While far better than the original single reader audiobook (be glad you didn't spend 25 hours listening to THAT) the 2007 version is marred by the bizarre decision to have each reader read a chapter or section rather than have each reader read a character's part throughout the book. Unfortunately, the audio recording does not fulfill expectations. A fully realized and richly detailed alternate universe filled with science, religion and political intrigue. Deservedly hailed as one of the greatest stories ever told, sci-fi or otherwise. One of the all time greats marred by spotty audio I think if you go into this thinking that the story was recorded with an excellent narrator, then the producers went back and 'enhanced' certain scenes for your enjoyment, you will be able to fully appreciate the wonderfulness of this recording. If I had known, going into the recording that it happened this way, I don't think I would have been confused at all.

When I first heard the change between the 'enhanced' scenes and the standard narration, I was a little confused, but I quickly recognized the extra enjoyment I got from these enhanced scenes, and looked at them as a positive factor rather than seeing them as a negative. I was never distracted from the story because of them.

As for the sound effects and the music, I think they all add to the richness of the story. Eventually the enhanced scene ends and the story is passed back to the standard narrator. I think of this as a picture in a book, this enhanced scene has a different set of voices because of the change in actors, but at these times you are also sucked into the story a bit more. The normal narrator goes along telling you the story, and then at times there is an 'enhanced' scene, a scene where the voices are really acted out, usually with several different voice actors. There were some complaints about the changing of accents or voices. WOW!! The narration in this book is always good with segments that are GREAT.

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