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Circe
- Narrated by: Perdita Weeks
- Length: 12 hrs and 8 mins
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Publisher's summary
"A bold and subversive retelling of the goddess's story," this #1 New York Times bestseller is "both epic and intimate in its scope, recasting the most infamous female figure from the Odyssey as a hero in her own right" (Alexandra Alter, The New York Times).
In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. But Circe is a strange child—not powerful, like her father, nor viciously alluring like her mother. Turning to the world of mortals for companionship, she discovers that she does possess power—the power of witchcraft, which can transform rivals into monsters and menace the gods themselves.
Threatened, Zeus banishes her to a deserted island, where she hones her occult craft, tames wild beasts and crosses paths with many of the most famous figures in all of mythology, including the Minotaur, Daedalus and his doomed son Icarus, the murderous Medea, and, of course, wily Odysseus.
But there is danger, too, for a woman who stands alone, and Circe unwittingly draws the wrath of both men and gods, ultimately finding herself pitted against one of the most terrifying and vengeful of the Olympians. To protect what she loves most, Circe must summon all her strength and choose, once and for all, whether she belongs with the gods she is born from, or the mortals she has come to love.
With unforgettably vivid characters, mesmerizing language, and thrilling suspense, Circe is a triumph of storytelling, an intoxicating epic of family rivalry, palace intrigue, love and loss, as well as a celebration of indomitable female strength in a man's world.
#1 New York Times Bestseller—named one of the Best Books of the Year by NPR, the Washington Post, People, Time, Amazon, Entertainment Weekly, Bustle, Newsweek, the A.V. Club, Christian Science Monitor, Refinery 29, Buzzfeed, Paste, Audible, Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, Thrillist, NYPL, Self, Real Simple, Goodreads, Boston Globe, Electric Literature, BookPage, the Guardian, Book Riot, Seattle Times, and Business Insider.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
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Editorial review
By Laura Sackton
CIRCE USES GREEK MYTHOLOGY TO TEACH US ABOUT BECOMING HUMAN
Three months after reading Circe for the first time, I listened to the audiobook. This is something I often do when I fall in love with a book—I reread it on audio as soon as possible, desperate to fall that much more deeply into its world. Listening to Perdita Weeks's extraordinary performance is when I truly fell in love with Circe. I have listened to it every year since. This is a ritual I cannot imagine my life without.
At heart, Circe is a story about becoming—becoming a woman, becoming a human, become a person who belongs to a place. While living in the halls of her father, she falls in love with a mortal, a fisherman named Glaucos. Devastated by his mortality, she uses for the first time the magic of transformation that will define much of her life. She turns him into a god, but instead of returning her love, he falls for a nymph, Scylla. Circe, in rage and jealousy, turns Scylla into a dreadful monster. For this, and for her use of witchcraft, she is exiled to the island of Aiaia. It is alone on this isolated island that her true work begins. Over centuries, she studies herb lore and witchcraft. She becomes powerful. She tangles with some of the age's greatest heroes, slyest gods, and deadliest monsters—Hermes, Daedalus, the Minotaur, and, of course, Odysseus.
If you love Greek mythology and mythology retellings, Circe should be a must-read, an easy masterpiece. It engages with old, familiar stories in new and exciting ways. It’s beautifully written and richly detailed. Its scope is epic—centuries pass as Circe wrestles with her own demons, now engaging with the world, now retreating from it. There is adventure, magic, and romance; grief and despair and betrayal; wonderful surprises.
But Circe is so much more than a retelling, and even if you've never given the Witch of Aiaia a second thought—even if you've never read The Odyssey and don't plan to—it's worth your time. It is a timeless story about the long, slow work of discovering who you are and what you want—work that takes a lifetime. It is about the impossibility of being a woman in a world made for men. It is about motherhood and friendship and the choices that haunt us. It is a book about the mess and muck of humanity, and there is wisdom and healing in it no matter who you are.
Continue reading Laura's review >
Critic reviews
Winner of the 2019 Indie Choice Award
Shortlisted for the 2019 Women's Prize for Fiction
Named one of the 'Best Books of 2018' by NPR, The Washington Post, Buzzfeed, People, Time, Amazon, Entertainment Weekly, Bustle, Newsweek, the A.V. Club, Christian Science Monitor, Southern Living, and Refinery 29.
