Most Reliable Website For Full Audiobooks in Fiction, Historical and Many More

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: The Faraway Drums

Author: Jon Cleary

Narrator: Michael Healy

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 25 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-03-13

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 1 of 5 out of 1 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

In 1911 in Delhi, King George V is on the brink of being crowned Emperor of India. While on duty near Simla, a handsome British intelligence officer, Clive Farnol, finds a plot to assassinate His Majesty. Meanwhile, a young Bostonian reporter, Bridie O'Brady, is in town to write about the coronation. In this exotic tale of romance and intrigue, Clive and Bridle must together trek from Sima to Delhi amidst ambush attempts and a sly group of traveling companions - Indian, German, and English alike - in order to protect the king and spread the news.

Members Reviews:

An oldie but goodie!

A colorful insight into the British Empire in India, colorful characters and a constant tension. Touches of intrigue, espionage and romance all rolled into this book.

one of hi best

I enjoyed this book and I'm glad to find it on kindle. It is an exciting adventure story set in exotic India with romance and intrigue.

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: The Road Between Us

Author: Nigel Farndale

Narrator: Jonathan Keeble

Format: Unabridged

Length: 14 hrs and 54 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-01-13

Publisher: Isis Publishing Ltd

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 4 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

June 1939. In a hotel room overlooking Piccadilly Circus, two young men are arrested. One is court-martialled for "conduct unbecoming"; the other is deported home to Germany for "re-education" in a brutal labour camp. They must each make a difficult choice, and then live with the consequences.

April 2012. A British diplomat, held hostage in an Afghan cave for eleven harrowing years, is unexpectedly freed. He returns to London to find his wife is dead. Numb with grief, he attempts to re-build his life and answer the questions that are tormenting him. Was his wife's death an accident? Who paid his ransom? And how is his release linked to what his father did in the Second World War?

Members Reviews:

simply excellent on all levels

Would you consider the audio edition of The Road Between Us to be better than the print version?

I simply can't say, being a biblio-vore my preferred method of any book is that of being read to.

Who was your favorite character and why?

As the story developed I had more than one favourite character as the novel offered the reader a plethora of values with which the reader could align or identify him or herself with.

Have you listened to any of Jonathan Keebles other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have listened to several of Jonathan Keeble's narrations as he is one of my favourite readers but he simply excelled in his faultless narration of this wonderful book

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

indeed I did just that very thing as I couldn't stop listening..... and I was sad when the book ended a sure way of judging a personal winner

Any additional comments?

For anyone who loves a well developed story-line coupled with faultlessly researched details then Nigel Farndale is the writer for you. Farndale also manages to present the reader / listeners with their personal inner dialogues concerning value judgements. I actually sent an email via this writers web page in praise of his writing.

Thrillingly beautiful, but...

Would you try another book written by Nigel Farndale or narrated by Jonathan Keeble?

Absolutely. Nigel Farndale is a first class writer and the narration was excellent.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

The ending ruined my entire reading experience. After building up an achingly beautiful romance between two men during WWII it felt like the writer had chickened out of an EM Forster style happy ending and instead plumped for schlocky twists and turns and a woefully unbelievable, inappropriate and borderline offensive finish. The writer is clearly not a gay man as two of his protagonists turned bisexual in the last couple of chapters. Nevermind that they'd spent 5 years and an entire war waiting for each other. Utter tosh!

What about Jonathan Keebles performance did you like?

Brilliant.

Do you think The Road Between Us needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

Goodness me no, the last two chapters need re-writing however.

Captivating

A beautifully written novel.

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: The Blood of Lorraine

Author: Barbara Pope

Narrator: Chris Kayser

Format: Unabridged

Length: 13 hrs and 6 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-29-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 3 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

In the wake of the Dreyfus affair, the murder of two Jews in Lorraine reveals the darker side of human natureIn the wake of the Vernet murders in Aix-en-Provence, magistrate Bernard Martin moves to Lorraine, France, along with his pregnant wife, Claire, who is as fervent about Republican ideals as her husband.

They are not there long when an infant boy is found dead, his tiny body mutilated. The wet nurse and mother say that this was a case of ritual sacrifice by a wandering tinker, or Jew. Meanwhile his beloved Claire, now reeling form the death of her own child, seems to be falling prey to the propaganda being spewed throughout town, forcing Bernard to acknowledge the frailties of the human psyche.

Fearing a vigilante mob sparked by the church, Bernard must unveil the murderers before Nancy experiences its own pogrom.

Editorial Reviews:

The Blood of Lorraine is a complex historical tale of murder, love, and France's dark relationship with anti-Semitism. This twisted psychological thriller blends top-notch research with action-packed, pause-resisting suspense. Chris Kayser gives a stellar performance of Barbara Pope's second novel. His diction is clear and sure, lending extra credibility to Pope's faithful rendering of fin-de-siècle France . Kayser shines especially during the novel's darker passages, bringing the gruesome crimes at the heart of this mystery to life in eerie detail.

Members Reviews:

What a good read!

This is Barbara Pope's second novel (the first is "Cezanne's Quarry") featuring magistrate Bernard Martin. The novel is set in Alsace-Lorraine in the 1890s, in the context of the intense anti-semitism in France during the time of the Dreyfus trial. It begins with the mystery of the death and mutilation of an infant, and proceeds to a series of murders which are more difficult to solve. I loved the way Pope wove together several stories--the national narrative of French anti-semitism in the 1890s, the narrative of the Alsace-Lorraine region and the interaction between the Jewish and the non-Jewish communities there, and the personal stories of the various characters, in particular of Bernard Martin and his wife Clarie. A central part of the story is examination of grief--the grief in the wake of death and murder, and grief as the personal consequence of historical atrocities--and of the ways of managing grief. The story is absorbing, and the writing is very good.

A wonderful window into fin de siècle France--and the struggle to pursue égalité in a complex human community.

Barbara Pope creates characters with depth of thought, feeling, and hunger for reasons to hold onto their ideals when events make cynicism and despair seem the more appropriate response. She sets her fictional characters in the midst of real historical events that she accurately portrays and makes more accessible. In this book the Dreyfus Affair comes to life in the context of antisemitism in Nancy at the end of the Nineteenth Century. This is the third of her novels that I have read and thoroughly enjoyed. I recommend this for mystery lovers, especially those with an interest in French history during the closing years of the Nineteenth Century.

First-rate historical thriller

I thought Ms. Pope's first novel, Cezanne's QuarryCezanne's Quarry: A Mysterywas a treat.

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: The Scarlet Fig or, Slowly Through a Land of Stone

Subtitle: Vergil Magus, Book 3

Author: Avram Davidson

Narrator: Robert Blumenfeld

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 54 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-02-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 2 of 5 out of 1 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

The Last Manuscript of a Masterlt began with an accident, as if Fate had a plan for Vergil Magus....

After his trials in the Very Rich City of Averno but before his crowning achievement of a certain magic mirror, the great sorcerer and alchemist finds himself on a journey nothing short of epic. Sure he is slated for death in Rome, Vergil seeks safety in the far reaches of the Empire - and finds a world teeming with wonders and magical oddities.

This "unhistoric" sea adventure is a deft mix of fantastic fact and fable, showcasing the author's keen attention to the often forgotten connections between them.

Members Reviews:

Will have limited appeal

Originally posted at Fantasy Literature.

I loved The Phoenix and the Mirror, the first book in Avram Davidsons trilogy about the mage Vergil in ancient Rome, but the two sequels are disappointing. The first sequel, Vergil in Averno, is a travelogue of Vergils visit to Averno, a place that ancient Romans thought might be the gate to Hell. (Its not nearly as interesting as that might suggest, though.) It had little plot, but at least it displayed Avram Davidsons amusing sense of humor.

This second sequel, The Scarlet Fig, has even less plot. The story starts as Vergil encounters a condemned man who is pardoned by a Vestal Virgin on his way to be executed. Something happens to the Vestal Virgins carriage and in his attempt to keep her from falling, Vergil accidentally touches her arm. Vergils intentions were honorable, but touching a Vestal Virgin is a crime, so he must flee Rome. The rest of the story follows Vergil around the world as he tries to keep ahead of the men who want to escort him back to Rome. Along the way he visits random real and legendary places (Naples, Corsica, the Island of the Lotus-Eaters) and meets random people and creatures. Vergil often gives us information and backstory about all these random places and people, though it has nothing to do with the plot (because there is no plot). He also recounts many childhood memories that are somewhat interesting but also mostly irrelevant.

