Download the Top 100 Audiobooks in Fiction, Historical

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Title: Peony in Love

Subtitle: A Novel

Author: Lisa See

Narrator: Janet Song

Format: Unabridged

Length: 13 hrs and 13 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-15-07

Publisher: Books on Tape

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 479 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

For young Peony, betrothed to a suitor she has never met, these lyrics from The Peony Pavilion mirror her own longings. In the garden of the Chen Family Villa, amid the scent of ginger, green tea, and jasmine, a small theatrical troupe is performing scenes from this epic opera, a live spectacle few females have ever seen. Like the heroine in the drama, Peony is the cloistered daughter of a wealthy family, trapped like a good-luck cricket in a bamboo-and-lacquer cage. Though raised to be obedient, Peony has dreams of her own.

Peony's mother is against her daughter's attending the production: "Unmarried girls should not be seen in public". But Peony's father assures his wife that proprieties will be maintained, and that the women will watch the opera from behind a screen. Yet through its cracks, Peony catches sight of an elegant, handsome man with hair as black as a cave and is immediately overcome with emotion.

So begins Peony's unforgettable journey of love and destiny, desire and sorrow as Lisa See's haunting novel, based on actual historical events, takes readers back to 17th-century China, after the Manchus seize power and the Ming dynasty is crushed.

Steeped in traditions and ritual, this story brings to life another time and place, and even the intricate realm of the afterworld, with its protocols, pathways, and stages of existence, a vividly imagined place where one's soul is divided into three, ancestors offer guidance, misdeeds are punished, and hungry ghosts wander the earth.

Immersed in the richness and magic of the Chinese vision of the afterlife, transcending even death, Peony in Love explores, beautifully, the many manifestations of love. Ultimately, Lisa See's new novel addresses universal themes: the bonds of friendship, the power of words, and the age-old desire of women to be heard.

Critic Reviews:

"Peony's vibrant voice, perfectly pitched between the novel's historical and passionate depths, carries her story beautifully." (Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

Unusual and excellent book

It actually began a little slowly with a focus on a love story which I typically find boring but then about an hour into the book it got very very interesting. I was spellbound and disappointed when it ended. It was a wonderful foray into the customs and spiritual world of early china.

Eloquently written and read

Eloquently written and read I couldn't put this book down. Publishers Weekly sums the book up wonderfully: "Set in 17th-century China, See's fifth novel is a coming-of-age story, a ghost story, a family saga and a work of musical and social history."

It is rich in history, tradition and superstition. A friend of mine went home to China for a funeral several years back and I didn't fully understand (until now) all the things Chinese tradition believes you must to do to ensure your loved ones a safe and peaceful passage in death. A very interesting listen! As impacting, eye opening and enjoyable as Memoirs of a Geisha.

Intimate peek into Chinese culture

I had heard that this book was a bit slow and not as good as Lisa See's other writings, so I started reading Peony In Love expecting to be bored for the first half. I was surprised to find out that I loved the book from beginning to end. Peony in Love provides an intimate peek into the lives of Chinese women during the 17th century.

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Title: On Chesil Beach

Author: Ian McEwan

Narrator: Ian McEwan

Format: Unabridged

Length: 4 hrs and 29 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-02-07

Publisher: Random House Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 301 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

At dinner in their rooms they struggle to suppress their worries about the wedding night to come. Edward, eager for rapture, frets over Florence's response to his advances and nurses a private fear of failure, while Florence's anxieties run deeper: she is overcome by sheer disgust at the idea of physical contact, but dreads disappointing her husband when they finally lie down together in the honeymoon suite.

Ian McEwan has caught with understanding and compassion the innocence of Edward and Florence at a time when marriage was presumed to be the outward sign of maturity and independence. On Chesil Beach is another masterwork from McEwan: a story of lives transformed by a gesture not made or a word not spoken.

