Dracula [Audible Edition]

By: Bram Stoker

Narrated by: Alan Cumming, Tim Curry, Simon Vance, Katherine Kellgren, Susan Duerden, John Lee, Graeme Malcolm, Steven Crossley

Length: 15 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's Summary

Audie Award, Distinguished Achievement in Production, 2013

Audie Award, Multi-voiced Performance, 2013

Audie Award Nominee, Classic, 2013

Because of the widespread awareness of the story of the evil Transylvanian count and the success of numerous film adaptations that have been created over the years, the modern audience hasn't had a chance to truly appreciate the unknowing dread that readers would have felt when reading Bram Stoker's original 1897 manuscript. Most modern productions employ campiness or sound effects to try to bring back that gothic tension, but we've tried something different. By returning to Stoker's original storytelling structure - a series of letters and journal entries voiced by Jonathan Harker, Dr. Van Helsing, and other characters - with an all-star cast of narrators, we've sought to recapture its originally intended horror and power.

This production of Dracula is presented by what is possibly the best assemblage of narrating talent ever for one audiobook: Emmy Award nominees Alan Cumming and Tim Curry plus an all-star cast of Audie award-winners Simon Vance (The Millenium Trilogy), Katherine Kellgren (Pride and Prejudice and Zombies), Susan Duerden (The Tiger’s Wife), John Lee (Supergods) and customer favorites Graeme Malcolm (Skippy Dies), Steven Crossley (The Oxford Time Travel series), Simon Prebble (The Baroque Cycle), James Adams (Letters to a Young Contrarian), Nicola Barber (The Rose Garden), Victor Villar-Hauser (Fun Inc.), and Marc Vietor (1Q84). These stellar narrators have been cast as follows:

Alan Cumming as Dr. Seward
Simon Vance as Jonathan Harker
Katy Kellgren as Mina Murray/Harker
Susan Duerden as Lucy Westenra
Tim Curry as Van Helsing
Graeme Malcolm as Dailygraph correspondent
Steven Crossley as Zookeeper’s account and reporter
Simon Prebble as Varna
James Adams as Patrick Hennessey
Nicola Barber as Sister Agatha
Victor Villar-Hauser as Arthur Holmwood
Marc Vietor as Quincey Morris
John Lee as Introductory paragraph, various letters

Public Domain (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

Critic Reviews

"Listening to this full-cast performance turns out to be remarkably suspenseful and chilling…The superlative cast lends this powerful production the diversity that is required by the structure of the novel…Each actor employs various accents, infusing into the characters vibrant emphasis, urgency, and dread." ( AudioFile)

Mina: A Heroine for the Ages

Insomnia is my thing lately. Don’t sleep; stay up forever. Might as well write, right? So here it is, a book review. I know you’ve been dying for it, and I gotta say, I’ve been dying to write it.

Dracula was one of those books that I pretended to read in high school and then glossed over in college. Horror isn’t really my thing (Although Stephen King is probably one of my favorite writers ever. His genre of choice is unfortunate). Recently, I decided that I wanted to read more classics and so I bought a few on Audible. Audible is the bomb.

They had an Audible Studios edition of Dracula narrated by a full cast and oh, my. It was perfection. Alan Cumming was Dr. Seward. Katherine Kellgren was Mina Harker, Simon Vance was Jonathan Harker, and Tim Curry was Dr. Van Helsing. The narration was spot on. The narrator who did the voice of Lucy was irritating (her name escapes me at the moment), so I found Lucy irritating, but I think I would have anyway. Audible did a terrific job producing this.

The story is told in a series of diary entries, letters, and telegrams (the official word for those are epistolary novels, fyi). I didn’t know that before, or I might have read it sooner. I have an affinity for stories told in this manner. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is one of my favorites for that exact reason. It credibly shows what each character was thinking or feeling without putting the reader in the omniscient perspective. It was perfect for the chilling story which was told.

The plot differed widely from the Dracula I had come to know through popular culture. Dracula is truly creepy and super old. He’s not redeemable, not good, but pure evil. And ridiculously smart. This isn’t Frankenstein’s monster or some mindless Edward-like vamp. This is a genius who pits his wits against a motley crew of Britain’s finest.

Dr. Van Helsing is also brilliant, but definitely needs the help of his little band.

The story starts with Jonathan visiting Dracula’s castle and realizing what he is. It’s very creepy and I had to stop listening for a time so I could reasonably get over it. Then Lucy becomes a vampire and thus the Band of Awesome is born. That’s just the title I gave them in my head. You’ve got Arthur, Lucy’s former fiancé. He’s a bit squeamish, but willing to undergo any trial to pay Dracula back for changing his darling girl. Then there are her two other suitors who were rejected: Dr. Seward (my personal favorite), and Quincy. Seward runs an asylum and Quincy is an American Cowboy. I love that Americans are represented in this tale. Seward calls Van Helsing, who knows more about Lucy’s “disease”, to help heal her. However, they fail and she is transformed into a child-eating vamp. Then Jonathan and Mina join the group as they discover they have all endured similar circumstances and that a grave danger faces England should Dracula move to London, as is his intent.

