The Prisoner of Zenda

By: Anthony Hope

Narrated by: James Wilby

Length: 5 hrs and 31 mins

Publisher's summary

The Prisoner of Zenda is the story of an Englishman who travels to the small European state of Ruritania where he impersonates the ruler and falls in love with Princess Flavia.

Public Domain (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

A+ Reading of a Classic Adventure

Right up there with Simon Vance and other top drawer narrators here, James Wilby is 50% of this wonderful listening experience. Short chapters also make this one a "page turner".
One thing that cost a star for the "overall" category: chaptering is very poor. A "chapter" is actually almost 5 actual book chapters. It's the "almost" that is particularly annoying. One of thee to five book chapters is always split between each Audible chapter. That said, the novel is short, so dealing with this was no problem for me. Thought I should mention it though. Still, you really don't want to miss this one. It's well worth enduring a minor issue.

Excellent adventure!

This is a great novel. A terrific story with lots of adventure, derring do and romance! The reader does a fantastic job! Really a good audiobook all around!

Wonderful story; gutwrenching ending

The story is riveting, the characters captivating, the adventure breathtaking, the romance heartbreaking. It is for this heartbreak that I score the story as I do.....I was unaware of it before I bought the book....had I been I would not have bought the book....Tragedies are for me too, well, tragic. If the ending be a sad one, I leave the book an unfulfilled reader.

Hard to hear.

For some reason the narrator is whispering through about 3/4 of the book. It’s not just “speaking lowly”, it’s that particular tone of voice which makes it impossible to hear if there is any sound in the background. If you listen in a car it’d probably be ok, but listening on a subway was... annoying.

Well done.

A good story. I enjoyed listening to it. I have a fairly old hard cover book version that I loved to read but eye sight issues make listening less tiring now.

BRILLIANT!!

The narration was absolutely brilliant in every respect. Although I knew the story well the Narrator brought me into his world and I was completely engrossed from beginning to end. I listen to hundreds of Audiobooks each year but this is one I will treasure—and revisit often—when I need a rousing tale and a good swashbuckle to boot!

Thoroughly enjoyed this great adaptation

Excellent performance of this classic adventure. I cheered and cried for the hero. Performance by Mr Wilby superb! At some points he was shouting at the top of his lungs, he held no emotion back. (So credit must also be given to the sound person who kept the levels even!)

Extraordinary narrative

The book is an adventure romance, a fairly simple, single plot novel. Quite cinematic though, reminiscent of chivalrous tales of The Three Musketeers or Ivanhoe.
However, it was James Wilby's narrative that made this novel memorable for me. Wilby's voice, his character distinction and tone is impeccable and makes the action and adventure come alive, not to mention prompt the listener to invest in the story.
It is a delightful little book to fill the lull of any day by immersing in a plot that is kept afloat by the voice of James Wilby.

Over the top fun

The prose is melodramatic and the plot implausible. But how many potboilers can claim to have launched an entire genre including practitioners as prestigious as Winston Churchill? Not to mention featuring in endless law school hypotheticals? Highly recommended! James Wilby's narration is excellent.

wonderful

A classic bittersweet love story that always makes me laugh, smile and ache. A classic that is beautifully told. the narrator was wonderful.