Critic Reviews:

"Masterful." (Publishers Weekly)

"Conventional in construction and realistic in its representation of addled psychology, the novel is ingenious for its limited but deeply resonant focus." (Booklist)

Members Reviews:

One of the best new novels in recent years

NcEwan has crafted a compelling and tightly woven novel of two lives that are changed by one night and the things not said. To say much more about the story could spoil it for the next reader. I found it difficult to stop listening to it. A perfect audio book for a long car trip when you can listen nonstop. As a literary work this will remain a significant work of this century. The author reads this shot novel with a level of feeling and drama that would be difficult for anyone else to match. Thoroughly enjoyable.

More than I Expected

The description of this book didn't sound too promising, even though I'm a big McEwan fan . . . how can one write an entire book about a few hours on a wedding night? But McEwan deftly creates two engaging characters who generate the reader's empathy. I found the interview with the author particularly insightful, especially on the question of why he summed up Edward's life in the end but not Florence's. Not all authors are good readers, but McEwan does a fine job. Don't be put off by reviews which make it sound as if the book is about nothing but sex. It's so much more.

Another phenomenal book

Ian McEwan is a master; this short book was riveting and revelatory. If you've read him before you know that his depiction of the inner experience of women is astute and often astonishing. In the interview at the end (we're so lucky to have Audible!) he talks about limiting actual depicted conversation between the two main characters until the ultimate confrontation at the end. This is a fascinating narrative tool in the hands of an artist like McEwan. Next download: everything else by McEwan.

Short One, But Decent

This does not approach "Atonement" (one of my all-time favorite books) in quality, but is quite worth reading. The situation is infuriating, and the ending a bit bland compared to the heart of the story, but it certainly is a compelling portrait of the clashing mores of its time (early sixties). The author interview after the book is a significant value-added feature that makes the audio version preferable to the print.

disappointed

I was disappointed in this book. I bought it because the other reviews were great. It was very descriptive and slow moving. If you like books filled with emotional descriptions, then you'll probably love this book. If you like books with action and excitement, you might be bored like I was.

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Title: The English Patient

Author: Michael Ondaatje

Narrator: Christopher Cazenove

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 27 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-02-07

Publisher: Books on Tape

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 344 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

With ravishing beauty and unsettling intelligence, Michael Ondaatje's Booker Prize-winning novel traces the intersection of four damaged lives in an Italian villa at the end of World War II. Hana, the exhausted nurse; the maimed thief, Caravaggio; the wary sapper, Kip: each is haunted by the riddle of the English patient, the nameless, burned man who lies in an upstairs room and whose memories of passion, betrayal, and rescue illuminates this audiobook like flashes of heat lightening.

©1992 Michael Ondaatje; (P)2007 Books on Tape

Critic Reviews:

"The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje wears the triple crown: it is profound, beautiful and heart-quickening." (Toni Morrison)

"There are books that change the shape of literature. The English Patient is such a book." (Books in Canada)

"A magic carpet ride of a novel that soars across worlds and times....A rare and spellbinding net of dreams." (Time)

Members Reviews:

4 lives in the aftermath of WWII

This is a wonderfully written book that brings together the lives of 4 people affected differently by the war. It is touching and profound as well as insightful. For those that saw the movie....it is completely different in approach. Whereas the movie focused on the plots of individual lives, the book examines their "interior" world. Highly recommended.

Both Book and Narrator excellent

I wasn't sure about the book due to earlier reviews, but I want to assure you that the narrator is excellent. I also happen to like the book better than the movie made of it.

Gorgeous and heartbreaking

The writing is gorgeous, that goes without saying. Every turn of phrase was a visual feast for the eyes --and ears in this case. In more than one spot I stopped, went back, and listened again, and again, just because it was so beautifully written.

I came to the story first from the movie. The movie was done so well in every way, as evidenced by how many awards it was given, but it didn't quite seem enough for me to fully understand the relationships between these people. And, it was so well cast that the visual images of each of the characters carried over into the book.

As I suspected, as good as the movie was, this book dove into the heart and soul of each character. Even if they did something that was surprising, I understood it for the simple human frailty that the each revealed. Every frailty was also what was celebrated in each in gentle and elegant ways.

There were certain minor things that confused me about the movie, or that didn't quite ring true and that was because there was only a short time to offer a glimpse of each character without benefit of full history. That was why I wanted to read the book. It was so beautiful and so compelling that I needed to understand more fully what motivated these characters, until they ceased being characters and started being people.

