War Horse

By: Michael Morpurgo

Narrated by: John Keating

Length: 4 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's summary

In 1914, a beautiful foal with a distinctive cross on his nose is sold to the Army and thrust into the midst of the war on the Western front. But his heart aches for Albert, the farmer's son he left behind. Will he ever see his true master again?

©1987 Michael Morpurgo (P)2010 Scholastic Audio

Not what I expected

What made the experience of listening to War Horse the most enjoyable?

I wanted to read the book prior to see ing the movie and this was a quick way for me to do that as I was going on a trip.

What did you like best about this story?

I liked that the main character was so changed that neither he nor Albert recognized one another.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

I'm not sure I appreciated the narrator. He did not give the horse any maturity as the story progresses. Joey sounds immature from start to finish.

Any additional comments?

Great use of language and vivid description. A little too sentimental and melodramatic.

Great listening

The book, play, and movie tell the story from different views. I think the book is best.

Great book easy to follow I love the point of view

aA great book it was very easy to follow I love the point-of-view of view from the character the story is paced that it will keep you in thrall untill the very of the story

details

Would you try another book from Michael Morpurgo and/or John Keating?

This story was interesting to a point, but so much was missing from the description that I couldn't tell the real setting. I'm sure the movie made it thrilling, but I found the story boring and predictable.

Answers all of the questions

The book is even better than the movie and that’s saying a lot considering the movie is great. Interesting that in the book, the horse is the narrator since the story is from his point of view this makes sense and obviously would not work in a movie.

Possible Spoiler Alerts:

With that said, I love how the book answered all of the questions I had after watching the movie such as:

Unlike the movie, the father was supposed to buy a cow instead.

I hate the name of the horse, until I read that it was named Joey b/c the kid already had a horse named Zooey.

In the book, there is no mention of the father drinking because he went to war and they never had a war badge of honor that was carried around as it was throughout the movie.

Two German kids who abandoned the war because of a promise to their mother, weren’t in the book at all.

And after watching the movie, I was wondering why the Grandfather looked different at the end and in the book, it states that he looked different because it was supposed to be years later.

A good story for boys (and many girls, too.)

Would you listen to War Horse again? Why?

Yes, especially if my grandson was with me. He loves audible, and I got it to listen with him if I found it suitable. I most certainly did.

What was one of the most memorable moments of War Horse?

I think the love of many for the horse, and the faith of his young owner that he would find his horse friend again.

Which character – as performed by John Keating – was your favorite?

I happen to love Keating, and that influenced my purchase. He narrated the story from the horse's viewpoint very well.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

It's not very long, so yes, I did.

Any additional comments?

I have not seen the film, but think lots of 10-13 year old boys who are a bit reluctant to read would enjoy this.

Great read/listen

Taken very well from a horses perspective if that could truly be captured. Highly recommended

I really enjoyed listening to this book.

What did you like best about this story?

I loved the bond everyone shared with this horse and other horses as well. I was proud of the compassion man had for these animals during such a daunting time.

Love horses? Interested in WW l? Read this.

A very good story depicting the real possibilities re the relationship of man with the horse. Proven from earlier times in history, the horse once again, like the dog and the dolphin, shows its capability for loyalty, trust, and care with mankind. In addition, the story is set during World War I and offers a horrifying view of modern fighting methods meeting outdated methods.

Can't wait to see the Movie!

The story is wonderful. The reading however lacked animation and was a bit matter of fact. I can't wait to see what Steven Spielberg does with it. I know it is going to be a masterpiece!