How To Get Full Audiobook in Fiction, Historical Best Sellers

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Title: The Talisman of Troy

Author: Valerio Massimo Manfredi

Narrator: Robert Powell

Format: Abridged

Length: 3 hrs and 9 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-01-07

Publisher: Pan Macmillan Publishers Ltd.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 15 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

The protagonist of this tale is Diomedes, the last of the great ancient Greek Homeric heroes, who seeks to return to his beloved homeland after years of war against Troy. But destiny has other plans for him. Betrayed by his wife, who plots to murder him, and persecuted by hostile gods, he has no choice but to turn his sails west, towards Hesperia, the mysterious mist-shrouded land that will one day be called Italy. He ventures boldly into this new world, for he carries with him the magic talisman of Troy, a mysterious, powerful idol that can make the nation that possesses it invincible.

The Talisman of Troy recreates the emotions of an epic age, at once grandiose and brutal. It breathes life into that tormented time when these ancient, mysterious peoples were first settling the land of ice and fire that over the centuries would become their home and the centre of a world destined to last for millennia.

Members Reviews:

A New Perspective on Troy

Original and exciting this story is a winner. The book follows the tragic stories of the Greek heroes after the fall of Troy

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Title: Better Angels of Our Nature

Author: S.C. Gylanders

Narrator: Cassandra Campbell

Format: Unabridged

Length: 18 hrs and 1 min

Language: English

Release date: 12-04-06

Publisher: Books on Tape

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 8 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Resourceful and courageous, Jesse soon earns the respect of Sherman's men, especially the compassionate but plain-talking surgeon, Seth Cartwright, and Thomas Ransom, a noble and handsome young infantry officer. Neither man can divert Jesse's mission.

But what is Jesse's purpose, and why has this fascinating youth appeared at this most crucial time in Sherman's life and in the life of the bitterly divided nation? In the end, we are forced to ask: Who is under whose wing?

The Better Angels of Our Nature brilliantly re-creates the drama and brutality of America's Civil War. Set in the momentous 14-month period spanning Shiloh and Vicksburg (a time that turned the tide of war and determined the nation's fate) this harrowing, lyrically written novel is filled with unforgettable characters and wondrous twists that will give listeners pause to reconsider events familiar to us all.

Critic Reviews:

"Gylanders knows the era thoroughly...and writes convincingly about the horrors of the battlefield and the field hospital. In the enigmatic Jesse, she has a character who gives a compelling perspective on the times." (Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

Authentically Coarse

War is never gentle. I'm not one to use or like to hear coarse language but I listened to the end of the book. I contemplated returning the book but stayed the course and finished. The storyline was wonderful and the narration is excellent, but Cassandra Campbell is a great narrator. I would recommend only to those who don't mind coarse language albeit mild in this book.

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Title: King of the Jews

Author: Leslie Epstein

Narrator: Edward Lewis

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 28 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-13-06

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 2.5 of 5 out of 11 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

King of the Jews continues to be an extraordinary vision of occupied Poland, and offers stunning insight through the trappings of history to questions of equal moral complexity today.

Critic Reviews:

"The best book yet to be written on the Holocaust. A superb novel." (San Francisco Chronicle)

"The first novel about the Holocaust that manages to be adequate to its own ambition." (New York Magazine)

"Epstein has done the impossible....He has shown what the power of art - of his art - can reveal of the depths of the unspeakable." (Philadelphia Inquirer)

Members Reviews:

Interesting but pretty typical

You know at the start that this was going to be a depressing story. The central character is mysterious and interesting but in many ways not believable. Having read way too many tales of the Holocaust, I didn't learn anything new here.

Disjointed and Annoying Narration

This is obviously a thinly-veiled narrative of Chaim Rumkowski, his background as director of an orphanage and his position as Elder of the Judenrat in the òdz ghetto. Very odd storyline (ie - Hitler is referred to as Horowitz, which takes some time to decipher & makes no sense). Not easy to follow.

Ironic

I found this story so ironic that it was difficult to identify with the characters. The most important part was about the moral dilemma about the collaboration of the jewish leaders with the Nazis. This highlighted the moral debate about doing questionable things in impossible circumstances. The deadpan approach to cruelty was also very thought provoking. Difficult to warm to but important to reflect on...

