By JK Rowling
Narrated by Stephen Fry/ Jim Dale
Reviewed by Gabby
Harry Potter & The Prisoner of Azkaban (Book 3)
Get the Stephen Fry Audible version here.
Get the Jim Dale version on Audio CD here.
Get the Stephen Fry version on Audio CD here.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Overview:
Harry Potter is lucky to reach the age of thirteen, since he has already survived the murderous attacks of the feared Dark Lord on more than one occasion. But his hopes for a quiet term concentrating on Quidditch are dashed when a maniacal mass-murderer escapes from Azkaban, pursued by the soul-sucking Dementors who guard the prison. It’s assumed that Hogwarts is the safest place for Harry to be. But is it a coincidence that he can feel eyes watching him in the dark, and should he be taking Professor Trelawney’s ghoulish predictions seriously?
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Audiobook Review:
STORY
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The Good:
The third instalment in the Potter series is usually everyones favourite. I think it’s because Harry finally manages to catch a break. A few good things happen to him, he makes some new friends and Voldemort doesn’t feature quite so heavily. Despite this, the dark undertones of the Chamber of Secrets are still present. What makes Azkaban so interesting is not only do we learn more about the magical world, but we get to learn about the relationship between James Potter (Harry’s father) and his friends during his time at Hogwarts. The events in the book are both intriguing and shocking, but also weave so beautifully into the long term Harry Potter story. The audiobook is a must listen for true fans as well people simply looking for a great story!
[/span6][span6]The Bad:
Nothing bad of note.
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CHARACTERS
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The Good:
Apart from characters introduced in the first book we have a couple additions of note.
Professor Remus John Lupin was a half-blood wizard. He was afflicted with lycanthropy during his childhood, as Fenrir Greyback’s revenge. Lupin was definitely my favourite new character. He was voiced well, and such a lovely fellow, couldn’t help but feel sorry for him
Cedric Diggory was the son of Amos Diggory and his wife. He started attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in 1989, and was sorted into Hufflepuff. During his time at the school he was a prefect and captained the Hufflepuff Quidditch team, playing as Seeker. Cedric Diggory becomes far more important later on.
[/span6][span6]The Bad:
Nothing bad of note.
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NARRATOR
[columns] [span6] The Good:
There are two versions of the Chamber of Secrets, one is narrated by Stephen Fry, the other Jim Dale. Below is our outline, and a video for comparison.
Stephen Fry makes the characters even more vivid. His voice for Hagrid is low, gruff and gentle, just what you would expect. Hermione sounds incredibly precocious and annoying but gradually becomes less so as the book progresses. The story wraps you in a warm cloak of positive feelings, happiness and a sense of belonging. Having Fry read such a lovely story to you makes it all the more comforting and enjoyable. Even though Harry Potter is J K Rowlings first book and her prose may be flawed in places, (particularly in the beginning describing life with the Dursleys) Harry Potter is undoubtedly a classic made even more magical by Stephen Fry. I highly recommend this audiobook for all ages.
Jim Dale is another fantastic narrator. Born in England, Dale also has an English accent. Dale is a voice artist, and definitely weighted towards to the dramatized end of the scale. Dale invites a sense of urgency in his voice, and has you on your toes. This increased dramatization, although predominantly great, I feel it is sometimes a little over the top.
Dale is magician in character range; he created 134 voices for the Harry Potter series. This series has given Dale more awards than any narrator previous. His prestige, and breadth of bestseller coverage is rather astonishing.
[/span6][span6] The Bad:Some people can find Stephen Fry dry and nasally, and some people can find Jim Dale a little over the top. For the US audience I would suggest go with Dale. There is definitely a consensus in the US market that Dale is more preferred. Otherwise I would go with Fry, however i am biased as this is where i started.
Check out a side by side comparison here! (**SPOILERS**)
[kad_youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJobfh62WAo” width=300 height=300 maxwidth=300 ] [/span6][/columns]More Harry Potter Reviews
- Harry Potter and Philosopher’s Stone
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
I hope you enjoyed our Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Audiobook Review, come back soon!
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