A Guide to Tolkien Audiobooks: Which One is Best for You?
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- Опубліковано 8 вер 2024
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Have you wondered: which Tolkien Audiobook should I listen to? If you feel overwhelmed by the number of Tolkien audiobooks to choose from, do not fear! I've listened to countless hours of audiobooks in Tolkien's world and hope to help you find a great audiobook for your next listen!
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Gandalf facing the Witch-king by Angus McBride
Húrin and Morgoth by Ted Nasmith
The Words of Húrin and Morgoth by Alan Lee
Gandalf and the Balrog by John Howe
Bard of Lake Town by shockbolt
#tolkien #audiobook #lordoftherings
UPDATE! An Audiobook version of Unfinished Tales will be released in May 2021!
amzn.to/37IP2Zq
Nice timing
I came here just to ask about that
Beren and Lúthien was also released as an audiobook in 2020.
Timothy West is one of my favorite audiobook narrators. I found it interesting in your samples that he is reading the commentary by Christopher Tolkien, and it's his son Samuel who is reading the narrative text.
Phil Dragash audiobook just puts into perspective what people can accomplish if they love and have passion for just one thing no need to pay comes straight from a fan
I know the Inglis versions may not be as exciting for some, but personally I think they fit the simple "storytelling" tone that Tolkien may have envisioned. They almost feel like they're being read by Tolkien himself.
Absolutely! No contest for me.
I really wish that Sir Christopher Lee has narrated more Tolkien books. I would have loved to hear him perform the entirety of the Lord of the Rings
Yes that would have been a blessing
I wish he'd done them all.
I guess we can have A.I. Sir Christopher Lee now, but it's not the same...
The Rob Inglis versions transported me to Middle-earth during long deployments. For that, I will be for ever grateful.
As a kid my dad read me The Hobbit as a bed time story. That was my personal favourite “audiobook”
@@tomgrimbley7762 I don’t think her dad does.
my dad introduced me to it too. he reads it to me before bed. he has an old version which has wonderful illustrations.
Honestly that's the best way to experience the hobbit.
same for me, you don't realize how special it was until you're older
me too!
Rob Inglis' audiobook has such a beautiful nostalgic feel to it. It is like a granduncle making up a bedtime story.
I almost cried listening to the Phil dargrash's version.And I love all his voices! 10/10 would recommend.
Rob Inglis sings the songs beautifully and brings a lot of humor to his delivery.
👍
Andy Serkis's "The hobbit" is a thing of beauty!
@@3enCooper I know what one of my next listens is then!
Yes it's really a cool and interesting version
I just finished this and it was incredible.
I’m listening to it now and up to the moment they enter The Lonely Mountain. Very relaxing too. I like how he interprets the characters in his own way, yet he still keeps Gollum the same as the movies 😁.
Where can I find it?
Andy Serkis is outstanding in his LotR audiobooks. It was a little surprising to find that he has a particularly engaging voice as a narrator: deep, clear and warm. But some of his voice characterizations are exceptionally brilliant. For some characters he adopts voices rather like corresponding actors in the Peter Jackson movies - for example, Billy Boyd and Ian McKellen, and of course he reprises his famous Gollum voice. But he creates his own unique take on many other characters, in particular Aragorn and Denethor, and he makes many creative and insightful choices. He somehow solves the difficulties created by the many, many songs in the book - all of which lack any clues from Tolkien as to melody, harmony or dynamics. His three audiobooks are a creative and technical tour de force, illuminating and enlivening Tolkien's occasionally clunky prose. They should award Grammys for this level of recording artistry.
I wish I had known about his versions before I got and listened to the Rob Inglis version of Fellowship of the Ring.
Up next is Two Towers, and I have to decide whether to stick with Inglis or switch to Serkis. I definitely want to listen to an unabridged reading and not an edited version. (I read the books long ago, but am enjoying listening to them while driving now)
The songs are the one piece of the Inglis versions that I really do not like - he attempts to sing them, but they really do lack musical quality.
I like his version otherwise, though.
Decisions, decisions!!
So does he sing the songs then?
@@K1LLtheSWITCH Yes, he does, and it's fantastic. The hobbit songs are better than the elven ones, IMO, but I enjoyed them all. :)
abridged or unabridged?