"Circe,' [is] a bold and subversive retelling of the goddess's story that manages to be both epic and intimate in its scope, recasting the most infamous female figure from the Odyssey as a hero in her own right."—Alexandra Alter, New York Times
"One of the most amazing qualities of this novel [is]: We know how everything here turns out—we've known it for thousands of years—and yet in Miller's lush reimagining, the story feels harrowing and unexpected. The feminist light she shines on these events never distorts their original shape; it only illuminates details we hadn't noticed before."—Ron Charles, Washington Post
"[Miller] gives voice to Circe as a multifaceted and evolving character...'Circe' is very pleasurable to read, combining lively versions of familiar tales and snippets of other, related standards with a highly psychologized, redemptive and ultimately exculpatory account of the protagonist herself."—Claire Messud, New York Times Book Review
Featured Article: The top 100 fantasy listens of all time
When compiling our list of the best fantasy listening out there, we immediately came up against the age-old question: Is this fantasy or science fiction? The distinction is not as clear as you may think. Dragons, elves, and wizards are definitely fantasy, but what about wizards that also fly space ships? (Looking at you, Star Wars.) For the sake of fantasy purity, the top 100 fantasy listens include the best audio works in all manner of fantasy subgenres.
Editor's Pick
A golden god, and a golden book
"This is the best book I’ve ever listened to. It is about a goddess, Circe, but Madeline Miller’s use of perspective and rich, precise language makes each moment evocative, thrilling, and above all human. It’s about as easy to make gods seem believably human as it is to make humans seem believably god-like, but there is no sign of struggle in Miller’s technique. Her Circe is just as dynamic, with traits—doubt, skill, jealousy, honor, indulgence, nostalgia—that rival the deepest of literature’s great characters. I know that sounds bombastic, but while listening to this I honestly felt like this whole book was gold, like each moment I was taking a bite from a glowing orange. The cover is gold, so that might have contributed to the impression, but I think it was in large part thanks to Perdita Weeks’s flawless performance. The warmth of her voice, constantly challenged by the chaotic tragedies and joys of Greek mythology, imbued the book with its own fascinating and treasured mortality."
—Michael D., Audible Editor
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Story
Neil Gaiman has long been inspired by ancient mythology in creating the fantastical realms of his fiction. Now he turns his attention back to the source, presenting a bravura rendition of the great northern tales. In Norse Mythology, Gaiman fashions primeval stories into a novelistic arc that begins with the genesis of the legendary nine worlds; delves into the exploits of the deities, dwarves, and giants; and culminates in Ragnarok, the twilight of the gods and the rebirth of a new time and people.
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A Comedy-Tragedy of Gods Giants Dwarfs & Monsters
- By Jefferson on 02-24-17
By: Neil Gaiman
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The Tiger's Daughter
- By: K Arsenault Rivera
- Narrated by: Caroline McLaughlin
- Length: 14 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
The Hokkaran Empire has conquered every land within their bold reach - but failed to notice a lurking darkness festering within the people. Now their border walls begin to crumble, and villages fall to demons swarming out of the forests. Away on the silver steppes, the remaining tribes of nomadic Qorin retreat and protect their own, having bartered a treaty with the empire, exchanging inheritance through the dynasties. It is up to two young warriors, raised together across borders since their prophesied birth, to save the world from the encroaching demons.
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Writing format that didn't work for this book
- By kara-karina on 02-24-18
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The Bull from The Sea
- By: Mary Renault
- Narrated by: Kris Dyer
- Length: 11 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
This second instalment in the story of the legendary hero begins with Theseus' triumphant return from Crete after slaying the Minotaur. Having freed the city of Athens from the onerous tribute demanded by the ruler of Knossos - the sacrifice of noble youths and maidens to the appetite of the Labyrinth's monster - Theseus has returned home to find his father dead and himself the new king. But his adventures have only just begun: He still must confront the Amazons; capture their queen, Hippolyta; and face the tragic results of Phaedra's jealous rage.
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Vintage Mary Renault
- By DPD on 08-30-19
By: Mary Renault
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The King Must Die
- By: Mary Renault
- Narrated by: Michael York
- Length: 2 hrs and 51 mins
- Abridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
This is the story of the young Theseus: Prince of Troizen, King of Eleusis and Athens, and slayer of the Minotaur. Acclaimed novelist Mary Renault weaves myth, legend, history, and fiction into the story of a young hero's search for his destiny and the countless challenges he faces. From Theseus's early life as a prince, to his leadership of a captive team of bulldancers in Crete—not to mention his thrilling encounters with Poseidon—The King Must Die captures the full force of adventure, battle, and an epic quest.
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Poetic and short
- By Ben on 04-07-24
By: Mary Renault
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Miranda and Caliban
- By: Jacqueline Carey
- Narrated by: Gemma Dawson, Alex Wyndham
- Length: 10 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
A lovely girl grows up in isolation where her father, a powerful magus, has spirited them to in order to keep them safe. We all know the tale of Prospero's quest for revenge, but what of Miranda? Or Caliban, the so-called savage Prospero chained to his will? In this incredible retelling of the fantastical tale, Jacqueline Carey shows listeners the other side of the coin - the dutiful and tenderhearted Miranda, who loves her father but is terribly lonely. And Caliban, the strange and feral boy Prospero has bewitched to serve him.
