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Title: The Golden Throne

Author: Katia Fox, Aubrey Botsford (translator)

Narrator: James Langton

Format: Unabridged

Length: 16 hrs and 28 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-14-14

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 23 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

With captivating detail and uncanny insight, Katia Fox transports us to the dazzlingly lavish royal courts of 12th-century England, where the kingdoms destiny lies in the hands of an extraordinary knight.

Young Guillaume, fourth son of a minor baron, has passionate but unlikely dreams of becoming one of the kings knights. But when he rescues the queen from a rebel attack, she gratefully appoints him to be the sword-fighting instructor to the prince, securing his place at court. Soon, Guillaume becomes one of the most influential men in England - but as his star rises, so does the number of enemies who seek his downfall. Before long, a sinister plot is hatched to destroy him Guillaume must outsmart his aggressors, or risk losing everything.

The Golden Throne is the magnificent conclusion to Katia Foxs family trilogy set against the richly textured historical tapestry of the High Middle Ages.

Members Reviews:

Third novel in the 12th Century trilogy by Fox

Presents the story of Guillaume Le Marechal (known in English language as William Marshall) who loyally serves five kings without much reward from most of them. Some of them even suspect his loyalty, and he finds it safer not to be at court at times. He finds love and fortune with Irish princess Isabelle when English King John decides to reward the Marshall with a wife and the rich lands and castles in parts of Wales and Ireland. Guillaume needs to restore his relationship with Ellenwoere and with his son William, and he aids Williamâs good fortune without revealing he is Williamâs father. As well written and well translated as the first two novels in the series.

A "Knight" to remember.

The twelfth century, with it's royal intrigue, murder, mystery, greed, and servitude to royal masters, seems to have been a blueprint for following generations of kings and queens in history. What sets this book apart from so many others written on the subject is one, the Knight Guillaume Marechal, later known by titles such as Lord and Comte and right hand man to five historical kings of England. When so many were devious plotters of how to enrich and ingratiate themselves to rulers for their own gain, Guillaume rose above them all by his true honor, loyalty, and self-sacrificing ways. Full of energy, excitement, and beauty, this story is refreshing and reassuring that truly good men have lived and made a mark in history's darker times. Unfortunately, I didn't realize this is a trilogy. Start at book one, "The Copper Sign" and go to "The Silver Falcon" first.

I really enjoyed all three books in this series

I really enjoyed all three books in this series. I found the books engaging from the first page to the last. The characters were believable and the events even more so. I would recommend this book to all who enjoy historical fiction. The stories are based in historical fact and may cause you to further investigate the true history of the era.

Read to Find Why the Throne is Golden.

A well researched and exciting novel about a rather cloudy period of English history, witj insights into the day to day life style of the time and the chattel-like position of women who were traded of as assets by their families ! We all know the story of Harold Godwinson being shot in the eye at Hastings but little of the chaos which followed in English society.

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Title: Angel's Devil

Author: Suzanne Enoch

Narrator: Beverley A. Crick

Format: Unabridged

Length: 5 hrs and 50 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-08-14

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 20 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

The lovely Angelique Graham knows her strengths-and patience is not one of them. So instead of waiting nine months to wed her beloved Simon, as per her overprotective parents' edict, Angeliq - rake of all rakes - who has just returned from war, to throw her parents into a panic. Though Angelique has plotted and planned every move, it seems that love has a different plan. When the game playing gets serious, will Angelique be able to resist the charms of Lord Faring? And once she discovers the man behind the legend, will she even want to?

Critic Reviews:

"Traditional, lighthearted, and predictable, this country Regency features several standards of the subgenre, including an engaging, hoydenish heroine, a reformed rake hero, a heroic rescue, and an aborted trip to Gretna Green." (Library Journal)

Members Reviews:

ROMANCE IN BUCKETLOADS!!!!

If you want details of the story, buy the book 'cos I do not do spoilers, and I certainly do not detail the storyline.

I tell you what worked for me, and what didn't.

The characters worked - beautifully. The hero was flawed but eminently likeable. The heroine was true to type as a young girl eager to wed the man of her daydreams, though the daydreams had as much substance as a fop's limp handshake (not a criticism by the way. Just a fact of life with teenaged girls, even today :))

The plot worked - an absolute treat! I liked the internal conflict the hero faced - he was the one at the center of the triangle, with both himself and his cousin wanting the heroine.

The pacing - spot on.

The length - appropriate. This was a good solid read that won't leave you feeling cheated.

Secondary characters were well drawn as well.

