Enthralling

I loved this & can't wait for Vol 2! Spellbinding and dazzling stories of love and hate and luck and fate beautifully told by an excellent cast. I was enchanted from start to finish.

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8 people found this helpful

Good fun

I enjoyed this
- I know 1001 nights well and think they have done a good job - quite modern - some nice humour added
Mostly good acting and the dramatisation idea works well here
If I’m honest I felt they could have edited a little in order to fit in some of the smaller side stories (there are really only 2 tales here and the book is much more layered than this) ...
But whatever ... read the book if you want the whole richness ...
This is not a bad start :)

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4 people found this helpful

Worth the time.

A strong and clever Female lead. In a place where women are property. The worst of sexists ‘the sultan’ is consistently tricked out of abusing women by her intelligence. If you can bare the really sexist people of the time, you’ll be rewarded with one of the smartest and most selfless female characters who would risk her life, and continue to do so in order to save the lives of other women. Well worth the time. With a performance and backing track that leave you picturing the scenes form around you. (Borderline not appropriate for work, too distracting at points). This isn’t a leave on in the background kind of story.

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4 people found this helpful

Brilliant

This was great. I liked the saucy bits.....!
Omid Djalili was, as always, fabtastic. Menacing, funny and even sexy.

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3 people found this helpful

Enchanting, enrapturing and breathtakingly magnificent- definitely not for young audiences

Step into the world of Arabian mythology and through the imagination of witty Scheherazade as she conjures story after story, drawn out over countless nights to buy herself and her sister precious time in the captivity of Prince Sharyhar and his executioner’s blade.
Feminists may find the prominent patriarchal rule of the Islamic Empire background upon which the stories are based to be stifling and even intolerable, but will find the strong range of independent female characters including Sceherazade and her passionate sister Dunyazad more than impressive and easily at odds and ends with the violent, domineering and petty grasp of the men they contend, battle and romance with.
For the listeners information, this story contains three chapters- the tale of how Sultan Shariya came to distrust women and adopt the ritual of sleeping with and beheading every young woman in his kingdom, Ali Baba and the forty thieves, a fish called Wanda/scar face-esque tale in which the hapless and short sighted Ali Baba, desperate to escape his poor lifestyle, lands himself into deep trouble when he discovers a cave of gold hoarded by a band of ruthless cutthroats, the captain of which is played by Omid Djalili. He uses them to get rich and even abandon his loyal wife Mariana, the true hero of the story, to his brother’s selfish and gold-glutton wife. It’s up to Marjana to rescue her husband from a mess that only he could make. This is the first story of Sceherazade and is told in thirty minute to forty minute segments for the first half.
The second tale is a romantic little mermaid style romance that involves an Odyssey style element to it. Badr Basim is born of a Sultan and the powerful warrior princess Julnar of the sea people, and ends up throwing himself and his maternal uncle into great calamity when he falls afoul of a spiteful princess whose father king worships and consorts with dark powers. But when he lands on an island ruled by a terrifying sorceress who transforms the men who displease her into animals, not unlike Circe from the Odyssey, it’s up to Julnar and her captured brother to see to his rescue. Epic battles, sorcery and magic, and a confrontation with a lustful brutish dragon-like ifrit await the heroes of this tale.
I hope my summary review which is five stars all across the ratings for its voice acting, gripping story, flawless direction and a deeply immersive portrayal of one of the most enchanting tales in human history, simmering with violence and erotic energy, which piqued my interest since I saw it held by Winona Ryder in Gary Oldman’s Dracula, will convince fans of epic and romantic medieval fantasy, filled with deep passions like Game of Thrones and mythology filled with adventure like the Odyssey and the Illiad to pick up this audiobook. I have already purchased Part 2 and hope to begin listening to the tale of Sinbad, told by Sceherazade as she and her sister begin to unwind the hatred within the Sultan’s soul.

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2 people found this helpful

Amazing!

Hands down the very best audio book I've ever listened to. Absolutely an amazing preformence!

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1 person found this helpful

Like the sultan, I got caught...

Only meant to listen the first chapter to help get sleep. Now 5 hours later, I've finished the book and still haven slept. A truly entertaining telling of tales I thought I already knew.

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1 person found this helpful

Interesting stories

Loved this book, very interesting tales, easy to follow and well constructed. Looking forward to volume 2

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1 person found this helpful

Not for Kids

great story, well performed, not shy on the adult themes so not for kids. moving straight onto volume 2

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1 person found this helpful

Enchanting

A truly enchanting series of stories combined into one mesmerising tail. Though some of the stories are familiar it is nice to see the unique twist taken.

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