The Cipher Audiobook By Kathe Koja cover art

The Cipher

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The Cipher

By: Kathe Koja
Narrated by: Joshua Saxon
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Kathe Koja's classic, award-winning horror novel is finally available as an audiobook.

Nicholas, a would-be poet, and Nakota, his feral lover, discover a strange hole in the storage room floor down the hall - "Black. Pure black and the sense of pulsation, especially when you look at it too closely, the sense of something not living but alive." It begins with curiosity, a joke - the Funhole down the hall. But then the experiments begin. "Wouldn't it be wild to go down there?" says Nakota. Nicholas says "We're not." But they're not in control, not from the first moment, as those experiments lead to obsession, violence, and a very final transformation for everyone who gets too close to the Funhole.

THE CIPHER was the winner of the 1991 Bram Stoker Award, and was recently named one of io9.com's Top 10 Debut Science Fiction Novels That Took the World by Storm. Long out-of-print and much sought-after, it is finally available as an audiobook, with a new foreword by the author.

©2012 Kathe Koja (P)2020 David N. Wilson Horror Suspense Thriller & Suspense Scary Mind-Bending Mystery Fiction

Critic reviews

"An ethereal rollercoaster ride from start to finish." (The Detroit Free Press)

"Combines intensely poetic language and lavish grotesqueries." (BoingBoing)

"This powerful first novel is as thought-provoking as it is horrifying." (Publishers Weekly)
Unique Premise • Poetic Writing • Captivating Narration • Well-developed Voice • Vivid Imagery • Psychological Depth
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The performance was fantastic, the story was a dreadful descent into madness. Would absolutely recommend it, but I have no idea how to describe it.

A narration on spaghettification

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The story is gripping and doesn't get boring throughout the entirety of the book. The narrator REALLY MAKES IT. I found the book to be lackluster but it wasn't a waste of time. If you are looking for something for casual listening, I'd recommend it

Worth listening to - for the narrator if nothing else.

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performance was pretty good, Story somewhat interesting, but it can be dull at times. definitly day dreamed or stopped listening time to time. like a rollercoaster with you on the edge to the top, but then its slow on the way down with few turns or hills till it grinds to a dull halt

meh

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Started strong but dragged towards the end. Still worth a listen. The narrator was great.

Started Strong

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Listener received this title free

Everything about this book is top-notch. Loved the story, and it was narrated quite well. I've been waiting so long for this to come out in audiobook, so I put everything on hold and jumped right on it. Trust me, if you haven't read this one, do it now. You won't be disappointed. Thanks so much to Crossroads Press for putting this back out.

Excellent story / excellent narration

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Go down the hole! Will definitely seek out more Koja. Performance worked well and I couldn't stop listening.

Disturbingly Wonderful

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Gosh I'm not sure what to say but I would recommend this listen for a rainy weekend. The narrators were great. I even found myself yelling at the TV more than once for the characters to get a hold of themselves, mad that the MC would not get rid of his GF, the groupies and the fact everyone just abandoned their lives.I did appreciate the human aspect of him getting mad then fealing bad when he did. sometimes I wasn't sure if it was the fun hole making him do it or not,it was as if I was going crazy too I mean can you die when your feet get torn off at the ankle?

A rollercoaster!!

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I truly enjoyed where this book went and how evil and twisted it portrayed humans and everything they are capable of doing to achieve some sort of delusions of grandeur; to live as a superior being.

On the seat on the edge of your seat!

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Listener received this title free

Joshua Saxon brings the perfect sense of impending doom and humor to his narration of The Cipher. Kathe Koja's award-winning novel takes on unexpected and new sharp edges in this reading as we follow Nicholas and Nakota on their addicted journey with the Funhole. On the surface it is the kind of fantastic tale that would defy logic. Why would our two misfits stay together? Why would they tempt the trespasses of the Funhole? When everything indicates madness this way lies why do they keep pressing forward? Koja explores the incremental lure of love and longing as we watch the two steps back one step forward relationship between all the characters. There are no heroes, no saviors, no act of God to make things alright as we follow this cast and their obsession with the potential for danger and horror in the Funhole. Joshua Saxon bluntly exposes the body horror and madness in his world weary presentation. It works wonderfully for this horror tale of the unknown temptation just within view, but unreachable by most. Highly recommended.

Love and Dread Meets Obsession

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Good read, definitely a weird story but I enjoyed the mystery of it. The narrators voice was nice to listen to as well.

The wonder

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