I have to say, Bram Stoker wrote women rather well for a man of his time. Wilhelmina is no delicate flower in need of rescuing. She is rescued, but she’s strong and contributes to her salvation by keeping spirits high and organizing all the information and, in the end, going with Van Helsing to Transylvania. I admire her relationship with Jonathan so much. He trusts her to do her own thing and respects her strength, mentally, emotionally, and morally. And she loves and respects him and his passion for his work. She wants to be a part of his life and he wants to be a part of hers. It’s a really awesome relationship. They are basically the perfect couple and were it not for the pesky vampire they would have had a delightful life.

I don’t want to tell all that happens because I enjoyed listening to it so much. Even if you’ve read it before, the Audible version is golden; you should go listen to it. It’s intense and beautiful. It’s intensely beautiful. This book is definitely on my favorites list.

Not what i anticipated but great just the same.

This isn't your average First Person or Third person novel. instead It takes the form of multiple different characters' journal entries. This could have been confusing in Audio-book form but Audible took care of that by bringing on a full cast of narrators. Now while that does make the separate journals easier to follow, it presents a problem. Occasionally, different characters (narrators) will quote different characters other than their own. (narrators will do impression of other characters.) at these times it becomes clear that the various narrators all recorded their lines separately. So it can become a little confusing early on when Person A and Person Bare both quoting Van Helsing, but sound nothing alike.

The book itself is very entertaining and can get plenty spooky. give it a shot.

Well Read, Throughly Enjoyable!

Would you consider the audio edition of Dracula to be better than the print version?

I feel the audio version makes the characters truly alive!!! When I read a book, I

What did you like best about this story?

Alan Cumming's Dr. Seward and Katherine Kellgren's portrayal of Mina Harker.

What does the narrators bring to the story that you wouldn???t experience if you just read the book?

They brought this characters to life. I felt I was experiencing the story first hand with all it's horror and nuances.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I listen in my car because my commute is long. I had to force myself to turn off the car and get into work. I didn't want to stop listening!!!

The original critics were correct

After being into a couple of chapters of this book I recall the original critics of this book when the book made it's debut. I find the story far from organized, mr Stocker, attempt to tell a story comprised of a bunch of diary entries, letters, without really engaging the readers by endearing them to the characters or engaging them in an actual story. the book provides an interesting perspective and insight into the nineteenth century attitude toward life from a high society perspective, Although I feel looking at the characters , I find them shallow , self important, and the women in the story are portrayed as a bunch over dramatic little teenaged girls. I am trying not to let my twentieth and twentieth first century views cloud my judgment but even for the nineteenth century this as the air of a very cheap romance novel that has little to real meat to the book. I really don't understand how this book if you want call that ever became a classic if wasn't for the talented movie and stage directors who had the vision and talent to turn this book from a mangled mess into a an actual story that captured generations .
In this case the movie is better than the book. the performance is over all okay, though I was hoping to hear more from mr Curry, who is one of my favorite actors when he plays a villain, sadly the format of the book doesn't do the actors justice, you really can't capture the essence of the characters since they them are viewed from the perspective of the writers of material trying to relate to events. in summary I have thorughly disappointed with book not the actors although the production kinda sady and lacked making this book more appealing.

Back to basics

I am one of many who have only known the infamous Count through Hollywood productions. Horror has never been my favorite genre, and I found Bela Lugosi too campy, and Gary Oldman too bizarre for either to be very frightening. The only motivation I had to even select this book was my admiration of most of the fine cast and the rave reviews for a classic. A majority of reviewers have already praised the reading, and I will simply say that I concur.

What made this an outstanding story to me is that the count is NOT the central character. The mistake the films made was in making the best written characters mere supporting players to the count whom we see the least of. The power of Dracula is his lack of physical presence – half the thrill is the anticipation, and Stoker plays that card better than the film makers ever did. His tale is robust with the superstitions and beliefs of the day, whether religious, medical, psychological, criminal or supernatural, giving it a wonderful period feeling. There is enough detail to spark the imagination, and enough restraint to let the imagination provide the fear. By learning the story through the diaries and letters of the principal characters, we are intimately caught up in their horror, giving us someone and something to root for.

The writing is excellent and surprisingly moving, especially as the group of friends mourn the loss of a loved one and pledge their lives to banish the evil that caused such sorrow. There is plenty of adventure as the chase is on to end Dracula's reign of terror and free one of their own from his grasp. This could be a story about any group of everyday people finding the moral courage to fight any sort of evil and is a much more universal story than I had imagined. I loved this band of comrades, and I am so glad I took a chance on this classic.

