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Narrated by:
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Tom Hiddleston
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By:
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J. G. Ballard
About this listen
British actor Tom Hiddleston, well-known for portraying the supervillain Loki (The Avengers, Thor: The Dark World) and the writer F. Scott Fitzgerald (Midnight in Paris), brings his acting versatility and smooth voice to this visionary tale by acclaimed author J.G. Ballard (Empire of the Sun). When a class war erupts inside a luxurious apartment block, modern elevators become violent battlegrounds, and cocktail parties degenerate into marauding attacks on "enemy" floors. Human society slips into violent reverse as once-peaceful residents, driven by primal urges, re-create a world ruled by the laws of the jungle.
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gah!
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No one could understand why Colin and Roy were best friends. Colin was so shy; Roy was so popular. Colin was fascinated by Roy - and Roy was fascinated by death. Then one day, Roy asked his timid friend: “You ever killed anything?” From that moment on, the two were bound together in a game too terrifying to imagine - and too irresistible to stop.
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can not believe dean koontz wrote this book
- By Anonymous User on 10-05-21
By: Dean Koontz
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Lost Girl
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- Narrated by: Kris Dyer
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How far will he go to save his daughter? How far will he go to get revenge? It's 2053 and runaway climate change has brought civilization to the brink of collapse. Billions are threatened with starvation and mankind is slowly moving north in a world stricken by war, drought and superstorms - easy prey for the pandemics that sweep across the globe. Easy prey, too, for the violent gangs and people-smugglers who thrive in the crumbling world where 'King Death' reigns supreme.
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This is an outstanding novel
- By Midwestbonsai on 06-21-16
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Netherland
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Alone and un-tethered, feeling lost in the country he had come to regard as home, Hans stumbles upon the vibrant New York subculture of cricket, where he revisits his lost childhood and, thanks to a friendship with a charismatic and charming Trinidadian named Chuck Ramkissoon, begins to reconnect with his life and his adopted country. Ramkissoon, a Gatsby-like figure who is part idealist and part operator, introduces Hans to an "other" New York populated by immigrants and strivers of every race and nationality.
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Get Your Post-Colonial Gatsby ON!
- By Darwin8u on 04-13-12
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Cold City
- Repairman Jack: Early Years Trilogy, Book 1
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If you've never read a Repairman Jack novel, this is the place to begin. It's 1990. A twenty-one-year-old named Jack has dropped out of college, leaving his old life behind to build a new one in New York City. Manhattan's rough edges are jagged enough to shred any unwary newcomer, but perhaps not one who is determined to stay off the grid, at any cost, in the busiest metropolis on earth. And to do so, he'll have to take jobs of a less than legal nature.
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Fun, as long you don't think too much
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White Noise
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When an industrial accident unleashes an "airborne toxic event", a lethal black chemical cloud floats over the Gladneys' lives. The menacing cloud is a more urgent and visible version of the "white noise" engulfing the Gladneys - radio transmissions, sirens, microwaves, ultrasonic appliances, and TV murmurings - pulsing with life yet suggesting something ominous.
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Designed to be analyzed by an English class
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Children of the Deterrent
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The new novel by the author of the best-selling The World Walker series. 'My name is Daniel Harbin, and I'm a child of The Deterrent.' What if a superhuman turned out not to be so super...or even human? Britain's superhero, The Deterrent, was unveiled to the world in 1979 and disappeared two years later. The truth about his origins has never been revealed. The rumours about his children - those that survived - and their mysterious abilities have never been confirmed. Until now....
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Everything Backstory Until Last Few Chapters
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The Poison Tree
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Successful journalist Erin Kelly has electrified readers and critics alike with her debut novel The Poison Tree. In this scintillating work, Karen and her daughter Alice have established a safe, happy life free from the madness of Karen’s past. But when Karen’s former lover Rex is released from prison, her old associations intrude upon the present - and threaten everything she holds dear.
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I couldn't stop listening the book.
- By Gladys on 07-29-15
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Transmission
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Transmission, Hari Kunzru's new novel of love and lunacy, immigration and immunity, introduces a daydreaming Indian computer geek whose luxurious fantasies about life in America are shaken when he accepts a California job offer.
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Thoroughly Enjoyable
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Troubles
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Major Brendan Archer travels to Ireland - to the Majestic Hotel and to the fiancée he acquired on a rash afternoon's leave three years ago. Despite her many letters, the lady herself proves elusive, and the Major's engagement is short-lived. But he is unable to detach himself from the alluring discomforts of the crumbling hotel. Ensconced in the dim and shabby splendour of the Palm Court, surrounded by gently decaying old ladies and proliferating cats, the Major passes the summer.
