The Kraken Wakes

By: John Wyndham

Narrated by: John Sackville

Length: 7 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's summary

Ships are sinking for no apparent reason, carrying hundreds to a dark underwater grave. Strange fireballs race through the sky above the deepest trenches of the oceans. Something is about to show itself, something terrible and alien, a force capable of causing global catastrophe.

©1953 John Wyndham (P)2022 Audible, Ltd

Fun read!

I really enjoyed this book. Very unique story . Good sci-fi. Would make a good movie

Felt Fully Immersed

Really unique story that follows the buildup of a global catastrophe and what communication would become as things got worse. The main characters felt lively and the narration performance is top notch. Really enjoyed the angle of following the characters who were engaged in media and documenting. Hits my cup of tea of sci-fi.

Great story

Such a great story and a solid performance by the narrator.
Would make a great movie!

Story resonates today - chilling and brilliant

The story is one of its time and of our time. In the 1950s a fear of nuclear war ending civilization was often channeled into invasion dramas - and in this original story the attack starts from outer space and continues from below the waves. The difficulty of discovery, and people’s skepticism and denial resonate with climate change today. The science of the story still feels modern even if the communications and social networking rely on analogue radio and numerous dinner parties. The political divisions of the world distracting from a unified response to an existential threat are familiar and regrettable. The most chilling episodes include London overflowing with icy water as sea levels rise, and the gradual retreat and unraveling of the social order. Some historical quirks to enjoy are how thoroughly untechnical most of the people are in the discussions. In the intervening years, we all know what ultrasonic waves are, for example, although at the time they were relatively obscure military technology. And there is a peculiar sentiment about the quality of technology and construction from Asia compared to that from the West, although this is introduced early on only to be contradicted by the end of the book. Having read this in the 1970s and hearing it in this laudable performance today, it focuses perhaps a little too much on the media response to such a crisis and the ending, while clever, is slightly unsatisfying. However it is still a masterpiece, on a par with his other works and one that future generations may see as even more prophetic.

The performance is very good with excellent feeling and clearly recognizable vocalization of the different characters. (There is an unfortunate lapse in pronouncing latitude and longitude as degrees and feet rather than degrees minutes and seconds mentioned only since it might be worth a quick edit to fix it.)

1953 speaks to the present

I expected a Kraken —and would have been satisfied with a Kraken. But Wyndham’s enemy is more subtle and terrifying. His words, “Don’t you sometimes wish that you were born into the Age of Reason, instead of into the age of ostensible reason?” echo down through the decades. It’s a great story, read beautifully.

WHAT is this? Seriously!!!!!!

I have ABSOLUTELY no idea what’s going on in the story! This is my second time trying to listen, and it is so boring that I am drifting off. How did it get such high reviews?? I am pitching this book into the files that I’m never reading again. if there was something exciting that happened, I’m not sticking around to find out. Two hours in, and NOTHING!!!

There is slow burn...

There is slow burn but this is NO burn. I llistened for over 1.5 hours and nothing happened. Oh yeah, some people saw red lights in the sky...HOW EXCITING, NOT! I give up. I am returning it. I have NO idea how it got such good ratings!?!
Really disappionted.