Every so often a novel-reader's novel comes along: an enthralling, entertaining story wedded to simple, supple prose, both informed by tremendous imagination. Summer is the perfect time for such books, and this year readers can enjoy the gift of Justin Cronin's The Passage. Read 15 pages, and you will find yourself captivated; read 30 and you will find yourself taken prisoner and reading late into the night. It had the vividness that only epic works of fantasy and imagination can achieve.

What else can I say? This: read this book and the ordinary world disappears.

—Stephen King

It's so exciting to read this book. Personally, I loved it; I raced through and can't wait for the next installment. But, I also got that thrill you get when you read something that you know is going to be big, is a book you want to recommend everyone read. It's going to be a lot fun to work on The Passage.

Posted by Jaci Updike, Random House, Senior Vice President, Director Random House Sales

What a splendid writer, what a splendid story, and what a splendid ending - I nearly fell out of bed from the sheer emotional power of it. Cannot wait to share this with booksellers and readers everywhere.

Posted by Ruth Liebmann, Random House, V.P., Director, Account Marketing, Random House