HP audio versions

[serenadust <jmmears@comcast.net>]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at yahoogroups.com, "Gary Sapp & Karen J.S. 
<KAREN-GARY at w...>" <KAREN-GARY at w...> wrote:
> I don't think anyone has discussed the audio versions for a 
while.  I
> managed to get a complete set for Christmas, the UK version read by
> Stephen Fry.  I received the Jim Dale version the christmas before.
> 
> Having just finished my first hearing of the Fry tapes, I was
> wondering if anyone else had listened to both versions and what 
their
> impressions/preferences are.


I have both versions of the first 3 books (and am working on getting 
the Fry version of GoF).  I enjoy the Dale version, but on the whole 
I think that the Stephen Fry ones are much better.  It's a matter of 
personal taste, for the most part, but there are some real 
differences.  For instance, in the Fry version of CoS there is a 
very cool echo chamber effect when Ron gets Molly's howler.  This 
effect is used again in PoA, when Harry hears his parent's voices 
while fighting the boggart/dementor.  In addition, I find Jim Dale's 
version of Hermione *very* irritating, especially when she 
says, "Harrrrryyyyyyyeeeee" ::shudders::, and at the end of PoA, 
when Harry tells Uncle Vernon about his godfather, the reading is so 
unbearably OOC (IMO), that I really can't stand to listen to it.

Overall, the Fry version is just much more dry and witty than the 
Dale version which is much more over the top.  I remember reading 
somewhere that Fry was JKR's personal choice to read the books, so 
that may be affecting my opinion.

You're really lucky to have both versions.  I've begun re-listening 
to them when driving on my daily route, and I still pick up on new 
nuances every time.

Jo Serenadust