Too good

I read all the John Wyndam novels when I was younger, having had the Chrysalids as a set book in school. I have all the unabridged John Wyndham novels already on audio book and was therefore extremely pleased when Chocky came out. Didn't know Daniel Weyman (the reader is crucial in my opinion) so after Googling and finding he had won awards I purchased the audio book. My only complaint was that it was so good I finished within two days - now I've run out of good audio again!

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32 people found this helpful

An outstanding story.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, for me, this is near perfect science fiction.

What did you like best about this story?

John Wydham's reserved non-sensational style is so very powerful and convincing.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Brought tears several times.

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2 people found this helpful

Hopeful

A beautiful little story, beautifully read. In turbulent times I recommend reading this if you want to rekindle your hope for the future.

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Highly recommended!

A fantastic story by the great John Wyndham, with excellent reading by Daniel Weyman. The blurb doesn't do the book justice as I had often considered buying it before, but decided not to bother after reading the description, and thinking it might not be my cup of tea. How wrong I was! I loved every minute of this. I can see the huge influence this story has had on many other works of science fiction.

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A little dated, but otherwise greatly enjoyable!

If you could sum up Chocky in three words, what would they be?

Mysterious, plausible, engaging.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Chocky - without giving too much away, the character themself is interesting and made more so by the obscured view we get of them.

Which scene did you most enjoy?

The final, where all is revealed.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, and the short length made it easy to enjoy over one day at work.

Any additional comments?

I love science fiction which plausibly inserts its sci-fi premise into 'our world' (as opposed to that set in 'other worlds' or too far into the future). This book is an example of that, in my opinion. I think the way that the sci-fi element gradually unfolds and the events through which this occurs are done very well. I think the short length of the book is appropriate for exploring and revealing the full extent of its premise, it is paced well and never becomes tedious.

I remember reading this when I was a young teen and enjoying it. Returning to it now I enjoyed it again, but I now noticed a fairly strong note of misogyny towards the book's female characters. I imagine this is just a sign of the book's age. It would probably put me off recommending it to young readers until they are at a point where they are able to read critically though.

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Gentle but enjoyable story

Subtle and light Wyndham tale, presenting a selection of horror/scifi story tropes but in a rather sweet, family-friendly package - with a timely message delivered at the end. Very well narrated and so addictive you might listen to the whole thing in one.

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Compelling!

The title makes it sound like it will be horror but it's not. The fascinating, pacy yet gentle story is very obviously mid 20th century in its domestic setup but is quite modern in its ideas about mental health. Very enjoyable and the narrator was excellent, doing a range of convincing accents when necessary.

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oldies

oldies are the best brilliant narration.. strong story holds you from start to finish intresting conception

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Not at all what I expected

I’m constantly looking for quality science fiction literature performed by British narrators (I tend to find them easiest on the ears despite my own accent being Canadian), and I enjoyed Day of The Triffids, so this book has been on my radar for some time. I was reluctant to try it, though, as I had the impression it was horror and was going to be too disturbing for me - this couldn’t have been farther from reality! I’m so glad I finally decided to take the gamble; I found the story entertaining, thought-provoking, and, given when it was written, ahead of its time. Daniel Weyman was a joy to listen to, as always. I do hope he narrates more science fiction in the future.

All in all, I’m very pleased with this addition to my audible library and I’d recommend Chocky to anyone with an interest in science fiction or speculative fiction.

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14 people found this helpful

Classic Wyndham - recommended

Perhaps my biggest criticism of this book is the title. "Chocky" evokes either childishness or tones of b-movie schlock, where in fact this story is Wyndham's usual blend of an ordinary setting with an added unsettling factor that continues to provoke thought long after you've finished the novel. I first read this many years ago as a child having been loaned it by a teacher at my primary school to whom I'd mentioned my love of classic sci fi (and Wyndham in particular), and it was a delight to rediscover it again now in audio form. The narrator got that 1950s middle class father delivery just right, and it really suits the story. If you're a Wyndham fan, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

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5 people found this helpful