Get Your Free Audiobook
-
The Complete Stories of Sherlock Holmes
- Narrated by: Charlton Griffin
- Length: 70 hrs and 48 mins
- Categories: Mystery, Thriller & Suspense, Mystery
People who bought this also bought...
-
Byomkesh Bakshi Stories
- Written by: Saradindu Bandopadhyay
- Narrated by: Sumit Kaul
- Length: 6 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Detective fiction has never lacked devoted fans. The undying popularity of Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot vouch for that fact. In the early thirties, a detective by the name of Byomkesh Bakshi made an unobtrusive entry into the world of Bengali fiction. He preferred calling himself a satyanneshi, a seeker of truth, and within days was a household name, courtesy his cerebral skills and the exciting situations he found himself in. In the tradition of Doyle and Christie, Byomkesh is accompanied on his adventures by his friend, Ajit, slightly obtuse and the perfect foil to him.
-
-
Average compared to the book
- By Anoop Suseela on 10-01-21
-
Sherlock Holmes: The Definitive Collection
- Written by: Arthur Conan Doyle, Stephen Fry - introductions
- Narrated by: Stephen Fry
- Length: 71 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ever since he made his first appearance in A Study In Scarlet, Sherlock Holmes has enthralled and delighted millions of fans throughout the world. Now Audible is proud to present Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes: The Definitive Collection, read by Stephen Fry. A lifelong fan of Doyle's detective fiction, Fry has narrated the complete works of Sherlock Holmes - four novels and five collections of short stories.
-
-
The Best Buy of all time
- By Ehsanullah Shaikh on 29-12-18
-
Sherlock Holmes: The Voice of Treason
- An Audible Original Drama
- Written by: George Mann, Cavan Scott
- Narrated by: Nicholas Boulton, Frances Jeater, Don Gilet,
- Length: 8 hrs
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Investigating a crime seemingly unconnected to the Royal Family, Holmes & Watson uncover a conspiracy to kidnap Queen Victoria and destabilise the British Empire. With a ticking clock to her next public engagement, Holmes and Watson must discover who is behind the plot and locate her majesty, while Mycroft tries to keep the monarch’s disappearance a secret from the British people. At first, Holmes believes Moriarty is responsible for the abduction, but when the Napoleon of Crime is proved innocent, Holmes must work with his arch-nemesis to rescue the Queen.
-
-
very poor
- By Siddharth Mehra on 08-11-20
-
H.G. Wells: The Science Fiction Collection
- Written by: H. G. Wells
- Narrated by: Hugh Bonneville, Jason Isaacs, Sophie Okonedo,
- Length: 27 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Known as ‘The Father of Science Fiction’, Herbert George Wells’ writing career spanned over 60 years. He was a writer of novels, short stories, nonfiction books and articles. As a young man, Wells won a scholarship to the Normal School of Science in London, sparking his infamous vocation as a science fiction writer. Introduced by film director and H. G. Wells fanboy Eli Roth, this collection features unabridged recordings of the novels performed by Hugh Bonneville, Jason Isaacs, Sophie Okonedo, David Tennant and Alexander Vlahos.
-
The Charles Dickens BBC Radio Drama Collection: The Later Years
- Eight BBC Radio Full-Cast Dramatisations
- Written by: Charles Dickens
- Narrated by: Robert Glenister, Robert Lindsay, Ian Holm,
- Length: 36 hrs and 35 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Enthralling radio dramatisations of eight of Charles Dickens' much-loved novels. Charles Dickens is one of the most renowned authors of all time, and this second digital volume of the dramatised canon of his work includes eight of his classic novels. This collection includes the epic masterpiece David Copperfield, described by Dickens as his 'favourite child'; suspenseful mystery Bleak House; Dickens' most openly political novel, Hard Times; and Little Dorrit.
