Stardust

By: Neil Gaiman

Narrated by: Neil Gaiman

Length: 6 hrs and 23 mins

Publisher's summary

In the sleepy English countryside of decades past, there is a town that has stood on a jut of granite for 600 years. And immediately to the east stands a high stone wall, for which the village is named. Here in the town of Wall, Tristran Thorn has lost his heart to the hauntingly beautiful Victoria Forester. One crisp October night, as they watch, a star falls from the sky, and Victoria promises to marry Tristran if he'll retrieve the star and bring it back for her. It is this promise that sends Tristran through the only gap in the wall, across the meadow, and into the most unforgettable adventure of his life.

Fantasy fan? Don't miss more from Neil Gaiman.

©1999 Neil Gaiman (P)2006 HarperCollins Publishers, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Eminently readable, a charming piece of work." (Washington Post)
"An original and well-written fairy tale....This is a refreshingly creative story with appealing characters." (Library Journal)
"The resolution is satisfying and complex, proving that there is more to fairy tales than 'happily ever after'." (School Library Journal)

a surprise for me

i hadn't read fantasy since my narnia and then harry potter times, nor watched fantasy movies. (well, maybe.... hummm, no, i've read The Mists of Avalon also a few ys ago...). I arrived to Neil Gaiman books by following his wife on facebook. i had no idea who he was, but just because i like her i took a chance into reading Stardust, actually listening to it even if I'd normally avoid books read by the author... wow... now I'm hooked... i loved EVERYTHING about it... what should I read next?

Everything a story should be!

Each time I listen I am enchanted all over again.Beautiful writing transports you into a fascinating other world.

The man can tell a story

While I wouldn't want Neil Gaiman to narrate every one of his novels, this story in particular is well suited to his own unique voice. While I feel he gets the tone across right well with his words, there were parts he was able to add character to that made the story that much richer. Almost as if he was able to let us in on some of the inside jokes we would never have caught if his voice didn't guide us there. It gives what is otherwise a very typical story a certain amount of color it needs to be vibrant.

I feel I should mention I didn't come across this on my own, but am in the camp that watched the movie first. Regardless, I'm glad I was able to experience the less action-heavy path the book will walk as well. Instead of sword fights, there's trickery. Instead of cross-dressing pirates there's years of adventures. It takes longer to get to the same conclusion, but its downright entertaining in the process.

Very Well Performed and Better than the Movie!

Neil Gaiman is becoming my favorite author and I have enjoyed listening to him read his own work. His writing is superb and I enjoy each world he has created, especially Wall in Stardust. I will be listening to this book again and again, something I rarely do. I was so sad for it to end. If you are a fan of Neil Gaiman, you will love this book. If you liked the movie, you will enjoy getting more of a glimpse into this story. So good!

Wonderful fairytale

This was a quite enjoyable fairytale about a man who goes into the land of Fairy searching for a fallen star to bring back to the woman he loves. It had a somewhat slow start, but after that I felt pretty engrossed in the book the entire time. The story actually had a pretty good plot and world building. I thought the ending was a bit anti-climatic in regards to the book's main villain, but otherwise, it was a wonderful book. I particularly enjoyed Mr. Gaiman's narration and you could tell he had a lot of passion and love for the book.

A nice fairytale

This was sweet. Better than the film, but not quite as witty as Mr. Gaiman's usual work. There were a few fun creatures and the Star started out great. Eventually it becomes a typical fairytale complete with HEA.

A must read!

it's so much better than the movie. I think everyone should always read the book before you see the movie. because the movie will mess it up. so read the book first. It is great. Thank you.

Agreed - an unnecessarily adult story

The storyline develops slowly but coalesces by mid-story. By the end, you come away from fairy land with a satisfied feeling, but also with a nagging thought too that there is something familiar about the events, if you could just remember where. The faerie intimacy scene may motivate some young fay readers to attempt clandestine listening, hoping for more despite the opaque storyline, but they will be mostly disappointed, unless they actually figure out where the story is going. Neil is a great narrator.

Wonderful fairytale! Listened straight through and wished there was more 🎧❤️

Beautifully written and perfectly read by Mr. Gaiman, this book lifts you out of the ordinary and into the extraordinary. A charming tale that delights and in times such as these one needs a pleasant distraction.

One of the best books I've ever read.

There are stories that you read, and there are stories that you fall in love with. This was one of the stories that you fall in love with. Hearing this masterpiece of a story told by the author is a unique experience that conveys every ounce of passion and integrity that each character possesses. I could not recommend this book any more highly.