In our century, audio books are becoming more popular every year, gradually replacing the classic "paper" novels from the market. The most interesting audiobooks are downloaded daily by thousands of users, a large number of voice options for famous works appear. Understanding this variety is not so easy. This article provides a list of the most fascinating literary works that you can not only read but also listen to.
"Perfumer"
The leading position among interesting audio books is occupied by Patrick Suskind's novel "Perfumer". It is voiced by Alexei Borzunov, who brilliantly succeeds in dramatic and tragic texts. He surprisingly organically transforms into heroes, which he voices for millions of listeners.
Most may recall his voice from the cartoon Duck Tales, in which he voiced Scrooge McDuck. But depending on the topic of the work that he reads, Borzunovâs voice changes beyond recognition. "Perfumer" is one of his most successful works.
When compiling your own rating of the most interesting audio books, be sure to include Suskindâs novel in it to find out the story of Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, who creates the most amazing perfumes in 18th-century France, becoming a fierce killer who obsessively kills young girls to get the perfect scent.
"About Fedot-Archer, a daring young man"
This book has a large number of soundings, but the most successful and famous belongs to its author - People's Artist of Russia Leonid Filatov. It was he who wrote this tale in poetry in 1985. After he voiced it, she replenished the list of the most interesting audio books.
Fairy-tale characters in this work regularly fall into ridiculous and funny situations. Filatov brilliantly uses his unique sense of humor, satire techniques and a sharp syllable.
The plot of this work is very traditional: the king wants to get rid of the archer and marry his wife. To do this, he sends the main character to undergo various tests. When Fedot copes with everything, the ruler decides to give him the last, and impossible task: to bring "something that canât be anything in the whole world."
But the hero fulfills this mission, depriving the king of his throne as a result.
"Evenings on a Farm Near Dikanka"
Among the most interesting audiobooks are always works with an exciting and mystical plot. Of course, Nikolay Gogolâs book âEvenings on a Farm near Dikankaâ also applies to these.
If you want to listen to this work, then choose it in the voice acting of the People's Artist of Russia Alexander Klyukvin. With him you will plunge into the world of Ukraine, which surrounded Gogol himself, when he wrote these stories. The action time is constantly changing. For example, if the events of the âSorochinskaya Fairâ and the novel âIvan Fedorovich Shponka and his auntâ take place in the 19th century, then the actions of the âMissing Certificateâ, âThe Night before Christmasâ, âMay Night, or the Drowned Womanâ unfold in the 18th century.
The stories of the grandfather of the clerk Foma Grigoryevich, a Cossack man who lived a dashing youth, pass through a red thread through almost all the tales. In them, he masterly combines the past and the future, and the reader has a sense of historical and spiritual unity.
These stories must be included in your top most interesting audio books.
Moby Dick
The novel by Herman Melville, written in the years 1850-1851, is considered one of the most important works of American literature. If you could not master the book, then listen to this immortal work performed by Vyacheslav Gerasimov. His amazing, unlikely manner of reading will captivate anyone, and especially when he reads the recognized world classics.
The novel "Moby Dick" was the final work of all American romantic literature. At first, it was not understood and accepted by contemporaries of the writer because of multilayered symbolism, extensive lyrical digressions, and biblical images. They appreciated it only in the 1920s, then it became clear what a great book Melville wrote.
It is narrated on behalf of an American sailor named Ishmael, who sets off for the next voyage on a whaling ship called Pecode. The captain of this ship Ahab (here an explicit reference to the biblical character Ahab) is obsessed with the idea of ââtaking revenge on the legendary giant white whale, which the glory of the killer of whalers has been walking for many years. It is this whale that is called Moby Dick. In one of the previous voyages, Ahab lost his leg because of him, now he has to constantly wear a prosthesis and endure severe pain.
The captain promises a gold doubloon to the first to spot Moby Dick on the high seas. The team is in tension, strange and even ominous events begin to occur on the ship. During a whale hunt, Pip fell out of Jung's boat, spending the night in the sea (in a barrel), he loses his mind. But it turns out that this is only the beginning of the legendary voyage of Pecoda.
