Arabian Nights: Volume 2

by Marty Ross (Adapter), David Ahmad (Narrator), Raghad Chaar (Narrator)

This multicast dramatisation of Arabian Nights: Volume 2 is an Audible Original reenvisioning of the iconic tale of Sinbad the Sailor - with a twist.

Adapted by Marty Ross, whose previous audio dramas include Romeo and Jude, Doctor Who, Treasure Island and Arabian Nights: Volume 1, listeners can expect to hear Sinbad the Sailor as they've never done before.

In volume 2 of Arabian Nights we return to Sultan Shahriyar’s palace, where Scheherezade is using her spellbinding storytelling abilities to save both her and her sister’s lives. As much as the Sultan wants to kill her, each night he is drawn in by her tales and spares them. Scheherezade weaves a long, winding and exciting tale about Sinbad the Sailor, a reckless young man who has inherited his father’s wealth and spends it foolishly. His debts eventually force him to leave Baghdad and find his way alone. However, his journey quickly takes a turn when he is led to sea by a mysterious woman dressed in blue, which begins his long and dramatic adventures at sea.

Starring Abraham Popoola, Adam Sina, Akin Gazi, Alyssa Kyria, Anoushka Rava, Aso Sherabayani, Bamshad Abedi-Amin, Daniel Naddafy, David Ahmad, Firdous Bamji, Gisele Payvandi, Hakan Silahsiz Hemi Yeroham, Ian Abeysekera Jonathan Morrison, Josh Zare Karim Kronfli, Mandana Jones Nezar Alderazi, Raghad Chaar Richard Reed, Sammy Broly, Tara Jaffar and Walles Hamonde.

[Please note this drama contains some explicit content.]

Genres: Fantasy, Classics, Audiobook, Fiction, Mythology, Retellings, Middle East

1 pages, Audible Audio

First published December 18, 2018

Reviews

[Crystal Swafford · Rating 2 out of 5]

The performance was excellent. The story was a bit choppier than the first, just not flowing as well in general. I wanted to like this as much as volume 1 but I really think the first was notably better.

[Cori · Rating 2 out of 5]

The voice actors do an excellent job, but the sound editing is pretty rough. The sound would go in spurts where I could barely hear the speakers and then blast out my eardrums so turning the volume up and down was not helpful.

I'd rate this an R for sexual content, very minor swearing, and other adult content.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

The second (of, currently, two) of Audible's Arabian Nights series, this is again framed - as the original tales are - as Scheherazade telling her Sultan increasingly fantastical tales so he will not kill her, and so that she will live another night.

This time around, the tales are all of Sinbad the Sailor and his many adventures, although I'm pretty sure that these are told in a different order than they usually, and with a different way of linking each tale rather than Sinbad going back to land, getting bored, and heading off on a new voyage.

You may note I said earlier of, currently, two - this is left open for a sequel: I must admit, also, to be surprised at the rather abrupt ending of the audiobook!

[Disco Foxx · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall great, however the glorification of toxic masculinity leaves bitter taste

I really like the way the stories were told. What I dislike is the toxic masculinity of the figure of the Sultan around whose character the plot is set. Fortunately, there are also other male characters not exhibiting this toxic masculinity. Although, the Sultan is a main character. It falls upon the main female character, the story teller Scheherazade to aid in his reformation, while she is also his victim. He rapes her and hold her hostage. This is very problematic. And the book glorifies this by implying that Scheherazade wants to save him. :$ I didn’t think about this when I wrote my first review (of volume 1). Perhaps because toxic masculinity is so naturalized both in the story and in society.

Despite this I think this production, this audiobook, is engaging very well done, which is why I chose this rating.. I also think these stories should be better contextualized through an introduction, which also is self critical about the harm in the narrative’s discourse. The audiobook listened to by a reader who remains critical. And through an introduction is also prompted to do so. Furthermore, the question of rewriting these old stories, in which domination of any kind is glorified and naturalized needs to be asked. Personally, I think this should be rewritten, nothing in life is static. Not that toxic masculinity by people in power does not happen, but rewritten in a way that critiques it; and makes clear that Scheherazade is a victim and what she shares with the Sultan is toxic noting to aspire to.

[Pariskarol · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like it but ...

I'm a huge fan of A Thousand Nights and a Night and fascinated by the many ways the collection of tales has been interpreted over time for an English-speaking audience in Europe or the US.

I was so excited to listen to some of the tales radio-theater style, and Volume ONE did not disappoint. It was a joy.

And I really wanted to enjoy Volume Two as well, but unfortunately, V2 was mostly annoying in every way except the script, which was masterful. However, most of the acting, the accents, and the sound effects were just grating, and I only made it through to the end out of sheer determination.

I feel like V1 benefited from directing and editing to give a polish. But V2 was left unpolished like a rough draft. So many unfortunate choices. At least two of the actors were sadly in need of some notes.

[Christopher Li · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too much sex in this audiobook, the second volume is just a combination of all the 7 voyages of sinbad in sir richard buston's "the book of a thousand nights and a night." all the voyages were into one, and its hard to get a full sense and experience of each individual voyage, the lessons, the characters are not as fleshed out.