I believe this is one of those rare books that could be picked up again and again, and every time something else will be revealed and I will have a deeper understanding.

If only there was a pause between chapters

This would easily have been 5-star except for the soulless lack of spacing between chapters. Jarring and upsetting the beautiful flow of the prose. The author and the narrator worked so hard to produce this jewel only to be let down by the techs.

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Title: Gates of Fire

Subtitle: An Epic Novel of the Battle of Thermopylae

Author: Steven Pressfield

Narrator: Derek Jacobi

Format: Abridged

Length: 6 hrs and 19 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-22-07

Publisher: Random House Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 566 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Inspired by this stone and intrigued by the lore of Sparta, author Steven Pressfield has brilliantly combined scholarship with storytelling. Narrated by the sole survivor of the epic battle, a squire in the Spartan heavy infantry, Gates of Fire is a mesmerizing depiction of one man's indoctrination into the Spartan way of life and death, and of the legendary men and women who gave the culture an immortal gravity. Culminating in the electrifying and horrifying epic battle, Gates of Fire weaves history, mystery, and heartbreaking romance into a literary tale that brings the Homeric tradition into the 21st century.

Critic Reviews:

"Reading this fine novel, it is not hard to understand why warfare has proved to be one of the most enduring subjects of literature." (The New York Times Book Review)

"Derek Jacobi is brilliant: his soldiers are terrifyingly gruff, and his breathless account of the fighting is so vivid that one can almost smell the blood." (Audiofile)

"An incredibly gripping, moving, and literate work of art. Rarely does an author manage to re-create a moment in history with such mastery, authority, and psychological insight." (Nelson DeMille)

Members Reviews:

Excellent, but very sad it's abridged

Gates of Fire is a superb book. It is historical fiction at it's very best. I believe this is the best of Pressfield's works, so it is nice to finally see this book in audio. The reading is terrific. In fact, I have only one minor quibble, in that the voice adopted for Polynikes sounds like a 40 year old man rather than a 23 year old. Narrator should have used that voice for Dienekes. But truly a quibble. A wonderful book and a superb story of the bond between men and between men and women. I give it 4 stars vs. five merely because it is abridged, and there are some truly wonderful insights about characters (especially Suicide, Arete, and Dienekes) that are in the book that are not in this abridged volume. Still, if you like this era of history and you like stories of courage, valor, and frienship, you cannot do better. This book has some of the best quotes I am aware of for sacrifice and friendship. It is a literary achievement.

Excellent!

Absolutely the best fiction written on the Battle of Thermopylae. Beautifully performed narration by Derek Jacobi.

I requested this audiobook a year ago, and finally, with the release of 300, we got it.

300, while a fun popcorn movie, and equally fun graphic novel, does not compare to the thrilling, well researched and most historically accurate account of what occured at the Hot Gates.

If you want politics, intrigue, romance and action, mesmerizingly narrated, you will find it here.

Who wants abridged?

I truly enjoy reading Steven Pressfield. This particular book is probably one of my favorites of all the books I've read. It would definitely have gotten 5 stars if they'd only left it unabridged...

Better than 300

This book shares many similarities to the recent movie "300"; however, it is better. Covering the same battle at the hot gates of Thermopylae, this version is told by the sole surviving Spartan, Xeo. When Xerxes presses him to tell the story of how 300 Spartans and their allies could hold off his troop numbering over 100,000, Xeo starts at his beginning.

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Title: Innocent Traitor

Subtitle: A Novel of Lady Jane Grey

Author: Alison Weir

Narrator: Stina Nielsen, Davina Porter, Bianca Amato

Format: Unabridged

Length: 18 hrs and 14 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-14-07

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 1865 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

The child of a scheming father and ruthless mother, Jane is born during a time when ambition dictates action. Cousin to Edward VI, Mary I, and Elizabeth I, she is merely a pawn in a political and religious game in which one false step means a certain demise. But Lady Jane has remarkable qualities that help her to withstand the constant pressures of the royal machinery far better than most expect.

Weir's striking novel sweeps readers back through the centuries to witness firsthand one of the most poignant tales from a time of constant scheming and power brokering.

