Stephen King released the first chapter excerpt from Other Worlds Than These through Esquire, and I’ve narrated the complete opening so you can hear Jack Sawyer’s return before the October 2025 release.
Full Audio Narration of Other Worlds Than These Chapter 1
This is the official first chapter excerpt that Esquire published exclusively. I’ve recorded the complete narration so fans can experience the opening of The Talisman Part 3 in audio form months before the full audiobook drops.
What You’ll Hear in This Chapter 1 Narration
The excerpt shows where Jack Sawyer stands now, decades after Black House ended on that cliffhanger. You’ll hear King weaving together the Territories mythology with The Dark Tower universe, something longtime readers have suspected for years but King now confirms outright.
Hearing it aloud brings out the rhythm of King’s prose when he’s working in this mythic register. This isn’t standard King horror. This is King channeling Peter Straub while connecting back to Roland’s world.
Why I Narrated This Excerpt
King wrote this book alone after Straub’s death in 2022, but he describes the process as channeling his late collaborator throughout. The opening chapter carries that weight. You can feel both authors in the language, especially if you remember the voice of the original Talisman.
I wanted Constant Readers to have a way to experience this first chapter before October, especially those who prefer audiobooks or just want to hear how King is approaching Jack’s final journey.
The Story Behind Other Worlds Than These
King found an old email from Straub containing a story concept involving Charles Starkweather, the 1950s spree killer. That seed grew into the third Talisman novel, written with the blessing of Straub’s widow Susan and his children Emma and Ben.
The title comes directly from The Gunslinger. When Jake falls to his death, he tells Roland: “Go then. There are other worlds than these.” King admits he wanted an excuse to return to Mid-World, “which was always the Territories by another name.”
What Happens in Other Worlds Than These?
King’s synopsis: Jack must stop a gang of infected teenagers from America and the mysterious Gullet at Mid-World’s edge before all worlds are destroyed. Jack is older, his ka-tet is fracturing, and the mission feels impossible.
Black House left Jack healed in the Territories but unable to stay in America without dying. This chapter begins to show how he’s managing that curse.
The Talisman Reading Order
- The Talisman (1984) – 12-year-old Jack crosses America and the Territories
- Black House (2001) – Adult Jack returns, connects to The Dark Tower
- Other Worlds Than These (October 2025) – Jack’s final journey
King says you don’t need to read the first two books to enjoy this one, though they’ll enrich the experience considerably.
When Does the Full Audiobook Release?
The official audiobook for Other Worlds Than These releases alongside the print edition in October 2025. Until then, this narrated chapter excerpt from Esquire is the only audio available.
Gabriel Rodriguez returns to illustrate the novel after his work on Fairy Tale and the Locke & Key graphic novels with Joe Hill.
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