Bluefax and Phils Dargrash's versions are the definitive audio-books in my opinion.
They are amazing. It’s crazy to think how much work went into creating them - not to mention they did so without any compensation. They are a huge gift to the Tolkien fan base!!
Yea Phil Dragash has a pretty gud voice
100% the best
Where can I find, or buy these versions?
They should come right up with a google search. They may be on YT as well. They’re totally free, as copyright wouldn’t allow them as independent entities to profit off the books.
NOTE: There were a couple intentional omissions.
1) The Hobbit read by Martin Shaw - this is an abridged (shortened) reading of The Hobbit. As much as I love Shaw’s voice in the Silmarillion, this being abridged makes me believe there are better choices to be had.
2) The Lord of the Rings & The Hobbit Dramatizations by Mind’s Eye (USA) - these versions are, in my opinion not near the quality of the BBC dramatizations. The cast isn’t as iconic and too often the reading feels flat.
I grew up with the Mind’s Eye version of The Hobbit and for me, that’s my definitive Hobbit audiobook. But the enhanced by BlueFax and Andy Serkis’ versions are great as well.
What about the old Erin jones version of unfinished tales?
For years I’ve only listened to the Rob Ingles unabridged and they have been definitive for me
Growing up I have very fond memories of lots of falling asleep listening to the Mind’s Eye Hobbit cassettes
If only we could have Christopher Lee do more Tolkien reading, just heard the Children of Hurin and it is very excellent!
Isn't he dead?
@@identifiesas65.wheresmyche95 that is why he cannot do any more
The Legend is 100 (if he was alive) as of a few days ago!!!
I was always surprised to find he or Ian never have done it. I mean I'd settle for Patrick Stewart reading as well.
@@shaymorcormick8743 Ian must have been busy, same with Patrick...
Yes, need an update to include the Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit read by Andy Serkis. It is brilliant. He is one of the greatest actors of our time and it shows in these audiobooks!
Phil's version is amazing. I still go back and listen to the description of Elrond in many meetings. Both the music, his voice and the words are just magical.
I like Rob Inglis for the more quiet style and if I want dramatic and theatrical, Phil Dragash is amazing
I own the Rob Inglis audiobook for The Hobbit and I'd like to one day own his audiobooks on the LOTR. I had no idea Ian Holm did Frodo in a dramatized audiobook that is awesome that he ended up playing Biblo so many years later. Rip Ian Holm.
RIP!! He was great in ALIEN as well
Rip😭😭😭
As a kid I would have said Rob Inglis. Today I would have to give it to Andy Serkis. Obviously his Gollum/Smeagol voice is flawless, but all his other voices ascents match the movie well enough you can usually tell who's talking before the text says.
I have never listened to an audiobook, but I am a voracious reader. From your description and the audio clips you presented, I think I shall give them a try. Thank you for this video, and I am glad that Men of the West recommended your channel.
Thanks so much, Roland! I’m sure you won’t regret it. There’s some really great ones to choose from and if you have any kind of commute or regular car-time, it’s a total win-win!
Men of the West is the best! I won’t give anything away quite yet, but there’s a very exciting collaboration coming up later this month with a handful of us Tolkien-related channels! 🤐😁
Calling Phil Dragashs Version an audiobook is a severe understatement. It’s more like an audiomovie! It includes sound effects, music and more to create an atmosphere that actually comes close to a movie! It’s what comes closest to the faithful Tolkien adaptation that sadly was never produced so far. Absolutely fascinating down to the more than two dozen identifiable and different voices Dragash imitates in the story.
Rob Inglis’ versions are great, I usually go through them start to finish every year or so
UPDATE! As of 4/30/20, there is now a Beren and Lúthien audiobook! This one is narrated in the same manner (and by the same father-son combo) as The Fall of Gondolin discussed in this video. You can check it out on Amazon/Audible here: amzn.to/2TblQmv
The Andy Serkis reading of the Hobbit a few weeks ago was a monumental task and turned out amazing. Even though it is not a published version I've watched/listened to it twice already.
It was SO good! Such a great thing to have during this time!
@@NerdoftheRings absolutely. And the cast reunion yesterday was a gift as well.
I know audible has 2 dramatized versions of The Hobbit and I think one is BBC. Neither are nearly as good as the Brian Sibley LOTR BBC Adaptation though.
Its also on Scribd
I’ve only heard the Hobbit and LOTR from Rob Inglis. His is unmatched I’m my opinion. It fits the time period of Tolkien, I feel as if I’m transported to Tolkiens time period and hearing it from Tolkien himself and even further transported to the middle earth ages. He sounds truly British and old fashioned. His voices are great and tone is perfect. I can’t explain it any better.
Phil Dragesh is my favorite Valar ;]
Rob Inglis for me. Especially due to his superlative renditions of the poems in LOTR. It is the poems (and the deep mythology from earlier ages behind them) that makes LOTR special (something Song of Ice&Fire or Wheel of time does not have - songs and poems about the internal mythology of the narrative).
Rob Inglis sings, chants the poems beautifully.
BBC Radio 1978 full cast adaption of The Lord of the Rings is unbeatable. Frodo is played by Ian Holm who ended up playing Bilbo in the Jackson films. Gollum is played by the same voice artist who did Gollum in the Bakshi LotR animation.
I adore that adaptation! I’m about due for another listen of it. Even though he was young at the time, the fact that Frodo is played by Ian Holm makes me picture Frodo as more in line with his book age, which is fun!
I had that version & played it ad nauseam with my kids in the 90’s so much that we all can quote much of it verbatim now. Wasn’t Brian Blessed the voice of Thorin ? Love it still, if I’m lucky enough to get grandkids, that’s the one I’ll be getting for them too 🤓
The guy who did Boromir in Bakshi's version also did Boromir in the BBC Radio Drama from 1981
Im about to start "Children of Hurin" read by Sir Christopher Lee... im so hyped
That sample gave me chills.
Love Serkis' voice, but Martin Shaw's reading of 'The Silmarillion' is amazing. His tone and cadence is perfect.
This needs an update to review the newest version of LOTR audiobooks narrated by Andy Serkis. I am listening to them now and they are very well done. In addition, he uses the same voice for Gollum that was heard in the Peter Jackson movies.
In the meantime, the great reading of both the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit by Andy Serkis has appeared on Audible, which for me is one of my favorite audiobooks. But that was after making your video.
Thank you for letting me know that The Children of Hurin read by Christopher Lee exists. It is interesting to see how much preferences differ. I cannot stand dramatized versions and I love Rob Inglis' version.
The BBC version of Lord of the Rings is probably my favourite piece of audio work (the includes music as well). Agreed that it's really well cast, and the actors did an amazing job, given that half of them didn't even know that story at the time!
Other audiobook I was thinking about was the unabridged version of Lord of the Rings, read by Andy Serkis, which came out last year. Anyone listened to that yet?
For me you just cannot beat the Rob Inglis versions for a clear and well paced narration without all the bells and whistles. However, with that being said, I was surprised not to see a mention of what I consider to be the best and by far the most enjoyable and charming audio version of The Hobbit. I’m referring to the Nicol Williamson performance originality released on vinyl in the 70s but is now easily accessible and free online. Now it is abridged which would in most cases make it an automatic rejection, but in this case it’s such a powerful performance and a joy to listen to that it can be forgiven or rather it should be considered more of an “ adaptation “ than a audiobook. Still, worth checking out!
I did not read all the comments but Christopher Tolkien does and awesome job reading Beren and Luthian. Its on UA-cam somewhere. I think he also narrates a few chapters from the flight of the Noldor era in the first age. Also great stuff leaving you wanting more.
I'm going on deployment at sea for about 6 months. I have some time before I head out so I'm trying to arrange my audio book library now. The Lord of the Rings series and The Hobbit seem like they would be perfect additions but buying all 4 books will be a bit expensive lol
Thank you for your service! Glad you will be able to enjoy some Tolkien on your deployment!
@@NerdoftheRings thank you. I definitely will
The Children of Hurin is my favorite one after the trilogy by Rob Ingles.
If anyone has doubts about which Lord Of The Rings version to go for, listen to Phil Dragash's versions! I listened to them as I read the books, and to this day almost a year later I consider them the best reading experience I've ever had.
10:37 is SO EPIC!
I almost cried listening to it. See…. In 2020 I was living alone in Prague, and I was going daily for walks listening to this audiobook. I’ve sat on the park next to my house and would read the books while listening to this masterpiece.