-
The Sherlock Holmes Collection
- Written by: Arthur Conan Doyle
- Narrated by: Stephen Scalon
- Length: 67 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, who first appeared in publication in 1887. He is the creation of Scottish born author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. A brilliant London-based detective, Holmes is famous for his intellectual prowess, and is renowned for his skillful use of deductive reasoning (somewhat mistakenly - see inductive reasoning) and astute observation to solve difficult cases.
-
-
Worth every rupee spent!
- By Hari on 09-05-20
-
Byomkesh Bakshi Stories
- Written by: Saradindu Bandopadhyay
- Narrated by: Sumit Kaul
- Length: 6 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Detective fiction has never lacked devoted fans. The undying popularity of Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot vouch for that fact. In the early thirties, a detective by the name of Byomkesh Bakshi made an unobtrusive entry into the world of Bengali fiction. He preferred calling himself a satyanneshi, a seeker of truth, and within days was a household name, courtesy his cerebral skills and the exciting situations he found himself in. In the tradition of Doyle and Christie, Byomkesh is accompanied on his adventures by his friend, Ajit, slightly obtuse and the perfect foil to him.
-
-
Average compared to the book
- By Anoop Suseela on 10-01-21
-
Sherlock Holmes: The Definitive Collection
- Written by: Arthur Conan Doyle, Stephen Fry - introductions
- Narrated by: Stephen Fry
- Length: 71 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ever since he made his first appearance in A Study In Scarlet, Sherlock Holmes has enthralled and delighted millions of fans throughout the world. Now Audible is proud to present Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes: The Definitive Collection, read by Stephen Fry. A lifelong fan of Doyle's detective fiction, Fry has narrated the complete works of Sherlock Holmes - four novels and five collections of short stories.
-
-
The Best Buy of all time
- By Ehsanullah Shaikh on 29-12-18
-
Sherlock Holmes: The Voice of Treason
- An Audible Original Drama
- Written by: George Mann, Cavan Scott
- Narrated by: Nicholas Boulton, Frances Jeater, Don Gilet,
- Length: 8 hrs
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Investigating a crime seemingly unconnected to the Royal Family, Holmes & Watson uncover a conspiracy to kidnap Queen Victoria and destabilise the British Empire. With a ticking clock to her next public engagement, Holmes and Watson must discover who is behind the plot and locate her majesty, while Mycroft tries to keep the monarch’s disappearance a secret from the British people. At first, Holmes believes Moriarty is responsible for the abduction, but when the Napoleon of Crime is proved innocent, Holmes must work with his arch-nemesis to rescue the Queen.
-
-
very poor
- By Siddharth Mehra on 08-11-20
-
H.G. Wells: The Science Fiction Collection
- Written by: H. G. Wells
- Narrated by: Hugh Bonneville, Jason Isaacs, Sophie Okonedo,
- Length: 27 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Known as ‘The Father of Science Fiction’, Herbert George Wells’ writing career spanned over 60 years. He was a writer of novels, short stories, nonfiction books and articles. As a young man, Wells won a scholarship to the Normal School of Science in London, sparking his infamous vocation as a science fiction writer. Introduced by film director and H. G. Wells fanboy Eli Roth, this collection features unabridged recordings of the novels performed by Hugh Bonneville, Jason Isaacs, Sophie Okonedo, David Tennant and Alexander Vlahos.
-
The Charles Dickens BBC Radio Drama Collection: The Later Years
- Eight BBC Radio Full-Cast Dramatisations
- Written by: Charles Dickens
- Narrated by: Robert Glenister, Robert Lindsay, Ian Holm,
- Length: 36 hrs and 35 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Enthralling radio dramatisations of eight of Charles Dickens' much-loved novels. Charles Dickens is one of the most renowned authors of all time, and this second digital volume of the dramatised canon of his work includes eight of his classic novels. This collection includes the epic masterpiece David Copperfield, described by Dickens as his 'favourite child'; suspenseful mystery Bleak House; Dickens' most openly political novel, Hard Times; and Little Dorrit.
