The Bear of Byzantium
Wolves of Odin, Book 2
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Buy for $21.99
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Malk Williams
-
By:
-
S. J. A. Turney
About this listen
The wolves of Odin sail to the centre of the world: Constantinople.
AD 1041. After successfully avenging the death of his father, Halfdan and the crew of the Sea Wolf seek adventure in strange new lands, far from their Scandinavian home.
They join the fleet of Harald Hardrada, the legendary Viking commander, sailing back to Constantinople from the battlefields of Georgia. There they join the Varangians, the personal bodyguard of the Byzantine Emperors populated almost exclusively by Viking warriors. But Constantinople has changed during Hardrada's long absence.
The Emperor, Michael IV, is ailing visibly, and powerful factions in his court are setting their plans in motion ahead of his inevitable demise. While courtiers scheme, elements even within the Varangian Guard are picking sides.
Gunnhild, the seer among the Sea Wolf crew, has struck out on her own in the big city. Unable to join the all-male Guard alongside her friends, she establishes herself in a small side-street near the port as a healer and soothsayer, offering cures to the sick and glimpses of the future to the desperate, or the conspiratorial. But in all her visions she sees a wolf, a boar and a golden bear fighting together to support the Byzantine throne. The Norns aren't finished with them yet…
The epic second instalment in the Wolves of Odin series, taking us to the heart of power in Constantinople and the desperate machinations of the Byzantine emperors. Perfect for fans of Bernard Cornwell, Giles Kristian and Angus Donald.
©2022 S.J.A. Turney (P)2022 W. F. Howes LtdListeners also enjoyed...
-
Blood Feud
- Wolves of Odin, Book 1
- By: S. J. A. Turney
- Narrated by: Malk Williams
- Length: 11 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Anno Domini 1040. Christianity has swept unstoppably across Scandinavia, leaving few enclaves of the old ways clinging on to their fading world as King Olof of Sweden works to convert his people. A young warrior, Halfdan, has witnessed the ‘mercy' of the Christian lords, watched his people attacked, his village burned and the Odin stone toppled as heretical. Watched his father cut down by an ambitious Christian jarl and his zealous priest. Among the ashes of his world, he vowed an oath of vengeance before all the gods.
-
-
The act of revenge!
- By Danny Fischer on 08-01-24
By: S. J. A. Turney
-
Crécy: The Age of the Archer
- Sir John Hawkwood, Book 1
- By: Griff Hosker
- Narrated by: Marston York
- Length: 8 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A hero’s journey begins in an exhilarating new series by Griff Hosker. In 1335 the Black Death was just 13 years away from England, but there were other threats and dangers. Young John Hawkwood is forced to leave his home and seek a life in London. There he learns how to survive and, more importantly, how to fight. Leaving his life as an apprentice tailor he follows the army and King Edward to fight the Scots. He has a skill: he can not only use a bow, but he can use a sword and his mind.
-
-
If you like Bernard Cornwell
- By the don on 03-17-21
By: Griff Hosker
-
Marius' Mules I: The Invasion of Gaul
- Marius' Mules, Book 1
- By: S. J. A. Turney
- Narrated by: Malk Williams
- Length: 17 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It is 58 BC, and the mighty Tenth Legion, camped in Northern Italy, prepare for the arrival of the most notorious general in Roman history: Julius Caesar. Marcus Falerius Fronto, commander of the Tenth, is a career soldier and long-time companion of Caesar's. Despite his desire for the simplicity of the military life, he cannot help but be drawn into intrigue and politics as Caesar engineers a motive to invade the lands of Gaul.
-
-
The best Roman series I’ve listened to!
- By Just_Shoppin on 04-04-20
By: S. J. A. Turney
-
Daughter of War (Knights Templar)
- By: S.J.A. Turney
- Narrated by: Jonathan McGarrity
- Length: 10 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Europe is aflame. On the Iberian Peninsula the wars of the Reconquista rage across Aragon and Castile. Once again, the Moors are gaining the upper hand. Christendom is divided. Amid the chaos comes a young knight: Arnau of Valbona. After his Lord is killed in an act of treachery, Arnau pledges to look after his daughter, whose life is now at risk. But in protecting her Arnau will face terrible challenges, and enter a world of Templars, steely knights, and visceral combat he could never have imagined. She in turn will find a new destiny with the Knights as a daughter of war....
-
-
Enthralling
- By Gypsy Lynn on 08-14-24
By: S.J.A. Turney
-
Viking Blood and Blade
- By: Peter Gibbons
- Narrated by: Nicholas Jordan
- Length: 9 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
AD 865. The fierce Vikings stormed onto Saxon soil hungry for spoils, conquest, and vengeance for the death of Ragnar Lothbrok. Hundr, a Northman with a dog's name...a crew of battle hardened warriors...and Ivar the Boneless. Amidst the invasion of Saxon England by the sons of Ragnar Lothbrok, Hundr joins a crew of Viking warriors under the command of Einar the Brawler. Hundr fights to forge a warriors reputation under the glare of Ivar and his equally fearsome brothers, but to do that he must battle the Saxons and treachery from within the Viking army itself...
