebrity narration, and totally 2-D sound” treatment. I’m glad to here you think Pinchot would nail this, too. Many thanks, Bob.
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I wish the TV movie adaptation had been better for this. I’ve never tried audiobooks though but it’s surprising to hear someone like Willem Dafoe would record one of those to begin with, and even more surprising that he wasn’t very good at it lol
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It’s testament to how great the source novella was compared with the Tom Holland adaptation. It had some big shoes to fill (much like the earlier adaptation for SK’s epic, ‘The Stand’). There are a number of audiobooks out there using celebrities (TV/stage/movie actors). Like I said, it’s a mixed bag when it comes to results, and to the listener. What a professional audiobook narrator can accomplish in the art can really be something. Many thanks, Castor.
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[…] Stephen King’s IT – Audio Book – Derry:The Third Interlude Part 2#286: I’m in a Japanese Funk Over YogurtThe MistWho is CatherineThe Langoliers Audiobook Review […]
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I for one very much enjoyed Willem Dafoe’s reading of The Langoliers and thought it was the best reading of the four novellas, I’ve been listening to audiobooks for almost 30 years and this is still one of my favorites. There actually was an unabridged recording of The Mist read by the great Frank Muller though Recorded Books Inc. back in 1985 on three audio cassettes. Unfortunately it is no longer in print and Recorded Books Inc. no longer holds the rights. Good news is I have asked Audible to track it down and add it to their digital inventory, they responded a couple of days ago saying that they will contact the publisher and see if they can obtain the rights to sell it in their on-line store.
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Welcome, David! While Mr. Dafoe’s reading didn’t work for me, I had no doubt it worked for other listeners. Like book readers, audiobook listeners range wide and varied to the material and their narrators. And let me say you’ve brought potential fantastic news with you concerning that Frank Muller audio version of ‘The Mist’ perhaps becoming available via Audible.com. A couple of years back I learned of that old rendition, but my searches to obtain/locate that three cassette recording all came up short. If/when it comes online, I’ll be jumping on that as soon as possible. If you learn of anything new, please consider dropping me a line or leaving another comment here as it would be most appreciated. Great comment and information! I hope you come back, my friend. Many thanks.
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[…] Cob. Voiced by Willem Dafoe in a very controlled performance I wished he’d given to his The Langoliers audiobook narration a few years back. But hey, that’s just […]
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This is a bad recording and a poor performance. I have the original 1990 highbridge cassettes (for some reason they decided to muffle the sound with low pass filters for the CD rerelease, which makes things even worse) and I must say I’ve always been unimpressed with WD’s rendition.
I also have Frank Muller’s reading of The Mist, which is rushed and cocky,just as bad as WD’s Langoliers. He did great with Apt Pupil and The Breathing Method, but his tone and pace really don’t suit the Mist that well.
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Really enjoy Mr Dafoe’s work overall, but his work on this was almost nails on a chalkboard. Am envious you heard Frank Muller’s rendition of The Mist. Have looked but never got my hands on it. Too bad the tone and delivery didn’t match his past work.
Caught the recent version of Will Patton’s interpretation of The Mist, though, and was really pleased with it. Now if someone could point him to The Langoliers, it would rectify WD’S in my head. Thanks so much for the comment and insight. Welcome 😄.
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You’ve got my email. If you want it shoot me a message.
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