The Castle of Otranto

by Horace Walpole Narrated by Peter Joyce

Overview

"Visions have always been my pasture. I almost think there is no wisdom comparable to that of exchanging the realities of life for dreams. Old castles, old pictures, old histories take one back into centuries that cannot disappoint. I waked one morning from a dream of which all I could recover was that I had thought myself in a ancient castle and that on the uppermost banister of a great staircase I saw a gigantic hand in armour. In the evening I sat down to write, without knowing in the least what I intended to say or relate. The work grew on my hands and I grew fond of it - in short I was so engrossed with my tale, which I completed in less than two months, that one evening I wrote till I could not hold the pen to finish the sentence!" -- Horace Walpole

The action in 'The Castle of Otranto' never ceases. It is set against the murky background of Gothic battlements where enchanted helmets and swords fall as the villain rants and raves. The heroine escapes his clutches through a musty trapdoor into a chill underground cavern helped by a mysterious hero of strange origin and a friar who is not all he seems. Will truth and justice triumph? Enjoy the original Gothic thriller leavened with wit and timeless humour and find out.

Editorial Reviews

AudioFile

Narrator Tony Jay’s deep, resonant voice is perfectly suited to the gothic trappings of this romance. His subtle characterizations, including a deft handling of the three women at the heart of the story, make the dialogue easy to follow. For best results, listen to this recording in a cold, damp dungeon.”

author of The Gothic Quest Montague Summers

To The Castle Otranto we owe nothing less than a revolution in public taste, and its influence is strong even at present day.”

Kliatt

In reviving this largely forgotten tale in audio format, Blackstone deserves credit for recognizing that it—like any classic ghost story—is at its best when read well out loud. Jay’s sonorous, menacing voice and expressive, fast paced performance so heighten the aura of evil that listeners can easily focus on the action.”

Oxford University Press

The merging of romance and realist conventions into a form which would later be designated ‘Gothic’ inspired several subsequent generations of writers.”

From the Publisher

"Containing a Harry Potter-like array of animated portraits, supernatural adventures in vaults and cellars and astonishing, inexplicable events."  —Telegraph

DEC 06/JAN 07 - AudioFile

If you’ve never read or listened to THE CASTLE OF OTRANTO, you’ve almost certainly encountered dozens of works that were influenced by it. First published in 1764 and considered the granddaddy of gothic fiction, it’s the story of the impetuous Manfred, Prince of Otranto, and the curse on his ancestral line. Narrator Tony Jay’s deep, resonant voice is perfectly suited to the gothic trappings of this romance. His subtle characterizations, including a deft handling of the three women at the heart of the story, make the dialogue easy to follow. For best results, listen to this recording in a cold, damp dungeon. D.B. © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine

Product Details

BN ID:	2940171603700
Publisher:	Assembled Stories
Publication date:	10/01/2006
Edition description:	Unabridged

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