Stunning Interpretation of Jeff Wayne's Classic!

If like me you still get a small frisson thinking of the words, No-one would have believed . . . they drew their plans against us, then put this right on your wish list! I can still remember the sheer awe I felt as a young lad when I started to listen to the cassette tapes I had received for my birthday and Burton's chilling opening words came out of the speakers like it was yesterday. Forty years on and this new version had me absolutely captivated from start to finish.

It's the same story, just completely remixed and with a lot of additional sound and detail. That sound is fantastic, like many of the great bands the bass is high in the mix giving it full expression and the use of stereo is superb. Definitely one to be listened to with quality headphones and preferably not in noisy areas to get the very best out of it. There are great riffs from that glorious score, thunderous explosions and more subtle sounds too. The overall soundscape is the best I have experienced in an Audible production.

The voice acting is top quality. Anna-Marie Wayne, who is Jeff's daughter of course, as Carrie and Michael Sheen as the journalist give outstanding performances and the supporting cast don't let them down by any stretch of the imagination.

I never thought that anything could match the original. This is different and stands in its own right but those forty years were suddenly a mere instant in time and I was transported back through the decades to that same feeling of excitement that the younger Simon felt. If you can, just don the headphones, turn off the lights, shut your eyes and crank up the volume!

Absolutely superb!

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132 people found this helpful

Very, Very Good!

Short review: Superb production of the book and the musical blended into a sweet mixture. If your a fan, you should buy it!

Longer review:

I'm writing this review having only listened to two chapters. I could have well done this after only one. It reminds me of an idea I had a only a little time ago: I already knew the book was superb, having read it numerous times, I already knew that the musical version was utterly superb, having literally grown up listening to it countless times over the years. Create a uber-masterpiece from the two masterpieces! Have the narrative blended with the goodness of the music Jeff Wayne created, but use more, if not all of the book.

And they did it.

But who would take the narrator/journalist role? This above all was most important, but who? When I listened to the sample, I actually thought they'd used Richard Burtons' voice somehow, then read that Michael Sheen had done it. Absolutely perfect! Adrian Edmonson is brilliant! I'm getting to know the rest of the cast as I go, but I know that they WILL be exceptional performances. You have to get something like this right, and I feel they've nailed it sweetly.

Some slight niggles though, but this is mainly due to the use of the newer musical versions' music, the dance beat style portions just didn't feel right. Having said that I will say I eventually began to like the newer musical version, very well produced!

Some of the books' greatest fans may not like this production much as they may say there is too much music for it to be called an audio book as such, and so its called a audio drama/book maybe? Maybe not a musical in the true form? Well they seem to use a good portion of music, and have used pieces in different places too. Nicely done!

AND the BBC TV version of the book is just around the corner. Finally set IN THE RIGHT COUNTRY AND TIME PERIOD.

Thankyou for the time taken to read this giddy fans mumblings. Thankyou to the good people behind this production.

Now go buy it!

Very Best Regards,

Karl Hart

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15 people found this helpful

OMG Fantastic!

Loving this dramatic version - worth the wait. All the classic familiar character and tunes.

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4 people found this helpful

couldn't stop listening to this

Omg this story is amzing very well done thry had me on edge of my seat till the very end

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3 people found this helpful

annoying music

I know the music for this title is a key reason to get it, I loved the original. The problem here is that it feels like it is over used and over produced.
especially early on there are large segments of time when the same music is played over and over between disjointed dialogue. instead of adding to the feeling of drama it detracts.
The music itself is based on the original but it's been intermixed with techno beats that ruined it for me. it's like some got hold of pro tools and just and a play.
If you are expecting the original songs then I have to disappoint you. The melody is there, just but the lyrics are absent.
The performance of the story is solid but you would hope that to be case given the cast.
Overall I was really disappointed by this, the original album is much better and. has more emotion.
This feels like a cash grab.

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2 people found this helpful

Outstanding!

I'm sad I didn't discover this any sooner. The music is amazing, the story is great and the performances by the actors are good too.

The musical score adds a whole new level to the listening experience and I know this is one I will listen to again and again.

Well done to all involved in its production.

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1 person found this helpful

super listen

excellent, highly recommended, a great companion to both the book and the album. well done

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1 person found this helpful

Overall good...with just 1 thing that bothered me

If you liked the original musical then you will like this. The performances by all are great, Michael Sheen does a fantastic job as the narrator/journalist. He is doing a bit of a Richard Burton impression but hey its a darn good one and it works. The story from HG Wells is of course top notch, now with a lot more detail and scenes from the book in comparison to Jeff Wayne's original musical. If you have not already I would highly recommend HG Wells original novel.

The music from the original musical is all here, minus the lyrics. You may as I did, miss some of great singing and lyrics (for me the singing in millions to one, now you're not here, start over again are a loss) but having the music as instrumental overall did not lessen my enjoyment, and instead we get more drama and scenes from the book which is a plus.

The one area where I had a problem was with some of the remixed music. Most of it is fine with the original scores in tact with modern production. However there is some music that falls into 'War of the Worlds: Dubstep Edition.' Now it may not be strictly Dubstep (I'm an old man and have no idea what the kids are into these days), but that was the first thing I thought of when certain songs came on. They seem like a music Editor has just gone a bit too far with trying to make the music seem more contemporary and different. I was sometimes confused with thinking are we supposed to be in a run for our lives being chased by giant machines whilst civilisation crumbles around us, or are we in a Marthian themed Nightclub? Frankly I thought these changes were not good, missed the point of some the music, and was overall a bad move. Like I say it is only on certain songs and not throughout so did not spoil the whole experience for me, but definitely prevents this from being 'great'.

Overall a really good listen for both new comers and fans of the original musical. And again, if you have not read HG Wells's book, do so!

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1 person found this helpful

brilliant

I love these dramatic audio book performances very enjoyable , traditional single narrators are rather dull by comparison . More of this stuff please Audible !!

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Outstanding

This is the fourth time I’ve listened.
Simply outstanding.
A must listen. I guess I’ll have to listen again.

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