-
-
Good book, horrible narrator
- By Matthew Beach on 11-23-21
By: Peter Gibbons
-
English Knight
- Anarchy, Book 1
- By: Griff Hosker
- Narrated by: Malk Williams
- Length: 8 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The throne of England is slipping from King Henry’s grasp. His only son has drowned in the English Channel, and the predators are gathering ready to devour both England and Normandy. When the last of King Harold’s housecarls returns to England to die, he brings with him a reluctant hero who will save the kingdom. Alfraed, son of Ridley, is the first of a new breed; he is an English knight.
-
-
INSTA-KNIGHT - JUST ADD CONFLICT
- By Craig on 04-14-22
By: Griff Hosker
-
Blood Feud
- Wolves of Odin, Book 1
- By: S. J. A. Turney
- Narrated by: Malk Williams
- Length: 11 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Anno Domini 1040. Christianity has swept unstoppably across Scandinavia, leaving few enclaves of the old ways clinging on to their fading world as King Olof of Sweden works to convert his people. A young warrior, Halfdan, has witnessed the ‘mercy' of the Christian lords, watched his people attacked, his village burned and the Odin stone toppled as heretical. Watched his father cut down by an ambitious Christian jarl and his zealous priest. Among the ashes of his world, he vowed an oath of vengeance before all the gods.
-
-
The act of revenge!
- By Danny Fischer on 08-01-24
By: S. J. A. Turney
-
Crécy: The Age of the Archer
- Sir John Hawkwood, Book 1
- By: Griff Hosker
- Narrated by: Marston York
- Length: 8 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A hero’s journey begins in an exhilarating new series by Griff Hosker. In 1335 the Black Death was just 13 years away from England, but there were other threats and dangers. Young John Hawkwood is forced to leave his home and seek a life in London. There he learns how to survive and, more importantly, how to fight. Leaving his life as an apprentice tailor he follows the army and King Edward to fight the Scots. He has a skill: he can not only use a bow, but he can use a sword and his mind.
-
-
If you like Bernard Cornwell
- By the don on 03-17-21
By: Griff Hosker
-
Marius' Mules I: The Invasion of Gaul
- Marius' Mules, Book 1
- By: S. J. A. Turney
- Narrated by: Malk Williams
- Length: 17 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It is 58 BC, and the mighty Tenth Legion, camped in Northern Italy, prepare for the arrival of the most notorious general in Roman history: Julius Caesar. Marcus Falerius Fronto, commander of the Tenth, is a career soldier and long-time companion of Caesar's. Despite his desire for the simplicity of the military life, he cannot help but be drawn into intrigue and politics as Caesar engineers a motive to invade the lands of Gaul.
-
-
The best Roman series I’ve listened to!
- By Just_Shoppin on 04-04-20
By: S. J. A. Turney
-
Daughter of War (Knights Templar)
- By: S.J.A. Turney
- Narrated by: Jonathan McGarrity
- Length: 10 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Europe is aflame. On the Iberian Peninsula the wars of the Reconquista rage across Aragon and Castile. Once again, the Moors are gaining the upper hand. Christendom is divided. Amid the chaos comes a young knight: Arnau of Valbona. After his Lord is killed in an act of treachery, Arnau pledges to look after his daughter, whose life is now at risk. But in protecting her Arnau will face terrible challenges, and enter a world of Templars, steely knights, and visceral combat he could never have imagined. She in turn will find a new destiny with the Knights as a daughter of war....
-
-
Enthralling
- By Gypsy Lynn on 08-14-24
By: S.J.A. Turney
-
Viking Blood and Blade
- By: Peter Gibbons
- Narrated by: Nicholas Jordan
- Length: 9 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
AD 865. The fierce Vikings stormed onto Saxon soil hungry for spoils, conquest, and vengeance for the death of Ragnar Lothbrok. Hundr, a Northman with a dog's name...a crew of battle hardened warriors...and Ivar the Boneless. Amidst the invasion of Saxon England by the sons of Ragnar Lothbrok, Hundr joins a crew of Viking warriors under the command of Einar the Brawler. Hundr fights to forge a warriors reputation under the glare of Ivar and his equally fearsome brothers, but to do that he must battle the Saxons and treachery from within the Viking army itself...
-
-
Good book, horrible narrator
- By Matthew Beach on 11-23-21
By: Peter Gibbons
-
English Knight
- Anarchy, Book 1
- By: Griff Hosker
- Narrated by: Malk Williams
- Length: 8 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The throne of England is slipping from King Henry’s grasp. His only son has drowned in the English Channel, and the predators are gathering ready to devour both England and Normandy. When the last of King Harold’s housecarls returns to England to die, he brings with him a reluctant hero who will save the kingdom. Alfraed, son of Ridley, is the first of a new breed; he is an English knight.
-
-
INSTA-KNIGHT - JUST ADD CONFLICT
- By Craig on 04-14-22
By: Griff Hosker
-
Fin Gall - A Novel of Viking Age Ireland
- Norsemen Saga Series #1
- By: James L. Nelson
- Narrated by: Shaun Grindell
- Length: 13 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For centuries, the Vikings have swept out of the Norse countries and fallen on whatever lands they could reach aboard their longships, and few could resist the power of their violent onslaught. They came at first to plunder and then to settle, an encroachment fiercely resisted wherever they went. Such was the case in the southern lands of Ireland. En route to the Viking longphort there, known as Dubh-linn, Thorgrim Night Wolf and Ornolf the Restless stumble across an Irish ship.