What Phil Dargrash made was epic and deserves all the recognition!
I low key loved the BBC hobit adaptation, the audio book that got me into audio books!
Phil Dragash version is a masterpiece.
Honestly I have no idea why would you ever want to listen to different version of LotR audiobook other than the Phil Dragash's enhanced version. That one is just perfect in every way.
Those who don't probably don't like that - since it was a one-man passion project - he often misses sentences, paragraphs, and even a whole page for "A Journey in the Dark". Obviously they were not intentional omissions but they become more egregiously apparent if you read along while listening.
@Fraser Fir I think the only really valid point here is the last one. I guess it depends on how u listen to it but I was able to understand him 99.5 percent of the time. As for the speech, I don’t really know what you’re talking about there, he speaks very well. All in all, since I first listened to his audiobook I find it the Inglis and Serkis ones unlistenable because the music, sound effects, and occasional voice modulation of Dragash are what kept me hooked throughout the entire story.
Bluefax and Dragash's renditions rock, and they both did a phenomenal job. Thank you both for your awesome work.
As a kid, I'd listen to The Mind's Eye radio drama versions of The Lord of the Rings (1979) and The Hobbit (1980). These were audio cassettes that came in wooden boxes, and probably one of the few adaptations where Tom Bombadil was actually included. Now I'm feeling nostalgic.
Rob Inglis never fails to draw me back into middle earth when I can't sit donw and re read myself.
If I ever be able to call something sublime, it must be the part from Phil Dragash that you showed. I got emotional, Tolkien text, the music, the effects, it is like a Wagnerian drama of epic proportions.
I'm just now starting to read his works, and for the first 100 pages of the Hobbit I'm sure I'll enjoy it. I'm reading the new translation to Portuguese because the English versions are just too expensive in Brazil, but will listem their original versions in English at the same time. Tks man!
The 1981 lord of the rings was my first intro to lord of the rings. My dad recorded it on cassette tape off the radio when first aired.
Funny is the fact that I discovered your channel after I fell in love with the free audiobooks that I found on Spotify. Your content made me fall in love even more with Tolkien's writings.
All 4 books are free to enjoy. I enjoy them so much I listen before falling asleep.
Much love 💚
Rob Inglis is the best ever. I have the cd's & I listen to them constantly. They are my adult version of a security blanket.
Thanks for the suggestions.
So glad I found this vid! One thing I might suggest about the pronunciation issue in The Hobbit is that maybe the narrator was saying the dwarves are precise about their name pronunciation. In old Norse, Thor is pronounced "Toor", so maybe it was the same sort of thing. I've seen dwarves as Norse.
That’s a fair point. I figured it was something like that. It’s hard to imagine them pronouncing “Th” as a hard “T” without doing so intentionally.
Thanks for watching, NanoBlade!!
Yes, that's close to what I thought too. Actor Heron Carvic, who played Gandalf with an odd, somewhat sly effeteness in that BBC dramatisation, went to elite Eton College as a boy where, among other archaic languages like Latin, Old Norse was part of the curriculum. And at any rate, Tolkien did far less work on Dwarvish than he did on his Elvish languages, so it's often impossible to say which is the more "correct" pronunciation of his characters.
I must confess a personal soft spot for the 1968 BBC Hobbit dramatisation. Paul Daneman as Bilbo is exceptional: for example when he meets Gollum for the first time at his pool under the Misty Mountains, and the ensuing riddle game, which Damon plays with an astonishing blend of barely-controlled hysteria, guile, fear and courage.
Having all this broken down is worth as much as an audio book itself. You, my good sir, are the man.
Phil Dragash's version I have downloaded to my old phone (and is my go to audio book to listen to on long drives)
Blue Fax and Phil Dargarash’s versions were my first time reading the books earlier this year. I wanted to read the books before the release of the Rings of Power. The audiobooks were a 10/10.
The Inglis narrated series has kept me sane at work for almost a year now
I can listen to Christopher Lee and Martin Shaw all day long! Perfection!!!
Got shivers from the Dragash excerpts. Damn !
Of course Martin Shaw's narration is spot on. He's a Professional.
That snippet of the "enhanced" version sounded awesome.
