Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

Mac Write · Jul 19, 2007, 05:07 AM

Why doesn't the Canadian version of Harry Potter audiobooks the Stephen Fry version, but the Jim Dale version. I know us Canadians get the British book version. Is the Audio version the american version? I am going to get the 7th book on Audio CD. This is my first time getting the audio CD.

red rocket · Jul 19, 2007, 05:46 AM

Originally Posted by Mac Write

Why doesn't the Canadian version of Harry Potter audiobooks the Stephen Fry version, but the Jim Dale version.

Maybe Stephen Fry isn't licensed for Canada?

Is the Audio version the american version?

If it's read by Jim Dale, obviously yes.

I am going to get the 7th book on Audio CD. This is my first time getting the audio CD.

Suggestion: You are going to prefer one version over the other. If I were you, I'd buy both versions, and keep the one I like.

amazing · Jul 19, 2007, 09:58 AM

Jim Dale is an absolutely fantastic reader: The range of voices and accents is totally incredible. Haven't heard the British version with Stephen Fry, but I'd sure love to compare the versions. Here's a NY Times story (may have to register with the site but it's free)

"For his work on the “Harry Potter” series, Mr. Dale has won a Grammy Award and holds the record for creating the most voices in an audiobook in the Guinness Book of World Records."
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/17/books/17dale.html

So far I've listened to some of the French and German audiobooks. The French reader is absolutely horrible and should have been fired long ago. His voices massacre the characters. He does Ron with a lisp, which would be OK for Neville (even though that interpretation isn't in the books) but is the totally wrong character interpretation for Ron. His Hagrid and Dumbledore voices are also way, way off. The German reader is decent.

All this to say that a bad reader can totally destroy even a brilliant book.

Mac Write · Jul 19, 2007, 04:38 PM

It's not how good he is, but which version of the book (in Canada) he is reading. The American version is dumbed down like "Toilet" instead of "Water-closet" etc. The Canadian edition of Harry Potter book series is the UK version with the nice UK art-work and written directly from J.K. Rowling un-like the American version that was re-written so that americans can understand the book. One example is the first book movie. The UK/Canadian versions had it as Philosophers Stone while the dumbed down American version is Sorcerers Stone. I also will be getting it via iTunes, so I can't get the UK version.

Also the Stephen Fry version isn't available in Canada as a CD.

Does anyone know if the Audiobooks will be on iTunes on Saturday?

red rocket · Jul 20, 2007, 03:29 AM

Originally Posted by MacWrite

It's not how good he is, but which version of the book (in Canada) he is reading. The American version is dumbed down like "Toilet" instead of "Water-closet" etc.

I would assume he's reading the US version. Doesn't seem to make a lot of commercial sense for the publishers to be paying the guy for doing two different readings, even if it's only partial substitutions.

Also the Stephen Fry version isn't available in Canada as a CD.

Couldn't you order it from amazon.co.uk?

Mac Write · Jul 20, 2007, 04:03 AM

Expensive to ship over seas.

Mac Write · Jul 20, 2007, 04:03 AM

Expensive to ship from Over-seas (I did a quote and it said £39, but I have a feeling it's going to be more then £7 to ship it to Canada).

Atheist · Jul 20, 2007, 06:36 AM

Originally Posted by Mac Write

It's not how good he is, but which version of the book (in Canada) he is reading. The American version is dumbed down like "Toilet" instead of "Water-closet" etc. The Canadian edition of Harry Potter book series is the UK version with the nice UK art-work and written directly from J.K. Rowling un-like the American version that was re-written so that americans can understand the book. One example is the first book movie. The UK/Canadian versions had it as Philosophers Stone while the dumbed down American version is Sorcerers Stone. I also will be getting it via iTunes, so I can't get the UK version.

Also the Stephen Fry version isn't available in Canada as a CD.

Does anyone know if the Audiobooks will be on iTunes on Saturday?

It's a shame your senses are offended by the use of American English in the Jim Dale readings. They add a life and dimension to the books that I doubt any other reader can accomplish.

sdwillie · Jul 25, 2007, 06:26 PM

Originally Posted by Mac Write

It's not how good he is, but which version of the book (in Canada) he is reading. The American version is dumbed down like "Toilet" instead of "Water-closet" etc. The Canadian edition of Harry Potter book series is the UK version with the nice UK art-work and written directly from J.K. Rowling un-like the American version that was re-written so that americans can understand the book. One example is the first book movie. The UK/Canadian versions had it as Philosophers Stone while the dumbed down American version is Sorcerers Stone. I also will be getting it via iTunes, so I can't get the UK version.

Also the Stephen Fry version isn't available in Canada as a CD.

Does anyone know if the Audiobooks will be on iTunes on Saturday?

Not the same issue, but I have another question, eh. When will the dumbed down Canadian version be available on iTunes, eh?

Chuckit · Jul 25, 2007, 07:05 PM

There weren't many changes in the American version of book 7, as far as I can tell. They left in "boot" and "pants" (in what I assume to be the British sense of underwear), which mean completely different things to Americans.