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Red Dwarf: Better Than Life
- Narrated by: Chris Barrie
- Series: Red Dwarf, Book 2
- Length: 6 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Categories: Science Fiction & Fantasy, Science Fiction
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Summary
Red Dwarf - Better Than Life is the second and final instalment of this hilarious sci-fi comedy.
Narrated by Chris "Rimmer" Barrie, Better Than Life finds the crew trapped in a mind-boggling computer game that is threatening their lives and safety of the ship. One by one, they enter the game to rescue each other - and one by one, they become trapped! Holly will have to use his mega brain to solve this one.
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What listeners say about Red Dwarf: Better Than Life
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall
- Christopher Wilton
- 05-01-11
Excellent Sci-Fi, but...
if you go into these books expecting something to match the TV series you will be sadly disappointed. Instead clear your mind of any preconceptions about Red Dwarf and approach this book as pure sci-fi. You'll find it fascinating, imaginative and not without its humorous moments. But don't expect the series to translate into prose literature, it just doesn't work like that. Instead treat the literary Dwarf as a continuum unto itself and you'll find it amazing, especially when read by the multi-talented Chris Barrie.
33 people found this helpful
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- janet
- 15-11-11
Very funny.
What a brilliant book. Despite stealing some of the jokes and plotlines from the TV series, it really feels quite original. The darker take on Better Than Life is the highlight of the book, especially when it concerns Rimmer.
Since this is the novel Red Dwarf universe, some of your expectations will be broken, as Rob and Doug really mix things up. It is much darker in tone than the series on a whole, alterted characterisation and twists may take you by suprise.
The main reason to download this is just to hear Chris Barrie. The man is a genius. You'll sometimes forget it's him, and become convinced Craig Charles and Robert Llewellyn have joined in the reading.
All in all, very funny, and well worth a download. Great follow up to Infinity Welcomes Careful Drivers, would love to see Backwards and The Last Human added to the site soon!
27 people found this helpful
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- Sally R
- 11-02-16
love it, Chris Barrie is brilliant
just looking for more but I don't think they did any. Really enjoyed this book and the first, good choice for any dwarfers out there.
5 people found this helpful
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- Ara
- 31-03-15
A book of two halves
The story picks up in Better Than Life, which I'd felt had been adequately in the first book. I wanted to be back on Red Dwarf, but had to spend time listening to the continuation of the BTL story- it's not all bad, but I got rather tired of it. When the crew finally get out of BTL, the story becomes much more interesting: full of imaginative storylines, many of which are covered in the TV series in some form. A really enjoyable second half, with a very moving ending with a real lack of cynicism- which I sometimes thought the TV series needed more of, hugely enjoyable though it was. Expertly read again by Chris Barrie- such a talented performer- I wish he was given more breaks on TV. Thoroughly recommended for anyone who enjoyed the TV series.
5 people found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 07-09-17
Shame about the jingle interruptions
The theme seems to play at the start and end of each chapter, so it gets repeated if listen straight through. Otherwise great production.
4 people found this helpful
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Overall
- Howard
- 23-12-12
OK for fans
Chris Barrie's reading makes this a great book. He brings authenticity to the characters. So we keep all the personality that we know from the TV cast whilst bring a whole new feel to it as coming from rimmers view.
The story is not as good as the first book but the reading and chaacters make up for this.
A must have for all "Dwarf" fans
3 people found this helpful
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- PB
- 07-03-18
Annoying smegging music
Like a stupid DVD box set, you're subjected to the red dwarf music at the start and end of each chapter. I don't hate the music but don't want to hear it in an audio book. I don't want any music in any audio book. Why do it? Why ruin a perfectly good story with a crappy interlude, it's not as if you're going to take the opportunity to quickly dash out and buy one of those stupid potted ice creams. Pointless.
5 people found this helpful
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- Justin
- 07-09-16
Annoying soundtrack
I love this book. And Chris Barrie's performance is great but they've put the red dwarf theme music between chapter breaks. Quite often it plays twice. And more often than not its the full version and it gets incredibly annoying. You can't even skip over it.
2 people found this helpful
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- BFG
- 02-03-16
Funny and well read by Chris Barrie
Chris adds his own charm and great mimicry to the voices and sound affects that make this enjoyable to both new and avid Red Dwarf fans.
2 people found this helpful
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- Diluare
- 04-02-16
Brilliant
I can't wait for the next installment, this was brilliantly read and different from the television series.
2 people found this helpful
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- Richard P. Morris
- 14-07-16
Would give 11 stars for this performance!
Chris Barrie's performance is among the best I have heard. Hilarious and touching, a tour-de-force!
4 people found this helpful
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- Matthew Trotter
- 06-07-16
Chris Barrie, need I say more?
The story is good, but the narration is spectacular. Chris does very good voices for the whole crew, don't miss this one.
4 people found this helpful
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- Chani B Ferens
- 10-07-15
Great!
Chris Barrie was perfect. He brought it all to life. Wish there were 10 more!
3 people found this helpful
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- funkevin
- 26-04-11
As much fun as I remember it
I watched the TV show years ago and my recollection of the plot has faded significantly. After they solve a problem I usually think "a-ha, I remember now" but fortunately I have forgotten enough that the story seems fresh to me again. It's great hearing the crew again as they revisit their old roles in this dramatized version of the book. If you liked the show then you will enjoy this book - it is the same plot lines as the TV show but it was like putting on a favorite old sweater. It just felt good.
3 people found this helpful
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- Istvan S. Balogh Jr.
- 23-02-17
Where are the other two books in this series!!!
I love the show and I love these two books. I hope that they bring the rest of the books into the Audible.
2 people found this helpful
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- Mandy
- 13-12-18
Great for fans of original series
A good condensed retelling of the BBC series, with Craig Barrie's uncanny impressions of the cast, not to mention is perfect reading of Rimmer.
1 person found this helpful
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- Chad
- 23-04-17
Simply Amazing Sequel Book
Red Dwarf: Better than life
Narration again by Chris Barre Himself who Played Rimmer in the Original BBC TV Show, does an unbelievable job, and despite only him Narrating he does the voices of Holley, Lister, Cat and of Course Rimmer beautifully.
"Red Dwarf" serves as a companion novel to the British science-fiction television series produced by Grant Naylor Productions, by Doug Naylor and Rob Grant.
The plot of the book loosely adapts episodes from the Seasons 3-4 of the BBC Show, and uses the novel format to explore the characters backstory more than they ever could in the half-hour episodes while expanding existing scenes far beyond the means available to them on the television series' budget and runtime.
Red Dwarf Started in 1989 and just finished production on Series XII Releasing in 2017
Fans of the show will enjoy this, though they should read it after watching the series as it contains spoilers, and reenacted scenes from the Show with more details, and it will appeal to those who enjoy similar works such as
"The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"
And "Dr. Who"
Highly, Highly Recommended..
1 person found this helpful
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- Lenina Huxley
- 05-03-22
A Must Listen for Red Dwarf Fans
If you are a fan of the TV series, or just like goofy sci-fi books, you must give this a listen. Chris Barre and the guys bring the story to life. Grant Naylor also nicely expands upon the stories from the show with more background, mayhem and all around silliness.
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- Mary
- 21-01-22
Love Chris Barrie!
Red Dwarf is a perennial favorite. Did not disappoint. Loved it and hope more will come!
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- toffeeCoo
- 03-01-22
Love it
I grew up with this show, was so excited to see the newer episodes, but hadn't had a chance to read the books. Souper happy the whole cast was involved in this and how the story presumably ends lol Rimmers personality as described with inner dialogue made him pretty relatable in a way I hadn't felt before.