The Count of Monte Cristo

By: Alexandre Dumas

Narrated by: Bill Homewood

On the eve of his marriage to the beautiful Mercedes, having that very day been made captain of his ship, the young sailor Edmond Dantès is arrested on a charge of treason, trumped up by jealous rivals. Incarcerated for many lonely years in the isolated and terrifying Chateau d'If near Marseille, he meticulously plans his brilliant escape and extraordinary revenge.

Of all the "masked avengers" and "caped crusaders" in literature, The Count of Monte Cristo is at once the most daring and the most vulnerable. Alexandre Dumas (père), master storyteller, takes us on a journey of adventure, romance, intrigue, and ultimately, redemption.

Download the accompanying reference guide.Public Domain (P)2010 Naxos Audiobooks

This is the definitive reading!

There are two fantastic Unabridged recordings of this book on Audible.

* This one by Naxos Audiobooks, released in 2011, narrated by Bill Homewood, and
* Blackstone Audio's version, released in 2008, narrated by John Lee.

Now, at first glance, the John Lee version seems more energetic and might seem superior, but that's absolutely wrong. Listen to the audio sample of that version, and you'll be treated to a monotone reading where -every- -single- -character- -sounds- -exactly- -the- -same-. Most of the time you can't even hear the difference between him narrating the story or speaking a character's lines. I assure you that nearly 50 hours of the same monotone voice, where every character blends together, is not the best way to experience the book.

Now listen to THIS recording instead, by Bill Homewood. Listen to the sample all the way until the end, and you'll hear that he expertly crafts a UNIQUE voice for EVERY character, and gives each character a vibrant portrayal. It's an absolute joy to listen to him narrate the work with such talent for voices and accents, and it's really easy to follow along with what's happening since the voices are so distinct.

The book itself? It's a classic for a reason. If you have a taste for epic revenge and adventure stories, then this is for you. I suggest you choose this reading of the book and sit back, relax and enjoy. You'll be in for the ride of a lifetime.

Undescribably well done

I can only try to express my appreciation for this work. The only way to describe in words how good this book is, is to write it all over again.
As has been stated in other reviews, the narration doesn't get better than this. He is absolutely phenomenal. Every single voice is unique and done with perfect immersion. Sometimes I fancied it was read by different persons entirely. He also tells the story with perfect empathy and emphasis where it is supposed to be. Truly an artist. At times in the book, you can even hear birds chirping in the background, which just elevates the experience even more.

Second opinion

What did you love best about The Count of Monte Cristo?

The eventual redemption despite the relatively ambivalent and totally devastating sabotage to a mans life by those around him.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Count of Monte Cristo?

The prison scenes are the most memorable, thankfully none of the movie overdo is here.

What does Bill Homewood bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The voice given to the emphatic blinking of a paralysed man is certainly something I could not have got from the written page.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I love long stories, this one is very good, but you would have to be very keen to do one 48 hr listen.

Any additional comments?

Very well drawn characters that are in no way black and white. Sad that so many of them have been lost from movie versions.
There is a comment that compares this rendition to that of Mr Lee, I would like to second that opinion. Even though I am very fond of that artists voice, this is a much more expressive rendition and I noticed some dumbing down of vocabulary in the segment of the other one, calling

Deep Kinship for a Long Haul

Blow for blow, the best possible companionship if you’re going through something that only you can get yourself out of. So, listen. I read The Count of Monte Cristo years ago in high school and remember loving all the descriptions and revelations. Then years went by, and I’d all but forgotten this treasured classic— until I picked my head up out of almost a decade of painful post-secondary, graduate, and doctoral work with several more painful years to go in front of me. And suddenly, the only person who could possibly get on my level was a man digging his way out of a maximum security prison for 10 years with a spoon. I downloaded Bill Homewood’s 52 hour reading of Dumas’s classic, and it’s been my best, most constant, and most empathetic companion on even my worst days. This translation of Dumas is incredibly clear and bright, and enough praise cannot be lavished upon Homewood’s stunning talents as a voice actor. 52 hours of dozens upon dozens of different character voices and indulgent descriptions and hairpin plot twists— and Homewood proved a powerhouse one-man show, keeping up all the energy and enthusiasm of a bard and a sportscaster all at once. This may not be the book for you if you’re in a casual classic mood; but if you’re going through something that never feels over or nursing grievances that never feel avenged or trying to find redemption in your journey to reinvent yourself out of darkness or just all of the above, this book is your match. Go forth— “All human wisdom is summed up in two words: wait and hope.”

Best book I’ve ever read (listened to)

Incredible story. The narration was good though some of the voices given to characters seemed like a stretch. Overall though, well read with lots of emotion. Bravo, what a book.