Dracula [Audible Edition]

By: Bram Stoker

Narrated by: Alan Cumming, Tim Curry, Simon Vance, Katherine Kellgren, Susan Duerden, John Lee, Graeme Malcolm, Steven Crossley

Length: 15 hrs and 27 mins

Publisher's summary

Audie Award, Distinguished Achievement in Production, 2013

Audie Award, Multi-voiced Performance, 2013

Audie Award Nominee, Classic, 2013

Because of the widespread awareness of the story of the evil Transylvanian count and the success of numerous film adaptations that have been created over the years, the modern audience hasn't had a chance to truly appreciate the unknowing dread that readers would have felt when reading Bram Stoker's original 1897 manuscript. Most modern productions employ campiness or sound effects to try to bring back that gothic tension, but we've tried something different. By returning to Stoker's original storytelling structure - a series of letters and journal entries voiced by Jonathan Harker, Dr. Van Helsing, and other characters - with an all-star cast of narrators, we've sought to recapture its originally intended horror and power.

This production of Dracula is presented by what is possibly the best assemblage of narrating talent ever for one audiobook: Emmy Award nominees Alan Cumming and Tim Curry plus an all-star cast of Audie award-winners Simon Vance (The Millenium Trilogy), Katherine Kellgren (Pride and Prejudice and Zombies), Susan Duerden (The Tiger’s Wife), John Lee (Supergods) and customer favorites Graeme Malcolm (Skippy Dies), Steven Crossley (The Oxford Time Travel series), Simon Prebble (The Baroque Cycle), James Adams (Letters to a Young Contrarian), Nicola Barber (The Rose Garden), Victor Villar-Hauser (Fun Inc.), and Marc Vietor (1Q84). These stellar narrators have been cast as follows:

Alan Cumming as Dr. Seward
Simon Vance as Jonathan Harker
Katy Kellgren as Mina Murray/Harker
Susan Duerden as Lucy Westenra
Tim Curry as Van Helsing
Graeme Malcolm as Dailygraph correspondent
Steven Crossley as Zookeeper’s account and reporter
Simon Prebble as Varna
James Adams as Patrick Hennessey
Nicola Barber as Sister Agatha
Victor Villar-Hauser as Arthur Holmwood
Marc Vietor as Quincey Morris
John Lee as Introductory paragraph, various letters

Public Domain (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Listening to this full-cast performance turns out to be remarkably suspenseful and chilling…The superlative cast lends this powerful production the diversity that is required by the structure of the novel…Each actor employs various accents, infusing into the characters vibrant emphasis, urgency, and dread." ( AudioFile)

Fantastic Horror

Amazing production. If you have never read or want to read it again, this is the way to do it! I listened to and from work and was utterly entertained. Of course it is a classic exceptionally well told / written story.

Must read classic.

Where does Dracula [Audible Edition] rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I had never read this book, so I am glad that I was able to listen while doing chores. I would rank it in the middle of the classics.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

I would have taken out some of the many details that did not add much to the story line. I lost interest in quite a few places.

What about the narrators’s performance did you like?

Excellent professional narrators. Great job!!!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No, it was tedious for me in places and I needed a break.

Classic Story, Great Performance

I had been meaning to read Dracula for ages. When I found this audible edition, I knew it was definitely time.

The cast was great. A full cast allowed each character to really come alive. That isn't always the case with audiobooks. Some narrators are great at telling the story, but not so great at giving "life" to the characters in those stories. The cast really made it easy to get immersed in the story and how the characters were feeling as things moved along.

As for the story itself, it is a classic but it is not perfect. It seems to take a long time to really get moving, then the ending feels very rushed and almost abrupt. The writing style takes some getting used to as it is a bit choppy at times. Once I got used to it, I decided that this storytelling worked for this story. It wouldn't for all, but it does for this one.

A word of caution- keep in mind when this story was written. The portrayal of the characters is reflective of the time when it was written. If you go in with modern expectations, you will be irritated if not flat out offended at the attitudes towards and portrayals of the women in this book. If you can keep it in the context of its time and not let your modern views overshadow everything, this is a classic story and very influential story that is enjoyable.

I would highly recommend that everyone read this at least once.

Great classic

Great classic with excellent performers. More of a love story than I had expected.


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Amazing Story

This is by far the best version of Dracula, Amazing Cast and Epic Storyline a must for any Audible user!

It's Dracula.

What did you love best about Dracula [Audible Edition]?

The voices are very well done and I love how somebody sprung for a cast instead of having one voice do it all. I think it really made this story come to life.

What did you like best about this story?

In its best moments its brilliant and scary.

Which character – as performed by the narrators – was your favorite?

Honestly, the whole cast did a great job.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No, even though its a classic I though the pacing was a little uneven. Sometimes I couldn't put it down and other times I was a little bored. I like Frankenstein better.

Any additional comments?

Everyone should experience Dracula once and I think this audiobook would probably be one of the best ways.

Great Production of a Classic

Any additional comments?

This production/narration was so well done. It's a story told in letters and journals, so having a different narrator for each part makes a lot of sense. I think I enjoyed it so much more because of that. The narrators were all spectacular.The book is a great read, but you have to have some patience. The beginning is nice and creepy, the middle can be a bit maddening, and the last third or so of the book had a lot more action and adventure and answers. Very enjoyable.

Wow!

All I can say is "Wow" a superb story with a wonderful cast! Enjoyed every moment of this audio book!

Loved it!

Great writing and cast. Second time listening to it and loved it even more this time! Will read again I'm sure!

Wow, this was a fantastic listen!

If you could sum up Dracula [Audible Edition] in three words, what would they be?

Dark, suspenseful, scandalous

What did you like best about this story?

The manner of it's telling is diary entries, news clippings, and memo's.

Which character – as performed by the narrators – was your favorite?

VanHelsing and Mina are tied for awesome.

If you could rename Dracula [Audible Edition], what would you call it?

Awesome-sauce!

Any additional comments?

get it!