Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
Count Karlstein  By  cover art

Count Karlstein

By: Philip Pullman
Narrated by: Jo Thurley,Full Cast
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $16.20

Buy for $16.20

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

Can you hear the distant howling of hounds and the thunder of ghostly hooves? It's All Souls' Eve and Zamiel the Demon Huntsman has come to claim his prey! He's headed straight for Castle Karlstein, where the evil count has hatched an evil plan; he'll sacrifice his two young nieces to save himself. Can Lucy and Charlotte outwit their uncle and his oily henchmen to escape their dreadful fate? From the award-winning author of The Golden Compass and The Subtle Knife comes a spooky, funny thriller just right for those middle-grade readers looking for horror and humor.
©1982 Philip Pullman (P)2006 Random House, Inc. Listening Library, an imprint of the Random House Audio Publishing Group

Critic reviews

"Dashing, sparkling, and wildly over-the-top fun." (Publishers Weekly)

"An energetic combination of melodrama, suspense, horror, and comedy." (Booklist)

"Using multiple narrators and expertly concocted cliffhangers, Pullman crafts a thrilling page-turner." (Kirkus Reviews)

"The pacing is delightful, with horrific crescendos every few chapters, and comic relief in the others." (School Library Journal)

What listeners say about Count Karlstein

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    23
  • 4 Stars
    13
  • 3 Stars
    12
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    2
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    23
  • 4 Stars
    5
  • 3 Stars
    4
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    16
  • 4 Stars
    6
  • 3 Stars
    9
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Delightful

If you come to this expecting to find something along the lines of His Dark Materials, you'll be disappointed. But I get the feeling some people rate this lower because it's a different sort of book than they wanted... you can't blame the book for misplaced expectations. This is beautifully read with sound effects and effective music which, for once, doesn't overwhelm the reading. This is definitely a children's tale in the great fairy tale tradition, with truly nasty villains, supernatural forces, plucky heroes who triumph over their own foibles, and a happy ending (I'm sure that isn't a spoiler). I've listened twice and thoroughly enjoyed it, as I have all of Philip Pullman's books. Come in expecting a charming and fun tale and you won't regret that you did.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

okay

We are enjoying this story really. But, all things considered, it is a bit disappointing. The naming of people is a bit trite, if mildy amusing. My major complaint though lies with the audio quality. We have listened to dozens of audible books, as well as libray audio books, but have never encountered such troubles with volume differentiation. The narrator is loud and clear, and then we can't hear the dialogue done by the cast. So I crank the volume on the car stereo up, and AAAAHHH! the narrator comes back and blows us out of our seat belts. An unsettling problem. I am having trouble getting into the book, perhaps only because of this. My girls, 11 and 13, are enjoying it, despite the difficulties.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Count of Failure

This was not one of Pullman's best books. I loved the Golden Compass and the other books that followed. He tried too hard to be different..we did not even listen to the last 50 min. A real disappointment.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

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

it was amazing

loved it it was extremely exiting and it was do real they did a great audiobook

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

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

Good family listening in the car

We listened to this on a family ski trip so the mountains,snow and rocky crags meshed with the story well.

I love Philip Pullman and was not disappointed.

The production was mostly good but as a New Zealander I find English productions tend to lazily lapse into class conscious interpretations of texts. So for example Hildie and Peters mother spoke with a working class London accent which leads to the constantly distracting thought "what is a Cockney doing in the Swiss alps?" . It is quite off putting. As is usual in UK productions stupid or simple people have strong working class accents. Having grown up with English culture I totally get this but I think UK people do this unconsciously and I find it grating.

Similarly Hlldie was a bit too well spoken, she sounded too much like the highly trained, perfectly enunciating actress that I expect she was. I understand that this is a cast production rather than a straight audio book but I find actors have a tendency to overdo their performances. Over the course of several hours this gets a bit annoying.

Charlottes voice had clearly been played around with in production and sounded like a chipmunk. Most of the cast were good especially Dr Cadavarezzi, Snivelwurst and Count Karlstein.

As an audio book junkie I am quibbling. I recommend the book.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

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

delightful characters, well portrayed

Voices , special effects all spot on. You were transported there. The Hilda lines were especially enjoyable.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

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

Perfect thrilling fireside listen

Pullman delivers the chills, held breathes and chuckles. Unforgettable characters, wonderful story for all ages.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!