• A Wild Sheep Chase

  • A Novel
  • By: Haruki Murakami
  • Narrated by: Rupert Degas
  • Length: 9 hrs and 37 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (1,240 ratings)

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A Wild Sheep Chase  By  cover art

A Wild Sheep Chase

By: Haruki Murakami
Narrated by: Rupert Degas
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Publisher's summary

A New York Times bestselling author—and “a mythmaker for the millennium, a wiseacre wiseman” (New York Times Book Review)—delivers a surreal and elaborate quest that takes readers from Tokyo to the remote mountains of northern Japan, where the unnamed protagonist has a surprising confrontation with his demons.

An advertising executive receives a postcard from a friend and casually appropriates the image for an advertisement. What he doesn’t realize is that included in the scene is a mutant sheep with a star on its back, and in using this photo he has unwittingly captured the attention of a man who offers a menacing ultimatum: find the sheep or face dire consequences.

©1982 Haruki Murakami (P)2013 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"Murakami is a mythmaker for the millennium, a wiseacre wiseman." (New York Times Book Review)

"A delight ... equal parts screwball comedy, detective story, and heroic quest." (USA Today)

“A witty adventure ... a piece of verbal anarchy ... a labyrinthine mystery from start to finish.” (San Francisco Chronicle)

What listeners say about A Wild Sheep Chase

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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    688
  • 4 Stars
    370
  • 3 Stars
    142
  • 2 Stars
    24
  • 1 Stars
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Performance
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Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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  • 4 Stars
    307
  • 3 Stars
    106
  • 2 Stars
    37
  • 1 Stars
    12

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

A great Murakami starter book

If you've never read Murakami before, this is one of the best books to start with. It has all the elements he's known for and the story is fascinating. Don't let the fact that it's the third book in a series scare you off, because it can be read independently. You don't need to have read any other book to read and enjoy this one.

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12 people found this helpful

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

Good

I wish the same person. who voiced wind/pinball had voiced this novel as well seeing as they had the same characters but over all good just didn't like the change in the voice of the rat.

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

Love the book, but stopped because of the Narrator

Murakami is amazing. But the voice choices by Degas ruined it for me. Especially after listening to Wind/Pinball, this narration took me out of the story. I had to stop listening and switch to reading the book.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

confusing

I am still not sure what I just read... even reading the cliff notes wasn't helpful.

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

Murakami masterpiece.

Came across as more Heartfelt, deeper, and more emotional than Murakami’s more recent works. Although many themes were explored, the loneliness was palpable and gnawing.

Narrator did well with the protagonist but the southern USA country-folk accent applied to many side characters was distracting and not suited for Japanese characters/culture. Maybe it could work for a Japanese / English as a second language reader reader but for a North American listening, I would have thought the story took place in Alabama.

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

per murakami, his first good novel

Eh... I always feel like HM's writing of women comes off a little misogynistic but this *was* written in the 80s. Rupert Degas's performance is top notch though and the story is a magical realist / animist banger.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Distracting performance

Chapter 13 was the last straw! I struggled with the female voices early on. But I persisted. But then came Chapter 13. The voices used for the performance sounded nothing like the voice in my head as I heard the words. The rat sounded thuggish and unintelligent, while the prose was intelligent and clearly from an educated person. He even compares his writing to literary greats, so why would he sound like a mob bosses henchman? I wish we had a choice of performers.

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1 person found this helpful

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

magical

He needs a sheep, some odd characters and some snow. Plus excellent narration. Then we have magical times.

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

Good book. Better narration. Original and strange.

I only purchased this audiobook after meeting up with an old college friend. He reminded me that he had suggested I read it 10 years ago. I regret not having done so then. The story is original and strange (in a good way). It is unlike anything you'll read/hear from an American voice. The narration is top notch. Worth listening to twice, which I might do after I finish writing this review.

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

A nice escape from COVID-ridden world

I enjoyed listening to this with a new friend.

The story keeps you guessing the entire length with witty, quirky characters you're not sure what to think about.

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