Billy Summers (Unabridged)
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4.0 • 1.2K Ratings
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- $16.99
Publisher Description
Master storyteller Stephen King, whose “restless imagination is a power that cannot be contained” (The New York Times Book Review), presents an unforgettable and relentless #1 New York Times bestseller about a good guy in a bad job.
Chances are, if you’re a target of Billy Summers, two immutable truths apply: You’ll never even know what hit you, and you’re really getting what you deserve. He’s a killer for hire and the best in the business—but he’ll do the job only if the assignment is a truly bad person. But now, time is catching up with him, and Billy wants out. Before he can do that though, there’s one last hit, which promises a generous payday at the end of the line even as things don’t seem quite on the level here. Given that Billy is among the most talented snipers in the world, a decorated Iraq war vet, and a virtual Houdini when it comes to vanishing after the job is done, what could possibly go wrong? How about everything.
Part war story and part love letter to small-town America and the people who live there, this spectacular thriller of luck, fate, and love will grip readers with its electrifying narrative, as a complex antihero with one last shot at redemption must avenge the crimes of an extraordinarily evil man. You won’t ever forget this stunning novel from master storyteller Stephen King…and you will never forget Billy.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
His name may be synonymous with horror, but Stephen King proves he’s just as much of a genius at hardboiled crime with this gripping thriller. Billy, a highly decorated veteran of the Iraq War, is a hit man staked out in a small Southern town waiting to snipe a final target and earn a huge payday, allowing him to officially retire. But when his chance to pull the trigger finally comes, things don’t go as planned—and the highly skilled killer’s entire world spins out of control. This exciting listen is part gritty thriller, part fascinating character study. (Billy has subtle shades of Jack Torrance if you’re looking for them, particularly as Billy works on his own novel, which slowly becomes more of a dark memoir.) Boardwalk Empire actor Paul Sparks narrates the audiobook, giving a hardened, world-weary touch to King’s words. There’s a lot of action and revenge, but what we loved most about Billy Summers is that every beat of this riveting story adds not just tension but depth.
Customer Reviews
Great narrator, good plot, but VERY slow
This book really had me captivated. I couldn’t put it down. I think the narrator captured the vibe perfectly. I love the characters and the storyline. It’s overall really well made and I highly recommend it to anyone who has a little bit of patience.
However, the pacing is a bit wonky. It is incredibly slow. The book is a bit drawn out for my taste, which is why I think a lot of people aren’t liking it. I think in some ways that adds to the narrative, and in others, it definitely takes away from the story.
Worst book he has written
King shows his lack current world knowledge with this book. He writes it like it’s the 1990s/ early 2000 but because he has to put in his political views it is set 2019/2020. As you find out the underlying plot in the second half of the book the whole thing is written as a hate letter to trump and anyone associated with him which is probably why it reads like he had a general concept and wrote a book never flushing out the rest of the concepts. The main character is the worst hitman just sloppy and a bunch of decisions that a professional would never make along with all of it feeling like it takes place 20 years earlier than it does. I would not waste time or money on this regardless of your political views it’s just very poorly written with poor attention to simple details.
A funny nuance is King has no issues going on the news giving his views but the. Constantly trashes the news and the people on it in his book.
SK never disappoints
King has been one of my favorite authors and he doesn’t disappoint us with Billy Summers. This is a great story and the narrative is perfect. I wish I could give it 10 stars. Don’t skip it.