-
The Crystal Cave
- The Arthurian Saga, Book 1
- Narrated by: Nicol Williamson
- Length: 3 hrs and 9 mins
- Abridged Audiobook
- Categories: Literature & Fiction, Historical Fiction
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Buy for $11.87
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
The Crystal Cave
- The Arthurian Saga, Book 1
- By: Mary Stewart
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 16 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Born the bastard son of a Welsh princess, Myrdden Emrys - or as he would later be known, Merlin - leads a perilous childhood, haunted by portents and visions. But destiny has great plans for this no-man's-son, taking him from prophesying before High King Vortigern to the crowning of Uther Pendragon, and the conception of Arthur, king for once and always.
-
-
Fantasy as literature.
- By bluestategirl on 01-25-17
By: Mary Stewart
-
The Mists of Avalon
- By: Marion Zimmer Bradley
- Narrated by: Davina Porter
- Length: 50 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A posthumous recipient of the World Fantasy Award for Lifetime Achievement, Marion Zimmer Bradley reinvented - and rejuvenated - the King Arthur mythos with her extraordinary Mists of Avalon series. In this epic work, Bradley follows the arc of the timeless tale from the perspective of its previously marginalized female characters: Celtic priestess Morgaine, Gwenhwyfar, and High Priestess Viviane.
-
-
Davina Porter brings an old favorite back to life!
- By Carolina on 07-13-12
-
Thunder on the Right
- By: Mary Stewart
- Narrated by: Ellie Heydon
- Length: 8 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
High in the rugged Pyrenees lies the Valley of the Storms, where a tiny convent clings to the beautiful but lonely mountainside. Jenny Silver arrives seeking her missing cousin, and is devastated when she learns of Gillian's death following a terrible car accident. But Jenny's suspicions are aroused when she's told the blue flowers ornamenting her cousin's grave were Gillian's favourite. Jenny knows Gillian was colour-blind - and so starts her mission to uncover what really happened to her.
-
-
Romance and mystery
- By Jerri C on 11-25-19
By: Mary Stewart
-
Touch Not the Cat
- By: Mary Stewart
- Narrated by: Zoe Mills
- Length: 10 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ashley Court: the tumbledown ancestral home of the Ashley family, all blessed with 'the gift' of being able to speak to each other without words. When Bryony Ashley's father dies under mysterious circumstances, his final words a cryptic warning to her, Bryony returns from abroad to uncover Ashley Court's secrets. What did her father's message mean? What lies at the centre of the overgrown maze in the gardens? And who is trying to prevent Bryony from discovering the truth?
-
-
A Bit of Atmosphere in Nostalgic Rom Suspense
- By Sophia Rose on 03-03-20
By: Mary Stewart
-
Nine Coaches Waiting
- The twisty, unputdownable romantic suspense classic
- By: Mary Stewart
- Narrated by: Ellie Heydon
- Length: 11 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Linda Martin understands what is to be lonely: her parents died when she was young, and she was raised in an orphanage. When she is hired as a governess to the orphaned young Philippe, Comte de Valmy, Linda finds a kindred spirit in the lonely little boy. But Philippe is the heir to a vast estate in Savoy, and his dangerously handsome uncle may be willing to kill to ensure that Philippe never inherits it.
-
-
My favorite book for decades!
- By Mary E. Haley on 05-13-19
By: Mary Stewart
-
The Prince and the Pilgrim
- By: Mary Stewart
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 8 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Eager, burning, and young, Alexander has come of age to take vengeance on the treacherous King of Cornwall who murdered his father. He sets off toward Camelot to seek justice from King Arthur, only to be diverted by the beautiful and sensual Morgan le Fay, Arthur's sister. Using her wiles and her enchantments, Morgan persuades the young prince to attempt a theft of the Holy Grail. He is unaware her motives are of the darkest nature.
