Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Book 3

The Series Matures

The Prisoner of Azkaban is a little bit longer and has a slightly harder edge than the previous two books. I believe this reflects the natural progression of the the time that the books were written and the fact that much of its intended audience were now that little bit older. That's not to say that all the hallmarks of the previous books aren't there: the great characters; the inventive interpretations of modern life in a world of wizards and the warm humour that infused the previous books.

Fry once again meets the challenge of being an excellent narrator and you feel that by this stage he has a genuine empathy for the stories. I would also add that the books this far explain the Professor Snape character far better than the films which in this case miss his rant about Harry's father. It's true that even Fry can't match Rickman's wonderful portrayal of Snape but the insight we gain into him and his motivations in particular is markedly improved in the books.

This remains a series that has massively broad appeal and there are fewer better ways to spend a credit across Audible.

41 of 45 people found this review helpful

A must have!

What did you like most about Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Book 3?

The one reason I joined Audible was to listen to the Harry Potter series and I couldn't recommend it more. Having never listened to audio books before I didn't know what to expect, particularly as I'm a big fan of the books and films but this is equally as amazing.

Stephen Fry reads this book perfectly and his soothing voice and use of different voices for characters really makes this book. The story is perfect for all the family, you fall in love with the characters and can easily imagine this magical world.

This is a book I could easily listen to over and over again.

What about Stephen Fry’s performance did you like?

Brilliant

Any additional comments?

A must read

20 of 24 people found this review helpful

The opus of Harry Potter. EXPECTO PATRONUM!

Where does Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Book 3 rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Honestly? You want an honest answer to that question? It's entirely possible that this may be nostalgia talking but I love this book and especially this version as narrated by Stephen Fry. This book in my opinion is where the series truly comes into its own and amongst the other audiobooks I own this rates extremely high! I can still remember when I was young and had some form of insomnia the only thing that could help me sleep was my copy of this or the BBC Radio 4 adaption of The Lord Of The Rings.

What other book might you compare Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Book 3 to, and why?

I suppose the best comparison would be one of the other Potter books. Others have made the apt comparison that compared to Chamber or Philosopher, Azkaban definitely treats the characters and subject matter with much more gravitas and importance. This is shown mostly in the way the other characters interact with Harry and his friends. Unlike Chamber in which the main threat is mostly hinted at, Sirius is treated as no joke - with no time for comedic side adventures - that hangs over the entire plot. This shows Rowling had a good understanding of her audience aging with the books.

Have you listened to any of Stephen Fry’s other performances? How does this one compare?

The Harry Potter series is some of Fry's best work when it comes to narration. His best characters when it comes to this story in particular for me are Sirius and Lupin. He is great as Sirius who perfectly conveys the idea that Sirius is a deep voiced gentleman who hasn't had much reason to use his voice for a long time and as such his voice is becoming a lot more croakey and gravelly. Lupin on the other hand sounds like the kind of good hearted teacher that I remember from my favourite classes. A soft spoken man who for sure could raise his voice when required.

Any additional comments?

If you ever want to give Potter a try on audio don't be afraid to jump in! This story will always make me smile.

6 of 7 people found this review helpful

Great book. Great narrator

Who doesn't like listening to Stephen Fry read Harry Potter?
I love this series, and The Prisoner of Azkaban is no different. Finding out more about Harrys' past is good, I felt that this was slightly darker than the first two, as if written for a larger, wider audience than the first two. Which is no bad thing.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Fantastic!

The Prisoner of Askaban is definitely my favourite of the Harry Potter stories. It zooms along at a great pace with lots of excitement, one particular favourite bit is the last Quidditch match to win the cup. This story makes the transition between the earlier lighter stories to the later increasingly darker ones. This is the time when Harry Potter finds out that not all things can be made right. A very enjoyable audible for a grey winter's day.

10 of 13 people found this review helpful

Love it!

I love Harry Potter. I must've read the series at least, I don't know, about sixteen times, maybe more. I've watched all the films and I'm glad this audiobook has finally come out on audible. I've really enjoyed listening to the stories and Stephen Fry performs it very well. I don't even need to recommend it to every Harry Potter fan on audible, because they'll want it as soon as they see it or hear about it. Randomly, I also really like the covers. Especially that of this one, Prisoner of Azkaban.

6 of 8 people found this review helpful

Stephen Fry gives another cracking performance

Great story brought to life by a great storyteller
Having not read the books, I was so worried the audible version may mash the plot and it wouldn't live up to the great movies I enjoyed with my kids, but, Stephen Fry has made it just so fantastic to listen to the stories again drinking in all the terrific potteresque details

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

The best yet...

This book was a delight from start to finish. Definitely my favourite of the series so far.

4 of 6 people found this review helpful

Pure Brilliance

Absolutely loved all aspects of the book. Brings my childhood memories back to life. Love it!

2 of 3 people found this review helpful

Another wonderful book!

If you could sum up Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Book 3 in three words, what would they be?

Exciting! Thrilling! Moving!

What other book might you compare Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Book 3 to, and why?

No comparison necessary, stands on its own!

What does Stephen Fry bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

As much as read WHOLE series as they came out, he lends a special magic sparkle to them! As someone else said in a review "a marriage made in heaven", wholeheartedly agree!!! :D

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

Yes, various to different characters :)

Any additional comments?

Although darker in nature as they go along, there is the basic element of good against evil, love, friendship, support and loyalty theme running through. :)

5 of 8 people found this review helpful