The King of the Things
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Prime members: New to Audible?Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
The King of the Things
Buy for $6.95
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Philip Battley
About this listen
Warning!
This story is an adult free zone. Why? Because it is simply too scary, or too horridly disgusting, for most adults. We know this is true. Kids can handle it. Usually. Adults can’t. Mostly. There are very few grown who can sit through the full telling of this tale. Not without scrunching up their noses, or scrinching up their eyes, or gasping “EEEwwwww” or just saying “Yuk that’s disgusting” before the tale reaches its end. Very brave grown-ups may be allowed to listen, if at least one child will vouch that they can handle it. So now you know that, we can carry on...
This is a folk tale for children, set once upon a time, in a place not so far from you.
Meet the schoolboy Hunch - the village hunchback. Hunch lives in a small village surrounded by a tall forest. All the parents always tell the children, "Don't go in the woods!" When the children ask why, the adults always say, "Because strange creatures called Things live in there! We don't know what they look like, but we do know that anyone who enters that forest, never comes back"!
Would YOU enter the forest if you'd been told that?
Nobody ever dares go in the woods, because of the strange Things that live there.
But Hunch the village hunchback is different from everyone else. He knows it. Everyone knows it. And his arch-rival at school - a boy named Tax who is best at absolutely everything - never fails to use it against him. Tax is Hunch's very own bully - you could say that Tax is 'King Of The Thugs' and makes sure Hunch remains miserable.
Then one full moon after being bullied by Tax, Hunch gets so upset he runs into the forest. He can't help himself. He's not thinking - he's just got one voice in his head. It is saying "Oh why was I born me?" and blinds out all thoughts about his own safety.
In this story where goodness receives its own reward, nobody expects the surprise at hand when Hunch meets the Things. He will never be the same - if only he can survive, and remember to say thank you!
©2014 Mogzilla Books (P)2020 Adrian BeckinghamRelated to this topic
-
The Christmas Pig
- By: J.K. Rowling
- Narrated by: Amaka Okafor, Rocco Padden, Gerran Howell, and others
- Length: 5 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 3,631
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 3,192
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 3,179
Jack loves his childhood toy Dur Pig. DP has always been there for him, through good and bad. Until one Christmas Eve something terrible happens - DP is lost. But Christmas Eve is a night for miracles and lost causes, a night when all things can come to life...even toys. And Jack’s newest toy - the Christmas Pig (DP’s annoying replacement) - has a daring plan: Together they’ll embark on a magical journey to seek something lost and to save the best friend Jack has ever known....
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
More Scary & Violent Than "Heartwarming Adventure"
- By Bookworm on 10-19-21
By: J.K. Rowling
-
The Ickabog
- By: J.K. Rowling
- Narrated by: Stephen Fry
- Length: 7 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 5,319
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 4,734
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 4,723
The kingdom of Cornucopia was once the happiest in the world. It had plenty of gold, a king with the finest moustache you could possibly imagine, and butchers, bakers, and cheesemongers whose exquisite foods made a person dance with delight when they ate them. Everything was perfect - except for the misty Marshlands to the north, which, according to legend, were home to the monstrous Ickabog. Anyone sensible knew that the Ickabog was just a myth to scare children into behaving. But the funny thing about myths is that sometimes they take on a life of their own.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Oh, dear...
