There's no shortage of ways to experience the magical world of Harry Potter, from the books and the films to the theme parks and stores. But as I hit play on Audible's new production of the popular series, I felt myself being transported into something both familiar and spellbindingly novel.
Audible, in partnership with Pottermore Publishing, is debuting its full-cast audio production of all seven Harry Potter books, starting with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone on Nov. 4. The remaining six books will be released each month afterward. More than 200 actors contributed to the project, and their character voiceovers are supplemented by original scoring and immersive sound effects that work together to bring the wizarding world to life in a new way. Harry Potter: The Full-Cast Audio Editions is available for preorder on Audible now.
I got an early listen to this new iteration of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, the book that kicked off the franchise when it was published in 1997 (albeit as Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone in the UK), and knew instantly I was in for an enchanting auditory escape. The audiobook opens with a lively score that sets the scene for the enthralling world Harry is about to enter, before we're introduced to narrator Cush Jumbo, who's known for her lead roles in TV shows The Good Wife and The Good Fight. Her smooth and engaging voice is sure to pull you in, whether this is your first foray into the wizarding world or simply your latest escapade.
For returning wizards and Muggles, the first chapter reintroduces us to old friends with new voices. We're met with the haughty Dursley family, along with other characters such as the stern Professor McGonagall (voiced by Michelle Gomez), eccentric Albus Dumbledore (Hugh Laurie) and endearing Rubeus Hagrid (Mark Addy), who sounds strikingly like the movie character played by Robbie Coltrane.
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As Harry (Frankie Treadaway) voiced his first lines, I held my breath in anticipation: How would this new voice align with the protagonist that had already lived in my head for years, courtesy of Daniel Radcliffe's movie portrayal? Thankfully, Audible's new imagining preserves Harry's curious and strong-willed demeanor, whether through the fearless retorts he slings at his uncle or the longing in his voice when mentioning the parents he never knew.
Similarly, the depictions of Harry's best friends Ron Weasley (Max Lester) and Hermione Granger (Arabella Stanton) also fall in line with their bold and witty personas seen in the books and on screen. Listening to this audiobook made me even more eager to see Stanton play Hermione in the upcoming HBO television series, given how well she embodies the character's confident and assertive personality here.
The full-cast audio editions kick off with the release of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone on Nov. 4. Audible
That's not to say every character sounds like their movie counterpart. Perhaps the most striking difference lies in Riz Ahmed's portrayal of Professor Snape. It's almost impossible to emulate the languid, resonant tone with which Alan Rickman masterfully voiced the film's version of the character, so I'm glad the audiobook's producers steered clear from trying to mimic it. Instead, Ahmed capably delivers a reimagined, quietly sneering tone, which still makes the listener feel like there's more to Snape than meets the eye.
Despite a host of prominent actors voicing the book's characters, their celebrity status doesn't detract from the storyline. If I hadn't already known that Matthew Macfadyen was voicing Lord Voldemort, I would never have guessed it was him. The beauty of merely hearing the actors as opposed to also seeing them has the added advantage of making their portrayals more believable; otherwise, I may have been too distracted pondering how the man who played dreamy Mr. Darcy in Pride & Prejudice had now become the most evil wizard in the world.
Dolby Atmos, a spatial audio technology that can seemingly place sounds in specific places all around you, helps pinpoint characters within scenes, so you know whether they're looming in the background or taking center stage. For instance, when Harry picks out his wand at Ollivanders, the shopkeeper's hushed voice seems to come from a dusty corner of the shop. And the fading in and out of Peeves the poltergeist's voice as he swooshes past Hogwarts students conveys his mischievous nature.
Atmos also adds a sense of realism to sound effects, both mundane and magical. There were times I had to pause to check whether a beeping truck was backing up on Privet Drive or outside my window, or if the birds really were just tweeting through my headphones.
It's the infusion of those real-world (and not-so-real-world) sounds that ties this production together, drawing readers into scenes with evocative detail. The murmur of passengers and announcements at King's Cross Station helps me visualize Harry navigating the bustle for the first time. And the whispers and cheers reverberating through the Great Hall during the sorting ceremony make me feel as if I'm sitting right there on the benches, too.
I've listened to and cherish previous audiobook versions of Harry Potter (Jim Dale for life). But Audible's full-cast production is an entirely new experience that deftly merges literature and cinema. I can envision each scene as the characters, music and sound effects come together to make a magical world feel tangible and lifelike in my mind.
Perhaps it sounds like a stretch, for an audiobook to make a fantasy world seem real. But as Dumbledore says later in the series, "Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?"