Listen free for 30 days
-
Tales from the Perilous Realm
- Four BBC Radio 4 Full-Cast Dramatisations
- Narrated by: full cast
- Length: 4 hrs and 48 mins
- Categories: Science Fiction & Fantasy, Fantasy
People who bought this also bought...
-
Beren and Lúthien
- By: J. R. R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien
- Narrated by: Timothy West, Samuel West
- Length: 6 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Beren was a mortal man, but Lúthien was an immortal Elf. Her father, a great Elvish lord, was deeply opposed to Beren, and imposed on him an impossible task that he must perform before he might wed Lúthien. Undaunted by Lord Thingol’s challenge, Beren and Lúthien embark on the supremely heroic attempt to rob Morgoth, the greatest of all evil beings, of a Silmaril, one of the hallowed jewels that adorn the Black Enemy’s crown.
-
-
this is absolute dross. There is NO STORY ! ! !
- By Robert Luke on 16-05-20
-
The Fall of Gondolin
- By: J. R. R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien
- Narrated by: Timothy West, Samuel West
- Length: 8 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Gondolin, beautiful but undiscoverable, is central to the enmity of two of the greatest powers in the world. Morgoth of the uttermost evil seeks in vain to discover the marvellously hidden city of his Elven enemies, while the gods in Valinor refuse to support Ulmo Lord of Waters' designs to protect it. Into this world comes Tuor, cousin of Túrin, and guided unseen by Ulmo he sets out on the fearful journey to Gondolin to warn them of their coming doom.
-
-
Good but lots of filler
- By Amazon Customer on 05-12-19
-
The Lord Of The Rings: The Return of the King (Dramatised)
- By: J. R. R Tolkien
- Narrated by: Ian Holm, Michael Hordern, Robert Stephens
- Length: 3 hrs and 10 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A BBC radio full-cast dramatisation of the third book in JRR Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy. Brian Sibley's famous 1981 adaptation, starring Ian Holm and Michael Hordern, has been divided into three corresponding parts, with newly recorded beginning and end narration by Ian Holm.
-
-
The End of The Red Book
- By Nephrite on 18-02-20
-
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
- By: J. R. R. Tolkien
- Narrated by: Terry Jones
- Length: 4 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A collection of three medieval English poems, translated by Tolkien for the modern-day reader and containing romance, tragedy, love, sex and honour.
-
-
Good stories brilliantly read by Terry Jones
- By Amazon Customer on 24-10-06
-
Earthsea: Series 2
- A BBC Radio 4 Full-Cast Dramatisation
- By: Ursula le Guin
- Narrated by: Nina Wadia, Robert Glenister, full cast, and others
- Length: 2 hrs and 44 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ged and Tenar first met in their youth, when he was a powerful wizard and she a high priestess. Together, they escaped the Tombs of Atuan and brought peace to the troubled archipelago of Earthsea. Years later, their paths have diverged. Ged - once Archmage of Roke and the greatest wizard on all of Earthsea - has sacrificed his magical powers to defeat a great evil. Meanwhile, Tenar, now widowed and with grown-up children, runs a farm on the isle of Gont, where Ged was born.
-
Stardust
- By: Neil Gaiman
- Narrated by: Aisling Loftus, Alex Macqueen, Blake Ritson, and others
- Length: 2 hrs and 32 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Challenged to retrieve a fallen star, Tristran Thorn leaves the sleepy English village of Wall and crosses into the land of Faerie and the realm of Stormhold. Locating the star, he discovers it is no meteorite but a young woman, Yvaine. When Yvaine evades him and escapes, Tristran discovers he is not the only one in pursuit of the star: there are dark forces in this magical land, and he must find Yvaine before she falls into their clutches.
-
-
Ignore the bad cover. Ignore the bad title. Read..
