The Coral Island

By: R. M. Ballantyne

Narrated by: Peter Joyce

Length: 10 hrs and 21 mins

Publisher's Summary

Heroes Ralph, Jack and Peterkin set sail on the Arrow and are the only three survivors of a fearful shipwreck. They are washed ashore on a seemingly idyllic coral island.

This tranquillity is violently disturbed, first by a tribe of bloodthirsty cannibals and then by the invasion of a vicious pirate and his gang of cut-throats. Will the boys thwart their enemies and live to see England again?

Largely based on Ballantyne’s own experience, as he sailed the seas and roved the countries of the World, ‘The Coral Island’ is a classic adventure story of the Victorian period.

About Assembled Stories: Over the years the national press have reviewed Assembled Stories titles as "excellent", "remarkable", "entrancing", "superb", "magic for sure", "masterly", "wonderful", "a class act" and "a splendid example of audio at its best".

©1995 R M Ballantyne (P)2004 Assembled Stories

Critic Reviews

"Peter Joyce is the most remarkable one-man band in audiobook publishing. Joyce, an experienced actor, reads them all himself." ( The Independent)

The longest 10 hours of my Audible membership!

I've always loved stories of survival so the description of this book appealed to me. Unfortunately, I didn't like anything about this book. The story seemed contrived just so the author could tell us what he knows about the South Pacific. The narration at times made me feel like I was being read a bedtime story, and the pronunciation of some words (e.g., porpoise) was grating. Even the production had gaps and bits of music at strange times.

I really enjoyed the first 3/4 of this novel.

The first 3/4 were amazing, but fell apart by the end. It reminded me a lot of Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. If you enjoy adventure, survival, with a hint of SciFi (imo) you will enjoy most of this novel. I won't spoil the end, but once the unrealistic heroic actions started happening (him returning) it got very boring and too larger than life for me to like. Would of been a 5/5 but it fell apart at the end.

One of The Best!

Great tale well told. Joyce artfully delivers a true-to-form rendition of Ballantyne's wonderful coming-of-age epic, set in the early days of sail in the South Seas. Bravo!

Religious Propaganda

A good adventure story becomes religious propaganda. The black savages are converted to Christianity and all is well. What bunkum.

The Coral Island - An old fashioned adventure

If you could sum up The Coral Island in three words, what would they be?

Thrilling, Fun, Informative.

What did you like best about this story?

This is an old fashioned adventure with all the elements needed to transport you to the islands of the South Pacific and give you a jolly good time. I read this book for the first time when I was 12 years old. I am now 59 and I have re-read it many times throughout my life.

What about Peter Joyce’s performance did you like?

Peter Joyce delivered the story with enthusiasm and feeling.

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

A Jolly Good Adventure

Any additional comments?

This is my favorite book ever

A sea adventure with charm , innocence , camaraderie and excitement

I loved this book and the Narrator is consistent and very experienced ..... it’s a real cozy exciting sea adventure... with some gruesome gripping bits in it .... love the camaraderie between the three boys!!! Tho they are supposed to be all young as 15, 17, 18 I can’t imagine it cause they seem far too mature ...esp for boys!!! I imagine they are in early 20’s it works for me !!! Love this book and have listened to it a few times as it’s a very layered story ......if u love treasure island you will love this !! It’s very underrated book ... it keeps your attention all the way through !!!

A memory of childhood!

I first read this book as an avid teenage bookworm and it has remained engrained in my memory ever since!
Now in my mid-fifties it wasn't quite the same of course but it was still a very enjoyable and enthralling experience!

Brilliant

This is the perfect desert island tale. Brings to life the Pacific Islands. Boys own adventure.