I highly recommend that Phil Dragash's version of LOTR. It's basically perfect in every way and I honestly don't understand why would anyone want to ever listen to different version other than this one. Phil's voice is just amazing, the characters sound almost exactly like in the movies and that combined with the sound effects and music from Howard Shore makes it breath taking and a definitive version to listen to.
My favorite Hobbit and Lord of the Rings audiobooks are the Rob Inglis versions
I've listened to Martin Shaw and Rob Inglis. I am not a native english speaker and sometimes, I have hard times keeping up with accents but I can understand them well.
Regarding the dramatized versions, I don't think I could enjoy them but I haven't tried it yet.
I could definitely see these books being hard to follow in your second language - sometimes I have to back up and re-listen to a portion and it's in my first (and only) language! :) Do they have any of the Tolkien Audiobooks in your native language, jovelyn? Thanks for watching!
@@NerdoftheRings unfortunately, it is not available in my first language. I don't think there is any other book or audiobook translated into Filipino aside from The Bible.
I love watching your videos btw. Very informative topics. Keep it up!
@@jovelynlucero7746 That's a bummer! Lord of the Rings should be recorded in every language! :)
Thanks so much! I definitely will keep putting out videos for you all!
Thank you for this video!💖
Thank you for this, answered all my questions.
Rob Ingles is the difinative one for me.
Me too...🤘😎
After just finishing Andy Serkis' version of The Hobbit, I must ask. What do you think of his work? I'm astonished and absolutely love it.
For the Hobbit, I can recommend two other narrators, I really like the Nicole Williamson version, it is abridged, but very impressive.
However, my favourite reader of the Hobbit, only read a very small part of the book, two poems from Chapter 1, most of Chapter 2 (Roast Mutton) and nearly all of Chapter 5 (Riddles in the Dark), as well as writing the book in the first place.
How great would it be if we had audio of Tolkien reading the entire Hobbit book?
@@NerdoftheRings I would have loved him to have recorded the whole of Chapter 1, but this is all that is available. For anyone who wants to listen to Tolkien, then you need to get this Kindle version, www.amazon.co.uk/Hobbit-Enhanced-J-R-Tolkien-ebook/dp/B005IH0MAI/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=Hobbit&qid=1584193738&s=digital-text&sr=1-2, as it includes 16 minutes of Tolkien reading Roast Mutton, you can also buy this edition of the book, www.amazon.co.uk/Hobbit-Facsimile-Gift-Lenticular-cover/dp/0008259542/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1ZWR33OV0K6ZI&keywords=hobbit+facsimile+first+edition&qid=1584193894&s=books&sprefix=Hobbit+facsimile%2Cdigital-text%2C197&sr=1-1 that includes a CD but only a couple of minutes of Roast Mutton, much shorter than the Kindle edition.
Ah! Yes, Nicole Williamson is indeed the best to me! Love his voice acting with all the characters, including Gollum & Smaug!
Thank you for this marvellous survey. As you say, the BBC's LoTR dramatisation is fantastic, and sets a very high bar indeed. Its cast includes some celebrated Knights of the theatre: Sir Michael Hordern (Gandalf), Sir Robert Stephens (Aragorn), Sir Ian Holm (Bilbo), as well as Bill Nighy (Sam) and Peter Woodthorpe (the definitive voice of Gollum). The musical score by Stephen Oliver is equally compelling. Little wonder that it provided much inspiration for Peter and Fran Jackson for their films. When younger, they used to listen to this dramatisation on audio cassettes.
I shall explore your other suggestions, some of which I hadn't heard of before. The "Enhanced" audiobook versions sound convincing enough, though I do hear problems with sound balance between narration and music/effects. As for Rob Inglis' unabridged recording, for me, his monotone delivery sends me to sleep, alas.
Best wishes.
The enhanced ones are, for me, best in doses. Something about the constant music wears on me.
I’d highly recommend Andy [Serkis’] recent release of The Hobbit. He’s got a great voice and much more dynamic a performance than the Inglis books.
@@NerdoftheRings Did you mean Andy Serkis?
Haha! Yep! Auto-correct strikes again!
@@NerdoftheRings LOL. It's a personal thing obviously, but Serkis' strangulated, rather puerile voicing of Gollum doesn't hold a candle to Peter Woodthorpe's Gollum. IMHO, Peter's is far more subtle, more nuanced; evokes greater sympathy for Gollum's abject wretchedness.
