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Witches Abroad cover art

Witches Abroad

By: Terry Pratchett
Narrated by: Indira Varma,Peter Serafinowicz,Bill Nighy
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Summary

Brought to you by Penguin.

The audiobook of Witches Abroad is narrated by Indira Varma (Game of Thrones; Luther; This Way Up). BAFTA and Golden Globe award-winning actor Bill Nighy (Love Actually; Pirates of the Caribbean; Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows) reads the footnotes, and Peter Serafinowicz (Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace; Shaun of the Dead) stars as the voice of Death. Featuring a new theme tune composed by James Hannigan.

'You can't go around building a better world for people. Only people can build a better world for people. Otherwise, it's just a cage.'

There's power in stories. The Fairy Godmother is good. The servant girl marries the Prince. Everyone lives happily ever after...don't they?

The witches Granny Weatherwax, Nanny Ogg and Magrat Garlick are travelling to far-distant Genua to stop a wedding and save a kingdom. But how do you fight a happy-ever-after, especially when it comes with glass slippers and a power-hungry Fairy Godmother who has made Destiny an offer it can't refuse?

It's hard to resist a good story, even when the fate of the kingdom depends on it....

Witches Abroad is the third book in the Witches series, but you can listen to the Discworld novels in any order.

The first book in the Discworld series – The Colour of Magic – was published in 1983. Some elements of the Discworld universe may reflect this.

©1991 Dunmanifestin Ltd (P)2022 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"No one mixes the fantastical and mundane to better comic effect or offers sharper insights into the absurdities of modern endeavour." (Daily Mail)  

"One of our greatest fantasists, and beyond a doubt the funniest." (George R.R. Martin)

What listeners love about Witches Abroad

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Worst Narration I have seen in an audible book

I’m not new to this series and it’s one of my favourite Witches book. But the Narration! Oh. My. God. The voice actors couldn’t have got it more wrong. Nanny Ogg sounds like a teenage girl. Magrat sounds like she is bored and has a nose bleed. Brilliant book. Terrible Narration. 3/10 ( for context, one of my fav books, so mad at the voices, at least they had Peter serafinoawicz, the only saviour of this crash ship of a voice acting piece).

8 people found this helpful

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Indira Varma is superb 🙂

Full of good stuff this book. Not my favourite, it's sort of between his really early stuff and his best stuff, but that was one of the joys of reading Pratchett, he just kept getting better. And Indira Varma is marvellous, spot on for all three witches 🙂👍

7 people found this helpful

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Excellent.

This is the first Discworld book to make my cry when I first read it, decades ago. This recaptured that First Read feeling.
But is Death supposed to quite that alluring?
The footnotes feel like Terry is sticking his head around the door to explain and give extra info.
I totally love these new readings.
Brilliantly narrated.
Esme is perfect.

5 people found this helpful

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So much better than the previous version

I've been wanting a new recording of this book for so long. While Nigel Planer did a fantastic Granny (better than Indira), and a pretty good Nanny, the rest of his performance was significantly wanting, and that's where the new version trumps the old one. I never liked his readings of the books and wished we could have all of them done by Stephen Briggs.

Indira is really great, although she wasn't entirely consistent - she got better with the voices as she went along, warming into it. At first, the voices of the characters weren't entirely distinct, but by the end I felt the characterization more strongly..

I agree with what someone else said about the footnotes. I had thought it would be a really good idea to have Bill Nighy read them, but he did not catch TP's lightness of tone. (I don't know why they didn't use the easy expedient of saying "footnote" instead of that weird music). Peter Serafinowicz as Death was marvellous, though.

5 people found this helpful

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So well performed

Terry Pratchett at his absolute best, and brilliantly performed by the whole cast and especially Indira Varma of course. Absolutely loved it. One of those few books you hate to finish.

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Wonderful storytelling

I’m not going to go into a breakdown of plot points, you can discover them yourselves whilst listening to this excellently made audiobook and enjoy all the surprises it has to offer.
Strong voice acting throughout, and really truly enjoyable from start to finish. Now onto Lords and Ladies!

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The excellence continues

I love Terry Pratchetts writing ever since I discovered the original Carpet People story in my school library way back in the 1970's.
Indira Varma narrated Equal Rites perfectly the ist of the Disc World Witches novels. She has a risen to the top of my favourite female voices in Audible. I am glad to see the following Discworld Witches books are also narrated by her.
The story of course is sublime Terry Pratchett.
The 2nd Discworld Witches novel beautifully again narrated by Indira. Pace, execution, perfect representation of Terry Pratchetts writing. What more could you ask for.
Now we have the 3rd Disc World Witches novel...... and the excellence of Indiras narration continues. I wonder if Indira is a Pratchett fan herself as She reads the story and voices the characters SO well. Each character is easily recognised, keeping you immersed, you do not get lost as with some narrators I have listened to.
Marvellous!.

