Download the Best Full Audiobooks in Fiction, Historical

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Title: The Reverse of the Medal

Subtitle: Aubrey-Maturin Series, Book 11

Author: Patrick O'Brian

Narrator: Ric Jerrom

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 37 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-01-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 23 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Jack Aubrey returns from his duties protecting whalers off South America and is persuaded by a casual acquaintance to make investments in the City on the strength of supposedly certain information. This innocent decision ensnares him in the London criminal underground and in government espionage - the province of his friend Stephen Maturin. Is Aubrey's humiliation and the threatened ruin of his career a deliberate plot?

Members Reviews:

Keep them coming

Another great adaptation of the Aubrey/maturin books. Great credit to Ric Jerrom for bringing the characters to life.being on the next one quick please!

A turning point

I read this in a few days- captivating! So many characters for Jerome to handle and he does so admirably!

Another beautifully crafted story in this saga.

A marvellous window into the 17th century and the political and naval intrigues of those times.

The best nautical, historical novels ever written

If you could sum up The Reverse of the Medal in three words, what would they be?

Gripping, accurate, superb

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Reverse of the Medal?

The scene where Jack Aubrey is placed in the stocks (framed for rigging the stock market) and is surrounded and protected by his fellow sailors. 'Hats, off!'

Which character as performed by Ric Jerrom was your favourite?

Probably Stephen Maturin, a very complex character and portrayed well.

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

Yes, definitively, never a dull moment.

Any additional comments?

The 21 Aubrey-Maturin novels are essentially one continuous story. I would suggest starting with the first: Master & Commander and working through them in order. You won't be disappointed..

Another great story

The narration is excellent from Ric Jerrom and I am hooked on this series. Can't wait for the next one

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Title: The Knights Templar Uncloaked

Subtitle: A Theoretical History Connecting the Past to the Present, Volume 1

Author: Don Holbrook

Narrator: Ellery Truesdell

Format: Unabridged

Length: 4 hrs and 29 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-06-13

Publisher: Don Holbrook

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 15 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

The theoretical history of the Knights Templar Order after their 1307 betrayal by the Catholic Church and the great arrest campaign led by Phillip the 4th of France. History gives us few details of what happened in those months and years that followed the arrests and eventual burning of their last public grandmaster. This book begins where their end was marked in history.

Members Reviews:

Wackadoo book

Poor performance, reader has an annoying voice and cadence. The material is haphazardly organized, unconfirmed data, and strange concepts presented are not fully explained. Zero entertainment value, and poor story telling. Very frustrating listen.

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Title: The Last Runaway

Author: Tracy Chevalier

Narrator: Kate Reading

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 51 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-08-13

Publisher: Penguin Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 331 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

New York Times best-selling author of Girl With a Pearl Earring, Tracy Chevalier, makes her first fictional foray into the American past in The Last Runaway, bringing to life the Underground Railroad and illuminating the principles, passions and realities that fueled this extraordinary freedom movement.

In New York Times best-selling author Tracy Chevaliers newest historical saga, she introduces Honor Bright, a modest English Quaker who moves to Ohio in 1850, only to find herself alienated and alone in a strange land. Sick from the moment she leaves England, and fleeing personal disappointment, she is forced by family tragedy to rely on strangers in a harsh, unfamiliar landscape.

Nineteenth-century America is practical, precarious, and unsentimental, and scarred by the continuing injustice of slavery. In her new home Honor discovers that principles count for little, even within a religious community meant to be committed to human equality.

However, drawn into the clandestine activities of the Underground Railroad, a network helping runaway slaves escape to freedom, Honor befriends two surprising women who embody the remarkable power of defiance. Eventually she must decide if she too can act on what she believes in, whatever the personal costs.

A powerful journey brimming with color and drama, The Last Runaway is Tracy Chevaliers vivid engagement with an iconic part of American history.