Critic Reviews:

"Weir proves herself deft as ever." (Publishers Weekly)

"Complex yet completely absorbing....A brilliantly vivid and psychologically astute novel." (Booklist)

Members Reviews:

Superior listen!

This is one of the best audiobooks I have encountered. Not only is Alison Wiers writing wonderful, but the structure of the book, (narrative entries by various people in Jane's life), lends itself to the multiple narrator format perfectly.

This is a powerful, engaging retelling of Lady Jane Gray's life, and if you enjoy historical fiction, you will delight in this work.

Outstanding historical novel

I've been a fan of Alison Weir's non-fiction historical works for many years. This, her first venture into fiction, it every bit as satisfying. The input from so many sources, slowly building an unwanted web around Jane Grey, is addictive. It's a truly well-researched and compellingly written version of a tragic story.

The voicing in the audiobook makes it easy to keep track of the many narrators. It could easily be a confusing book but the multiple voices prevent that. The final voice, unheard until that time, brings the story to a hearbreaking end.

This book is so like Arthurian legend - you already know the end of the story, but somehow keep hoping this time it be different.

Marvelous!

Fantastic recount of the life of Lady Jane Gray and those around her. It is told in the first person by Jane Gray and several others in a loose sort of diary-entry format. The charcters are wonderfully developed and offer a unique perspective of many well known historical figures of the Tudor Dynasty. I learned a great deal and enjoyed the story immensely.

Icing on the cake: Narration is excellent as well!! Top notch. I will definately add the narrators and author of this book to my list of favorites.

An Engaging Gem

"Innocent Traitor" was a beautiful story performed by skilled and desirable voice actors. Particularly engaging was the voice actress who portrayed Lady Jane Grey. For someone who has listened to hundreds of voice over demos, she was exquisite with regard to her interpretation, demeanor, vocal tonality and transitions in voice ages from that of a child to a teenager to a newly established queen. The ensemble cast of "Innocent Traitor" was complementary, captivating and deserving of highest admiration.

Brilliant

I am dumb-struck by this book. It is brilliant. There are no words to adequately describe its magnificence.

To say it is well written, well performed and tells a complex story in exceptional way, does not tell the half of it. It is a breathtaking story and faultless in the telling.

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Title: The Memoirs of Cleopatra

Author: Margaret George

Narrator: Donada Peters

Format: Unabridged

Length: 49 hrs and 55 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-18-07

Publisher: Books on Tape

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 467 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

This novel allows the unscrupulous and proud Queen of the Nile to recount her own tale. A masterful recreation of history.

©1997 Margaret George (P)1998 Books on Tape

Critic Reviews:

"A thrilling story...[Cleopatra's] 'memoirs' are vivid and enthralling. Read them." (Washington Post) "Readers looking to be transported to another place and time will find their magic carpet here." (Publishers Weekly) "An extremely detailed historical novel....this accurate re-creation of a vastly interesting time and place will not disappoint." (Booklist)

Members Reviews:

I felt like I was there

Let's face it, history can be boring. Not so this account of the life of Cleopatra. Sure, I get all the names confused, and at times I found myself referring to a map to see where everything was happening, but listening to this account for a couple of hours each day on my ride to work I felt like I was spending time with an intimate friend. The author has a marvelous way of mixing historic accounts with a touch of a harlaquine romance (we are talking about Cleopatra.) By the time I was through with this story I felt I knew not only Cleopatra, but the whole cast of charecters in a new and unique way. Well done!

fascinating

Don't let other reviewers' impressions of the narrators' voices put you off. This is a powerful story told from a unique perspective, and is not to be missed. If you're interested in ancient Egyptian culture, you won't be disappointed. If you're interested in intimate details of daily life - fashion, style, design, entertaining and religion - you won't be sorry.

Fact and Fiction

This is a wonderful story with historical references. If you are a history buff and also enjoy good fiction, this is a truly captivating story. One of the greatest story's ever told, and told again and again. I truly enjoyed this version.

Wonderful account of a great person from history

I have read all of Margaret George's books and lately have been revisiting them through audio.com and this story is even more thrilling than the read.

