How To Get Audiobooks in Fiction, Contemporary Top Rated

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Title: The Next Queen of Heaven

Subtitle: A Novel

Author: Gregory Maguire

Narrator: Cassandra Morris

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 29 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-18-10

Publisher: HarperAudio

Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 33 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

With the new millennium approaching, the eccentric town of Thebes grows even stranger. Mrs. Leontina Scales begins speaking in tongues after being clocked by a Catholic statuette. Her daughter, Tabitha, and her sons scheme to save their mother or surrender her to Jesus - whatever comes first. Meanwhile, choir director Jeremy Carr, caught between lust and ambition, fumbles his way toward Y2K. The ancient Sisters of the Sorrowful Mysteries join with a gay singing group. The Radical Radiants battle the Catholics. A Christmas pageant goes horribly awry. And a child is born.

Only a modern master like Gregory Maguire could spin a tale as frantic, funny, and farcical as The Next Queen of Heaven.

Members Reviews:

Frantic, Funny and Farcical??

I really enjoy Gregory Maguire's work - usually. I have read and/or listened to a number of his books and have loved and recommended them whether the focus was children's or adult entertainment. I can't recommend this book to anyone. I listened all the way to the end, went back and replayed several parts, and I STILL don't know what portion of the book was intended as humor, which as satirical content and what was meant to elevate my social consciousness. The fact that the narrator sounds like a young girl may lead some to believe this is a children's book - It Is Not! The language is foul, the subject matter is sick in some spots and just plain sad in others. I have never written a reader review this negative before, but this book really deserves it. Don't waste your time and money. If you love Maguire and simply must read the book - get it from the library.

Narration is horrible

This is the worst selection of a narrator that I've encountered on this site. She sounds like a squealing munchkin, painful and flat out horrible. Im sure the book is well worth the read, but not on Audible. Ugh!

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Title: Knock Down

Author: Dick Francis

Narrator: Tony Britton

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 3 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-01-10

Publisher: Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd.

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 24 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Its the classic law of the invader. Get to the strongest guy and smash him, then watch the weaker ones fall like ninepins. Which is just what a vicious gang of horse dealers decides to do when their little kickback scam is threatened with a spot of old-fashioned honesty.

But they havent reckoned with bloodstock agent Jonah Dereham, a man who belies his quiet exterior with a steely and implacable resolve. They can threaten him, try to burn down his home, even attempt to kill him. But theyll soon wish they hadnt.

Members Reviews:

Very good... but I had to slow it down

Had to play this one at 0.85 speed cause it felt horribly rushed at the standard speed. Like the narrator was trying to cut the length by talking faster.

That said, one I found a speed that didn't distort the performance it was a lovely listen.

kickbacks

Would you consider the audio edition of Knock Down to be better than the print version?

haven,t read print version but in audio they are good story,s

What did you like best about this story?

they are a good storyline about the racing and corrupt characters in it

Which character as performed by Tony Britton was your favorite?

yes the books by dick francis are very interresting his knowledge about the racing and jumps racing is good making for a fast paced story with plenty of action

Who was the most memorable character of Knock Down and why?

nothing i like the narrator

Great

great. had to sit and listen and leave the housework. veey engrossing. on the edge of my seat

Good read

Very good story but could have done without the in depth details of a dislocated shoulder!!

Well read, very enjoyable .

Brilliant story

Another brilliant Dick Francis. Full of action and suspense right up to the end.

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Title: Juliet

Author: Anne Fortier

Narrator: Cassandra Campbell

Format: Unabridged

Length: 19 hrs and 57 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-24-10

Publisher: Random House Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 532 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Twenty-five-year-old Julie Jacobs is heartbroken over the death of her beloved Aunt Rose. But the shock goes even deeper when she learns that the woman who has been like a mother to her has left her entire estate to Julies twin sister. The only thing Julie receives is a keyone carried by her mother on the day she herself diedto a safety-deposit box in Siena, Italy.

This key sends Julie on a journey that will change her life forevera journey into the troubled past of her ancestor Giulietta Tolomei.

In 1340, still reeling from the slaughter of her parents, Giulietta was smuggled into Siena, where she met a young man named Romeo. Their ill-fated love turned medieval Siena upside-down and went on to inspire generations of poets and artists, the story reaching its pinnacle in Shakespeares famous tragedy.