But there does seem to be a purpose to The Scarlet Fig. Avram Davidson seemed fascinated by ancient Roman myths, folklore, legendary creatures, symbolism and alchemy, and he weaves these into his random digressions and connects them to real historical details in a way that makes ancient Rome feel like a magical place, a place where basilisks and satyrs are just as real as Augustus Caesar. I loved this about the trilogy, even when I thought the story was dull. I also loved how Vergil was both scientifically minded and open minded hes a scientist/magician.

The Scarlet Fig: or, Slowly through a Land of Stone will have limited appeal. There are fewer of the writing quirks I mentioned in my review of Vergil in Averno, but The Scarlet Fig also has less of Davidsons charming humor. While I admire what Avram Davidson did here the melding of legendary and historical Rome I have to admit that I was mostly bored by The Scarlet Fig.

Again Robert Blumenfeld does a nice job with the narration of Audible Studios 2013 version of The Scarlet Fig.

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: The Siren of Paris

Author: David LeRoy

Narrator: Chaz Allen

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 39 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-09-13

Publisher: David LeRoy Tribble Jr.

Ratings: 2 of 5 out of 4 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

In German-occupied Paris, a group of unlikely people join in collaboration to smuggle Allied airmen south to Spain. One of those intrepid heroes happens to be American. The Siren of Paris, the debut work of historical fiction by David LeRoy, tells a searing story of love, betrayal, forgiveness, and war that brings to vivid life the shimmering City of Lights during its darkest hours during World War II.

The story starts in 1939, when Marc Tolbert, the French-born son of a prominent American family, takes off for Paris to follow his dream of becoming an artist. Marc's life soon sparkles in the ex-pat scene in Paris. His new friend Dora introduces him to a circle that includes the famous Sylvia Beach, owner of the bookstore Shakespeare & Company; and he accepts a job with William Bullitt, US ambassador to France. At art school, he finds himself further enchanted by the alluring model Marie.

Marc's Parisian reverie, however, is soon clouded over by the increasing threat from Germany. As Americans scramble to escape Paris, he finds himself trapped by the war, and nearly meets his fate on the disastrous day of June 17, 1940, aboard the RMS Lancastria. Upon returning to Paris, his fate grows more troubled still, as he smuggles Allied airmen through the American Hospital to the Paris Resistance underground, until a profound betrayal leads him into the hands of the Gestapo and onto Buchenwald.

Rigorously researched and vibrant in historical detail, The Siren of Paris reimagines one of history's most turbulent times through the prism of an American abroad in Europe's most harrowing days. Poignant, gripping, and thought-provoking, The Siren of Paris mines the human dilemma of revenge versus forgiveness, and vividly captures the conflicted state of survival.

Author: In writing his first novel, The Siren of Paris, David LeRoy drew upon his longtime interest in philosophy, the visual arts, myth, storytelling, psychology, and ocean liner travel. During a visit to France to study art in the fall of 2012, LeRoy was increasingly intrigued by the French Resistance, particularly when his research revealed the role of Americans in the Resistance, as well as the limited means of escape from Europe as the war escalated. LeRoy holds a bachelor of arts in philosophy and religion.

Members Reviews:

Worst book ever

This book wasnt for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

No one. The writing was stilted. The author doesn't know how to use contractions. The reader was terrible. You could actually hear him taking breaths. I rarely write reviews unless something is exceptionally good or exceptionally bad. I would not recommend this to anyone

Would you be willing to try another book from David LeRoy? Why or why not?

No. His writing style is undeveloped and annoying.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

He had a very annoying voice, annoying tempo and distracted you from the story. I couldn't even follow the story.

What character would you cut from The Siren of Paris?

I would cut the entire book

Any additional comments?

I was looking forward to reading this as I love novels set during WWII. You get what you pay for.

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: The Son

Author: Philipp Meyer

Narrator: Will Patton, Kate Mulgrew, Scott Shepherd, Clifton Collins, Jr.

Format: Unabridged

Length: 17 hrs and 46 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-08-13

Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Part epic of Texas, part classic coming-of-age story, part unflinching portrait of the bloody price of power, The Son is an utterly transporting novel that maps the legacy of violence in the American West through the lives of the McCulloughs, an ambitious family as resilient and dangerous as the land they claim.

Love, honour, children are sacrificed in the name of ambition, as the family becomes one of the richest powers in Texas, a dynasty of unsurpassed wealth and privilege. Yet, like all empires, the McCulloughs must eventually face the consequences of their choices.

