The Midwich Cuckoos cover art

The Midwich Cuckoos

Classic Radio Sci-Fi

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The Midwich Cuckoos

By: BBC Audiobooks
Narrated by: Bill Nighy, Sarah Parish
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About this listen

 This is a dynamic, modern dramatisation of a classic book by John Wyndham. Bill Nighy ( Love Actually and many other films) and Sarah Parish ( Cutting It) play Richard and Janet, a couple caught up in the goings-on of a sleepy English village in which all the children have golden eyes, blond hair, and a sinister talent for telepathy and telekinesis. (Wyndham's novel was filmed as Village of the Damned in 1960 and 1995.)©2007 BBC Audiobooks Ltd. (P)2007 BBC Audiobooks Ltd. Dramatisations Fiction Science Fiction Village Extrasensory Perception
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Critic reviews

"Bill Nighy is terrific as Richard Gayford, drawn into the horror of a small village whose women all give birth on the same day to beautiful babies whose only intent, as they grow, is to survive - whatever the cost." ( Daily Express)

What listeners say about The Midwich Cuckoos

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Profile Image for Pippa

Fab - great dramatisation

What did you like most about The Midwich Cuckoos?

Good story, solid audio version, nicely interpreted and brought up-to-date

What did you like best about this story?

Great narration, and the updating for a modern twist.

What does the narrator bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

Bill Nighy is great as a languorous, rather useless male!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes.

Any additional comments?

Great version, highly recommended.

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1 person found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Profile Image for Steph H

Brilliant!!

I love this story and generally love all John Wyndham stories. This is a great adaptation of this and a really good listen.

Highly recommended

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Profile Image for Jim Richardson

Excellent

Beautifully read, acted and performed... What more needs to be said other than get it today....

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Profile Image for Firenze

Excellence

Brilliant adaptation. Actor's are superbly cast. As a child I was terrified of the film!

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2 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Profile Image for Edmund

Really worth trying... spooky beyond belief.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

This audiobook definitely deserves a recommendation. It is one of the few performances that generally gives me the chills.
The children are just too creepy and the performance makes that brilliant.

What does Bill Nighy and Sarah Parish bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

Bill turns a god performance (as you would expect) his flippant nature turns to serious and Nighy shows his full amazing range.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

This is one that can definitely be digested in one sitting. It can be done though there is a good point for a pause in the middle.

Any additional comments?

I would heartily recommend this. Not only is it a good production of a good story, its been performed brilliantly, bringing this chilling story to your (should be) eager ears.

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Profile Image for Jj

Gripping

I really enjoy these type of audio books. I sometimes prefer the narrators to be people I don't know so I can create my own images in my mind. Having said that it was well dramatised. Being such a classic it was thoroughly entertaining. Worth a listen

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2 people found this helpful

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Profile Image for Fiona

Perfect!

This is just perfect - a thought-provoking, clever book. The writing is beautiful - John Wyndham is an artist at work, and this is wonderfully acted. All the actors are great, and I'd pick out Bill Nighy for being particularly perfect in the role, and for having a lovely voice!

This book is a piece of the fabric our our world, and there really isn't any reason not to love it.

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4 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Tim

Loved It

I am great fan of the original book and I very much enjoyed this interpretion. It did maybe over simplify the story a little too much in parts, but that did not distract from the overall enjoyment.

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6 people found this helpful