• Shadows

  • By: John Saul
  • Narrated by: J. Charles
  • Length: 12 hrs and 11 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (225 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
Shadows  By  cover art

Shadows

By: John Saul
Narrated by: J. Charles
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $25.00

Buy for $25.00

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

They call it the Academy. A secluded, cliff-top mansion overlooking the rugged Pacific coast. A school for children gifted - or cursed - with extraordinary minds. Children soon to come under the influence of an intelligence even more brilliant than their own - and unspeakably evil.

For within this mind a dark plan is taking form. A plan so horrifying, no one will believe it. No one but the children. And for them it is already too late. Too late, unless one young student can resist the seductive invitation that will lead... into the Shadows.

©2005 John Saul (P)2005 Brilliance Audio

Critic reviews

"[A] tense, high-tech psychological suspense thriller." (Publishers Weekly)

"Saul has the instincts of a natural storyteller." (People)

"J. Charles, does a terrific job creating a variety of children's voices....the overall effect is a gripping and suspenseful reading of a nerve-jangling tale." (AudioFile)

What listeners say about Shadows

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    119
  • 4 Stars
    66
  • 3 Stars
    27
  • 2 Stars
    7
  • 1 Stars
    6
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    107
  • 4 Stars
    47
  • 3 Stars
    24
  • 2 Stars
    4
  • 1 Stars
    4
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    111
  • 4 Stars
    40
  • 3 Stars
    24
  • 2 Stars
    8
  • 1 Stars
    4

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Loved it!! Will keep you listening!

My first John Saul book and he had me hanging on the edge in this book the entire way! I can't wait to download another one of his books! This is what you want in a book...you do not get bored.
The narrarator was excellent also. Since this book was suspensful tale about kids, it reminded me of a Koontz book called The Voice Of The Night. The narrarator makes it really good!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

10 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Good read - Good narration

This book kept my mind so engaged during a long drive from SC to TN that the hours passed nearly unnoticed. I arrived at my destination before the book ended and found myself looking for an activity to busy my body so I could finish listening to the story.

The ending was pretty much what I'd expected but it didn't spoil my enjoyment of the story at all.

So far this is one of my favorite audio book listens.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Can't go wrong with this one

Very entertaining, a little Twilight Zone, a good story and it makes you think.

Worth a credit.

If you like John Saul at all, you will enjoy this!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

No doubt - "Shadows" is worth a listen

I have downloaded several John Saul novels, and have come to the conclusion that most of his works are average, but when he's at his best he rivals Steven King. This is John Saul at his best. It took a little while for me to warm up to the characters, but soon I was on the edge of my seat. This is not demonic or filled with gore. Instead, it is a psychological thriller that ask you to see the world through the eyes of highly intelligent children who are largely outcasts, and there need to be a part of something - even something more sinister than you can imagine. The narrator, J. Charles, does an excellent job of bringing these characters to life.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Not my favorite. :(

Not my favorite John Saul novel, I kept hoping it would get better. It was more just a way to pass time than anything. I will ALWAYS recommend John Saul, just not this one.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Bah! Whatever.

This was not great.

The story was intriguing on some level I must admit, but it felt too much like a dated young adult novel so I never really got into the groove. The ending totally dropped me; it went from a somewhat ok story to annoying and quickly disintegrated into total ridiculousness.

I generally don’t dislike these types of “theoretical horror” plots, and I know I the trick to really enjoying books like these is to suspend your disbelief… but this one left like a B-movie - just a smidge on the other side of good.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Love it!

I love this book person that was reading and put in enough emotion in their voice to make you believe that there was more than one reader. Great Story!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

GREAT story!

I loved this book. ignore the reviewer who said something along the lines that "a school full of geniuses who act like morons" as he probably has never worked with or been around kids. I'm a former teacher whom, even before becoming a teacher, worked with all kinds of kids and let me tell you kids are all different. Some of the really intelligent kids have absolutely no common sense. Some kids who you might think are as as dumb as a rock, have more common sense than many adults i know. So ignore that comment as I almost skipped this book because of it and Im so glad I took a chance on it. It's such a great story. Sure it's for YA but I loved all the twists.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Of course I love it!! It’s John Saul!!

Only my favorite author!! I love his books so much I’ve read most of them more than once!! As usual I’m never disappointed. Shadows was as wonderful to read this time like it was the first time I read it!!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

A school for geniuses that is filled with idiots?

The story is about a school of "Geniuses" but they all act like morons. What? Why can't you write characters that aren't morons?

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!