I particularly liked the hero. Of late, I seem to be coming across a lot of heroes who would be had up on sexual harassment charges if they were living in our time - and that isn't conducive to romance in my book (pardon the pun). But Devil was real and he was honourable.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves regency romances. It's got sugar, it's got spice, and it's got the magic that makes a romance leave you sighing at the end.

Enjoy.

Just Love these Devilish Rakes

This is a light but darling romantic triangle. The very lovely and impatient Angelique Graham just knows she is in love with her darling Simon, but her parents are going to force her to wait nine months before they will even consider announcing the engagement.

Enter, Simon's scandalous rake of a cousin the disreputable Lord James Faring who is just home from the continent after a five year absence. He is recovering from wounds received in a war and wounds to his heart, but he is at once entranced with the little 'hoyden' Angelique from the moment they bumped into one another on the London docks.

After she finds out who he is - a plot is hatched to have James make overtures to her in front of her parents so that the parents would be happy to set an earlier date to save her from the clutches of 'the Devil'. As, things will get on, it doesn't take long for the game playing to become serious and Angelique finds out who she truly does love!

A darling story....very hard to come by but well worth the effort.

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Title: Wrath of the Furies

Author: Robert Southworth

Narrator: CaseyJonesCaseyJones

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 5 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-28-14

Publisher: Robert Southworth

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 2 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

The new magistrate of Justitia has a difficult task before him. Rome is a bed of deceit and murder and with the Emperor travelling the empire, it falls to him to keep order. However, with a highly skilled assassin slaughtering members of Rome's elite and a mysterious organisation plotting to take power in the Emperor's absence, the magistrate will face constant danger. Magistrate Lucius Magro Decius must learn the ways of Rome with all haste or find himself bleeding in the dirt.

Members Reviews:

Robert Southworth out does Robert Southworth

What made the experience of listening to Wrath of the Furies the most enjoyable?

Having read the brilliant Wraith of the furies as a physical book, I decided that I wanted to revisit the incredible story that Robert had written, seeing as he had only just released wraith of the furies in audible form and always want to try this form of books, it was a fantastic opportunity, and I really pleased with the outcome, the narrator only adds to the experience and he pulls your threw easily, you've lelt hanging on to every word, close your eyes and the words transform into the epic movie in your mind, and wraith of the furies deserves to be on the big screen

What did you like best about this story?

The opening is just epic, easily to revival the opening of the film gladiator, Robert is brilliant at descriptive writing, and and you really feel as your on that hill looking down on the roman soldiers as the enemy sneak up on them, and the assassin you'd want to be him he is just so cool he needs his own video game,

What about Casey Joness performance did you like?

His voice was great and kept your concentration, hung of every word, l always listen while in bed with my eyes closed, and he easily put Roberts words in visions,

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

Yes, when put that would be spoiling the moment, but the assassin was involved,

Any additional comments?

Robert Southworth is an amazing author and I have read every one of his books to date, his spartacus books are brilliant, but where as they are based on a real historical person there is a limit to what can be done before it becomes to unbelievable,

Wraith of the furies Robert is able to take of the shackles of the thracian slave and really excel and he does, and for me it seems Robert really loved writing this book too, as it's comes across in the pages, it's just phenomenal, really exciting, the characters, the fights, the on the edge of the seat moments all come across brilliantly, and I can't wait the the next book he writes,

Good Read

Would you consider the audio edition of Wrath of the Furies to be better than the print version?

I havent read the print version preferring the audiobooks on the way to work.

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Title: The Briton and the Dane: Second Edition

Author: Mary Ann Bernal

Narrator: Sebastian Lockwood

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 30 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-21-14

Publisher: Mary Ann Bernal

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 10 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

King Alfred the Great has thwarted the Viking threat against his kingdom of Wessex. Signing a treaty with the formidable Danish King Guthrum, he succeeds in pushing the heathen army back to the rolling fens of East Anglia.

An uneasy peace holds sway: The King establishes a standing army under Lord Richard, who takes command of the citadel at Wareham.

Richard and his army are accompanied by his daughter, Gwyneth, an impetuous and reckless young woman - at once striking, intellectually gifted, but dangerously vain and imprudent.

While Richard broods on the Viking threat, Gwyneth falls in love with an enemy prince - only to discover that she has been betrothed to a Saxon warrior twice her age.

Refusing to countenance her grim fate, she flees the fortress, but is soon kidnapped by a Viking warrior and taken to the camp of King Guthrum while Saxon search parties scour the land.

In captivity, a hostage to fortune, and the focus of political intrigue, Gwyneth is submerged in a world of expediency, betrayal, and black treachery. Slowly, she realizes the truth is suspect, nothing is what it appears and her reality cannot be trusted.

