Harry Potter discussion
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Harry Potter Audiobook > Stephen Fry or Jim Dale?




Jim Dale is also the narrator on the new show Pushing Daisies, which is really good.

I think that if one of them have a british sort of accent, that would be maybe just a tad better, I know when I read the books they talk in a british accent.

Okay, I got a Jim Dale version last night and I almost fell aslep listening to it. He reds SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO slow it's like this: "And then..... Voldemort.... said.... to... Snape....." It took him like 20 seconds to say like "Harry was bleeding." I mean, he would still be on the econd or 3rd sentence and I would be done with the page. Yes, I was reading the book while listening on the CD.

I am reading Deathly Hallows right now an crying. Mad eye and Hedwig just died. And yea I assumed it needs to read slower.
Yea, Jim Dale does a good Voldemort.

Lindsay wrote: "Jim Dale isn't slow! What's that comment about? If you're just going to read the book, why have the audio books? Besides, I use it to fall asleep. I personally like his Umbridge voice and Hagrid is..."
I dunno... I'm just a fast reader. Thanks for the idea about using it to fall asleep.
I dunno... I'm just a fast reader. Thanks for the idea about using it to fall asleep.

I haven't gotten to Hermione yet, only the 3rd chapter in OOP.
I am currently listenig to Goblet of Fire with Jim Dale. It is pretty good.
Shae wrote: "I am currently listenig to Goblet of Fire with Jim Dale. It is pretty good."
I am listening to Order of the Phoneix by Jim Dale, and I agree, it is good.
I am listening to Order of the Phoneix by Jim Dale, and I agree, it is good.
I am on the second-to-last CD and I am getting kinda bored with the dull emotions.
Yeah............ It'd be better if he had a mexican accent.

Yeah, when it read a sentence that's funny out-loud to myself in a british accent, it sounds so cool, like she meant it to sound cooler when it's read aloud then it would if you just sit by yourself and read it alone. Maybe that's why children and parent's read to each other...





Buy his Stephen Fry Up Walkers!! xD

But back to Hermoine, he elongates way too many of her words, I especially hate how she says Harry!!! But he does do this with other characters, but especially her, she sounds like she has no backbone and as others have pointed out, she just seems like such a whiner and I didn't get that from the books, yes she may be a tad emotional, who isn't, but he doesn't even accurately read to her emotions! Or anyone's emotions for that matter.
Sorry to rant, this has been a huge issue as I am really into audio books now, when I'm at work, and as I love HP I just had to share.
One more thing and I'm done. As they are in England, I feel he gives Scottish/Irish accents to a lot of characters, and I'm not sure if he's basing that on their names or he just likes to try and vary it, but it kind of takes me out of a chapter when he reads for certain people.




I've also grown up listening to Stephen Fry, but seeing as there are so many faithful supporters of Dale, I'm going to check him out


I only just found out that Stephen Fry reads them too, and I'm pretty excited to give him a listen.


Thanks for that recommendation. I will have to check out Hitchhiker's Guide.

*especially the ones my grandpa gets. They ALL sound the same...*
I haven't heard Stephen Fry read the Harry Potter series, but I'm still mad at him for the Strombreaker movie, so I don't think I will for now.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_...
I also checked the Bloomsbury site. While I would love to pay full price, I simply cannot.
Is there a British equivalent of Half Price Books, or even Costco (big box/discount store)? I really want the SF versions, but the libraries that own them would not lend through Interlibrary Loan (this lending program is being cancelled due to lack of funding anyway).
Thanks for any tips you may have.
I really do think Jim Dale is lovely, but I do see the merit in the opinion that his voice can be a bit sonorously dull. He DOES hold the Guiness Book of Records for the most number of voices, but if you get too far into supporting characters, I find that they all start sounding like Hagrid.
I adore Stephen Fry and his plummy tones and can't WAIT to get my hands on the books. (If only I could splash out for the big, beautiful boxed set published by Bloomsbury...!)
What do you think?