Harry Potter the Complete Audio Collection

Coming in very late to the party here. I read the Harry Potter books years ago (and saw the movies), but I never explored listening to the audiobooks. Here in the US the only narrated version available is Jim Dale's. Listening to the audio samples hadn't inspired me to try them. I kept getting the strong sense I wouldn't enjoy it. The performance sounded like the voice characterizations were targeted for a child's humor. Now, there's nothing wrong with children's audiobooks being made for young listeners, but unfortunately that also limits the appeal for adult listeners. Happily there are some YA/children's audiobook gems out there where the narrator's performance makes the content entertaining for anyone listening to it. The story's communicated with depth and dimension, populated with vivid, well rounded characters and, weird as it sounds, it's also realistic. I know, I know, magic and all that, but still, it's like I'm listening to real people in a fantastic adventure. Tim Curry's performance on Garth Nix's Old Kingdom trilogy is a great example of this. I'd tell friends to check it out, the story's fascinating and has the best talking cat in it. If a cat could talk, _this_ is what it would sound like. Sardonic. Condescending. Soft, purring trills added to some dialog and screeching yowls when angry or alarmed. It's really, really good. The second book has a dog in it and it's voice is perfect too. Earthy. Pragmatic. The whole trilogy is a seriously fun listen with death, dire consequences and excitement. And every friend reacted: Um, yeah, talking animals? Is it a kids book? I don't know...sounds kind of young for me. So I've gifted Sabriel to several of them to overcome the 'kid's book' stigma and I can always tell if they've listened to it. Months (years) go by and suddenly they're OMG THAT WAS FANTASTIC! Do you have the next book? I point them to the recordings that are, thankfully, still available and haven't been redone by someone else. (A couple of other gem audiobooks in the children's genre in my audio library are Ironman: The Gauntlet, by Eoin Colfer, narrated by Ari Fliakos and The Girl Who Drank the Moon, by Kelly Barnhill, narrated by Christina Moore. I highly recommend giving them a listen.) Now back to the Harry Potter CDs. Before I sank $$$ into getting this CD set I researched the whole debate about who the fans thought did it better, Jim Dale or Stephen Fry? Listening to audio samples from both audio versions (and then exact section comparisons when the CDs arrived), imho it's SF, because his performance captures not only vivid realism he also adds dimension to the story, enriching the content and making it so much more than I could imagine. I'm going to pick Mr Durnsley to illustrate the difference between JD's interpretation of the character and SF's interpretation of the character. It was immediately apparent JD voices Mr Durnsley as a comical buffoon. From the first book he's a big meanie in Harry's life. Scary, but not that scary. Not immediate. He's like a cartoon. I think this is why I never pursued listening to the audiobooks. I couldn't articulate it at the time, but it feels like the story's been limited. Like this is something a parent would want for their young children. A non-threatening villain. Something that doesn't cause nightmares. (Which is probably a great thing for them. My parents regretted letting me watch The Wizard of Oz with my older sisters when I was four, because the Wicked Witch and her flying monkeys disrupted both our nights for a while afterwards.) SF, on the other hand, voices Mr Durnsley as a large, domineering, angry man as soon as the character's introduced. He's a three dimensional person with no softening or funny caricaturizations. Listening to the CDs I was surprised at being aware of his size compared to Harry. The menace of him just sitting at the kitchen table. It connected with long forgotten personal experiences as a kid, when I had to sit near an adult that intimidated me. When Mr Durnsley bursts into Harry's bedroom after Dobby makes too much noise? Wow. Mr Durnsley looming over Harry and raging at him put me right there on the bed beside him being screamed at. Serious unpleasant flashback to my childhood. Something I hadn't felt in decades. I could totally identify with Harry's trembling after Mr Durnsley left the room, and the overwhelming sense of helplessness to do anything to stop Mr. Durnsley's actions. I was seriously psyched! If SF made every book in the series this vivid the purchase was worth every penny. His performance was definitely enhancing the story beyond my imagination, because I don't remember experiencing any of this when I read the books. I think I was impatient Harry wasn't figuring out how to escape from his bedroom. As an adult I missed what it was like to be a child in this situation. I was all, just blow this guy off and get out of there already! But listening to SF? I was eleven again, overmatched and helpless to change things, with the belief that I had no say and adults could do whatever they wanted to me. When the Weasley brothers show up to free Harry afterwards? I was suffused with relief and felt joy and uncoiling tension during The Burrow section, making me very aware of the Weasley's genuine kindness. When Harry gets bitten and hurls the gnome out of the garden? There's no description of its travel time or huge projection arc. Fred and George's comments, delivered with perfect timing and just the right amount of surprise and pleasure makes that image incredibly vivid. And hilarious. (I also had a much greater appreciation for JK Rowling's wry wit and deft turn of phrase while listening to SF.) The fear and repression experienced at the Durnsley's versus the laughter and relief at the Weasley's really highlighted the subtlety and depth of SF's performance for me. In the later books SF's nuanced changes and inflections to Harry's dialog showed his growing maturity, capturing his attitude and total lack of intimidation perfectly. Being yelled at? Pfft. He'd experienced worse. _Now_ Mr Durnsley comes off as a buffoon during their exchanges. Mr Durnsley gradually transitioned through each book, showing him to be a blowhard that blusters to get his way, but when faced with any type of intimidation himself he tucks tail. That's some spectacular voice work by SF! Ron was much more well rounded too, surprising me. Again, SF presented him as a person from the first word, capturing how a younger brother would act and feel at home and at school following in the footsteps of his older brother's achievements. The enhancements SF made to his dialog, showing his shallowness and resentment as well as his depth of character made Ron very 'real'. SF does this with everyone in the books. They're changing and growing through each story, instead of being the same from book to book. I love when a narrator captures this kind of dimension in their performance. The Half-Blood Prince's opening caught me by surprise. I thought I'd missed a CD at first, because the tone was very different from the Order of the Phoenix, but as the scene progressed it was apparent JK Rowling had not only written a comical interlude it was also a lampoon of the man in charge of the country at the time she was creating the books. SF's performance is exceptionally superb in this section too. It's my favorite scene out of all them and that's saying something, because there are many, _many_ fabulous moments throughout the stories, but this one, with SF's oh so dry delivery, subtle and scathing, taking the Prime Minister to task, pinioning him and slicing away till he's left filleted by the close was an absolute joy to listen to! (Hilarious goes without saying.) JD's version misses all that, presenting a straightforward comical interaction without sly digs or political undertones. Of course everyone's tastes are different and certain things are more appealing to listeners. During my research I read a concise description of the difference between the two versions: JD's better for the funny parts and SF's better for the serious parts. That pretty much sums it up. I liked that the Durnsley household was a grim situation for Harry, that I felt it when a character died or was frustrated when injustice triumphed. I liked being aware of the fine line Snape was treading when he was interrogated by Bellatrix; admiring his nerve, understanding his motivations and hatred...yet still not liking him very much. Like I said earlier, the characters come off as real people, warts and all. If you're into that? I strongly recommend investing the $$$ and getting this set, because Stephen Fry's version gives you hours and hours of vivid, three dimensional, fantastic listening. It's a subtle, touching, nuanced performance filled with dry wit and superb comedic timing. Plus! The entire CD collection is well packaged. The 100+ CDs are neatly organized, each book color coded and numbered and everything stored in a cool box with gorgeous art work. Lifting the lid gives the sensation of viewing books stored on a shelf. I, for one, am very happy with my purchase.

- Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone I had to research a few Briticisms throughout this book, but they didn't seriously interrupt the story flow. What did interrupt were the numerous comma splices. They forced me to re-read many sentences. Having said that, I enjoyed the plot and character development. I never felt bored. If Amazon had half stars, I'd give Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone 4 1/2. Since that isn't possible, I'll award it a 4. - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Mystery, humor—and a smidgeon of possible romance? The plusses: Rowling steers Harry Potter through a mystery with a surprise outcome, sprinkling the tale with tidbits of humor. When I reached the end, I wanted to keep reading and find out how Harry spent his summer with his horrible relatives. Minuses: Numerous comma splices drew me out of the story, forcing me to re-read sentences. A solid 4.5 out of 5 stars. I’d award an extra .5 stars if it weren’t for the comma splices. - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Twists, turns, and surprises. I enjoyed this most of the first three books in the Harry Potter series. Rowling steers readers through suspenseful mini mysteries throughout the novel. Astute readers might be able to spot clues that will help them see what happens next. Hint: Pay attention to every detail. The old characters make appearances, as well as a few new ones, including an unexpected friend for Harry. As usual, I enjoyed the ending and can’t wait to read the next in the series. Rowling’s comma splices occur far less frequently in this book, which increased my reading enjoyment immensely. I can’t resist—five stars. - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire The best yet, with intrigue, laughs, and tears. This book reads like a spy novel. I couldn’t decipher the good guys and the bad guys, and just when I decided someone was one or the other, I discovered I was wrong. Rowling finally reveals how to pronounce “Hermione” (Her-my-oh-nee) due to a clever conversation where Hermione teaches Krum how to say her name properly. Near the end, one of the characters explains how and why many past events occurred. I found it a tad like an infodump. Run-on sentences occur far less in Goblet than in Prisoner, and mostly in dialogue, which assists comprehension. Now, I wonder how Harry’s summer with the Dursleys will go. His summers always intrigue and amuse me. Note to parents: One of the chapters (thirty-two, I believe) contains violent scenes that wouldn’t be suitable for young children. Another five-star read. - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix With every novel in the Harry Potter series, I find myself becoming more engaged and wanting to read “just one more chapter” before closing my Kindle. In Phoenix, Harry’s character develops as he grows into a typical angst-ridden teenager—with more reason for angst than most of his peers. Rowling increases the romance factor and introduces a character so vile that I disliked her from her first appearance in the novel. A couple of secrets are revealed, including the reason why Harry must spend summers with the Dursleys, and an intriguing clue surfaces that, I suspect, will play an important part in Half-Blood Prince. Rowling provides enough backstory so that first-time Potter readers will understand the story, and the run-on sentences become fewer with each novel. Five stars. - Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince My optimism about a clue that was revealed in Order of the Phoenix didn’t prove correct. *sigh* In Half-Blood Prince, Dumbledore’s Pensieve acts as a marvelous link to backstory that doesn’t seem like backstory. More information about Voldemort appears via Harry’s regular meetings with Dumbledore. We are kept guessing throughout most of the novel, and perhaps will be wrong, about Snape’s true intentions. Although Rowling doesn’t kill people off with the alacrity of George R. R. Martin, she does dispense with another beloved character. The funeral chapter is well-written, evincing tears and a chuckle or two. I wonder whether Harry will carry through with his plans. Is he really who he, and everyone else, thinks he is, or …? Now I can’t wait to tackle Deathly Hallows. Five stars. - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows I withdraw my comment about Rowling’s propensity for killing off characters. However, their demises were necessary in Deathly Hallows; otherwise, the story wouldn’t ring true. Rowling’s masterful manipulation of emotions had me smiling, nay, laughing, in some areas—and tearing up in others. Without providing any spoilers, I wondered throughout why the photo of a key headmaster didn’t give Harry any advice. Plot hole? In previous novels as well as this one, misleading clues were dropped. Some were essential; others frustrated me because they didn’t amount to anything. Note to first-time readers: Pay careful attention to clues. You might be able to predict a few twists if you do. Five stars. - General Comments Ms. Rowling’s style did change somewhat as the novels progressed. Annoying run-on sentences appeared less with each novel. Now I’m suffering Potter withdrawal. Will we ever see stories about the children of key wizards and witches? No, not screenplays written by others, but novels written by the author herself. I would read them! Five stars for this reading experience, Ms. Rowling, and good luck with future writing endeavors.

