Tries to fix what wasn't broken

There are two versions of 'The Bad Beginning'. The first was done in its entirety by Tim Curry. The second, which is the only version available on Audible, retains Curry's narration but replaces the dialogue with different actors as well as adding sound effects throughout. This was a mistake.

Tim Curry was a perfect narrator in the original book. There are some audiobooks that benefit from full-cast recordings but this is not one of them. Much of Curry's charm is lost in the omission. I might have forgiven this if they had kept Curry's Count Olaf; his performance as the sinister villain is in my opinion the definitive take on the character (it's a shame he was never able to portray the Count in live-action). Unfortunately, not only was Olaf 'recast' but whoever replaced him was not nearly as good.

In addition I found the sound effects are unnecessary. If they had done it sparingly it might have been a nice addition but they are frequently used and become distracting. When I'm listening to an audiobook I don't need to hear a wailing baby in the background.

Unfortunately, as stated before, the original recording is not available to purchase on Audible but if you are able to seek it out you should definitely listen to it.

52 people found this helpful

Brilliantly miserable

I had looked at this series in print, but it had not held my attention as an adult. I was surprised to find I really enjoyed this production of the book- a very high quality, witty, well thought out performance. All the sound effects were excellent, and alterations in the text made sure that the warnings not to listen/read to such gloomy material came across freshly as jokes.
Aimed at children who are just developing a sense of irony, can be painlessly enjoyed by an adult in the same car.

47 people found this helpful

good, but

everything was great, except the sound effects often drowned out the reader. the effects were much louder than the story.

52 people found this helpful

Wickedly funny -- not just kid stuff

I had toyed with the idea of picking up these books on occasion at various places. After I heard the interview with Terry Gross on Fresh Air (on my 40th birthday no less), I had to give these a try. This not just kidstuff (although they are completely kid appropriate). These are so much FUN!!! My husband and I listen to them over and over and laugh our heads off. Misery loves company -- and I am hooked.

36 people found this helpful

All the Noise

wonderfully read, awesome writing, but the background noise was unnecessary, mildly irritating, and at times made the reading hard to hear. A great performance but is go with the normal audiobook version if I had to choose again.

22 people found this helpful

Great start. Too bad about licensing..

I really loved this book. I decided to listen to it between bigger books as sort of a palette cleanser. Tim Curry is Lemony Snicket and a full cast reads the dialog. There are also nice sound effects and music so that it feels like a real radio play.

Unfortunately as I looked to get the other volumes, Audible has not licensed all of the Tim Curry/Full Cast versions of these books. It's disappointing to go from a full production complete with voice acting, sound effects and Tim Curry to Daniel Handler dryly reading his own novels.

So I will not be buying the rest of them until they can get all of the Tim Curry/Full Cast versions.

99 people found this helpful

quietest car ride I've had!

My son (9 years old) and I were about to have a long day in the car. I decided to try something different to keep him occupied. Neither of us had read the Series of Unfortunate Events books, and it sounded interesting, so I downloaded book 1 to my phone the night before our drive. I started it at the beginning of our drive, and we listened to the first half on the way there. We listened to the last half on the way home. The only sounds I heard from the back seat were laughs and short comments about what was just read. He didn't want to talk too much because he didn't want to miss a single word. The drive went by much faster than it normally would have because we were both entertained! The story was engaging, and the narration was excellent. My son was excited to get back in the car so that we could finish listening to the story. I will definitely be buying the next in the series.

10 people found this helpful

Books Will Save You

The Bad Beginning may be, as Lemony Snicket reveals, a miserable tale, but it is a joy to listen to. This full-cast production is of the highest caliber, filled with orchestral music and chilling sound effects. I loved Tim Curry (yes, Dr. Frank N. Furter) as the infamous villain Count Olaf, and was charmed by the witty Baudelaire siblings, who rely on books to help them avoid the Count's treachery.

38 people found this helpful

Too noisy.

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Not wasted, but I'd have preferred spending the time finding a different version.

What did you like best about this story?

The story itself. The characters are fantastical and unpredictable and delightful.

What three words best describe Tim Curry and Full Cast ’s performance?

Too much background.

Do you think The Bad Beginning, A Multi-Voice Recording needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

Yes! Just... maybe edited slightly differently.

Any additional comments?

I love these books and I mean - it's Tim Curry! But all the noise in the background was REALLY off-putting.

31 people found this helpful

Do not like the sound effects

The sound effects are really distracting and annoying. Also, I am so far finding the story to really be just depressing and unenjoyable. Maybe I need to read the book for myself before finishing it on audible with my kids, but it's not what I was expecting and the sound effects make none of us want to keep listening.

18 people found this helpful