The Bad Beginning, A Multi-Voice Recording

A Series of Unfortunate Events #1

By: Lemony Snicket

Narrated by: Tim Curry, Full Cast

Length: 2 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's summary

Like a car alarm, bagpipe music, or a doorbell ringing in the middle of the night, hearing this all-new audio edition of The Bad Beginning will only upset you. This unique multi-voice recording brings the first book in Lemony Snicket's alarming A Series of Unfortunate Events to such terrible life that no one should really have to experience it. Unless you have an ear for such ghastly details as a tragic fire, a nefarious villain, itchy clothing, and cold porridge for breakfast, all narrated in chilly detail by the distinguished, and disturbed, Tim Curry with a team of talented readers, you would be better off listening to something else.

Don't miss the rest of A Series of Unfortunate Events or Audible's exclusive interview with Lemony Snicket!

©1999 Lemony Snicket (P)2004 HarperCollins Publishers, Inc.

Critic reviews

Audie Award Finalist, Children's Titles for Ages 8+, 2005
Grammy Award Nominee, Best Spoken Word Album for Children, 2005
Book Sense Book of the Year Award Finalist, Children's Literature, 2001

"Tension-producing orchestral music, scene-setting sound effects, and most of all, Tim Curry's chocolate-voiced narration captivate the listener in this multicast production of the Lemony Snicket that started it all.... It's all good fun for listening children and their parents." (AudioFile)

These Orphans Got the Raw-End of the Deal!

Violet, Claude, & baby Sonny were made orphans after the unfortunate death of the parents in a fire. Their parents' Will stated that all of their fortune was to go in to trust & not to be accessable until Violet comes of age. Also stated in their Will is that children were to be given to their next-of-kin. Enter Count Olaf, a terrible, terrible person. The children are mistreated, made to live in horrible living conditions, & they are forced to be servants to the Count. Meanwhile, Count Olaf is working overtime to devise a plan to get his hands on the childrens' fortune. Thank goodness there are a few decent people that are working on behalf of the childrens' best interest. There is a wonderful neighbor that adores the children, & it doesn't hurt the childrens' situation that she just happens to be a judge. There is also the banker, Mr Poe, that is the executor of the trust. But can the goodness of the judge & banker overcome the devious Count Olaf? For now, but time will tell in book 2.

I'm a little ashamed that I liked the book as much as I did. I listened to the audiobook through Audible narrated by Tim Curry. That likely played a big part in my overall ranking. Fantastic narration! Saying I "liked" the book is really difficult for me given that the story was SUPER depressing & downright infuriating at points. However, the characters were strong, & I couldn't put the book down because I NEEDED to find out if the children escaped the clutches of Count Olaf. As much as it hurt to read this book, I find myself needing to read the next one to see how the childrens' plight plays out.

Age recommendation: 10 & up (scenes of neglect & mistreatment of young children)

On a scale of 1-10 stars, I give it 8.

A great story for kids

...or for anyone who needs help expanding their vocabulary. I can see why these books are so popular. I enjoyed the story and wished it had been a bit longer.

Great book! Awesome character readings!

Would you listen to The Bad Beginning, A Multi-Voice Recording again? Why?

Yes! Enjoyed the storyline and the character voices were great!

What did you like best about this story?

The flow of the storyline. Easy to follow.

Amazing book and narrators!!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

yes, i definitely would! I love how they bring the story to life and there is more than one narrator!

Who was your favorite character and why?

I loved all three of the children the most! They were all so unique and different! They each had something different that i loved!

What about Tim Curry and Full Cast ’s performance did you like?

I loved it! They made the story very interesting! I couldn't make myself pause it because they made it so intriguing!

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

Really, I loved every part! But, if I had to choose, I would definitely pick whenever the children had a conversation together, with no one else around. They tried to encourage each other, but they always told each other the truth!

Any additional comments?

His books are amazing and I will definitely be reading (and listening!) to the rest of the series!

Nostalgia

I have been on a kick lately reading and listening to books from my childhood. This is a series that I found as a kid so fascinating. Just finished the first book and it is just as good as I remember it being as a kid.

Full cast issues

I love this book and anything that includes Tim Curry is sure to be fantastic but including the full cast and sound effects took away from his spectacular performance.
I would still recommend.

great listen!

my kids when I paused at the offered "stop here if you want to pretend they live happily ever after"

"nooo! we have to know what happens!" the book ends" what?!? we need book 2!"

least to say. well done performance. I loved these books when a child. now my kids get to enjoy them

tim curry made it

read these books as a kid with my parents and came to find these

Excellent 1st Installment of A Series of Unfortunate Events - READ IT! You have no idea where or how deep it goes…

This is a fantastic, well-written story about children in a treacherous world, dealing with treacherous people and treacherous circumstances. It is uniquely written for youth while exploring very dark themes. When considering this as the first installment in a series of unfortunate events (13 in total), this beautifully sets up an incredible story that forces one to contemplate societal flaws and morality.

Good story I just really don't like multi reader audiobooks

The story is good, and the narrator is good, but all the other performers really take away instead of add, plus the added sounds and music can be annoying at times