Hunting The Mist Unabridged -- Alas

Well, at last, I found a copy of The Mist Unabridged. Not the 3D version, but the old audio tape edition read by Frank Muller. An ex-library copy that came from a collector. So how did I find it? Well, it turned out not to be so hard.

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David at Betts bookstore has the amazing ability to find Stephen king books. He had posted recently that he likes helping people find books, so we sent him an email. A tough order, he acknowledged, but he might know a source. Sure enough, he came through! The tapes arrived today, with very kind instructions on how to properly transfer them to CD for personal use. So, from me, a big thanks once again to Betts bookstore. Not sure if he could ever find another copy of the Mist, but if you're looking for a particular King book then Betts is still a great place to start. http://www.bettsbooks.com/w95020ai.html

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I know, the masses are eating up the 3D edition and the movie. But I really like this edition for a couple of reasons reasons. First, it's read by Frank Muller. He was absolutely the best reader ever when it came to Stephen King. Frank reads with a clear voice that keeps a steady pace without rushing. He doesn't give long pauses or play with words, but he also doesn't ram right through it. His reading was truly unique.

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I also like this recording because it's King's words building the story, not special effects (either audio or visual) And, when it comes down to it, that's why we read Stephen King, because he has the ability to draw pictures in our minds that cameras just can't catch. As the New York Times put it, "The first sentence starts the reader's internal movie projector humming."

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Take special note of the Publishers Weekly quote. If ever there is a case for bringing this edition back, they have hit a home run. "Muller's reading is one of the best audio adaptations of king's work that has yet been done and there are moments in it that are truly frightening even without special audio effects and eerie music. Relying only on Muller's talents, Recorded Books has made a movie for the mind and given a sometimes unsettling life to one of the best horror stories of the last 25 years," Publishers Weekly.

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"King's classic tale of a nightmare invasion of monsters receives a vivid, memorable narration by Frank Muller: It's hard to stop listening to this compelling psychological thriller."

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Just an FYI, it was published in arrangement with NAL. which means that if anyone wants to write and ask that this be re-published on CD, best to contact NAL.

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Seems like Recorded Books was primarily selling to three groups in the 80's and 90's (when this was in print) 1. Libraries. 2. The Blind. 3. Lending club. They had a popular system where you could rent books on tape. Remember, audio books really didn't get super popular until the late 80's, at least as a product for mainstream sales.

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http://talkstephenking.blogspot.com/2010/03/hunting-mist-unabridged.html