• Paradise Lost

  • By: John Milton
  • Narrated by: Simon Vance
  • Length: 9 hrs and 11 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (1,558 ratings)

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Paradise Lost  By  cover art

Paradise Lost

By: John Milton
Narrated by: Simon Vance
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Publisher's summary

John Milton's Paradise Lost is one of the greatest epic poems in the English language. It tells the story of the Fall of Man, a tale of immense drama and excitement, of rebellion and treachery, of innocence pitted against corruption, in which God and Satan fight a bitter battle for control of mankind's destiny. The struggle rages across three worlds - heaven, hell, and earth - as Satan and his band of rebel angels plot their revenge against God. At the center of the conflict are Adam and Eve, who are motivated by all too human temptations but whose ultimate downfall is unyielding love.

Marked by Milton's characteristic erudition, Paradise Lost is a work epic both in scale and, notoriously, in ambition. For nearly 350 years, it has held generation upon generation of audiences in rapt attention, and its profound influence can be seen in almost every corner of Western culture.

Public Domain (P)2009 Tantor

Critic reviews

"If you’re in the mood for a heart-pounding morality tale, this is the book for you. This seventeenth-century classic has survived all these years for many reasons, not least of which is that it portrays Satan as a sympathetic hero. Narrator Simon Vance is equipped with a forceful British accent, which he uses to accentuate the text and bring the story to life. He subtly changes his tone and emphasis as the story moves from heaven to hell to earth, and he enables us to appreciate the story’s different personalities without providing character voices. Vance's most effective attribute is his ability to interpret epic poetry by delivering the lines with rhythm and superb pacing. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award." (AudioFile magazine)

What listeners say about Paradise Lost

Average customer ratings
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good postulation

really enjoyed the postulation the maid while pulling in so much scripture. can bring new light 2 scripture because he allows you to see it possible for ground

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4 people found this helpful

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classic

this is a classic. well read. the narrators voice and accent were the perfect accompaniment to Milton's poetic narrative.

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Good Story

Descriptive to the point where you felt you were in the battle or understanding of the characters feelings. Milton was ahead of his time with this

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    3 out of 5 stars

Paradise Lost

I didn’t like this poem when I read it in college (many decades ago). I decided to give Milton another chance. I appreciate the hard work of the reader, but the poem still annoys me. Nevertheless, I am glad I took time to listen.

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Great

i enjoyed the book as well as the narrator
not enough time to listen through it all at one sitting, i definitely enjoyed it.

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Greatest story Ever told, in the most beautiful language

Simon Vance does a spectacular job . This book gave me a Bridge to all of Elizabethan literature and a much better understanding of the Old Testament. I rank Paradise Lost up there with the Iliad, the odyssey, and all of Shakespeare.

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Fantastic!

Milton’s work really shines through Vance’s narration. A real treat to listen to. Would highly recommend

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Most Enjoyable

I could not wait to get to my mindless job to listen! As a Christian, this epic prompted much deep thoight and self evaluation. The humanizing of the story of the Fall and Redemption became personal to me.

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Amazing read!

Phenomenal and excellent! So glad I read it. Such an inspired story. I can't believe it took me so long to get around to reading it. Don't wait, read it now. God bless you!

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  • B.
  • 05-02-23

Interesting

Interesting. Differences in vocabulary and mindset. The story was sometimes confusing but it was an interesting one.

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