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)

Fantastic!

Fantastic narration, and an amazing story. In many ways superior to the film that was made with the same name, but the narration is so amazing that I rarely thought of the film while I was listening. The book wiped clean my memory of the film, and created an entirely new visual landscape.

Great Story - Worth Reading Even If You’ve Seen The Movie

Great book - well worth your time . All too plausible horror - This was my first Will Patton narration and he was great

Outstanding

So much more than the movie. Character development and depth of feeling was great, only to be outdone by description and the turning of a phrase. This book is much more than another novel. This is literature.

I read Deliverance 45 years ago

The 1972 movie was definitely better than the 1970 book, but neither qualifies in my mind as a classic. I'm a southerner, but neither Dickey's poetry or his novels have ever impressed me. His raw talent is unquestionable, but as he approached midlife his alcohol addled mind and his larger than life ego rendered him a mediocre poet and novelist. He never lived up to his writing potential.

Narrator Will Patton makes this mediocre novel better with his narration.

Finally took the ride

I had always put off reading this book - I suppose everyone thinks"squeal like a pig" when they hear "Deliverance". But I found it to be a very well written story, and now I am curious to watch the movie (I had only seen parts of it before.) I would recommend.

Still Scary

Not sure if scary is the word to use but this book is definitely just as how I remembered it and I for one, will not be making a trip out to that area anytime soon in fear that something similar could happen to me.

The narrator does a great job too. He is very impressive and sounds awfully like Jon Voight, who was the main character from the movie.

I do have one regret though, too bad they couldn't somehow get the banjo music from the movie to be played somewhere within the audiobook. It's hard to think of Deliverance without hearing that tune in your head.

Wondful

Listened to the book after reading and seeing movie many years ago. Enjoyed even more listening to Audible version. This is a "Must Listen" to book.

What a listen!!!

James Dickey has a powerful grip on the English language. His ability to describe what is happening to the main character of the book, Ed, is in no way superficial. Dickey has captured the power of the river and how it changed Ed forever. The narrator of this novel was outstanding. I had seen the movie many years ago, but reading, as it usually does, brought "Deliverence" up to a high level that can only be accurately understood by those who have read the book. POWERFUL!

As close as it comes to a perfect book!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I loved everything about this book

What did you like best about this story?

I really liked how real the characters reactions felt, and the setting was beautiful and so much a part of the story.

What about Will Patton’s performance did you like?

I felt he did a great job with the story. He was a good choice.

Well worth a revisit!

I read this book back in the 70s when I was in high school, saw the movie, of course, but listening to the audio has been, by far, my FAVORITE experience with this story, Will Patton gave this a life that made me feel as if I were hearing this tale for the first time. What a wonderful treat from a book that I already enjoy as a favorite. Worth a credit and as a Daily Deal, I look at it as a gift! Thanks Audible :)