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Absolutely delightful read
- By E. Kim on 02-25-20
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What listeners say about High-Rise
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Michael G Kurilla
- 05-05-19
Heart of Darkness / Lord of the Flies skyscraper
J G Ballard's High-Rise is a fanciful of tale of life in a "high-rise," somewhat novel lifestyle for the 70's when the story is set. Built as a nearly fully self-contained living environment, the tower quickly degenerates into segregated groups with working class on the lower floors, professionals in the middle, and wealthy elites occupying the upper floors. The groups become territorial and begin restricting passage throughout the high-rise for services such as shops, groceries, and swimming pools by commandeering the elevators. At the same time, people avoid the outside world and even refrain from reporting crimes to the police. In the penthouse, sits the architect of the building and one individual from the lower floors attempts to confront him about the building.
This tale is a psychological fantasy where a single building becomes a microcosm for the larger collection of humans into densely packed cities. While much of the action appears unrealistic, it is simply mirroring behaviors happening all the time in most large metropolitan cities,
The narration is exceptional. Tom Hiddleston renders an excellent performance. It should be noted that Tom was sufficiently impressed with the writing to go on to produce and star in a cinematic adaptation of the work.
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1 person found this helpful
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- TiffanyD
- 11-23-18
Bonkers Dystopia
If you are a real stickler for dystopian fiction that follows a logical path to dystopia, this might not be for you. I didn't totally buy the path that we traveled down with our high rise neighbors. But, if you can suspend your disbelief just a little bit, this is a bananas story about a true urban jungle. Hiddleston's narration provides just the right sort of blase indifference that suits the novel's tone and balances the novel's insanity.
I found it a little disappointing that no women's perspectives were explored and we mostly had three men's perspective, but it was the '70s and I guess J.G. Ballard wasn't all that woke. On the other hand, it was the '70s but things felt very modern. Every now and again there would be a mention of a pay phone or a film camera but generally speaking, this felt like it could be set in 2018 as easily as any other late 20th/early 21st century era.
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- Haissan Neiman
- 02-22-18
Society in Micro
I was doubtful at first of purchasing this, but the name Hiddleston brought me in and I was not disappointed.
The story starts in a rather mundane manner and slowly draws you in for later contrast. O found this whole story unsettling. If you are squeamish be prepared for discomfort, after all discomfort makes for a good look inward and challenges your point of view.
My reactions at times were a desire to strangle some of the characters.
I am recommending this story to anyone I can. Finishing it was a sweet release.
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- Joe C. Dietz
- 02-09-18
Fairly one beat storytelling
I enjoyed the story and the examination of our base instincts and nature and how we could potentially recent back to a less evolved way of life, so very quickly.
While Tom Hiddleston is a great actor and wonderful in films....his narration is fairly pedantic and unenthusiastic.
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- Sarah
- 12-04-15
Hard To Swallow
The story is an interesting one that left me feeling a little uneasy, I enjoyed it very much however and would recommend it.
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- S. Freeney
- 04-09-15
A dream voice for a nightmare story
loved this book, and Hiddleston's smooth, modulated voice made this the first audiobook I have actuall ever finished. Cannot wait for the movie.
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20 people found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 04-27-19
Interesting book
Good narration. Interesting concept of fighting for survival in a high rise building. I wish it went a little more in depth to some of the crazies that went loose and how leadership among the floors collapsed.
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- Robert Iris
- 10-05-15
Captivating story
Very interesting update to the lord of the flies, not a zombie tale like I thought it might have been, it gives a very credible breakdown of society in a microcosm.
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- Kelly
- 07-03-16
It ends abruptly
This story is a little depressing. It's a display of the rapid decline in civilization within this building. These "supposed" wealthy and professional people just flat out turn into psycho animals. I would like to see a part 2 or better ending. Would police ever show up to the building? Would the bldg investors ever let their investment turn into trash? Security is nowhere to be found inside the bldg, etc
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
- Jennifer Seidler
- 06-11-15
Dry narrative, odd structure, great performance
Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?
Probably not. I liked the story, the manner in which it explored the basest impulses of human nature, how people can descend into animalism. But, the narrative was full of "info dumps," and was structured more as a rather repetitive lecture rather than a story arc. The story arc was there, but the rising action was too quick, there was no real turning point, no real climax, and the falling action fell with a thump. The ending was done well, though, giving the story a cyclical feeling with the idea that the whole thing could happen all over again. The writing was stilted, and there was very little dialogue at all. Characterization was more tell than show. Lots of telling in this story, in fact. Yet, if this book was meant to break the molds of typical writing and was meant in itself to be a breakdown of the societal norms then it did the job.
What other book might you compare High-Rise to and why?
High Rise is like no other book that I've read, other than perhaps Lord of the Flies.
What does Tom Hiddleston bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
Tom Hiddleston's reading kept me interested in the story. He took the dry, rambling narrative and gave it life and character. He made the parts that were repetitive of each other and gave them different tones and emphases. He brought the "feeling" out of a rather unfeeling style of writing.
Do you think High-Rise needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?
No. Not at all.
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