Listen to a sample
Wake Up and Open Your Eyes
- Author
- Clay McLeod Chapman
- Narrator
- various
- Publisher
- Blackstone Publishing
- Publish Date
- 7 January 2025
- Run Time
- 11 hours 11 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
What to expect
From Vulture’s “master of horror” Clay McLeod Chapman, a relentless and emotionally charged social horror novel about a family on the run from a demonic possession epidemic that spreads through media, for fans of The Last of Us and Where Evil Lurks
Noah Fairchild has been losing his formerly polite Southern parents to far-right cable news for years, so when his mother leaves him a voicemail warning him that the “Great Reckoning” is here, he assumes it’s related to one of the many conspiracy theories she believes in. But when his own phone calls go unanswered, Noah makes the long drive from Brooklyn to Richmond, Virginia. There, he discovers his childhood home in shambles, a fridge full of spoiled food, and his parents locked in a terrifying trance-like state in front of the TV. Panicked, Noah attempts to snap them out of it and get medical help.
Then Noah’s mother brutally attacks him.
But Noah isn’t the only person to be attacked by a loved one. Families across the country are tearing each other apart—literally—as people succumb to a form of possession that gets worse the more time they spend watching particular channels, using certain apps, or visiting certain websites. In Noah’s Richmond-based family, only he and his young nephew Marcus are unaffected. Together, they must race back to the safe haven of Brooklyn—but can they make it before they fall prey to the violent hordes?
This ambitious, searing novel from “one of horror’s modern masters” holds a mirror to our divided nation, and will shake listeners to the core.
Critics Review
-
“If talking politics with family has become a horror show, this book’s for you.”
New York Times
-
“Digs a scalpel point into the exposed nerves of Trump’s America…As chilling and oppressive as contemporary horror comes.”
Vulture
-
“P. J. Ochlan’s calm juxtaposed with the cast’s panicked voices creates an unsettling experience that is perfect for horror.”
AudioFile
-
“With the help of a stellar cast of narrators, takes listeners not only on Noah’s journey but through a social media house of mirrors reflecting society’s collapse…For fans of socially conscious horror, as well as those seeking the grisliness of possession and psychological horror.”
Library Journal (starred audio review)
See more reviews See fewer reviews
-
“Will hijack readers’ nervous systems…A compelling, cinematic, visceral, and disturbing tale.”
Booklist (starred review)
-
“Readers may think they know where the book is heading, but Chapman offers more surprises as he ventures further into the apocalypse…This work is his most terrifying yet.”
Library Journal (starred review)
-
“Likely to be one of the most unforgettable reads of the whole year.”
BookRiot
-
“A profoundly terrifying, riveting, intense, nerve-shredding modern horror epic.”
Rachel Harrison, author of So Thirsty
-
“The proximity of Chapman’s demons is enough to make one lock the doors, turn off the television, [and] curl into a ball in the dark… A sparkling variety of narration, mad vivid energy, and even brilliantly funny bits.”
Josh Malerman, New York Times bestselling author
-
“Supercharged, gloriously maximalist, terrifying, and disgusting. But mostly it’s tragic, and hits much closer to home than any of us want it to.”
C. J. Leede, author of Maeve Fly
-
“[A] roller coaster of a novel, the kind that leaves you shaking and shrieking and smiling. [Chapman] takes all that’s troubling our nation in the current day and, somehow, makes it all the more frightening.”
Victor LaValle, author of Lone Women
User Reviews
No reviews yet.
Details
- Author
- Clay McLeod Chapman
- Narrator
- various
- Duration
- 11 hours 11 minutes
- Release Date
- 7 January 2025
- ISBN
- 9798874727024
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- Blackstone Publishing
- Genre
- Horror and supernatural fiction, Occult fiction, Psychological thriller
Synopsis
From Vulture’s “master of horror” Clay McLeod Chapman, a relentless and emotionally charged social horror novel about a family on the run from a demonic possession epidemic that spreads through media, for fans of The Last of Us and Where Evil LurksNoah Fairchild has been losing his formerly polite Southern parents to far-right cable news for years, so when his mother leaves him a voicemail warning him that the “Great Reckoning” is here, he assumes it’s related to one of the many conspiracy theories she believes in. But when his own phone calls go unanswered, Noah makes the long drive from Brooklyn to Richmond, Virginia. There, he discovers his childhood home in shambles, a fridge full of spoiled food, and his parents locked in a terrifying trance-like state in front of the TV. Panicked, Noah attempts to snap them out of it and get medical help.Then Noah’s mother brutally attacks him.But Noah isn’t the only person to be attacked by a loved one. Families across the country are tearing each other apart—literally—as people succumb to a form of possession that gets worse the more time they spend watching particular channels, using certain apps, or visiting certain websites. In Noah’s Richmond-based family, only he and his young nephew Marcus are unaffected. Together, they must race back to the safe haven of Brooklyn—but can they make it before they fall prey to the violent hordes?This ambitious, searing novel from “one of horror’s modern masters” holds a mirror to our divided nation, and will shake listeners to the core.
About xigxag
xigxag is an independent, UK-based audiobook platform and the UK's only B Corp certified audiobook company. We offer nearly 150,000 audiobooks, all with professional human narration. No AI-generated voices. xigxag is rated an Ethical Consumer Best Buy for audiobooks and a top-rated ethical bookshop.
There is no subscription. You buy the audiobooks you want, you own them permanently, and prices start at $13.95. The more you listen over the year, the less you pay per book, and there is always a selection in Listen for Less from $7.95. You can also send audiobooks as gifts using our audiobook gift cards or in-app gifting.
Every audiobook on xigxag has honest reviews covering both the book and the narration, and our community features make it easy to share what you are listening to, discover what others recommend, and find your next listen.
Download or stream on iOS, Android, or in your browser. Browse the full catalogue at xigxag.co.uk.