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Sputnik's Guide to Life on Earth
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HiBrow: Richard Strange's A Mighty Big If with Peter Capaldi
- By: Richard Strange, Peter Capaldi
- Narrated by: Richard Strange, Peter Capaldi
- Length: 1 hr and 48 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall0 out of 5 stars 0
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Performance0 out of 5 stars 0
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Story0 out of 5 stars 0
Richard Strange's 'A Mighty Big If' event at The Crypt, St Martin in the Fields, London. Writer and adventurer Richard regularly staged entertaining and illuminating conversations with major cultural figures. Peter Capaldi is one of the UK's most loved actors and respected directors. His career has been celebrated with many awards including numerous BAFTAs. Peter talks in-depth to raconteur Richard Strange about his life and his work - a rare opportunity to meet the man behind the characters.
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See You in the Cosmos
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- Narrated by: Brittany Pressley, Graham Halstead, Jason Culp, and others
- Length: 6 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 6
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 6
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All 11-year old Alex wants is to launch his iPod into space. With a series of audio recordings, he will show other lifeforms out in the cosmos what life on Earth, his Earth, is really like. But for a boy with a long-dead dad, a troubled mum, and a mostly-not-around brother, Alex struggles with the big questions. Where do I come from? Who's out there? And, above all, how can I be brave?
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The Ice Monster
- By: David Walliams
- Narrated by: Jane Horrocks, Miriam Margolyes, Peter Serafinowicz, and others
- Length: 5 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
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Story5 out of 5 stars 32
When Elsie, an orphan on the streets of Victorian London, hears about the mysterious Ice Monster - a woolly mammoth found at the North Pole - she’s determined to discover more.... A chance encounter brings Elsie face to face with the creature and sparks the adventure of a lifetime - from London to the heart of the Arctic! Heroes come in all different shapes and sizes in David Walliams’ biggest and most epic adventure yet!
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listening fun!
- By Meloney Hoffmann on 12-01-2019
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The Portrait
- By: Iain Pears
- Narrated by: Peter Capaldi
- Length: 6 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 3
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 3
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 2
In the early years of the 20th century, influential art critic William Nasmyth travels to a remote island off the coast of Brittany to sit for a portrait painted by his old friend, the gifted but tormented artist Henry MacAlpine. Over the course of the sitting, MacAlpine recalls their years of friendship, the double-edged gift of the critic's patronage, the power he wielded over aspiring artists, and his apparent callousness in anointing the careers of some and devastating the lives of others.
-
The Wizards of Once
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- By: Cressida Cowell
- Narrated by: David Tennant
- Length: 5 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 63
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 61
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 61
Once there was magic, and the magic lived in the dark forests. Until the warriors came... This is the story of a young boy wizard and a young girl warrior who have been taught since birth to hate each other like poison and the thrilling tale of what happens when their two worlds collide. Xar is a wizard boy who has no magic and will do anything to get it. Wish is a warrior girl, but she owns a banned magical object, and she will do anything to conceal it.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 3,925
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 3,653
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Story5 out of 5 stars 3,636
Harry Potter has never even heard of Hogwarts when the letters start dropping on the doormat at number four, Privet Drive. Addressed in green ink on yellowish parchment with a purple seal, they are swiftly confiscated by his grisly aunt and uncle. Then, on Harry's eleventh birthday, a great beetle-eyed giant of a man called Rubeus Hagrid bursts in with some astonishing news: Harry Potter is a wizard, and he has a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. An incredible adventure is about to begin!
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5 out of 5 stars
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Stephen Fry was brilliant
- By John on 19-09-2016
Publisher's Summary
The Blythes are a big, warm, rambunctious family who live on a small farm and sometimes foster children. Now Prez has come to live with them. But, though he seems cheerful and helpful, he never says a word.
Then one day Prez answers the door to someone claiming to be his relative. This small, loud stranger carries a backpack, walks with a swagger and goes by the name of Sputnik.
As Prez dithers on the doorstep, Sputnik strolls right past him and introduces himself to everyone in the household. Prez is amazed at the response. The family pat Sputnik on the head, call him a good boy and drop food into his mouth. It seems they all think Sputnik is a dog. It's only Prez who thinks otherwise.