-
-
Tolerable with this trick
- By Victoria on 05-10-16
By: James L. Nelson
-
Sword for Hire
- Border Knight, Book 1
- By: Griff Hosker
- Narrated by: Marston York
- Length: 9 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When his father is killed at Arsuf protecting King Richard, Thomas is knighted. His hopes of inheriting his family's manor are dashed when Prince John takes power in his brother's absence. With a handful of men, Sir Thomas is forced to travel to Sweden where he joins the Jarl Birger Brosa fighting the Estonians, Karelians and Slavs. Fighting in the harsh environment of a Baltic winter makes Sir Thomas and his men stronger. There he learns of further treachery and dishonour among Bishops, Kings and Princes who value thrones more than men.
-
-
A rollicking ride through the 13th century
- By Sasha the book eater on 07-16-24
By: Griff Hosker
-
The Last Berserker
- Fire Born 1
- By: Angus Donald
- Narrated by: Ade Dimberline
- Length: 12 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
771AD, Northern Europe. Bjarki Bloodhand and Tor Hildarsdottir are journeying south into Saxony. Their destination is the Irminsul, the One Tree that links the Nine Worlds of the Middle-Realm. In this most holy place, they hope to learn how to summon their animal spirits so they can enter the ranks of the legendary berserkir: the elite frenzied fighters of the North.
-
-
Great description of berserker concepts
- By Gael Dalton on 01-06-22
By: Angus Donald
-
A Time for Swords
- A Time for Swords, Book 1
- By: Matthew Harffy
- Narrated by: Barnaby Edwards
- Length: 17 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Lindisfarne, AD 793. There had been portents - famine, whirlwinds, lightning from clear skies, serpents seen flying through the air. But when the raiders came, no one was prepared. They came from the North, their dragon-prowed longships gliding out of the dawn mist as they descended on the kingdom's most sacred site. It is 8th June AD 793, and with the pillage of the monastery on Lindisfarne, the Viking Age has begun. While his fellow monks flee before the Norse onslaught, one young novice stands his ground.
-
-
Good start to a new series.
- By Scott on 04-17-22
By: Matthew Harffy
-
Warrior and Protector
- The Saxon Warrior, Book 1
- By: Peter Gibbons
- Narrated by: Sean Barrett
- Length: 8 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
989 AD. Alfred the Great’s dream of a united England has been forged by his daughter Aethelfaed and grandson, King Aethelstan. The Vikings have been expelled from York following the death of Erik Bloodaxe, and for two generations there has been peace between Saxon and Dane. A new Viking warlord Olaf Tryggvason seeks revenge for Bloodaxe's death and the slaughter that followed, and has set his sights on a fresh assault on England’s shores. With Skarde Wartooth they set sail for Saxon lands, hungry for glory, conquest and vengeance.
-
-
Great story
- By Rich on 08-24-24
By: Peter Gibbons
-
The Capsarius
- Legion XXII, Book 1
- By: Simon Turney
- Narrated by: Colin Mace
- Length: 12 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
25 BC. Titus Cervianus is no ordinary soldier. A former surgeon from the city of Ancyra, he's now a capsarius—a combat medic. Cervianus is a pragmatist, a scientist and truly unpopular with his legion. The Twenty Second Deiotariana have been sent to deal with uprisings and chaos in Egypt. Yet the Twenty Second is no ordinary legion either. Founded as the private royal army of one of Rome's most devoted allies, the king of Galatia, their ways are not the same as the other legions, a factor that sets them apart and causes friction with their fellow soldiers.
-
-
Amazing start
- By Todd on 08-17-22
By: Simon Turney
-
Odin's Game
- The Whale Road Chronicles, Book 1
- By: Tim Hodkinson
- Narrated by: Rycharde Everley
- Length: 13 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
AD 916. In the Orkney Isles, a young woman flees her home to save the life of her unborn child. Eighteen years later, a witch foretells that evil from her past is reaching out again to threaten her son. Outlawed from his home in Iceland, Einar Unnsson is thrown on the mercy of his Uncle, the infamous Jarl Thorfinn 'Skull Cleaver' of Orkney. He joins forces with a Norse-Irish princess and a company of wolfskin-clad warriors to become a player in a deadly game for control of the Irish sea.
-
-
Enjoyed this story
- By Robert Greenleaf on 09-14-23
By: Tim Hodkinson
-
Viking Slave
- Dragonheart, Book 1
- By: Griff Hosker
- Narrated by: Marston York
- Length: 9 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A young Saxon boy and his mother are captured in a Viking raid. Fate transforms his destiny and, thanks to an ageing one-armed warrior, he wins his freedom and becomes one with the Vikings. Clan rivalries force Dragonheart and his new Jarl to sail the seas searching for a new home. Landing on the Isle of Man, they must fight for their very survival with enemies old and new seeking their destruction.
-
-
Stabby McStabface
- By JE on 05-20-23
By: Griff Hosker
-
The Forgotten Legion
- Forgotten Legion Chronicles 1
- By: Ben Kane
- Narrated by: Michael Praed
- Length: 17 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Romulus and Fabiola are twins, born into slavery after their mother is raped by a drunken nobleman on his way home from a good night out. At 13 years old, they and their mother are sold: Romulus to gladiator school, Fabiola into prostitution, where she will catch the eye of one of the most powerful men in Rome, and their mother into obscurity and death in the salt mines. Tarquinius is an Etruscan, a warrior and soothsayer, born enemy of Rome, but doomed to fight for the Republic in the Forgotten Legion.
