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  • The Day of the Triffids

  • By: John Wyndham
  • Narrated by: Alex Jennings
  • Length: 5 hrs and 15 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (578 ratings)
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The Day of the Triffids cover art

The Day of the Triffids

By: John Wyndham
Narrated by: Alex Jennings
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Summary

Bill Masen wakes up one morning in his hospital bed. His eyes are completely bandaged after an eye operation so he is unable to see. He immediately notices how still and quiet everything is. Having taken off his bandages, he discovers that both inside the hospital and out, the majority of the population (who watched a display of startlingly bright comets in the night sky the previous evening) have all gone blind, and realises that there is a terrifying new enemy for humankind to contend with. This is his thrilling, chilling and enthralling story....

When Bill Masen leaves hospital and goes into the centre of London, he finds that looting is rife as people are grabbing anything from the shelves of shops that they think they might find useful - mainly food.

While surveying the scene he comes across an attractive young woman who also wasn't blinded, Josella. Together they return in her car to her parents' home, only to discover everyone at the house has been murdered by the Triffids. The Triffids are walking plants which carry a vicious and lethal sting. Bill used to have one in his back garden, but far from being completely harmless they have now developed and are threatening to take over the world. They are also strongly linked to the mysterious comet shower.

Bill has an advantage over other surviors in that his job had involved him researching the Triffids. In fact, it was a Triffid sting that was one of the reasons he had been in hospital on the night of the comets, and this incident saved him from blindness. Together, Josella and Bill, whose bond to each other is growing, join a group of people, many of whom are blind but some of whom can see, with plans to head into the country...and their true struggle begins.

©1951 CSA Word (P)2009 CSA Word

What listeners say about The Day of the Triffids

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

Beautifully narrated but RUINED by "music"

It goes without saying this is a great book and it is beautifully narrated, but it is ruined by horrendously loud discordant music that jumps up and catches you out every time. Its completely random and unless you keep your finger on the volume button it WILL startle you. I think this sort of musical addition during the narration to be completely unnecessary.
I wont be returning the book but will be looking for another version.

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34 people found this helpful

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

Such a pity large chunks of the book are removed

What did you like about this audiobook?

the storyline is brilliant and the reading is very good. music a bit irritating

What did you find wrong about the narrator's performance?

The narrator is excellent but the random music is irritating.

Do you have any additional comments?

Its not a long book so why shorten it ?

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21 people found this helpful

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

Book of the Triffids

Better than the film and BBC version. Very well read. The music adds to dramatic chapter ends.

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7 people found this helpful

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

shame about the loud music

enjoyable book & well read but was interspersed with rather loud music which was a bit grating. If you were listening & dropping off to sleep it would wake you up!

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5 people found this helpful

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

Sound effects and abridgment unnecessary

Great story! good performance! But random bits are seemingly removed from the original text (though no mention of abridgment is made in the description) and the sound effects are pointless and quite jarring at times.

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4 people found this helpful

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

An Excellent Story

This is one of the greatest books written. It is a warning as to what happens when mankind indulges their darker side. It is a story of survival against the odds It is a story of hope..... it is also excellently written and is one of the first books I had as a child. the performance here is excellent, the story has lost none of its impact and is remarkably modern in its portrayal of the world. Definitely not dated. If you like sci-fi, or just like a damned good story, this is definitely worth adding to your collection.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

All time classic

Sounding a little dated in places, but still an all time classic. Great to rediscover it.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent story, brilliantly told

This classic has aged well and doesnt feel at all dated. it's sad that it is abridged but is far superior to the later version thanks to the great narration.

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1 person found this helpful

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

Very well read book

This is a fabulous dystopian story of the day the world as we know it ended, and how humans coped in the days that followed. Beautifully read by Alex Jennings, it is the story mainly of two people who found each other in the aftermath and made the best of a bad situation.

I had never read the original so it was really nice to listen to this book. I highly recommend it.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Love Love Love this book

I first read this book in high school, we did it for English and I loved it straight away then. Funnily enough I got fined by the school because they said that I hadn't returned my school copy of the book. I was sure I had bit I paid the fine. Needless to say years later whilst sorting through my many books I came across a copy and loe and behold it was my high school copy.

Anyway, I love this book, the writing is brilliant, so evocative and compelling. There's the horror of what the characters are dealing with in the immediate aftermath of the comet etc, then there are those moments of reflection on what life had once been and saying goodbye to it. My imagination is very vivid with this book.

I also love Alex Jennings reading of it. The voices he produces are perfect for the characters, in fact I am a big fan of his work and will search it out.

This is a book that I will come back to time and time again, love it.

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1 person found this helpful