LISTENER

David

Southampton, United Kingdom
  • 14
  • reviews
  • 33
  • helpful votes
  • 59
  • ratings
  • SPQR

  • A History of Ancient Rome
  • By: Mary Beard
  • Narrated by: Phyllida Nash
  • Length: 18 hrs and 30 mins
  • Unabridged
  • Overall
    4.5 out of 5 stars 1,242
  • Performance
    4.5 out of 5 stars 1,120
  • Story
    4.5 out of 5 stars 1,103

Ancient Rome matters. Its history of empire, conquest, cruelty and excess is something against which we still judge ourselves. Its myths and stories - from Romulus and Remus to the rape of Lucretia - still strike a chord with us. And its debates about citizenship, security and the rights of the individual still influence our own debates on civil liberty today. SPQR is a new look at Roman history from one of the world's foremost classicists.

  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • Interesting and erudite

  • By Mr. D on 01-12-15

Its probably a me thing

Overall
2 out of 5 stars
Performance
2 out of 5 stars
Story
2 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 29-02-16

What would have made SPQR better?

I have always enjoyed history but I am very much the amateur historian and this book made me feel even more so. The author is without doubt very knowledgeable and if you studied classics this could be right up your street. I got half way through and realised I was only listening as I felt I should so I gave up as there are enough unenjoyable things I have to do in life with out adding to them. If you have a much stronger understanding of Roman History than I do this could be very much for you but I found it very hard going and it wasn't for me

Would you ever listen to anything by Mary Beard again?

no

22 of 31 people found this review helpful

  • The Last Kingdom

  • The Last Kingdom Series, Book 1
  • By: Bernard Cornwell
  • Narrated by: Jonathan Keeble
  • Length: 13 hrs and 28 mins
  • Unabridged
  • Overall
    4.5 out of 5 stars 906
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars 838
  • Story
    4.5 out of 5 stars 838

The first book in a brand-new series, The Last Kingdom is set in England during the reign of King Alfred. Uhtred is an English boy, born into the aristocracy of ninth-century Northumbria. Orphaned at 10, he is captured and adopted by a Dane and taught the Viking ways. Yet Uhtred's fate is indissolubly bound up with Alfred, King of Wessex, who rules over the only English kingdom to survive the Danish assault. The struggle between the English and the Danes and the strife between christianity and paganism is the background to Uhtred's growing up.

  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • Fate is unstoppable

  • By A D MCCLENAGHAN on 13-12-14

I'm a sharpe fan and this is better

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 06-11-15

What about Jonathan Keeble’s performance did you like?

the narrator was outstanding, pace, pitch, use of difference for characters with Anton Lessor is the best narrator to date and I have been an audible member since 2005

Any additional comments?

I enjoyed reading the Shapres from the author but had discounted this series as I didn't think Saxons and Vikings my thing. what a mistake this was brilliant dragged me in and now counting my credits to get the next far better than Sharpe and Im a Sharpe fan

0 of 1 people found this review helpful

  • Fifty Shades of Grey

  • Book One of the Fifty Shades Trilogy
  • By: E. L. James
  • Narrated by: Becca Battoe
  • Length: 19 hrs and 52 mins
  • Unabridged
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars 2,933
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars 1,746
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars 1,741

When literature student Anastasia Steele interviews successful entrepreneur Christian Grey, she finds him very attractive and deeply intimidating. Convinced that their meeting went badly, she tries to put him out of her mind – until he turns up at the store where she works part-time, and invites her out. Unworldly and innocent, Ana is shocked to find she wants this man. And, when he warns her to keep her distance, it only makes her want him more.

