Casting the Runes

By: M. R. James

Narrated by: David Suchet

The tale of a man who unwittingly angers a sorcerer, who is assumed by some Monty scholars to be based on the self-styled 'Great Beast,' occultist Aleister Crowley.

Montague Rhodes James was a noted British mediaeval scholar and provost of King's College, Cambridge (1905–1918) and of Eton College (1918–1936). He is best remembered for his ghost stories which are widely regarded as among the finest in English literature.

One of James's most important achievements was to redefine the ghost story for the new century by dispensing with many of the formal Gothic trappings of his predecessors, and replacing them with more realistic contemporary settings.

'Montague Rhodes James has an intelligent and scientific knowledge of human nerves and feelings; and knows just how to apportion statement, imagery, and subtle suggestions in order to secure the best results with his readers.' HP Lovecraft.

Actor David Suchet is best known for his definitive portrayal of Hercule Poirot, the Belgian detective created by the legendary mystery author Agatha Christie, in a number of international television productions. He narrates his story in Poirot and Me.

©1904 M. R. James (P)2013 Audible Ltd

Superbly Narrated

One of M.R. James more famous stories, it served as an inspiration for the 1957 classic horror film.

Wonderful short spooky story!

Old fashion creepy story! This was my first M R James story and it will not be my last! It was so grand! A quick bite if you will. The narration was great and the couple of sound effects that were used completely added to the story! Highly recommend! I had a nice case of the chills!

Whoa! Creepy!

Very creepy story. Reminds me of another but I can’t remember who wrote it. I’m guessing this one came first as the other was more modern.

Beautifully executed foray into horror

I’m a huge fan of Jacques Tourneur’s “Night of the Demon” (1957) and finally decided to visit the source of his finest film. CASTING THE RUNES is everything I hoped it would be. David Suchet’s performance is beautifully executed, one of the most evocative examples of “theater of the mind” that I’ve experienced. The story is brilliantly concise, and subtly horrifying. A literary masterpiece.

Enigmatic but interesting

Once I looked up the word "runes", I was able to get the gist of this enigmatic story. Not the easiest plot to follow, but David Suchet excels in conveying the darkness and suspense of the tale.