Tales of the Supernatural Audiobook By M. R. James cover art

Tales of the Supernatural

Volume 1

Preview

Try for $0.00
Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Tales of the Supernatural

By: M. R. James
Narrated by: Gareth David-Lloyd, Ian Fairbairn, Geoffrey Bayldon
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $16.74

Buy for $16.74

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel

About this listen

M. R. James is one of the finest English language ghostwriters ever published. These short stories are not only classics of their genre, but are outstanding examples of beautifully paced, understated terror and sociological horror, reaching to the dark expanse of the unconscious mind.

Volume 1 of Tales of the Supernatural features "Casting the Runes", "Rats", "There Was a Man Dwelt by a Churchyard", "Number 13", and "Lost Hearts".

© and (P) Fantom Films
Anthologies Anthologies & Short Stories Ghosts Scary Fiction Haunted Short Story Heartfelt
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

Critic reviews

"There are some authors one wishes one had never read in order to have the joy of reading them for the first time. For me, M. R. James is one of these." (Ruth Rendell)
"A brilliant linguist, palaeographer, medievalist and biblical scholar...[James] wrote several volumes of distinguished ghost stories." ( The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature)

What listeners say about Tales of the Supernatural

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    22
  • 4 Stars
    17
  • 3 Stars
    6
  • 2 Stars
    7
  • 1 Stars
    7
Performance
  • 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    10
  • 4 Stars
    10
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    5
  • 1 Stars
    4
Story
  • 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    13
  • 4 Stars
    7
  • 3 Stars
    2
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    5

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderfully atmospheric

I was unfamiliar with Mr. James prior to this audiobook. I found the stories extremely creepy and atmospheric. Its rare to find terror created in subtle ways. i thought the readers did an excellent job of adding to the suspense, although in some cases my American ears had to struggle to the heavy English accents.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Narrations worthy of James's efforts

Gareth David-Lloyd's narrations --- especially of "Casting the Runes" --- are the best I have heard, and I have heard a lot of James readings. Ian Fairbairn is well-suited to the tales he reads, too. A slight disappointment came at the end of the selection; Bayldon's reading is not his best. He was a good character actor; perhaps he was unwell at the time of recording? The sound quality is otherwise excellent. I have since gotten Vols. 2 & 3, and recommend them as well. A must for M.R. James aficionados.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Entertaining

The stories are old-school, but as such quite enjoyable. GDL's narration is excellent, unhurried, he does voices and accents superbly. Fairbairn is also good, but Bayldon is bellow par.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Recorded in a glob of mucous? +Piano accompaniment

I found these stories difficult to decipher. Did Gareth David-Lloyd have a severe head cold? I do not want musick plinckity-planking during a recorded reading; it is stupid at best. A dud;
M.R.James deserves better.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful