Heart of Darkness

By: Joseph Conrad

Narrated by: David Rintoul

Length: 4 hrs and 6 mins

Publisher's summary

Joseph Conrad's searing tale of one of the strangest and most memorable journeys ever taken. Quite simply the scariest book ever written, this is a searing tale of one of the strangest and most memorable journeys ever undertaken - to the heart of a geographical and psychological wilderness from which no-one returns unscarred. For this isn't simply a journey up an uncharted river into a geographical wilderness; rather, it's a trip deep into our collective subconscious.

This story - about what happens when so-called "civilized" human beings go off the rails - was the inspiration for Francis Ford Coppola's movie Apocalypse Now.

Conrad himself had undertaken such a river journey as a ship's captain back in 1889 when he was in his early 30's and before he took to writing full time. Back then, the Congo Free State, as this area of Africa was known, was a Belgian colony under the personal control of King Leopold II. Atrocities were commonplace, to the point where the international community finally had to sit up and take notice; in a report published in 1904, over 3 million people were said to have died as a direct result of European intervention in the area.

It has long been argued whether Heart of Darkness, which first appeared in 1902, was in any way influential in bringing Leopold's violent regime to the public's attention; but whether or not, it remains a searing indictment of human rapacity - and depravity.

Public Domain (P)2013 Creative Content

OH. MY. GOODNESS.

How do I even begin to describe this book!! This was assigned reading for me. I had not heard of Joseph Conrad before, but Conrad’s writing style, his deep but elegant descriptions, his depth of understanding of human behavior makes me want to read everything he’s ever written!!

This book was breathtaking from beginning to end… and that ending… W O W!

I DEFINITELY recommend this book if you like classic novels with flowing prose and human psychology. Joseph Conrad may be the most underrated author I’ve come across!

Masterfully performed

A true classic and a masterful and intensely felt performance by the narrator David Rintoul.

Actually Non-Fiction

Would you try another book from Joseph Conrad and/or David Rintoul?

Hmmm

Would you recommend Heart of Darkness to your friends? Why or why not?

No. It seemed obtuse to me, jumpy in terms of visualizing scenes and following the time line. In addition, narrative is stylized and from another era that may not have translated well into the spoken word.

What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?

I did not like the over wrought style. That style may be appropriate to the stylized written narrative but I did not like that style either.

Any additional comments?

This is almost non-fiction. Conrad spent time in Congo and this representation apparently includes real people and a real boat (see King Leopolds Ghost - but read my review first) and is actually understated.

Loved It

Evocative prose brings to life the descriptions and interpretations of the narrating character. I felt as if the story itself was a jungle I was traveling deep within. The narrator was fantastic, like I was actually listening to the character recount the story.

Great story, well read.

The reader transforms this great story into a first person experience that should not be overlooked.

Such anticlimaticism

The performance: excellent. The writing: evocative. The build upv suspenseful. The climax: non-existent. The conclusion: abrupt.

I was really enjoying the build up. It was leading me to wonder at all manner of possibilities. Next thing I knew the suspense was over and I didn't realize we'd hit the climax. Even more abruptly was the conclusion. No where in any of the climax or conclusion was there any sense of the horror and suspense that the first few hours tried to portray. It's like watching a scary movie only to find out the monster is a person wearing a costume holding a sign that says "I'm scary. Be terrified."

A classic 'must-read'; better as Audiobook

Before listening to the audiobook, I only remembered vague bits and pieces of this story, most likely via the obscure pop-culture this book has built up over the years. My initial attempt to properly revisit the story was by simply reading it. Perhaps it is because English is not my first language; perhaps it is because I lack a deeper understanding of those finer details that make english literature what it is; I found myself not quite grasping the story as I was reading. I then switched to the audiobook and all became clear. It helps, greatly, to hear the narrator set the tone and decide upon the ways the story 'should' be read,

Overall, with only its 4+ hours, I would say this is definitely a must-read and absolutely a (cult-)classic. There are some descriptions which are now entirely outdated but that is something anyone can expect from a story like this. It is a child of its time.

Incredibly luxurious Prose

I suppose I expected something of a travelogue of the Congo. This is not that. What this is is a meandering story that is weak on plot but infused with amazing descriptions. Again those descriptions are not of the flora and fauna of the Congo. They are, instead, riveting and insightful descriptions of the characters' souls. Conrad's writing is amazing. And the narrator is just as amazing. He is perfect for this piece. As one who luxuriate in verbiage, I enjoyed the book.

Excellent

First time listening to this work, Mr. Rintoul is fantastic. I thought I was in the Congo Jungle. Conrad's descriptive and ominous tale is one to be remembered.

Excellent

Captivating story, clear and engaging narration. For those wondering, this version is not edited for political correctness.