Harry Potter - the full-cast Audible edition

I just hope they don’t do Ron’s character the disservice the films did. Was listening to the bit in the Shrieking Shack last night in which he stands up on a broken leg to try and protect Harry. And in the films they reduce him to nothing more than comic relief.

So the chat on here regarding what it actually says in the book versus what it says in the films that we think is "book" as we listen to audible full cast.

I am wondering with the new Netflix version what they will go by.
A couple of tiny examples but there a hundreds.

I am sure everyone thinks Hermione says (one of emma watson's worst spoken lines) "Nearly headless-how can you be nearly headless??"
When in fact in the books it is Seamus Finnegan.
Mr Weasley "repair-o's" Harry's glasses not Hermione.
Harry thinks of flying out of Gringott's on the dragon. Not Hermione.
And so many more!

Will it be too distracting if they put it right? Or will they carry on with the film universe?

JK Rowling said the Voldemor(t) think a few years ago. I can't remember why she said she'd never corrected the film pronunciation?

@MadameSzyszkoBohusz

I agree, he is petty and cruel.

But Dumbledoor is reckless, the danger he puts Harry in.

Plus a lot of cruelty to animals in the book, which is more noticeable when spoken.

I have read the book a lot (admittedly some time ago) but it is really interesting how my mind has made parts of the films facts, much of the real story I had forgotten.

Teach me not to Google the name.

Um, interesting.

I had to google it, because it confused me too - Rebecca Root is trans.

I’m finding that now I’m not blinded by my love for Alan Rickman, it’s really hitting home what a nasty piece of work Snape actually is - a bitter, mean, twisted bully.

His love for obsession with Harry’s mum absolves him of nothing, in my opinion - it just makes him creepier. Harry and Ginny should have given Albus Hagrid as his middle name instead.

Their Wikipedia says ‘assigned male at birth’. So yes they are a man.

Voldemort seems to have lost the T as well.

Madame Pomfrey a man? It says it is voiced by Rebecca Root

I'm so glad you pointed out about madam pomfrey!!! I was so confused when I was listening last night (insomnia!)

I think Snape is a weak link too, sounds a bit smarmy rather than bullying. Maybe it's the snivellus side 🥴

I think Sirius does sound like serious- in my accent they can definitely be quite similar.

I think the kids are excellent.

I can’t get behind Snape, who sounds like a bit of a wuss and Trelawny who just sounds ridiculous, but on the whole I’m really enjoying them! As a PP
mentioned I’m hearing things I’d missed in the previous audio books.

I've just finished the 3rd book and feel it's now getting into its stride, but then I feel that about the actual books too.

Enjoying them when I can listen to them as they stand on their own, less so when I start to compare to the original recordings.

One bugbear is everyone seems to say Serious instead of Sirius... is that how it's supposed to be pronounced I wonder?

Now I've noticed I can't unhear it 😬.

Unsure about Dumbledore as Hugh Laurie to me always sounds like his Blackadder characters.

Some lovely voices though... enjoyed Kit Harrington's Lockhart and liking Hagrid too.

I have just started listening to book 3.

Actor voicing Draco fantastic as is the narrator.

Snape disappointing-and not just because he is not Alan Rickman-he doesn't sound menacing at all-even when the narration says he is being menacing he just sounds fine.

I am also not getting on with Prof Trelawney-again just reading it pretty straight. Not wispy at all.
And Madame Pompfrey being voiced by a male voice a bit jarring-especially when they say "she said" and then it is a mans voice.

Thought all of the Golden Trio very good and although Draco feels stand out child performer to me I think all of the other children in the cast-Neville, Oliver Wood, Pansy etc etc are very good-no weak links here at all.
Filch great!

They have gotten the sound effects balance better although I am listening with headphones and sometimes one ear gets something-background noise- the other one doesn't so I assume that's why they want you to listen with headphones?

Overall I am enjoying.
I also thought some of the text was different from the book so I actually pulled out the book and it 100% matches.
I think seeing the films messes with our heads about what is book and what is film reality.

I noticed the child actors change in the later books which I think is the right call.
I will def re-listen to the whole series this way.

Similar to in the PS when quirrel announces there's a troll in the dungeons so dumbledore sends all the pupils back to their houses for safety -including the slytherins who live....in the dungeons!

Also given 1/4 of the entire student population live there plus at at least one classroom, set of toilets, a big enough open space to host NHN'S birthday party with a full headless hunt (albeit ghostly) cantering around and goodness knows what else, the dungeons must be massive! Poor filch indeed!

Good points @MadameSzyszkoBohusz Filtch unpleasant but much put upon!

Enjoying book 3 so far. The Night Bus scene was fun.

Still peturbed by the plot that a teacher as responsible and sensible as McGonegall would give Hermione a time turner to cram in more lessons.

I am enjoying it. Listening to them makes me pick up on little details I’d previously overlooked. Like, when Sirius Black has broken into Hogwarts and the teachers are searching the school for him, Snape tells Dumbledore that “Filch searched the dungeons.” I’m sorry, in a school full of talented witches and wizards, you made the defenceless non-magical aging caretaker check the dungeons for a (what you believe to be) mass-murderer ON HIS OWN??! Poor old Filch - no wonder he’s so grumpy.

Actually re-reading these as a parent I have a lot more sympathy for Filch getting annoyed with kids messing up the school he’s just cleaned…

I'm still on book 2 but really enjoying it.

I'm getting used to Hugh Laurie, I realise the problem is his voice is so recognisable that I am imagining him rather than Dumbledoor when listening, but I'm getting used to it

I can't get onboard with Snape- he just isn't oily enough - I know that it was the biggest role to fill after Alan Rickman.

Shame that Fred and George are the same person - as a twin this probably bothers me more than anyone else.

How's anyone getting on with book 3?

And McGonagall is played by the brilliant Michelle Gomez, from Green Wing!

I like Hugh Laurie’s chirpy Dumbledore, so far, and Dumbledore in the early books was chirpy.

Hagrid also excellent, and different to Robbie Coltrane.

I'm not sure about Dumbledoor (too young, too joyful, slightly twee) but Professor McGonagall is excellent.

The actors are great.

I've just had the preview, slightly disappointed thay you don't get to hear any of the actors (except Vernon say 'Little Tyke' very quietly) but have bought it- hope I can hear them.

I am enjoying them. Planning on sharing with my Potter-mad DS as one of his Christmas presents.

Reading them (listening) as an adult hits differently though. I keep being horrified by how badly the Dursleys’ treat Harry, and annoyed that none of the other adults in his life ever intervene!

I have missed that there was a new version. I am going to give this a go, thank you.

Anything would be better than Stephen Fry doing women's and girls' voices in a sort of falsetto shriek -- I mean Hermione is the heroine of the series, and he makes her sound like a total ninny.