67906From Goodreads: “Shocking his stodgy colleagues at the exclusive Reform Club, enigmatic Englishman Phileas Fogg wagers his fortune, undertaking an extraordinary and daring enterprise to circumnavigate the globe in eighty days. With his French valet Passepartout in tow, Verne’s hero traverses the far reaches of the earth, all the while tracked by the intrepid Detective Fix, a bounty hunter certain he is on the trail of a notorious bank robber.

Combining exploration, adventure, and a thrilling race against time, AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS gripped audiences upon its original publication and remains hugely popular to this day.”

My Review

I discovered this audiobook whilst sorting out my music library on my PC recently, I’m so glad I did as it was such a great listen.

I knew the story pretty well as I’d read the paperback many years ago and of course I’ve watched the old David Niven film quite a few times as well. What I hadn’t remembered was how amusing this story was. From the serious straight laced Phileas Fogg to the enthusiastic manservant Passepartout, plus the exotic locations visited, this really was a wonderful book to get lost in. Even though I knew what was going to happen I still thoroughly enjoyed being immersed in this fabulous globe trotting tale.

Jim Dale’s narration was absolutely superb, I really couldn’t fault it,  and at times I had to remind myself that it was just him reading this, and that he didn’t have a supporting cast. The incidental music and sound effects throughout added to my whole audio experience, making it a new favourite audiobook that I’ll definitely be listening to again.

As this book was first published in 1873 I’m adding it to my reading challenges this year, 2019 When Are You Reading? and 2019 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge, and also to the 2019 Audiobook Challenge.