-
The Sherlock Holmes Collection
- Written by: Arthur Conan Doyle
- Narrated by: Stephen Scalon
- Length: 67 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, who first appeared in publication in 1887. He is the creation of Scottish born author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. A brilliant London-based detective, Holmes is famous for his intellectual prowess, and is renowned for his skillful use of deductive reasoning (somewhat mistakenly - see inductive reasoning) and astute observation to solve difficult cases.
-
-
Worth every rupee spent!
- By Hari on 09-05-20
-
Truly Devious
- A Mystery
- Written by: Maureen Johnson
- Narrated by: Kate Rudd
- Length: 10 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ellingham Academy is a famous private school in Vermont for the brightest thinkers, inventors, and artists. It was founded by Albert Ellingham, an early 20th century tycoon, who wanted to make a wonderful place full of riddles, twisting pathways, and gardens. "A place", he said, "where learning is a game." Shortly after the school opened, his wife and daughter were kidnapped. The only real clue was a mocking riddle listing methods of murder, signed with the frightening pseudonym "Truly, Devious".
-
-
Great mystery & the narrator
- By Shashwat Pandey on 25-11-20
-
A Promised Land
- Written by: Barack Obama
- Narrated by: Barack Obama
- Length: 29 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the stirring, highly anticipated first volume of his presidential memoirs, Barack Obama tells the story of his improbable odyssey from young man searching for his identity to leader of the free world, describing in strikingly personal detail both his political education and the landmark moments of the first term of his historic presidency - a time of dramatic transformation and turmoil.
-
-
An endearing memoir
- By Architha A on 30-11-20
-
The Best of Ruskin Bond
- Written by: Ruskin Bond
- Narrated by: Paul Thottam
- Length: 13 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This volume brings together the best of Ruskin Bond’s prose and poetry. For over four decades, by way of innumerable novels, essays, short stories, and poems, the author has mapped out and peopled a unique literary landscape. This anthology has selections from all of his major books and includes the classic novella Delhi Is Not Far.
-
-
Narration not exciting
- By SS on 07-11-20
-
The Jane Austen Collection
- An Audible Original Drama
- Written by: Jane Austen
- Narrated by: Claire Foy, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Billie Piper,
- Length: 45 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Renowned as much for her wit and satirical social commentary as for her stories of love and romance, Jane Austen remains unfailingly relevant and one of Britain’s best loved authors. In this Audible Original collection, an all-star list of narrators (Billie Piper, Claire Foy, Emma Thompson, Florence Pugh and Gugu Mbatha-Raw) capture Austen’s pin-sharp humour and tone in these dramatisations of her six beloved novels accompanied by a full cast.
-
-
Deception
- By Amazon Customer on 06-01-21
-
The Da Vinci Code
- Written by: Dan Brown
- Narrated by: Jeff Harding
- Length: 16 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Winner of the British Book Awards, Book of the Year, 2005.
A murder in the silent, late night halls of the Louvre reveals a sinister plot to uncover a secret that has been protected by a clandestine society since the days of Christ. The victim is a high-ranking agent of this ancient society who, in the moments before his death, manages to leave gruesome clues at the scene that only his cryptographer daughter and her symbologist friend can untangle.
-
-
A must read!!
- By Vishesh on 28-11-19
-
Jeeves & Wooster: The Collected Radio Dramas
- Written by: P.G. Wodehouse
- Narrated by: full cast, Michael Hordern, Richard Briers
- Length: 17 hrs and 56 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A rollicking collection of six acclaimed dramatisations of P.G Wodehouse's Jeeves & Wooster novels, starring Michael Hordern and Richard Briers as Jeeves and Wooster. Also featuring Maurice Denham, Paul Eddington, David Jason, John Le Mesurier, Miriam Margolyes, Jonathan Cecil, Liza Goddard and Patrick Cargill.