The first volume of this series is better. The tale of alibabba with his greedy brother casiim, and the faithful and strong marwana(wrong spelling?). The tale of badr basm and princess johara were also captivating, but this account of sinbad's adventures just didn't do it.

[Alex Pyatetsky · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting & well-performed, but probably not the best compilation of these stories.

Also, the individual stories, despite being classics aren't that great.
They do reveal a lot about the origins of a lot of modern mythology, but I wouldn't consider them incredible stories.

Also, arguably the first feminist work? With the amount of misogyny the book calls out (you know, like valuing women based on their virginity), the fact that the main protagonist is a woman who out-smarts a sultan gives some degree of comfort.

To be clear, I do recommend reading Arabian Nights, for historical context if nothing else, but I'd look for a more complete compilation.

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just finished listening to Volume 2.

This volume entirely covered Sinbad, and both the narrative and voice acting was great once again. However, I viewed the narrative as much more fantasy based as compared to those stories covered in Volume I.

I did not like as much the 'meta' narrative of Scheherezade and her family. It was great to see them take a larger role, but I really did not like how 'simple' the ending was. This was fortunately however just a very short portion of the story.

[Kara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This section of the Arabian Nights retelling focuses just on some of the adventures of Sinbad, and the usual story is cranked up to a gruesome 11 of all the monsters and misadventures he stumbles through

Meanwhile, the Sultan continues to grow impatient that the story hasn't ended so he can chop off his wife's head already. This volume ends on an expected cliffhanger of a kind I have never seen in any other Arabian Nights story. Interesting...

[Sainabou · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've had a copy of Arabian Nights in my possession for years and have never read it but now i think i will.

I sincerely enjoyed this audiobook, it felt like I was listening to a play and I was just siting and watching them act. very beautiful stuff.

I hope we get a volume three as i do want to know what happens to Scherezade and her family and how it all gets resolved :)

[Augustinas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Look for other versions, impossible to understand what is happening - you hear people hiperventilating and no other information, are they rowing, fornicating, fighting? It's more of a theater where it is assumed that listener can also see, which is not the case with audiobook. Simbad story is all action, no plot or dialogs, so it's terrible implementation.

[Lunatica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely entertaining in the beginning. However, I did not like the abrupt end when I cannot find the next part. I want to know how Shahrazaad saves herself.
The story of Simbad again had similar audio problem and also got a bit boring with repetition of creatures/man trying to kill him.

I preferred the first part, specially Alibaba's story to this.

Performance: 3/5
Audiobook Content: 3/5

[Katherine R · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hope there is another installment. I've now heard two different endings to this story and I'm curious if this is the ending or more is to come. The ending does fit the narration style though so perhaps not. Either way, well done and left me wanting more.

[Hayley · Rating 2 out of 5]

I bought both Volume 1 and 2 of this at the same time because I was pretty sure I would enjoy it, but it ended up not being great. Part 1 was okay. Part 2 was pretty dull, in all honesty. The voice actors do a decent job but I just didn't care for the story.

[Sophie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was just the tale of Sinbad, and whilst it was okay, I was hoping for a variety of stories. I'm disappointed that there is not a volume 3 because not all the stories were told. This feels incomplete.

[Hilal Tunçkol · Rating 2 out of 5]

I expected to enjoy this book more, considering I liked the first volume and the adventures of Sinbad are supposed to be fast-paced and immersive, as far as I know. That said, something went wrong with this one; the main story of Shahrzad and her husband felt kind of stilted and the narration and the production didn't feel as well done in this one, so... 2 stars.

[Praise]

I simply couldn't care enough, which is a pity because I loved the first volume.

The main characters, Shahryar and Scheherazade, were completely sidetracked, and they didn't appear for so long which doesn't make sense at all.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The audio productions are amazingly well crafted. The stories are good, but the second wasn’t as good as the first volume.

[Jocelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not as good as the first one, but still good.

[Tory Thai · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as engaging as the first in the series.
Maybe I'm just starting to feel the age of these stories.

[Moud Barthez · Rating 3 out of 5]

The audiobook is great! The cast was wonderful.
But still part one was way better

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This volume went into more of the lesser known tales.

[Vin Vineeta · Rating 2 out of 5]

Story didn't really flow and the voice acting of half the male characters was pure torture like listening to teenage boys going through their cracked voice phase screaming a LOT.

[Cameron Krogh Stone · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining spin on the Sinbad story, yet with too much messy commotion at points which get one lost and disinterested.

[Poornima Jha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Volume 1 was the best. This volume had less of gravitas and more of fantasy.

[Eugenia]

see review for volume 1

[o n o · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shit got a bit gnarly in this installation with visceral sound effects to match

[Dylan Cree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wish there was a volume 3, story's not complete

[Richard Mulholland · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the first, but this felt like a bad kid's cartoon without the pictures.

[Kristina · Rating 3 out of 5]

continuation of volume 1