Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #115856 in Books
• Published on: 2003-11
• Original language: Spanish
• Number of items: 8
• Binding: Audio CD

Customer Reviews

Harry Potter y la piedra audio CD
The quality of the CD production is fine. My only complaint is the narrator tries to imitate the voice of the many different characters in ways that would (probably) be entertaining to elementary school age children. Since I am an adult listening to these CDs to improve my spoken Spanish comprehension, the exaggerated voice styles are not so amusing. On the other hand, the audio exactly duplicates the Spanish version of the book, so it's quite handy for reading a chapter and then listening to it. All in all, I'll buy the same versions of the sequels when they become available.

Superb audio, excellent translation
There has been some dispute about the quality of the translation of this edition, as well as about the quality of the reading aloud. Having listened to most of it countless times and played portions of it for several spanish speakers, including two teachers who are native speakers from Venezuela, I can attest with, I think, some authority that both the translation and the spoken quality are excellent.

The character voices, in my opinion, are wonderful for both children and adults. I'm amazed and impressed that the reader was able to come up with such a convincing variety of different voices, including wonderful voices for Harry, Uncle Vernon, the Brazilian boa constrictor, McGonagall, Dumbledore, Hagrid, Madam Hooch, Snape and others.

This set of CDs is a delight. I can't get enough of it. Listening to it -- over and over and over, along with the Spanish text, the English text, and a Spanish-English dictionary -- has improved my own Spanish skills immeasurably.

Lest you think this review might be a "shill" effort, I hasten to add that I have no connection with the author, the translator, the publishers, or the out-loud-reader.

But, like the Dursleys, I do have a secret: I'm a big fan of the whole Harry Potter series in the original English text.

By the way, for reading in English I recommend the original ENGLISH edition, not the altered American edition. Even the title "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" makes more sense: finding a Philosopher's Stone was the traditional goal of medieval alchemists, one of whom was named Nicholas Flamel (!)

Good for practising Spanish
This is a really good way to get used to the sound of the Spanish language, with a story you already know. It literally reads out what is in the book (apart from one little sentence somewhere, funnily). Would definitely get 5 stars if the reader would be Spanish, not South American. For European ears it just sounds a bit odd, and it's a shame there's no "Spanish Spanish" edition. Still definitely worth buying!