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Title: A Cafe on the Nile

Subtitle: Anton Rider Trilogy, Book Two

Author: Bartle Bull

Narrator: Fred Williams

Format: Unabridged

Length: 26 hrs and 56 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-08-06

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 41 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

A nation sits at the brink of war, a city is fraught with conspiracy. It's 1935 in East Africa. In Cairo, at the Cataract Café, they gather: professional hunter Anton Rider, his estranged wife and her Italian lover, the pampered American twins Bernadette and Harriet Mills, an English lord down on his luck, and a German freebooter who has stolen a fortune in silver from the Italian army. Under the knowing eye of the Goan dwarf and café proprietor Olivio Alevado, they lay plots and toast alliances. They plan safaris. And they gamble with destiny.

Critic Reviews:

"An enthralling novel." (Booklist)

"The action is nonstop, the details are rawly authentic and the whole thing makes for a fast-paced and absorbing...read." (Publishers Weekly)

"Pulses with entertainment value...The sort of yarn that can keep you up late at night...[A] spirited, sensuous, hot-blooded evocation of a rich and eventful historical world." (New York Times)

Members Reviews:

Unable to listen

I based my purchase of this book on reviews of the PAPER book. I should have listened to samples first (almost always do!) but I love the idea of a good adventure that was 26 hours long.

ABSOLUTELY the worst narration I've ever encountered. Mr Bull made the first 30 minutes agony. I kept hoping it would get better but it did not.

I took the unprecedented step of calling customer service and asking that this book be removed from my library.

If you think you might want to listen to this I STRONGLY urge you to listen to the sample first. Proceed with caution.

Couldn't stop

After reading the other reviews, I felt I just had to comment. I listened to the first book (White Rhino Hotel) from the library, loved it, and I just had to get my hands on the next part of the trilogy, which I found just as fascinating. Mr. Williams narrating style took a little time to get used to, but after awhile I found myself really lost in the story. Now I really love to listen to him. I felt like I was really in Africa, and these books make me long to go there myself. These are some of the best audiobooks I've listened to!

Good story, good history

This is a well executed piece of historical fiction, with a real nod to H. Rider Haggard. The author, an old Africa hand himself, captures the time and place extremely well, an interesting period, at the edge of WW2. The plot and the characters worked well for me and I found myself engrossed throughout the 25 or so hours. A couple of points. There is a fair degree of graphic eroticism and violence. For the most part, well done, but not for the squeamish. Second, I like Fred Williams as a narrator, but he is of the stately English style. I enjoy that, but, clearly, not everyone does. He held my attention the whole way.

Promises an exciting sequel but falls short.

Once again, the narrator brings down the book.

The continuation of the Anton Rider story leaves out a lot of the intervening years after The White Rhino and brings the reader to other parts of Africa, a war, incredible violence and a lot more of the 'soft porn'.

While I enjoy the stories I do find the narration incredibly difficult to listen to.

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Title: The Spirit of the Border

Author: Zane Grey

Narrator: Michael Prichard

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs

Language: English

Release date: 07-07-06

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 31 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Lewis Wetzel, known to the Indians as the Death Wind, undertakes this mission of revenge. The stakes increase when he learns of a planned attack on Fort Henry, and must single-handedly turn the tide in this bloody border war. This is the second book in the Ohio River Trilogy.

Editorial Reviews:

The full-bodied story of Lewis Wetzel's efforts to bring peace to the Fort Henry area is part of Grey's Ohio River trilogy, based on the adventures of his own great-great-grandmother. Wetzel is also a genuine historical personage. Michael Prichard is an outstanding narrator who pumps life and emotion into all the characters. His female voices for Nell and Kate, for example, are low-key and believable. His empathy for them during the violent situations they encounter resonates in his presentation. Prichard's slightly grisly sounding voice is perfectly suited for portraying the many hardy men and women who tamed the wild land of early America.

Members Reviews:

Compelling Listening

As with "Betty Zane," I couldn't turn my ipod off. Gray's "border" trilogy are my favorite Audible purchases to date. Great narration, great story, wonderfully descriptive. It's hard to believe that this book is over 100 years old. The writing style is not of the 21st century, but is fresh and timeless.

Great for Ohio River History Narrative

Any additional comments?

I have thoroughly enjoyed all of the Ohio River Trilogy books! Prichard does a very good job at the narration.