Andy Serkis’ version of The Hobbit is now available on Apple Books, and I assume Audible and other platforms as well.
It is also on audible. I got it shortly after it released. So good!! Have you listened to it?
@@NerdoftheRings I am right now. I only found out about it shortly after seeing this video and just got it a few minutes ago :)
Awesome! Enjoy!
Nicol Williamson Hobbit audiobook is second to none. I have the full cassette for in the car and it really does catch the amazement of the book
This is great! I just started listening to the LotR audio books and this narrows down some good ones to listen to. Im listening to The Hobbit narrated by Andy Serkis. It's a great a version so far, he even does Golim's voice! It's on Amazon Audio. Next I've got to download CoH narrated by Christopher Lee. It sounded amazing!
So glad I could assist you on your audio journey through Middle-earth! CoH is pretty great. I hope you like it!
Nerd of the Rings Have you heard Andy’s version?
Look up Phil Dragash's version, it's free online and is by far the best production value....it takes the soundtrack from the movies (probably the only good thing from the movies), adds realistic sound effects, and more...you can download it for free, just google it...if you need convincing, just listen to the chapter "The Uruk-Hai" from the Two Towers....the Orcs have scary ass voices here's the link ua-cam.com/video/9gVzAFqZIW0/v-deo.html
@@NerdoftheRings any thoughts on Andy Serkis reads? Do they trump your suggested ones in this video? Much appreciated and thanks in advance!
Agreed. Listened to COH and loved it. Just started FOG and it is very hard to follow... I'm constantly rewinding 30s. Hobbit and the LOTR trilogy by Andy Serkis were excellent. Couldn't get into the 1968 BBC version of LOTR but I'll have to check out the 1981 version, it sounds much better. Not heard of those Bluefax and Dragash enhanced versions but they sound amazing so I'll defo be checking them out! Thank you.
Is it Christopher Lee, or that of Saruman telling the story. 😁 Either way, I'm getting the Children of Hurin!
Rip ian holm we will all ways remember u 🥀🥀🌻♥️♥️
those enhanced audiobook versions are awesome i'm getting chills just hearing the clips
*_THE ANSWER IS SIMPLE, YET VASTLY COMPLEX IF YOU PONDER ON IT. THE QUICK-AND THE LONG-ANSWER IS: ALL VERSIONS. LIFE IS BUT A BLINK OF THE EYE, ENJOY THEM ALL_*
I fall asleep to Martin Shaw literally every night, the man has a superb voice 👌🏻
It’s so perfect for the Silmarillion too. It did teach me a couple bad habits pronunciation-wise, but man is his voice perfect for that book.
What an absolute treasure! I am so glad I went back to explore your earliest videos as I am now set to discover some new and some previous books
Through these fantastic recommendations!
I’ve been listening to the Andy serkis ones and they are my new favorite!
This, of course, is my own opinion but the 2007 NPR dramatization of The Hobbit and the LOTR trilogy is the best audio adaptation of Tolkien's work.
I really liked "The Hobbit" ready by Andy Serkis on Audible. "The Lord of the Rings" I found on Spotify was really good too, although I do not know who to give credit to. *Edit* Actually, it was the Phil Dragash that you featured, and it is quite good!
I am surprised that you didn't mention that the Rob Inglis version of Return of the King is the only version that also contains a full reading of the Appendices.
For me, the BBC adaptation of The Lord of the Rings is the definitive one ever since I listened to it as a child. For so long, that version brought to life all the memories of reading the book and I have listened to it every year. I'd heard the Phil Dragash Lord of the Rings and was downloading it as he released each chapter back when he was creating it. I was lucky enough to download it all just before it was taken down and his completion of the story is an admirable achievement. I had not heard of Bluefax's version of The Hobbit (I am currently in the middle of the Andy Serkis version) so I shall give it a try. I've heard the Mind's Eye version of LOTR and Mind's Eye and the BBC versions of The Hobbit. The other version of The Hobbit that I remember fondly is Nicol Williamson's. It's only an abridged version, but I bought it on vinyl back when I was a child and used to spend many an evening listening to it in in front of the fire in my family's darked living room and reliving Bilbo's riddles with Gollum, the journey through Mirkwood and the conversation with Smaug. It's worth a listen if you can find it as it has a charm all of its own and you feel quite sad when it's over.
