• A Night of Blacker Darkness

  • Being the Memoir of Frederick Whithers As Edited by Cecil G. Bagsworth III
  • By: Dan Wells
  • Narrated by: Sean Barrett
  • Length: 6 hrs and 18 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (253 ratings)

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A Night of Blacker Darkness  By  cover art

A Night of Blacker Darkness

By: Dan Wells
Narrated by: Sean Barrett
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Publisher's summary

EXCLUSIVELY AVAILABLE IN AUDIO

No one else has Dan Wells’ hilarious new novella - it’s not available in print, in ebook, by mobile phone text or Victorian phonograph. Audible is bringing it to you exclusively, for a limited time.

The basic premise is this: it's 1817, and a man named Frederick Whithers is wallowing in jail for a crime he didn't commit, desperate to get out so he can go and commit it for real. He fakes his own death and escapes in a coffin, but when he gets to the graveyard and crawls out of the coffin, somebody sees him and assumes he's a vampire. It's pretty much all downhill from there. Frederick spends the rest of the book doing everything he can to steal a massive inheritance from a dead man, all the while running from constables, vampire hunters, ghouls, poets, proper young ladies, highly improper young ladies, morticians, mysterious figures, and the most pathetic collection of vampires to ever disgrace a work of fiction.

The book is Extremely Silly: imagine a horror story, as written by Monty Python, in the style of the old screwball comedies like The Producers, What's Up Doc?, and Some Like it Hot, and then imagine that for some reason it's also in the style of a Victorian frame story starring John Keats and presented by a fake historian. A delightfully funny novel full of witty dialogue brought to life by the narrative voice talents of Sean Barrett.

©2011 Dan Wells (P)2011 Audible Ltd

What listeners say about A Night of Blacker Darkness

Average customer ratings
Overall
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

cute and funny

this was really entertaining. The story has a totally nerdy kind of sense of humor and is just a series of gags, one after another, but that didn't make it any less fun or satisfying to listen to. I loved when Mary Shelley showed up as a grave robber.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A tale of vampires, money, mishap and great minds

Where does A Night of Blacker Darkness rank among all the audiobooks you???ve listened to so far?

This is one of the best read and most enjoyable books I have listened to in a long, long time.

What was one of the most memorable moments of A Night of Blacker Darkness?

One of the best moments is the vampire discussion when they first meet our hero in the cemetary.

What does Sean Barrett bring to the story that you wouldn???t experience if you just read the book?

The multiple voices are well done and fit the various characters so well. The slow speech of the undertaker is marvelous and Keats is great.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I would not call the book moving in a deep metaphyscal sense but I will admit I had to keep picking myself up off the floor when I had fallen laughing. If you call tears of myrth moving I would definately say I was moved.

Any additional comments?

What a wonderful book, what a wonderful reader. Truly an enjoyable listen. Sean Barrett takes an enjoyable, well written and wonderful tale and makes it so much more. Hats off to Sean and Dan. I must admit it was refreshing to see the true power of vampires not that stuff that others would have you believe.

The exploites of our hero, the twists and turns of the plot are great. I will not give anything away because it is so much fun. Just know that when you think you have it figured out you will only be partly right and there is much more good stuff to come.

May vampires always have the same problems, trials and success as experienced here.

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5 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
  • AC
  • 12-20-11

Uproarious!

This book is a perfect antidote to the plague of brooding, seductive and powerful vampire romances infesting the shelves. The vampires, far from being a menace, are inept and brainless. Fortunately for our hapless "hero", so is the vampire hunter and just about everyone else caught up in this farce. Frederick , never the less, doggedly slogs through vampires and vampire hunters while dodging his murderous and untrustworthy but lovely partner in crime as they race to steal an inheritance. He does so with a single minded determination helped- or hindered- by the poet John Keats and a rather bloody minded Mary Shelly.

A fun read and a good performance

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5 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Hilariously stupid good!

Wow, this book is so funny, and keep me up all night! Please find more, and reply with recommendations!!!

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

A Remarkably Amusing Tale

Quite a good book, though don't look for it to fall into any one genre easily. Perhaps the closest fit is "absurdist", but even that doesn't fit well. The story moves at a brisk pace, with plenty of twists and turns to keep it interesting. The cameos by famous authors offer an interesting character mix.

Overall, recommend quite highly.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Priceless Riot!

Would you consider the audio edition of A Night of Blacker Darkness to be better than the print version?

Sean Barrett's performance definitely added something I would have missed in the printed book.

What was one of the most memorable moments of A Night of Blacker Darkness?

The epic battles of silly logic throughout the book. Laugh out loud funny the entire time! John Keats' character was a delight!

What about Sean Barrett’s performance did you like?

His serious tone added so much to the story and made it feel so authentic that the comedy was perfectly complimented. His different voices for each character were fantastic!

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

I actually was not quite at a chapter break when I had to be in class... I ended up listening through the entire hour. Couldn't put it down!

Any additional comments?

Dan Wells has risen to become one of my absolute favorite authors between Night of Blacker Darkness and his Serial Killer series.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Shawn of the Dead, but with vampires, and better

Absolutely hilarious.
Laughed out loud multiple times.
Wonderful narration.
Pity that it wasn’t a bit longer.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

This is a must buy!

Dan really has out-done himself with this short story. I honestly cannot recall when a book has made me laugh out loud--and this has several moments that got that reaction. It is simply an amazing read/listen and everyone should buy it. Do it now, you won't be disappointed!

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

What a brilliant comedy!

I loved every second of this witty comedy. The fun characters and screw-ball plot made for a very enjoyable listen. Narrator did a great job and nailed the comedic timing!

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Made me start giggling on the bus to work!

If you could sum up A Night of Blacker Darkness in three words, what would they be?

Funny, silly, enjoyable

What did you like best about this story?

Light-hearted, clever, fast-paced adventure that with the kind of disasters and pickles I can see myself getting in to but hope I never do! The hero is loveable for his hopelessness.

Would you listen to another book narrated by Sean Barrett?

I don't think the narrater 'got' the book. He didn't read it with quite the pace and dramatic emphasis it needed. It was quite well read but needed a bit more oomph!

Any additional comments?

Definitely worth a listen if you need a few hours with something silly and funny. Very much in the style of Ealing comedies such as The Ladykillers.

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