The Heart and Mind of a Queen

As Cleopatra herself states within this book, people love an elemental story. What could be more elemental than love, ambition, and power?

I read this book in paper form years ago, and it's a treat to go through it again in audio. The narrator, Donada Peters, sounded familiar to me, and a quick search revealed that I had heard her previously through other pseudonyms, chief amongst them Nadia May. She has an authoritative voice for the historical narratives I've heard her perform, and while she seemed a bit of an odd choice at first for the voice of Egypt's last queen, she quickly won me over for all of the characters. That's important for a story of this scale where character is chief amongst the attributes needed to pull it off.

Margaret George's works never cease to impress me. As an historian, her works are meticulously researched to ensure the known facts are present within the tale. As a storyteller, her pacing is just fast enough to keep things moving, but it's slow and languid enough to really build the details of character and setting. As I said, character is chief amongst the attributes needed to pull off a story like this, and this is where the author's skills truly excel.

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Title: The Autobiography of Henry VIII

Author: Margaret George

Narrator: David Case

Format: Unabridged

Length: 41 hrs and 20 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-17-07

Publisher: Books on Tape

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 480 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Margaret George's novel brings into focus the larger-than-life King Henry VIII, monarch of prodigious appetites for wine, women, and song.

©1986 Margaret George; (P)1998 Books on Tape

Critic Reviews:

"A remarkable achievement....Magnificently researched and admirably written." (Mary Stewart)

"It doth brim with lust, violence, cruelty, and living conservation....Margaret George has found a new and fresh way to tell the story." (Detroit Free Press)

"Her novel is a...banquet feast for most readers...astonishing. There's rousing drama, robust atmosphere, and consistently solid characterization; and finally, Margaret George's triumph is anchored in the urgent rhythm her writing attains." (Forth Worth Star Telegram)

Members Reviews:

Perfection!

The book, as hefty as the king it brings to life, is arguably Margaret George's finest book. Bringing to life Henry's reign, from the splendid promise of its beginnings to its sordid and dangerous conclusion, the lush detail makes the reader/listener feel as if we are actually there, so vivid are the descriptions. The narrator's voice conjures up a haughty richness eerily reminiscent of Peter O'Toole's Henry II from 'The Lion in Winter'; it made for an immensely enjoyable listen; Henry's larger-than-life ego simply explodes through this voice! (If you like your audiobooks read in dry monotone, skip this one!) The narration of Henry VIII is augmented by side notes written as if in the diary's margins by his court fool, and his dry, rapier-sharp wit is the perfect foil for the king's own viewpoint. This is one of my very favorite audiobooks and I heartily recommend it to any historical fiction fan who is looking for a substantial and riveting 'read'.

Retraction

I would like to take back my earlier review. Once I became used to the voice inflection that the narrator chose to use for King Henry the book became very enjoyable. I found that it suited King Henry's personality very well after awhile. King Henry was protrayed as a conceited, self-centered, egocentric narcissist in the book. Also, I think that it must be very difficult to narrate several voices in a book and the narrator did an excellent job.

If you like historical fiction . . .

. . . you will LOVE this book. The reader is lead to believe that it is more fact than fiction because of the amount of research Margaret George did in preparing this book for publication. She read and studied many books and period accounts (check out the bibliography), as well as having visited England more than once for the express purpose of researching the life and personality of Henry VIII. No one had ever thought to try to get into the mind of Henry to see what was really going on there until Ms. George did her homework for this book. I believe it is very revealing. She does not try to make him into something that he is not. We still see him as the king we love to hate - an overweight king who suffered from dementia, felt things very deeply, acted on impulse, loved women, and had people around him put to death if they didn't agree with him. But what it does show is how he came to feel and do the things that he did. One can come close to understanding him, and perhaps even empathizing with him through this book. It is very well and beautifully written. I loved the associated history that I learned along the way.

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Title: Mary Queen of Scotland and the Isles

Author: Margaret George

Narrator: Donada Peters

Format: Unabridged

Length: 42 hrs and 39 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-17-07

Publisher: Books on Tape

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 387 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

An exhaustively researched novel weaves both historical fact and plausible fiction in bringing the story of Mary Queen of Scots to life.