-
-
detailed descriptions of sex
- By Anonymous User on 05-23-24
By: Ben Kane
-
Blood on the Blade
- New World, Book 1
- By: Griff Hosker
- Narrated by: Marston York
- Length: 9 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Erik and his family are Norse who live on the island of Orkneyjar. Their world is thrown upside down when the King of Norway colludes with their jarl to take over their home. They flee to the land north of Mercia. Hoping for a life free from the tyranny of a King, they have to fight Danes and Saxons. When King Harald of Norway sends ships to destroy them, the Clan of the Fox is forced to flee to the newly discovered land of ice and fire. They travel beyond sight of land into an uncharted ocean to face a future which is uncertain.
-
-
EPIC!
- By Damon Edwards on 10-11-19
By: Griff Hosker
-
The Serpent Sword
- The Bernicia Chronicles, Book 1
- By: Matthew Harffy
- Narrated by: Barnaby Edwards
- Length: 12 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Beobrand is compelled by his brother's almost-certain murder to embark on a quest for revenge in the war-ravaged kingdoms of Northumbria. The land is rife with danger, as warlords vie for supremacy and dominion. In the battles for control of the region, new oaths are made and broken, and loyalties are tested to the limits. With no patronage and no experience, Beobrand must form his own allegiances and learn to fight with sword and shield. Relentless in pursuit of his enemies, he faces challenges which transform him from a boy to a man.
-
-
Amazing story, needs a warning in the description.
- By Lisa Schilling on 04-12-17
By: Matthew Harffy
-
The Great Game
- Praetorian, Book 1
- By: SJA Turney
- Narrated by: Piers Hampton
- Length: 15 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Promoted to the elite Praetorian Guard in the thick of battle, a young legionary is thrust into a seedy world of imperial politics and corruption. Tasked with uncovering a plot against the newly crowned Emperor Commodus, his mission takes him from the cold Danubian border all the way to the heart of Rome, the villa of the Emperor’s scheming sister, and the great Colosseum. What seems a straightforward, if terrifying, assignment soon descends into Machiavellian treachery and peril as everything in which young Rufinus trusts and believes is called into question....
-
-
COULDN'T KEEP MY INTEREST
- By peter on 12-05-18
By: SJA Turney
Related to this topic
-
The Great Game
- Praetorian, Book 1
- By: SJA Turney
- Narrated by: Piers Hampton
- Length: 15 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Promoted to the elite Praetorian Guard in the thick of battle, a young legionary is thrust into a seedy world of imperial politics and corruption. Tasked with uncovering a plot against the newly crowned Emperor Commodus, his mission takes him from the cold Danubian border all the way to the heart of Rome, the villa of the Emperor’s scheming sister, and the great Colosseum. What seems a straightforward, if terrifying, assignment soon descends into Machiavellian treachery and peril as everything in which young Rufinus trusts and believes is called into question....
-
-
COULDN'T KEEP MY INTEREST
- By peter on 12-05-18
By: SJA Turney
-
Ship of Smoke and Steel
- By: Django Wexler
- Narrated by: Catherine Ho
- Length: 13 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the lower wards of Kahnzoka, the port city of the Blessed Empire, 18-year-old ward boss Isoka enforces the will of her criminal masters with the power of Melos, the Well of Combat. The money she collects goes to keep her little sister living in comfort, far from the bloody streets they grew up on. When Isoka's magic is discovered by the government, she's arrested and brought to the Emperor's spymaster, who sends her on an impossible mission: Steal Soliton, a legendary ghost ship - a ship from which no one has ever returned. If she fails, her sister’s life is forfeit.
-
-
The Long Pauses Ruins the Book
- By Joseph on 05-29-19
By: Django Wexler
-
Onyx & Ivory
- By: Mindee Arnett
- Narrated by: Khristine Hvam
- Length: 14 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
They call her Traitor Kate. It’s a title Kate Brighton inherited from her father after he tried to assassinate the high king of Rime. Cast out of the nobility, Kate now works for the royal courier service. Only the most skilled ride for the Relay and only the fastest survive, for when night falls, the drakes - deadly flightless dragons - come out to hunt. Fortunately, Kate has a secret edge: She is a wilder, born with forbidden magic that allows her to influence the minds of animals.
-
-
Fantastic.
- By Alex Tollefson on 06-04-18
By: Mindee Arnett
-
For the Killing of Kings
- The Ring-Sworn Trilogy, Book 1
- By: Howard Andrew Jones
- Narrated by: Lori Prince
- Length: 16 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Their peace was a fragile thing, but it had endured for seven years, mostly because the people of Darassus and the king of the Naor hordes believed his doom was foretold upon the edge of the great sword hung in the hall of champions. Unruly Naor clans might raid across the border, but the king himself would never lead his people to war so long as the blade remained in the hands of his enemies. But when squire Elenai’s aging uncovers evidence that the sword in their hall is a forgery, she’s forced to flee Darassus for her life, her only ally the reckless, disillusioned Kyrkenall.
-
-
Great Story!
- By Aurora McMillian on 05-15-19
-
Mage's Blood
- The Moontide Quartet, Book 1
- By: David Hair
- Narrated by: Nick Podehl
- Length: 26 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Most of the time the Moontide Bridge lies deep below the sea, but every 12 years the tides sink and the bridge is revealed, its gates open for trade. The Magi are hell-bent on ruling this new world, and for the last two Moontides they have led armies across the bridge on "crusades of conquest". Now, the third Moontide is almost here, and this time the people of the East are ready for a fight... but it is three seemingly ordinary people that will decide the fate of the world.