- By KW1973 on 16-08-19
-
Beren and Lúthien
- By: J. R. R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien
- Narrated by: Timothy West, Samuel West
- Length: 6 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Beren was a mortal man, but Lúthien was an immortal Elf. Her father, a great Elvish lord, was deeply opposed to Beren, and imposed on him an impossible task that he must perform before he might wed Lúthien. Undaunted by Lord Thingol’s challenge, Beren and Lúthien embark on the supremely heroic attempt to rob Morgoth, the greatest of all evil beings, of a Silmaril, one of the hallowed jewels that adorn the Black Enemy’s crown.
-
-
this is absolute dross. There is NO STORY ! ! !
- By Robert Luke on 16-05-20
-
The Fall of Gondolin
- By: J. R. R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien
- Narrated by: Timothy West, Samuel West
- Length: 8 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Gondolin, beautiful but undiscoverable, is central to the enmity of two of the greatest powers in the world. Morgoth of the uttermost evil seeks in vain to discover the marvellously hidden city of his Elven enemies, while the gods in Valinor refuse to support Ulmo Lord of Waters' designs to protect it. Into this world comes Tuor, cousin of Túrin, and guided unseen by Ulmo he sets out on the fearful journey to Gondolin to warn them of their coming doom.
-
-
Good but lots of filler
- By Amazon Customer on 05-12-19
-
The Lord Of The Rings: The Return of the King (Dramatised)
- By: J. R. R Tolkien
- Narrated by: Ian Holm, Michael Hordern, Robert Stephens
- Length: 3 hrs and 10 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A BBC radio full-cast dramatisation of the third book in JRR Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy. Brian Sibley's famous 1981 adaptation, starring Ian Holm and Michael Hordern, has been divided into three corresponding parts, with newly recorded beginning and end narration by Ian Holm.
-
-
The End of The Red Book
- By Nephrite on 18-02-20
-
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
- By: J. R. R. Tolkien
- Narrated by: Terry Jones
- Length: 4 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A collection of three medieval English poems, translated by Tolkien for the modern-day reader and containing romance, tragedy, love, sex and honour.
-
-
Good stories brilliantly read by Terry Jones
- By Amazon Customer on 24-10-06
-
Earthsea: Series 2
- A BBC Radio 4 Full-Cast Dramatisation
- By: Ursula le Guin
- Narrated by: Nina Wadia, Robert Glenister, full cast, and others
- Length: 2 hrs and 44 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ged and Tenar first met in their youth, when he was a powerful wizard and she a high priestess. Together, they escaped the Tombs of Atuan and brought peace to the troubled archipelago of Earthsea. Years later, their paths have diverged. Ged - once Archmage of Roke and the greatest wizard on all of Earthsea - has sacrificed his magical powers to defeat a great evil. Meanwhile, Tenar, now widowed and with grown-up children, runs a farm on the isle of Gont, where Ged was born.
-
Stardust
- By: Neil Gaiman
- Narrated by: Aisling Loftus, Alex Macqueen, Blake Ritson, and others
- Length: 2 hrs and 32 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Challenged to retrieve a fallen star, Tristran Thorn leaves the sleepy English village of Wall and crosses into the land of Faerie and the realm of Stormhold. Locating the star, he discovers it is no meteorite but a young woman, Yvaine. When Yvaine evades him and escapes, Tristran discovers he is not the only one in pursuit of the star: there are dark forces in this magical land, and he must find Yvaine before she falls into their clutches.
-
-
Ignore the bad cover. Ignore the bad title. Read..
- By KW1973 on 16-08-19
-
The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers (Dramatised)
- By: J. R. R Tolkien
- Narrated by: Ian Holm, Michael Hordern, Robert Stephens
- Length: 4 hrs and 29 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A BBC radio full-cast dramatisation of the second book in JRR Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy. Brian Sibley's famous 1981 adaptation, starring Ian Holm and Michael Hordern, has been divided into three corresponding parts, with newly recorded beginning and end narration by Ian Holm.