Great story,EXCELLENT narration

Michael Prichard is one of the best narrators I've ever listened to. I've listened to several stories narrated by him and all have great to hear.

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Title: God in Sandals

Subtitle: When Jesus Walked Among Us

Author: Margaret Montreuil

Narrator: Mark Rosenwinkel

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 58 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-09-06

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 20 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

God in Sandals: When Jesus Walked among Us is an inspirational novel about the most famous and influential person in history. Because Jesus called himself "the Son of Man", and "the Son of God", people couldn't help but wonder what he meant. In fact, people still wonder about him today.

This story plunges headlong into that amazing mystery of who Jesus was and is. What did God incarnate experience and feel when he became one of us? Why did people so strongly love or hate him? And why do people still seek to know him today?

This intimate biography is about the human side of Jesus and is an imaginative journey through the Biblical narratives of his life. By sharing in the experiences of those who knew him, we, too, can see and hear him and better understand the meaning of his coming.

Members Reviews:

Exceptional!!!!!

Listen to the LOVE of CHRIST and the ultimate SACRIFICE he has made. HE IS RISEN!!!!!!!!! Hallelujah Enjoy this read

Basic Story

This is a great book for youth and someone new to Christianity but it doesn't have the depth that I had anticipated. It generally follows Jesus' life and ministry and points out the tensions of that time so would be instructive to those in the early stages of their growth.

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Title: Of Rice and Men

Author: Richard Galli

Narrator: Paul Michael

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 8 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-11-06

Publisher: Books on Tape

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 20 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Brash, eye-opening, and surprisingly comic, Of Rice and Men displays the same irreverent spirit as the black-comedy classics Catch-22 and MASH, as it chronicles the American Army's little known "Civil Affairs" soldiers who courageously roam hostile war zones, not to kill or to destroy, but to build, to feed, and to heal. Unprepared, uncertain, and naive, they find it impossible to make the skeptical population fall in love with them.

But it's thrilling to watch them try.

Among the unforgettable characters: Guy Lopaca, an inept Army-trained interpreter who can barely say "I can't speak Vietnamese" in Vietnamese, but has no trouble chatting with stray dogs and water buffalo. Guy's friends include "Virgin Mary" Crocker, a pragmatic nurse earning a fortune spending nights with homesick soldiers; Paul Gianelli, a heroic builder of medical clinics who doesn't want to be remembered badly, so he never goes home; and Tyler DeMudge, whose cure for every problem is a chilly martini, a patch of shade, and the theory that every bad event in life is "good training" for enduring it again.

Pricelessly funny, disarming, thought-provoking, as fresh as the morning headlines, and bursting with humor, affection, and pride, Of Rice and Men is a sincere tribute to those young men and women, thrust into our hearts-and-minds wars, who try to do absolute good in a hopeless situation.

Critic Reviews:

"This is a clever, quirky, surprisingly uncynical view of Vietnam." (Publishers Weekly)

"The novel unfolds with beguiling tenderness, humor, and wisdom." (Booklist)

Members Reviews:

I really liked it

It has that quirky MASH type of humor, and I think the author did a really good job. It was a funny book, and you grow fond of the characters the same way the author did. What I want to know though is whether the the main character ever married Virgin Mary. I kind of felt the author should have done a what they are doing now speil at the end of the book.

No guts

Ultimately this story went nowhere. Its a story of the peace corps in Vietnam, except they are in the army, non combat types, during the war told through the eyes of a couple of characters.

The theme is kind of interesting and the author has some writing skill but ultimately the undeding series of largely unrelated incidents an the unrelenting sensitive new age approach left me feeling the book had nothing interesting to say. And I say that even though I share some of the sentiments. My wife felt the same way and neither of us finished it.

Wonderful

Wonderfully read, with just the right amount of irony in the narrator's voice. I agree with the other reviewers who compared this to Catch-22, although I found it less bitter. Ironic and wry, yet compassionate in its treatment of war's idiocies.

anger transformed

This book is a beautiful example of how anger and bitterness can be transformed into a gentle, often funny, but no less critical look at the insane historical fact of the Vietnam war. The characters, their relationships, their surprising depth -- all are rendered with a quiet push at our assumptions and a not-so-quiet poke at the ridiculous way the military approached this situation. Bravo.

A lighter of the Vietnam War

This novel is to the Vietnam War as the movie (not novel it is far to dark) catch 22 is too WW II. From the very beginning the tone of the novel is set.

