Roadwork

By: Stephen King

Narrated by: G. Valmont Thomas

Length: 9 hrs and 37 mins

Publisher's summary

Only Stephen King, writing as Richard Bachman, can imagine the horror of a good and angry man who fights back against bureaucracy when it threatens to destroy his vitality, home, and memories.

Barton Dawes' unremarkable but comfortable existence suddenly takes a turn for the worst. A new highway extension is being built right over the laundry plant where he works - and right over his home. Dawes isn't the sort of man who will take an insult of this magnitude lying down. His steadfast determination to fight the inevitable course of progress drives his wife and friends away while he tries to face down the uncaring bureaucracy that has destroyed his life.

This number-one national best seller includes an introduction by Stephen King on "The Importance of Being Bachman".

©1981 Richard Bachman (P)2013 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"Under any name King mesmerizes the reader." ( Chicago Sun-Times)

Good book, not so great narration

I enjoyed the story, but the narrator was difficult to listen to when he did female voices. Other than that, it was fine.

Slow Burning Suspense

First, I thought I wasn't going to like this story very much. it was a bit slow to start but once it got rolling from about the middle on to the conclusion, you learned to care for the characters and the story always kept you wondering until the end how things would work out.This ended up being another fine story by Stephen King as Richard Bachman.

Another Great Story

I couldn't get into this story but the audiobook helped alot. I like Mr.Dawes he was a kind man.

Good character study, satisfying ending.

King is my all time fave but some of his endings, let’s face it, are underwhelming. That isn’t the case with Roadwork, which tells the story of a man whose problems - most beyond his control- compound into a desire for revenge against both man and machine. And at just over 9 hours/400 pages, this is the perfect novel for younger; less enthusiastic readers.

AH

Good early King

This book isn't as godawful as some readers make it out to be. It's not great, but it is okay. The narrator dies a great job convert Dawes's descent into madness. Recommended.

Dark tale

A violently dark tale told by the best. This story is so real it’s scary. And it ends with a BANG.

King at his Bachman best

I have mixed feelings about this book, which may be the point. I liked it, but I spent a good portion of the read trying to understand the motivations going on. I won't go further for risk of spoilers, but I will say that it ends rather abruptly and the epilogue left me unsatisfied. Overall, I enjoyed it, but once is enough. The narration was excellent, that said.

Great short read

This book was what I expected. The best part is the acid part crrrystalll. Good read

Great Story, Narrator Too Much

I loved the story, but the narrator made every single person besides the main character sound whiney and annoying. I get adding some degree of voice change for variety, but I automatically hated everyone, just because they all sounded like Miss Piggy or a whiney brat. Wish he would have chilled out so I could have added my own voices to each character based on King's writing, not on the narrator's awful interpretation. Really made it hard to get a feel for the characters.

Bachman is definitely a bit darker

Always been a huge fan of the smooth transition from character to the next bits to get us worked up. Right after the ALTER KING does His thing by spreading his own version of magick. If you haven't gotten hypnotized by the 5th chapter I'd say you got to go start again! Irresistible! I simple story about a small man who has just had enough. It seems so easy with the information available to anyone. Again if the story takes you away from the world, just so long, I'd say it's meant for reading. Audio director really needs to get the narrator's voice balanced. He's using His voice well but it drops away to a whisper in parts. Later going to a roaring volume due to what I'd mentioned . Makes you quite uneasy with headphones on. Enjoy! I definitely have.