The October Country

By: Ray Bradbury

Narrated by: David Aaron Baker

Haunting, harrowing, and downright horrifying, this classic collection from the modern master of the fantastic features:

• "The Small Assassin": a fine, healthy baby boy was the new mother's dream come true - or her nightmare....
• "The Emissary": the faithful dog was the sick boy's only connection with the world outside - and beyond....
• "The Wonderful Death of Dudley Stone": a most remarkable case of murder - the deceased was delighted!
• And more!

©1943 1944, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1954, 1955 by Ray Bradbury / Introduction ©1999 by Ray Bradbury (P)2018 Recorded Books

just like going home and being embraced by Autumn!

This is a MUST read for anybody who enjoys reading in general. Dont go your whole life without getting into it with Bradbury. that would be a mistake.

Dark and Haunting

One of my goals is to read or listen to everything Ray Bradbury has written, so I decided what better time than to listen to The October Country to celebrate the season. Although, this collection isn't warm and fuzzy fall fodder to curl up in front of the fireplace with a hot cider. Bradbury wrote most of these short stories in the 1940s & 50s, post-war era, which were initially published in magazines and periodicals as diverse as Weird Tales, Beyond Fantasy, and Mademoiselle, and Harper's. However, this dark and haunting collection of short stories is timeless, as are the themes of self-doubt, loneliness, and death Bradbury explores in these disturbing tales. A few stories stood out to me, including 'The Next In Line,' which was somewhat gruesome and terrifying. 'The Small Assassin' was particularly disturbing considering the subject matter. 'The Emissary' was a great one for Halloween! 'The Wind' and 'The Homecoming' struck me as sad stories.

David Aaron Baker does an excellent job with the narration. I listened to this collection over a few days, and one criticism is that the tone of the narration is too similar from one story to the other. 4.5 Stars

Some of these stories are great, some are not.

Ray Bradbury is a fantastic writer, each of these stories is beautifully told and performed excellently by David Aaron Baker. The problem is, as beautiful as these stories are told, some of them are so similar to one another that it becomes a little tedious to hear them out. More than one story follows the path of "person obsesses over something that becomes their undoing". It's not enough to make me dislike the whole experience, the solid stories inside are that good and worth it, but it did make it a little boring to listen to from time to time to have to slug through another tale about a person undoing themself with irrational thinking. Overall, I'm glad I listened. It was a good experience, but not a must-read.

Not Bradbury's best

Compared to his really great works, this collection is only mediocre. Many authors would be glad to write something this good, but from Bradbury I expect more than this.

A masterpiece of storyteling and voice acting

Really, this one is incredible. I wasn't sold on the narrator at first, I had listened to another book with a deep voiced narrator beforehand and questioned this one, but his voice acting is impeccable! 12/10!

Enjoyable

The narrator is very good. I enjoyed most of the stories. A nice read for the month of October if you are into some seasonal reading.

Not bad

My first Bradbury besides his classic. Not a bad introduction into his suspense writing
L

Great writer

Some stories are too sad but the book is a great collection of autumnal reflections about time and death and why repression is the gold standard for creepy stories. Still I can’t believe how long ago it was written when certain years are mentioned. I will reread this book and listen to the stories over again.

It's Bradbury

Classic Bradbury . These stories show why he was a master of the short story. The characters are interesting and have their own desires and motives .

So Many Midnights and Ideas and Insanities

I’m so glad Bradbury’s The October Country is finally out in audio. This is one of my favorite collections by him, and it’s a treat to be able to hear it. There are so many fantastic stories within this collection that stand the test of time — from “The Dwarf” to “The Next in Line” Bradbury’s talent for mood and atmosphere have never been more apparent. I first read this collection years before so couldn’t remember the details of all the stories. “The Scythe” in particular surprised me in all the right ways and had a stunning narration by David Aaron Baker. Finally, of course, there’s the sublime melancholy heartbreak of “Homecoming” — one of my favorite Bradbury stories.

The October Country is a delightful listen to make Autumn anytime of the year.