-
-
good book
- By Anita's Kindle on 29-05-20
-
Mark Twain - The Complete Novels
- Written by: Mark Twain
- Narrated by: Lee Howard
- Length: 58 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Here you will find the complete novels of Mark Twain: 1. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Starts at Chapter 1, 2. The Prince and the Pauper Starts at Chapter 37, 3. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Starts at Chapter 70, 4. A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court Starts at Chapter 113, 5. The American Claimant Starts at Chapter 158, 6. Tom Sawyer Abroad Starts at Chapter 184, 7. Pudd'nhead Wilson Starts at Chapter 197, 8. Tom Sawyer, Detective Starts at Chapter 219, 9. A Horse's Tale Starts at Chapter 230, 10. The Mysterious Stranger Starts at Chapter 245.
-
The Mysterious Affair at Styles
- Written by: Agatha Christie
- Narrated by: Hugh Fraser
- Length: 5 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Recently, there had been some strange goings on at Styles St Mary. Evelyn, constant companion to old Mrs Inglethorp, had stormed out of the house muttering something about "a lot of sharks". And with her, something indefinable had gone from the atmosphere. Her presence had spelt security; now the air seemed rife with suspicion and impending evil.
-
-
what a great book an absolute masterpiece
- By vishu on 21-11-20
-
10 Essential Pieces of Literature
- Written by: Khalil Gibran, Robert Louis Stevenson, Jack London,
- Narrated by: Matthew Taylor
- Length: 87 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This Audiobook contains the following works: "The prophet" [Khalil Gibran], "Treasure Island" [Robert Louis Stevenson], "White fang" [Jack London], "The Time machine" [H. G. Wells], "The Battle of Life" [Charles Dickens], "The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes" [Arthur Conan Doyle], "The Three Musketeers" [Alexandre Dumas], "The adventures of Pinocchio" [Carlo Collodi], "Robinson Crusoe" [Daniel Defoe], "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" [Mark Twain].
-
-
the audiobook does not get downloaded
- By kanishk on 08-12-20
-
The Vedas and Upanishads for Children
- Written by: Roopa Pai
- Narrated by: Sharanya Gopinath
- Length: 11 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Three thousand years ago, deep inside the forests of India, a great 'thought- revolution' was brewing. In those forest labs, the brightest scientist-philosophers contemplated the universe and reflected upon the already-ancient texts called the Vedas, gaining some startling insights into questions that we still have no watertight answers to. This joyful, fun guide to some of India's most enduring and secular wisdoms, reinterpreted for first-time explorers by author Roopa Pai, is guaranteed to keep you listening.
-
-
GOOD
- By Amazon Customer on 19-11-20
-
War and Peace
- Written by: Leo Tolstoy
- Narrated by: Frederick Davidson
- Length: 61 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Often called the greatest novel ever written, War and Peace is at once an epic of the Napoleonic wars, a philosophical study, and a celebration of the Russian spirit. Tolstoy's genius is clearly seen in the multitude of characters in this massive chronicle, all of them fully realized and equally memorable.
-
-
A fascinating story
- By Lakshmi bhat on 29-12-20
-
The Notebook
- Written by: Nicholas Sparks
- Narrated by: Kate Nelligan, Campbell Scott
- Length: 3 hrs and 14 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Noah and Allie fell in love as teenagers, with the purest sort of love, only to be kept apart by Allie's mother. Their feelings survived in spite of everything - and they recounted their romance in the pages of a notebook. Now, years later, Allie suffers from Alzheimer's, and her memory has been wiped clean. By reading the story of their relationship and the passion they shared, Noah hopes to break through the barrier of his wife's illness. This poignant first novel from Nicholas Sparks rivals any love story ever written.