Members Reviews:

Easy listening, no great depth

I like a good historical fiction novel, and this one was an enjoyable listen. However, it was a bit thin at times. I also found the way in which race was dealt with in the novel a little problematic. Despite Chevalier's (sometimes awkward) attempts to give black characters agency, we were still left with a novel about white heroes in relation to slavery. Tracy Chevalier really was trying hard to do something a little more complex I think, but it just doesn't come out right. Sometimes listening to the discussions of race I felt uncomfortable.

unjustified perseverance got me through

I trusted the author's reputation on this purchase. That plus an interest in the workings of the underground railroad. I found it rather boring. I kept listening with one ear so to speak since much was uninteresting to me. There is a lot, really a lot, of quilt making discussions. Some of the reactions of the English girl to life in America in 1850 are interesting, like how rude rocking chairs may seem. Runaway slaves do not appear until the last 1/2 hour of part one. The treatment of the issue I found mildly interesting.

New subject, new setting for Chevalier

I've read (and loved) a few of Tracy Chevalier's books, and this was the first one I've read (or listened to) that is set outside Europe. The story is told from the heroine's point of view, which is similar to other Chevalier books. A lot of the action of the story is presented through letters, which have the effect of advancing the story line rapidly, but which (for me) distanced me from the story. As a result, I never developed as much empathy as I wanted to for the heroine.

Ms. Chevalier's choice of setting, in southwestern Ohio, near the town of Wilberforce, was somewhat odd from my point of view. Since the college was founded for African American students by the African Methodist Episcopal Church and was located in a racially mixed community, I found it odd that there was only one continuing black character in the story.

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Title: Flashman and the Redskins

Subtitle: Flashman, Book 7

Author: George MacDonald Fraser

Narrator: David Case

Format: Unabridged

Length: 17 hrs and 27 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-20-12

Publisher: Random House Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 114 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

The seventh volume of the Flashman Papers records the arch-cad's adventures in America during Gold Rush of 1849 and the Battle of Bighorn, in 1876. This installment describes his acquaintance with famous Indian chiefs, American soldiers, frontiersmen, and statesmen.

Members Reviews:

Usual Flashman, not the best

Flashman Papers are a guilty pleasure, enjoyed & regretted in equal parts. "Redskins" is late in the series, decent history, contrived story. As always, David Case is superb.

Another good one!

What did you love best about Flashman and the Redskins?

The story arc covered by Flash for Freedom and Flashman and the Redskins is a great read. If you like historical fiction, this would be an excellent addition to your library.

Stateside Flashy, at Little Big Horn

Another rollicking adventure, split into two eras, twenty years apart. Flashman evades capture in New Orleans by hooking up with an English Madam, who leads him west to follow the gold rush to California. He never quite gets to CA., but manages to get captured by the Sioux and spends six months in an Indian village with an Indian wife. Twenty years later, he's back in the US with Elspeth and being led astray by a beauty with an eyepatch, winds up out west again, in the clutches of a wronged old flame, and then, as a participant and witness to the Little Big Horn skirmish. Wonderful action, precise historical detail and of course, the inimitable Flashy humor and cynicism, counterbalanced by enough honest humanity to make him the most likable of rogues. A joy for Flashy fans. David Case, aka Frederick Davidson, is the consummate Flashman.

Excellent

One of the great story tellers. One of the best narrators. I highly recommend Fraser.

Excellent story... love Flashman

Even more enjoyable in this overly politicized and tender-eared age. Plus manly. Manly men identifying as men by biology and fulfilling manly things.

