Riddley Walker cover art

Riddley Walker

Penguin Modern Classics

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Riddley Walker

By: Russell Hoban
Narrated by: Richard Pearce
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

O what we ben! And what we come to....

Wandering a desolate post-apocalyptic landscape, speaking a broken-down English lost after the end of civilisation, Riddley Walker sets out to find out what brought humanity here. This is his story.

©2021 Russell Hoban (P)2021 Penguin Audio Dystopian Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Post-Apocalyptic Science Fiction

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Critic reviews

"This is what literature is meant to be." (Anthony Burgess)

"Funny, terrible, haunting and unsettling, this book is a masterpiece." (Observer)

"A timeless portrayal of the human condition...frightening and uncanny." (Will Self)

All stars
Most relevant  
If there is only ever one book you listen to, this should be it. Of course, the language takes a little getting used to but the narration is absolutely perfect, it can not be faulted.
The story ambles and wanders in a way that is very engaging. I highly recommend this book, but only when read by this narrator.

OMG amazing!

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I have lost count of the years waiting for this to happen. I used to check pretty regularly but I guess I’d given up to the inevitability of this never happening then “bang” it arrives while I’m not even looking.
So happy. Such an excellent book and the narration is all I could have hoped for.

My one caveat is that maybe you should experience reading the book first before listening. The grammar and spelling has a poetry and richness that no one could ever hope to reproduce in an audiobook.

Wonderful

When did this happen? Why wasn’t I told?

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This was my second reading of Riddley Walker and it’s even better than I remembered. The language is magical, the storytelling even better than I remembered. I did wonder if the audio version could equal the printed book and, while it is handy to have the text to hand, it’s by no means essential.

One of the Greatest of All Time

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Just leaving a review because the reading by Richard Pearce was absolutely phenomenal. He brings the story to life and reveals the inherent poetry of the writing.

Phenomenal reading

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What a fantastic narration! It’s like a radio play - so full of feeling and intelligence. It must have taken a lot of thought and preparation. This is my favourite book, I have read it many times, but this narration really does it justice and I know I will listen again.

Bravo Richard Pearce!

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I love this book, but it isn't the easiest read - I know a few people who have started it, loved it, but flagged part-way.
This audiobook makes the devolved language really accessible.

Great performance of a wonderful book

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One I'll come back to again and again. Amazing from beginning to end. I haven't a single word of complaint.

A new favourite

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and my brother's recommendation read this in the 1980s and I have been waiting for a very long time for an audiobook. it would have been very easy for this to disappoint but it absolutely doesn't - it hits the nail on the head, the atmosphere, the language, everything this is the real deal!

I've waited decades

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"What it the idea of you? I ain't the knowing of it, I'm just only the showing of it."

if you've ever looked for meaning, read along with Riddley.

the idea of us in the great dance of the everything

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A brilliant performance from the narrator who brings Hoban`s dialect to life and gives each of the characters an individual voice which keeps the readers interest .The quality of the narration really adds to the enjoyment of this story and helps conjure a vivid picture of this post apocalyptic vision. Hoban`s original novel is a great piece of writing with increasing relevance in our current times .I would thoroughly recommend this to other listeners. A MUST listen.

Does Russell Hoban`s cult classic justice.

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