-
-
nice story
- By Kush on 19-01-19
Publisher's Summary
Here in one recording is every Sherlock Holmes story ever written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Originally appearing in serial form, these famous stories are here presented in the order in which they were first published beginning in 1887. Included in this definitive, awardwinning collection are four novels and 56 short stories, a total of 60 titles. The 56 short stories are aggregated into five named collections, just as they were originally published in book form. The contents of this recording are presented by date of publication as follows:A Study in Scarlett (novel – 1887) 4 hours, 45 minutesThe Sign of Four (novel – 1890) 4 hours, 39 minutesAdventures of Sherlock Holmes (12 short stories – 18911892) 10 hours, 52 minutesThe Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes (11 short stories – 18921893) 9 hours, 21 minutesThe Return of Sherlock Holmes (13 short stories – 19031904) 12 hours, 12 minutesThe Hound of the Baskervilles (novel – 19011902) 6 hours, 18 minutesThe Valley of Fear (novel – 19141915) 6 hours, 7 minutesHis Last Bow (8 short stories – 19081917) 7 hours, 30 minutesThe Case Book of Sherlock Holmes (12 short stories – 19211927) 9 hours
Critic Reviews
"Since he received an Audie nomination for Volume I and an Audie Award for Volume II, it’s not surprising that Charlton Griffin gives another extraordinary performance in this volume of Sherlock Holmes works. In addition to impeccable interpretations of familiar characters - Holmes, Watson, Mycroft, and Lestrade - Griffin creates remarkably believable women. Griffin’s narration is fresh, flawless, and completely winning." (AudioFile magazine)
What listeners say about The Complete Stories of Sherlock Holmes
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Nithin Shankar
- 01-01-21
Narration is soo good 👌
The narration of Charlton Griffin is simply fantastic. The way he does the voices and the emotions are utterly beautiful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- TK
- 22-11-20
Excellent Narrative by Charlton Griffin
Excellent Narrative by Charlton Griffin, the voices he changed to the character and situations were great. Thoroughly enjoyed 👌
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Myusollo
- 22-07-14
More collections like this, please!
What did you love best about The Complete Stories of Sherlock Holmes?
This was my very first Audible purchase, and I purchased wisely. I read Sherlock Holmes in bits and pieces while growing up because my dad was an avid fan, so getting this collection for such a bargain seemed like a great idea. Fortunately, I was right.
This collection covers a huge range of stories, most of which are excellent, some of which fall a little flat. This is, however, to be expected for such a volume of work. Some of it also feels a bit dated, also to be expected from any classic. Anyone interested in the detective mystery genre has to be familiar with Sherlock Holmes, and this particular collection is strongly recommended.
The narrator, Charlton Griffin, does an excellent job. I listened to a sample of another audiobook covering the same stories, and the narrator was rushing everything. Mr. Griffin takes his time and delivers an outstanding performance. My only point of feedback is that his American accent (as some American characters do present themselves) could use a little bit of work, and his voices for women were a little distracting until you got used to them.
Any additional comments?
My subject line says it all. I would very much like to see Audible release more massive collections like this one as bulk purchases.
54 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- LifetimeRoad
- 17-05-19
Better than Stephen Frye’s version
I fell in love with Charlton Griffins narration of the Holmes collection and then thought I’d try Frye’s version. It’s evident who is the actor and who is the professional narrator. Griffin does many characters with various accents, inflections, and tones.
14 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Jane Rae Wilkens
- 11-05-14
Excellent complete collection
Excellent complete collection of one of my favorite authors. Enjoyed the performance of the narrator who had a good consistent voice for various characters. The quality of the recording was excellent. If you want a complete collection of the Sherlock Holmes (shouldn't everyone have one?), this is the one for you.
51 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Brian Pack
- 08-10-15
Great value
Would you consider the audio edition of The Complete Stories of Sherlock Holmes to be better than the print version?
I prefer it as I can listen while I work.
What did you like best about this story?
The fact that it's a complete collection. You get your "money's" worth when you use a credit!
Have you listened to any of Charlton Griffin’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
No
Any additional comments?
It's overall pretty good. There are some odd audio errors though. In the first couple chapters there's a sound like someone's digital watch alarm is going off that lasts for 30 seconds or so. There's also a sound like someone is shuffling papers once in a while. Otherwise it's good.
15 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Tony E.
