Download the Best Full Audiobooks in Fiction, Historical

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Title: The Signature of All Things

Author: Elizabeth Gilbert

Narrator: Juliet Stevenson

Format: Unabridged

Length: 21 hrs and 43 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-09-13

Publisher: Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 134 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Elizabeth Gilberts first novel in twelve years is an extraordinary story of botany, exploration and desire, spanning across much of the 19th century. This audiobook follows the fortunes of the brilliant Alma Whittaker (daughter of a bold and charismatic botanical explorer) as she comes into her own within the world of plants and science. As Almas careful studies of moss take her deeper into the mysteries of evolution, the man she loves draws her in the opposite direction into the realm of the spiritual, the divine and the magical. Alma is a clear-minded scientist; Ambrose is a Utopian artist. But what unites this couple is a shared passion for knowing, a desperate need to understand the workings of this world, and the mechanism behind of all life. The Signature of All Things is a big novel, about a big century. Exquisitely researched and told at a galloping pace, this story soars across the globe, from London, to Peru, to Philadelphia, to Tahiti, to Amsterdam and beyond. It is told in the bold, questing spirit of that singular time. Alma Whittaker is a witness to history, as well as maker of history herself. She stands on the cusp of the modern, with one foot still in the Enlightened Age, and she is certain to be loved by listeners across the world.

Members Reviews:

Superb

This has the sedate, carefully structured, beautifully nuanced atmosphere of a nineteenth century classical novel. Appropriate, since that is the setting. This is underlined by the glorious, melting intelligence of the ever-superb reading of Juliet Stevenson.

This is many novels. Broadly, it is about the British dominating the globe through individual strivings, even personal sacrifices, both at home and abroad. It is relationships and dealing with loneliness (the sexual tension was very well done), family, mandated personal self sufficiency. Life and meaning -- where there is no apparent meaning; and the courage to generate meaning. Each and every character lives.

It is also a novel that reaches over time. It visits the theories of evolution. For those who are comfortable with the conclusions of Darwin and Wallace amongst others, it is a journey into the minds of those who walked this path and wonderfully sympathetic to the limits imposed on Victorian women which denied the full flowering of their brilliance; it is an eloquent sharing of these thought processes for those who continue the doubts of those now long distant times.

It is an introduction to new worlds. I now look at mosses completely differently -- and with real appreciation and curiosity!

Cruel yet fabulous!

What did you love best about The Signature of All Things?

The depth and choice of words was awesome. The characters are very interesting individuals and Elizabeth does a really good job of making them come to live. There are surprising twists and turns, I could never guess what would happen next. Though I really admired the strength and resilience of Alma Whittiker, on many instances, I really wished the author would give her break from denying her the most basic emotional support and comforts. At times I felt so sorry for Alma that I would have sent my own husband to her!

What other book might you compare The Signature of All Things to and why?

None, I think this is the 1st of the kind for me.

Which scene was your favorite?

The most memorable was in the cave with Tomorrow Morning. It reinforces my earlier comments on the unpredictability of this book.

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Title: The Diary of Mattie Spenser

Author: Sandra Dallas

Narrator: Celeste Ciulla

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 15 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-02-13

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 105 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

No one is more surprised than Mattie Spenser herself when Luke Spenser, considered the great catch of their small Iowa town, asks her to marry him. Less than a month later, they are off in a covered wagon to build a home on the Colorado frontier. Mattie's only company is a slightly mysterious husband and her private journal, where she records the joys and frustrations not just of frontier life, but also of a new marriage to a handsome, but distant stranger. As she and Luke make a life together on the harsh and beautiful plains, Mattie learns some bitter truths about her husband and the girl he left behind and finds love where she least expects it. Dramatic and suspenseful, this is an unforgettable story of hardship, friendship, and survival.

Critic Reviews:

One of the bright new voices in historical fiction Dallas's authentic period details, her colorful minor characters, and most of all Mattie herself lend charm and emotional truth to this appealing marital and pioneering adventure." (

Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

Good book. Liked the lessons learned.

I liked this book. Even though at one point near the end you feel like you have been left hanging. It finally gives closure to the storyline. I really liked the way the author portrayed the main character through her journal and thoroughly enjoyed the writing and speaking style of Mattie. There are sad parts and hard times in the book but I like the feel overall and the message I take away is that you just have to keep going in life and look for the positive in your experiences and hopefully learn from your mistakes. I think it portrays true love and forgiveness rather well. I think there is nobility in being able to forgive and love again. (The part I didn't like about the book was how much Mattie talked about "the marital act," but I guess it was important to the storyline. Just seemed out of character for the time period.)

The narrator had a pleasant voice but there was not much feeling in her reading. No emotion portrayed at all. I felt that lack of emotion really took away from the story, but still enjoyed the story very much.

Mattie

What did you love best about The Diary of Mattie Spenser?

The first person account

Who was your favorite character and why?

Mattie. Strong lady

Which scene was your favorite?

The end

If you could take any character from The Diary of Mattie Spenser out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Mr Baunderant (spelling) sorry

Any additional comments?

Sandra Dallas is such a great writer if your are an occasional reader looking for ease of reading with full wonderful story

Journey Back in Time

Would you listen to The Diary of Mattie Spenser again? Why?

No, I would not because I have too much reading to do for book club.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Mattie

What does Celeste Ciulla bring to the story that you wouldnt experience if you just read the book?

For me when I hear something it's easier for me to visualize the people, places, etc.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The book was moving throughout because Mattie constantly evaluated herself as a woman. Although she came from a somewhat coddled or protected upbringing, she was a strong women who didn't give up or in easily. She was even a good sport to live out on the prairie and suffer as she did w/ few words of complaint.

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Title: The Tilted World

Subtitle: A Novel

Author: Tom Franklin, Beth Ann Fennelly

Narrator: Brian D'Arcy James

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 31 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-01-13

Publisher: HarperAudio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 167 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Set against the backdrop of the historic flooding of the Mississippi River, The Tilted World is an extraordinary tale of murder and moonshine, sandbagging and saboteurs, and a man and a woman who find unexpected love, from Tom Franklin, the acclaimed author of the New York Times best-seller Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter, and award-winning poet Beth Ann Fennelly.

The year is 1927. As rains swell the Mississippi, the mighty river threatens to burst its banks and engulf everything in its path, including federal revenue agent Ted Ingersoll and his partner, Ham Johnson. Arriving in the tiny hamlet of Hobnob, Mississippi, to investigate the disappearance of two fellow agents who'd been on the trail of a local bootlegger, they are astonished to find a baby boy abandoned in the middle of a crime scene.

Ingersoll, an orphan raised by nuns, is determined to find the infant a home, and his search leads him to Dixie Clay Holliver. A strong woman married too young to a philandering charmer, Dixie Clay has lost a child to illness and is powerless to resist this second chance at motherhood. From the moment they meet, Ingersoll and Dixie Clay are drawn to each other. He has no idea that she's the best bootlegger in the county and may be connected to the agents' disappearance. And while he seems kind and gentle, Dixie Clay knows full well that he is an enemy who can never be trusted.

When Ingersoll learns that a saboteur might be among them, planning a catastrophe along the river that would wreak havoc in Hobnob, he knows that he and Dixie Clay will face challenges and choices that they will be fortunate to survive. Written with extraordinary insight and tenderness, The Tilted World is that rarest of creations, a story of seemingly ordinary people who find hope and deliverance where they least expect it - in each other.

Members Reviews:

My Simple Short Review

What made the experience of listening to The Tilted World the most enjoyable?

The thing I enjoyed most about this book is that it makes you actually care about and even worry about the characters in the story. With this story the reader gets to gain some historical insight about the south in the year 1927.

Who was your favorite character and why?

All of them were memorable, but Ted Ingersoll was my kind of guy.

What about Brian D'Arcy Jamess performance did you like?

Great narration and articulation, various voices.

Any additional comments?

If you want a good story, memorable characters, and a sense of history during prohibition and what can happen in a natural disaster, this is for you. I think this book would make a great movie. I'd love to see this story on the big screen.

1927 Bootleggers, Revenuers, an Orphan & the Flood

Wrapped up in the history of the downpours of 1926 and 1927 and eventual flood of the great Mississippi River, this historical fiction tale is one of the BEST books I've come across in a long, long time. As a young girl, Dixie Clay comes of age and falls in love with Jessie, a handsome man who visits their farm every year and buys her animal hides. Little did she know, he was a bootlegger. And as time goes on, she learns more about Jessie . . .

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Title: Chesapeake 1850

Subtitle: Steamboats & Oyster Wars: The News Reader

Author: Ken Rossignol

Narrator: Paul J. McSorley

Format: Unabridged

Length: 2 hrs and 45 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-16-13

Publisher: Kenneth C. Rossignol

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 8 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

The life of Ethan Aaron Douglas is chronicled as the ten-year-old joins his grandfather for a life on the Chesapeake Bay. With his grandfather as captain of a steamboat traveling between Norfolk, Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, the boy learns quickly about life on the water. From hurricanes to blue crabs, life on the Bay changes quickly.

Learning Shakespeare and witnessing a hanging are just part of the life along the river. Ethan Douglas' life brushes past major events in the United States from slavery to the underground railroad and the days leading up to the civil war. How did those who lived along the Potomac deal with active warfare during the War Between the States? Life was always a war on the water with pirates shooting at each other as well as Maryland and Virginia oyster police. Ethan's younger brothers and sisters soon join him as they grow older and become entrepreneurs - and as the nation's capital city grows and changes.

From buyboats to newspapers, the lives of the Douglas family become part of the history of the young nation. Oysters were the 'white gold' of the east while railroads and shipping competed for freight. This book is the first in the series that will tell the story of life in tidewater Chesapeake Bay region from 1850 to 1950.

Members Reviews:

A wonderful book that mixes reality and fiction.

Where does Chesapeake 1850 rank among all the audiobooks youve listened to so far?

It ranks fairly high near the top due to the interesting topic that is delivered in a very unique way.

What did you like best about this story?

I really liked the true news stories that the author presented between the fictional story parts.

What about Paul J. McSorleys performance did you like?

He really suits the story.

Any additional comments?

A great first book in this series that combines the reality of actual newspaper stories with the fictional development of a family that might have lived in that time. This area of the United States was very important at the time that immigrants were coming to find a place in this new world and the story really takes the reader back into that era of history.

Nice History

If you enjoy history you might want to give this a try. It reads more like diary entries so the story flow sometimes seems choppy. The narration wasn't bad but I did struggle in places where the narrator's pauses didn't fit the flow of the story. Plus the cadance was off at times. Still it was a peak into history of the life of a steamboat captain on the Chesapeake Bay which I did find interesting.

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Title: The Mask Carver's Son

Author: Alyson Richman

Narrator: John Lee

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 14 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-03-13

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 13 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

1890. Yamamoto Kiyoki is a Japanese art student, dreaming of studying in Paris with the inspiring and vibrant Impressionist painters.

Yamamoto Ryusei is Kiyoki's father. Ryusei's art, carving intricate masks for traditional Japanese theater, has been his refuge from loneliness since the death of his beloved wife, and he is revered as the most inspired artist of his kind. He expects his only son to honor the traditions of his family and his country, not to be seduced by Western ideas of what is beautiful. Ryusei hopes Kiyoki will follow his own distinguished career, creating masks that will become the family's crowning achievement.

But what is a father to do when his son's path is not what he had planned? And how can a son honor his father, and yet fulfill his own destiny?

Critic Reviews:

"Ms. Richman is a very special talent." (Kristin Hannah, New York Times best-selling author)

Members Reviews:

which I loved. The subject matter of this one is very ...

I chose this novel because I had just read "The Lost Wife" by the same author, which I loved. The subject matter of this one is very different (late nineteenth century-early twentieth century Japan and Paris as opposed to Czechoslovakia in the 1930s and a Nazi concentration camp). However, it shares the same beautiful language and moving characterizations, the same quality of a life shaped by trials and, in this case, a special talent, but also a kind of personal integrity and way of making peace with one's own fate and actions. I also am very interested in Japanese culture, and enjoyed the exposure to late nineteenth century Japan and the Noh theatre. It also offers thoughtful insights into the role of the artist. (In Paris, Kiyuki's teacher said he had gone from being a painter to becoming an artist, which didn't by any means guarantee worldly success.) I came away from the novel feeling pensive and enriched. I won't wait long to try her latest, The Garden of Letters.

Circa: 1890

Circa: 1890

A beautiful well written story that details three generation of Japanese artists. A father, a son and a grandfather. The grandfather is an *Noh artist, the son is a mask carver, and the grandson is a student who is planning on doing mask carving according to his own modern interruption. I loved this book maybe it was because I had to work hard in the first couple chapters to get the Japanese names straight that I felt enmeshed with the character.

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Title: Arena

Author: Simon Scarrow, T. J. Andrews

Narrator: David Thorpe

Format: Unabridged

Length: 15 hrs and 57 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-23-13

Publisher: Headline

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 59 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Arena is a Sunday Times best-selling novel from Simon Scarrow, author of Invictus, Centurion and The Gladiator, and T.J. Andrews. Perfect for fans of Bernard Cornwell.

It is AD 41. The city of Rome is a dangerous place.

Optio Macro of the Second Legion, recently decorated for courage on the battlefield, can't wait to leave the teeming city behind. He's dismayed when he's compelled to stay in Rome to train Marcus Valerius Pavo, a young gladiatorial recruit.

Though fearless Pavo has fought for his life before, he's a novice in the arenas. But he's a driven man, with a goal dearer than survival - to avenge his father's death at the hands of a champion gladiator. Will he live to face his nemesis?

Critic Reviews:

"Ferocious and compelling." (Daily Express)

Members Reviews:

Badly Written and Badly Read.

What disappointed you about Arena?

I have to say I loved Simon Scarrow's Cato and Macro characters, and I enjoyed Scarrow's writing - it got the story done with enough embellishment to entrance and transport to a relatively authentic impression of the time. So I bought this book, (not realising he wrote it with someone else) expecting the same. Anyway, for whatever reason, this book is as bad as his other books were good - the plot plods along a linear timeline from one uninteresting turn of events to another, stumbling over laughable cliches and repetitive character reactions, made all the worse by the histrionic reading of David Thorpe. I won't go on, because enough is said. All I can say is, stick to writing on your own Simon, because it seems the other bloke just dragged you down on this one.

Would you ever listen to anything by Simon Scarrow and T. J. Andrews again?

One more chance to Simon Scarrow, but definitely never T.J. Andrews.

What didnt you like about David Thorpes performance?

Disliked it intensely. Histrionic, badly interpreted and misphrased.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Boredom and mirth

Any additional comments?

Nope.

Story read like it was on repeat

Would you try another book from Simon Scarrow and T. J. Andrews and/or David Thorpe?

Yes, I would still listen to David Thorpe's narrations, and I'd be willing to read another Scarrow

Any additional comments?

This book seemed like a never ended repeat of events. Main character gets into a tight spot due to the nasty Grecian. He is forced to fight. He whines about the injustice of it. He trains. He wins. He is still subject the the Grecian's plots. Plot escalates (barely). Repeat.

I was not satisfied with the end.

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Title: October Suite

Author: Maxine Clair

Narrator: Robin Miiles

Format: Unabridged

Length: 12 hrs and 12 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-23-13

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 4 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Novelist, short story writer, and poet, Maxine Clair has won many prizes for her works.

October Brown is just beginning her teaching career when she gets pregnant by a married man. Abandoned by him, she gives the baby to her childless sister. But this sacrifice will haunt her until she decides to recover what she has lost.

This unforgettable novel captures the divided social and racial climate of the 1950s.

Critic Reviews:

"Clair tells her story with a pitch-perfect feel for the time and the people." (Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

Deliciously Sweet and Heart Wrenching!

Just completed Maxine Clairâs novel October Suite and actually feel as if I have left someone near and dear to me behind. I listened to the novel through my local library and then purchased the hardback copy to read. I found October Brown and her family and friends completely captivating. I knew these people deep down in my core. Ms. Clairâs descriptions of her characters were not laid out in long paragraphs with great detail but rather sprinkled throughout the novel. Each character changed and grew. I am a professed escapism reader. I forever tell myself that I prefer light reading: romance and mystery thrillers so I thought this book might be a bit heavy for me. It was heavy, deliciously heavy and deep, and so very realistic. October Suite is a story about the tragedy and love of family by both bloodline and choice. Itâs a story of grace and fate. Itâs a story about no one being right or wrong but people living the best way they know. Rich in descriptions of mid 20th century American culture, the novel transported me to a time I know so well although I am not familiar with the physical locations in which the story was set. I am so happy that I moved this novel up on my reading list.

October Suite....

October Suite is a coming-of-age story about a young woman who struggles to deal with her family and relationship issues. Lillian "October" Brown and her sister, Vergie, are sheltered orphans raised by their two aunts because their father murdered their mother in their presence. The novel begins when October leaves home in 1950 for the first time to begin her life as an educator. Her naivety gets her into "trouble" and she returns home to give birth to her son by a married man. She allows her married, childless sister, Vergie, and her husband to adopt the child and tries to resume her life. Along the way, she deals with her curiosity and details surrounding her mother's death, the loss of her Aunts, the upbringing of her son, her career, her relationship with men and her sister.

The novel starts slowly but we see October as she matures, grows, and develops into a caring and smarter woman. The novel wraps up a little too quickly in my opinion with the door open for a sequel. I would have rated it a 3.5 if allowed, but feel comfortable bumping it up to a four.

It was very well written and generated a really good discussion at our October book club meeting

At first, I didn't know what to expect from this book. I thought it was going to be some of this postmodern drool, but I was pleasantly surprised. It was very well written and generated a really good discussion at our October book club meeting. I hope we will see more books by this author in the very near future.

Very Good Story

Maxine Clair has become a favored author in just one book.

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Title: Shades of Honor (Grayson Brothers, Book 1)

Author: Wendy Lindstrom

Narrator: Julia Motyka

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 46 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-21-13

Publisher: Rustic Studio Publishing

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 396 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

From New York Times bestselling author Wendy Lindstrom comes an award-winning, emotionally powerful, heartwarming page-turner.

Evelyn Tucker planned to marry her neighbor and best friend, Kyle Grayson, then his brother returned home and complicated everything.

When Radford Grayson returns home with his young daughter, the wounded man and his withdrawn little girl turn Evelyns life upside down. Radford is no longer the familiar neighbor boy who went off to war. Hes a grown man now, a handsome stranger with pain in his eyes and secrets he refuses to share.Forced to work together, Evelyn and Radford struggle with their deepening feelings for one another. To acknowledge their desire is a risk they cant take without hurting Kyle and tearing their families apart. But Evelyn knows that sharing a passionate love with Radford is within reach, and her choice to marry for love or security will be forever. Can she forsake a once-in-a-lifetime love and her own happiness to protect their families and the two men she loves?

"A perfect ten...one story that should not be missed!" (Romance Reviews Today)

Critic Reviews:

Awesome underlying emotional power. (

Romantic Times)

Have a hanky ready. You'll need it more than once! -Linders

It grabbed me by the heart and didn't let go. -RPurvis

Members Reviews:

Euphoric and captivating

I got this book on sale a while back and thought.. I'll give it a chance.

After listening I knew I'd found a in a coal mine.

I have since bought the entire series.

Always coming back to these wonderful books every time I want a calm, well written story to fall back on.

Each book flows perfectly into the next while keeping most of the same well developed characters.

Each one about a different Grayson boy finding the love of his life.

The scenes are so vividly descriptive it doesn't take long to get completely engrossed in each mesmerizing story.

Every book has it's own message about strong family bonds and moral values.

These book's will have you swooning and sometimes blushing in no time.

There's nothing instant in this series so be prepared to go on a slow ride to get to the steamy parts.

Packed with plenty depth... it's easy to stay interested.

I'm writing one review for the whole series because if you buy this book, there's no way you'll want to miss out on the rest of these book's.

The narration was also a huge complement to this listening experience.

I highly recommend giving up a credit for all these book's.

Pleasant surprise !

What did you like best about this story?

I love that its a book about close family bonds and that the characters will be able to carry on in upcoming books. I am definitely a family person so I really enjoyed that.

What aspect of Julia Motykas performance would you have changed?

I can imagine how difficult it is to be a narrator and to try to please everyone. We all read, and hear our books, in different voices. The narrators try to find that voice and to make it one everyone can relate to. Julia Motyka wasn't the best narrator I've heard, but she wasn't the worst either. She struggled a little with the variety of voices, but it wasnt anything terrible. The only one that truly bugged me was the voice of William which changed towards the end of the book. She did a great job on his voice when he had a verbal struggle. All in all I'd listen to her again.

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Title: A Gladiator Dies Only Once: The Further Investigations of Gordianus the Finder

Subtitle: Roma Sub Rosa, Book 11

Author: Steven Saylor

Narrator: Ralph Cosham

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 16 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-01-13

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 41 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Steven Saylors Roma Sub Rosa series, set in the later Roman Republic and featuring Gordianus the Finder, has garnered unusual acclaim from listeners and reviewers alike, establishing him as one of the preeminent historical mystery writers.

In A Gladiator Dies Only Once, the second collection of his award-winning stories featuring Gordianus, Saylor more than meets his own high standards. Set between the events of his novelsRomanBlood and Catilinas Riddle, these nine stories of previously untold adventures from the early career of Gordianus - when his adopted son, Eco, was still a mute boy and his wife, Bethesda, was but his slave - will delight Saylors many fans while illuminating details of the ancient world like no other writer can.

Included are The Consuls Wife, which involves a twisted search for truth behind a threatening blind item in the Acta Diurna. In The White Fawn, Gordianus must deal with a kidnapping and murder during the revolt of Sertorius. Archimedes Tomb tells the story behind Ciceros discovery of Archimedes tomb. Finally, If a Cyclops Could Vanish in a Blink of an Eye brings up a perplexing domestic situation in Gordianus own home.

Members Reviews:

I do enjoy seeing these little glimpses into different aspects of Roman life and the cases are cute

It really isn't the book's fault I am not enamored of it. I very much wanted to pick up where the last left off in hopes of finding more about how that ending came about so I was disappointed in the delay when I started this 'next' in the series book. I do enjoy seeing these little glimpses into different aspects of Roman life and the cases are cute, but not meaty like the usual series which is the nature of the short story.

... with all of Steven Saylor's stories it offers a nice view of the Roman Republic in the last days ...

As with all of Steven Saylor's stories it offers a nice view of the Roman Republic in the last days through the eyes of the central hero. I am trying to get my friend into the genre and these short stories are a easy way to ease him into it without the long stories.