-
-
Nick Podehl
- By Logan on 01-05-15
By: David Hair
-
Under the Eagle
- Eagles of the Empire, Book 1
- By: Simon Scarrow
- Narrated by: David Thorpe
- Length: 12 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The first novel in Simon Scarrow's bestselling Roman series. It is 42 AD, and Quintus Licinius Cato has just arrived in Germany as a new recruit to the Second Legion, the toughest in the Roman army. If adjusting to the rigours of military life isn't difficult enough for the bookish young man, he also has to contend with the disgust of his colleagues when, because of his imperial connections, he is appointed a rank above them.
-
-
Enjoyable Roman Military Mystery
- By Marie on 10-25-13
By: Simon Scarrow
-
The Great Game
- Praetorian, Book 1
- By: SJA Turney
- Narrated by: Piers Hampton
- Length: 15 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Promoted to the elite Praetorian Guard in the thick of battle, a young legionary is thrust into a seedy world of imperial politics and corruption. Tasked with uncovering a plot against the newly crowned Emperor Commodus, his mission takes him from the cold Danubian border all the way to the heart of Rome, the villa of the Emperor’s scheming sister, and the great Colosseum. What seems a straightforward, if terrifying, assignment soon descends into Machiavellian treachery and peril as everything in which young Rufinus trusts and believes is called into question....
-
-
COULDN'T KEEP MY INTEREST
- By peter on 12-05-18
By: SJA Turney
-
Ship of Smoke and Steel
- By: Django Wexler
- Narrated by: Catherine Ho
- Length: 13 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the lower wards of Kahnzoka, the port city of the Blessed Empire, 18-year-old ward boss Isoka enforces the will of her criminal masters with the power of Melos, the Well of Combat. The money she collects goes to keep her little sister living in comfort, far from the bloody streets they grew up on. When Isoka's magic is discovered by the government, she's arrested and brought to the Emperor's spymaster, who sends her on an impossible mission: Steal Soliton, a legendary ghost ship - a ship from which no one has ever returned. If she fails, her sister’s life is forfeit.
-
-
The Long Pauses Ruins the Book
- By Joseph on 05-29-19
By: Django Wexler
-
Onyx & Ivory
- By: Mindee Arnett
- Narrated by: Khristine Hvam
- Length: 14 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
They call her Traitor Kate. It’s a title Kate Brighton inherited from her father after he tried to assassinate the high king of Rime. Cast out of the nobility, Kate now works for the royal courier service. Only the most skilled ride for the Relay and only the fastest survive, for when night falls, the drakes - deadly flightless dragons - come out to hunt. Fortunately, Kate has a secret edge: She is a wilder, born with forbidden magic that allows her to influence the minds of animals.
-
-
Fantastic.
- By Alex Tollefson on 06-04-18
By: Mindee Arnett
-
For the Killing of Kings
- The Ring-Sworn Trilogy, Book 1
- By: Howard Andrew Jones
- Narrated by: Lori Prince
- Length: 16 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Their peace was a fragile thing, but it had endured for seven years, mostly because the people of Darassus and the king of the Naor hordes believed his doom was foretold upon the edge of the great sword hung in the hall of champions. Unruly Naor clans might raid across the border, but the king himself would never lead his people to war so long as the blade remained in the hands of his enemies. But when squire Elenai’s aging uncovers evidence that the sword in their hall is a forgery, she’s forced to flee Darassus for her life, her only ally the reckless, disillusioned Kyrkenall.
-
-
Great Story!
- By Aurora McMillian on 05-15-19
-
Mage's Blood
- The Moontide Quartet, Book 1
- By: David Hair
- Narrated by: Nick Podehl
- Length: 26 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Most of the time the Moontide Bridge lies deep below the sea, but every 12 years the tides sink and the bridge is revealed, its gates open for trade. The Magi are hell-bent on ruling this new world, and for the last two Moontides they have led armies across the bridge on "crusades of conquest". Now, the third Moontide is almost here, and this time the people of the East are ready for a fight... but it is three seemingly ordinary people that will decide the fate of the world.
-
-
Nick Podehl
- By Logan on 01-05-15
By: David Hair
-
Under the Eagle
- Eagles of the Empire, Book 1
- By: Simon Scarrow
- Narrated by: David Thorpe
- Length: 12 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The first novel in Simon Scarrow's bestselling Roman series. It is 42 AD, and Quintus Licinius Cato has just arrived in Germany as a new recruit to the Second Legion, the toughest in the Roman army. If adjusting to the rigours of military life isn't difficult enough for the bookish young man, he also has to contend with the disgust of his colleagues when, because of his imperial connections, he is appointed a rank above them.
-
-
Enjoyable Roman Military Mystery
- By Marie on 10-25-13
By: Simon Scarrow
-
The Last Swordsman
- The Last Swordsman, Book 1
- By: Benjamin Corman
- Narrated by: Marc Vietor
- Length: 12 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Nikolis’ parents are dead - murdered before his eyes. What’s worse, they were traitors to the crown. At least that’s what he hears the village folk saying moments before he is whisked away to the castle of Highkeep. There he finds himself before the aged King Alginor, a man brought to a boil by his very presence.
