Far from the Madding Crowd

This 1874 novel set in the English Midlands has, by its author's standards, a relatively happy ending. At least the faithful Gabriel Oak eventually marries beautiful Bathsheba Everdene,whose first husband is murdered by an insane suitor, after the husband's jilted first love dies in the workhouse. Martin Shaw, while giving spirited interpretations of the characters, lays back the narrative to the point of mumbling. The abridgment is a bit too drastic to deliver the qualities that make the book special. Y.R. (c) AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine

Those who relished the recent PBS series will be happy to know that this audio version is read by Gabriel Oak himself--Nathaniel Parker. He and Thomas Hardy make a fine team. As the rustic workers bring in the harvest, or shear the sheep, or barter at the market--their lively dialogue projects pictures of nineteenth-century Wessex that are almost as vivid as the paintings of John Constable. Nathaniel Parker seems to be one of them--or all of them--as he slips naturally from one character to another, even capturing the voice of Bathsheba as she laments her disastrous marriage. It all comes together in the end as she and Gabriel prepare to live happily ever after, the only Hardy characters so blessed! J.C. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Narrator Stephen Thorne's extensive radio drama experience is put to great use in this classic tale set in nineteenth-century Britain. In an exploration of tragic love, Hardy writes of central characters whom you either sympathize with or despise, and peripheral characters with plenty of personality. Thorne performs the farmer, Gabriel Oak, with equal amounts of tenderness and strength, while giving the beautiful Bathsheba Everdene both the qualities of a vixen and a devoted wife. Although the relationships between Bathsheba and her many suitors are serious in tone, Thorne brings a great deal of humor to the scenes involving the townspeople and the continual struggles of rural life. K.M.D. (c) AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Hardy's rustic tale of Bathsheba Everdean and her three suitors comes to life through Thorne's expert narrative performance. Hardy's works often change pace and character quickly, a point which Thorne uses advantageously to wind us through this insightful novel. Thorne's interpretation of the text removes the distance which so often exists between Victorian literature and the modern reader. Thorne's performance skills transcend age and gender. The listener can envision each of the workers as they talk and sing in the pub, and Thorne's choice of voices for the four main characters gives added depth and presence. Textual interpretation, pacing and vocal characterization all come together to make Thorne's reading an excellent addition to any collection. J.S.G. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

A vivid classic set in a remote rural corner of early Victorian England features conflicting values, class dichotomy, opposing principles, and romantic drama. Never ceasing to be relevant, Hardy's classic endures as Bathsheba Everdene waivers between wielding her feminine wiles to secure love and marriage and maintaining her stoic independence and self-reliance. Neville Jason narrates with an upper-crust accent, then deftly shifts to the characters' distinctive singsong Cornish speech and earthy expressions. He adapts well to the tones of women and the elderly. The audiobook's musical interludes, while striking the moods reflected in scenes, are slightly too strident--but are not a distraction from the novel's fatalistic turmoil and picturesque descriptions. A.W. (c) AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine

A dark-haired muse, Bathsheba Everdene, entices and repulses the men of Hardy's rural Weatherbury. When she's finally won in marriage, she's consumed by despair. British actor Jamie Parker's sonorous voice complements Hardy's deliberate style. While Parker assumes an unhurried tone throughout the narrative, he provides energetic feeling in the dialogue. His vocal characterizations are well executed, particularly in the discussions of the townspeople in which he portrays the local dialects convincingly. He also effectively contrasts the methodical Gabriel Oak and the haughty Bathsheba in their heated discussions. Parker skillfully navigates the listener through the novel, and his attention to the nuances of Hardy's prose makes his narration especially compelling. D.M.W. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine