Download the Popular Authors Audiobooks in Fiction, Historical

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Title: Ambulance Girls

Author: Deborah Burrows

Narrator: Penelope Freeman

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 24 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-18-17

Publisher: Random House Audiobooks

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 4 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Random House presents the unabridged downloadable audiobook edition of Ambulance Girls by Deborah Burrows, read by Penelope Freeman.

On duty during London's Blitz...

As death and destruction fall from the skies day after day in the London Blitz, Australian ambulance driver Lily Brennan confronts the horror with bravery, intelligence, common sense and humour.

Although she must rely upon her colleagues to carry out her dangerous duties, Lily begins to suspect that someone at her ambulance station may be giving assistance to the enemy by disclosing secret information. Then her best friend, Jewish ambulance attendant David Levy, disappears in suspicious circumstances. Aided - and sometimes hindered - by David's school friend, a mysterious and attractive RAF pilot, Lily has to draw on all of her resources to find David and negotiate the dangers that come from falling in love in a country far from home in a time of war....

Members Reviews:

Captivating

Captivating story , some interesting twists and turns really enjoyable listen. Really descriptive to keep your imagination busy.

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Title: Feast of Sorrow

Subtitle: A Novel of Ancient Rome

Author: Crystal King

Narrator: Simon Vance

Format: Unabridged

Length: 13 hrs and 29 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-25-17

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 68 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Set amongst the scandal, wealth, and upstairs-downstairs politics of a Roman family, Crystal King's seminal debut features the man who inspired the world's oldest cookbook and the ambition that led to his destruction.

On a blistering day in the 26th year of Augustus Caesar's reign, a young chef, Thrasius, is acquired for the exorbitant price of 20,000 denarii. His purchaser is the infamous gourmet Marcus Gavius Apicius, wealthy beyond measure, obsessed with a taste for fine meals from exotic places and a singular ambition: to serve as culinary adviser to Caesar, an honor that will cement his legacy as Rome's leading epicure.

Apicius rightfully believes that Thrasius is the key to his culinary success, and with Thrasius' help he soon becomes known for his lavish parties and fantastic meals. Thrasius finds a family in Apicius' household, his daughter Apicata, his wife Aelia, and her handmaiden, Passia, whom Thrasius quickly falls in love with. But as Apicius draws closer to his ultimate goal, his reckless disregard for any who might get in his way takes a dangerous turn that threatens his young family and places his entire household at the mercy of the most powerful forces in Rome.

Members Reviews:

It made me hungry for more

If you could sum up Feast of Sorrow in three words, what would they be?

Hungry for more

What other book might you compare Feast of Sorrow to and why?

America's First Daughter. Both discussed masters and slaves, while trying to keep a realistic description of salvery and weaving it through the lens of the time.

What does Simon Vance bring to the story that you wouldnt experience if you just read the book?

I listened to the book as walked to work in Paris. The smells mingled perfectly with the story.

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

No

Any additional comments?

I could tell there was a lot research done for the book. I can't wait to see the movie or read the next book that she writes.

Very well written. Great story.

Would you listen to Feast of Sorrow again? Why?

Yes. This one will stay in my library. The story moved along at a great pace and it was well written. The ending brought a tear to my eye,

What other book might you compare Feast of Sorrow to and why?

Hmm. Tough one. The story spans decades, following the lives of a Roman patrician, his household, and his slaves, written from the point of view of his most important slave. The story is almost a bit Dickensian.

Which scene was your favorite?

Many great scenes, but the ending stuck with me. I was sad to reach that end once I had.

If you could take any character from Feast of Sorrow out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Haha! Since wonderful food and feasts are a central theme of the story, I would rather the main characters invite me to one of their dinner parties!

Any additional comments?

Excellently narrated, which complemented the story nicely.

Not just for foodies!

Fascinating adventure in Ancient Rome captured through King's telling of the birth of the first cookbook. The recipes alone are worth reading; the author's attention to detail bring legitimacy to the story, while her evident love of the subject is infectious, inviting the reader to share her enthusiasm. Simon Vance's performance of the audio version is brilliant.