- By ili pika on 11-11-20
By: J.K. Rowling
-
Disney Frozen: Olaf's Quest
- By: Disney Press, Suzanne Francis
- Narrated by: Jake Green, Matt Lowe, Abby Trott, and others
- Length: 2 hrs and 22 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 279
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 267
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 267
Olaf, Arendelle’s adorable snowman, loves to read. One day, an unexpected message leads Olaf and his friends Anna, Kristoff, and Sven on a quest for a place known as Haus Biblio, described as a “sea of stories”. This Audible Original spans the group’s journey to Haus Biblio as they cross over mountains, search for monsters under bridges, and have conversations with friendly sheep. During his travels, Olaf makes new friends and hears lots of exciting stories along the way.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Wonderfully told
- By R and L on 09-22-24
By: Disney Press, and others
-
The Complete Wizard of Oz Collection
- All 22 Stories
- By: L. Frank Baum
- Narrated by: Eric Vincent
- Length: 90 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 538
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 461
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 466
This is the complete Wizard of Oz collection of 22 stories written by L. Frank Baum. This is the only complete collection that includes all the Oz stories. All 22 stories are fully complete. They include the dedication and the introduction of each story/book. In this collection, you will find stories not available in other collections. It even includes stories published after the death of L. Frank Baum.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Audio chapter list below as was missing
- By MM on 04-09-14
By: L. Frank Baum
-
A Mickey Mouse Christmas Collection Story: The Prince and the Pauper
- By: Disney Books
- Narrated by: Disney Publishing Worldwide
- Length: 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 20
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 19
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 19
Mickey and friends star in this adaptation of Mark Twain’s The Prince and the Pauper. During a chance encounter, a prince discovers he looks just like someone else—a poor and hungry subject named Mickey. When the prince asks Mickey to switch places with him for the day, each learns what it is like to walk in the other’s shoes.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
I liked the added sound effects!
- By Ariel R. on 12-25-24
By: Disney Books
-
The Secret Garden
- By: Frances Hodgson Burnett
- Narrated by: Carrie Hope Fletcher
- Length: 7 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 7,968
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 7,186
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 7,150
Mary Lennox starts her life as an unhappy victim of circumstance. After the loss of her parents, she moves to rural Yorkshire to live with a distant uncle where she resents the wildness of the countryside. At first, she struggles to find a place in this new existence. Although unsure about her surroundings and its occupants, through the gentle guidance of the maid she gradually becomes interested in the story of Mrs Craven, who apparently used to spend her time in a garden at the house, the key to which has vanished.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Fabulous
- By Lady Lightning on 05-19-20
-
The Christmas Pig
- By: J.K. Rowling
- Narrated by: Amaka Okafor, Rocco Padden, Gerran Howell, and others
- Length: 5 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 3,631
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 3,192
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 3,179
Jack loves his childhood toy Dur Pig. DP has always been there for him, through good and bad. Until one Christmas Eve something terrible happens - DP is lost. But Christmas Eve is a night for miracles and lost causes, a night when all things can come to life...even toys. And Jack’s newest toy - the Christmas Pig (DP’s annoying replacement) - has a daring plan: Together they’ll embark on a magical journey to seek something lost and to save the best friend Jack has ever known....
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
More Scary & Violent Than "Heartwarming Adventure"
- By Bookworm on 10-19-21
By: J.K. Rowling
-
The Ickabog
- By: J.K. Rowling
- Narrated by: Stephen Fry
- Length: 7 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 5,319
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 4,734
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 4,723
The kingdom of Cornucopia was once the happiest in the world. It had plenty of gold, a king with the finest moustache you could possibly imagine, and butchers, bakers, and cheesemongers whose exquisite foods made a person dance with delight when they ate them. Everything was perfect - except for the misty Marshlands to the north, which, according to legend, were home to the monstrous Ickabog. Anyone sensible knew that the Ickabog was just a myth to scare children into behaving. But the funny thing about myths is that sometimes they take on a life of their own.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Oh, dear...
