War Horse

By: Michael Morpurgo

Narrated by: John Keating

Length: 4 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's summary

In 1914, a beautiful foal with a distinctive cross on his nose is sold to the Army and thrust into the midst of the war on the Western front. But his heart aches for Albert, the farmer's son he left behind. Will he ever see his true master again?

©1987 Michael Morpurgo (P)2010 Scholastic Audio

Not what I expected

What made the experience of listening to War Horse the most enjoyable?

I wanted to read the book prior to see ing the movie and this was a quick way for me to do that as I was going on a trip.

What did you like best about this story?

I liked that the main character was so changed that neither he nor Albert recognized one another.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

I'm not sure I appreciated the narrator. He did not give the horse any maturity as the story progresses. Joey sounds immature from start to finish.

Any additional comments?

Great use of language and vivid description. A little too sentimental and melodramatic.

Great listening

The book, play, and movie tell the story from different views. I think the book is best.

Great book easy to follow I love the point of view

aA great book it was very easy to follow I love the point-of-view of view from the character the story is paced that it will keep you in thrall untill the very of the story

details

Would you try another book from Michael Morpurgo and/or John Keating?

This story was interesting to a point, but so much was missing from the description that I couldn't tell the real setting. I'm sure the movie made it thrilling, but I found the story boring and predictable.

Wonderful

Would you listen to War Horse again? Why?

I really enjoyed this book. It was a very good read.

What did you like best about this story?

How it showed the horses perspective.

Have you listened to any of John Keating’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

no

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

The ending.q

Fantastic read, very well written & entertaining.

If you could sum up War Horse in three words, what would they be?

History made exciting!

What about John Keating’s performance did you like?

Keating did a great job in bringing home the story from the horses perspective.

Short and Sweet

This title caught my attention shortly after the media blitz for the movie. I did not see the movie, nor read the book, so I can not comment on any comparisons. I enjoyed the short story, and 'quick' entertainment it provided, but rather than thinking to myself "Darn, I wish there was a sequel" , I was ready to move on to another title at the end of the four hours of narration. I felt it was a nice "warm & fuzzy" story but not a strong enough title to put on my 'highly recommended' list. For the most part, this would be appropriate for all ages and a candidate for group listening on family car trips. I would have enjoyed having this available years ago when my son and I frequently traveled cross-country.

Great Listen with My Horse Obsessed Daughter

What did you love best about War Horse?

The story was great and gave my 10-year old daughter the idea to write from the perspective of an animal. She is now writing a book about the lost dog we found and then found a way to get home.

A little too Hollywood

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Depends on the friend. I thought it was too planned

Would you be willing to try another book from Michael Morpurgo? Why or why not?

Maybe - depend on the subject matter. Not really drawn to his style

What about John Keating’s performance did you like?

Good pacing

Could you see War Horse being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

I went to the movie. The scenes of horses dying were upsetting, but it is part of history. I don't see any way to make a tv series. Honestly I was disappointed in the movie too.

Any additional comments?

Book and movie got a lot of hype and I'm not sure why

Warhorse

A very good book sad them happy very good in all the performance story and overall.So you should read it.