-
-
This book is horrible
- By Amazon Customer on 09-10-20
By: Benjamin Corman
-
The Councillor
- By: E.J. Beaton
- Narrated by: Moira Quirk
- Length: 19 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When the death of Iron Queen Sarelin Brey fractures the realm of Elira, Lysande Prior, the palace scholar and the queen’s closest friend, is appointed Councillor. Publically, Lysande must choose the next monarch from amongst the city-rulers vying for the throne. Privately, she seeks to discover which ruler murdered the queen, suspecting the use of magic. Resourceful, analytical, and quiet, Lysande appears to embody the motto everything in its place. Yet while she hides her drug addiction from her new associates, she cannot hide her growing interest in power.
-
-
Amazing!
- By Mouktar on 03-19-21
By: E.J. Beaton
-
The Silent Blade
- The Seven Virtues, Book 0.5
- By: Jacob Peppers
- Narrated by: Steven Brand
- Length: 2 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Downs, the poor district of the city of Avarest, is home to cutthroats and thieves, pickpockets and prostitutes, all of whom pay tribute to one of two powerful crime bosses. It is also home to Aaron Envelar, a disillusioned sellsword known as the Silent Blade, who cares nothing for the criminal overlords or their schemes, who only wants to survive and make a little coin. But when a group of thugs steal his mother’s necklace, the only link he has to his murdered parents, Aaron decides that sometimes gold isn’t enough - sometimes, blood is the only payment worth taking.
-
-
Good read and listen..
- By Trish R. on 02-28-20
By: Jacob Peppers
-
Rise of the Shadow Rogue
- By: Mike Truk
- Narrated by: Ryan West
- Length: 17 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Betrayal cuts deepest when someone you love wields the knife. For Kellik, a once-rising star of Port Gloom's guild of thieves, it also leaves him floating in the bay, bleeding out and without hope or allies. Saved by an urchin and healed by a disgraced saint, Kellick is consumed by a single desire: to find out why his guild master ordered him cut down moments after passing his initiation trial. Burning with injustice, Kellik recruits a number of gorgeous rogues to his side: fallen assassins, dark elf witches, and unnervingly polite necromancers.
-
-
not the harem book I expected, in a good way.
- By Jeffrey on 04-30-19
By: Mike Truk
-
The Forging of Dawn
- The Nightfall Wars, Book 0
- By: Jacob Peppers
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 4 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The nightwalkers have returned, creatures that roam the darkness searching for anyone foolish or unfortunate enough to find themselves without light to protect them. And the people of Entarna carry lanterns and torches, wielding them as shields against the night's creatures. But sooner or later all lights fade. All flames go out. Torrik and his wife were once soldiers in the war against the Dark. But when their son Alesh was born, they left that life behind them in the hopes of keeping him safe.
-
-
DO NOT before you read book one.
- By kyle humphreys on 02-28-20
By: Jacob Peppers
-
The Chosen
- Contender, Book 1
- By: Taran Matharu
- Narrated by: Pat Young
- Length: 9 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Cade is settling into a new boarding school, contemplating his future, when he finds himself transported to another realm. He soon discovers their new world is populated with lost remnants from the past: prehistoric creatures, ancient relics, and, stranger still - people. Overwhelmed by his new surroundings, Cade has little time to adjust, for soon he and his fellow classmates are forced to become contenders in a brutal game, controlled by mysterious overlords.
-
-
Great Author, Bland Story
- By Amazon Customer on 05-30-20
By: Taran Matharu
-
Ash and Ambition
- By: Ari Marmell
- Narrated by: Ralph Lister
- Length: 16 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Trapped in the form of the knight who supposedly slew him, the dragon Tzavalantsaval - with a loathsome goblin steward as his only true ally - struggles to navigate the Kirresci royal court and humanity itself, even as politics and intrigues he scarcely understands push the southern kingdoms ever nearer to open war.
-
-
A story of a dragon being slowly humanized
- By Sailfish on 05-10-20
By: Ari Marmell
-
Savage Legion
- Savage Rebellion
- By: Matt Wallace
- Narrated by: Lameece Issaq
- Length: 15 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
They call them Savages. Brutal. Efficient. Expendable. The empire relies on them. The Savages are the greatest weapon they ever developed. Culled from the streets of their cities, they take the ones no one will miss and throw them, by the thousands, at the empire’s enemies. Evie is not a Savage. She’s a warrior with a mission: to find the man she once loved, the man who holds the key to exposing the secret of the Savage Legion and ending the mass conscription of the empire’s poor and wretched. But to find him, she must become one of them....
-
-
It could have been good, but wasn't
- By M. Wightman on 09-20-21
By: Matt Wallace
-
Child of a Mad God
- The Coven, Book 1
- By: R. A. Salvatore
- Narrated by: Tim Gerard Reynolds
- Length: 18 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From R. A. Salvatore, the legendary creator of Drizzt Do'Urden, comes the start of a brand new epic journey. When Aoleyn loses her parents, she is left to fend for herself among a tribe of vicious barbarians. Bound by rigid traditions, she dreams of escaping to the world beyond her mountain home. The only hope for achieving the kind of freedom she searches for is to learn how to wield the mysterious power used by the tribe's coven known as the Song of Usgar. Thankfully, Aoleyn may be the strongest witch to have ever lived, but magic comes at price.