But six centuries have a way of catching up to the present, and Julie gradually begins to discover that here, in this ancient city, the past and present are hard to tell apart. The deeper she delves into the history of Romeo and Giulietta, and the closer she gets to the treasure they allegedly left behind, the greater the danger surrounding hersuperstitions, ancient hostilities, and personal vendettas. As Julie crosses paths with the descendants of the families involved in the unforgettable blood feud, she begins to fear that the notorious curseA plague on both your houses!is still at work, and that she is destined to be its next target. Only someone like Romeo, it seems, could save her from this dreaded fate, but his story ended long ago. Or did it?

From Anne Fortier comes a sweeping, beautifully written novel of intrigue and identity, of love and legacy, as a young woman discovers that her own fate is irrevocably tiedfor better or worseto literatures greatest star-crossed lovers.

Critic Reviews:

"To understand what happened centuries ago, in the previous generation, and all around her, Julie relies on relics: a painting, a journal, a dagger, a ring. Readers enjoy the additional benefit of antique texts alternating with contemporary narratives, written in the language of modern romance and enlivened by brisk storytelling. Fortier navigates around false clues and twists, resulting in a dense, heavily plotted love story that reads like a Da Vinci Code for the smart modern woman." (Publishers weekly)

One of those rare novels that have it all. . . I was swept away. (Sara Gruen, author of Water for Elephants)

Members Reviews:

Excellent! Merits 20 hours

I took a chance on this book, trying to explore genres other than detective mysteries and nonfiction. It was definitely worth it. The depth of the characters and the intricacy of plot compelled me to listen way past bedtime. I am not a fan of the Da Vinci Code, and am surprised by the comparisons. The writing is excellent, if a bit immature. But this does not lead to distraction. I look forward to seeing how Ms. Fortier's talent becomes more skilled. Absolutely engrossing!

Well written, captivating

This was a GREAT BOOK, from the first sentence to the last. I found myself captivated at the weaving of stories, past and present. Full of twists, turns and surpirses, the writing never failed to keep me intrigued. The narration was excellent. At the end, I was crying and laughing and full of that feeling that only comes from a truly satisfying book.

Romance Novel w/twist (if that's your thing)

First of all, I will pretty much listen to anything. And I id finish this book.

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Title: King Solomon's Carpet

Author: Barbara Vine

Narrator: Michael Pennington

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 11 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-09-10

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 18 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Eccentric Jarvis lives in a crumbling schoolhouse overlooking the tube line, compiling his obsessive history of the Underground. A group of misfits are also drawn towards his strange house: Alice, who has run away from her husband and baby; Tom, the busker who rescues her; truant Jasper, who finds his terrifying thrills on the tube; and enigmatic Axel, whose deadly secret casts a shadow over all their lives. Damaged, dispossessed, outcasts, they are brought together in violent and unforeseen ways by London's dark and dangerous underground system.

Members Reviews:

Fascinating

Thoroughly enjoyed listening to King Solomon's Carpet. I had read the book many years ago when staying in London and found the background information about the London Underground fascinating. As usual Barbara Vine portrays a variety of characters and intermingles them in her storyline. They are all fallible and as the story evolves around the Undeground, their fallibilities lead to their undoing.

Classic Vine

Ruth Rendell -aka Barbara Vine- really did know how to weave together seemingly disparate, believably eccentric characters with just enough suspense to keep you "turning the pages" so to speak. An enjoyable listen.

Hated it.

Fine writing as always, but nothing but gratuitous nastiness. Everyone you like is hit with coincidental disaster. No reason for it. People of no account undo all those of account. And no retribution. Everyone gets wiped out. Why such meanness, Barbara?

So different and absolutely gripping

What made the experience of listening to King Solomon's Carpet the most enjoyable?

I think Michael Pennington did a brilliant job. I would listen to him again.

What did you like best about this story?

I read the book years ago and loved it. The way the characters are drawn is so real and true to life, albeit they are a motley lot and you can't imagine it could actually happen. They are all flawed and you don't really feel much sympathy for any of them, they are not likeable, but somehow that makes the whole thing work. A very different story from your everyday read but very well written and read. Even though I remembered most of the story, I couldn't stop listening and found the audio version gave me more than I got from reading the book the first time, although I will probably read it again in the future and I will certainly listen again.

What does Michael Pennington bring to the story that you wouldnt experience if you had only read the book?

He brought the characters to life in a way that you don't necessary get from reading the book. He makes them believable.

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

When the young man falls from the tube, the occasions when Alice thinks about her baby, when Jed thinks he will have to have his pet hawk put to sleep and when Cecelia died with her friend by her side.