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Titel: Imperium

Autor:: Christian Kracht

Erzähler: Dominik Graf

Format: Unabridged

Spieldauer: 4 hrs and 57 mins

Sprache: Deutsch

Veröffentlichungsdatum: 11-09-12

Herausgeber: tacheles! / Roof Music

Kategorien: Fiction, Historical

Zusammenfassung des Herausgebers:

In "Imperium" erzählt Christian Kracht eine Aussteigergeschichte in den deutschen Kolonien der Südsee, indem er virtuos und gut gelaunt mit den Formen des historischen Abenteuerromans eines Melville, Joseph Conrad, Robert Louis Stevenson oder Jack London spielt. Die Welt wollte er retten, eine neue Religion stiften, gar ein eigenes Reich gründen - eine Utopie verwirklichen, die nicht nur ihn selbst, sondern die Menschheit erlöst, fernab der zerstörerischen europäischen Zivilisation, die gerade aufbricht in die Moderne und in die Katastrophen des Ersten und Zweiten Weltkriegs. Doch in der Abgeschiedenheit der Südsee, in einer Kolonie des wilhelminischen Deutschland, gerät ein von einem vegetarischen Spleen besessener Sonnenanbeter in eine Spirale des Wahnsinns, die die Abgründe des 20. Jahrhunderts ahnungsvoll vorwegnimmt.

©2012 ROOF Music (P)2012 ROOF Music

Kritik Bewertungen:

Imperium ist ein Reißer, ein gelehrter Abenteuerroman über eine der skurrilsten Gestalten der an solchen Gestalten reichen deutschen Geschichte.

-- SWR2

Mit wachsender Bewunderung habe ich "Imperium" von Christian Kracht gelesen. Ein Roman, der in seiner Thematik und sprachlichen Kraft an Joseph Conrads "Herz der Finsternis" erinnert.

-- Uwe Timm

So entspannt, so lustvoll wie in Imperium las sich der Autor noch nie. Es liegt eine große Heiterkeit über diesem Buch. Was Daniel Kehlmann mit der Vermessung der Welt unter anderem gelang, nämlich die Neuerfindung des historischen Romans mit den Mitteln der Sprache und höherer Ironie, das schafft Kracht hier für das Genre Abenteuerroman.

-- Felicitas von Lovenberg, FAZ

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Title: Ruler of the Sky

Subtitle: A Novel of Genghis Khan

Author: Pamela Sargent

Narrator: Bernard Clark

Format: Unabridged

Length: 29 hrs and 5 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-07-12

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 19 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

In 1167, in the harsh homeland of Mongol tribes, a child was born who was to change the course of human history. His father named him Temujin, but the world knows him as Genghis Khan. Ruler of the Sky brings to life a time of often unendurable hardship and epic grandeur. From the windswept plains of Mongolia to the opulence and sophistication of the Chinese court, this is an unforgettable story. Set amid the barbaric splendor of the Mongol hordes, Ruler of the Sky tells how a twelfth-century warrior forged one of the greatest and most terrifying armies the world had ever seen, and conquered the world from Peking to Persia. Not only is this the story of Genghis Khan, but it is the story of those who were closest to him, particularly the women who played such an important role in his life.

Members Reviews:

Explicitly accurate

A thorough overview of the life of Ghengas Khan and those close to him, often including explicit violence and sexual content. As historically accurate and credible as any work so extensive and detailed about such political events a millennium ago could possibly be expected to be.

Genghis Khan, from the POV of his Women

Any additional comments?

This is an interesting approach to the subject of the Mongol conquerer, Temujin, better known as Genghis Khan, because it is told from the point of view of some of the women in his life. The names of his mother and his first wife are known, and at least one other wife, but I suspect that some of the characters are entirely fictional, and even those persons whose names have come down to us are barely known in reality, so the author has had considerable latitude in the creation of her story. However, Pamela Sargent seems to have done her research. [She does not contradict anything I ever learned about the Mongols from the books of Harold Lamb, a historian of the period]. To be honest, the Mongols don't seem to have been the sort of persons one would want for neighbors -- their lives tended to be nasty, brutish, and short. But Sargent makes them believeable people, not monsters.

Bernard Clark is a competent reader, but a bit flat at times. Overall, I think 4 to 4 1/2 stars for this audiobook.

Just Okay

This novel about Ghengis Khan was fairly interesting, at least the first part, but got increasingly boring as it went along, and I didn't even finish it. I got this book because I loved the Conquerer Series about Ghengis Khan which was written by Conn Iggulden. I highly recommend skipping this one and trying those.