Gothic Horror Never Sounded So Good

This was well worth it. Alan Cumming is a favorite and so versatile. Tim Curry never disappoints. The only thing missing from Audible's production is a cast list. I recognized some narrators that I had listen to before, but think they all deserve credit for the job well done. Lucy's naivety, and Minna steadfast strength for instance deserve crediting. I was disappointed when this was not a part of the concluding credits.

If other reviewers could not be swept up in the production, perhaps it is due to a distaste for the genre. I like a good vampire tale as much as the next person, but this sheds so much light on how far we have come from the mother of all tales, where more is implied than exposed.

The Curtain Falls...Applause, Applause, Bravo

Hearing the final words, "Audible hopes you enjoyed.." it's hard to resist vigorously clapping your hands together and jumping to your feet to whoop out a "Bravo!" While it looks like some reviewers are more familiar with the particulars of each narrator, I must be less fussy; I thought it was a perfect cast that produced a dark gothic atmosphere that Stoker would call worthy of this masterpiece.

The story is longer than I thought it would be, the flowery speech style of the Victorian era no doubt adding to the length of the journals/diaries of each articulate character, that comprise the tale -- a style that, if you are unprepared for, may be too verbose to your liking (but authentic to the time--think Doyle's Sherlock Holmes, Oscar Wilde, William Butler Yeats). Where one during that period might say:
"Dear Madam, by God, your neck! May perhaps I suggest more wreaths of the garlic flowers to be festooned around your lovely neck to prohibit a further attack from this most vile blood-sucking fiendish creature of the night which has befallen upon you most unfairly, dear sweet lady?"
We today, 100 years later, might say:
"Huh, vampire bite. Want some garlic (was he sparkly)?"
You can see how this could take up some pages. But the profuse Victorian vernacular combined with the fine reading puts you in the necessary frame of mind -- where a dark red-eyed character in a cape could creep around a deteriorating castle, summon wolves from the fog, and morph into a bat flapping against a pane of glass. (It was a little amusing listening to the breathy and fragile Lucy and Mina...considering the time frame in which this was written. While Stoker had them helplessly swooning away, across the pond, Susan B. Anthony was gathering her own minions.)
Bram Stoker truly affected history with this book -- Audible's production was a great homage to a literary icon as well as a fun engaging production, well worth the purchase.

IS THAT NOT SO?

THAT'S SO
Let me start with the performance. All of the narrators are professionals, not a amateur in that batch. The add very much to the book. If you by chance have never read it, this would be the edition to listen to.

THE WOMEN LOOKED PRETTY EXCEPT WHEN YOU GOT NEAR THEM
I really debated on how to rate this book. If it was not for Stoker, we would not have all the movies, books and TV shows that have followed it. No Buffy the Vampire Slayer, no Hammersmith movies, no Count Dracula cereal etc...It is all here along with many things you may have forgotten. I had forgotten the part where Dracula climbed head first down a castle wall. Did you know Dracula had hairy palms? So, this gets five stars for creating such a great character. I gave the story three stars, as I was thinking about Today's Reader. The book is made up of letters and journals and almost everything is something that has already happened and your getting a personal account of it. This was popular during Stoker's time, but it is rarely done today. For today's reader it is way too long. A lot of it reads like a soap opera. I was sick of Lucy, hours before she was finally done in. I was ready to cut her head off myself.

I LOVE YOU, YOU LOVE ME
This is a must read or listen due to the historical aspect. It also has great language. I love listening to how people talked during this time. I loved the manners used in speaking, it is lovingly written. I was also amazed in how often the word love and lover were used.

I KNOW NOT WHY

Deep roots, bears little fruit

This book created vampires as we know them. However, the story has very little suspense, is repetitive, and rather anticlimactic.

Being a collection of journal entries and letters, they chose to have a different narrator for each character's writings. Unfortunately it doesn't flow very well, and you also end up with five very different accents for Van Helsing, as each narrator's is different.

Additionally, though his name is listed prominently, Tim Curry only performs around 20 minutes of narration.

The Best Dracula Audiobook Ever!

What made the experience of listening to Dracula the most enjoyable?

All the seasoned actors and narrators.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Anyone Tim Curry plays will always be my favorite character. All the narrators do an excellent job.

What does the narrators bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

That they are all such season actors that listening to them makes you feels as though you are really there.

If you could take any character from Dracula out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Tim Curry. Does one need a reason?

Any additional comments?

You can't go wrong with this audiobook. Simon Vance, Simon Prebble, Alan Cumming....honestly, could a book get any better than this. This is well worth the credit!

awful accents almost ruined a classic

Most of the book is narrated well but either Katherine or Susan attempts some accents and the outcome is truly awful, A Seaman sounds more like a Rastafarian and Van Helsings voice is insanely bad especially compared to the other narrators Van Helsing.