And all the time, against this background, she desires nothing more than to be reunited with her dashing Danish prince.

Members Reviews:

The Briton and The Dane!!! Can't get enough!

Would you consider the audio edition of The Briton and the Dane: Second Edition to be better than the print version?

I loved being able to listen to this descriptive story on audio book. It really takes you in. I found it relaxing to listen to the story.

What did you like best about this story?

The author knows how to take you back in time. You feel like you are witnessing it all.

Have you listened to any of Sebastian Lockwoods other performances before? How does this one compare?

I think Sebastian Lockwood does a fabulous job. He has a very expressive voice and told the story so well.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

There were times I was practically sent to tears. In a good way. It was very easy to get involved with the characters and storyline.

Any additional comments?

My review.

The Briton and The Dane is the first book in a trilogy that takes place in the ninth century. This book caught my attention right away. It was easy to get swept away into the drama and intrigue. I was amassed over all the deception that took place during those time periods. This book also has a very seductive side which made the story even more captivating and entertaining for me.

I love how Mary ann Bernal writes. She is wildly talented and has a real gift for telling a colorful story. The characters are very lifelike and the dialog is impeccable. I loved how the scenes keep shifting around throughout each chapter. I had to pay attention but it was so spellbinding and alluring at the same time. It is all very comprehensible and clever.

I loved all the history along with the romantic side to this novel.

Loved this book

Where does The Briton and the Dane: Second Edition rank among all the audiobooks youve listened to so far?

In the top 20 and I've bought many!

What did you like best about this story?

This historical tale is an interesting story with scenery and characters coming to life.

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Title: Hatamoto

Author: American Mishima, Louis Edward Rosas

Narrator: Bill Forchion

Format: Unabridged

Length: 1 hr and 6 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-06-14

Publisher: American Mishima - Louis Edward Rosas

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Set amidst the backdrop of the Bakumatsu Period of Japan (The Last Days of the Tokugawa Shogunate), Hatamoto takes us into the world of the foreign-born men who became direct Vassals of the 15th and final Shogun during the opening salvos of the Boshin War.

For former American Southerner John Paul Ledoux, he will be given the name Gingiro Asakage and the mantle of the two swords of the Samurai and if necessary, he will die for it. Faced with the wrath of his Clan's most senior swordsman Sir Nobutomo Matsunaga and an uncertain future, he will do everything to protect those he has sworn to protect.

Members Reviews:

My friend wrote this book. Please show your support for this talented new author.

I just finished reading this historical novel set in the last days of the Shojan, period. It moves the reader fast through tense moments of battle, courage, honor, and loyalty, and delves deep into the experience of being a samurai, as one former American did when he became... Hatamoto.

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Title: Sisters of Treason

Author: Elizabeth Fremantle

Narrator: Georgina Sutton, Rachel Bavidge, Teresa Gallagher

Format: Unabridged

Length: 15 hrs and 28 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-24-14

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 32 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Penguin presents the unabridged, downloadable audiobook edition of Sisters of Treason by Elizabeth Fremantle.

Lady Jane Grey has just been executed by her cousin Mary Tudor and her two younger sisters, Mary and Catherine, live in the shadow of their sister's tragic demise. Lady Catherine's fatal flaw is her compulsive desire for love, while clever Lady Mary is burdened with a crooked spine and tiny stature - and both have inherited the curse of royal blood.

It is court painter Levina Teerlinc who helps the girls survive Mary Tudor's reign, but when the Queen's sister, the hot-headed Elizabeth, inherits the crown, court life becomes increasingly treacherous for the Grey girls...

Members Reviews:

Tudor History at its Finest!

Tudor history is one of those time periods that has been written about every possible way, with just about every person of note highlighted and nearly every corner unearthed to try and present the history in a new and interesting light. While I still can't get enough of the Tudors I do understand why many readers have all but banned them from their reading lists....there's just been such an over-saturation of the subject matter! So what could draw a reader familiar with the time period back? Simply put, exceptional writing and a story that, while familiar, is still poignant and alluring. This is exactly what you will get in Elizabeth Fremantle's Sisters of Treason, a novel that is so well written you cannot help but be drawn in and captured by the characters even as you know the inevitable paths their lives will take.