-
-
Classic
- By Taube3G on 02-04-15
-
Leaf by Niggle
- By: J. R. R. Tolkien
- Narrated by: Derek Jacobi
- Length: 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
'Leaf by Niggle' recounts the strange adventures of the painter Niggle, who sets out to paint the perfect tree. But he senses that he will be snatched away from his work long before it is finished - if indeed it could ever be finished in this world. For it is in another and brighter place that Niggle finds his tree is finished and learns that it is indeed a real tree, a true part of creation.
-
-
Just lovely.
- By Helen SJ on 09-01-20
-
The Adventures of Tom Bombadil
- By: J. R. R. Tolkien
- Narrated by: Sir Derek Jacobi
- Length: 1 hr and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Adventures of Tom Bombadil is a collection of poetry written by J. R. R. Tolkien and was first published in 1962. The audio is read by Sir Derek Jacobi and is a collection of 16 poems that contain an assortment of bestiary verse and fairy tale rhyme. It is a stunning recording that captures all the characters in their own charming and mysterious ways.
-
-
After the forword back to the forword and then onward...
- By Amazon Customer on 12-03-16
-
The Hobbit (Dramatised)
- By: J. R. R. Tolkien
- Narrated by: Paul Daneman, Anthony Jackson, Heron Carvic
- Length: 3 hrs and 42 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The radio dramatisation of The Hobbit became a classic when it was first broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 1968 and it continues to delight today. Tolkien's famous saga, the prelude to the Lord of the Rings, has all the ingredients of fantasy and adventure: dwarves, elves, goblins and trolls, a fearsome dragon, a great wizard, a perilous quest, and a dramatic climax.
-
-
Magic that will not Disappoint
- By Jonathan on 27-09-10
-
Smith of Wootton Major
- By: J. R. R. Tolkien
- Narrated by: Derek Jacobi
- Length: 1 hr and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Tolkien's acclaimed modern classic 'fairie' tale, read by Derek Jacobi. Smith of Wootton Major journeys to the Land of Faery thanks to the magical ingredients of the Great Cake of the Feast of Good Children.
-
-
Enchanting
- By Mrs. R. G. Koren on 18-04-17
-
Classic BBC Radio Horror: Dracula
- By: Bram Stoker
- Narrated by: Frederick Jaeger, Phyllis Logan, Bernard Holley
- Length: 3 hrs and 19 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Frederick Jaeger stars in a BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of the legend that has haunted the imagination of millions for over a hundred years! Summoned to the forbidden heart of the Carpathian mountains, in the depths of Transylvania, Jonathan Harker journeys to Castle Dracula. There he becomes the unwitting prisoner of the mysterious nobleman whom local legend insists is nosferatu, the vampire…
-
-
FANG-TASTIC
- By Richard on 13-10-10
-
Tales from the Perilous Realm
- By: J. R. R. Tolkien
- Narrated by: Derek Jacobi
- Length: 7 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Combined into one volume, this is the definitive collection of Tolkien's five acclaimed modern classic 'fairie' tales in the vein of The Hobbit, read by Derek Jacobi. The five tales are written with the same skill, quality and charm that made The Hobbit a classic. Largely overlooked because of their short lengths, they are joined here in one volume which reaffirms Tolkien's place as a master storyteller for listeners young and old.
-
-
Hmm
- By Jules on 04-12-17
-
Roverandom
- By: J. R. R. Tolkien
- Narrated by: Derek Jacobi
- Length: 2 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
While on holiday in 1925, four-year-old Michael Tolkien lost his beloved toy dog on the beach at Filey in Yorkshire. To console him, his father, J.R.R. Tolkien, improvised a story about Rover, a real dog who is magically transformed into a toy and is forced to seek out the wizard who wronged him in order to be returned to normal. This charming tale, peopled by a sand-sorcerer and a terrible dragon, by the king of the sea and the Man-in-the-Moon, went through several drafts over the years.