A Wonderful Book of Stories

A Gladiator Only Dies Once is the second collection of short stories by Steven Saylor in his Roma Sub Rosa series. This set of stories gives more background on Gordianus the Finder and puts him in some grave danger in the process.

In the first story, The Consulâs Wife, Gordianus is asked to investigate whether the newly elected consul Decimus Brutus is in danger of being murdered by his wife Sempronia. The story includes chariot races at the Circus Maximus, and it is a delight to read an accurate description of the races instead of something modeled after a Hollywood movie. If a Cyclops Could Vanish in the Blink of an Eye concerns Gordianusâ domestic life. Eco is missing some of his favorite toys (figurines of Cerberus, Cyclops etc) and there is no explanation of how they are disappearing. In The White Fawn, Gordianus undertakes dangerous mission to Spain to convince Lucius, the grandson of patrician Gaius Claudius, to return home. The young man has gone to Spain to join the rebellion of Sertorious, and Gordianus has to tread carefully so the rebels do not take him for a spy and the Roman troops seeking to destroy Sertorius do not mistake him for a rebel.

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Title: Sons of Zeus

Author: Noble Smith

Narrator: Elijah Alexander

Format: Unabridged

Length: 14 hrs and 8 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-11-13

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 36 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

In 431 BC, ancient Greece experienced its own "Pearl Harbor" - a treacherous sneak attack that would mark the start of the bloody war between the democracy of Athens and the tyranny of Sparta. Caught between these superpowers, the independent city-state of Plataea became the arena where their battle for control of all of Greece would begin.

In Plataea, the young Greek warrior Nikias dreams of glory in the Olympic games as he trains for the pankration - the no-holds-barred ultimate fighting of the era - until an act of violence in defense of his beloved threatens to send him into exile. But before his trial can take place, a traitor opens the city gates to a surprise attack force.

Suddenly trapped inside their own fortress, the Plataeans are fighting for their lives. As Nikias seeks to discover the identity of the man who betrayed the city, he makes a daring escape, gathers an army, and leads this ragtag band into a suicidal battle at the gates of the citadel - a battle that will decide the fates of his family, his friends, and the woman he loves.

In the vein of Bernard Cornwell, Conn Iggulden, and Steven Pressfield, Sons of Zeus marks the beginning of a richly detailed new action-adventure series.

Members Reviews:

Thoroughly enjoyed this story and narration!

What did you like best about this story?

i felt transported to another world, and completely taken in by this group of unlikely and reluctant heros. This is a gem of historical fiction and I would highly recommend.

Which character as performed by Elijah Alexander was your favorite?

I was actually impressed with the entire cast of characters, and the way in which the narrator skillfully brought each one to life. This writer and narrator are well matched in their style and passion for the content, and deliver a rich and totally immersive experience

OK story, crappy narrator!

The story is certainly no "Gates of Fire" or "Lion of the Sun", but it would be entertaining enough with the right narrator. This guy stinks! He's terrible! He tries to do voices and ruins the story.

YA story with adult content and unskilled narrator

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Not worth the time. The story is artificial and adolescent. It would be good for young readers except for the ridiculously immature sex scenes, explicit in ways only a hormone fueled high school jock could appreciate or believe. Worse than this is the narrator who creates character distinction by falling back on unimaginative and misplaced accents. One of the ancient Greeks actually is given a buttery soft southern accent with diction and pacing reminiscent of Bing Crosby. And, like the Bingle, regardless of the situation his voice never changes, even in the midst of battle he speaks in laconic, ploddingly, cocktail party voice. It is just plain silly. Other characters have British accents, Midwestern, B-movie vampire, etc. Accents do not work to replace well thought out and presented character voices.

Has Sons of Zeus turned you off from other books in this genre?

Not the genre, but definitely the author and narrator.

How could the performance have been better?

The writer needed to write more maturely if he wanted to keep the rape and sexual torture scenes in (though they need to be better written to be believable) or remove the sex and tone down some of the brutality and pitch it to young readers--which is the level of the story.