A Great First Novel

I did not know what to expect when I downloaded this novel, but I was very glad I did.

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Title: The Last Neanderthal

Subtitle: A Novel

Author: Claire Cameron

Narrator: Lisa Stathoplos, Casey Turner

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 58 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-25-17

Publisher: Hachette Audio

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 46 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

One of the most anticipated books of 2017: The Millions, CBC, Chatelaine, Globe and Mail, Maclean's

From the author of The Bear, the enthralling story of two women separated by millennia but linked by an epic journey that will transform them both

Forty thousand years in the past, the last family of Neanderthals roams the earth. After a crushingly hard winter, their numbers are low, but Girl, the oldest daughter, is just coming of age, and her family is determined to travel to the annual meeting place and find her a mate.

But the unforgiving landscape takes its toll, and Girl is left alone to care for Runt, a foundling of unknown origin. As Girl and Runt face the coming winter storms, Girl realizes she has one final chance to save her people, even if it means sacrificing part of herself.

In the modern day, archaeologist Rosamund Gale works well into her pregnancy, racing to excavate newly found Neanderthal artifacts before her baby comes. Linked across the ages by the shared experience of early motherhood, both stories examine the often taboo corners of women's lives.

Haunting, suspenseful, and profoundly moving, The Last Neanderthal asks us to reconsider all we think we know about what it means to be human.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

Critic Reviews:

"Forty millennia separate the two female protagonists of this impressively executed novel from the author of The Bear.... [The] book's greatest strength [is] its ability to collapse time and space to draw together seemingly dissimilar species: ancestors and successors, writer and reader." (Publishers Weekly)

"The Last Neanderthal is astonishing. With delicacy and tenderness, Claire Cameron imagines the struggles of a Neanderthal family to sustain itself physically and psychologically in the face of extinction. As we follow Girl, her mother and brothers, and a mysterious stray called Runt, we are put in touch with what is most ancient and noble in human nature. At the same time, the parallel contemporary narrative shows us how little, over the eons, the human heart has changed. I'm thrilled by Cameron's adventurous and deeply empathic tale, an example of what fiction at its best can do." (Pamela Erens, author of Eleven Hours)

Members Reviews:

The story is wonderful, the narration is HORRIBLE.

it's unfortunate that one narrator sounds so bored that the book kept me falling asleep. She kept ending each sentence with an unusual inflection that sounded like she was questioning what she read. As the story progressed, the inflection popped up throughout the sentences. I kept thinking about the boring teacher in Ferris Bueller's Day Off.

1/2 of the Narration is horrible

Would you try another book from Claire Cameron and/or Lisa Stathoplos and Casey Turner ?

No

What three words best describe Lisa Stathoplos and Casey Turner s performance?

Stathoplos - horrible, Turner - great

Any additional comments?

While the book wasn't terrible (besides the ending, which is sudden and seems too abrupt) the narration of this audiobook was half and half. Casey Turner, who plays "the girl" is wonderful. But Lisa Stathoplos as Rose is terrible. She seems to have no concept of appropriate tone or inflection.

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Title: O God of Battles

Author: Harry Homewood

Narrator: Corey M. Snow

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 16 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-21-17

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 26 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

It was a time for America and her heroes: men like Michael and Andrew O'Connor, rival brothers fresh out of Annapolis, men who left all they knew and loved to seek glory in a world at war. Mike beneath the ocean aboard the USS Tigerfish, Andrew in the air as a fighter pilot ace. Theirs was a baptism by fire, yet they rose to confront a brutal enemy across the sea-and to chase the explosive dreams that could ultimately destroy them.

From Harry Homewood, best-selling author of Final Harbor, Silent Sea, and Torpedo!, comes the epic novel of a family at war. A novel of family, duty, pride - and of two brothers, competitors in both love and war, whose inner struggles provided them with the courage that could mean the difference between life and death.

Members Reviews:

Great Book, Great Story, Great Narration

Great Book, Great Story, Great Narration, what else can I say this book flows so glowingly and the story unfolded so very very well it would be hard to say anything negative about this book...

War in the Pacific Revisited

Over the sea & under with the Hardy Boy twins. Good combat story together with wholesome romance (and a little very passé strict Catholic guilt thrown in).

Enjoyed it a lot.

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Title: The Enemies of Versailles

Subtitle: Mistresses of Versailles Series, Book 3

Author: Sally Christie

Narrator: Elizabeth Wiley

Format: Unabridged

Length: 14 hrs and 55 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-21-17

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 15 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

"That beastly bourgeois Pompadour was one thing; a common prostitute is quite another kettle of fish."

After decades of suffering the King's endless stream of Royal Favorites, the princesses of the Court have reached a breaking point. Horrified that he would bring the lowborn Comtesse du Barry into the hallowed halls of Versailles, Louis XV's daughters, led by the indomitable Madame Adelaide, vow eternal enmity and enlist the young dauphiness Marie Antoinette in their fight against the new mistress. But as tensions rise and the French Revolution draws closer, a prostitute in the palace soon becomes the least of the nobility's concerns.

Told in Christie's witty and engaging style, the final book in the Mistresses of Versailles trilogy will delight and entrance fans as it once again brings to life the sumptuous and cruel world of 18th century Versailles, and France as it approaches irrevocable change.

Members Reviews:

Meh

I enjoyed the first two books in this series, but I agree with other reviewers that this one drags on into minutia that doesn't add much to the story. Probably could cut it back by 10 or so chapters to much improvement as I find myself skipping forward ALOT.

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Title: Brutal Valour: The Tragedy of Isandlwana

Subtitle: The Anglo-Zulu War, Book 1

Author: James Mace

Narrator: Jonathan Waters

Format: Unabridged

Length: 15 hrs and 35 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-06-17

Publisher: Legionary Books

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 16 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

It is December 1878, and war looms on the horizon in South Africa. British high commissioner Sir Henry Bartle-Frere seeks to dismantle the powerful neighboring kingdom of the Zulus and uses an incursion along the disputed border as his justification for war. He issues an impossible ultimatum to the Zulu king, Cetshwayo, demanding he disband his armies and pay massive reparations. With a heavy heart, the king prepares his nation for war against their former allies.

Leading the invasion is Lieutenant General Sir Frederic Thesiger, Baron Chelmsford, a highly experienced officer fresh off a decisive triumph over the neighboring Xhosa tribes. He and Frere are convinced that a quick victory over the Zulus will negate any repercussions from the home government for launching what is, in essence, an illegal war.

Recently arrived to South Africa are newly recruited privates Arthur Wilkinson and Richard Lowe, members of C Company, 1/24th Regiment of Foot under the venerable Captain Reginald Younghusband. Eager for adventure, they are prepared to do their duty both for the empire and for their friends.

As Frere's ultimatum expires, the army of British redcoats and allied African auxiliaries crosses the uMzinyathi River at Rorke's Drift into Zululand. Ten days later the British and Zulus will meet their destiny at the base of a mountain called Isandlwana.

Members Reviews:

Wonderful glimpse into history

I love well researched and well written historical fiction and this book is exactly that. How much of the personality, behavior and opinions of the characters is true to history... I don't know. What I do know is, that each character was written in a truly believable manner that was engaging and kept me on the edge of my earbuds wanting to know how their role, in this part of history, would unfold. The story was written with glimpses into the actions and beliefs/ motivations of many characters.

The story was told through the people on both sides of the conflict. The details describing the harsh conditions and battles were enough for me to feel for those involved and get a sense of the tragic affair without being too overly gory.

I have never seen any of the movies or learned much about the Anglo-Zulu wars.

I want to listen to the next book! I would definitely read/ listen to another by this author.

The narrator did a wonderful job with the voices and bringing life to the story. I am not an expert on the Zulu language but I think he did a great job pronouncing the Zulu words and names and phrases. He spoke them without stumbling or hesitation which made them sound all the more correct.

