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Apt Pupil Audiobook
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This audiobook is no longer available through the publisher and we don't know if or when it will become available again. Please check out similar audiobooks below, and click the "Vote this up!" button to let us know you're interested in this title. This audiobook has 8 votes
(3.00) - 8,738 listener ratings
Publisher Description
Stephen King’s short story “Apt Pupil”—from the collection Different Seasons—is now an Encore stand-alone CD for the first time.
The inspiration for the film of the same name starring Ian McKellen about top high school student Todd Bowden and his obsession with the dark and deadly past of an older man in town.
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"This book is pure evil, but I truly enjoyed it. Todd Bowden is a paper boy/high school student who discovers his neighbor, Kurt Dussander, is a wanted Nazi war criminal. Basically Todd becomes engrossed in Dussander's terrible war crime stories and goes over to his house frequently. The creepy part is that Todd has no intention of turning Dussander in..he just wants more and more information out of him. In hindsight, the only thing I really didn't like about the book was that the plot was highly unrealistic--as most of King's books are. The language King uses is sinister and excruciatingly detailed which makes you get lost in images, which in turn makes the demented events he describes seem believeable at the time. But certainly looking back on the book, the murderous nature that errupts in Todd is complete and utter nonsense!!"
— Michaela (4 out of 5 stars)
Apt Pupil Listener Reviews
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" like i said no talking to natzis if your prone to go on a murderous rampage "
— Coraline, 2/7/2014 -
" Ah Papa Stevesie, I feel so safe and warm in your arms. This was such a good book. More thriller than horror, and I think that's what he does best. There's no rationalising away horrifying things, just straight up Nazi old men and creepy young boys. Great book. "
— Tasha, 2/3/2014 -
" Creepy. Disturbing. Everything a King story should be. "
— Mary, 2/2/2014 -
" This was a case of what's on paper being way more creepy than what's on the movie screen. "
— Roberta, 1/28/2014 -
" Creepy and disturbing. I actually skimmed part of it; I only continued reading because I wanted to know the ending. King is a great writer; I just don't enjoy this kind of story. Frankly I'm sorry I read it because I can't get parts of it out of my head! "
— Jo, 1/20/2014 -
" Couldn't bring myself to finish it. "
— Dan, 1/20/2014 -
" Amazing and Disturbing. Gave me nightmares actually and that never happens. "
— Aaron, 1/14/2014 -
" Excellent read! Stephen rarely disappoints me, if ever. "
— Sheila, 1/14/2014 -
" Another very good book of Stephen King. I liked the movie but this was better by far. Its sick and twisted and if the Nazi era intrigues you any this is a very good book to read. "
— Crystal, 1/12/2014 -
" This book was too dark and disturbing for me. I would only recommend it if a person likes horror stories. "
— Sidney, 1/11/2014 -
" A great short story with a twisted and unique idea. I love how there is a constant see-saw between todd and dussander regarding who has the upperhand on the other. Todd may be the most realistic character King has ever created, making it his most terrifying book. "
— Ri, 1/10/2014 -
" Disturbing - I didn't want to keep reading it - but I didn't want to put it down either. "
— Shelly, 1/8/2014 -
" I think this is definitely the best short story I have read by King "
— Albert, 1/4/2014 -
" Do you think Todd Bowden is really a genius student? Nah! If you explore more, you'll find an evil inside him. And the evil side builds up more and more when he met Dussander, and goes badly although he can handle it perfectly! "
— Genochan, 12/31/2013 -
" This book was to disturbing something so shocking but also not outwardly frightening. "
— Samantha, 11/29/2013 -
" Thanks to Mr. King I'll always associate my summer with "The Body" and "Stand By Me." "
— Dawn, 11/22/2013 -
" His best novella "
— Desiree, 11/17/2013 -
