All - star treasure island

Any additional comments?

Truth be told when I first saw Catherine Tate was included among the star studded narrators chosen for this original dramatised version of one of my all time favourite fiction stories, I was pessimistic to say the least. But boy how wrong I was.

Coming from R.L Stevenson's home place of birth in the seaside town of Dorset, I feel a special affinity with this story. I have got hold of all the different versions of this story possible, so I was intrigued to see how this version, although dramatised, would be any different.

Well I can tell you now I was captivated and highly entertained throughout the entire audiobook. I hate to steal the line that you may find on other reviews for dramatised books, but this really was like being involved in a film which was being played to me inside my head. I am currently looking forward to listening to it again, so much so I have placed other books I am looking forward to listening to on the back-burner.

This was a great time to release this audiobook, this would be even more captivating listening from a beach! Whether you will be listening from a beach or on the bus, in your car, home or the comfort of your bed as you slowly wind down for an evening, I am certain you'll have the same experience.. this was great fun!

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57 people found this helpful

Peices of eight

Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum wot a story loved every word long ago John Silver has to be the best character

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Yo Ho Ho and a bottle of rum

A cracking tale re-told by a class cast of actors, listen and enjoy to this classic

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very engaging

The story has been very well adapted for audio. The characters are also very well performed, they spring to life, especially Long John Silver. Fully recommended escapism.

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Swashbuckling good drama

Really good adaptation of one of the very greatest of all adventure stories. Well cast, edited and acted. A grand yarn, Jim Lad.

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Still SAILING - excellent plot

Voyage into youth and all facets of man kind.
Maybe, the best book especially for boys because it shows the world not only black and white and deals with young men dreams.
The figure of John Silver is remarkable in different ways against the background of the still existing class system. He is Jim's teacher. A sailor and survivor through the headwinds of life.
Silver in all of us, often hidden?
Jim is young idealism in the beginning and John the pragmatic reality at the end of his life. But lessons learnt. John is Jim's alter twin and this audio book is working it out excellently.
Young and old, healthy or disabled, poor and rich - dreams and nightmares. Close to the life lessons of Brothers Grimm but in one novel.

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Dramatised audio book it's on the next level

Listening to this audiobook is like watching a movie with the screen turned off, which is what I've done in my daily commute.

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A swashbuckling classic!

Would you consider the audio edition of Treasure Island to be better than the print version?

I read the book as a child and watched the TV series, which I adored, so revisited the tale in audio book format with the expectation of being just a little disappointed. It's always risky interfering with fond memories. I needn't have worried. The audio version is charming; dramatic without being overplayed and faithful to the original story. It draws you quietly in as it weaves its gentle spell and reminded me perfectly why I love Treasure Island. I would not say it was better than the printed version but it is certainly on par as the character's met my imagined ones with great satisfaction.

What did you like best about this story?

What's not to like about pirates, ships, hidden treasure and a one-legged villain with a talking parrot?! It's a magical, sometimes brutal, timeless tale of adventure. It appealed to me as a kid and it still warms my barnacles now I'm forty-something. The cast were nothing short of perfect, the temptation would be to over dramatize certain characters but restraint was shown making them believable to the listener. My favourite character? The very opinionated parrot of course.

Which scene did you most enjoy?

I particularly enjoyed the scenes between John Silver and young Jim Hawkins which were played with perfect contrast, you couldn't help but be drawn in by the old pirate's charisma even though you know he's a ruffian.

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

There were plenty of times when I chuckled or raised an eyebrow. The humour was just right and you can imagine that there would be plenty of laughs whilst hanging out with a bunch of pirates who seem to survive mostly on rum......when you weren't worrying about your throat being slit in your sleep!

Any additional comments?

The unobtrusive sound track really added to the experience for me; chains clinking, anchor dropping, seagulls wheeling about, waves lapping......all a very necessary part of living the story. Thank you, it was excellent!

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brilliant

brilliant listen, love the sound effects. and all the different characters voices, especially the parrot.

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yaaar

A classic brought to life in fine style.
wasn't sold on the voice of Jim but that didn't ruin it for me.
Worth a listen if you are a fan of the story and definitely if you have never read it before.

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