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High-Rise  By  cover art

High-Rise

By: J. G. Ballard
Narrated by: Tom Hiddleston
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Publisher's summary

From the author of the Sunday Times best seller Cocaine Nights comes an unnerving tale of life in a modern tower block running out of control.

Within the concealing walls of an elegant 40-storey tower block, the affluent tenants are hell-bent on an orgy of destruction. Cocktail parties degenerate into marauding attacks on 'enemy' floors, and the once-luxurious amenities become an arena for riots and technological mayhem.

In this visionary tale of urban disillusionment from the renowned author of Crash and Cocaine Nights, society slips into a violent reverse as the isolated inhabitants of the high-rise, driven by primal urges, recreate a dystopian world ruled by the laws of the jungle.

The audiobook of High Rise arrives as interest in the book and J. G. Ballard's work reaches a new peak. The film adaptation of High Rise, directed by Ben Wheatley (Kill List, Sightseers) will be released in September 2015, starring Tom Hiddleston, Jeremy Irons, Sienna Miller, Luke Evans and Elisabeth Moss.

Tom Hiddleston, who is known to millions worldwide for his role as the evil god Loki in the blockbuster Thor and Avengers movies, has lent his voice to this first UK audiobook adaptation of High Rise, which was published in 1975.

J. G. Ballard was born in 1930 in Shanghai, where his father was a businessman. After internment in a civilian prison camp, he and his family returned to England in 1946. He published his first novel, The Drowned World, in 1961. His 1984 best seller Empire of the Sun won the Guardian Fiction Prize and the James Tait Black Memorial Prize and was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. It was later filmed by Steven Spielberg. Ballard's memoir, Miracles of Life, was published in 2008. J. G. Ballard died in 2009.

©1975 J. G. Ballard (P)2016 Audible, Ltd

What listeners say about High-Rise

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    5 out of 5 stars

Dark and thought-provoking

If you want something that is thought provoking and dark this is the novel for you. It's in that dystopian category for a reason. It is not for the faint of heart, or for everyone in general. There are some incredibly disturbing things that happen, but it's to be expected in this genre. Despite the horrors there is a lot to unpack and analyse. I'll be thinking about this book for days.
The narrator is brilliant. I couldn't imagine anyone else in the role.

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5 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Not Connected to Characters

I struggled to finish this book because I didn't really care about the characters. I love the narrator, but the narration sounded like a news report on the events. I didn't hate the story and liked the premise. There were moments I was interested.

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4 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Insanity begs you to listen continuously

Absolutely loved this book! the insanity of the whole matter makes you never want to put it down. You can't help but hang onto even word spoken as the author and narrator pull you into a bizarre utopia of insanity. great read and excellent listen!

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4 people found this helpful

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    2 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

The Joker Meme but a book.

We live in a society, bro. We're all just animals, bro!
Absolutely fucking terrible.

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3 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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Should have listened to the reviews

I have been trying since September of last year to finish this book. Bizarre doesn't even begin to cover it. Tom Hiddleston was the ONLY good thing about this book. The story sounded interesting and I really tried, but I either missed something somewhere, or this is nothing but Lord of the Flies meets Crazy Ass Rich People. Just couldn't do it.

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2 people found this helpful

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    2 out of 5 stars
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So Disturbing

The only way I managed to get through this story was with many intervals, and just enjoying listening to Tom Hiddleston's performance.
But (often) at times, I was so appalled with the story content. 👀🤢

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2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Loved it

Excellent narration!! Tom Hiddleston has such a soothing voice!
I felt like I was there

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

High-rise

I wanted to like this book. Interesting premise but falls short. Depressing. Disappointed. Liked the narrator.

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    2 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

No interesting characters

Narrator was good, the premise seemed interesting, but the total lack of any likable or relatable character made it difficult to stay interested in the plot.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
  • DM
  • 11-19-23

Social Break Down

This book was interesting but disturbing. Social norms and personal values seemed to deteriorate quickly. I could not help but ponder the role that power and privilege played for all within the high rise. It is sad to think about the truth behind humanity.

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