A classic well read

I was impressed with the narrator and really appreciate his work on what could have been a difficult piece. "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" is an acquired taste, but this was so well presented, I must give it an excellent review. I've listened to it twice in the last couple of days and will listen to it again shortly. I am really pleased with this work and its presentation.

6 people found this helpful

Poetry for guys who don't get poetry.

I rarely read poetry. I find it difficult to read and understand. But I really wanted to experience this dark tale of a sailor and an albatross. Hearing it read managed to get through my poetry issues. Excellent audiobook.

4 people found this helpful

Skips and repeats

Most beautiful tale slightly marred by skip and repetition. Why let it go public without quality check?

3 people found this helpful

Great Reading of a Fantastic Work of Art

Out of all of Coleridge's works, this is my favorite, and the narrator instills so much emotion into every word of this reading.

3 people found this helpful

classic

It's Coleridge and the reader read with emotion. One of the best readings I have heard.

3 people found this helpful

A brilliant reading

This reading enhances one's understanding of the work, a rare gem among readings in that respect. I chose to reread it right now (May, 2020) based on a terrific article in The Atlantic Monthly by James Parker. (Search for "The 1798 Poem That Was Made for 2020.") I quote from Parker's story (one in which he recounts an on-going public domain project to engage multiple people reading the poem, a project in the works prior to the pandemic):

"Six hundred and twenty-six lines of customized Coleridgean English, a strange and wildly flexible hybrid idiom in which the long strains of the King James Bible are looped around a kind of loping, hacked-off folk doggerel, the “Rime” is … What is it? The last epic. The first case history. A Jungian voyage into modernity. A trip. On his way to a wedding, at the very door of the banquet hall, a man is buttonholed by a haggard and compelling stranger. He is detained; he is enthralled. No choice: He must hear this person’s story. And the ancient mariner (for it is he) has no choice either: He is condemned to tell his tale, to recite his rhyme, over and over again."

If it's been as long for you in reading this poem as it was for me, the end of part one will be truly shocking - jaw agape. The effect is stunning.

1 person found this helpful

A wonderful classic ruined by bad voice acting

I have read this anytime and every time I have enjoyed it, but it only takes one bad voice actor that thinks they know how to read it to ruin it. All the sing-song voice acting in this is totally unnecessary.
I could just see him closing his eyes and waving his hand when he was reading the part of the mariner. ACTING!!! I and ac-TOR!!!

A good straight read most times the best solution.
Try that instead of subjecting is to your horrid voice acting next time.

1 person found this helpful

A Classic Somewhat Over-performed

I like the “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner,” but this narrator’s performance seemed a little over-the-top. He was also very slow. The tack repeats one line at the beginning of the third chapter, and a few insignificant words may have been misread, but otherwise the text was accurately read.

do not waste your credit on this.

I would really appreciate if you would stop screwing up my favorite poem. Your rhythm sucks and you won't even understand what this is about if you did you wouldn't be fucking reading it.

When looking westward

There are several parts that repeat — obviously editing errors. The performance is good. The story is good. Audible’s quality check on the audio book... terrible. And is there any way to contact them and them them know? Who knows.