Good Listen

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I would recommend the book as its good value for money ,, The narrator is a little bland but you get used to his monotone voice after a while.. The author made some wild assumptions on Temujin and Jamooka partaking in homosexual activities together .. Completely baseless and unneccessary

but the apart from that it is written well ..

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

It was no surprise as it is based on history

What three words best describe Bernard Clarks performance?

Tried his best

his voice acting is not too bad ..

Was Ruler of the Sky worth the listening time?

Its a lot of story for the money

Any additional comments?

I dont think you needed to make up the gay relationship between jamooka and genghis .. The battle scenes were kind of glossed over

rather boring

thd narrator was too monotonous.

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Title: With Every Letter

Subtitle: Wings of the Nightingale, Book 1

Author: Sarah Sundin

Narrator: Kate Rudd

Format: Unabridged

Length: 12 hrs and 18 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-01-12

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 134 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Lt. Mellie Blake is looking forward to beginning her training as a flight nurse. She is not looking forward to writing a letter to a man shes never met - even if it is anonymous and part of a morale-building program. Lt. Tom MacGilliver, an officer stationed in North Africa, welcomes the idea of an anonymous correspondence - hes been trying to escape his infamous name for years.

As their letters crisscross the Atlantic, Tom and Mellie develop a unique friendship despite not knowing the others true identity. When both are transferred to Algeria, the two are poised to meet face-to-face for the first time. Will they overcome their fears and reveal who they are? Or will their future be held hostage by their pasts?

Combining a flair for romance with excellent research and attention to detail, Sarah Sundin vividly brings to life the perilous challenges of WWII aviation, nursing - and true love.

Critic Reviews:

"I love the nostalgia and drama of the WWII era. No one takes me back there better than Sarah Sundin. With Every Letter is a beautiful love story and has everything you want in a novel: romance, suspense, and characters you care about from the very first page. A marvelous beginning for her new series. I cant wait to read the next book." (Dan Walsh, award-winning and best-selling author of The Discovery)

Members Reviews:

A Wonderful Story About Having Faith in God!

A lovely story about having faith and trusting God. The story is set during World War ll. Tom is an officer in North Africa and Mellie is a flight nurse. Everyone has heard of Tom because of a decision made by a family member when he was a child, and Mellie faces insecurities that she developed as a child. Both must learn to trust in God and have faith in the plan he has set before them without allowing their past and insecurities to hinder them. This is a must read! Sarah Sundin weaves the love of God and the faith and trust we must have in Him into every book she writes, and her gift for details is wonderful. I am blessed everytime I read a book by Sarah.

great story and wonderful narrator!

I loved this story. It may have gone a tad long but never lost my attention. The narrator was one of the best I've heard. I'm not sure if the military truly allowed so much lovey-dovey stuff, so I chalked that up to fiction and just enjoyed the story. I highly recommend this one.

Where is Book 2?

Where does With Every Letter rank among all the audiobooks youve listened to so far?

At the top.

What was one of the most memorable moments of With Every Letter?

When he steps off the plane and sees a sea of colorfully dressed ladies and figures out which one is his anonymous pen pal.

Who was the most memorable character of With Every Letter and why?

Mellie

Any additional comments?

It showed honest evaluation and mistakes. Some great humor. Light and easy as well as spiritually encouraging. Thanks!

Enjoyed every minute

This is a historically well researched book and a fantastic love story. It's nice to find a captivating story that is written with Christian values. I'm a busy mom with young kids and haven't read a book in a long time, but with the audio feature I "read" the whole book while exercising. Took a few months, but it was fun to be entertained while working out.

Not what I expected

Any additional comments?

I liked the story but... the description needs to be changed.

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Title: To Conquer Mr. Darcy

Author: Abigail Reynolds

Narrator: Elizabeth Klett

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 50 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-17-12

Publisher: Abigail Young

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 155 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

What if...

Instead of disappearing from Elizabeth Bennet's life after she refused his offer of marriage, Mr. Darcy had stayed and tried to change her mind?