Members Reviews:

Masterful

Fabulous, did not in any way detract from the mental pictures formed when reading for the first time. An extraordinary book. Read/hear it.

fantastic book

just listen, really well read and written. some of it is like poetry. For once the characters are different people so adds quality to the reading.

Generational Differences

This is my favourite listen of the year so far.

We are introduced to the McCullough family and a narrator covers each generation with each chapter. I particularly enjoyed Will Patton's reading of Eli, the ten year old kidnapped by Commanche Indians. The thing I noticed was that we are always told how terribly the Native American Indians were treated, and this is pointed out here; but we are also shown how the Indians retaliated and this was pretty graphic and brutal.

The story veers close to Dallas territory when oil is introduced, but luckily doesn't morph into soap opera theatrics. Give it a go and travel from 1840 to present day, you'll love it!

Great book

Would you consider the audio edition of The Son to be better than the print version?

not read the book as i listened to it as i commute everyday.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Eli...

What about the narratorss performance did you like?

All good...believable and engaging.

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

Yes, quite easily

Any additional comments?

A great book, spilt over three generations...a story of how lawless Texas became the oil capitol of the world...cowboys and Indians...love and loss...adventure and heartache.

wonderful!

a wonderful story, with wonderful characters with some of the most magnificent narrators I've heard.

I've just finished it, and I'm already missing them.

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: The Amber Road

Author: Harry Sidebottom

Narrator: Nick Boulton

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 56 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-18-13

Publisher: Whole Story Audiobooks

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 6 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

AD 264 - The Roman Empire is torn in two. The latest blazing novel in the Warrior of Rome series.

The western provinces - Gaul, Spain and Britain - have been seized; to the east, on the plains of northern Italy, armies muster. War is coming. Everyone must choose a side. Ballista must journey the Amber Road to the far north to Hyperborea, back to his original home and the people of his birth. Yet not all welcome Ballistas return. Does treachery pose the greatest danger?

Critic Reviews:

"Amazing, spectacular. Wonderful fight scenes, deft literary touches and salty dialogue" (Daily Telegraph)

"Praise for the author: Sidebottom's prose blazes with searing scholarship" (The Times)

Members Reviews:

Perhaps a book too far ...

I have loved this series of novels. You really can't fault Dr. Sidebottom's depth of knowledge in this field and he shows that knowledge without pretence or condecension to his audience. That said I can't help but feel that this - and even the 5th book - were instalments too far and that the saga should have ended in the Caucasas or in a different manner entirely - perhaps Balista and familia could simply have gone home. There was a feelng of tieing up loose ends here when such neat finishing hasn't been required previously. Still happy to have heard this instalment but not up to the standard of the first 4.

Not as Convincing as earlier volumes

There's no denying it. Harry Sidebottom has to be one of the most knowledgeable of all the historical fiction authors and I definitely applaud his aim to both entertain and aloow for some education in the process. The depth of his knowledge shines through in all of the Ballista books and its a richly detailed world that his characters move through. That said, this book often felt more laboured than some of the earlier ones with for example regular lists of kingdoms and rulers that never played any real part in the book, seemingly only included to show that the research had been done.

The story is fine but I didn't find it as engaging as the other Ballista novels that I have read to date. (The books are designed to be read either stand alone or as an overall series). On top of that the ending seemed inconclusive to me. The good news is that Ballista, who really is a very strong character will live on in further novels, the not so good news is that, as I write, it looks likely we'll have to wait a couple of years before we see them emerge into the light of day.

To summarize this is not a bad book but it has its weak points. I would recommend the other Ballista novels as excellent stories to try first and then this one if you plan to continue following the adventures to come.

The amber road

Too much metaphysics, making the story long winded. Not your usual brilliance Harry. Thanks Gil

Poor story especially compared to the others in series

The story didn't really have anything happen in it, it was very slow & to be honest the whole thing could've been covered in a quarter of the words used

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: The Center of the World

Author: Thomas Van Essen

Narrator: Simon Vance, Paul Michael, Cassandra Campbell, Vanessa Benjamin, Gildart Jackson, Various Readers

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 56 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-04-13

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 3 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Alternating between nineteenth-century Europe and present-day New England, this tale follows the great British painter J. M. W. Turner - and his scene of artists, intellectuals, and lovers - and Henry, a middle-aged family man whose otherwise mundane existence is disrupted by the discovery of The Center of the World, Turners controversial painting of Helen of Troy that had been thought lost forever.