-
-
A lot of nothing happening over a long time
- By steven brachna on 02-08-18
By: R. A. Salvatore
-
The Tiger at Midnight
- Tiger at Midnight, Book 1
- By: Swati Teerdhala
- Narrated by: Sneha Mathan
- Length: 12 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Esha lost everything in the royal coup - and as the legendary rebel known as the Viper, she’s made the guilty pay. Now, she’s been tasked with her most important mission to date: taking down the ruthless General Hotha. Kunal has been a soldier since childhood. His uncle, the general, has ensured that Kunal never strays from the path - even as a part of Kunal longs to join the outside world, which has only been growing more volatile. When Esha and Kunal’s paths cross one fated night, an impossible chain of events unfolds.
-
-
you're in a book slump
- By Brit T on 09-05-20
By: Swati Teerdhala
-
Thrive
- A Post-Apocalyptic Alien Survival Novel
- By: Jonathan Yanez
- Narrated by: Mark Boyett, Suzy Jackson
- Length: 7 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The citizens enjoy the peace of their perfectly planned city. But when she notices cracks in the facade, Jordan’s waking dreams turn to nightmares. She thought she had received the promotion of a lifetime; she was wrong. The promotion only brings her closer to terrifying truths of the administration. Secrets told to keep the citizens safe turn out to be lies to keep them in line. Those in power manipulate from the shadows behind whispers and fear. Because if Jordan is brave enough to look past the veil, a mad wasteland awaits.
-
-
A "Matrix" social experience
- By SD on 12-31-19
By: Jonathan Yanez
-
Plague of Shadows
- By: Howard Andrew Jones
- Narrated by: Dina Pearlman
- Length: 9 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The race is on to free Lord Stelan from the grip of a wasting curse, and only his old, half-elf mercenary companion Elyana has the wisdom - and swordcraft - to solve the mystery of his tormentor and free her old friend before three days have passed and the illness takes its course.
-
-
Good -- rough recording IMO
- By Nico Ecenarro on 01-23-17
People who viewed this also viewed...
-
Blood Feud
- Wolves of Odin, Book 1
- By: S. J. A. Turney
- Narrated by: Malk Williams
- Length: 11 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Anno Domini 1040. Christianity has swept unstoppably across Scandinavia, leaving few enclaves of the old ways clinging on to their fading world as King Olof of Sweden works to convert his people. A young warrior, Halfdan, has witnessed the ‘mercy' of the Christian lords, watched his people attacked, his village burned and the Odin stone toppled as heretical. Watched his father cut down by an ambitious Christian jarl and his zealous priest. Among the ashes of his world, he vowed an oath of vengeance before all the gods.
-
-
The act of revenge!
- By Danny Fischer on 08-01-24
By: S. J. A. Turney
-
Forged by Iron
- Olaf's Saga, Book 1
- By: Eric Schumacher
- Narrated by: Gildart Jackson
- Length: 9 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Norway, AD 958. The Northern realm is once again at war. The exiled sons of Erik Bloodaxe have returned with the help of the Danes and have slain King Hakon. They now come for Hakon's heir, Jarl Trygvi. Trygvi's wife, Astrid, and young son, Olaf, flee their home with the aid of their household warriors. Pursued by the Bloodaxe brood, the family escapes east, through the dark, forested land of the Swedes and across the treacherous East Sea.
-
-
Very well done.
- By Darren Colvin on 05-06-24
By: Eric Schumacher
-
Daughter of War (Knights Templar)
- By: S.J.A. Turney
- Narrated by: Jonathan McGarrity
- Length: 10 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Europe is aflame. On the Iberian Peninsula the wars of the Reconquista rage across Aragon and Castile. Once again, the Moors are gaining the upper hand. Christendom is divided. Amid the chaos comes a young knight: Arnau of Valbona. After his Lord is killed in an act of treachery, Arnau pledges to look after his daughter, whose life is now at risk. But in protecting her Arnau will face terrible challenges, and enter a world of Templars, steely knights, and visceral combat he could never have imagined. She in turn will find a new destiny with the Knights as a daughter of war....
-
-
Enthralling
- By Gypsy Lynn on 08-14-24
By: S.J.A. Turney
-
The Man With Two Names: A Novel of Ancient Rome
- The Sertorius Scrolls, Book 1
- By: Vincent B. Davis II
- Narrated by: Joshua Saxon
- Length: 9 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Rome, 107 BC. Quintus Sertorius just lost his father, and he may lose his home. When his rural village is stripped of its political status, he must leave his family to secure their food and protection from inside Rome's cutthroat government. As he transitions from countryman to politician, he's thrust into the middle of a bitter political war…. As Quintus struggles to gain the aid his village so desperately needs, he approaches Gaius Marius, the uncle of Julius Caesar himself.
-
-
**Greatest modern retelling of Marius from actual Sertorius Scrolls
- By Suzi Jones on 12-05-23
-
Marius' Mules I: The Invasion of Gaul
- Marius' Mules, Book 1
- By: S. J. A. Turney
- Narrated by: Malk Williams
- Length: 17 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It is 58 BC, and the mighty Tenth Legion, camped in Northern Italy, prepare for the arrival of the most notorious general in Roman history: Julius Caesar. Marcus Falerius Fronto, commander of the Tenth, is a career soldier and long-time companion of Caesar's. Despite his desire for the simplicity of the military life, he cannot help but be drawn into intrigue and politics as Caesar engineers a motive to invade the lands of Gaul.