I was given this free, review copy audiobook at my request and voluntarily left this unbiased review.

great story

great story about some truly heroic deeds an men. War is never a pretty thing,never like tv. But men can aspire to some awe inspiring moments at such times. This book ,I think captured it greatly

This was a fascinating book. I knew nothing of this historically speaking so now Ill have to learn more. Very interesting. Well written with characters that held my interest. I definitely enjoyed this one. The narration was well done. Great performance.

This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review.

The Zulu war brought to life

I grew up a fan of history and of the wars that shaped our world.

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Title: Appalachian Daughter

Author: Mary Jane Salyers

Narrator: Bailey Carr

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 25 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-25-17

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 14 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

On the last day of eighth grade, Maggie begins to dream of finding a way to escape the drudgery and confinement of life in the hollow and establish her independence. Her plan begins to fall in place when she enters high school and discovers she has a natural talent for excelling in shorthand, typing, and other business classes. Meanwhile she spares no effort in helping her family continue to survive despite their poverty, a less than fertile few acres, and a family history of instability. The typical spoken language, folkways, traditional beliefs, and religious practices are skillfully woven into this portrait of Appalachian family life. The author's sympathetic insights into mountain culture combined with memorably etched characters and events create a realistic reflection of Tennessee mountain life during the decade following World War II. Maggie's life takes an unexpected turn when her cousin JD reveals a dark secret that could shatter the family. Maggie struggles to maintain her dreams of a better life amidst the many trials that will test the grit of this Appalachian Daughter.

Members Reviews:

Classic coming of age story

A glimpse of mountain life as the the traditional values come up against a changing world.

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Title: The Fire by Night

Subtitle: A Novel

Author: Teresa Messineo

Narrator: Kirsten Potter

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 39 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-17-17

Publisher: HarperAudio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 61 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

A powerful and evocative debut novel about two American military nurses during World War II that illuminates the unsung heroism of women who risked their lives in the fight - a riveting saga of friendship, valor, sacrifice, and survival combining the grit and selflessness of Band of Brothers with the emotional resonance of The Nightingale.

In war-torn France, Jo McMahon, an Italian Irish girl from the tenements of Brooklyn, tends to six seriously wounded soldiers in a makeshift medical unit. Enemy bombs have destroyed her hospital convoy, and now Jo singlehandedly struggles to keep her patients and herself alive in a cramped and freezing tent close to German troops. There is a growing tenderness between her and one of her patients, a Scottish officer, but Jo's heart is seared by the pain of all she has lost and seen. Nearing her breaking point, she fights to hold on to joyful memories of the past, to the times she shared with her best friend, Kay, whom she met in nursing school.

Half a world away in the Pacific, Kay is trapped in a squalid Japanese POW camp in Manila, one of thousands of Allied men, women, and children whose fates rest in the hands of a sadistic enemy. Far from the familiar safety of the small Pennsylvania coal town of her childhood, Kay clings to memories of her happy days posted in Hawaii and the handsome flyer who swept her off her feet in the weeks before Pearl Harbor. Surrounded by cruelty and death, Kay battles to maintain her sanity and save lives as best she can and to live to see her beloved friend Jo once more.

When the conflict at last comes to an end, Jo and Kay discover that to achieve their own peace, they must find their places - and the hope of love - in a world that's forever changed. With rich, superbly researched detail, Teresa Messineo's thrilling novel brings to life the pain and uncertainty of war and the sustaining power of love and friendship and illuminates the lives of the women who risked everything to save others during a horrifying time.

Members Reviews:

Hard to follow.

I found this book very hard to follow. I could not finish listening to it.

Beautiful story captured brilliantly

Teresa Messineos debut novel is an amazing look into the untold story of women on the front lines of WWII. The depth of knowledge of real life events told in this fictitious story brings to life what may have been lost- another chapter of unknown heroes. This audible version dramatically brings to life the words in a way that is appropriate and moving

High praise for Kirsten Potter

The story of the two nurses during WWII was well done but what made this book come to life is the narration of Kirsten Potter. She is marvelous at putting the correct verbal emphasis to evoke drama, hate, fear, frustration and love to Teresa Messineo's writing.

I will be looking for other books that are narrated by Kirsten.