What if...

Lizzy, as she gets to know Darcy, finds him undeniably attractive and her impulses win out over her sense of propriety?

What if...

Madly in love and mutually on fire, their passion anticipates their wedding?

In To Conquer Mr. Darcy, instead of avoiding Elizabeth after his ill-fated marriage proposal, Mr. Darcy follows her back to Hertfordshire to prove to her he is a changed man and worthy of her love. And little by little, Elizabeth begins to find the man she thought she despised, irresistible....

Critic Reviews:

"Shows a different side of Darcy, a bold side unafraid of going after what he wants." (Hollywood Today)

"Sure to appeal to fans of lusty historical romance." (Library Journal)

Members Reviews:

P&P Variation - Overstepping Just "A Bit"

Where does To Conquer Mr. Darcy rank among all the audiobooks youve listened to so far?

Having read this book many times in hard copy, I already knew I loved the story. The narrator, Elizabeth Klett, did a very good job and made it an enjoyable listen.

What other book might you compare To Conquer Mr. Darcy to and why?

I read quite a few P&P variations, and have read all of Abigail Reynolds books. It's not possible to compare it to another book other than other P&P variations, and Abigail's books rank right up there with others of the best of the genre.

What does Elizabeth Klett bring to the story that you wouldnt experience if you just read the book?

Since I have read the book many times before listening to the audiobook, there could only have been a down side to her performance. I was happy that she did a good job and did not make the book more difficult to finish. Many times I have stopped listening to audiobooks because the narrator is terrible. Ms. Klett is quite good. I liked her performance better than the lady who did the other Abigail Reynolds book at audiobooks.

If you could take any character from To Conquer Mr. Darcy out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Mr. Darcy, of course, because he is Mr. Darcy and you can't get much better than that.

Any additional comments?

Abigail takes Darcy and Elizabeth's romance quite a bit further than the acceptable courtship niceties of the Regency Age; and this probably bothers many purists, but for those of us who like to believe Darcy and Lizzy as real people would have many of the same physical and emotional desires as any normal, redblooded, 20 somethings, anticipating their wedding vows can be accepted with a bit of a wink. I did feel, however, feel that Lizzy's actions before officially becoming "engaged" was a bit too much for our dear heroine. She had too much sense to let herself be carried away to that extent before she had a formal engagement. But then, it's Darcy, so who could resist?

I am not opposed to Lizzy and Darcy having normal sexual urges, but Lizzy accepting it so readily BEFORE they were officially engaged, and so many times, was just a tad stretching it for me.

One of my all time favourites

What did you love best about To Conquer Mr. Darcy?

This was one of the first Romance books I read. I was obsessed with Pride and Prejudice in High School.

I love the "what if" idea.

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Title: Coup d'Etat

Subtitle: War That Came Early Series #4

Author: Harry Turtledove

Narrator: Todd McLaren

Format: Unabridged

Length: 17 hrs and 9 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-31-12

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 83 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

In Harry Turtledove's mesmerizing alternate history of World War II, the choices of men and fate have changed history. Now it is the winter of 1941. As the Germans, with England and France on their side, slam deep into Russia, Stalin's terrible machine fights for its life. But the agreements of world leaders do not touch the hearts of soldiers. The war between Germany and Russia is rocked by men with the courage to aim their guns in a new direction.

England is the first to be shaken. Following the suspicious death of Winston Churchill, with his staunch anti-Nazi views, a small cabal begins to imagine the unthinkable in a nation long famous for respecting the rule of law. With civil liberties hanging by a thread, a conspiracy forms against the powers that be. What will this daring plan mean for the European war as a whole?

Meanwhile, in America, a woman who has met Hitler face-to-face urges her countrymen to wake up to his evil. For the time being, the United States is fighting only Japan - and the war is not going as well as Washington would like. Can Roosevelt keep his grip on the country's imagination?

