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Arthurian & Tolkienish Audiobooks
Beowulf: A New TranslationBeowulf: A New Translation by Seamus Heaney
Buy new: £8.88 / Used from: £4.85
Although Heaney isn't an actor his voice is pretty good, and I like his accent. Slightly abridged.
Beowulf (Poetry)Beowulf (Poetry)
Buy new: £9.89 / Used from: £7.99
An unabridged translation (longer by about 10 minutes) in prose, read with an English accent. Good. Not as poetic but perhaps more accurate?
Morte d'Arthur: Death of Arthur (Great Epics)Morte d'Arthur: Death of Arthur (Great Epics) by Sir Thomas Malory
Buy new: £12.59 / Used from: £36.46
Le Morte d'Arthur benefits from being abridged. The silly repetitive stuff is cut out, leaving the dignified legend. Philip Madoc is perfect.
The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (Part 1): Audio CDs: Pt. 1 (Classic non-fiction)The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (Part 1): Audio CDs: Pt. 1 (Classic non-fiction) by Edward Gibbon
Buy new: £16.46 / Used from: £33.73
More great legends. Gibbon's sentences and Madoc's voice are both awesome.
The Silmarillion: Gift SetThe Silmarillion: Gift Set by J.R.R. Tolkien
Buy new: £17.48 / Used from: £17.00
Better to listen to than to read. I find that I stop worrying about the pronunciation of names and flicking back to check details; instead enjoy the grandeur of the language.
The Children of HurinThe Children of Hurin by J.R.R. Tolkien
Buy new: £21.24 / Used from: £7.54
Starts slowly and gradually gathers pace. Christopher Lee excellent as child Turin in Chapter 3. Better than The Silmarillion - more poignant.
Edda: Myths from Medieval IcelandEdda: Myths from Medieval Iceland
Buy new: £12.69 / Used from: £7.45
Not an audiobk. Earliest norse poems sung to music of an authentic style, as far as this is possible. They should use this in film version of The Hobbit. Expect they'll go for Annie Lennox though.
The Hobbit (Unabridged 10 Audio CD Set ): Complete and UnabridgedThe Hobbit (Unabridged 10 Audio CD Set ): Complete and Unabridged by J.R.R. Tolkien
Buy new: £17.49 / Used from: £27.60
Moving away from grand legend theme: a children's story, and Rob Inglis has a fantastic, friendly voice.
The Once and Future KingThe Once and Future King by T. H. White
Buy new: £50.99 / Used from: £191.44
More tragedy. T. H. White was, in part, rewriting Malory's story. Haven't listened to this yet, though I loved the book. (Also, Naxos, why isn't there an audiobook of Tennyson's version?)
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: WITH Pearl and Sir OrfeoSir Gawain and the Green Knight: WITH Pearl and Sir Orfeo by J.R.R. Tolkien
Buy new: £16.99
I find this one harder to like. It doesn't have the grandeur of my favourites.
Sir Gawain and the Green KnightSir Gawain and the Green Knight by Simon Armitage
Buy new: £7.79 / Used from: £17.62
Haven't tried this version. Included for completeness.