High-Rise

By: J. G. Ballard

Narrated by: Tom Hiddleston

Length: 6 hrs and 34 mins

Publisher's summary

From the author of the Sunday Times best seller Cocaine Nights comes an unnerving tale of life in a modern tower block running out of control.

Within the concealing walls of an elegant 40-storey tower block, the affluent tenants are hell-bent on an orgy of destruction. Cocktail parties degenerate into marauding attacks on 'enemy' floors, and the once-luxurious amenities become an arena for riots and technological mayhem.

In this visionary tale of urban disillusionment from the renowned author of Crash and Cocaine Nights, society slips into a violent reverse as the isolated inhabitants of the high-rise, driven by primal urges, recreate a dystopian world ruled by the laws of the jungle.

The audiobook of High Rise arrives as interest in the book and J. G. Ballard's work reaches a new peak. The film adaptation of High Rise, directed by Ben Wheatley (Kill List, Sightseers) will be released in September 2015, starring Tom Hiddleston, Jeremy Irons, Sienna Miller, Luke Evans and Elisabeth Moss.

Tom Hiddleston, who is known to millions worldwide for his role as the evil god Loki in the blockbuster Thor and Avengers movies, has lent his voice to this first UK audiobook adaptation of High Rise, which was published in 1975.

J. G. Ballard was born in 1930 in Shanghai, where his father was a businessman. After internment in a civilian prison camp, he and his family returned to England in 1946. He published his first novel, The Drowned World, in 1961. His 1984 best seller Empire of the Sun won the Guardian Fiction Prize and the James Tait Black Memorial Prize and was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. It was later filmed by Steven Spielberg. Ballard's memoir, Miracles of Life, was published in 2008. J. G. Ballard died in 2009.

©1975 J. G. Ballard (P)2016 Audible, Ltd

Captivating Delivery

Tom Hiddleston’s delivery of the story is simply fantastic. His delivery of the story as well as the way he brings the characters to life is captivating. The story itself is an interesting descent into chaos but I would recommend to anyone purely based on the way Hiddleston delivers the story to its audience.

Not Connected to Characters

I struggled to finish this book because I didn't really care about the characters. I love the narrator, but the narration sounded like a news report on the events. I didn't hate the story and liked the premise. There were moments I was interested.

More Hiddleston narration please

Tom Hiddleston should read everything his voice is exquisite. This book is very entertaining. I hope to hear more books read by Hiddleston in the near future.

Loved it

Excellent narration!! Tom Hiddleston has such a soothing voice!
I felt like I was there

A dystopian bubble

I have listened to this book a few times and it never disappoints. Societal collapse in a microcosm brought about by economic classism and the loss of a few modern comforts.

Dark and thought-provoking

If you want something that is thought provoking and dark this is the novel for you. It's in that dystopian category for a reason. It is not for the faint of heart, or for everyone in general. There are some incredibly disturbing things that happen, but it's to be expected in this genre. Despite the horrors there is a lot to unpack and analyse. I'll be thinking about this book for days.
The narrator is brilliant. I couldn't imagine anyone else in the role.

Tom Hiddleston's gorgeous narration...

This is a very disturbing book, but I enjoy surreal , post apocalyptic stories. TH's beautiful narration was the main reason I enjoyed it though, as the material is so dark and heavy. The novel reminded me A LOT of how weird many people became during the hellish months of lockdown in 2020 and 2021. How prophetic this novel was.

Social Break Down

This book was interesting but disturbing. Social norms and personal values seemed to deteriorate quickly. I could not help but ponder the role that power and privilege played for all within the high rise. It is sad to think about the truth behind humanity.

Class & Society Deconstruction

No evolution of culture can fight entropy, which leads to survival, and then evolution.

A miserable group of characters

There was a lot of miserable people in the book, with few, if any, redeeming qualities. I ended up finishing the book, but I probably won’t listen to it again.