Death Stranding is a fascinating game about connection, post-apocalyptic society, and finding meaning in the face of extinction. It’s also a long game to play through, so if you’d prefer to take a shortcut, you can always read the official novelization instead. Split into two volumes, the books retell the story of Sam Porter Bridges and his mission to reconnect North America following a devastating event that saw the worlds of the living and the dead collide. Both volumes are available in paperback and Kindle format at Amazon, or as audiobooks narrated by actor Bronson Pinchot (Perfect Strangers, Beverly Hills Cop). The audiobook versions are included in the Audible Premium library available to Audible Premium and Premium Plus subscribers.
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The two-part Death Stranding: The Official Novelization was written by Hitori Nojima. The books faithfully follow Death Stranding’s plot, but offer more insight into the characters and their motivations that the game didn’t cover and provide more context on Death Stranding and its intricate worldbuilding.
The first book covers the beginning of Sam’s journey to reunite the scattered cities of post-apocalyptic North America in the wake of the Death Stranding–a strange supernatural event where the spirits of the dead make physical contact with the world of the living, triggering cataclysms on par with nuclear explosions.
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Death Stranding: The Official Novelization Part 2 follows Sam on the second half of his journey, while also investigating a conspiracy involving his dead mother, estranged sister, and eventually uncovering the truth behind the Death Stranding and the world’s ultimate fate.
As mentioned above, the Death Stranding novelization is also available in audiobook format at Audible. The books are included in the Audible Premium Library, meaning Audible Premium and Premium Plus subscribers can access them immediately at no additional cost. Audible Premium normally costs $8 per month, while Premium Plus is $15–however, if you’re a new subscriber, you can join now and get three months of Audible Premium Plus for $0 if you sign up before July 31.
Along with access to the Audible Premium Library, Audible Premium Plus memberships also include a monthly credit to redeem one free audiobook that’s yours to keep forever, even if you cancel, plus access to member-exclusive discounts, all for $15 per month. And if you’re already a Prime subscriber and sign up using this deal, you’ll get an additional two Audible credits. You can use this deal to listen to the Death Stranding audiobook for free–not to mention thousands of other audiobooks. Note that after the free trial ends, your membership will automatically roll over to the full $15/month subscription unless you cancel before the three months are up.
It’s also worth noting that Amazon is offering a similar deal for three free months of Kindle Unlimited for new subscribers. The Death Stranding novelization is also available in Kindle format, and while they’re not part of Kindle Unlimited’s free ebook library, the Kindle versions are more affordable than the paperback editions, at just $11 per volume.
After reading or listening to the Death Stranding novelization, you’ll be ready for its sequel, Death Stranding 2, which launched for PS5 on June 26. You can pick up the standard edition of the game for $70. Deluxe editions are also available, as is a Death Stranding 2 Edition DualSense controller featuring a slick matte-black color scheme and gold decals inspired by the game.
