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The Shrinking Man Audiobook
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(3.02) - 688 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Inch by inch, day by day, Scott Carey is getting smaller. Once an unremarkable husband and father, Scott finds himself shrinking with no end in sight, the result of exposure to a radioactive cloud. He becomes a national spectacle, a freak that is bullied by teenagers and disrespected by everyone. His wife and family turn into unreachable giants, the family cat becomes a predatory menace, and Scott must struggle to survive in a world that seems to be growing ever larger and more perilous—until he faces the ultimate limits of fear and existence.
This is the terrifying novel that inspired the classic Hugo Award–winning motion picture, also written by Richard Matheson.
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"This is a sci-fi fantasy thriller about a man with a terrible affliction; he is slowly shrinking out of existence. The story bounces back and forth between telling the back story of the man's declining normal life and his harrowing experiences battling birds and spiders. When the shrinking first starts, he is dealing with his wife and daughter as they lose respect for the "man of the house." As a truly miniature man, he battles a gigantic spider trying to reach crumbs to eat trapped in the cellar. This is a great adventure with an incomparably dynamic lead character."
— Brian (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“A horror story if ever there was one…a great adventure story—it is certainly one of that select handful that I have given to people, envying them the experience of the first reading.”
— Stephen King -
“A classic of suspense as poignant as it is frightening—a mix that only Richard Matheson could pull off.”
— Dean Koontz -
“Matheson’s legendary 1956 sci-fi tale…is beautifully realized by Yuri Rasovsky’s memorable reading. Enthusiastic and compelling, Rasovsky seems predisposed to the suspense master’s style of writing. Capturing the brilliant mix of everyday life and extraordinary horrors that Matheson is so revered for creating, Rasovsky reads with a dry, cool wit that breathes new life into this classic tale. He knows exactly how to relay the tension and anxiety to his audience, and never ceases to raise the stakes and bring the audience to their knees in sheer terror. This is a thrilling and unforgettable experience.”
— Publishers Weekly (starred review) -
“Yuri Rasovsky reads with great energy and expression.”
— AudioFile -
“Rasovsky’s malleable voice gets larger and smaller as the novel flits between Carey’s past and present, and his dramatic pacing and facility with regional accents enhance this audiobook.”
— Kliatt -
“Richard Matheson is a wonderfully expressive author, drawing emotion out with every turn.”
— SFFAudio
Awards
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Audie Award Finalist
The Shrinking Man Listener Reviews
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" A nice and original science-fiction novel. "
— Stefano, 2/20/2014 -
" A good Adventure, but was my least favorite of Richard Matheson so far. "
— Mark, 2/17/2014 -
" My copy included several other stories by Matheson, many of them excellent. I have been hearing about Matheson for years and am happy to have finally read him. "
— Corey, 2/15/2014 -
" Richard Matheson knows how to write an entertaining book for sure. I enjoyed this one to the finish! "
— Greg, 2/7/2014 -
" This was a great read. It was nothing like I expected it to be when I first started reading it! It gives a great insight into the emotions and thoughts of a man who is; day by day; getting smaller and smaller. I felt for the guy. What happened to him would really bite the big one. Excellent read! I'd recommend to anyone! "
— Jennifer, 1/27/2014 -
" A very good book, it takes a simple concept and reveals the true horror behind it. The isolation of leaving the world you once knew behind and the human struggle in the face of complete hopelessness. A short read but one I highly reccomend. "
— Chris, 1/13/2014 -
" I've been a fan of the classic sci-fi movie since I was a kid and finally read the book, finishing it in about 3 days. Awesome book. There's so much more to it than the movie. "
— Nikki, 1/4/2014 -
" For me "The Incredible Shrinking Man" was just an ok short story when compared to some of Matheson's other work. I did enjoy many of the other short stories that were included with it however. Some of my favorites were Duel and Button, Button. Definitely worth the read though. "
— Kevin, 12/14/2013 -
" I decided to read after reading the legend.his imagination is different and striking .it is like advantures of gulliver.however he gets into other dimension and keeps shrinking ,the cell size microscopic world.I like it most in the book. "
— eyupcan, 12/12/2013 -
" It's very hard being a man. "
— Rebecca, 12/12/2013 -
" I loved the 1950s movie of this book and wondered if the book would be too dated. I actually enjoyed Matheson's discriptive writing enormously. Yes, the language does show its age but I really felt the fear of the situation - especially the spider! "
— Graham, 12/10/2013 -
" perhaps it was the fact that i chose to "read" this book in the audio sense. i found the main character incredibly annoying and the writing mundane and repetitive. i hear the movie is great, but i've never seen it. "
— hel, 5/6/2013 -
" Never thought I would be so terrified of a spider. "
— Dave, 2/7/2013 -
" Ending left a little to be desired but don't let that deter you: this is an amazing book. "
— Jacob, 9/9/2012 -
" Excellent philosophic study of what becomes of a man when all aspects of humanity are slowly stripped from him, 7/8 of an inch a day. "
— Jack, 3/17/2012 -
" I didn't like it or dislike it enough to want to say much about it. Ultimately it was kind of sad. That may be the Richard Matheson book I've read that I wasn't really a fan of. 2 stars = neutral in this case. "
— Eric, 8/29/2011 -
" This is a classic adventure story, with some surprisingly adult themes regarding the male ego. Although short at about 200 pages, it packs a punch. "
— Paul, 5/14/2011 -
" A very good book, it takes a simple concept and reveals the true horror behind it. The isolation of leaving the world you once knew behind and the human struggle in the face of complete hopelessness. A short read but one I highly reccomend. "
— Chris, 4/7/2011 -
" For me "The Incredible Shrinking Man" was just an ok short story when compared to some of Matheson's other work. I did enjoy many of the other short stories that were included with it however. Some of my favorites were Duel and Button, Button. Definitely worth the read though. "
— Kevin, 3/31/2011 -
" I loved the 1950s movie of this book and wondered if the book would be too dated. I actually enjoyed Matheson's discriptive writing enormously. Yes, the language does show its age but I really felt the fear of the situation - especially the spider! "
— Graham, 3/26/2011 -
" A nice and original science-fiction novel. "
— Stefano, 2/28/2011 -
" It's very hard being a man. "
— Rebecca, 1/16/2011 -
" Never thought I would be so terrified of a spider. "
— Dave, 5/17/2010
About Richard Matheson
Richard Matheson (1926–2013) was born in New Jersey and started living and working in California in 1951. In addition to novels in the mystery, science fiction, horror, fantasy, and western fields, he wrote many film and television scripts, including “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet” from The Twilight Zone. He also wrote episodes of Have Gun, Will Travel, Night Gallery, and Star Trek. Several of his novels and stories have been made into movies, including The Shrinking Man, I Am Legend, and What Dreams May Come (starring Robin Williams). Over the course of his career he won the World Fantasy Lifetime Achievement Award, the Bram Stoker Award for Life Achievement, the Hugo Award, the Edgar Allan Poe Award, the Golden Spur Award, and the Writer’s Guild Award.
About Yuri Rasovsky
Yuri Rasovsky (1944–2012) won wide critical acclaim during his forty-year career as an audio dramatist, writer, producer, and director. His numerous honors included two Peabody Awards, nine Audie Awards, and a Grammy. In 2011, his production for Blackstone, The Mark of Zorro, was nominated for a Grammy. His final production for Blackstone was Die, Snow White! Die, Damn You! He has left behind an incredible legacy.