I bought audible 7-8 years ago SPECIFICALLY for the LoTR and subsequently the hobbit. I bought children of Hurin but haven’t read it yet. But it’s next.
Im actually really interested to check out the last version of lotr you showed, it sounds great and the audible version can drag/feel a bit dated (at times)/ feel childish (at times). But I loved it!
As a busy person (with relentless ADD..lol) Audible is my Jam! It led me to the best audiobook I ever heard, the first law trilogy. Tolkien holds a symbolic (yet very deserving) spot at the top of my list, Joe Abercrombie is a very close second with Zelazney and GRRM competing for 3rd.
I must have 50-70 books by now.
Great video, i found it very informative.
I'm surprised the Andy Serkis version did not make it on to the list. I've started listening to it recently and it's an absolute gem, precious! 💎
Phil Dragash's works are really epic masterpieces! They were so enjoyable to listen, i cannot thank him enough...
The BBC production is fantastic. It's been on at least four or five generations of my smartphones and/or ipods and it's still one of my favourite pieces of spoken word entertainment.
I only have one audio-version of The Hobbit and that one would probably count as an enhanced audio-book. It's the 1970s production featuring Nicol Williamson doing a fantastic job of bringing the text to life. Highly recommended!
I tried the Martin Shaw version of The Silmarillion but found it incredibly hard to focus on - especially while driving. Probably more a text- than a production-problem, since the whole thing reminds me more of listening to passages from the Old Testament than to a work of 20th century fantasy-writing.
I've got to say, the Enchanted version of Phil Dragash are amazing
Highly recommend it
Phil Dragash version is superb 👌 👏 Highly recommend!!
BlueFax and Phil's versions are soooooooooo great. I put my headphones on and listen to them and just close my eyes and feel like im there ❤❤❤
The Rob Inglis Hobbit and LOTR audiobooks are both very good. I also loved Andy Serkis' Hobbit audiobook but I sent his LOTR audiobooks back for credit. I did not enjoy them at all. So I won't be bothering with his Silmarillion.
I haven't finished the Shaw Silmarillion yet, but I think I'm going to give them another go soon. I tried years ago, but the story defeated me. (All the Fëanorian kinslayings were a bit much for me.)
Someday I do want to listen to the Tolkien audiobooks narrated by Christopher Lee and Timothy & Samuel West.
I listen to that version of the silmarillion almost every night to fall asleep.
I think that Rob Inglis is the best for the lotr audiobook! I have the voices in my head when I read the lotr from the 1981 bbc version, here Dominic Monaghan's, Billy Boyd's, and Sean Austin's voices. I also somehow hear all of Howard's Shore's and Chance Thomas's soundtracks!
Thank you, this was very helpful to me as someone who struggles with denser non-narrative texts if not in audiobook form!
As you say yourself the hobbit drama is from 1968 so for those tmes its pretty good
I loved the bbc the hobbit. It is not perfect but for me is the definatitive version! When i listened to bbc lotr it was tricky getting used to a new cast but this i also enjoyed, as you say dramatising scenes that the films left out.
Thanks for the audiobook review. I loved reading The Hobbit and LoTR but always have trouble finishing The Silmarillion. The Martin Shaw narration is awesome and helps immensely with the proper noun pronunciations.
Since Bluefax’s and Dragash’s work is no longer available, I have a strong recommendation for Rob Inglis’s work. He has a wide range of voicing talent, and I most appreciate his voicing of Bilbo, and Sam.
@Nerd of the Rings, there’s also Tolkien’s other work, “Tales from the Perilous Realm”, which is mostly unrelated to Middle-Earth, but does feature poems regarding Tom Bombadil. There’s also Sam’s “troll” rhyme in the mix. Fairly light reading, all told, but charming nonetheless.
The theatrical audiobooks of The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings were compiled into a podcast on Spotify called An Unexpected Journey. That's where I happened across them, and I'm in love. At least, based on the samples you used, I believe those are the versions the podcast used.
Thank you so much for introducing me to Phil Dragash's audiobooks! I think that's the definitive way to experience the story now.