But Prez soon finds himself having to defend the family from the chaos and danger unleashed by Sputnik, as household items come to life - like a TV remote that fast-forwards people: 'Anyone can do it, it's just that people don't read the instructions properly'; and a toy lightsaber that entertains guests at a children's party, until one of them is nearly decapitated by it - and Prez is going to have to use his voice to explain himself.
It turns out that Sputnik is writing a guidebook to Earth called Ten Things Worth Doing on Earth, and he takes Prez on a journey to discover just those 10 things. Each adventure seems to take Prez nearer to the heart of the family he is being fostered by. But they also take him closer to the day that he is due to leave them forever....
What members say
Average Customer Ratings
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 12-06-2018
What a wonderful little surprise
My daughter chose this book because it was narrated by Peter Capaldi, and his performance here was absolutely amazing, we will be hard pressed to find such an engaging narration again! When I heard so many giggles from her while she listened I thought I'd have a listen myself! I was hooked straight away, this story is funny, moving and surprisingly deep for a children's book. It's so nice to find an author who can write a hugely engaging story for children without being patronising! Really just a beautiful, intelligent story with a captivating performance by Peter Capaldi. We look forward to reading more from this author and hope that Peter spoils us with some more narrations in the future!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Iguanadon
- 12-09-2017
Rollicking ride with a surprisingly touching heart
I have to confess, when I originally chose this recording it was because it was read by Peter Capaldi, not for the story or author, and I was not disappointed...his animated reading was as delightful as ever, and the extra Scottish twinkle he brought to the story was no doubt the reason he was chosen for this book. What I did not expect , however, was what I thought was a kids book essentially when I started this was in fact, a phenomenally creative and surprisingly touching story to be enjoyed by grandkid and grandparent alike. Now I'm after more by this author and please please Mr Capaldi, I beg of you to please give us the pleasur of your voice and talent to more audio books!
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- k
- 24-09-2018
A Fantastic Adventure Narrated with Panache!
I found myself laughing out loud at times, and actually shedding tears at other times because of this heartwarming story that was read with such amazing panache by the wonderful Peter Capaldi. He's made it even more entertaining, and his Scottish accent adds authenticity and flavor to the narration. It's a pleasure listening to him use different voices and bring life to the book's sympathetic characters.
The story is heartwarming but never sappy, cheeky but never rude. Your heart will go out to Prez, and sometimes, you can even imagine the irrepressible Sputnik as a Doctor Who-like character who wreaks mayhem wherever he goes but still manages to save the day.
The book was written for kids and tweens but it strikes a chord even with adults.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- chaoticmuse
- 07-08-2018
Chaotic Story with Sympathetic Characters
Frank Cottrell Boyce's "Cosmic" was a favorite so I was excited to see another of his books hit our state award nominee list. There is a lot... seriously A LOT of activity in this story. And Peter Capaldi kept the intensity high with his narration style (great accent not too hard for kids to understand). But I have to admit that around hour 3 I was tired of the mayhem and ready for it to end happily if possible. I was afraid at first that it was going to have a "too easy" ending with everyone living happily ever after but I shouldn't have been so worried. It was a realistic ending (as realistic as a shape shifting alien story line can be) but satisfying. And then I went and took a nap to recover. If you've never read Cottrell Boyce before start with "Cosmic" and maybe rest up before jumping in to Sputnik's Guide to Life on Earth.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Amanda Zimmerman
- 18-12-2017
The story is good and the narrator is also good
The book is good and the narrator is really good as well I give it 9/10👍
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 27-03-2018
One of the best stories I have ever heard
We listed to this as a family, with son (11) and daughter (9). It’s both laugh-out-loud funny and really thoughtful. An incredibly well-written story and Peter Capaldi’s telling adds so much. Would recommend to anyone!
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Lead Reviewer
- 01-12-2017
Funny
Soooooo funny omg so so so funny I like frank corrall Boyce he is funny
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- E. Parke
- 20-10-2017
Great
We've come to love all Frank Cottrell Boyce's books and Sputnik is no exception. The imagination that goes into them and the bending of reality is superb. We read it first at bedtime and I really couldn't do justice to the accents required so I was really glad to see a real Scot narrating it. It's possible that Robbie Coltrane could have done a better job but both are way ahead of me.
The book could be described as one boy's experience of his primary carer falling victim to the onset of dementia and the very real consequences that has for him but if you then go on to say that the arrival of an alien on a mission to save our planet is thrown in it can only make your mind boggle.
It's fabulous. We thoroughly recommend it.