• Paradise Lost

  • By: John Milton
  • Narrated by: Simon Vance
  • Length: 9 hrs and 11 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (1,552 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
Paradise Lost  By  cover art

Paradise Lost

By: John Milton
Narrated by: Simon Vance
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $15.47

Buy for $15.47

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

John Milton's Paradise Lost is one of the greatest epic poems in the English language. It tells the story of the Fall of Man, a tale of immense drama and excitement, of rebellion and treachery, of innocence pitted against corruption, in which God and Satan fight a bitter battle for control of mankind's destiny. The struggle rages across three worlds - heaven, hell, and earth - as Satan and his band of rebel angels plot their revenge against God. At the center of the conflict are Adam and Eve, who are motivated by all too human temptations but whose ultimate downfall is unyielding love.

Marked by Milton's characteristic erudition, Paradise Lost is a work epic both in scale and, notoriously, in ambition. For nearly 350 years, it has held generation upon generation of audiences in rapt attention, and its profound influence can be seen in almost every corner of Western culture.

Public Domain (P)2009 Tantor

Critic reviews

"If you’re in the mood for a heart-pounding morality tale, this is the book for you. This seventeenth-century classic has survived all these years for many reasons, not least of which is that it portrays Satan as a sympathetic hero. Narrator Simon Vance is equipped with a forceful British accent, which he uses to accentuate the text and bring the story to life. He subtly changes his tone and emphasis as the story moves from heaven to hell to earth, and he enables us to appreciate the story’s different personalities without providing character voices. Vance's most effective attribute is his ability to interpret epic poetry by delivering the lines with rhythm and superb pacing. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award." (AudioFile magazine)

What listeners say about Paradise Lost

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1,057
  • 4 Stars
    281
  • 3 Stars
    138
  • 2 Stars
    48
  • 1 Stars
    28
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1,031
  • 4 Stars
    193
  • 3 Stars
    65
  • 2 Stars
    13
  • 1 Stars
    12
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    901
  • 4 Stars
    215
  • 3 Stars
    134
  • 2 Stars
    31
  • 1 Stars
    30

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

The most accessible reading of Paradise Lost

Simon Vance's pace and tone are excellent, infusing the verse with appropriate dramatic tones.

Naturally, the book is a classic. However, I never thought listening to Milton would be so rewarding.


Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

62 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Solid performance

Simon Vance always does a tremendous job. The poem itself can be dull at times, but the last few books of it were intense and vivid. It is a difficult read, but if you're into the subject matter, I would recommend

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

36 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent reading of the great poem

With this recording, I've found it better to understand and enjoy Paradise Lost than reading it for myself. To get the full texture, I slowed it down to 0.9 speed in the Audible app.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

28 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Worthwhile purchase

If you're interested in Paradise Lost, then you should already know what you're in for. It's not the most riveting story in the world. This performance doesn't do much to help that; the voice is monotone and may put you to sleep. But I found the voice clear and easy to understand (because it emphasizes all the right parts in Milton's convoluted syntax, it's easier to follow than reading in print). And the audiobook was a good recording -- no weird volume changes and a steady pace. Overall I'd say it was a good purchase and I'd buy it again.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

26 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Beautiful and intelligent reading

Milton's complex lines are read with articulate care, rendering even the most convoluted stanzas clear to the listener and drawing out their unique beauty effortlessly

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

26 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderfully read audiobook.

This reading does justice to Milton's great poem.
I highly recommend it for those interested in Milton or already fans.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

21 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Required reading for a literature major.

I must start by saying I only listened to a few chapters. I am a smart guy with a doctorate degree, but this was way over my head. I am sure this is required reading for a literature major in graduate school. As for reading for enjoyment or to broaden my mind, this was not something I enjoyed. I am sure if I could have toughed it out, it would have broaden my mind, but I enjoy Audible books to relax. This was not relaxing. Good luck to the literature majors, but this was not for me.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

21 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant, illuminating reading

Never was a fan of the poem before, but between teaching it to outstanding students at my school, and Simon Vance’s superlative performance, I’m a convert. Vance does an extraordinarily deft job of balancing erudition, elegance and poetic instinct; a wonderfully sensitive read by the perfect voice for this work.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

18 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

brilliant and beautiful

a masterpiece of the English language. Milton is the modern Homer and has crafted a poetic epic the scale and import of the Iliad.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

16 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

I love this book.

Paradise Lost is written in Old English fashion and the only way to enjoy it completely is to listen to it with a narrator that can capture that certain finesse. I would highly recommend it.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

16 people found this helpful