Librivox recording of the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes is a collection of twelve stories by Arthur Conan Doyle, featuring his famous detective. They were originally published in the Strand Magazine from July 1891 to June 1892. The title character was named after famous American poet Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. (Summary from Wikipedia)

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M4B audiobook of Complete Book


This audio is part of the collection: The LibriVox Free Audiobook Collection
It also belongs to collections: Audio Books & Poetry; Community Audio

Artist/Composer: Doyle, Sir Arthur Conan
Date: 2007-03-10
Source: Librivox recording of a public-domain text
Keywords: librivox; audiobook; literature; Holmes; adventure; Doyle

Creative Commons license: Public Domain

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Reviewer: benefitsingers - - October 25, 2010
Subject: One I could not get into
First of all to some extent I agree with a lot of what is being said here. I realize it is free and I do appreciate people's efforts; however, if I did a recording (and I am guessing I would sound terrible) I think I would want to know. I tried to listen to this book and could not get in to it because of the narration. I also think that I might not like Sherlock Holmes. Anyway, It is sad to see people arguing here but I think the one person makes a good point. It stinks when I look forward to listening to a book only to find the reader does not grab my attention. Of course some people just love certain readers, that I do not. I don't like droning and I like readers that read with enthusiasm. Accents can sometimes be difficult for me as well, but if the reader has an accent but reads like a voice actor, I like it. For example Lars Rolander has a strong accent, but I love his voice. Maybe someone else might not. It is all relative. I think honesty in these reviews is very important. I hate to say this but I also think if some readers are really terrible they need to know so they can volunteer their efforts doing something else at Librivox. JMHO

Reviewer: Big Ron C - - October 23, 2010
Subject: "A" for effort works for me.
Ya know, giving just one star to a poor performance is OK, if one feels that way, but sheesh, let's do it with a little class without being caustic or insulting. A new reader has heard themselves first before we come along and inevitably they'd be their own worst critic and maybe even a wee tad embarrassed to boot. Hopefully they'll practice a little and give it another try, maybe even armed with a little encouragement and some sage advice instead of unproductive, neanderthal, snide remarks. This is the beauty of librivox, the world is a stage and we are all players. Better to be unskilled and try (that's how we learn!!)than to be a slacker and contribute nothing.

Reviewer: mikezane - - June 30, 2010
Subject: I think we've lost the point of these reviews
There's a lot of back and forth on this book. So, let me update my review to be just that, a review.

This book is a compilation of Sherlock Holmes stories. Red headed league is about a bank robbery, speckled band is about a murdering uncle, and in most of them, Sherlock Holmes gets his man. Sir Arther Conan Doyle does a nice job of drawing the reader in with each mystery.

Regarding the recordings - they are all fine, no tinny sounds or feedback, but the first chapter is read with someone whose reading style is choppy and hard to follow. I couldn't listen to the first chapter, but since this is not a chapter book, I simply dropped it from my playlist. The rest are great. I would have rated it lower if it was a chapter book because it would have meant lost story line.

Regarding all the comments about quality, an experienced Librivox volunteer told me that these stories are supposed to sound like a friend reading from their easy chair. This recording accomplishes that. So don't be intimidated by the negative reviews and give the story a chance. You won't be disappointed.

Reviewer: alamedared - - June 29, 2010
Subject: Sorker-Please cease your endless effluvium!
Please get a life! Don't you have other more important things to do??
Stop your inane tirades against the readers and your constant nauseating, adolescent picking disguised as reviews...you are not paying for these audiobooks and the readers are doing the best they can. Let's have you read a book soon. Take a rest, you're gonna develop high blood pressure.
Librivox should cut you off.
I happen to like this reading very much but then again, Sherlock can do no wrong.

Reviewer: Sorker - - June 29, 2010
Subject: Read this only if performance quality matters
LibriVox reviews ought provide a civil, reasoned colloquy among responsive, civil participants who review performances in the same way reviewers of performance art have done for centuries. If that’s not your community goal, stop reading now. Don’t comment; just stop.

The current reviews here are either 5 stars or 1, so there’s something going on. I think we all agree that Conan Doyle wrote good literature and the readers made a good effort. We seem generally to agree that the quality isn’t great, we just seem to disagree on whether that that matters. I admit that “on paper”, LibriVox cares only for quantity, not quality, of performance: “To make all books in the public domain available, for free, in audio format on the internet.” Even so, many reviewers do share with me some form of quality standard. Thanks @mikezane, @michael19 and @jxchristopher for your civility and your clearly and politely stated disagreement with my standards. Listeners should skip all my reviews if performance quality is not important to them; my reviews aren’t written for them.

