The Riddle of the Sands

Enjoyable If

(5 stars)

Sorker

http://www.ibiblio.org/eldritch/rec/rmapa.html has all of the text and high-resolution maps. I agree that the maps are important, so I supply a good link. And I agree that the pace is slow unless you care about yacht sailing. It's best to understand this as the precursor to modern spy novels. If you like this, try Riley, Ace of Spies, a 1967 book or The True James Bond at http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/terrorists_spies/spies/sydney_reilly/index.html

anticlimactic

(3.5 stars)

bahamajohn08

The story was interesting enough and the characters pretty well defined. However it became a bit tedious with the overload of information on the characteristics of the canals and such that the story got lost or at least ran aground a little bit. As I was not inthronged with the story It kept me from falling asleep as I was sitting in my hunting stand.

(5 stars)

leighsarahh

This is one of my favourite books. The descriptions are so vivid and constant that you’re easily pulled into that world at that time. It is lovely to see the growth of the protagonist’s relationship. Also, the reader is fantastic, her style and accent is perfect, it doesn’t take away from the story telling but enhances it.

Free Listens review

(4 stars)

Sayeth

Although the novel is a direct influence on later spy novels, I found much of the book not the exciting, suspense-filled yarn like those of John le Carre or Frederick Forsyth. Instead, the first part of the book reads like a travelogue of the Baltic coast mixed with a introduction to nautical terms. This part of the book highlights its difficulty as an audiobook; it relies heavily on the reader following the boat's progress on a map provided in the print editions. Later on in the novel, Childers delivers suspense and intrigue as the two friends creep through fog to spy on the German plans and find their earlier explorations pay off with their knowledge of high-tide paths through the treacherous estuaries. Full review at http://www.freelistens.blogspot.com

Thanks Gesine

(5 stars)

giribil

I read 'Riddle of the Sands' when in my teens and it has stayed with me many long years. Gesine's reading was comfortable and easy to follow. I also found the maps useful and spent some time searching on the web to learn more about the coast and islands. This tale of meeting up with an old school mate to go sailing for a 'holiday' is as good a story now as it was in my youth. Both a mystery and an adventure story it is also a fine spy story.

(5 stars)

paulgato

Excellent reading of a masterful novel. I very much enjoyed how the reticent, self-reliant character of Davies is revealed and amplified through his companion's narrative and descriptions, and how parts of the story are coaxed out of this man of action but of few words. As a some-time sailor, the description of the process of sailing a small yacht seems accurate and authentic, but I guess if a reader knows nothing about sailing then the early parts may drag.

(5 stars)

Tony Greyhound

the print version of this book is a real page turner and so is this audiobook presentation. Maps are critical to being able to visualize the events in the book. I tried the link provided by another review but they're a little small on a phone screen and just use the map in my large format world atlas. But this link will get you to a really nice satellite map of the islands. https://mapcarta.com/East_Frisian_Islands/Map

excellent reader

(5 stars)

Leah NYC

Gesine, I wish you would read more on librivox. I'm rating this 5 stars, although I'm only a few chapters in as I write, because I see very few other titles read by you, and I wish I could look forward to more. Thank you in any case for reading this engrossing tale.