A Wild Sheep Chase

A Novel

By: Haruki Murakami

Narrated by: Rupert Degas

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)

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.

magical

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

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.

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.

I don't know what I just read

I am usually a big fan of murakami but this one just didn't hit

Brilliant!

Wow. What a fantastic book. My words can't do it justice. The narrator did a fantastic job differentiating each character and adding even more depth to the already colorful characters. Murakami is brilliant, and adds to my soul with each of his novels. I read this book once when I was younger, and it is even more fantastic the second time around. I am excited to read Dance Dance Dance!

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.

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.

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.

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.