-
-
A Little Better Than Average
- By David on 01-13-19
By: Mary Stewart
-
The Crystal Cave
- The Arthurian Saga, Book 1
- By: Mary Stewart
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 16 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Born the bastard son of a Welsh princess, Myrdden Emrys - or as he would later be known, Merlin - leads a perilous childhood, haunted by portents and visions. But destiny has great plans for this no-man's-son, taking him from prophesying before High King Vortigern to the crowning of Uther Pendragon, and the conception of Arthur, king for once and always.
-
-
Fantasy as literature.
- By bluestategirl on 01-25-17
By: Mary Stewart
-
The Mists of Avalon
- By: Marion Zimmer Bradley
- Narrated by: Davina Porter
- Length: 50 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A posthumous recipient of the World Fantasy Award for Lifetime Achievement, Marion Zimmer Bradley reinvented - and rejuvenated - the King Arthur mythos with her extraordinary Mists of Avalon series. In this epic work, Bradley follows the arc of the timeless tale from the perspective of its previously marginalized female characters: Celtic priestess Morgaine, Gwenhwyfar, and High Priestess Viviane.
-
-
Davina Porter brings an old favorite back to life!
- By Carolina on 07-13-12
-
Thunder on the Right
- By: Mary Stewart
- Narrated by: Ellie Heydon
- Length: 8 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
High in the rugged Pyrenees lies the Valley of the Storms, where a tiny convent clings to the beautiful but lonely mountainside. Jenny Silver arrives seeking her missing cousin, and is devastated when she learns of Gillian's death following a terrible car accident. But Jenny's suspicions are aroused when she's told the blue flowers ornamenting her cousin's grave were Gillian's favourite. Jenny knows Gillian was colour-blind - and so starts her mission to uncover what really happened to her.
-
-
Romance and mystery
- By Jerri C on 11-25-19
By: Mary Stewart
-
Touch Not the Cat
- By: Mary Stewart
- Narrated by: Zoe Mills
- Length: 10 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ashley Court: the tumbledown ancestral home of the Ashley family, all blessed with 'the gift' of being able to speak to each other without words. When Bryony Ashley's father dies under mysterious circumstances, his final words a cryptic warning to her, Bryony returns from abroad to uncover Ashley Court's secrets. What did her father's message mean? What lies at the centre of the overgrown maze in the gardens? And who is trying to prevent Bryony from discovering the truth?
-
-
A Bit of Atmosphere in Nostalgic Rom Suspense
- By Sophia Rose on 03-03-20
By: Mary Stewart
-
Nine Coaches Waiting
- The twisty, unputdownable romantic suspense classic
- By: Mary Stewart
- Narrated by: Ellie Heydon
- Length: 11 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Linda Martin understands what is to be lonely: her parents died when she was young, and she was raised in an orphanage. When she is hired as a governess to the orphaned young Philippe, Comte de Valmy, Linda finds a kindred spirit in the lonely little boy. But Philippe is the heir to a vast estate in Savoy, and his dangerously handsome uncle may be willing to kill to ensure that Philippe never inherits it.
-
-
My favorite book for decades!
- By Mary E. Haley on 05-13-19
By: Mary Stewart
-
The Prince and the Pilgrim
- By: Mary Stewart
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 8 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Eager, burning, and young, Alexander has come of age to take vengeance on the treacherous King of Cornwall who murdered his father. He sets off toward Camelot to seek justice from King Arthur, only to be diverted by the beautiful and sensual Morgan le Fay, Arthur's sister. Using her wiles and her enchantments, Morgan persuades the young prince to attempt a theft of the Holy Grail. He is unaware her motives are of the darkest nature.
-
-
A Little Better Than Average
- By David on 01-13-19
By: Mary Stewart
-
This Rough Magic
- By: Mary Stewart
- Narrated by: Helen Johns
- Length: 11 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The pioneer of romantic suspense, Mary Stewart leads her listeners on a thrilling journey to a Mediterranean island paradise in this tale of mystery, murder and intrigue, perfect for fans of Agatha Christie and Barbara Pym. Lucy Waring, a young, out-of-work actress from London, leaps at the chance to visit her sister for a summer on the island paradise of Corfu, and what's more, a famous but reclusive actor is staying in a villa nearby. But Lucy's hopes for rest and romance are shattered when a body washes up on the beach and she finds herself swept up in a chilling chain of events.
