by Joe Hill
Narrator: Wil Wheaton, Stephen Lang, Dennis Boutsikaris, Kate Mulgrew
Length: 14 hours and 35 minutes
Genres: Anthologies, Horror
Source: Publisher
Purchase*: Amazon | Audible *affiliate
Narration: 4 cups
A collection of four chilling novels, ingeniously wrought gems of terror from the brilliantly imaginative number one New York Times best-selling author of The Fireman, Joe Hill.
"One of America's finest horror writers" (Time magazine), Joe Hill has been hailed among legendary talents such as Peter Straub, Neil Gaiman, and Jonathan Letham. In Strange Weather, this "compelling chronicler of human nature's continual war between good and evil" (Providence Journal-Bulletin), who "pushes genre conventions to new extremes" (New York Times Book Review), deftly expose the darkness that lies just beneath the surface of everyday life.
Snapshot, performed by Wil Wheaton, is the disturbing story of a Silicon Valley adolescent who finds himself threatened by The Phoenician, a tattooed thug who possesses a Polaroid Instant Camera that erases memories snap by snap.
A young man takes to the skies to experience his first parachute jump...and winds up a castaway on an impossibly solid cloud, a Prospero's island of roiling vapor that seems animated by a mind of its own in Aloft, performed by Dennis Boutsikaris.
On a seemingly ordinary day in Boulder, Colorado, the clouds open up in a downpour of nails - splinters of bright crystal that shred the skin of anyone not safely under cover. Rain, performed by Kate Mulgrew, explores this escalating apocalyptic event as the deluge of nails spreads out across the country and around the world.
In Loaded, performed by Stephen Lang, a mall security guard in a coastal Florida town courageously stops a mass shooting and becomes a hero to the modern gun rights movement. But under the glare of the spotlights, his story begins to unravel, taking his sanity with it. When an out-of-control summer blaze approaches the town, he will reach for the gun again and embark on one last day of reckoning.
With an afterword from Joe Hill, read by the author.
I loved NOS42A which was my first Joe Hill book, so I was excited at the chance to review Strange Weather a collection of four short stories on audiobook. With a stellar cast of narrators, I quickly became caught up in these haunting and disturbing tales.
- Snapshot performed by Wil Wheaton. A creepy tale about a Polaroid camera that takes more than just your picture. Classic horror tale with a Hitchcock vibe, I listened to this in almost one sitting. A man known as the Phoenician takes photos with an old Polaroid that steals your memories and an eleven-year-old boy takes him on. Will Wheaton is a favorite narrator and perfectly matched to Hill. -4 cups of coffee
- Loaded performed by Stephen Lang. This story could have been taking from today’s headlines regarding gun-control. Mass shootings, police brutality, racism, gun fanaticism, and hate. Randall Kelloway works as a mall cop, he’s tried to join the Police force but keeps being rejected for good reason. Randall is mentally unfit and has issues in his personal life begin with an order of protection against him from his ex-wife. After a mall massacre, he is seen as a hero, but when a reporter begins investigating Randall’s story quickly crumbles. With brilliant characters, disturbing truths and Hill’s clever storytelling this was one of my favorites. The middle dragged a little keeping this from a five cup rating, but the ending wowzers! Stephen Lang’s voice is made for storytelling and gave me chills. – 4.5 cups of coffee
- Aloft performed by Dennis Boutsikaris. Unidentifiable flying objects, Aloft wasn’t very scary but delivered readers to the Twilight Zone. This intriguing story shares events that occur when protagonist Aubrey Griffin joins his friend Jane as she full-fills items on her bucket list. Which is how he finds himself sky-jumping. Everything goes wrong, and he ends up stuck in the clouds. Dennis Boutsikaris is a new to me narrator with a pleasing voice. – 3.5 cups of coffee
- Rain performed by Kate Mulgrew. Hill shares the beginnings of an apocalyptic world when rain falls in the form of sharp needle-like crystalline. It kills protagonist, Honeysuckle’s girlfriend and neighbors. Honeysuckle sets out to inform her father-in-law of his daughter and wife’s passing. Along the way, she encounters cult members of a hate group. Set in Denver, this tale has a political message similar to Loaded. Relevant, captivating, and chock full of both sad and humorous moments, I got a kick out of Honeysuckle. 5 cups of coffee
Joe Hill is brilliant and the Strange Weather collection is perfect for those wanting a sampling of his works. For fans, it is the perfect appetizer as we wait for his next release. With subtle political messages relevant to today’s headlines Hill pulls the reader in with his addictive and thought-provoking, horror-laced tales.