  • 1 out of 5 stars
  • Over hyped and dreadfully narrated

  • By AdaT on 29-06-12

Apologise to the previous reviewers - just awful

Overall
1 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 20-02-13

given all the hype thought what the hell I'll see what it is all about. I read the reviews on audible and thought well they are pretty bad but what the hell everyone else is talking about it. Well I owe a huge apology to the reviewers who went before me you were right and I should have listened. This book may have been a massive success but in my humble opinion it is worse than a waste of time and I gave up 2/3rd through. The lead male character is at best 1 dimensional, the whole premise a joke, the narrator has a voice that that could grate parmesan and lives in a vapid world where the equality of sexes is less ignored and more it’s even possible existence denied. If this is what any wants in fiction or life more fool you. I promise to listen and trust my fellow listeners and reviewers in the future.

  • Winter of the World

  • By: Ken Follett
  • Narrated by: John Lee
  • Length: 31 hrs and 47 mins
  • Unabridged
  • Overall
    4.5 out of 5 stars 1,550
  • Performance
    4.5 out of 5 stars 1,152
  • Story
    4.5 out of 5 stars 1,150

Five linked families live out their destinies as the world is shaken by tyranny and war in the mid-20th century. Berlin in 1933 is in upheaval. Eleven-year-old Carla von Ulrich struggles to understand the tensions disrupting her family as Hitler strengthens his grip on Germany. Into this turmoil step her mother’s formidable friend and former British MP, Ethel Leckwith, and her student son, Lloyd, who soon learns for himself the brutal reality of Nazism.

  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • Winter of the World

  • By Rachel on 06-10-12

a true epic

Overall
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 20-02-13

Having listened to a number of Ken Follet's novels you get both quality and quantity as you do here. The book stands up on its own but if you havent read/listened to his Fall of Giants I would recommend you start with that as the story leads through.

  • The Sacred Stone

  • By: C.J. Sansom, Bernard Knight, Susanna Gregory, and others
  • Narrated by: Paul Matthews
  • Length: 14 hrs and 14 mins
  • Unabridged
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars 77
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars 49
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars 52

Masters of the historical mystery, authors Michael Jecks, Susanna Gregory, Bernard Knight, Ian Morson, Philip Gooden, Simon Beaufort, and C.J. Sansom band together as The Medieval Murderers to craft this thrilling tale. In 1067 Greenland, a strange stone falls from the sky. Over the next 600 years, violence and death follow whoever possesses it, including crusading knights, a dying King Henry III, and a troupe of His Majesty King James I’s players.

  • 3 out of 5 stars
  • Not as absorbing as the summary would suggest

  • By Christopher on 11-07-13

a series of parts

Overall
4 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 03-11-12

I purchased this because of enjoying the Shardlake stories by CJ Sanson. I found this more a collection of short stories along a single theme and time line and as a result enjoyed some parts more than others as I could reasonably expected given the different styles present. I could have though didn’t skipped a part I didn’t enjoy as the separate stories stand well alone. Overall if you like historic mystery you will enjoy this though some parts more than others.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

  • Wolf Hall

  • By: Hilary Mantel
  • Narrated by: Simon Slater
  • Length: 24 hrs and 15 mins
  • Unabridged
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars 2,359
  • Performance
    4.5 out of 5 stars 1,434
  • Story
    4.5 out of 5 stars 1,438

Tudor England. Henry VIII is on the throne, but has no heir. Cardinal Wolsey is charged with securing his divorce. Into this atmosphere of distrust comes Thomas Cromwell - a man as ruthlessly ambitious in his wider politics as he is for himself. His reforming agenda is carried out in the grip of a self-interested parliament and a king who fluctuates between romantic passions and murderous rages.

  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • Lose yourself in 16th century England

  • By Phil on 22-01-10

Hard work

Overall
1 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 01-07-12

I like the period of history so was looking forward to this book but this was a book that I found hard to stay with. It jumps around from the storied present to past too much and too quickly. I felt the author was trying to be a bit too clever and I'm sure it would be an 'improving' book however I wanted and enjoyable one. Didn't make it to the end as I couldn't be bothered any more 2/3rds through.