There is too little respect for quality. 5-stars-for-effort reviews are permitted but become a meaningless yellow sea. "Every reading is above average". There’s no way there to distinguish two performances of the same book. Those polite reviewers who do not want to be a differentiating guide are justified in having your goals. Unfortunately, you are often joined by a subset of puerile cretins who have neither standards nor civility.
Those who equate quality with professionalism seem not to appreciate the efforts of many volunteer readers who are GREAT. Too bad for potential readers. They will not be guided to this LibriVox Volunteer recording ........ http://www.archive.org/details/shsof .... as being of higher quality than this piece.

I will continue to write my reasoned, differentiating reviews, and remain civil about it, for the sake of those who do care for reasoned, differentiating commentary. I am not alone in this (@stbalbach and others). Listeners will learn who we are and then will read or skip at their pleasure.

Did you find Gresham’s law?
***********************************************
My standards (mine because this is my review, so don’t argue) help guide potential listeners and help some readers. A great reader can, and does, well convey the art, era and atmosphere the original author intended. So, a 5 star performance necessarily involves (as in all movies, stage and radio plays) appropriate self-casting, meaning (1) accent, sex and age of the reader appropriately matched, as the author would have, to the narrator or main character; (2) reading style suited to the piece being read; and (3) appropriate preparation by the reader in rehearsal, tempo, emphasis and pronunciation.

Now to apply my personal standards…

“Minus two stars” here for inappropriate casting in EVERY story. This isn’t personal; it’s a review of listenability compared to the quality a reading could be. The author’s cast is primarily British and male. We here six-times have American females (stories 2,3,5,8,10,12) and once (11) a Nordic female; the other 4 are American males.

Otherwise the readers’ quality does rank “OK” (3 stars) for talent, recording quality and enjoyability. 3-2=1, my rank of this piece. That’s not an insult; it means the bottom fifth of all readings. 1/5 of all readings must be in the bottom fifth, no?

Reviewer: jxchristopher - - June 27, 2010
Subject: Different strokes for different folks
Yes, 5 stars. Why? Because the stories are truly classics and I do give stars for effort.

If you're looking for professional readings with accent- and sex-matching performances, this may not be your cup of tea.

If you're looking for free, public domain recordings of Doyle's wonderful adventures, lovingly offered by amateur, volunteer readers, this is a worthy example of many such by LibriVox.

What a wonderful time to be alive. To each according to his likes...

Reviewer: Nicholas19 - - June 22, 2010
Subject: Anyone can volunteer...
@Sorker, for your information, RuthieG (a British volunteer) is currently making a solo version of this same book, so if you don't like this recording, I'd suggest you listen to that version when it is completed.

You wrote: "The self-casting structure of LibriVox requires more, not less, self-discipline in making appropriate decisions. I expect any performance (movie, PBS, radio play or LibriVox) of this book to cast British males to perform the roles of British male characters, such as narrator Doctor Watson."

This is not how LibriVox works at all. Many projects are solos, so obviously a woman could end up reading male parts and a man could end up reading female parts. Everyone is welcome to volunteer and we don't discriminate based on accent, reading style or national origin.

As already mentioned, if you don't like something in the LibriVox catalogue, you're welcome to record your own version. All these books are made by volunteers and are available for free, so I suggest you understand the time and effort that is put into making these audiobooks. Nothing can be achieved by saying LibriVox volunteers should have done this or that. This recording is completed and we accept multiple versions, so if you don't like it, listen to another version or make your own. Everything depends on personal initiative. LibriVox volunteers don't have to live up to anyone's personal preferences.

Reviewer: LeGrande - - June 8, 2010
Subject: Perhaps instead of complaining ...
... why not make your own recording for Librivox? If you believe you can do better, then I'm sure the people at Librivox would appreciate your contribution. "The Red-Headed League" is well-read, no pun intended. I'd normally rank this 4 stars, but I'm ranking it higher to pull up the average because one subpar reading (which isn't THAT subpar, it's just not acted like you imagine many Holmes recordings) shouldn't curse the entire collection.

Reviewer: L. A. - - March 11, 2010
Subject: The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
Regarding the previous reviews: each adventure is read by a different person. If you don't care for one, you might like the others.

Reviewer: RAHEEBI - - March 1, 2010
Subject: Worst audio book ever
I've listened to many, and the production and performace on these is without a doubt the worst I've ever heard. You will not make it through a few minutes, avoid.

Reviewer: lovehaight - - December 31, 2009
Subject: Crap
the reader should be shot...unlistenable

Reviewer: jjbrubaker - - September 23, 2009
Subject: Librivox Sherlock Holmes
Poorly read, no atmoshere. can't listen to it.

Reviewer: tinamcsag - - May 6, 2009
Subject: The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
Poorly read. Too hard to listen to.

Reviewer: der kitty cat - - November 12, 2007
Subject: The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
Extremely stilted reading and impossible to listen to.

Reviewer: derst - - August 1, 2007
Subject: The best compilaton
of Sherlock Holmes on the IA. A great job, well acted and painted.

Reviewer: psyche_65 - - July 19, 2007
Subject: the adventure of sherlock holmes
sherlock holmes