-
-
PERFECT BEACH READ, rediscovered
- By Susan on 08-02-18
By: Mary Stewart
-
Wildfire at Midnight
- The classic thriller you will not be able to put down
- By: Mary Stewart
- Narrated by: Lucy Paterson
- Length: 6 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The pioneer of romantic suspense, Mary Stewart leads her listeners on an unforgettable ride across the Isle of Skye in this tale perfect for fans of Agatha Christie and Barbara Pym. Following a heartbreaking divorce, Gianetta retreats to the Isle of Skye hoping to find tranquillity in the island's savage beauty. But shortly before her arrival a girl's body is found on the craggy slopes of the looming Blue Mountain, and with the murderer still on the loose, there's nothing to stop him from setting his sights on Gianetta next....
-
-
Excellent
- By Julie on 08-08-18
By: Mary Stewart
-
Airs Above the Ground
- The suspenseful, romantic story that will sweep you off your feet
- By: Mary Stewart
- Narrated by: Antonia Whillans
- Length: 9 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Vanessa March's husband, Lewis, is meant to be on a business trip in Stockholm - so why does he briefly appear in newsreel footage of a fire at a circus in Vienna, with his arm around another woman? Vanessa flies to Austria to find her husband, inadvertently becoming involved in a mystery that spans three countries...and the famous dancing stallions of the Spanish Riding School. The moonlight flooded the meadow, blanching all colours to its own ghostly silver. The pines were very black.
-
-
Vintage book...still a great story.
- By Barbara Kindle Customer on 05-09-19
By: Mary Stewart
-
Rose Cottage
- By: Mary Stewart
- Narrated by: Jilly Bond
- Length: 6 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Summer, 1947. Kate Herrick, a war widow, returns to her childhood home for a final visit before the house is sold. But Rose Cottage is not the idyllic paradise she remembers from her youth and someone has been there before her. As Kate uncovers an old secret that haunts the home she thought she knew, she is forced to confront a dark truth from her own past.... Beyond the weedy garden with its riot of rose bushes, nothing had changed. And someone was crossing the bridge to approach the garden gate. Someone I knew well....
-
-
Love it
- By Georganna on 01-27-20
By: Mary Stewart
-
Thornyhold
- By: Mary Stewart
- Narrated by: Jilly Bond
- Length: 7 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The rambling house called Thornyhold is like something out of a fairy tale. Left to Gilly Ramsey by the cousin whose occasional visits brightened her childhood, the cottage, set deep in a wild wood, has come just in time to save her from a bleak future. With its reputation for magic and its resident black cat, Thornyhold offers Gilly more than just a new home. It offers her a chance to start over.
-
-
Dreadful narrator
- By Mary B. on 11-11-19
By: Mary Stewart
-
Madam, Will You Talk?
- The modern classic by the queen of romantic suspense
- By: Mary Stewart
- Narrated by: Emilia Fox
- Length: 9 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It sounds idyllic: a leisurely drive through the sun-drenched landscape of Provence. But Charity's dream holiday turns into a nightmare when she becomes embroiled in a sinister plot to kidnap a young boy. She soon finds herself in a deadly pursuit and must uncover whom to trust...and whom to fall for.
-
-
At last
- By Mary E. Haley on 11-03-18
By: Mary Stewart
-
The Moon-Spinners
- By: Mary Stewart
- Narrated by: Daphne Kouma
- Length: 9 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
While on a walking holiday through the beautiful, deserted hills of Crete, Nicola Ferris stumbles across a critically injured Englishman, guarded by a fierce Greek. Nicola cannot abandon them and so sets off on a perilous search for their lost companion - all the while being pursued by someone who wants to make sure none of them leave the island....