0 of 1 people found this review helpful

  • Fear the Worst

  • By: Linwood Barclay
  • Narrated by: Buck Schirner
  • Length: 12 hrs and 29 mins
  • Unabridged
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars 157
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars 92
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars 93

The worst day of Tim Blake's life started out with him making breakfast for his seventeen-year-old daughter Sydney. Syd was staying with him while she worked a summer job - even if he wasn't entirely sure what her job at the Just Inn Time motel actually was - and Tim hoped this quality father-daughter time would somehow help her deal with his divorce. When she didn't arrive home at her usual time, he thought she'd probably gone to the mall to hang with her friends. When she didn't answer her phone he began to worry.

  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • A nightmare journey to find a missing daughter

  • By Kirstine on 24-12-10

'Ordinary man' suddenly in extrordinary situation

Overall
4 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 01-07-12

This was the first Linwood Barclay book I have listened to. My wife recommended the author and to start with I wasn't sure it had been a good choice. However the story quickly picked up and the narrators proved to be very good I found it easy to believe him as the main character ie an 'ordinary person' suddeny finding themselves in extrodinary situations. The author drops it a good dose of red herrings as well as pointers and without giving any of the plot away there are twists and turns right up until the end some of which I smuggly went 'aha saw that one' and some I never saw coming which for me is part of the fun in thrillers. I will listen to more by the author and narrator.

  • Our Kind of Traitor

  • By: John le Carré
  • Narrated by: Michael Jayston
  • Length: 11 hrs and 26 mins
  • Unabridged
  • Overall
    3.5 out of 5 stars 379
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars 144
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars 142

Set in contemporary, recession gripped Britain, a left-leaning young Oxford academic and his barrister girlfriend take an off-peak holiday on the Caribbean island of Antigua. By seeming chance they bump into a Russian millionaire called Dima who owns a peninsula and a diamond-encrusted gold watch. He also has a tattoo on his right thumb, and wants a game of tennis.

  • 1 out of 5 stars
  • Much ado about nothing really

  • By Amazon Customer on 22-10-10

stay with want you know

Overall
1 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 03-10-11

Great author on the cold war, struggling to write outside what he knows. A shame as the Karla trilogy is exceptional

0 of 1 people found this review helpful

  • Heartstone

  • By: C. J. Sansom
  • Narrated by: Anton Lesser
  • Length: 7 hrs and 34 mins
  • Abridged
  • Overall
    4.5 out of 5 stars 168
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars 73
  • Story
    4.5 out of 5 stars 73

Summer, 1545. England is at war. Henry VIII’s invasion of France has gone badly wrong, and a massive French fleet is preparing to sail across the Channel. As the English fleet gathers at Portsmouth, the country raises the largest militia army it has ever seen. The King has debased the currency to pay for the war, and England is in the grip of soaring inflation and economic crisis.Meanwhile Matthew Shardlake is given an intriguing legal case by an old servant of Queen Catherine Parr.

  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • Abridged ?

  • By John Blackmore on 24-12-10

want more

Overall
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 03-10-11

If you have not read or listened to a Shardlake you should but idealy form the start, well written fabulously read.

  • The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich

  • A History of Nazi Germany
  • By: William L. Shirer
  • Narrated by: Grover Gardner
  • Length: 57 hrs and 13 mins
  • Unabridged
  • Overall
    4.5 out of 5 stars 1,417
  • Performance
    4.5 out of 5 stars 934
  • Story
    4.5 out of 5 stars 926

Since its publication in 1960, William L. Shirer’s monumental study of Hitler’s German empire has been widely acclaimed as the definitive record of the 20th century’s blackest hours. The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich offers an unparalleled and thrillingly told examination of how Adolf Hitler nearly succeeded in conquering the world. With millions of copies in print around the globe, it has attained the status of a vital and enduring classic.

  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • Finished - what do I do now?

  • By Colin on 18-02-11

Very interesting but

Overall
3 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 03-10-11

A very interesting view on history, some of which was very informative. I did struggle with some of the author’s comments however around sexuality where he at least appeared to miss the point of the Nazi’s bigotry and hatred.

2 of 3 people found this review helpful
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