Should be required reading in History classes

I can't say I enjoyed this book. But only because it illustrates the true horrors of war. It also illuminated the discrimination and essential role women play in war. The military is still hiding the facts of war. It so,ces nothing and destroys life.

Tough read

I'm a big fan of WW2 books, but this one was a bit too intense and requires a tough stomach through the first half. The high points weren't enough for me to have really enjoyed the book. It left me more depressed than uplifted.

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Title: The Magdalen Girls

Author: V. S. Alexander

Narrator: Alana Kerr Collins

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 19 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-27-16

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 95 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Dublin, 1962. Within the gated grounds of the convent of the Sisters of the Holy Redemption lies one of the city's Magdalen Laundries. Once places of refuge, the laundries have evolved into grim workhouses. Some inmates are "fallen" women - unwed mothers, prostitutes, or petty criminals. Most are ordinary girls whose only sin lies in being too pretty, too independent, or tempting the wrong man. Among them is 16-year-old Teagan Tiernan, sent by her family when her beauty provokes a lustful revelation from a young priest.

Teagan soon befriends Nora Craven, a new arrival who thought nothing could be worse than living in a squalid tenement flat. Stripped of their freedom and dignity, the girls are given new names and denied contact with the outside world. The Mother Superior, Sister Anne, who has secrets of her own, inflicts cruel, dehumanizing punishments - but always in the name of love. Finally, Nora and Teagan find an ally in the reclusive Lea, who helps them endure - and plot an escape. But as they will discover, the outside world has dangers too, especially for young women with soiled reputations.

Told with candor, compassion, and vivid historical detail, The Magdalen Girls is a masterfully written novel of life within the era's notorious institutions - and an inspiring story of friendship, hope, and unyielding courage.

Members Reviews:

can't stop won't stop

if there was a free second I was listening. the story was very interesting and the character development made me even more interested.

Boring. Couldn't finish it

I thought the story was slow moving and couldn't even finish the book. I tried really hard to push through to the end but the thought of having to listen to 2 more hours did me in and I had to stop.

Poor character development, weak, predictable story line

One of the most boring, predictable stories I've heard in a long time. I love historical fiction but this was really awful. Without killing the plot for anyone desperate enough to struggle through this one, here's the one constant: if you think something is going to happen, it happens. Guess something is about to go on? It does.

The whole thing was just a simpering mess. The weak character development kept protagonist and antagonist alike from evoking even a ripple of "meh...who cares?" from me.

Save your $ or audible points on this one, really.

Loved this book.

Great read. Very vivid detail and great story. I would love a movie of this book. The history is very disturbing and interesting.

What a awesome listen.

The Magdalen Girls brings you back to the 1960's in Ireland and shows you that not everything was better in the "good old days." This chilling and heart warming story had me up all nigh. VS Alexander's writing is phenomenal and so is Alana Kerr Collins' narration. I will be looking for more work from both of these talented people.

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Title: The Thrall

Subtitle: The Viking Hero Series, Volume 1

Author: Njord Kane

Narrator: Kimberly Worthy

Format: Unabridged

Length: 3 hrs and 49 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-21-16

Publisher: Spangenhelm Publishing

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 2 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

When Viking raiders attack a quiet Norse village, a small boy's life is ripped apart as he's carried away by sea and sold into a life of servitude. But when this young boy with veins full of fire and a head full of ideas comes of age, he is not what he seems to be.

The events that follow propel Rowan on a journey that only the foolhardy or desperate would risk, leading him into the forest and up the mountain - into a whole world of secrets in itself.

But this is only the beginning of his adventures. Something is stirring in the forest, something more ominous than the rising threat across the seas. Fearful travelers whisper of a darkness breathing in the forest, disturbing it, corrupting it. In the very heart of these stirrings, Rowan encounters that which defies belief, leaving him speechless with terror - and wonder.

Members Reviews:

Not my favorite.

I was disappointed in this book. It was not what I thought it would be

Good story lost to narration

The story is entertaining however at times I found my self picturing a huge viking blacksmith with a 13year old girls voice.