Heart of Darkness: A Signature Performance by Kenneth Branagh

By: Joseph Conrad

Narrated by: Kenneth Branagh

Length: 3 hrs and 49 mins

Publisher's summary

Prose that demands to be read aloud requires a special kind of narrator. For the Audible Signature Classics edition of Joseph Conrad’s atmospheric masterpiece, Heart of Darkness, we called upon four-time Academy Award nominee Kenneth Branagh.

Branagh’s performance is riveting because he reads as though he’s telling a ghost story by a campfire, capturing the story’s sense of claustrophobia, while hinting at the storyteller Marlow’s own creeping madness. Heart of Darkness follows Captain Marlow into the colonial Congo where he searches for a mysterious ivory trader, Kurtz, and discovers an evil that will haunt him forever.

With this landmark work, Conrad is credited with bringing the novel into the twentieth century; we think Branagh brings it into the twenty-first.

Stay tuned for more one-of-a-kind performances from actors David Hyde Pierce, Leelee Sobieski, Tim Curry, and more, only from Audible Signature Classics.

Listen to more Audible Signature Classics.

Public Domain (P)2010 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Acclaimed Irish actor/director Kenneth Branagh impersonates Marlow in this recording. Admirably, while fully playing the drama, he never goes overboard. He plays the tale for the great yarn that it is." ( AudioFile)

The horror! The horror! Bravo Branagh.

The first time I read this novel I was in high school and yawned my way though boring literary analysis in English class.

Ah, but you're older and wiser now, I told myself. Give it another a go, I thought. I dutifully bought and promptly procrastinated for a good 12 months but at last hit the play button.

Wow. What a great way to rediscover Conrad. Yes, it's slow but it's also compelling, sinister and deeply unsettling - and Branagh's narration truly brings Conrad's Africa to life.

I recommend giving yourself a proper run at it for your first listening session, to give yourself a chance to get in to it, but once I was in I didn't look back.

If it's been awhile since you've read Heart of Darkness or, like me, you've been putting it off because of old high school memories - I can heartily recommend this version to sink your teeth into. Enjoy!

A lot to think about...

First off, excellent narration. Kenneth Branagh brings older prose alive as though he were really speaking it as opposed to reciting it. This story is full of deeply racist terminology and ideas, and at times it was hard to listen to for this reason. I feel like this was an important element though when discussing the themes in the story, specifically the corruption of European imperialism and colonialism. The story shines an ugly light on greedy Europeans, and their treatment of Africans. It is worth the read, and it was good to finally understand the origin of the quote, “the horror, the horror.”

A true gift, this is.

I have been haunted by this story since Freshman year at college. I’ve always loved literature, but rarely enjoy it as I should. K Branagh brought this novel to life for me. And I greatly appreciate it.

Kenneth Branagh is a Master Narrator

This book happens to be a favourite of mine, but what makes this Audible recording so good is Branagh's performance as a narrator. I've listened to over 200 audio books and this is by far the best performance I've ever had the pleasure of listening too.

Sublime

I've never read another book that so perfectly painted the human spirit. There is nothing inThe Heart of Darkness to critique. Branagh's performance was likewise excellent.

Classic among classics

Was really awesome to finally visit this work, having seen Apocalypse Now so many times in my life. Loved the language, the descriptions, the familiarity of it all and yet the harrowing truth of brutality in the text. Great stuff.

Classic Literature at its Finest

A wonderful story and a fantastic performance by Mr. Kenneth Branagh. A fascinating look into the soul of a man facing new and terrifying discoveries.

Excellent rendition

The narrator does a great job. It’s a quick story but very engaging and thought providing. A classic for a reason.

Excellent performance

Audible has done well to get Kenneth Brannaugh to read this incredible piece. I recommend the Audible version of The Typhoon read by Roger Allam. It’s also fabulous .
Both narrators bring out the humour in Conrad’s writing.

Classic masterfully read

I wish Branagh would read everything I listen to!

My only criticism is: when the story returns to the last omniscient voice (just seconds before the end), there should have been the briefest of pauses.