With a fantastic cast of narrators, Strange Weather by Joe Hill is a must listen #audio Share on X
About Kimberly
Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat. Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
Rebecca
Just finished this one and I really loved it. I think it’s going into my favorite reads of 2017. Great review!
Kimberly
Happy to hear that Rebecca. I listened to Fireman otherwise this would have made my top ten audio list.
Ricki Jill Treleaven
I bought a signed copy for my daughter for Christmas. She loves Joe Hill: Horns is her favorite book. I read The Fireman earlier this year and enjoyed it.
I love Kate Mulgrew’s voice, so I’d probably enjoy listening to the last story for sure.
Michelle Gilmore
I finished this one this week and really enjoyed it! Loaded was haunting and didn’t really expect that one, the others fit more of the ‘Joe Hill’ image I have, but I think it was my favorite as much as it made my stomach turn. I love Wil Wheaton and Kate Mulgrew. Wil is a lot of fun, and Kate has one of those perfect voices for stories.
Suzanne
I really need to try one of Joe Hill’s books. I always hear such great things about them.
Karen Blue
Glad to finally see a review for this one. I usually dislike short story collections. I am happy to see you enjoyed this one!
Carole @ Carole's Random Life in Books
I may have to pick this one up. I have been wanting to read more from Joe Hill and I like the fact that each story has a different narrator. Glad you enjoyed it!
ShootingStarsMag
I really want to read more by Joe Hill, including this one, so I’m really glad to hear you liked most of the stories! I’ve read Horns and his Locke and Key graphic novel series – both very good!
-Lauren
Christy LoveOfBooks
I liked this too. The last was definitely my favorite.
Melissa (Books and Things)
I’ve only read one book by him but I do want to try more. This sounds like a brilliant audio and love the narrators too!
Angela Adams
I’m fond of anthologies. They’re a chance to read several stories in one setting. Thanks for the post.
Melanie Simmons
You really have me wanting to try this one. I do love Joe Hill. I’ve tried a few from him (NOS4A2, on your recommendation, The Heartshaped Box, The Fireman). I’m really excited to try more from him. I didn’t realize this was an anthology. I’ll have to get myself on the list for this audiobook at the library. Great review.
Blodeuedd
I have read 2 of his and will def read more 🙂
Jo
I have just realized that I have never read any horror story! Wow, that’s crazy, I thought I have tried all the genres. Oh well, maybe I should start with this one, sounds exciting!
Jenea's Book Obsession
Oooh, these sound really good! I’m glad that you enjoyed them.
Felicia GeekyBlogger (@thegeekyblogger)
I haven’t listened yet. I meant too during Halloween but I got on a contemporary romance kick of all things LOL
kindlemom1
I saw this one the other day and was wondering when you would be reviewing it. 😉
Glad you liked it. Looks like it will be another to add to the list.
Laurel-Rain Snow
The well-hidden connection between this author and his father, Stephen King, never seems to come up that much. I just found a side-by-side picture of the two.
I haven’t read this author yet…but maybe I will start with a collection of short novellas, like this one. Thanks for sharing.
Kimberly
Agreed.
Stormi Johnson
I have heard this is a good one. I still need to read Joe Hill, I have a couple of his books just not read them. 🙂
Debbie Haupt
Thanks Kim I’ve heard a lot about this author and he’s on my list. And when I saw one of the narraters was Wil Wheaton I was shocked because I remember him on Star Trek The Next Generation. Thanks
Nina
Love the sound of these stories. And I do love a good horror.
Karen
I keep reading to try this author but for some reason (ok…the reason is I have too many books! lol) I haven’t gotten to him yet.
For What It’s Worth
Vanessa
I read one time from Joe Hill but I really really hated it so from that day on, I never tried to read another from him. But man!!! This one sounds really good. I should really check it out. Great review Kim 🙂
Angela @ Simply Angela
Ooh, these stories sound interesting although when my reading material contains political messages, subtle or not, I get turned off the book.
Kimberly
He does well, in that he makes you think rather than force one view or the other.
Nadene @Totally Addicted to Reading
These stories do sound interesting. I am glad you enjoyed them all.
Mystica
Four rather apocalypse type stories. Nice to see how it ends.