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Deep Secret
- Narrated by: Chris Webster, Harriet Carmichael
- Length: 13 hrs and 42 mins
- Categories: Children's Audiobooks, Literature & Fiction
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A much loved book
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Summary
A fantasy adventure about saving the universe one world at a time from Diana Wynne Jones. The companion novel to the bestselling The Merlin Conspiracy.
Magids look after all worlds, steer them towards magic, and keep history happening. But Rupert Venables’ mentor has just died, and as the junior magid on earth he has to find a replacement while also trying to find the lost heir of a collapsing empire, worlds away.
Rupert interweaves the fate lines to get all the candidates together at a sci-fi fantasy convention, and havoc ensues as they all converge on a very strange hotel, where everything is always linked, the walls keep moving, people are trying to kill him, and nothing is as it seems...a magical, epic story from the Godmother of fantasy.
Critic reviews
What listeners say about Deep Secret
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Marie O'R
- 10-02-14
A great interpretation of a favourite DWJ story
Any additional comments?
This is one of my favourite DWJ stories. There's a lot going on in it, it is clever, in a subtle way, rather than being in your face. It stretches across worlds with a narrative that unfurls slowly, revealing things as it goes along. One of the best things about DWJ characters is that they are believable... they are not perfect and you like them in spite of or even because of their failings. The central characters, Rupert and Maree are beautifully drawn. I wasn't sure about the performances initially, but they really grew on me. One slight annoyance is that the sound level of Chris Webster's performance varies a bit too much. You can suggest whispering or shouting without doing it. Apart from that, it is a great performance of all the voices and I liked Harriet Carmichael too, although I tend to think Maree's voice is a bit lower than she plays it. I particularly liked that they both seemed to have worked together to make their character voices similar but without overdoing it. This book is like an old friend that is a joy to revisit time after time and I'm pleased that now I can revisit the audio version as well as on the page. Also a relief to get an unabridged version. Whoever thinks that DWJ needs abridging is frankly nuts - she's never wastes a word, so why would you cut them?
3 people found this helpful
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- Seagull
- 16-08-20
Complicated but terrific book, well narrated.
This isn't the easiest book to get into, but it is very worthwhile persevering with it. What starts off as a rather weird sci-fi sort of narrative rapidly returns to earth for a story full of human interest, characters and situations that are definitely quirky but very absorbing. The readers do it full justice
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- Amazon Customer
- 27-07-20
body shaming misogyny fatphobia ahoy
I'm a real fan of Wynne-Jone's other works but she must have been having a real self-hatred episode when she wrote this. A female character is not introduced without first being evaluated for her looks. Fat characters are routinely dehumanised and in one case a main character actually gets up and leaves a room because he cannot abide a fat person sitting next to him. Don't give this to impressionable young adults, don't read it yourself.
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- Holly
- 14-08-19
Entertaining once you get into it
I am a DWJ fan, and I enjoyed this, but it is not her best. If you stick with it the story does build and get exciting. Female narrator is good and does character voices well, the male narrator is good at the narration but terrible at the character voices.
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- Alice
- 16-08-18
Not for me
slow burner really couldn't get in to it the more I listened I just lost interest.
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- spellacl
- 07-07-17
Great Story!
This was brilliant! Read on a suggestion from a friend and am delighted. Magic and technology is a great combination! Really enjoyed the characters and their voice acting!
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- nogginthenog
- 01-12-15
Fabulous!
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
Yes, yes and yes - if you enjoy fantasy then I'd be really surprised if you didn't love Diana Wynne Jones. This book is one of her best and one of my absolute favourites - fun the whole way through with a bit of everything thrown in - adventure, science fiction, fantasy, romance, comedy, drama, all given a good stir and well-seasoned with a bit of tongue-in-cheek affection.
What was one of the most memorable moments of Deep Secret?
Good the whole way through - its pretty even - but the fantasy con is perfectly done.
Which scene did you most enjoy?
Don't make me pick - not fair. It's good the whole way through!
If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?
Not sure it would be possible so a tagline would have to be: Forget the film, just read the book!
Any additional comments?
Excellent narration - it can make or break a book, but the two narrators do a terrific job.
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- Amanda
- 29-07-13
Fantastic story
Would you listen to Deep Secret again? Why?
One of DWJ'a best - such a credible fantasy with fully developed characters and plot.
Would you listen to another book narrated by Chris Webster and Harriet Carmichael ?
No
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
Yes
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- Anastasia Egorova
- 13-05-14
More DWJ's books, Audible!
Great story, great performance.
I must admit, at first I had to tolerate the smuggish Rupert by Chris Webster, but, after a few chapters I was so into him. The reason is that the character develops, the plot thickens and the performance masterly develops as well. Bravo! It cost me a sleepless night, though - I could not just find it in myself to turn it off until the very end.
It is a pity, there is only 4 books by DW Jones on audible at the moment. I would love to have more. Please, make it happen, Audible.
6 people found this helpful
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- Rohan
- 09-01-15
Love it
I enjoyed the book, and I am enjoying the audio version even more. Good readers,fantastic story. Two small quibbles. The spacing between chapters was uneven, sometimes long enough that I would wonder if it had turned off, and at least once so short there was barely a pause. The other was the voice for Maree wasn't deep, and given her "booming sob" was fairly important in the plot, it seemed a bit wrong. But the reader is very good, so it wasn't a major issue.
3 people found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 17-07-20
I loved every bit.
I didn't think I would like it as much as Chrestomanci or Howl but I did. Looking forward to "The Merlin Conspiracy".
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- Mrs Cynthia LAU
- 03-07-19
Wonderful story, compellingly read
This is one of my favourite DWJ books and my delight in it was enhanced by masterful reading. I think I may actually prefer the Audible version to actually reading! A+++
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- Anonymous User
- 20-11-18
Sometimes I couldn't hear the male narrator
That's all. the book is brilliant and the interpretations were really good. I loved it
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- N. Campbell
- 23-03-16
One of my favourites
Love this book.
I don't understand why Audible don't have an unabridged version of the sequel to match 'the Merlin Conspiracy'.