Any additional comments?

A gripping book whether you read or listen with unsympathetic characters but that works for all that. Quite dark so don't read or listen if you want something uplifting! One of the best books/audios I've ever read/listened to. Brilliant and thoroughly recommended.

Michael Pennington Brings The Story To Life

I have read the book at least twice before and really enjoyed it, so hearing the audio book version was a real treat.

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Title: The Cookbook Collector

Subtitle: A Novel

Author: Allegra Goodman

Narrator: Ariadne Meyers

Format: Unabridged

Length: 15 hrs and 43 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-06-10

Publisher: Random House Audio

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 323 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Heralded as a modern day Jane Austen by USA Today, National Book Award finalist and New York Times best-selling author Allegra Goodman has compelled and delighted hundreds of thousands of readers and listeners. Now, in her most ambitious work yet, Goodman weaves together the worlds of Silicon Valley and rare-book collecting in a delicious novel about appetite, temptation, and fulfillment.

Emily and Jessamine Bach are opposites in every way: 28-year-old Emily is the CEO of Veritech; 23-year-old Jess is an environmental activist and graduate student in philosophy. Pragmatic Emily is making a fortune in Silicon Valley, romantic Jess works in an antiquarian bookstore. Emily is rational and driven, while Jess is dreamy and whimsical. Emilys boyfriend, Jonathan, is fantastically successful. Jesss boyfriends, not so muchas her employer George points out in what he hopes is a completely disinterested way.

Bicoastal, surprising, rich in ideas and characters, The Cookbook Collector is a novel about getting and spending, and about the substitutions we make when we cant find what were looking for: reading cookbooks instead of cooking, speculating instead of creating, collecting instead of living. But above all, it is about holding on to what is real in a virtual world: love that stays.

Critic Reviews:

"If any contemporary author deserves to wear the mantle of Jane Austen, its [Allegra] Goodman, whose subtle, astute social comedies perfectly capture the quirks of human nature. This dazzling novel...is Goodmans most robust, fully realized and trenchantly meaningful work yet. (Publishers Weekly)

"Fans of Goodman's lovely, nuanced novels have a treat in store with this tale of two sisters." (Entertainment Weekly)

"Goodman is remarkably successful in creating rich, engaging characters and a complex story of love and identity." (Library Journal)

Members Reviews:

An engaging read

I have never taken time to review an Audible selection, but The Cookbook Collector really kept me listening and as the end approached it left me wanting more. Ms. Goodman interweaves multiple storylines with luminous writing. Well worth the expenditure of a credit and the investment of time to listen.

Maybe a good story, but the reader?

I can't get past the quality of the reader who seems intent on making every young female character a squishy, saccharine ball of 12 year old enthusiasm. The male characters are worse.

Just MAHvelous!

I remember Allegra Goodman from "Intuition", which I thought was a darker, more deeply layered novel than "The Cookbook Collector". I thought Goodman's first novel had more mystery and more seriously conflicted characters, and the core group was science-based instead of the technology startup boom in 2000, not that the latter observation is enough in itself to blame or praise a novel. However, I found this novel overdone with "stuff" - overstuffed? - just way too filled up with things: technology, money, cars, rare books, clothes, food, "happiness", whatever that means, and of course all the brand names that go with all the stuff. The pairing of the "hot" old wealthy guy (loaded with brilliance, musical and culinary talent in addition to dollars) with the naive young girl with no visible means of support is just another 2010 version of an old, tired cliche.

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Title: Nineteen Seventy Four

Subtitle: Red Riding Quartet

Author: David Peace

Narrator: Saul Reichlin

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 16 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-29-10

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 2.5 of 5 out of 272 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Jeanette Garland, missing Castleford, July 1969. Susan Ridyard, missing Rochdale, March 1972. Claire Kemplay, missing Morley, since yesterday. Its winter, 1974, Yorkshire, Christmas bombs, Lord Lucan on the run, the Bay City Rollers, and Eddie Dunfords got the job he wanted crime correspondent for the Yorkshire Evening Post. He didnt know it was going to be a season in hell. A dead little girl with a swans wings stitched into her back. A gypsy camp in a ring of fire. Corruption everywhere you look.

In Nineteen Seventy Four, David Peace brings passion and stylistic bravado to this terrifyingly intense journey into a secret history of sexual obsession and greed, and starts a highly acclaimed crime series that has redefined how the genre is approached.