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Title: Appomattox

Subtitle: The Civil War Battle Series, Book 10

Author: James Reasoner

Narrator: Lloyd James

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 41 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-06-06

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 33 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

In the spring of 1865 the war reaches its climax at a crossroads in Virginia known as Appomattox. Soon after, the war is brought home to the Brannon farm when carpetbaggers move into the South and the family must decide whether to fight or flee.

Critic Reviews:

"Fraught with passion, tension, and tenderness." (Booklist)

"Robust, detail rich, and well-paced....Reasoner's battle narrative provides equal parts pathos and accuracy." (Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

Not a Disney ending

For over 100 hrs I have listened to the story of the Brannon family living and fighting through the Civil War. At times its been a bit cheesy but over all it has been a cracking good read (or rather listen!).

For me the highlights have been Lloyd James' narration, James Reasoner's battle descriptions, the characterisation of the Brannon boys, the explanation of the historical context and the effect of the Civil War on the ordinary civilians.

Lloyd James has been a joy to listen to. He has a lovely tone to his voice that you can listen to for ages but his real ability is to give a character an accent and use it only for that character and come back to the very same accent maybe books later and sound just right. That is a true skill. I hope that Lloyd's skill has been recognised and that he does considerably more narrating in the future.

James Reasoner has the ability to paint a picture with just words and in particular has the ability to describe a battle or even a fist fight so well that you can see it in your minds eye. There are times when is normal storytelling is a little flat and his female characters are somewhat two dimensional but give him a battle scene and you see it in full cinemascope in your mind.

I am going to miss listening to Lloyd telling us about the Brannons and I was right there is a hole in my life that I haven't found a way of filling as yet. But I know I will but I shall look back at this saga with pleasure.

The series is one I would recommend but only if you mean to see it through to the end and in quick succession. Its true that the pace does slacken off but so did the events in the Civil War and its here that the Brannon family history moves up a notch. I've thoroughly enjoyed it and I hope that you do too.

April 2012

A Very Good Ending

This "last" story does a very nice job of bringing family members thru the war - but as another reviewer points out - things are by no means resolved at the end of the book. I very much hope that the author writes some additional books on reconstruction because I will certainly buy them.

Very interesting how specific Brannons are placed in position to witness Lee's meeting with Grant and the John Wilkes Booth saga. And a touching and appropriate ending

I think it was nice that the author dedicates the book to those who read all 10 - now go write some more!!!!!!

Appomatax--not the end...

What a terrific wrap up on a terrific series. I had not realize how long hostilities continued after Lee's surrender to Grant in the war of Northern Aggression. Getting all the family back together in a clean manner, then having them lose the farm to carpetbaggers and move to Texas was unexpected---and well done. Now he can write more about the Brannon's and their adventures!!! Read them all 10 novels!

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Title: The Colour

Author: Rose Tremain

Narrator: Eleanor Bron

Format: Unabridged

Length: 13 hrs and 29 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-16-06

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 41 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Joseph and Harriet Blackstone emigrate from Norfolk to New Zealand in search of new beginnings and prosperity. But the harsh land near Christchurch where they settle threatens to destroy them almost before they begin. When Joseph finds gold in the creek he is seized by a rapturous obsession with the voluptuous riches awaiting him deep in the earth. Abandoning his farm and family, he sets off alone for the new gold-fields over the Southern Alps, a moral wilderness where many others, under the seductive dreams of "the colour", are violently rushing to their destinies. By turns both moving and terrifying, it is a story of the quest for the impossible, an attempt to mine the complexities of love and in the process discover the sacrifices to be made in the pursuit of happiness.

©2003 Rose Tremain; (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

Critic Reviews:

"The sense of period is forcefully conveyed....Her new level of ambition makes it perhaps the author's most important book yet." (Amazon.co.uk)

Members Reviews:

An almost perfect experience

This is a beautifully-written and very engaging novel, very well-read by Ms Bron. The characters, particularly Harriet, are rounded and believable and the story builds well from the nature of the people and their relationships with one another. The only irritating flaw was the over-dramatised psychic connection between the young boy, Edwin, and his Maori nurse, Pare. This relationship and its consequences were the only part of the story which felt over-written, despite the length and sweep of the narrative. I didn't want the book to end.