You can argue, but many believe that this is the most interesting audio book in the world.
"Riot Gold"
Listening to the most interesting audio books, you still get the opportunity to get acquainted with the latest in modern Russian literature. So, recently, Alexei Ivanovâs novel âThe Gold of Riotâ, which is read by Ivan Litvinov, has been popular. He has the unique gift to very accurately notice the character of a literary character and masterfully reveal with the help of his voice the subtle mood of the hero.
Reading the novel "The Gold of Riot", Litvinov gets the opportunity to show his talent in all its glory. The action of this work takes place in the Urals at the end of the 18th century after the suppression of the Pugachev uprising. The plot is related to the search for treasure. At the same time, it can not be called with complete confidence neither realistic, nor historical, nor fantasy, nor adventurous. Ivanov manages to collect a certain "hodgepodge" of these genres, generously supplying it with a bright and unusual language with a large number of local words and concepts.
In the text of the novel, fascinating ethnographic material occupies a significant part. Moreover, the author deliberately does not help the reader (listener), that is, does not tell him the meaning of local terms and long-outdated words. Due to this, there is an immersion in a slightly fabulous atmosphere of the time.
"Good night, Mr. Holmes"
Of course, among the audio books you can find not only classical literature, but also works for the widest readership. In this regard, attention should be paid to the most interesting audiobooks-detectives. For example, you can listen to Douglas Carolâs novel, Good Night, Mr. Holmes, performed by Larisa Lugansk.
This is a fascinating reading matter that will immerse the listener in the world of people who surrounded the legendary detective Sherlock Holmes. According to the author, the story is based on the diaries of a close friend of Irene Adler, whose name was Penelope Huxley. Thanks to her view of the events, one can find out a non-trivial, convincing and vivid interpretation of the events originally described by Arthur Conan Doyle in the story "The Scandal in Bohemia."
"Gift"
When you have a desire to plunge into the world of classical Russian prose, but will not have time for this, listen to Vladimir Nabokovâs novel âGiftâ performed by Evgeny Ternovsky. He has a soft, intelligent and very lively voice with perfectly tuned intonation. Just what you need to read a work of Russian classic.
The novel "Gift" is one of the most sincere in Nabokov, because the main character has many features of the author himself. This is a budding poet, the son of a famous scientist, an emigrant who lives in a rented apartment away from his home.
He falls in love with the ownerâs daughter of a rented apartment, but their relationship is not destined to go into the phase of intimacy. Due to the presence of her parents, the girl believes that this will be the height of vulgarity. Only when the parents finally leave together, the relationship of the lovers flows into a new phase, and Nabokovâs prose turns into poetry. It is worth hearing to feel.
True, when the characters return home, it turns out that they do not have a key to the apartment. The illusion of happiness collapses in an instant. Nabokov wrote this novel from 1935 to 1937, when he lived in Berlin. True, he managed to publish it as a separate book only in 1952 in New York. In Russia, the novel was published only in 1990.
"Planet of people"
Most people know the famous fairy tale of the French writer Antoine de Saint-Exupery "The Little Prince", but few people are familiar with his other ingenious work - a collection of essays "Planet of people." You can hear it performed by Vadim Maksimov.
This book is narrated in the first person. In the essays "Line", "Comrades", "In the Heart of the Desert", the author recalls his first flights, talks about the lessons of selflessness, then all this is replaced by essays about the adventures of French pilots in the Sahara, about impressions of Spain.
Petter and the Piglets of the Rebels
If you are looking for the most interesting audio books for children, we recommend that you opt for Stark Ulf's novel Petter and the Piglets of the Rebels. This is a fascinating story of a Swedish writer about a ten-year-old student named Petter. He grows up in a working-class family, lives in the most ordinary factory village in modern Sweden.
This story is not only very funny, but also very social, it can be safely attributed to the most interesting audio books for 8 years. Pleasure will be received not only by the child, but also by yourself.