©1992 Margaret George; (P)1998 Books on Tape

Critic Reviews:

"An evocative portrait." (The New York Times Book Review)

"The best kind of historical novel, one the reader can't wait to get lost in." (San Francisco Chronicle

"George has creative a lively, gallant Mary of intelligence, charm and terrible judgment....A popular, readable, inordinately moving tribute to a remarkable queen." (Kirkus Reviews)

Members Reviews:

Well written, well read

As with all of Margaret George's books, this is an entertaining, mostly accurate historical accounting of an interesting life. George manages to portray several different facets of the Queen's personality, a willful, foolish girl, a haughty self-centered woman, a not very skilled tactician and a woman who is a victim of the times. By the end of the book I was fed up with Mary's careless disregard for the lives of her subjects and wasn't overly saddened by her fate. I believe that history has shown Mary to be far more devious than this book lets on, but it is after all, fiction. This is a lengthy book well worth the time invested in listening. The narration is excellent.

Loved It!

Great character development and great narration. If you love history and have spent any time reading about Mary Stuart you will enjoy this book. I definately recommend it.

My Favorite Audible Book yet

What made the experience of listening to Mary Queen of Scotland and the Isles the most enjoyable?

Margaret George wrote an amazing depiction of Queen Mary's life and Donada Peter's led me on that journey with an amazing performance.

What about Donada Peterss performance did you like?

Donada Peters took me back to Queen Mary's life. I felt like I was there. Amazing performance. I'll seek out book that she has performed.

Historical Accuracy

I was happy to hear, in the Author notes at the end, that of the over 200 names mentioned only 2 were fabricated. A true historical fiction which humanizes history. Thank you.

Phenomenally written book and narration!

What made the experience of listening to Mary Queen of Scotland and the Isles the most enjoyable?

The narrator "acted" out the whole novel. I could not believe how talented she was to have given each character a different voice, and personality. The accents were delightful to listen to, without being too thick to understand. The book itself was very well written and I was shocked to learn so much about history just in one book about a single woman. This is, by far the BEST audible book I have had the pleasure of listening to. Definitely, a must buy!

Who was your favorite character and why?

Mary, she was a strong, sweet and caring woman. Piously Catholic, even to her end.

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Title: Against the Day

Subtitle: A Novel

Author: Thomas Pynchon

Narrator: Dick Hill

Format: Unabridged

Length: 53 hrs and 31 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-12-07

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 300 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

"Spanning the period between the Chicago World's Fair of 1893 and the years just after World War I, this novel moves from the labor troubles in Colorado to turn-of-the-century New York, to London and Gottingen, Venice and Vienna, the Balkans, Central Asia, Siberia at the time of the mysterious Tunguska Event, Mexico during the Revolution, postwar Paris, silent-era Hollywood, and one or two places not strictly speaking on the map at all.

"With a worldwide disaster looming just a few years ahead, it is a time of unrestrained corporate greed, false religiosity, moronic fecklessness, and evil intent in high places. No reference to the present day is intended or should be inferred. The sizable cast of characters includes anarchists, balloonists, gamblers, corporate tycoons, drug enthusiasts, innocents and decadents, mathematicians, mad scientists, shamans, psychics, and stage magicians, spies, detectives, adventuresses, and hired guns. There are cameo appearances by Nikola Tesla, Bela Lugosi, and Groucho Marx.

"As an era of certainty comes crashing down around their ears and an unpredictable future commences, these folks are mostly just trying to pursue their lives. Sometimes they manage to catch up; sometimes it's their lives that pursue them.

"Meanwhile, the author is up to his usual business. Characters stop what they're doing to sing what are for the most part stupid songs. Strange sexual practices take place. Obscure languages are spoken, not always idiomatically. Contrary-to-the-fact occurrences occur. If it is not the world, it is what the world might be with a minor adjustment or two. According to some, this is one of the main purposes of fiction.

"Let the reader decide, let the reader beware. Good luck."

Thomas Pynchon

Critic Reviews:

"[Pynchon's] funniest and arguably his most accessible novel." (New York Times Book Review)

"Pynchon delivers a novel that matches his most influential work, Gravity's Rainbow...in complexity, humor, and insight, and surpasses it in emotional valence....A capacious, gritty, and tender epic." (Booklist)

Members Reviews:

brilliant!