- 03-02-16
It's Elementary, my dear Watson
Let's look at the clues, Watson. Which character in the last two centuries has inspired as many different versions of his tales in as many different settings as has Sherlock Holmes? Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's mysteries are timeless as they deal not with the environment they are set but with the heart of man which doesn't change in time. Sherlock Holmes is not a deity. Doyle makes sure to include his faults, vices, and addictions, fleshing out a rounded character who, however improbable his observations would be in the real world, creates a character you could see walking in the streets of London.
The narration is great in this version. While Watson and Holmes have the same voice, you can always tell who is who by the inflection of Charlton Griffin so you never get confused who is talking. Secondary characters all have distinct voices with appropriate accents and styles, making it easy to follow.
And Watson, how can you go wrong with over 70 hours of fantastic story for only 1 credit?
6 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- B. Stiner
- 13-08-18
Fun Stories, Good Performance
I always loved the Sherlock Holmes stories, but this was the first time I got all of them together. It was interesting to see the progression of the character development. From a technical perspective, it's also interesting to see the effect of Conan Doyle's changing attitude toward his title character on the quality of the stories. The reader's performance was good, though he needs to work on his female voices. Overall, a good recording of the full collection.
5 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Yvette
- 06-02-14
Pretty good production & a great value!!!
Anyone who knows the Sherlock Holmes stories by Arthur Conan Doyle knows if they like them or not. They are a little dated, being originally published between 1887 and 1927, but they are pretty good stories, and quite enjoyable. The only reason that I gave this a 4 is that the reader needs to work on his accents, and his women's voices are somewhat annoying. If you can ignore this, this production is well worth the cost of one credit for over 70 hours of darn good detective stories.
27 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Scott Koch
- 07-10-14
Quite an Enjoyable Performance
What made the experience of listening to The Complete Stories of Sherlock Holmes the most enjoyable?
As a bit of a Holmes nut, I have listened to a number of audio performances of Doyle's stories. I believe that Mr. Griffin's performance captures both Holmes' and Watson's personalities quite admirably. I cannot imagine a better performance.
What other book might you compare The Complete Stories of Sherlock Holmes to and why?
These stories are in a class with The Lord of the Rings, Tom Sawyer, and Poe's stories. People will be reading/listening to these classics for a long time to come.
What about Charlton Griffin’s performance did you like?
His performance of Holmes in these stories is spot on: Holmes' authoritative voice, his compassionate side, his aloof side, and his arrogant side all come through. His portrayal of Watson is equally well done. Bravo!!!
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
Yes.
10 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Sylvia Park
- 26-03-15
MUST LISTEN TO!!
Loved the narrator, had different voices for all the characters! Couldn't stop listening to it!! Totally recommend it to Sherlock fans!
13 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Robert Seth
- 12-09-14
Easy Way to Finally Read the Complete Holmes
Where does The Complete Stories of Sherlock Holmes rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
I listen to a lot of audiobooks, and I'd rate this one as above average. The story itself is wonderful--it's the original Sherlock Holmes, for heaven's sake! Not perfect, not infallible, but still a work of genius that inspires people more than a century later. I recently learned that some of the first movies ever made were Sherlock Holmes stories, such was their popularity, and obviously that popularity hasn't faded. The narrator, however, leaves something to be desired. He's good, don't get me wrong. As I said, I listen to a lot of audiobooks, and as narrators go, Charlton Griffin is somewhat above average, but he's not great. His range is a bit limited--he can do a variety of voices, but the variety isn't wide. He pronounces a startling number of words incorrectly, especially at the beginning of the book. He actually reads various phrases completely wrong, substituting language of his own. I've heard worse narrators, but I've also heard better.
What other book might you compare The Complete Stories of Sherlock Holmes to and why?
I'm not sure "comparable" is a fair word to use when the original Conan Doyle-written Sherlock Holmes is the standard of comparison. On the one hand, there are innumerable books today that are very comparable and even significantly superior; but when the fact that this is the original is figured into the equation, it becomes not a matter of comparability but of imitation. Everyone who loves this sort of fiction should read this book to see where it all began.