This is the entire series of Harry Potter all read by the same narrator (Stephen Fry). This replaced the previous audio CDs I had of the series and greatly reduced the area it takes up because it's all packaged nicely together. The color coordination for each of the CDs by their book it definitely a big help as well, especially if more than one somehow gets pulled out.

Amazing for travel..i am loving this. Although it's my re-read but I am in love with this series. If you haven't read it, you should definitely try it and enjoy this magical journey of Hogwarts with Harry Potter. I am big fan of this writer and looking forward for more of her work.

Awesome books

I enjoy the first four books very much. The last three were a little gloomy with deaths and thus I would slow down a bit while reading them. I'm not sure how many times I've reread the series during the past twenty years. Maybe I'm hoping that a letter might be delivered to my son when he is eleven. I'll just keep my fingers crossed. 🙂

It's a bit annoying that you can't buy the books individually for Kindle now. I'm not a huge fan of these "complete collection" roll-ups. It makes it harder to navigate, makes a mockery of time-to-read, and means you have to spend a big chunk of cash to get books you might not want. I have all the books in physical form, but wanted an electronic copy to read to my children. This was the only way I could get the books, but I doubt I'll ever go past book four as a book at bedtime because the later books are less suitable for young children. I imagine if there were separate books, this would be cheaper, but why? Because they can? It's just a way to keep profits up on a series that has already made a fortune.

LOVE HARRY POTTER! I have already listened to Jim Dale's version of all the books. I thought I would give Stephen Fry a chance especially since he got high reviews. His voice does take some getting used to, but he is just as good a narrator as Jim Dale is once you get used to him. This audio collection is the English version though, and I am reading along with the American version of the books. I did not think it would matter to me that some of the vocabulary is different, but it does. This, however does not take away from the fact that these CD's are excellent and come in a very sturdy well marked collectable box. I am extremely pleased with this collection. For me, it was worth the price and will be something we can pass down from generation to generation.