This transcendently beautiful painting was so erotic that it was hidden away and supposedly destroyed - until Henry happens to stumble upon it while vacationing at his summer home in the Adirondacks. Now in possession of an object of unimaginable value, Henry finds himself torn between wanting to sell the work and keeping something of beauty in his life. Returning to the nineteenth century, the listener follows the creation of the painting and learns more about Turners beliefs, technique, manner, and indecorous affairs. Filled with beauty and love (of all kinds), this novel explores the ever-evolving role of art in our lives.

Members Reviews:

an entertaining read before your trip to the Tate Britain or Petworth House (Sussex)

Van Essen's book fictionalizes a part of the art history of English's greatest painter, Joseph Mallord William Turner and his benefactor, Lord Egremont. He creates a fictional portrait of Helen of Troy by Turner and uses the painting as the dramatic fulcrum around a quartet of characters at the time the painting is executed in 1830 at Petworth House, Egremont's exquisite mansion (now run by the National Trust). In an entertaining literary chase of "find and recover" the mysterious painting for the benefit of posterity (and possession; "art for art" sake), Van Essen sets the scenes in mid 19th century England, early 20th century and 21st century America. There are few heroes outside of the Petworth four; the author's descriptions of the painting's amorous effects on men and women is overwrought and at times repetitive, the dialogue - even the present day dialogue - can be stilted, but the art history surrounding Turner and Egremont seems credible and well researched.

The book's entertainment value is high and one's visit to the Tate Britain in London for viewing the vast collection of Turners or a visit to Petworth House, to view those Turners too, will always be pleasantly tinged by the memories of this book.

This is an exceptional book! Totally engaging!

This is an exceptional book! Wonderful! Totally engaging!

Tom Van Essen pulls the reader into an emotionally treacherous world of people obsessed with the creation and ownership of a transcendent painting by J. M. W. Turner. Labor and love, obsession and desire, as well as class and envy drive the lives of those who are bound up in the painting's creation and those who, in future times, voraciously crave to possess it at all costs. Multiple storylines, past and present, are seamlessly interwoven. The characters, drawn with vivid detail, moving in contrasting time periods and locations, are all motivated by a work of art that becomes the focus of their desire for passion and truth found in what is beautiful beyond words!.

I didn't want this book to end!

The Power of Art

This book describes the affect that Art can have on the lives of people.

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: Wild Cat Falling

Author: Mudrooroo

Narrator: Mudrooroo

Format: Unabridged

Length: 3 hrs and 2 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-01-13

Publisher: Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd

Ratings: 1 of 5 out of 1 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Wild Cat Falling is the story of an Aboriginal youth, a 'bodgie' of the early sixties who grows up on the ragged outskirts of a country town, falls into petty crime, goes to gaol, and comes out to do battle once more with the society who put him there.Its publication in 1965 marked a unique literary event, for this was the novel from the Aboriginal community to be published in Australia. As well, it is a remarkable piece of literature in its own right, expressing the dilemmas and conflicts of the young Aboriginal in modern Australian society with its memorable insight and stylishness.

Members Reviews:

Plight of the Australian Aborigine

Having grown up surrounded by this culture, I was very interested in the story told by one of their own. The tragic helpleness that they feel is hard to comprehend, and I extremely sympathetic toward his story. Great story, sad story, there is a squel apparently???

Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: Mary Jemison

Subtitle: The True Story

Author: Rayna Gangi

Narrator: Jules Avery

Format: Unabridged

Length: 4 hrs and 11 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-01-13

Publisher: Rayna Gangi

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

"No matter! Her blood is white!" Red Jacket seethed. He went to the fire and tried to kick the dirt to douse it, a signal that the council was over. Jones grabbed him and pulled him back. "But the blood she has shed in bearing her children is Seneca. The blood of her husband when wounded in battle is Seneca. This deed is not given by the Seneca. It is the white nation who owns rights to this land now. They are giving back to a Seneca by giving it to Mrs. Jemison. For this, Red Jacket, you should be glad. As a Seneca, a great chief who will long be remembered for your words, you should be pleased that one of your people will retain rights to this land. She will stay with her people, the Seneca. Her houses will remain standing. Her fields will continue to bear corn."