I switched back and forth between the Kindle version and the Audible audiobook version of Sisters of Treason but I must note that the audiobook was so captivating that I listened to the majority of the story. The narrators (Georgina Sutton, Rachel Bavidge and Teresa Gallagher) were perfect and did a phenomenal job of giving Lady Catharine, Lady Mary and Levina Teerlinc their own voices and personalities. So often with audiobooks there is one narrator that does their best to create distinct voices for multiple characters, but having the three separate narrators eliminated any possible confusion between characters and gave each her own story within a story. Whichever narrated Lady Mary was PERFECT and was able to somehow give us this higher, innocent sounding voice laced with steal that perfectly personified the Lady Mary within the story. I was so disappointed whenever I had to stop listening and do anything else.

Choosing to tell this story from these three points of view was excellent. The story as a whole covers the time period from Jane Grey's execution through a good part of Queen Elizabeth's reign. The royal blood that flows within the two surviving Grey sisters meant they would never be too far from the court or the intrigues that surrounded the thrones of Queen Mary I and Queen Elizabeth I, especially Lady Mary as her deformity and small stature made her less of a threat to both queens and made it so she was nearly invisible to many. She was almost a pet to these queens and was witness to many conversations and intrigues that wouldn't have happened in front of others. Lady Catharine, on the other hand, did present more of a threat so was closely watched and punished for any personal freedoms she sought without the queens' permission.

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Title: Private Peaceful: A BBC Radio Drama

Author: Michael Morpurgo

Narrator: Paul Chequer, Michael Morpurgo, Full Cast

Format: Original Recording

Length: 1 hr and 27 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-17-14

Publisher: BBC Worldwide Ltd

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 7 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

A BBC Radio 4 dramatisation of the powerful novel set in the First World War, from the author of War Horse.

This is the story of Thomas "Tommo" Peaceful, a young soldier who finds himself in Belgium, in the trenches of the First World War, with his brother Charlie. It is also the story of Tommos life, growing up in Devon with his brothers, and of his love for Molly, the beautiful girl he met on his first day at school.

As the story unfolds, from past to present, so approaches the hour when Tommo and Charlie will be separated forever. The horrors of the First World War, and the injustice meted out to the soldiers who fought in it, are movingly described.

Recorded on location in Iddesleigh, the Devon village where the book is set, this radio dramatisation features among its cast Paul Chequer, Nicholas Lyndhurst, and author Michael Morpurgo himself.

Members Reviews:

Unforgettable.....

Where does Private Peaceful: A BBC Radio Drama rank among all the audiobooks youve listened to so far?

This is one of the best books I've listened to so far. As a dramatisation it works so well!

What did you like best about this story?

A brilliant dramatisation of a Michael Morpurgo classic. This is the story of two brothers who go to fight in the First World War. Yet this is not a usual story of battle as it explores an aspect of war rarely mentioned and you are drawn towards the inevitable heartbreaking conclusion.

What about the narratorss performance did you like?

The narrators are totally believable. You feel their bond and you sympathise with their plight. You find yourself not wanting the book to end as you realise what is in store for them..

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

The final chapters of the book are heartbreaking. Have your tissues ready. It is one of those endings where you are stunned into silence for a long time afterwards.

Any additional comments?

It is tragic, sad, poignant and unforgettable. This audiobook will stay with you for a long long time....

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Title: Lives We Leave Behind

Author: Maxine Alterio

Narrator: Janice Finn, Roy Ward, Merv Smith, Francis Mountjoy, Jeff Szusterman, Matt McDougall, John Leigh, Kevin Keys, Peter Hayden

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 31 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-01-14

Publisher: Penguin Books NZ

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

In July 1915 the hospital ship Maheno leaves Wellington with 70 New Zealand nurses on board. Addie Harrington and Meg Dutton are assigned to the same cabin. Quiet and cautious, Addie is taken aback by her impetuous, fun-loving roommate. The two women seem to have little in common other than a desire to serve their country. But as they care for injured and dying soldiers in Egypt and France, they discover that deep connections can develop under unusual circumstances. When Meg meets British surgeon Wallace Madison, she falls for him immediately and amidst the chaos of overloaded military hospitals they embark on an intense love affair. Addie suspects Wallace has much to hide and fears the relationship will destroy her friend.

Members Reviews:

Lives We Leave Behind

While the author has based her story from historical facts - Her novel was a bit simplistic for me. Probably because I had already read -" The Other Anzacs" by Peter Rees. ( thoroughly recommend this to readers) I found it difficult to be convinced that the character "Addie" was as naive as the author depicted- after all she had completed her nursing training. But then nurses were thought as of not being as intelligent or as experienced as for example - teachers. Also was it because she was from Riverton? the so called backwaters of NZ for those days- just a thought

My Thoughts

This story pulls right in and you feel you are in the hospital or at the front line! The book is very well written and holds your attention so there is no skipping pages. Xlnt read.