-
-
such a beautiful 'tail' (of the doggy sorts)
- By luvyduvydoli on 08-07-17
-
Letters from Father Christmas
- By: J. R. R. Tolkien
- Narrated by: Derek Jacobi, John Moffatt, Christian Rodska
- Length: 2 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Can you imagine writing to Father Christmas and actually getting a reply? Every year, the children of J.R.R. Tolkien would write to Father Christmas, and the letters they received told wonderful stories of his adventures at the North Pole. These humorous tales are brought to life by Derek Jacobi as Father Christmas, John Moffatt as Polar Bear, and Christian Rodska as Ilbereth the Elf, complete with specially composed music.
-
-
Seriously irritating music
- By Sally on 24-12-16
-
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (Dramatised)
- By: J. R. R Tolkien
- Narrated by: Ian Holm, Michael Hordern, Robert Stephens
- Length: 4 hrs and 35 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A BBC radio full-cast dramatisation of the first book in JRR Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy. Brian Sibley's famous 1981 adaptation, starring Ian Holm and Michael Hordern, has been divided into three corresponding parts, with newly recorded beginning and end narration by Ian Holm.
-
-
Should have been published on Audible as a whole!
- By Amazon Customer on 07-08-16
-
The Children of Hurin
- By: J. R. R. Tolkien
- Narrated by: Christopher Lee
- Length: 7 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There are tales of Middle-earth from times long before The Lord of the Rings. The story told in this book is set in the great country that lay beyond the Grey Havens in the West: lands where Treebeard once walked, but which were drowned in the great cataclysm that ended the First Age of the World.
-
-
An Epic and Griping Tale
- By William on 24-01-13
-
The Odyssey (Dramatised)
- By: Homer, Simon Armitage - dramatisation
- Narrated by: Tim McInnerny, Amanda Redman, full cast
- Length: 3 hrs and 49 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
"My fame is written in the heavens, and my fate too..." So speaks Odysseus as he starts to recount his struggles to sail home to Ithaca, in one of the greatest pieces of storytelling in Western literature. The Odyssey is his incredible traveller's tale, and also the story of his faithful wife Penelope who waits for him, besieged by suitors, and their son Telemachus who has a quest of his own.
-
-
Good fun
- By Judy Corstjens on 06-09-15
Summary
Four BBC radio dramatisations starring Michael Hordern as Tolkien - plus a special archive compilation exploring Tolkien's life and work.
The tales in this collection all reflect an aspect of what Tolkien himself called 'the perilous realm of Faerie'. Adapted for radio by Brian Sibley, co-writer of the acclaimed BBC radio production of The Lord of the Rings, they are rich in myth, magic and adventure. Among the supporting cast are Brian Blessed, Nigel Planer, Sorcha Cusack, Paul Copley and James Grout.
In 'Farmer Giles of Ham', having accidentally shot a giant, Farmer Giles' brave reputation is tested by Chrysophylax the dragon. In 'Smith of Wootton Major', a young boy eats a piece of cake containing a silver star, and is granted access to the magical land of Fäerie. 'Leaf by Niggle' is a thought-provoking allegory of the creative process, and 'The Adventures of Tom Bombadil' features Tom and the Hobbits in scenes from The Lord of the Rings which were not included in the BBC Radio 4 dramatisation.
Also included is 'J R R Tolkien: An Audio Portrait', in which Brian Sibley draws together interviews from radio and television programmes featuring the author himself, his original publisher Rayner Unwin, his biographer Humphrey Carpenter and many others, to relate the story of both Tolkien the man and the worlds he created.
What listeners say about Tales from the Perilous Realm
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Nigel
- 03-12-17
A book of three parts
A book of three parts; the first three stories remind me of 1980s Jackanory, but with multiple voices - stories for children.
Farmer Giles of Ham, (55 minutes)
Smith of Wootton Major, (33 minutes)
Leaf by Niggle, (34 minutes)
The fourth chapter is taken from Lord of the Rings, a scene which wasn’t included in either the BBC Radio 4 dramatisation or Peter Jackson’s films. It is okay, but can understand why it was omitted as doesn’t really add anything to the LOR story.
