Arabic ‘Harry Potter’ audiobook finally available
Collaboration with Pottermore Publishing signals a growing demand for the spoken format
An Arabic audiobook of ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’, narrated by the voice actor Samaan Ferizali, is out now on audiobook service Storytel, with the remaining six books in the series to follow this year.
For Syrian-born Ferizali, this undertaking was more than just an experiment or a test.
“To be the narrator of ‘Harry Potter’, and the performer of its characters in the Arabic audiobook, it’s a quality move in my profession,” Ferizali, speaking to Gulf News tabloid! ahead of a spirited reading at Kuttab Cafe in Dubai on April 22.
“In the end, I don’t consider it a profession. It’s bigger than that. God-given talent is not something you can call a profession — it’s something I enjoy; just like singing, or drawing,” said Ferizali.
Storytel launched in 2005 and was last year introduced to the UAE to service the Arab world. It holds thousands of audiobooks in various languages, including Arabic and English.
A subscription to Storytel is $9.99 (Dh36.6), with a 14-day free trial available.