Depressing story, but magnificent writing.

Having already seen, and been impressed by, the film I was hoping that the book would be just as good. In fact, it's even better.
Sometime in the near future, in some unidentified country, a man and his young son are struggling to survive in a world that has been devastated by a vast disaster that is never fully explained. Everything around them is burnt and dead; they are walking along a road to find the sea, where they hope things will be better. The road is full of threats and dangers - specifically from fellow survivors, who have nearly all turned into cannibal savages. Nobody can be trusted and they regularly come across horrors perpetuated by the savages.
Yes, it sounds depressing, all right. But McCarthy's excellent carries it along - you get a good sense of the characters of these two; the man is a decent and moral person struggling to keep themselves alive in a terrible world, the boy is learning that humans are both bad and good and that he must stay on the side of the good. The dialogue is spare and sparse, often just consisting of "OK, OK", "I know, I know", "We'll go this way", "OK". There are no fancy speeches, no heroic declarations; this is how real people, real family members speak to each other.
I'd intended only to listen to a couple of chapters before bed, but ended up sitting up all night, unable to stop, willing these two characters - who had become so familiar and dear to me - to survive. Only the ending was a slight disappointment (hence the four stars), but it's difficult to see the author could have ended any other way.
The reading was beautifully done, also. Tom Stechschulte conveyed the different personalities of the pair really well, even with so little dialogue to work with. And his reading of the descriptive passages - some of them very long - never got boring. Long passages that I would probably have skimmed through in print held my attention all the way through and had me seeing the scene in my mind. His performance bought the whole dismal world of The Road to vivid life.
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Mcarthy at his best.

A very bleak novel told with beautiful prose. This has the very essence of what made McCarthy the truly great author he was. The narration is superb and does the story justice. If you are a fan of post apocalyptic fiction, this rates as one of, if not the very best. A haunting story that stays with you long after its conclusion.

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Stunning, unforgettable

Heart-breaking, spare, moving. This is a book that will live with me for a long time. I sobbed at the end, and am crying as I write this. I will not forget either the book, or the superb, perfectly matched performance.

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Brilliant

Don't go to see the film - read the book. Very dark and atmospheric. Unlike one of the other reviewers, I can clearly see why it has won such aclaim. Read it and make up your own mind.

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On the Road Again

Bleak and sparse this narrative is wonderfully affecting and Tom Stechschulte gives an excellent performance as the archetypal man and boy in this post-apocalyptic wasteland.

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Well written, well read, but well sad!

What did you like most about The Road?

It was a short and quite simple story, but the themes are really human and quite deep.

What did you like best about this story?

The characters are few and far between, but you do get a growing sense of who the man and boy are as the story progresses, which is what I liked best.

Have you listened to any of Tom Stechschulte’s other performances? How does this one compare?

Yes, his performance on 'No Country For Old Men' was fantastic.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I tend to listen on my commute, so no, not really. However it is short enough to get through in one day if you wanted to.

Any additional comments?

Although this story has stayed with me and I think about it often, I sometimes wonder if I would say I 'enjoyed' it because I found it SO SAD! Fathers with young sons beware! But it really is well written and a good story. I didn't think it was as good as 'No Country For Old Men' though.

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A bitterly bleak masterpiece

Hopelessness and a rich yet desolate landscape are captured magnificently with deft, clipped prose. The narration is sublime and charged with a grizzled, gritty tone that compliments the story perfectly.

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Beautiful and Stark

Loved this book it was so stark but beautifully written. Enjoyed every minute of it.

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Heart warming and breathtaking experience.

It changes you perception of life to the point where you feel as if in a way it has impacted your own luxurious life that we live into toady.an amazing book by far proceeded my expectations.

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Perfect.

A perfect book. Stay away if you don't like dark and disturbing moments - although the darkness is what makes the few moments of life and happiness even more profound and moving. Tom Stechschulte reads with a fantastic voice that suits it perfectly.

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