David Peace (born 1967) is an English author. He was named one of the Best of Young British Novelists by Granta in 2003 and won the 2004 James Tait Black Memorial Prize for Fiction. He is also known for his novels GB84 and The Damned United; the latter was made into a feature film starring Michael Sheen.

*Please note this audiobook contains explicit language.

Critic Reviews:

"Nineteen Seventy Four is raw and furiously alive, the literary equivalent of a hard right to the jaw. David Peace has delivered the finest crime fiction debut of the year and joined a select group of novelists who are transforming the genre with passion and style." (George Pelecanos)

"Quite simply, this is the future of British crime fiction." (Time Out)

"The pace is relentless, the style staccato-plus and the morality bleak and forlorn....Peace's voice is powerful and unique." (Guardian)

Members Reviews:

Brilliantly refreshing and original

An excellent work from a writer with an original voice. I notice there have been a great many complaints about the "swearing and cursing", but the whole point of Peace's gritty realism is surely (as the author has said himself) that violence and death and the circumstances surrounding them should not be sanitized. They are awful things.

As to the grimness, well, this is what life was like in the North of England in 1974. I remember. And when working class people have their backs against the wall there are even more expletives than usual... plus the Brits swear *a lot* in the natural course of things.

Myself, I can't wait for the rest of the series - and Audible... where have Mr Peace's books disappeared to? A lot of us want more... not to have the Quartet shelved (to my dismay I can't even find the first two books - which I've bought - in Audible's listings any more) presumably because a few people say they are "personally offended" by all the swearing, and asking (rather cheekily) if the characters are speaking English?! Rather juvenile criticisms, to say the least.

What happened to free speech? And besides, the rest of the world deals very cheerfully with American accents from all the states in the US - indeed the accents usually enrich the work. I think in fairness that the same courtesy should be extended to the British Isles.

My question now, Audible, is where is the rest of the Red Riding Quartet? Bring it on! Please...

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Title: The Wrong Mother

Author: Sophie Hannah

Narrator: Elizabeth Sastre

Format: Unabridged

Length: 13 hrs and 9 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-01-10

Publisher: Penguin Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 121 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Sally Thorning is watching the news with her husband when she hears an unexpected name: Mark Bretherick. Its a name she shouldnt know, but last year Sally treated herself to a secret vacationaway from her hectic family lifeand met a man. After their brief affair, the two planned to never meet again. But now, Marks wife and daughter are deadand the safety of Sallys own family is in doubt.

Sophie Hannah established herself as a new master of psychological suspense with her previous novel, Little Face. Now, with accomplished prose and a plot guaranteed to keep listeners guessing, The Wrong Mother is Hannahs most captivating work yet.

Critic Reviews:

"Paced like a ticking time bomb with flawlessly distinct characterization, this is a fiercely fresh and un-put-downable read." (Publishers Weekly)

"Shockingly (and refreshingly) blunt riffs about the violent emotions of motherhood and the familial yearnings of men, along with chilling and darkly funny revelations about lust and loyalty, make this novel one of the season's most absorbing reads." (O Magazine)

Members Reviews:

Loved and hated

Wow. Just finished this book...and let me say, the negatives notwithstanding, I read it pretty steadily all the way through. The pros: excellent writing, excellent narration, excellent pacing. The cons: *I disliked the main protaganist, Sally, from the beginning; none of her decisions/actions, from start to finish (the last one almost made me abandon the book) were logical or comprehensible, and therefore I disliked her. *There were 3 five-year-old girls involved, all of whom were extremely precocious, manipulative and unlikable, (has anyone read that old book "The Bad Seed"?) and it made me wonder what the author's experience with children has been -I've known lots of 5 year old girls, and only one met that criteria and she was much less accomplished). *It started to drag a littlle towards the end, like the author was spinning out the story to get the right number of words.

Overall: very readable, and kept me tuned in right to the end, so it deserves 4 stars.

A little confusing at times

Good story, but became confusing at times when listening rather than reading (cannot flip back a few pages to remind yourself who is who)

Good but...

I liked this story and I like this style of cop-drama (more psychological mystery-thriller, less maniacal serial-killer blood-lust) but I still had a few issues with the book:

Not enough exposition regarding the reoccurring characters - the Simon & Charlie storyline.

