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Product Description
Product Description
Five atmospheric dramatizations of classic ghost stories, introduced by Derek Jacobi as the voice of M. R. James. Widely acknowledged as the master of the supernatural, M. R. James penned many of his classic ghost stories to be read aloud to friends, by candlelight, in his study on Christmas Eve. These five adaptations, originally broadcast on BBC Radio 4, perfectly capture the mood of nerve-jangling suspense that would surely have been present during those readings.In "Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad", Professor Parkins embarks on a terrifying journey of discovery after he removes a curious artifact from the ruins of a Templar preceptory, while "The Tractate Middoth" sees diligent curator David Garrett caught up in the machinations of the mysterious Dr Rant when he's sent to retrieve an obscure manuscript from the library stacks. "Lost Hearts" tells of a young boy haunted by two ghostly children and in "The Rose Garden", terrifying forces are unleashed when the Goodmans tear down their old summer house. Finally, "Number 13" takes us to the Danish town of Viborg, where Dr. Anderson puts himself in terrible danger as he investigates why the hotel he's staying at does not contain a room 13. Starring BAFTA and Emmy-award winning actor Derek Jacobi ("Cadfael", "Gosford Park", "Doctor Who"), and with powerfully chilling music and sound effects, these rich, riveting dramatizations make for irresistible listening.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
75 of 75 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This is a series of 'radio plays' first broadcast on Radio 4 over Christmas. If you like a good old fashioned Ghost Story, told in the semi darkness while sitting by the fire on a cold winters night - you are just going to love this. I have never been a fan of 'spoken word' CDs until now. The plays are professional and the stories are genuinely chilling. What makes it so is the superb acting and the fact that your imagination is allowed to fill in the pictures. Honestly, this was a really great experience and you will be transported to another time. Well worth listening to ...but if you listen in bed...yiou won't want to turn the light out. AND DON'T LISTEN ALONE...genuinely spooky but wonderful!
32 of 34 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
I had hoped Derek Jacobi would be reading these word for word, but in fact he introduces them and the stories are dramatised. However, they grew on me and I have listened to them time and again with much enjoyment.
18 of 20 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This CD comprises several of M. R. James's famous ghost stories and is generally very well done. The acting is effective, as other reviewers have noted, and the stories are intrinsically intriguing. I think Derek Jacobi's opening and closing narrations are particularly effective (his voice is perfect for his role of narrator).
However, there are a couple of negative aspects to this CD: firstly, the dramatisations are really short, so that inevitably a lot of material from the original stories gets left out; and secondly, the dramatisations significantly change some elements of the story - for example, in the dramatised version of the superb story, 'Oh Whistle and I'll Come to You, My Lad', Professor Parkins does not discover the whistle by himself (alone), but in the company of a rather young-sounding Colonel Wilson (this is at variance with the original story). Furthermore, the voices of the two actors who portray Parkins and Wilson respectively are confusingly similar, so that it took me two or three listenings before I could be sure which character it was who was supposed to be speaking at any given time.
On balance, I think that hearing the stories read in their entirety is preferable to these dramatisations, but the latter are certainly very fine and enjoyable as a lightweight 'back-up' to the full tales themselves.
However, there are a couple of negative aspects to this CD: firstly, the dramatisations are really short, so that inevitably a lot of material from the original stories gets left out; and secondly, the dramatisations significantly change some elements of the story - for example, in the dramatised version of the superb story, 'Oh Whistle and I'll Come to You, My Lad', Professor Parkins does not discover the whistle by himself (alone), but in the company of a rather young-sounding Colonel Wilson (this is at variance with the original story). Furthermore, the voices of the two actors who portray Parkins and Wilson respectively are confusingly similar, so that it took me two or three listenings before I could be sure which character it was who was supposed to be speaking at any given time.
On balance, I think that hearing the stories read in their entirety is preferable to these dramatisations, but the latter are certainly very fine and enjoyable as a lightweight 'back-up' to the full tales themselves.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Spine chillers
The CD arrived swiftly in the post but was a real disappointment. No chills really. All stories very short and not completely satisfying.
Published 1 month ago by me
Wonderful work
I was expecting an audio book in the style of one person reading the book. Instead it was various actors playing the parts. Read more
Published 4 months ago by SJB Scotland
Late night shivers!
Five glorious tales, set at the turn of the century. You find a whistle on a golf course, blow on it and "something" follows you home and then wrecks your bedroom. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Don Wardell
Short but sweet
I was bought this as a Christmas present two years back and was very pleased with it.
The narrator has the perfect creepy voice for this, the actors are also well suited... Read more
The narrator has the perfect creepy voice for this, the actors are also well suited... Read more
Published 7 months ago by O Sampson
Specifically bought for long Car journeys..
I bought this Audio book to listen to when I have to make a long journey once a week in the Car. I must say I could't always stay focused on the story, my mind kept wandering... Read more
Published 10 months ago by S. D. Knight
still waiting for the chill
so disappointed, really fancied change from usual detective/murder/ history / romance etc.. actually was bored, wondering when the frightening Chill bit was coming when i realised... Read more
Published 14 months ago by L. Kemp
spine chillers
i had great exspectations for this disc,jacobi fails to deliver on chill's over blown naration of quite tame chillers,a waste of jacobi's strong talent all the tale's just seem to... Read more
Published 19 months ago by fran da man
spine chillers
This was high class, narrated and performed by Derek Jacobi, entertainment of the top draw, looking to buy similar plays. First rate.
Published 20 months ago by sparky
Unexciting
Was disappointed with this as I expected more of a 'chiller'. Did not give me any idea of suspense or anticipation of any. Read more
Published 21 months ago by merylsmum
Good story's
This is not a bad audio book if you like them the story's are good and it's acting not someone reading from a book not to chilling unless you frighten easy the only thing bad i can... Read more
Published on 15 Mar 2010 by Andrew
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