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Title: Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Bram Stoker's Dracula, H. G. Wells' The Invisible Man
Subtitle: Classic Monster Novels Condensed
Author: Joseph Lanzara (adaptations), Mary Shelley, Bram Stoker, H. G. Wells
Narrator: Brad Wills
Format: Abridged
Length: 8 hrs and 51 mins
Language: English
Release date: 05-13-13
Publisher: Joseph Lanzara
Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 6 votes
Genres: Classics, British Literature
Publisher's Summary:
Three of the top horror novels of all time have been newly adapted into novellas, and are now side by side in this one audiobook. These world-famous monsters are familiar household names. These are the monsters that authors and filmmakers continue to draw from again and again. And these are stories that introduced them to the world over a century ago. So turn down the lights, and experience triple the action, suspense, chills, and thrills, as you listen to all three classic tales.
Members Reviews:
Classics make for good, old-fashioned radio drama
I have two things to say about Joseph Lanzara and his condensed versions of Frankenstein, Dracula, and The Invisible Man. First, thank goodness he wrote it, because I dont think I could have dragged myself through Frankenstein any other way. Second, thank goodness he had Brad Wills read it.
Im going to expose my ignorance here, but I am mostly familiar with these stories through the many films and plays that have sprouted from them. I have read Bram Stokers Dracula, though it was a long time ago, but the other two are unfamiliar to me in written form. I applaud Lanzara for plucking out what I assume were the best parts in Frankenstein, though it seems he took great effort to preserve Miss Shelleys language. I wish he hadnt. Its flowery, pretentious and dated, and her use of first person turns all drama into exhaustive exposition. I applaud Miss Shelley for a phenomenal story, but the years have not been kind to her text. So I was thankful for Wills superb character voices. He did his best to lighten the weight of her words and for the most part, succeeded admirably, though I didnt envy him his task.
I wish Frankenstein were the last story in the book, because in my very humble opinion, I found it the least interesting of the three. Dracula was like meeting up with an old friend, albeit a friend that had changed a bit from the original, as I recall. I wont spoil this for future listeners, but the twist Lanzara gave Jonathan Harkers character -- though its logical -- was disconcerting, because it was unexpected. Maybe he felt this particular change in the character arc was necessary to condense the book. Hes not the first to approach the story in this way, but if my memory is correct, the original takes a different route.
Wills grabs this tale off the printed page and leaps with it onto the stage. If you like old radio dramas, youll love his rendition. I give him credit; Dracula has two strong women characters, and Wills conveys their femininity and strength beautifully, without rising into a falsetto or otherwise trying to do a realistic impression of a womans voice. And his Abraham van Helsing is completely endearing. I listened to Dracula (and the other stories) on a long, July road trip. All the time, I thought how nice it would be to have friends over on a chilly October night, light a fire, turn down the lights and play this story for them.
I have to admit, after hours of death, destruction, and wolves howling on the moors (the latter from my own imagination), I was delighted to reach H.G. Wellss The Invisible Man. Of course, Wells and Stoker both wrote closer to our own times, so their language isnt the problem that Shelleys is.