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Brilliant

Absolutely fantastic reading from the narrator, she is sooo good. I have started with Wyrd Witch and worked my way through, this book is by far the best for me. I loved the adventures and the 'stories' love, love love...right next one...

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Amazing

Indira Varma was made to narrate these books. Especially the female voices like in the 10-12 witches novels. I love reading the Discworld series and had to listen to to audiobooks after an accident. Thanks Indira, you have made listening to audiobooks a pleasure.

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Outstanding

Genuinely obsessed with Terry Pratchett (audio)books now! This is my 3rd.
This story is great - little twist & a little turn and the performance is impeccable. I could listen to Indira Varma all day!!

1 person found this helpful

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  • Andrew A. Magness
  • 13-07-22

I miss Death SPEAKING IN ALL CAPS.

Andy Serkis does a good job, but I miss Nigel Planer's version of Death. You could tell he was speaking with the Caps lock on, just the way Death does in the book. Serkis' version of death takes some of the fun out of Death's personality.

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  • Library Teacher
  • 12-05-23

Exquisite Narration

This narrator is absolutely a genius of voice. She has perfectly captured the essence of Terry Pratchett’s characters. The story is wonderful but the audiobook is spectacular.

1 person found this helpful

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  • Amber Gin
  • 25-10-22

Fantastic!!!

I enjoyed every bit of this hilarious, magical story and production. Narrator Indira Varma was just brilliant!

1 person found this helpful

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  • Amanda Cook
  • 17-05-22

The chime before and after each footnote broke the immersion.

And I understand DEATH being voiced by someone else but I feel like a third voice for the footnotes became more of a distraction even though those are parts I usually enjoy.

Indira’s performance however was lovely and her range for characters and accents is delightfully broad.

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  • Alex Sumner
  • 10-05-22

Fabulous!

I read Witches Abroad many years ago and couldn't stop laughing through the book. When I tried the earlier audiobook version I didn't like it because A) it was abridged (why??) and B) the narration was somewhat anemic and, unfortunately, didn't do the story justice.

Witches Abroad is rich and colorful with many laugh out loud moments. Whether it's Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg bickering, Magrat Garlic awkwardly trying to justify wearing pants, instead of a skirt (under Granny Weatherwax's intense, disapproving scrutiny) or Nanny Ogg's one eyed tom cat, Grebo, being turned into a man to attend the masquerade ball, it's highly entertaining.

On top of the fabulous storyline, now, finally, there's this fabulous, unabridged performance that does it justice! Woot! Indira Varma does the lion's share of the narration and what a joy it is to listen to her. She brings the story vividly to life, capturing all the characters attitudes, the ridiculousness of the situations and the irony. Her distinct voices, nuanced delivery and superb comedic timing will have you grinning and laughing out loud throughout the story. I always credited Tim Curry's narration of Mogget (in Garth Nix's Old Kingdom trilogy) with the best personification of what a cat would actually sound like if it could speak, but Indira Varma does a commendable job with Grebo as well.

Bill Nighy narrates the author's dry, witty asides which are sprinkled throughout the storyline to explain any cryptic references and Peter Serafinowicz does a terrific job narrating Death.

If I could give Witches Abroad more stars in the ratings system I would. This version's in the gem category in my audio library, to be listened to with pleasure, again and again.

Well worth the credit.

1 person found this helpful

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  • Bruce Nesset
  • 30-04-22

Great new performance

This performance of Witches Abroad eclipses the much older abridged version. well worth it!

1 person found this helpful

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  • Amazon Customer
  • 21-09-23

Fave Discworld Witches Novel… so far

Love them all, just enjoyed this novel on the witches the most so far. Felt like they were a real trio finally

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  • Kristiina Friman
  • 19-08-23

So good

I love this new recording. One of my favorite books with an excellent reader. I highly recommend this

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  • ColleenBob
  • 19-06-23

Indira Varma gives perfect voice to the Discworld

I have loved all the Discworld books forever. Now I have found a new love...Varma's narration.

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  • Candice Griffin
  • 08-06-23

Pratchett Perfection

I love reading Terry Pratchett and listening to his stories, however Indira Varma is the only narrator I want reading to me from now on. As she reads each character, Ms. Varma is able to infuse their personality and their story. I knew she was a great actor, but her narration blew me away.

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