Dracula deserves better.

Kallgren lowers the rating

They need to stop using her for English women. It's uncomfortable to listen to and such a shame as I love this book and the rest of the cast do so well. I toyed with giving up, as I have done with previous books she's narrated, but Cumming and Curry are just so good. Really is a shame about Kallgren, I'm sure she's a great narrator when tackling accents closer to her own. But these are just so painfully forced.

Good, but some miscast voices and dull chapters

What did you like best about Dracula [Audible Edition]? What did you like least?

The first half, full of the bizarre horrors of Dracula's castle and the slow build towards his journey to England, is great. Even after all these years, it's some really creepy and atmospheric text, which the cast do a very good job of conveying. Unfortunately, I thought that the second half could really drag on at times, with far too much time being spent on long, dull monologues about how lovely Mina is and how everyone loves her for being so lovely. The last couple of chapters seemed to be more concerned with train schedules and further discussion of Mina's loveliness, rather than building up to a satisfying climax.

The cast all does a very good at voicing the various journals, diaries, telegrams, and newspapers that make up the book, however the voice actor for Jonathan Harker sounds far too old for the part. I got used to this and accepted it because he was a great narrator, yet it still felt like an odd bit of casting. Also, you see "Tim Curry as Van Helsing" and think about all the great speeches that Van Helsing has, right? Well, Tim Curry doesn't actually say any of them! I would guess that over half of Van Helsing's dialogue is written in Mina's diary, which means that Mina's actress is the one who has to speak them with a not-quite-the-same-accent-Tim-Curry-is-doing accent. I can't blame the casting for this and the actress is a good enough narrator that you just get used to it, but it's still very disappointing that Curry isn't really given anything interesting to work with.

What about the narrators’s performance did you like?

The actress foorr. Luu-see. Has a strange-lee hypnotic waay. Of taalk-iing. I doe-n't knooww hooww. Best tooo. Des-cribe iit.

To be fair, I think she's just overdoing the "sweet and delicate" voice early in the story, because she does sound much more natural later on and actually gives a very touching performance by the end. The rest of the cast are far more consistent and I have to give credit to the actress for Mina, because her many chapters include a lot of different characters and she does a great job of managing all of them (except for what I think was meant to be a Yorkshire accent that she tries to do for a character early on, which was absolutely terrible). Also, Alan Cumming deserves top billing for Dr Steward, as his chapters tended to be the highlights.

Did Dracula [Audible Edition] inspire you to do anything?

Talk like Lucy in public places and then get asked to leave by very concerned staff.

Such a shame

I love the story of Dracula but my goodness the poor and honestly painful voices of Mina and Lucy made me want to stick sharp objects in my ears! So so awful it completely put me off. So montone and without feeling. Couldn’t even finish it. Shame because Jonathan Harker was so good!

One annoying voice (which luckily stops)

You shouldn't cheer for someone's death, but one voice is so grating you end up doing so. I won't mention because I don't want to spoil, but thank God that character bites the dust just to not have to listen to the awkward, forced inflection at the end of every sentence!

I love vampires

great book, love this story. very well narrated. it was a pleasure to listen to.

Classic horror with multiple voices

The basic story of Dracula is probably familiar to most, but it is the central concept that stays longest in the mind after reading/listening. To be fair the plot loses steam at various moments and the characters are fairly flat, but the vampire and Transylvania as a setting have had so much impact on Twentieth Century culture that this book needs to read by everyone at least once just to see where it all came from. And I can't think of a better way to do that than listening to this audio-book. The book is narrated by various voices, so likewise this audio-book is read by a different narrator for each character, such as Alan Cumming for Seward and Time Curry as Van Helsing. This works very well, the multiple voices really adding something extra to sustain interest - this really is one of the most enjoyable audio-books I have listened to: A massively influential book read very well - highly recommended.

Horror well done.

I love Bram Stokers "Dracula" of which I have many audiobook versions. Personally I find the multiple cast members bring a whole new world to the characters and story pace, rather than a lone narrator. Some of the accents and pronunciations are a little off, but I like the quirkiness and professionalism of this audiobook.

Classically wonderful

Would you listen to Dracula [Audible Edition] again? Why?

Oh God Yes!

What did you like best about this story?

It is beautifully true to the original. Their was a sense of the times delivered in the performances. The atmosphere was also deliciously conveyed in the audio background.

What does the narrators bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

The nature of the book is too have many perspectives and each of the narrators/actors was wonderful in their delivery. It is also very refreshing and dynamic to have the different voices journey you through the story.

Any additional comments?

This is a classic that will be revisited several times in my life.

Excellent, but....

I loved this production but the narration of Lucy was so irritating and awful, I couldn't wait for her to die!
I was rooting for Dracula she grated on my nerves so much :)