The Day of the Jackal

By: Frederick Forsyth

Narrated by: David Rintoul

Length: 13 hrs and 2 mins

Publisher's Summary

One of the most celebrated thrillers ever written, The Day of the Jackal is the electrifying story of an anonymous Englishman who in, the spring of 1963, was hired by Colonel Marc Rodin, Operations Chief of the O. A. S., to assassinate General de Gaulle.

©2011 Frederick Forsyth (P)2011 Random House Audio Go

The Best Political Thriller of All Times

Would you consider the audio edition of The Day of the Jackal to be better than the print version?

I am seldom inclined to say that the audio rendition of a book is better than the book itself ... however I find this (new) audio version very enjoyable.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Claude Lebel, the French detective - he came to have a good feel of who he was after, and, somehow, became able

Which character – as performed by David Rintoul – was your favorite?

Superintendent Bryn Thomas of Scotland Yard's Special Branch.

Any additional comments?

In my opinion, this new (Random House) audio version offers a better narration by David Rintoul compared to the first (Blackstone Audio) version read by Richard Brown.
A must read, listen, and even view (Fred Zinnemann's film adaptation) for all mystery, espionage, and political thriller fans !

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

No one writes like this anymore...

You sit and listen in awe at Frederick Forsythe thinking how can he know all these things. It's an amazing book, one I know I am not qualified to comment on.

Riveting story and gripping narration.

Story was absolutely riveting and the narration by David Rintoul makes you feel like you are seeing the events happen.

great thriller

narrator whispers a lot which makes it difficult to listen to without headphones, because you'll constantly have to adjust the volume.

Jaw dropping

one of the best thrillers one has ever read. absolutely unputdownable. Frederick Forsythe is a rare breed

As good as, if not better, than the movie.

I love reading Frederick Forsythe and listening to one of his books was a real treat. It was well narrated and spell binding. It kept me on the edge right to the end.

Worth every letter of its fame

Where does The Day of the Jackal rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Top 3

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Day of the Jackal?

Almost every moment. The meticulous planning, the plotting, the detail and never one dull moment. Reason I took so long to finish it is I kept rewinding so I wouldn't miss a single word

Have you listened to any of David Rintoul’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Not yet but I will

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Obviously when he was cornered in the end. You root for him the bad guy so much that you want him to succeed so much in his wicked mission

Any additional comments?

I recommend this book to anyone looking to bury themselves in a good well written and narrated story. I will read this book again.

Wish I could shoot French presidents for a living

What made the experience of listening to The Day of the Jackal the most enjoyable?

David Rintoul is a genius. Frederick Forsyth is brilliant in his writing but David brings it to life with such style.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I liked the Welsh, British Secret Service guy. He is what you think these public servants are really like.

Which character – as performed by David Rintoul – was your favorite?

The Jackal of course. Why, well because he makes him so real, so cold, so good and so bad. Oh, if I could be so wicked.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No, just wish I was in this underworld with such skill and adventure.

Any additional comments?

Boys own adventure stuff. No nationalities were cliché or made to look stupid. All done in good taste without any cartoon characters rearing their ugly heads. Great stuff. Must read The Afghan now.

The best Forsyth novel meets a great narrator

Finally! One of the books I hoped to see on Audible has appeared at last.

Frederick Forsyth writes tightly plotted thrillers based on real world events and people - some are better than others. This one is one of his earlier efforts and remains his best to date. What might be a formulaic sniper story is fleshed out with a history of modern France and her forays into North Africa, a cast of superb supporting characters and at the middle of it all the mysterious Jackal. In some hands the background might slow the book down but Forsyth is a master of the page-turner and through all of it the plot continues to move forwards.

This is helped by a superb narrator. His basic narration is carefully intoned, expressive but restrained, matching the tone of the novel impeccably. He handles the various characters well, without difficulty or caricature. I never had any trouble discerning who was talking, neither was I distracted by silly overblown accents that some narrators resort to when faced with a large cast. What really sets him apart from me is that although his voice is slightly posh English, he handles the French pronunciation and accents flawlessly, important in a book almost entirely set in France and populated with mainly French characters.

If you listen to one Frederick Forsyth book, make it this one

9 of 9 people found this review helpful

Absolutely brilliant.....

The amount of research from Frederick Forsyth is just amazing.
And the narration brings so much to the listening experience! Its a long time since I last read this book or listened to it it wont be so long till the next time.
I wholeheartedly recommend this book!!!

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

A genuine classic

What did you like most about The Day of the Jackal?

It's quality story telling from start to finish. I've listened to it at least 20 times...still keeps me engrossed.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The tall, blonde, Englishman

What about David Rintoul’s performance did you like?

Interesting voice, enjoyable, engaging

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

You root for the bad guy...

Any additional comments?

This book has really set me on the path for audio books. The Day of the Jackal is a masterpiece of story telling. It's multi layered and set in a world that did exist.

I listen when I commute to work and home again, it turns a journey into an adventure. Well worth a listen.

This would be on of my desert Island disks list.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

A cracking good read is also a cracking listen!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes I would, it's quite possibly the best hit man story I've read or seen. It gives the right amount of detail, merging fact with fiction leaving you wondering if it ever really happened.

What did you like best about this story?

The attention to detail, building the characters into people that are alive in the listeners imagination. It's believable, and more than that, totally gripping.

What about David Rintoul’s performance did you like?

He gives the emphasis to the points that matter really well, his voice can be light or carry the menace that a character needs, and it's not a voice that sends you to sleep either!

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

One president, one killer, one bullet, one country.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Wonderful!

Listening to this book took me back about 30 years to when I read the book.this is an excellent performance and the narrative moves at a good pace - I stayed up till three in the morning to listen to the end.



If you like a good story, The Day of the Jackal will not disappoint.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Classic

Would you listen to The Day of the Jackal again? Why?

Film was very good, book is fantastic

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Day of the Jackal?

the Story

What does David Rintoul bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

he was very good

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

No but I could have if I had the time

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

afternoon delight

read the book 25 years ago. saw the film with Edward Fox and Michael Lonsdale at least that many times over the years, which makes me a veteran consumer of the plot. listening to the audio version - the narration is commendable - along with some fine wine, during two consecutive summer afternoons, left me in the state of blissful contentment. on the other hand, it's an intoxicating story of a "lone hunter" who almost made it. now that is good entertainment!

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

The Day of the Jackal

This book may be old but it a great read and the adventure does not stop until the end.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Fantastic Book

I worried at the slow start but once the background has been set it is a riveting listen.

Brilliant!

I loved it! I've always known about the book but never read it, David Rintoul as narrator is awesome and I'll be seeking out other books read by him. If you want an awesome manhunt thriller, this is the book for you.