Colonel Brandon in His Own Words

De: Shannon Winslow

Narrado por: Aaron Smith

Colonel Brandon is the consummate gentleman: honorable, kind almost to a fault, ever loyal, and chivalrous. He’s also silent and grave, though. So, what events in his troubled past left him downcast, and how does he finally find the path to a brighter future? In Sense and Sensibility, Jane Austen gives us glimpses, but not the complete picture.

Now Colonel Brandon tells us his full story in his own words. He relates the truth about his early family life and his dear Eliza—his devotion to her and the devastating way she was lost to him forever. He shares with us a poignant tale from his military days in India—about a woman named Rashmi and how she likewise left a permanent mark on his soul. And of course Marianne. What did Brandon think and feel when he first saw her? How did his hopes for her subsequently rise, plummet, and then eventually climb upward again? After Willoughby’s desertion, what finally caused Marianne to see Colonel Brandon in a different light?

This is not a variation but a supplement to the original story, chronicled in Brandon’s point of view. It’s a behind-the-scenes look at the things Jane Austen didn’t tell us about a true hero—"the very best of men".

©2022 Shannon Winslow (P)2022 Shannon Winslow

remarkable ♡

I absolutely love this story, and I believe it is my favorite. I think Colonel Brandon is a true romantic, has a true heart, and deeply cares about so much. The patience and consideration he demonstrates time and time again is heart warming. ♡

Love this all of it!

It’s so enchanting to listen to. I highly recommend listening to it. Anyone who loves the classics at least will love this

Very well done!

First off, the narrator was remarkable. I feel like he did his best to represent Alan Rickman and I appreciate him for it. The story was very sweet. I'd love to see it made into a movie. There were a couple parts that were a little slow but not enough to bring the enjoyment down. I have already recommended this book to my best Austen friend. I'm very excited to read more books by this author.

Ever Noble Brandon!

Shannon Winslow does a stellar job of filling in the blanks of Col Brandon’s past for us. Although I love a good Austen variation, Winslow honours the original canon only enhancing my appreciation for Austen’s original character choices. Brandon was always the most interesting character in S&S and this production will make you love it more!

Liked it better than canon.

Truly outstanding performance by a new-to-me narrator, Aaron Smith. Love his voice and cadence to the various characters—male and female. His Colonel Brandon was perfection and the emotions expressed touched the heart and made my eyes leak. Highly recommend this narrator and this lovely 5⭐️ story. I hope Mr. Smith will do more JAFF. I would love to hear his Fitzwilliam Darcy.

Book Review:
Having loved Shannon Winslow’s “Fitzwilliam Darcy in His Own Words”, when she indicated she was considering a Colonel Brandon version, I was all for it. As I wrote in my review for Darcy’s version, I love a first-person account if written well. Diaries can be flat, but Colonel Brandon in his Own Words is definitely not so and I was thoroughly engaged throughout the read.

The author’s detailed imagining of CB’s early life and relationships with his father, brother, and Eliza, provides the reader with a very believable look at what his life might have been like as a younger man and beyond what we know of him in Sense and Sensibility. There’s also an entirely new character that is mentioned early and eventually revealed—a woman from his time in India who caught his interest there and for whom he bears a burden of guilt. Of course, he also feels guilty for his perception of having failed Eliza and her daughter. While the book follows canon to a degree, for the most part we are thankfully (in my opinion) spared the drudge that is Mrs. John Dashwood and Mrs. Ferrars.

I enjoyed this book very much, and reading CB’s own words endeared me to him even more than before. He was resolved to cultivate his relationship with Marianne on his own terms and timetable. I found myself teary eyed at times, so my emotions were definitely engaged. This man is such a kind soul, how can you not love him? I even managed to warm up to Marianne somewhat—something I did not do with S&S—a credit to Ms. Winslow’s thoughtful and creative writing style. I actually enjoyed this book better than I did S&S, if I’m honest.

If you love Colonel Brandon and desire an enlightening and very satisfying first-person account, you will enjoy this book.

Oh, and fabulous cover too!

Top quality fan fiction

The author has respected the original text, which cannot be improved upon, and fleshed out the plot.
I always wondered how Marianne could change so completely as to accept Colonel Brandon's hand, but, with this narrative, it makes sense.

A fresh take

A brand new Branden, a better story, a better Marianne and a better ending. loved it!