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)

Why ruin a good narration?

I came back to this book having listened to it as a child and loving it and was hugely disappointed to find that they had drowned out Tim Curry’s wonderful narration with a bunch of unnecessary and LOUD sound effects. They also replaced a lot of Curry’s narration with other actors-if I want the Netflix version I am perfectly capable of watching the Netflix series. I would have liked to have the option of buying the original version of this audiobook as it was really wonderful.

Great beginning to great series!

I really loved this book! I found it interesting without being confusing! I would NOT recommend reading this at night, You may feel like Count Olff is coming behind you! Mildly scary so Take that in consideration. It's one flaw, so much words to be defined, which is great, but gets a bit boring, then you get used to it s you go on! Overall, it's a great next series after things like Harry Potter, (Please read ) And Percy Jackson and Heroes of Olympus, (Again, really great books) If you are wondering about more, check out common sense media, but make sure it's the book not movie or tv show which are a bit more intense!

Wonderful Story and Awesome narrative performances

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

Yes, many times - it was amazing

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

yep

Any additional comments?

It was a really great listen - we listened to this book all the way from GA to CO and were never bored - just sorry when it ended and really sorry to hear that the second Lemony Snickets is unavailable in to audible listeners. Hope that changes soon - we'd love to hear it.

A fun recording worth the extra price

We really enjoyed this recording with multiple voices and background noises to infer what was happening.

Loved it! Worth every cent.

Great children's novel

This is one of the best children's novels I have "read" in a long time. It is also the audiobook best audio book I have ever listened to. Having a full cast made it feel like an old radio show. It was wonderful.

great performance

i thought the readers were excellent and the music was perfect. kept our little ones on the edge of their seats.

If not for bad luck, would have no luck at all

Any additional comments?

Cute little book. These children do have a very bad beginning of a most unfortunate life. There is a great deal of interesting action and people but nothing good happens at all to anyone - intentionally. However it is an entertaining book, kept my interest and was fun to hear. Usually sound effects put me off, but I did not mind them so much in this book. The narrator was very good and his style suit this book.

A Terribly Good Awful Story

A classic, to be sure! well produced and preformed! An awful story of you have a heart at all, but in the best way!

litle anoying

the childrens voices where kinda out of place and there was a part where the the baby was crying in the backround and that was kinda anoying.

Fun story

This book was fun and kind of dark. I loved it. The narration lead by the great Tim Curry is on point!