This series was recommended to me by a friend, and when I saw that Books 1 & 2 (Little Face & Hurting Distance) were not available on Audible, I asked her if I could start with Book 3. She said yes so I dove in not knowing anything about it. If you are wondering whether you can start with Book 3, I would say no. I felt lost regarding their arc and had no real idea what their story was all about. I read the synopsis of the first 2 books to try and fill in the blanks but it was not that helpful.

I SUCK AT NAMES!

If like me you have a hard time keeping names in stories straight, I urge you to pay extremely close attention because the plot centers around false identities & fake names... very difficult for me!

Aside from that, I think I will like this series. The mysteries seem very interesting... enough to keep going for now at least.

the style reminds me a bit of Liane Moriarty.

good narrator.

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Title: The Three Weissmanns of Westport

Author: Cathleen Schine

Narrator: Hillary Huber

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs

Language: English

Release date: 02-02-10

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 153 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

The Three Weissmanns of Westport is a sparkling contemporary adaptation of Sense and Sensibility from the always-winning Cathleen Schine.

In Schine's story, sisters Miranda, an impulsive but successful literary agent, and Annie, a pragmatic library director, quite unexpectedly find themselves the middle-aged products of a broken home. Dumped by her husband of nearly 50 years and then exiled from their elegant New York apartment by his mistress, the sisters' mother, Betty, is forced to move to a small, run-down Westport, Connecticut, beach cottage owned by her wealthy and generous cousin Lou. Joining her are Miranda - escaping unexpected literary scandals - and Annie, who dutifully comes along to keep on eye on her capricious mother and sister. As the two sisters mingle with the suburban aristocracy, love starts to blossom for both of them, and they find themselves struggling with the dueling demands of reason and romance.

Critic Reviews:

Jane Austens beloved

Sense and Sensibility has moved to Westport, Connecticut, in this enchanting modern-day homage to the classic novel. "Compulsively readable....A smart crowd pleaser with lovably flawed leads and the best tearjerker finale you're likely to read this year." (

Publishers Weekly)"Schine writes with the speed and punch of a seasoned comic, conveying her character in a single line of dialogue." (

The New Yorker)"Her eye for telling detail and the giveaway gesture is faultless, and her ear for dialogue is just as finely attuned." (Michiko Kakutani,

New York Times)

Members Reviews:

Clever and soulful

A modern "Sense and Sensibility" -- if Jane Austen had been a secular Jew in Manhattan -- "The Three Weissmans of Westport" is a giddy, literate, well-plotted and -paced novel of manners. I enjoyed every bit. I was sorry it ended.

Totally engaging

I really enjoyed this book -- I was completely engaged by the characters and their stories. Loved the Jane Austen echoes and the fact that Schine knew exactly when to follow Ms. Austen's plot patterns and when to let modern life add its own twists. I agree that there wasn't any sense of New York in the narration, but I got used to it. Definitely not rocket science, but more than a beach read -- we all know characters like these men and women and Schine is a perceptive observer of human nature.

Gave up after an hour

I gave up listening after 60 minutes. The characters failed to evolve or deviate in any way from a very predictable story line. The narrator also spoke very slowly - bringing the already sluggish story to a near complete halt. I can't recommend this book.

entertaining middle age chick lit

This is the audio equivalent of an engaging beach read for -- sigh -- the post 45 set. Good for relaxation, but also somewhat gratingly cliched.

Eh. Don't bother.

I don't know how I actually managed to listen to the whole thing. The narration was almost unbearably irritating-- affected and snobby sounding. I didn't care much about the characters. Though it picked up a little toward the end, generally speaking I was quite disappointed (esp having read a few good reviews).

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Title: Ground Up

Author: Michael Idov

Narrator: Stefan Rudnicki

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 49 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-10-09

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 2 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

Light streams through the windows as the espresso machine roars; a gorgeous, rich scent fills the air; and witty conversation unspools over the porcelain cups. That's the caf dream. Mark and Nina are about to experience the reality.

Determined to re-create the perfect Viennese coffeehouse, they descend on New York's gritty but hip Lower East Side to educate the locals on authentic caf culture. Soon Mark and Nina are in a downward spiral that will strip them of money, friends, sex life, status, shelter, and, finally, sanity and offer salvation through something they have never experienced: disaster.

Inspired by the authors own coffeehouse hell, Ground Up is a sharp and funny portrait of a New York constantly reinventing itself, and a surprisingly tender story of falling out of love and back in it again.

Critic Reviews:

"Packed with insight and frequent hilarious asides, Idov's debut mercilessly takes down 'money is an illusion' bohoism." (Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

An inconsequential tale engagingly told.