-
-
If You Like Mary Stewart, You Will Like This Book
- By Robin Winning on 12-26-19
By: Mary Stewart
-
My Brother Michael
- By: Mary Stewart
- Narrated by: Jasmine Blackborow
- Length: 10 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Camilla Haven sends a letter home during her quiet holiday in Athens. But when a stranger begs her to drive a car to Delphi, swearing that it is a matter of life and death, Camilla impulsively takes the opportunity she's been offered. Before long she is caught up in a whirlwind of intrigue, deceit and murder as she spins along the dusty Greek roads in a race against time to solve a 14-year-old mystery.
-
-
Mary Stewart deserves better narrators...
- By Northlake on 08-22-19
By: Mary Stewart
-
The Ivy Tree
- By: Mary Stewart
- Narrated by: Amy Molloy
- Length: 15 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Mary Stewart, one of the great British storytellers of the 20th century, transports listeners to rural Northumberland for this tale of romance, ambition and deceit - a perfect fit for fans of Agatha Christie and Barbara Pym. Whitescar is a beautiful old house and farm situated in Roman Wall country. It will make a rich inheritance for its heirs, but in order to secure it, they enlist the help of a young woman named Mary who bears remarkable resemblance to missing Whitescar heiress Annabel Winslow. Their deception will spark a powder keg of ambition, obsession and long-dead love.
-
-
Narrator ruined one of my favorite books
- By Kat Harrison on 08-20-19
By: Mary Stewart
-
The Gabriel Hounds
- By: Mary Stewart
- Narrated by: Ellie Heydon
- Length: 10 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Legend has it that when the Gabriel Hounds run howling over the crumbling palace of Dar Ibrahim, high in the Adonis Valley of Lebanon, death will follow on their heels. When rich, spoilt Christie Mansel arrives at the decaying palace to look after her eccentric Aunt Harriet, she arrives to the sound of howling dogs. The palace is riddled with hidden passages and the servants are unwilling to let anyone see Harriet during the day. It seems the palace hides an extraordinary secret...one that somebody is willing to kill to keep.
-
-
Great suspense, strong heroine
- By N.Sum on 01-05-20
By: Mary Stewart
-
The Lost One
- By: Mary Stewart
- Narrated by: Antonia Whillans
- Length: 1 hr and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The recently rediscovered short story 'The Lost One', perfect for fans of Daphne du Maurier, Santa Montefiore and Anya Seton. First published in Woman's Journal in 1960, and set against the backdrop of unfenced country and dark winding valleys at night, the aptly named 'The Lost One' features The Wind off the Small Isles heroine Perdita West, who brings her characteristic pluck and courage to this classic Mary Stewart tale of suspense and intrigue....
-
-
Short, but nice. Narration was good.
- By K's Ma on 10-10-19
By: Mary Stewart
-
Stormy Petrel
- By: Mary Stewart
- Narrated by: Eilidh Beaton
- Length: 6 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Rose Fenemore takes a desperately needed holiday to an isolated cottage on the Scottish island of Moila she doesn't expect much in the way of adventure - just a few quiet weeks of writing, walking and bird-watching. And then, late one night during a wild storm, two young men appear in her doorway, seeking shelter from the wind and rain. Neither man is quite who he claims, and the question of whom to trust will put Rose in grave peril....
-
-
A Delightful Snapshot of the Mid Century Hebrides
- By Mimi on 04-25-20
By: Mary Stewart
Publisher's Summary
More from the same
What listeners say about The Crystal Cave
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
- Jessica
- 02-11-08
yuck
Mary Stewart's Merlin trilogy, beginning with this book, is one of the greatest series ever written. It combines the interest of ancient historical fiction with the magic of fantasy brilliantly. There are passages in the story where I would swear I felt as though I were the one on a horse, traveling through the pristine forest. I have read it many times and would be thrilled to have a recording of it. This abridged travesty is disgusting. It is not the story. I would ask all people who love this story as I do to request that Audible attempt to aquire the rights to distribute an unabridged recording. You might also make a request at BBC America or Chivers Audiobooks as they have unabridged recordings that are "out of print".