Against the Day is Thomas Pynchon's most recent and one of his most accessible and entertaining works. (Mason & Dixon and The Crying of Lot 49 are better books, imo, but this one is certainly a worthy addition to Pynchon's formidable oeuvre.) Dick Hill's reading makes it even better.

Taking place between 1893 and 1914 in Chicago at the Columbian Exposition and going from there to the globe, inside and out, the story involves a group of very fictional hot-air balloonists, western mines unionists and anarchists (terrorists?) and their families, tycoons and their goons, scientists, mathematicians and a whole menagerie of assorted characters some historical, some not.

The plot involves the children of slain anarchist Traverse Webb as they basically try to 1. avenge his death and 2. escape the clutches of the evil tycoon Scarsdale Vibe. Meanwhile, the Chums of Chance glide around observing from their balloon above. But that's a very, very simplified version of the intricate convolutions the plot of this encyclopedic novel takes.

The themes are the closing of the frontier and the onset of modern life, including the boom of technology and capitalist greed.

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Title: Silent in the Grave

Author: Deanna Raybourn

Narrator: Ellen Archer

Format: Unabridged

Length: 13 hrs and 2 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-05-07

Publisher: Harlequin Books S.A.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 1443 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

These ominous words, slashed from the pages of a book of Psalms, are the last threat that the darling of London society, Sir Edward Grey, receives from his killer. Before he can show them to Nicholas Brisbane, the private inquiry agent he has retained for his protection, Sir Edward collapses and dies at his London home, in the presence of his wife, Julia, and a roomful of dinner guests.

Prepared to accept that Edward's death was due to a long-standing physical infirmity, Julia is outraged when Brisbane visits and suggests that Sir Edward has been murdered. It is a reaction she comes to regret when she discovers the damning paper for herself, and realizes the truth.

Determined to bring her husband's murderer to justice, Julia engages the enigmatic Brisbane to help her investigate Edward's demise. Dismissing his warnings that the investigation will be difficult, if not impossible, Julia presses forward, following a trail of clues that lead her to even more unpleasant truths, and ever closer to a killer who waits expectantly for her arrival.

Critic Reviews:

"Riveting." (Bookreporter.com)

"Fans of British historical thrillers will welcome Raybourn's perfectly executed debut." (Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

Happily surprised

In the 12 years I have been an Audible member I have only purchased two or three romance novels. I can't recall what prompted me to use a credit for SILENT IN THE GRAVE, but I am glad I did. The great period detail shows Raybourne did her research. Be sure to listen closely because the author sprinkles quite a few clues throught this clever story. The narration by Ellen Archer is spot on, not sure why some reviewers disliked her.

If you want to listen to a riveting mystery laced with humor, romance and cleverness then SILENT IN THE GRAVE is a great choice.

Adequate story, but hard to listen to.

I bought this book as a mystery, not as a romance, so I was happy to have the story pretty light on the romance side -- more a tantalizingly slow build up of romantic tension. The period detail was good, and the plot was interesting, although the author did sometimes telegraph what was going to happen next. I liked the characters, minor ones as well as major. I had a little trouble getting into it at the beginning, but I think that was because it started out sounding a lot like many a Victorian or Regency romance. Thank god it never developed into the bodice-ripper I was dreading. All in all, it turned out to be a satisfying story with an interesting ending.

My problem with this book was the narrator. At first, the voice itself bothered me because of a rather saccharine tone, but I got used to that and it fitted the story fairly well. This narrator did a fairly good job with different voices, but different accents did not come out well. One of the servants was supposed to be Scottish, but the accent used sounded so artificial, with words really stretched out of shape, that it was hard to listen to. Another character, said to be Italian, sounded more like a Scotsman. Also, in the course of delivering lines of dialogue being spoken by the upperclass British characters, every once in a while something slipped and a word or two came out not in the right accent because the pronunciation of the vowels had shifted.

But finally, the part of the performance that drove me wild and greatly detracted from my enjoyment of the story was the mispronunciations.