" While certainly a page turner, I found this book a little too graphic for my taste and frankly skipped over some parts. Not one I'd recommend, although I do appreciate the references to his other works. "
— Kathleen, 12/25/2012 -
" This story scared the crap out of me. But I couldn't stop reading it because it was like every other Stephen King book I'd ever read: Once it gets its claws into you, you're in for the whole ride whether you want to get off or not. "
— Lydia, 8/2/2012 -
" King's most disturbing story ever. I really don't recommend this if you are at all squemish. And even if you are jaded and desensitized I'm not sure there is enough depth to make this really worth reading. Ugly from begining to end. "
— Danny, 5/20/2012 -
" I listened to this over a 10hr car ride and it kept me alert and intrigued the whole time. Very creepy and entertaining! "
— Laura, 5/11/2012 -
" I had forgotten what a great writer Stephen King is. Sometimes his writing is a little weird, but every one of these novellas was fantastic. And they weren't all horror stories either. I think 'Breathing Method' was my favorite. "
— Ingrid, 4/24/2012 -
" Pretty disturbing. Very well written, as is everything I've read by Stephen King, but the subject matter was hard to tolerate at points. "
— ThomasAD, 4/5/2012 -
" The scariest thing King ever wrote, because there's not even a whiff of the supernatural. Humans are terrifying. "
— Kaethe, 3/4/2012 -
" well written, as usual, but very disturbing. not for someone with a weak stomach... "
— Maura, 1/18/2012 -
" Very twisted and disturbing. "
— Kim, 8/21/2011 -
" By far my favorite King novella. "
— Nicole, 6/10/2011 -
" Actually listened to just the Apt Pupil on CD. Must say this is one that I really didn't enjoy too much and I am an avid Stephen King fan. It was a little more gorey than usual and the ending was kind of uneventful and I definitely saw it coming. Must have been one of his earlier ones. "
— Theresa, 5/6/2011 -
" Pretty disturbing, from the premise to the actual events in the book. Just an unsettling feeling the whole time. King is a master at just creeping you out and making you think wtf? <br/> <br/>3.5 / 5.0 "
— Evan, 4/28/2011 -
" Icky, but couldn't stop reading it . . . "
— Stacie, 3/31/2011 -
" A great short story with a twisted and unique idea. I love how there is a constant see-saw between todd and dussander regarding who has the upperhand on the other. Todd may be the most realistic character King has ever created, making it his most terrifying book. "
— Ri, 2/28/2011 -
" Creepy. Disturbing. Everything a King story should be. "
— Ophelia, 2/27/2011 -
" Disturbing as can be expected from King. "
— Ryan, 2/25/2011 -
" A very good read. A bit vulgar & sometimes too rivetingly explicit to the point where I felt awkward reading it. None the less, I loved this book. Maybe have been one of the shortest I have read but it had enough suspense & mystery to be considered a 'glad I read' in my books. "
— Taylor, 2/16/2011 -
" it was ok but too far fetched and it didnt seem to flow in some places. also - it just plain grossed me out. "
— Jenna, 2/15/2011 -
" Defiantly a King classic… If you LOVE Stephen King I think you will love this one… Very dark and psychological. "
— Jane, 1/10/2011
About Stephen King
Stephen King has written more than sixty books, many hitting the #1 spot on the New York Times bestsellers list. He has won the World Fantasy Award, several Bram Stoker Awards, and the O. Henry Award for his story “The Man in the Black Suit.” He is the 2003 recipient of the National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters, and in 2007 he received the Grand Master Award from the Mystery Writers of America. His epic works The Dark Tower and It are the basis for major motion pictures.
About Frank Muller
Frank Muller (1951–2008) was an Audie Award–winning narrator. A classically trained actor, Frank appeared on both television and the stage. His credits include Hamlet, The Crucible, The Taming of the Shrew, The Importance of Being Earnest, Law & Order, All My Children, and many, many more. In 1999 Frank was awarded the AudioFile Lifetime Achievement Award, the top honor in the audiobook community. He has also won twenty-three Earphones Awards.