What do you think the narrator could have done better?
Read the book!! Sorry, don't mean to be hostile, but it's a bit exasperating that he read it so inaccurately at times. It's only the occasional flub; but I'm a stickler for accuracy, so the littlest thing annoys me. And he does it repeatedly, nor are his inaccuracies necessarily small ones. Sometimes he changes entire sentences, not just the odd word. On the other hand, I think he performs the accents and voices decently, on the whole; he's enjoyable to listen to, from the point of view of an American who very frequently listens to people with English accents of all sorts, on books and TV and movies. I think he sounds authentic, on the whole, though I've heard better performances.
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
I can't think of a particular moment; it was more the totality of the work that moved me, over and over again as I listened to it and realized how this one body of work has formed the foundation for not only the whole detective literary genre but also for our police forensic sciences of today. These days we tend to think more of the science fiction that has inspired our cell phones and computers and so forth and we forget that Conan Doyle's stories a century ago inspired a real revolution in police and forensic procedures. Quite literally, we would not have the crime-fighting abilities we do today without Sherlock Holmes. I found that profoundly moving.
Any additional comments?
For those who love detective stories, and in particular stories involving Sherlock Holmes, this book is invaluable as a reference and source material and as a foundation. The narration, while far from perfect, was enjoyable to listen to for its accents and voices, and fairly good for overall performance. Perhaps I would recommend another recording from a more scrupulously-accurate (and therefore Holmes-like) British actor who was also able to perform a wide range of characters, should one ever be made in the future, but this one is more than merely acceptable for now.
13 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- SARAH
- 18-01-14
Disappointed.
What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?
Having the right person reading it.
How did the narrator detract from the book?
I cannot fathom why an American actor would be chosen to read such a quintessentially British book. Don't get me wrong, he has a lovely voice and makes a valiant effort at an English accent, but that doesn't help if you still use American pronunciation, e.g. on words like 'lever', 'depot', 'Cecil' and he's obviously not familiar with British place names as many of those have been pronounced incorrectly too. Worst of all something weird happens with the 'O' vowels in places so 'Holmes' has mutated into 'Hormes' and 'dog' into 'dawg'. Really, really disappointed because I love Sherlock stories.
32 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- gypsy
- 24-01-14
very poor narration
Would you try another book written by Arthur Conan Doyle or narrated by Charlton Griffin?
love the author but the narrator is terrible
Who might you have cast as narrator instead of Charlton Griffin?
anyone!
Any additional comments?
this narrator speeds through the text like a runaway train, he reads far too fast and the story is impossible to listen to, very disappointed. The narrator is supposed to be a professional, but he hardly pauses to breathe. I tried to listen on 0.75 speed but this simply distorted the audio. can I have my credit back please?
23 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Roger
- 29-01-14
Great value, but pity about the American narration
It is extremely good value to get the entire Sherlock Holmes stories for one credit. I have been a Sherlock Holmes fan since childhood, and they never cease to amaze and entertain me.
The downside of this recording is the American narration. Charlton Griffin does read extremely well, but his phoney British accent is excruciating to listen to. It really does detract from the enjoyment of the recording. With so many competent British narrators available, why on earth did the producers decide on an American?
20 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- V
- 06-03-14
Very poor quality
What disappointed you about The Complete Stories of Sherlock Holmes?
The narrator was trying too hard to do a British accent, although generally it was OK. Why a British actor couldn't have done it I don't understand. There were several sloppy mispronunciations, some due to being English place names (Reading, Berkshire), some just plain wrong (bowing, in relation to playing the violin).
I do wonder whether I imagined this, but an alarm was sounding in the background towards the end of the first story.
I'm really disappointed. I love Sherlock Holmes stories, but it was becoming intolerable.
What didn’t you like about Charlton Griffin’s performance?
His accent, and lack of attention to reading correctly. Sorry, but it spoiled the story for me.