The Adventures of Bombadil, (54 minutes)
And lastly my favorite part, a documentary about JRR Tolkien.
JRR Tolkien: An Audio Portrait, (1hr, 50minutes)
18 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Shelfseeker
- 16-11-20
Worth buying for Tolkien completists
I didn't really enjoy the very dated dramatisations of Tolkien's minor works, but in any case I bought this BBC-produced audiobook for the final two chapters. These comprise a turn-of-the-century radio documentary written and presented by Brian Sibley, whom most will recognise as one of the adaptors of the BBC radio drama version of LoTR. It's interesting, and irritating, to listen to the pre-Jackson conventional literary establishment perspective on Tolkien's fiction. Prof John Carey is especially infuriating in his assessment, that I'm sure he thought was even-handed, referring to the aspects of LoTR that, in his eyes, make it a book for children rather than adults. It's a familiar opinion, and a superficial one, concentrating as it does on the most superficial aspects of the book. Anyone who has read Prof Verlyn Flieger's superlative critical works on Tolkien's fiction, as well as Prof Tom Shippey's books of course, will recognise just how mistaken this kind of analysis really is. It's a great pity that Flieger was not interviewed here, though her work on the Silmarillion and LoTR was very well-known by this time. Shippey gets a couple of brief slots, but isn't given the chance really to expand on his defence. Leaving all that aside, it was good to hear short interview clips from some of Tolkien's colleagues and friends, whom I've only ever read about, e.g. his secretary, Joy Hill, who was appointed by Allen & Unwin in the 1960s to handle his fan mail. Best of all were the interview clips with Tolkien himself, most of which date from the 60s. Turn up the volume and concentrate hard!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 16-11-20
Awsome
Its story with the hobbits, Tom Bombadil and the interviews after, all worth it.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Culwen
- 03-02-20
Not quite what I expected but nice nonetheless
It feels like a mishmash. At first you will listen to the two tales which themselves don’t amaze me. Then you will hear the start of the story of Lord of the Rings. Which felt like it cut short. Then you get some haphazardly assembled comments about the author, which is nice but not what I expected.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Amazon Customer
- 03-09-18
an interesting little book. If you are a Tolkien
Tolkien fans will enjoy this little book. Give it a chance, and take an unexpected journey.
6 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Patrick
- 15-06-19
Terrible narrative
Sorry, but these voices are terribly annoying. Made it 20 minutes in and gave up. Disservice to Tolkien
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Jonathan Burns
- 09-11-20
No original cast for ‘The Adventures of Tom Bombadill’
Was disappointed that the Brian Sibley dramatization of the Adventures of Tom Bombadill, did not have the original cast from his Lord of the Rings audio adaptation, but that’s my only real complaint, there’s still plenty here for a Tolkien lover to enjoy.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- David M. Wallace
- 26-04-20
Good?
Tales from the Perilous Realm is a good book, but this dramatization doesn’t really do it justice. My chief complaint is the voice of Garm. Every “R” is turned into an “Rrruff”. Bottom line———————————————- If you want to listen to this story collection, don’t waste your money/credits; get the full one narrated by Sir Derek Jacobi. That one is worth it.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Maggie
- 27-02-20
I love Tolkien !
The stories were imaginative and performed really well! The portrait of Tolkien was so interesting and I loved the author's view of his stories and himself. This book also makes me want to read The Hobbit and The Lord of The Rings again! And, maybe, try the Sylmarilian again! I enjoyed this so much!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Jeremiah
- 17-01-20
Cool LOTR extras, but not all stories
I am a pretty big nerd, so this was nerdy enough for me, but I wouldn't start here for any newer fan.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Yas
- 16-04-19
The Lord Of the Middle Earth
The BBC adaptations of J R R Tolkien's classic The Lord Of the Ring is simply brilliant. Middle Earth came alive as did the tale of the man himself.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Tempting Reviews
- 08-03-19
Needs work
Narrator has a strange warbling effect. It's not the recording because all other voices are fine and clear.