Deliverance

By: James Dickey

Narrated by: Will Patton

Length: 7 hrs and 31 mins

Publisher's summary

Earphones Award Winner (AudioFile Magazine)

The smash-hit best seller that inspired the acclaimed 1972 film starring Jon Voight, Burt Reynolds, Ned Beatty, and Ronny Cox is now available in unabridged audio for the very first time.

The setting is the Georgia wilderness, where the state's most remote white-water river awaits. In the thundering froth of that river, in its echoing stone canyons, four men on a canoe trip discover a freedom and exhilaration beyond compare. And then, in a moment of horror, the adventure turns into a struggle for survival as one man becomes a human hunter who is offered his own harrowing deliverance.

This classic tale is vividly read by movie and TV star and Audie Award-winning narrator Will Patton.

©1970 James Dickey (P)2011 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

100 Best Novels ( The Modern Library)

All-Time 100 Novels ( Time)

"Will Patton's narration is nothing short of haunting. His Southern tone steadily declines from that of a man pondering all that is possible in the world to that of a shattered soul." ( AudioFile)

One of the best audiobook narrations ever!!

The narration of this story put you right into the middle of it bringing you in an making you feel like you are part of the ride. Didn’t want to put it down!!

Much better than movie

Dickey understands his characters with much more specificity and empathy than comes through in the movie. Beautifully read.

A deep deep dive into the psyche of men!

I thoroughly enjoyed this audio book and Will Patton is a master In the narration of this Masterpiece.

Great listen!

Well-told story! Powerful language and narrative voice. I would listen to it again. Thanks!

Squeal Like a Pig

The movie Deliverance, an icon for at least one generation is reference for every fated trip into the wilderness. This book so poetically narrated brings the listener along on the trip down the river. James Dickey gives us this delicious/dangerous setting in the rural South.
It all works; this story is wonderful. P. S. I did miss that line though

A terrific surprse - fantastic literature

This book has a good premise from which to build a story from, then James Dickey writes a spectacular book around it. The dialog is tense, realistic and moving. The book captures the events and the emotions surrounding them in a way that is unique and sharp and real. I felt like I was there, on that trip, part of the action. If you have seen the movie and do not think you would like the book, which is how I felt, put that prejudice aside this is a top tier piece of literature, it is written with talent and feeling and it will surprise you.

Hold Onto Your Pants - We're Goin' For a Ride!!!

I remember the movie from long ago, and never even knew it was from a book...until now. And what a book it is! Once they get into the woods and on that boat, believe me...you are going for a ride right along with them!

You're going to feel thrashed around on that white river, you're going to smell the moss and molds of the forest, you're going to grab your side and wince when one of the characters gets hurt. You are going into a place where you'd never dare enter outside of these 'pages', so hang on, buckle up, and enjoy the ride!

Forget The Movie

A stunning presentation. Not having read the novel, I was astonished at how much deeper Ed's character is than the desperately miscast Jon Voight in the movie. I shouldn't have been, I guess -- don't we all know the book is always better than the movie?

Well, in this case, Will Patton's performance trumps BOTH, in my opinion. One of those you're-already-home-in-the-driveway-but-don't-want-to-turn-it-off audiobooks.

My highest recommendation.

EXCELLENT STORY!!

Most of the time stories under 8-10 hours leave me a little unfulfilled. It's hard for me to really get into the characters and the story in a "short" book. This was not the case with Deliverance. Dickey told an amazing story, with a lot of depth to it. Elements of this story will be replaying in my mind for years to come. The author was able to keep this book short by focussing all his effort on THE story. He didn't dance back and forth between several parallel stories, but it never got stale or borring. He told a great story, and didn't waste a lot of time doing it. I highly recommend this book.

Will Patton was a phenomenal reader of this novel. He just seemed like the perfect voice for this story.

white-water poetry, terrifying

The movie, "Deliverance," flattened me. I didn't think I needed the words, James Dickey's glorious words, too. I was wrong.