Kidnapped

By: Robert Louis Stevenson

Narrated by: Kieron Elliott

Spirited, romantic, and full of danger, Kidnapped is Robert Louis Stevenson's classic of high adventure. Beloved by generations, it is the saga of David Balfour, a young heir whose greedy uncle connives to do him out of his inherited fortune and plots to have him seized and sold into slavery. But honor, loyalty, and courage are rewarded; the orphan and castaway survives kidnapping and shipwreck, is rescued by a daredevil of a rogue, and makes a thrilling escape to freedom across the wild highlands of Scotland.

Acclaimed by Henry James as Robert Louis Stevenson's best novel, Kidnapped achieves what Stevenson called "the particular crown and triumph of the artist...not simply to convince, but to enchant."

Public Domain (P)2015 Recorded Books

Not what I expected, but still great

So, all of the covers I have seen for this book imply that the ship is more heavily involved that it actually is. I thought I was getting into a sea-fairing adventure, and instead I got a gay romp across Scotland ready by a very Scottish narrator. I don't think I would have enjoyed the book half as much if the narrator hadn't been so spot on. Don't get me wrong, it was fun, but there were times when it seemed to drag a bit. #ClassicLit #Lost #ComingofAge #Tagsgiving #Sweepstakes

A Boy's Own Adventure

Synopsis:

Upon the death of his father, David Balfour is given a letter of introduction to Ebenezer Balfour, of Shaws House in Cramond. The welcome he receives from that man runs hot, and cold in turns. Mr Balfour proposes a visit to a lawyer, having been foiled in an attempt to cause David's death by sending him up a tower without light. The next day a young cabin boy arrives, Ransome, and he guides them to a ship, where David is coaxed on board, before being knocked out, and so the adventures begin.

Review:

This is a "boy's own adventure" style story, and it did keep me wondering at how it would be resolved. I liked the mixture of fact with fiction, and the characters were very well drawn. There is a romantic taint to the tale, which, thankfully, refrained from being overly sentimental.

It was a slow start. I struggled to hold on through those first few chapters, but I'm glad I did. The language, being a little old fashioned, took some getting used to - and I am used to the language of Jane Austen, Dickens, and Shakespeare. Eventually I was able to follow the rhythm, if not the Latin.

Mr Kieron Elliott gave an excellent performance as narrator with his Scottish accent. I chose this edition over other audio formats, based on samples of voices, and I'm glad I chose this version. It was a lively narration, clear, even with the Scottish dialect. In fact, the audio production was good overall, with only one or two changes in tone, voice, and quality to mar the presentation.

I would recommend this story to anyone who enjoys a good, rollicking tale. I think pre-teen boy readers might enjoy the tale far more than adults. For my own part, I am going to seek a copy of the sequel, Catriona, hoping Kieron Elliott has recorded it.

Stevenson’s Best Novel

The reader did great justice to this extraordinary book. It will resonate with me for a long time.

Great

The narrator was really good at speaking in the accent of the character, and i loved it.
The overall story was interesting enough to keep me listening.Try it out!

I chose this narration because of Kieron Elliott

It was an absolute joy to hear. Mr. Elliott's phrasing, intonation and accent brought this book to life and made it a delightful read. This is the absolute best rendition.

great story but...

I enjoyed the story although it got a little long at times but the ending left me disappointed.

Kidnapped is great

Kidnapped is amazing. at the end it is a little sad but good read it.

Great classic story

Spoken with a Scottish accent, but not a heavy one. I for one love Scots so I had no trouble following it. If you are not versed with the politics of the time, there maybe some confusion, but it is a great adventure story.

Deceived by Uncle Ebenezer

I especially like the end of the story when Dave and his friend and lawyer tricked Uncle Ebenezer.

GREAT

This is one of my favorite stories. I love the fact that the performer took the time and effort to do the story with all the accents, as it should be told. The book itself was slow in places, but in the whole, I loved it!