Good Read

Very interesting look at what our NZ Nurses went through in the WW1, with a little bit of romance too.

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Title: Three Souls

Subtitle: A Novel

Author: Janie Chang

Narrator: Emily Woo Zeller

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 47 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-17-14

Publisher: HarperAudio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 28 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

An absorbing novel of romance and revolution, loyalty and family, sacrifice, and undying love.

We have three souls, or so I'd been told. But only in death could I confirm this....

So begins the haunting and captivating tale, set in 1935 China, of the ghost of a young woman named Leiyin, who watches her own funeral from above and wonders why she is being denied entry to the afterlife. Beside her are three souls - stern and scholarly yang; impulsive, romantic yin; and wise, shining hun - who will guide her toward understanding. She must, they tell her, make amends.

As Leiyin delves back in time with the three souls to review her life, she sees the spoiled and privileged teenager she once was, a girl who is concerned with her own desires while China is fractured by civil war and social upheaval. At a party, she meets Hanchin, a captivating left-wing poet and translator, and instantly falls in love with him.

When Leiyin defies her father to pursue Hanchin, she learns the harsh truth - that she is powerless over her fate. Her punishment for disobedience leads to exile, an unwanted marriage, a pregnancy, and, ultimately, her death. And when she discovers what she must do to be released from limbo into the afterlife, Leiyin realizes that the time for making amends is shorter than she thought.

Suffused with history and literature, Three Souls is an epic tale of revenge and betrayal, forbidden love, and the price we are willing to pay for freedom.

Members Reviews:

Slow to start but worth the wait...until the end

I throughly enjoyed this book but I did struggle a little for the first couple of chapters.

My main complaint is the ending...so many loose ends. I'll apologize if a second book is on its way

So rich in culture!

Absolutely beautiful! Absolutely loved it! So rich in Chinese culture! Great read! I highly recommend it!

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Title: The Mammoth Hunters

Subtitle: Earths Children, Book 3

Author: Jean M. Auel

Narrator: Rowena Cooper

Format: Unabridged

Length: 28 hrs and 17 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-12-14

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 25 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Leaving the valley of horses with Jondalar, the handsome man she has nursed back to health and come to love, Ayla embarks on a journey that will lead her to the Mamutoi; the Mammoth Hunters. But as she settles into this new life among a people at first strange and disturbingly different, Ayla finds herself irresistibly drawn to Ranec, their master-carver. Ultimately, she is compelled to make a fateful choice between the two men.

Jean Auel's imaginative reconstruction of pre-historic life, rich in detail of language, culture, myth and ritual, has become a set text in schools and colleges around the world.

Critic Reviews:

"The authenticity of background detail, the lilting prose rhythms and the appealing conceptual audacity continue to work their spell." (Publishers Weekly)

"Clearly falls into the "unputdownable" category... once again Jean Auel presents a compelling, vivid and authentic picture of man's existence at the dawn of history, an epic tale the fluency of which is a tribute to the depth of her research." (Citizen, Gloucester)

Members Reviews:

Defiantly not the best in the series....

I struggled to finish this book. By far a big disappointing compared to the first two books, which were pretty good, especially the first. But I've grown attached to characters and narritor so I still bought the 4th book. Hope it's better

Classic

A Classic novel of the continuing life of Ayla, which must be continued with the great journey home to the west.

An intersting reconstruction of pre-historic times

What made the experience of listening to The Mammoth Hunters the most enjoyable?

I have read the two previous stories in this series and found the author's attempt to describe the life of cro-magnon pre-humans most interesting. While much of the material discussed has been drawn from (probably) controversial findings, all the cultural aspects of the story has to have been extrapolated from other cultures. Whether or not cro-magnon were capable of such sophisticated interpretations of their environment and self knowledge is surely conjectural, but they are combined in an interesting story involving a gifted girl who undertakes a saga of a journey.

What other book might you compare The Mammoth Hunters to, and why?

The other books in this series. I have not read/listened to other stories of this genre.

What about Rowena Coopers performance did you like?

Cooper does a nice job of voicing the various major characters. As the character list is very large, there is obviously little or no difference between some of the minor players, but the major ones are well differentiated and believable.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No, just admiration at the author's imagination and her ability to describe what are technical points in the story with interesting description.

Any additional comments?

I'm certainly going to complete this series. The heroine's, like others', saga will be difficult and interesting.

What I did find detracting was the very graphic sex scenes. The descriptions given are tantamount to a sex manual. This degree of explicitness adds nothing to the story, and to my mind quite distracting from the otherwise quite excellent main theme.