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Beautiful, charming, slightly scary story
- By DabOfDarkness on 09-16-17
By: Jacqueline Carey
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Daughter of the Forest
- Sevenwaters, Book 1
- By: Juliet Marillier
- Narrated by: Terry Donnelly
- Length: 26 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Lovely Sorcha is the seventh child and only daughter of Lord Colum of Sevenwaters. Bereft of a mother, she is comforted by her six brothers who love and protect her. Sorcha is the light in their lives and they are determined that she know only contentment. But Sorcha's joy is shattered when her father is bewitched by his new wife, an evil enchantress who binds her brothers with a terrible spell, a spell which only Sorcha can lift - by staying silent.
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Compelling story--but only at 1.5x
- By barefoot rabbit on 09-09-13
By: Juliet Marillier
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Norse Mythology
- By: Neil Gaiman
- Narrated by: Neil Gaiman
- Length: 6 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Neil Gaiman has long been inspired by ancient mythology in creating the fantastical realms of his fiction. Now he turns his attention back to the source, presenting a bravura rendition of the great northern tales. In Norse Mythology, Gaiman fashions primeval stories into a novelistic arc that begins with the genesis of the legendary nine worlds; delves into the exploits of the deities, dwarves, and giants; and culminates in Ragnarok, the twilight of the gods and the rebirth of a new time and people.
-
-
A Comedy-Tragedy of Gods Giants Dwarfs & Monsters
- By Jefferson on 02-24-17
By: Neil Gaiman
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The Tiger's Daughter
- By: K Arsenault Rivera
- Narrated by: Caroline McLaughlin
- Length: 14 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Hokkaran Empire has conquered every land within their bold reach - but failed to notice a lurking darkness festering within the people. Now their border walls begin to crumble, and villages fall to demons swarming out of the forests. Away on the silver steppes, the remaining tribes of nomadic Qorin retreat and protect their own, having bartered a treaty with the empire, exchanging inheritance through the dynasties. It is up to two young warriors, raised together across borders since their prophesied birth, to save the world from the encroaching demons.
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Writing format that didn't work for this book
- By kara-karina on 02-24-18
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Shadowmarch
- Shadowmarch, Volume I
- By: Tad Williams
- Narrated by: Dick Hill
- Length: 29 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
For generations the misty Shadowline has marked the boundary between the lands of men and the lost northern lands that are the lair of their inhuman enemies, the ageless Qar. But now that boundary line is moving outward, threatening to engulf the northernmost land in which humans still live - the kingdom of Southmarch.
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It's the characters that matter...
- By JC on 11-09-10
By: Tad Williams
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Goddess of Yesterday
- By: Caroline B. Cooney
- Narrated by: Christina Moore
- Length: 8 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Spirited and pretty, Anaxandra is playmate to King Nicandor’s crippled daughter, Callisto, until pirates attack Nicandor’s small Greek island kingdom and slay everyone except Anaxandra. When Sparta’s King Menalaus comes to investigate, Anaxandra assumes the identity of Princess Callisto to avoid becoming a slave. But Menalaus’ beautiful half-goddess wife, Helen, doubts the girl’s story. Worse, Helen is about to join forces with Trojan prince Paris. Now Anaxandra must reinvent herself in a desperate attempt to prevent war.
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An Exploration of Greek Legends
- By Rebekah Marie on 11-03-24
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The Half-Drowned King
- A Novel
- By: Linnea Hartsuyker
- Narrated by: Matthew Lloyd Davies
- Length: 15 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Ragnvald Eysteinsson, the son and grandson of kings, grew up believing that he would one day take his dead father's place as chief of his family's lands. But, sailing home from a raiding trip to Ireland, the young warrior is betrayed and left for dead by men in the pay of his greedy stepfather, Olaf. Rescued by a fisherman, Ragnvald is determined to have revenge for his stepfather's betrayal, claim his birthright and the woman he loves, and rescue his beloved sister, Svanhild.
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I was disappointed
- By TC on 04-06-18
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Flesh and Spirit
- Lighthouse, Book 1
- By: Carol Berg
- Narrated by: Allen O'Reilly
- Length: 14 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
The rebellious son of a long line of pureblood cartographers and diviners, Valen has spent most of his life trying to escape what society - and his family - have ordained for him. His own mother has predicted that he will meet his doom in water, blood, and ice. Her divination seems fulfilled when a comrade abandons Valen in a rainy wilderness half-dead, addicted to an enchantment that converts pain to pleasure, and possessing only a stolen book of maps.