What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?
Disappointment.
12 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Leonard
- 26-01-14
Strange reading for most English of stories
How did the narrator detract from the book?
Staccato delivery - at least in the first couple of stories. The americanisms are irritating (laboratory) and there are occasional mispronunciations. The overall impression is that this is close to sounding like a computer generated reading.
22 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- S. Blackburn
- 22-02-14
Multiple different pronunciations of the same name
What did you like best about The Complete Stories of Sherlock Holmes? What did you like least?
The stories are great, first time I've heard them.
The reader pronouncing Lestrade in the first story correctly and then in a future story pronouncing it another way entirely.
Would you be willing to try another one of Charlton Griffin’s performances?
No, not in a million years.
Do you think The Complete Stories of Sherlock Holmes needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?
No because it is the COMPLETE stories of Sherlock Holmes, a follow-up would be more stories thus making this INCOMPLETE.
Any additional comments?
No.
10 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Avril
- 17-02-14
Great stories ruined by poor narration
Would you listen to another book narrated by Charlton Griffin?
Sorry, no..
What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?
I love the Sherlock Holmes stories and was so pleased to see a compendium collection. However I could not settle to the narration style which was stilted, and frankly sounded as if the reader was a foreigner trying to mimic the received English style of the BBC announcers and actors of the 1930's. So disappointed.
9 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Andy
- 29-01-14
Where's the FEELING? Narrated in a HURRY!
What disappointed you about The Complete Stories of Sherlock Holmes?
The Narrator, Charlton Griffin, seems to have been given the book 5 minutes BEFORE having to Dictate the stories.He also seems to have been in a hurry as the haste with which the stories are read seems to indicate that the Studio was being paid for by the minute!
What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?
EXTREME DISAPPOINTMENT! Stories like these which have stood the test of time, don't seem to have been given any time by this Narrator.
15 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Jonathan G
- 30-07-14
Almost the complete stories of Sherlock Holmes
What did you like most about The Complete Stories of Sherlock Holmes? It's complete and unabridged so little irrelevant snippets of information usually cut from the abridged version are interesting and new. Who might you have cast as narrator instead of Charlton Griffin? Personally I think that native English speakers should be used for English works, just as American speakers should be used for American works. Any additional comments? I bought this audio book the other month. It does have all the Sherlock Holms stories, over 70 hours. The only problem is that the reader is American and obviously comes from the same part of England as Dick Van Dyke. I half expected him to have Holmes saying something like " It's quite obvious Watson, Colonel Morston was shot in the eye with a rare tropical poisoned dart. He died of um diddle um diddle um diddle eye" Also listening to the appalling pronunciation at first was annoying, but later amusing in the extreme. The perilous boat chase down the "River Tims" or that well known city of Prog in the Check Republic, or as it should be pronounced, by him at least as the Chock Repobolick . I can understand the American pronunciation differing slightly, but he pronounced it wrongly on more than one occasion. The unforgettable electronic allarm going off halfway through "A study in scarlet" The other thing is that he only has one forign accent, slightly Irish with Indian undertones. So no mater weather they are Russian, or Greek they all have a slight Irish brogue.
5 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Stefan
- 07-01-14
The best credit I've ever spent!
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
A great addition to anyone's audio collection. Compulsory listening for anyone with even a passing interest in crime fiction.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
At over 70 hours I think it would take too much coffee to get through it all in one go!
Any additional comments?
This has got to be the best value for money credit I've ever used on Audible! Grab this book before they change their minds and make it a multi-credit purchase.
27 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Nissology
- 03-08-15
Good as far as it goes
With the current "Elementary" television series being set in New York City, some may like this American accented take on the familiar Sherlock Holmes stories. I did not mind much as the performer does a good job and has a good voice, but my London-born wife could not stand it, so it will remain largely unplayed.
Excellent for long drives over many days, this version of the famous sleuth's adventures should prove popular with people in North America.
1 person found this helpful