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The Institute

An epic thriller from the No.1 bestseller and an acclaimed TV series

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The Institute

By: Stephen King
Narrated by: Santino Fontana
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NOW A MAJOR SERIES FROM MGM +

Combining the suspense of THE OUTSIDER with the childhood camaraderie in IT, THE INSTITUTE is a powerful new TV series and an epic thriller from the ultimate storyteller.

Deep in the woods of Maine, there is a dark state facility where kids, abducted from across the United States, are incarcerated. In the Institute they are subjected to a series of tests and procedures meant to combine their exceptional gifts - telepathy, telekinesis - for concentrated effect.

Luke Ellis is the latest recruit. He's just a regular 12-year-old, except he's not just smart, he's super-smart. And he has another gift which the Institute wants to use...

Far away in a small town in South Carolina, former cop Tim Jamieson has taken a job working for the local sheriff. He's basically just walking the beat. But he's about to take on the biggest case of his career.

Back in the Institute's downtrodden playground and corridors where posters advertise 'just another day in paradise', Luke, his friend Kalisha and the other kids are in no doubt that they are prisoners, not guests. And there is no hope of escape.

But great events can turn on small hinges and Luke is about to team up with a new, even younger recruit, Avery Dixon, whose ability to read minds is off the scale. While the Institute may want to harness their powers for covert ends, the combined intelligence of Luke and Avery is beyond anything that even those who run the experiments - even the infamous Mrs Sigsby - suspect.

Thrilling, suspenseful, heartbreaking, THE INSTITUTE is a stunning novel of childhood betrayed and hope regained. Adventure Entertainment & Celebrities Genre Fiction Horror Science Fiction Small Town & Rural Supernatural Thriller & Suspense Paranormal Fiction Exciting Scary Funny Suspense Parapsychology Extrasensory Perception
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Critic reviews

A terrific book - a flat out pedal to the metal thriller. One of Stephen King's best (Linwood Barclay)
Once pigeon-holed as a 'horror-meister', King has become a formidably versatile author, enabling him to pull off a captivating, hybrid novel that shape-shifts through several genres
A testament to the power of resilience and friendship . . . It does everything you'd expect of a masterpiece - and it is one
THE INSTITUTE will delight King's devoted readers and create a whole new generation of lifelong fans. The Master of Storytelling at his very best - which means better than anyone else (Matt Thorne)
Hums and crackles with delicious unease...King is supreme at crafting the building blocks of a story and laying them together in a slick, teasing and apparently simple way
Stephen King has written the most readable and electrifying tale . . . a thrilling, chilling ride
[King] has been a constant literary companion . . . I still look forward as much as I ever did to each new novel or short story collection. The Institute is another winner . . . It's familiar King territory and all the better for it. (Conleth Hill)
This hefty, provocative book will appeal particularly to King's long-standing fans.
King knows what he is doing, and has done for a longtime. His pacing, ear for dialogue and pure storytelling ability are all on display in The Institute
All stars
Most relevant
if your hoping for true king style of fast-paced character switches between chapters, as seen in king classics such as Mr Mercedes/the stand & the outsider - then this book will take you a little while longer to warm up to. The institute has 2 key storylines/characters but rather than jumper from one to the other like we are used to, king gives us a longer introduction to each. This isn't a put off at all, frankly the opposite. I've fallen in love with these characters in the same way that I did for Bill in the Mr. Mercedes trilogies - king has captured Tim and lewis in one book, in the same way, it took 3 books for Bill Hodges or 42 hours worth of reading in the stand.

This book does have very strong stand by me vibes, mixed together with the otherworldly story of stranger things.

another king classic

Slow start but stick to it, classic King awaits

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Utterly brilliant.
Clear your schedule because you will not be able to stop listening.
It’s as perfect as a book can get.

The narrator is wonderful

The master story writer at his very finest.

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Loved it. King at his best. Laughed, cried and was horrified in equal measure. Great, thought provoking story, and a terrific performance by narrator.

Fantastic: King at his best!

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This book completely engulfed me for a week - I found myself taking any excuses to go walking or for a drive to have chance to listen to more (including a 5 hour hike in the Lake District).

I’m a long time fan of the classic King books and was worried after hearing this was a departure but the horror is absolutely there... it’s more so the horror than every day humans have the capacity to commit.

An extra note should go to the narrator who breathes such incredible life into every character and is completely believable in his portrayal of both the male and female cast (which I personally find rare). From a cruella d’ville esque, scathing and condescending Mrs Sigsby. To the menacing and authoritarian Stackhouse.

I actually went and looked for this narrators other books after finishing this!

Incredible

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Enjoyed the book. Great story, wanted to put it down at the political point that happened a couple of times. I read to get away from life, not to get it rammed down my throat when I escape. That marred the book for me. Far left or far right, I don’t care which, I don’t want it in my precious, escapist books. You also managed to date stamp your book, never a great idea.

Enjoyable

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