The Riddle Of The Sands cover art

The Riddle Of The Sands

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The Riddle Of The Sands

By: Erskine Childers
Narrated by: Anton Lesser
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About this listen

 Riddle of the Sands is set during the long suspicious years leading up to the First World War and is a classic of spy fiction.©2008 BBC Audiobooks Ltd (P)2014 Audible, Inc. Action & Adventure Classics Espionage Mystery Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Spies & Politics Thriller & Suspense Exciting

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All stars
Most relevant
This is an excellent reading of the book, and really brings it to life. The reader's voice is really well suited to the story, and brings out the pace of the book.

Excellent reading

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I nearly gave up after an hour. The recording quality is poor, the narrator sounds like one of those BBC announcers from the sixties and he reads to fast. This is the only one of the 250 audiobooks in my library I have set the speed to below 1.0. Also the writing style is horribly formal and ponderous. Yet, after an hour I started enjoying it and then stayed interested to the end.

UPDATE several months later I am upgrading this from 4 to 5 stars as it has continued to grow on me

Tip: skip the 25 minute epilogue. It adds absolutely nothing.

Terribly dated but curiously interesting

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Well, if you are a fan of extremely lengthy descriptions of rowing, tacking, tides and currents. Of pages-long lists of place names – every town, road, river and inlet along the way. All interspersed with outdated anti-German sentiment, then this is the book for you!

If not, you may feel like you’ve just slogged your way through a very old Navy recruitment pamphlet.

Unthrilling thriller

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When I read the reviews about needing maps and nautical dictionary etc, I was a bit concerned. But from the off the whole ambiance had me entranced. Whisked back in time, the narrator’s voice was perfect for the character. The story is a fine example of ‘the great game’. Highly recommended

A stunning combination of story and style

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So atmospheric and steeped in pre war concepts, Only Anton Lesser could achieve the perfect pace and excitement of the tale.

Perfect narrator for the perfect story.

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