-
-
The best Roman series I’ve listened to!
- By Just_Shoppin on 04-04-20
By: S. J. A. Turney
-
Master of War Boxset
- Books 1-3
- By: David Gilman
- Narrated by: Gildart Jackson
- Length: 53 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
England, 1346: For Thomas Blackstone, the choice is easy - dance on the end of a rope for a murder he did not commit, or take up his war bow and join the king's invasion. As he fights his way across northern France, Blackstone learns the brutal lessons of war - from the terror and confusion of his first taste of combat, to the savage realities of siege warfare.
-
-
Master of War (1-3)
- By teejay spina on 02-13-23
By: David Gilman
-
Blood Feud
- Wolves of Odin, Book 1
- By: S. J. A. Turney
- Narrated by: Malk Williams
- Length: 11 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Anno Domini 1040. Christianity has swept unstoppably across Scandinavia, leaving few enclaves of the old ways clinging on to their fading world as King Olof of Sweden works to convert his people. A young warrior, Halfdan, has witnessed the ‘mercy' of the Christian lords, watched his people attacked, his village burned and the Odin stone toppled as heretical. Watched his father cut down by an ambitious Christian jarl and his zealous priest. Among the ashes of his world, he vowed an oath of vengeance before all the gods.
-
-
The act of revenge!
- By Danny Fischer on 08-01-24
By: S. J. A. Turney
-
Forged by Iron
- Olaf's Saga, Book 1
- By: Eric Schumacher
- Narrated by: Gildart Jackson
- Length: 9 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Norway, AD 958. The Northern realm is once again at war. The exiled sons of Erik Bloodaxe have returned with the help of the Danes and have slain King Hakon. They now come for Hakon's heir, Jarl Trygvi. Trygvi's wife, Astrid, and young son, Olaf, flee their home with the aid of their household warriors. Pursued by the Bloodaxe brood, the family escapes east, through the dark, forested land of the Swedes and across the treacherous East Sea.
-
-
Very well done.
- By Darren Colvin on 05-06-24
By: Eric Schumacher
-
Daughter of War (Knights Templar)
- By: S.J.A. Turney
- Narrated by: Jonathan McGarrity
- Length: 10 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Europe is aflame. On the Iberian Peninsula the wars of the Reconquista rage across Aragon and Castile. Once again, the Moors are gaining the upper hand. Christendom is divided. Amid the chaos comes a young knight: Arnau of Valbona. After his Lord is killed in an act of treachery, Arnau pledges to look after his daughter, whose life is now at risk. But in protecting her Arnau will face terrible challenges, and enter a world of Templars, steely knights, and visceral combat he could never have imagined. She in turn will find a new destiny with the Knights as a daughter of war....
-
-
Enthralling
- By Gypsy Lynn on 08-14-24
By: S.J.A. Turney
-
The Man With Two Names: A Novel of Ancient Rome
- The Sertorius Scrolls, Book 1
- By: Vincent B. Davis II
- Narrated by: Joshua Saxon
- Length: 9 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Rome, 107 BC. Quintus Sertorius just lost his father, and he may lose his home. When his rural village is stripped of its political status, he must leave his family to secure their food and protection from inside Rome's cutthroat government. As he transitions from countryman to politician, he's thrust into the middle of a bitter political war…. As Quintus struggles to gain the aid his village so desperately needs, he approaches Gaius Marius, the uncle of Julius Caesar himself.
-
-
**Greatest modern retelling of Marius from actual Sertorius Scrolls
- By Suzi Jones on 12-05-23
-
Marius' Mules I: The Invasion of Gaul
- Marius' Mules, Book 1
- By: S. J. A. Turney
- Narrated by: Malk Williams
- Length: 17 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It is 58 BC, and the mighty Tenth Legion, camped in Northern Italy, prepare for the arrival of the most notorious general in Roman history: Julius Caesar. Marcus Falerius Fronto, commander of the Tenth, is a career soldier and long-time companion of Caesar's. Despite his desire for the simplicity of the military life, he cannot help but be drawn into intrigue and politics as Caesar engineers a motive to invade the lands of Gaul.
-
-
The best Roman series I’ve listened to!
- By Just_Shoppin on 04-04-20
By: S. J. A. Turney
-
Master of War Boxset
- Books 1-3
- By: David Gilman
- Narrated by: Gildart Jackson
- Length: 53 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
England, 1346: For Thomas Blackstone, the choice is easy - dance on the end of a rope for a murder he did not commit, or take up his war bow and join the king's invasion. As he fights his way across northern France, Blackstone learns the brutal lessons of war - from the terror and confusion of his first taste of combat, to the savage realities of siege warfare.
-
-
Master of War (1-3)
- By teejay spina on 02-13-23
By: David Gilman
What listeners say about The Bear of Byzantium
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 04-15-23
great book 😊
it was a great book to read.
characters are good, and story line well thought out.
And the reader, does a great job reading the book.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Darren Colvin
- 07-02-23
Well done!!
I liked Turney’s decision to take an eastern route in his telling of the Viking story. There are lots of stories told about Viking exploits in England and France. Not many talk about their expansion down the Dnieper River to the Black and Byzantium. For anyone who likes historical fiction, particularly the Viking era, you will enjoy this book. I'm looking forward to reading the next installment of Hafdan and the crew.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!