Listen free for 30 days
Listen with offer
-
The Kraken Wakes
- Narrated by: Alex Jennings
- Length: 8 hrs and 57 mins
Failed to add items
Add to basket failed.
Add to wishlist failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
99p for the first 3 months
Buy Now for £13.99
No valid payment method on file.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Summary
Journalist Mike Watson and his wife, Phyllis, trace it back to the strange showering lights they noticed on the final day of their honeymoon cruise; lights which appeared to land and disappear into the water. Reports mount of similar sightings all over the world. Governments embark on missions to investigate the sea, but ships disappear and diving crews never return to the surface. Something deep in the ocean does not want to be disturbed.
The Kraken Wakes is a tale of humanity’s efforts to resist alien invasion, narrated by Mike who unfolds the story as experienced by the couple - from the earliest signs of trouble, to the conflict between the sea-dwelling creatures and the human world. John Wyndham’s classic science-fiction masterpiece is powerfully brought to life in this unabridged production. His other titles - The Midwich Cuckoos and The Day Of the Triffids - are also published as audiobooks by CSA Word.
More from the same
What listeners say about The Kraken Wakes
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Dr Caterpillar
- 03-10-16
They come over here stealing our deep places...
Would you consider the audio edition of The Kraken Wakes to be better than the print version?
Yes, in the sense that there are some dull and directionless bits that I would have found hard going if I was reading it myself.
There is one scene in which the Prime Minister makes an announcement. We are not told the name of the PM, but Jennings does a rather good impersonation of Winston Churchill.
What was one of the most memorable moments of The Kraken Wakes?
The early indications that there is something hostile in the deep sea is suitably unsettling. After the first bad experience with a diving bell, we think the navy is taking sufficient precautions - so what happens next comes as something of a shock.
Mostly though it's not about moments so much as the gradual change as the effects of the invasion take effect.
Have you listened to any of Alex Jennings’s other performances? How does this one compare?
No. Too many of his readings are of abridged books. I might try the Susan Cooper Dark is Rising series though, and maybe Shakespeare's Sonnets.
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
Not really. Actually that's a problem I've had with some of Wyndham's other works (Triffids, Cuckoos) - a lack of immediacy. Often outcomes are given before the events leading up to them, killing any possibility of suspense.
Any additional comments?
It's understood that The Kraken Wakes was Wyndham's attempt to do an alien invasion story that was different to The War of the Worlds. I think he succeeded admirably. I particularly liked his deliberate echoes of the H.G. Wells book (strange lights appearing in the general direction of Mars), presumably included to highlight the differences.
On reflection, I'd say that if you only ever read two alien invasion novels, The War of the Worlds and The Kraken Wakes are probably the ones to go for.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
32 people found this helpful
-
Overall
- Malcolm
- 01-01-13
Fabulous
I've always been a big John Wyndham fan and I love the way the story and the way it is structured and written
But on specific points on the audio books
- I love the musical interludes. It really adds a poignancy to the story
- I love the Alex Jenning's narration, and I would be more than happy listening to more of his recordings. The way he did all the different accents and voices was great.
Would be good to see this story become a movie
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
22 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- R. T.
- 07-03-12
Flawed, dreadful musical interludes.
Update: Just to say... I must have listened to this book more than 30 times and that's a conservative estimate. I have decided to declare it my FAVOURITE BOOK. The music is still annoying but don't miss out on this fantastic book because of it.
The reading is really excellent, no complaints at all but please kindly take out and shoot whoever it was who is responsible for dubbing the dreadful, artificial music into the recording. It is awfully badly done, the music has never been anywhere near an actual REAL musical instrument. Anyone musical could have made some useful suggestions that would have been better. Rather avoid music all together.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
20 people found this helpful
-
Overall
- Anji Dale
- 22-05-11
One of my favourites
I first came across this story as an extract we studied in English Lit at school many years ago. It intrigued me so much that, after speaking to my teacher, I immediately tracked down a copy of the full novel from the library to read. I wasn't disappointed.
I've been waiting for an audio version to appear and probably missed it because, as another reviewer says, John Wyndham's surname is spelled wrongly and won't appear if you carry out a surname search. I even phoned customer services to point it out, some time ago now, but it still hasn't been corrected.
Anyway. this is a very good narration of the story. Alex Jennings does a very good job. I particularly like his use of accents when referring to the US and USSR points of view. His use of voice and voices is very well done indeed. OK, some aspects of the story are somewhat dated now, but it's definitely a product of it's time. As a child of those times, I can appreciate that but it by no means spoils my appreciation of it. I enjoyed this retelling as much as my original reading all those years ago.
If I say any more, I'd spoil things for other listeners, so I won't.
More John Wyndham please!!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
12 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Gerry Lynch
- 18-06-13
Brilliant
Where does The Kraken Wakes rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
In the top 10.
What did you like best about this story?
It is the best novel of its kind much more enjoyable than "Day of the Triffids." The haunting atmosphere that comes across in the story is beautifully narrated in this adaptation.
Which character – as performed by Alex Jennings – was your favourite?
Phyllis is so matter of fact and sensible a perfect foil for Mike
If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?
Watch the Seas
Any additional comments?
Re-kindled my enjoyment of audiobooks
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
9 people found this helpful
-
Overall
- Steve from Riseley
- 23-12-12
Grounded Escapism
The way in which John Wyndham mixes his vivid imagination with the logical consequences of what might happen should those events came to pass has never been better than in this riveting story. The way the story progresses from insignificant events to the end of the world as we know it is entirely convincing, as is the way both the public and the authorities react. A story grounded in reality that takes you through the entire gambit of human emotions is well worth reading even if the science fiction genre is not your thing.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
9 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Miko
- 31-05-18
Disappointing
I found this disappointing; the story was not nearly as engrossing as Chocky or The Chrysalids and, while the narration itself was good, the production was abysmal. I am not a fan of musical interludes in my audiobooks and this one was full of them. On so many levels, I didn’t feel they made sense at all and, for me at least, they detracted from the book.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
8 people found this helpful
-
Overall
- Miss J. Gordon-Clark
- 13-04-13
What a book!
For those who don’t know this book, I think it is better than The Day of the Triffids which is John Wyndham’s most well-known book.
Again, don’t be put off by the slightly dated writing because it is a good story. All the characters are good, Alex Jennings reads it so well and the story is frightening real.
Many of John Wyndham stories of “what would happen if….”. If you look beneath the science fiction aspect of the story, its description of a world flooded and how humanity deals with it.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
8 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Ant
- 04-08-13
Enjoyable end of the world drama
A thoughtful look at the collapse of society from what could easily have been an environmental (rather than an alien induced) disaster. Although the plot centres on the adventures of the main characters it also follows the manner in which our civilisation may change and what that would mean for the people living through such times. If you like this type of apocalyptic tale, then The Kraken awakes is an excellent read. I would also recommend "The death of grass".
A well told story narrated in a non intrusive manner.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
7 people found this helpful
-
Overall
- Andy
- 04-02-13
Not to be missed!
John Wyndham at his best.
The book is I think better than 'The Day of the Triffids' and the naration is superb.
This is a classic - miss it at your peril!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
7 people found this helpful