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FIGHTING TO ADD MORE WORDS TO THIS COLLECTION
- By Jim "The Impatient" on 07-13-14
By: Carol Berg
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Cold Magic
- By: Kate Elliott
- Narrated by: Charlotte Parry
- Length: 17 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
The Industrial Revolution has begun, factories are springing up across the country, and new technologies are transforming the cities. But the old ways do not die easy. Cat and Bee are part of this revolution. Young women at college, learning of the science that will shape their future and ignorant of the magics that rule their families. But all of that will change when the Cold Mages come for Cat. New dangers lurk around every corner and hidden threats menace her every move. If blood can't be trusted, who can you trust?
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Absolutely Brilliant Fantasy!
- By bluestatereader on 08-14-13
By: Kate Elliott
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Dragon's Keep
- By: Janet Lee Carey
- Narrated by: Bianca Amato
- Length: 9 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
On Wilde Island, Rosalind and her mother live their lives in exile, awaiting the time they can reclaim their rightful place on the throne. And there is reason to hope - a 600-year-old prophesy has decreed that they will do just that. But little do they know, their destinies hinge on Rosalind's amazing, shameful secret. Beneath her gold gloves, the fourth finger of her left hand is in truth a dragon's claw.
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Get ready to be whisked away!
- By Corinne on 06-27-08
By: Janet Lee Carey
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Transformation
- Rai-Kirah, Book 1
- By: Carol Berg
- Narrated by: Kevin Stillwell
- Length: 16 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Seyonne is a man waiting to die. He has been a slave for 16 years, almost half his life, and has lost everything of meaning to him: his dignity, the people and homeland he loves, and the Warden's power he used to defend an unsuspecting world from the ravages of demons. Seyonne has made peace with his fate. With strict self-discipline he forces himself to exist only in the present moment and to avoid the pain of hope or caring about anyone.
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Seriously Excellent
- By Sharon on 09-25-13
By: Carol Berg
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Battle of Kings
- By: M. K. Hume
- Narrated by: Steven Crossley
- Length: 17 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
In the town of Segontium a wild storm washes a fugitive ashore. He brutally rapes the granddaughter of the ruler of the Deceangli tribe, leaving her to bear his son, Myrddion Merlinus (Merlin). Spurned as a demon seed, the child is raised by his grandmother and, as soon as he turns nine, he is apprenticed to a skilled alchemist who hones the boy’s remarkable gift of prophecy. Meanwhile, the High King of the Britons, Vortigern, is rebuilding the ancient fortress at Dinas Emrys.
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Underrated book author and narrator!
- By Zachary on 04-15-22
By: M. K. Hume
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The Sekhmet Bed
- The She-King, #1
- By: L.M. Ironside
- Narrated by: Amanda C. Miller
- Length: 9 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
The second daughter of the Pharaoh, Ahmose has always dreamed of a quiet life as a priestess, serving Egypt's gods, ministering to the people of the Two Lands. But when the Pharaoh dies without an heir, she is given instead as Great Royal Wife to the new king - a soldier of common birth. For Ahmose is god-chosen, gifted with the ability to read dreams, and it is her connection to the gods which ensures the new Pharaoh his right to rule.
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Never listened to a story about Egypt before...
- By E. M. on 12-14-13
By: L.M. Ironside
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The Sea of Trolls
- By: Nancy Farmer
- Narrated by: Gerard Doyle
- Length: 13 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
In the year 793, siblings Jack and Lucy are captured by fearsome Vikings with a thirst for battle and pillaging. Taken to the court of Ivar the Boneless, Jack and Lucy are sent on a perilous journey - full of dragons and giant spiders - deep into the magical kingdom of the trolls!
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NO KINDNESS IS EVER WASTED
- By Jim "The Impatient" on 11-03-17
By: Nancy Farmer
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Songs on Bronze
- The Greek Myths Made Real
- By: Nigel Spivey
- Narrated by: Yuri Rasovsky
- Length: 8 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Songs on Bronze is the first major retelling of Greek mythology in half a century; a set of lively, racy, dramatic versions of the great myths, which, in a multicultural society, are recognized more than ever as stories without equal.
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Wonderful
- By Ceectee on 07-13-07
By: Nigel Spivey
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Fool's Errand
- The Tawny Man Trilogy, Book 1
- By: Robin Hobb
- Narrated by: James Langton
- Length: 25 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
For fifteen years FitzChivalry Farseer has lived in self-imposed exile, assumed to be dead by almost all who once cared about him. But now, into his isolated life, visitors begin to arrive: Fitz's mentor from his assassin days; a hedge-witch who foresees the return of a long-lost love; and the Fool, the former White Prophet, who beckons Fitz to fulfill his destiny. Then comes the summons he cannot ignore. Prince Dutiful, the young heir to the Farseer throne, has vanished.
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A solid fantasy story in first person
- By Kevin Stokes on 08-31-14
By: Robin Hobb
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