13hrs and 29 minutes out of my life

First let me say I am a huge fan of Rose Tremain and was therefore excited about downloading and listening to this book. However, out of the 50+ audio books Ive heard this is the first book I ever felt so disappointed about that I felt the need to write a review.

The first problem is the narrator, Eleanor Bron, and the production crew. I normally have no problem understanding even the heaviest English accent yet I found myself rewinding the book many times to try to understand what Ms. Bron had said. She sounds as if she is talking with a mouth full of marbles. On top of that there are volume changes between sentences where you can tell that she stopped and restarted later and even times where you can hear production cues that the listener is not supposed to hear.

As for the content of the book itself; the first two thirds of the book is tedium. I kept listening and plodding along because I thought This is THE Rose Tremain, its going to get better. It wasnt until the last third of the book that anything substantial happened and even then it was a disappointment. Almost all of the main characters are very unlikable and delusional. The few likable/interesting characters are side characters whose stories are either not followed thru or meet tragic ends.

All in all this entire book was a major disappointment

Some problematic supporting characters

What did you love best about The Colour?

I thought the depiction of the New Zealand settler's life and then the gold rush was wonderfully written, especially scenes of how easily the weather can destroy everything human-built. Harriet, Lillian and even Joseph were all great characters with whom you could muster various degrees of sympathy.

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Title: Oh My Stars

Author: Lorna Landvik

Narrator: Cassandra Campbell

Format: Unabridged

Length: 14 hrs and 59 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-21-05

Publisher: Books on Tape

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 68 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Tall, slender Violet Mathers is growing up in the Great Depression, which could just as well define her state of mind. Abandoned by her mother as a child, mistreated by her father, and teased by her schoolmates ("Hey, Olive Oyl, where's Popeye?"), the lonely girl finds solace in artistic pursuits. Only when she's hired by the town's sole feminist to work the night shift in the local thread factory does Violet come into her name, and bloom. Accepted by her co-workers, the teenager enters the happiest phase of her life, until a terrible accident causes her to retreat once again into her lonely shell.

Realizing that she has only one clear choice, Violet boards a bus heading west to California. But when the bus crashes in North Dakota, it seems that Fate is having another cruel laugh at Violet's expense. This time though, Violet laughs back. She and her fellow passengers are rescued by two men: Austin Sykes, whom Violet is certain is the blackest man to ever set foot on the North Dakota prairie, and Kjel Hedstrom, who inspires feelings Violet never before has felt. Kjel and Austin are musicians whose sound is like no other, and with pluck, verve, and wit, Violet becomes part of their quest to make a new kind of music together.

Oh My Stars is Lorna Landvik's most ambitious novel yet, with a cast of characters whose travails and triumphs you'll long remember. It is a tale of love and hope, bigotry and betrayal, loss and discovery, as Violet, who's always considered herself a minor character in her own life story, emerges as a heroine you'll laugh with, cry with, and, most important, cheer for all the way.

Critic Reviews:

"A playful and poignant narrative." (Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

Intriguing and emotional story with a happy ending

This book is quite different from Ms. Landvik's other stories, but I think it is one of her best. It will grab you from the beginning and keep you listening for hours. As the story moves back and forth in her life, you may find that you have many mixed opinions about the main character, Violet, but in the end you will cheer for her. Even a physically challenged, homely girl can have a charmed life! I loved this book and recommend it highly.

A Fresh Appreciation for Life & the Hope It Holds

I have read this book six times and just finished listening to it for the first time. Hearing the story unfold through my ears gave me a whole new appreciation for its depth of theme (s), wit and prose. And of course its characters-from Violet, a battered, scorned and abandoned child who ultimately makes her own unlike family; to the beautiful, larger than life, womanizing Kjel. (Pronounced "Shell"). Kjel was obviously a man of sexual talents and appreciated women as an equal partner in life at all levels. So I can forgive the womanizing.

Then there is the lyrical Austin-my favorite-who lives his life with dignity and joy even as he experiences prejudice and discrimination every day.

I think some may dismiss the book as trivial and frivolous because of the Pearltones being a rock band before there was rock. I have seen scathing reviews on other sites demeaning this key part of the book. I think Ms. Landvik captures the "band life" well-And when a band has dedicated followers who are there for the music and the fellowship it brings.

Obviously I love the book. It is her best one-and I have read all but two of her books.