Coup d'Etat captures how war makes for the strangest of bedfellows. A freethinking Frenchman fights side by side with racist Nazis. A Czech finds himself on the dusty front lines of the Spanish Civil War, gunning for Germany's Nationalist allies. A German bomber pilot courts a half-Polish, half-Jewish beauty in Bialystock. And the Jews in Germany, though trapped under Hitler's fist, are as yet protected by his fear of looking bad before the world - and by an outspoken Catholic bishop.

With his spectacular command of character, coincidence, and military and political strategies, Harry Turtledove continues a passionate, unmatched saga of a World War II composed of different enemies, different allies-and hurtling toward a horrific moment. For a diabolical new weapon is about to be unleashed, not by the United States, but by Japan, in a tactic that will shock the world.

Members Reviews:

3 cheers for "Awful" Arno Baatz!

This series is as good as Worldwar series.

We see the perspective from an American in Berlin, two jewish families in Berlin, a Czech sniper using an anti-tank weapon as a sniper rifle, an International, an infantry company led by Awful Arno, Theo Hossbach and his Panzer III, and Stuka pilot.

Also is the Russian view from Ivan, and others.

This tale is engrossing, funny and gives an insight into Spanish civil war that I did not know.

Appreciate it.

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Title: True Sisters

Author: Sandra Dallas

Narrator: Christina Moore

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 23 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-24-12

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 93 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Dubbed by Jane Smiley a quintessential American voice, Sandra Dallas has won over fans everywhere and become a frequent fixture on the New York Times best-seller list. Based on 19th-century history, True Sisters follows four women who pin their hopes for the future on a plan devised by Brigham Young to bring emigrants to Salt Lake City. Pushing two-wheeled handcarts loaded with all their lifes belongings, the women set off on the 1,300-mile journey from Iowa City - and soon become fast friends even as perils mount around them.

Members Reviews:

Very Moving True to History Story

Any additional comments?

This brought me to tears on more than a few occasions. The strength and endurance of these women has to be admired. The reader did an awesome job with the Scottish and English accents. This one kept me engaged through out the entire novel.

Inspiring tale, great historical fiction!

What was one of the most memorable moments of True Sisters?

The strength of the women in the tale and the constant adversities.

Which scene was your favorite?

Crossing the river with their handcarts in the below freezing temperatures.

If you could rename True Sisters, what would you call it?

Perserverance through Adversity

Any additional comments?

I especially liked the women character who was not a mormon and her story of her travels and care for her family. How she had strength in herself to go on! This is an inspirational story of America.

Surviving nature and thoughtless leaders

TRUE SISTERS is a fictional account of a true event. Sandra Dallas has portrayed four women, and their families, as they take a real trip , in 1856, to cross 1,300 miles across America to reach the Mormon settlement in Salt Lake City, Utah. This group is following two others groups who have already crossed, but they are leaving too late for decent weather, and they are also going pushing handcarts which only allow them very view possessions. These handcarts also mean that everyone but the near dead, must walk the entire distance---through sickness, near starvation, frostbite, childbirth, and old age. Many will not survive the trip, but the church leaders berate anyone who wants to wait for better timing, with "you will burn in Hell because your faith isn't sufficient for you to REALLY be a Mormon!".

Four women are featured in this story. Their companionship holds them and their families together through these ordeals, and through deaths caused by the many hardships. I found these relationships to be quit compelling, as they grow in their abilities to think and survive as best they can, and learn to determine their own futures for themselves. Not being a Mormon myself, I found that part of this book less compelling. The men seemed overbearing and quit thoughtless at times, though there were a couple of "good guys" in the end. The story of the traveling, hardships, survival, and friendships is what made this book enjoyable for me.

Fascinating historically accurate tale of the women who survived the handcart trail to Salt Lake City, the promised Mormon Zion.

Such an interesting recounting of the horrific challenges met by the women of the early church of Mormons, pulling and pushing handcarts across the country during the fall and winter. Astonishing courage and faith.

More realistic than most

Any additional comments?

The people were much more believable than most LDS novels I have read.