Michael Idov's protagonist, Mike Scharf, is a neo-yuppie who has a charming way with words as he narrates the inevitable failure of an idealistic coffee-shop venture--the cooking area is so tiny that he dubs it a "kitchennyet." His voice kept me reading despite two grievous mismatches between my tastes and the novel: 1) I do not drink coffee, so most of the bean-centered delirium went right by me. 2) I was not particularly interested in the business or marital troubles of a semi-detached, self-absorbed couple of leisure-class quasi-intellectuals. But hey, with a tale like this, it's the telling, not the plot, that counts, right? I'll happily read Idov's essays, but this novel isn't staying on my tablet.

A great story

What happens when you realize that "thing you did after college" has become your career and you want a change? Some move to Vermont and start a making goat cheese. The couple in this book decide to open a coffee shop. But not just any shop. They set out to create the perfect Vienna Cafe serving only the best of everything. With such high ideals what can go wrong? What follows is a well-written and humerous tale filled with characters so beleivable you feel that you might have alrady met them. Read it for the story or read it as an example of great writing.

Scent of coffe

Great book. I liked its heroes. Very special atmosphere. I`ve read this book in Russian earlier (twice!) - there were more comments about NY life, very interesting.

Waste of money

I am a food literature fan, but this book left me immensely disappointed. If you want a well-paced read with interesting, less than perfect characters try Bourdin's "Kitchen Confidential." The only reason I finished this book was because I spent my money on it and didn't want to waste it completely. If it was a library book, I probably would have returned it right around 2/3 through the book.

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Title: The Great Fortune

Author: Olivia Manning

Narrator: Harriet Walter

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 28 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-02-09

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 49 votes

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher's Summary:

In this exotic landscape Harriet gets to know her new husband and to wonder at the complexity of the apparently simple man she had married.

Members Reviews:

Great book, best audio performance I've heard

This narrator is very talented. She even does characters impersonating each other somewhat convincingly. It's pretty dramatic, as opposed to understated, but I'm very impressed.

The story and writing is wonderful, like Anthony Powell but with things happening. The author exhibits cool Olympian disdain for the characters so far. I haven't finished it yet.

Great Narration to start you off on this trilogy

What about Harriet Walters performance did you like?

I had picked up the Balkan Trilogy several times and never managed to get past the first few pages so I thought I'd try the audiobook and I was immediately hooked. Guy's cluelessness, Harriet's petulance, Yaki's pathetic Yaki-ness, is all perfectly rendered. Once hooked, I easily moved on to the second book without needing the audiobook. But for the third and final installment I returned to the audiobook as if meeting with old friends.

If you could take any character from The Great Fortune out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Poor Yaki--he always needs a meal. Although one worries buying him one meal would somehow bind you to him for life.

Any additional comments?

Like Tolkein's Lord off the Rings Trilogy, the books in The Balkan Trilogy don't really stand alone and need to be read as one long book.

Excellent Reading of a Fascinating Book

Having both read Olivia Mannings great trilogy and watched the TV adaptation (twice) I was somewhat wary of embarking on this reading, fearing that it might not accord with my own interpretation of the characters or those of the actors who portrayed them so well on the screen.

I need not have worried. As soon as she got into her stride Harriet Walters reading was quite brilliant and revealed many different aspects of the characters that I had not thought about.

Having finished the first volume it was with great impatience that I awaited my next monthly allocation. I have now listened to all three books and have no hesitation in recommending them either to new listeners or any of Miss Mannings existing fans.

Wonderful cast of characters, starring Bucharest!

What did you like most about The Great Fortune?

This is an involving, atmospheric and intense account of a motley group of British and Romanian characters in Bucharest, watching, fearing, sensing the ever closer presence of the Germans in 1939/40. The book ends with the fall of France and the apparent impotence of the British Army to protect Europe and especially Bucharest and is notable for providing a brilliant portrait of this gilded and vulnerable city, its people, the buildings, the cafes and hotels. It centres around a newly married English couple and their friends, including a pathetic White Russian English eduated prince down on his luck who scrounges off anyone and everyone. Olivia Manning's brilliance lies her characterisation, including creating a potentially dislikeable herione with whom you continue to epmpathise.

What other book might you compare The Great Fortune to, and why?

It is the first of the Balkan trilogy by Olivia Manning following the couples' flight from Bucharest to, eventually, Cairo.