- By ili pika on 11-11-20
By: J.K. Rowling
-
Disney Frozen: Olaf's Quest
- By: Disney Press, Suzanne Francis
- Narrated by: Jake Green, Matt Lowe, Abby Trott, and others
- Length: 2 hrs and 22 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 279
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 267
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 267
Olaf, Arendelle’s adorable snowman, loves to read. One day, an unexpected message leads Olaf and his friends Anna, Kristoff, and Sven on a quest for a place known as Haus Biblio, described as a “sea of stories”. This Audible Original spans the group’s journey to Haus Biblio as they cross over mountains, search for monsters under bridges, and have conversations with friendly sheep. During his travels, Olaf makes new friends and hears lots of exciting stories along the way.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Wonderfully told
- By R and L on 09-22-24
By: Disney Press, and others
-
The Complete Wizard of Oz Collection
- All 22 Stories
- By: L. Frank Baum
- Narrated by: Eric Vincent
- Length: 90 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 538
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 461
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 466
This is the complete Wizard of Oz collection of 22 stories written by L. Frank Baum. This is the only complete collection that includes all the Oz stories. All 22 stories are fully complete. They include the dedication and the introduction of each story/book. In this collection, you will find stories not available in other collections. It even includes stories published after the death of L. Frank Baum.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Audio chapter list below as was missing
- By MM on 04-09-14
By: L. Frank Baum
-
A Mickey Mouse Christmas Collection Story: The Prince and the Pauper
- By: Disney Books
- Narrated by: Disney Publishing Worldwide
- Length: 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 20
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 19
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 19
Mickey and friends star in this adaptation of Mark Twain’s The Prince and the Pauper. During a chance encounter, a prince discovers he looks just like someone else—a poor and hungry subject named Mickey. When the prince asks Mickey to switch places with him for the day, each learns what it is like to walk in the other’s shoes.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
I liked the added sound effects!
- By Ariel R. on 12-25-24
By: Disney Books
-
The Secret Garden
- By: Frances Hodgson Burnett
- Narrated by: Carrie Hope Fletcher
- Length: 7 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 7,968
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 7,186
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 7,150
Mary Lennox starts her life as an unhappy victim of circumstance. After the loss of her parents, she moves to rural Yorkshire to live with a distant uncle where she resents the wildness of the countryside. At first, she struggles to find a place in this new existence. Although unsure about her surroundings and its occupants, through the gentle guidance of the maid she gradually becomes interested in the story of Mrs Craven, who apparently used to spend her time in a garden at the house, the key to which has vanished.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Fabulous
- By Lady Lightning on 05-19-20
What listeners say about The King of the Things
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Adam Mueller
- 06-26-21
GREAT STORY!
My kids loved this story as a perfect companion on our long drive to visit family. Its all they could talk about. We definitely thank author Adrian Beckingham for not only keeping them occupied, but pumping so much enthusiasm into them. This is the power of a true master of storytelling.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- DabOfDarkness
- 08-04-21
Bullying & Mysteries in the Woods
The King of the Things is a cute little story about bullying and how to deal with it, set in a quiet little village pre-modern times with swinging axes and snuggly squirrels. Hunch is a sensitive young lad with zero friends and limited math skills. However, he does make friends with woodland creatures easily and his parents love him. The other kids and adults either make fun of him or avoid him because he looks different from them, with that big hunchback on one shoulder. Tax is the main insulter, a boy who has too many natural skills and little ambition to become a better person.
But things are about to get weird for Hunch. One day after yet another humiliating event in the village, he run-shambles out far and farther into the woods. There he comes across something he wasn’t expecting and had never seen before. Unexpectedly, even though it’s scary, Hunch may have just made an ally.
My one little quibble is that the cast of characters is so limited and they are all male (tho Hunch’s mom gets a mention). I hope that changes as the story continues in a second book (right? You can’t just leave me with a cliffhanger!). There has to be more to Hunch’s story, right? I mean things definitely look up and left-tilted near the end for Hunch, being strange and new territory for him, but what happens next? Overall, 4.5/5 stars.
The Narration: Philip Battley was a good voice for the story. He sounded like a kindly uncle reading a bedtime story. He didn’t do kids voices really for the two young lads but you could always tell which character was talking as Hunch sounded more sensitive and Tax more insulting even if he was just breathing. The pacing was good and there were no tech issues with the recording. 4.5/5 stars.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are 100% my own.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!