84 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- me, mara
- 06-08-12
Disappointing
What would have made The Crystal Cave better?
Making it UNabridged!
What was most disappointing about Mary Stewart’s story?
I read this book many years ago and was anxious to do so before heading to England recently. I had little time so I decided to LISTEN to it. Unfortunately the recorded version was greatly abridged. The other reviews I read also spoke poorly of it, but I decided to try it anyway. Not really worth the effort. The heart and soul of the book seemed to no longer really be there.
What do you think the narrator could have done better?
He's a very fine actor, I just didn't feel he made it come alive... but that could have been due to the cuts in the story.
Any additional comments?
no
32 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Amazon Customer
- 01-21-13
Really bad production
What was most disappointing about Mary Stewart’s story?
This is one of my favorite books, and therefore one of the first books I purchased with my audible membership. Unfortunately, the abridgment takes so much out of the story that it is impossible to follow. Also, the production/sound quality is awful.
Any additional comments?
Hopefully, someone else will make an unabridged recording in the future
19 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Gloria
- 10-27-12
Where is the rest of the book!
What would have made The Crystal Cave better?
so much of the original book is missing in this abridged version that I missed it!
What do you think your next listen will be?
Mists of AValon if it is not abridged
Any additional comments?
don's sell abridged books!
15 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- chaoticmuse
- 12-28-12
Unabridged Version Would be Far Superior
Would you try another book from Mary Stewart and/or Nicol Williamson?
Absolutely! The third in this trilogy? The UNABRIDGED version of this epic and classic story by an outstanding author? I can't wait to see the complete, unabridged trilogy as a choice in Audible's catalog.
What did you like best about this story?
Mary Stewart is an author with the ability to weave a complex, unique, engrossing story. Even with something as familiar as the Merlin/Arthur mythology she managed to find a new angle in her full length books. Abridging it was a sad choice but it's better than nothing. The reader was excellent with a rich, nuanced voice.
11 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Margaret A. Wood
- 02-03-15
Disappointed
I had loved the book but this was shortened, terrible sound quality, and very poor narration. I plan to delete it from my Ipod.
7 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Jena Baxter
- 02-24-12
One of my favorite books
This has always been one of my favorite series. Mary Stewart does an excellent job of making Merlin human and placing the challenges and emotions of a man on his shoulders, but I didn't feel like the reader carried that emotion into the story. I ordered The Hollow Hills and I'm hoping that will be better.
7 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Debby Takikawa
- 10-28-15
Abridged
I have long loved this wonderful story of the Arthurian legend, however the abridged version includes only the facts of the story and has cut the true magic of Mary Stewart's magnificent detailed account of merlins childhood. Her descriptions of the land, the buildings, the people and the subtleties of the emergence of a magician and a king are lost. The readers voice is not right for the story either. So disappointing to hear this tale be somewhat lost.
6 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- HL
- 05-16-14
Another "gutted" abridgement
Is there anything you would change about this book?
Yes- I would like to hear the full version of the story.
What about Nicol Williamson’s performance did you like?
I liked Williamson's performance as a whole, and it's unfortunate they couldn't just have him narrate the entire book. Stewart's Merlin books are popular- surely there's an audience for a full version.
If this book were a movie would you go see it?
Depends if the movie was faithful to the book
Any additional comments?
They should create full, unabridged versions of Renault's and Mary Stewart's books. These abridged versions are unsatisfying.
6 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Richard
- 01-18-15
Overly and poorly abridged
Would you try another book from Mary Stewart and/or Nicol Williamson?
Yes. I have read other Mary Stewart books and they are great.
Has The Crystal Cave turned you off from other books in this genre?
No
Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Nicol Williamson?
Yes, that might help.
What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?
Disappointment - did not meet my expectations
4 people found this helpful