Sammy J
- 25
- reviews
- 47
- helpful votes
- 94
- ratings
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Hamnet
- By: Maggie O'Farrell
- Narrated by: Ell Potter
- Length: 12 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 9,279
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 8,062
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 7,996
Agnes is a wild creature who walks her family’s land with a falcon on her glove and is known throughout the countryside for her unusual gifts as a healer, understanding plants and potions better than she does people. Once she settles with her husband on Henley Street in Stratford-upon-Avon, she becomes a fiercely protective mother and a steadfast, centrifugal force in the life of her young husband, whose career on the London stage is taking off when his beloved young son succumbs to sudden fever.
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5 out of 5 stars
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A masterpiece
- By Molly-o on 08-03-20
- Hamnet
- By: Maggie O'Farrell
- Narrated by: Ell Potter
Riveting and engrossing historical fiction
Reviewed: 07-24-20
This is a beautiful novel reminiscent of Ken Follets pillars of the earth. Spare poetic writing. I listened to the entire novel in one day. If you enjoy Hilary mantels wolf hall and subsequent books, you will be immersed here
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47 people found this helpful
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The Physics of the Dead
- A Supernatural Mystery Novel
- By: Luke Smitherd
- Narrated by: Luke Smitherd
- Length: 9 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 187
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 169
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 169
The afterlife doesn't come with a manual. In fact, Hart and Bowler (two ordinary but dead men) have had to work out the rules of their new existence for themselves. It's that fact (along with being unable to leave the boundaries of their city center, unable to communicate with the other lost souls, unable to rest in case The Beast catches up with them) that makes getting out of their situation a priority. But Hart and Bowler don't know why they're there in the first place; if they ever want to leave, they will have to find all the answers to be able to understand the physics of the dead.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Unique Vision of Life, Death, Regret, Loss, & Hope
- By JoanneG on 02-28-16
- The Physics of the Dead
- A Supernatural Mystery Novel
- By: Luke Smitherd
- Narrated by: Luke Smitherd
A wonderful reading of an unusual story
Reviewed: 08-09-19
I often regret listening to audiobooks the author reads in person (stephen king for example). I feel professional readers give better life to the characters. Not in this instance though. The author is spot on perfect. The story itself is strange and different. The plot dragged a little midway, but I felt the world of the dead was believable and well constructed. I recommend this book for fans of Tim Holt, Peter Cline and Neil Gaiman.
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Wolf Hall
- By: Hilary Mantel
- Narrated by: Simon Slater
- Length: 24 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 4,920
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 3,817
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Story4 out of 5 stars 3,819
In the ruthless arena of King Henry VIII's court, only one man dares to gamble his life to win the king's favor and ascend to the heights of political powerEngland in the 1520s is a heartbeat from disaster. If the king dies without a male heir, the country could be destroyed by civil war. Henry VIII wants to annul his marriage of twenty years, and marry Anne Boleyn.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Divorced, beheaded, died...
- By Tim on 09-30-11
- Wolf Hall
- By: Hilary Mantel
- Narrated by: Simon Slater
A unique perspective of history
Reviewed: 11-02-09
I am a fan of all things Tudor, so had consumed many fiction (e.g. Phillipa Gregory) and non-fiction (e.g. Jane Dunn) about Henry VIII and his offspring. This book is different from any I have read before. This is not just another bodice-ripping period piece like Showtime's The Tudors, it is actually beautifully written literature. A warning though, it may be difficult to keep track of the many characters without already being familiar with King Henry's court during the time of his separation from Katherine and marriage to Anne Boleyn. Excellent book all around!
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104 people found this helpful
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Homer & Langley
- A Novel
- By: E. L. Doctorow
- Narrated by: Arthur Morey
- Length: 7 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 239
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 137
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Story4 out of 5 stars 135
From Ragtime and Billy Bathgate to The Book of Daniel, World's Fair, and The March, the novels of E. L. Doctorow comprise one of the most substantive achievements of modern American fiction. Now, with Homer & Langley, this master novelist has once again created an unforgettable work. Homer and Langley Collyer are brothers - the one blind and deeply intuitive, the other damaged into madness, or perhaps greatness, by mustard gas in the Great War.
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3 out of 5 stars
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What a Dump.....
- By Kindle Customer on 09-04-09
- Homer & Langley
- A Novel
- By: E. L. Doctorow
- Narrated by: Arthur Morey
Moderately fascinating ...
Reviewed: 11-02-09
I listened to this book pretty much over a single weekend. The writing is well done and you care for the protagonist, but, the storyline is meandering and seems pointless. It certainly sparked my interest in finding out the "real" story behind these two recluses. As others have pointed out, the truth of their lives needs little embellishment, yet this author decided to fabricate many of the details. It wasn't a bad book, just slightly disappointing. I found E.L. Doctorow's, The March, a more satisfying listen.
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3 people found this helpful
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The Last Centurion
- By: John Ringo
- Narrated by: Dan John Miller
- Length: 16 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,151
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 907
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 910
In the second decade of the 21st century, the world is struck by two catastrophes: a new mini-ice age and a plague to dwarf all previous experiences. Rising out of the disaster is the character known to history as "Bandit Six", an American Army officer caught up in the struggle to rebuild the world and prevent the fall of his homeland - despite the best efforts of politicians, both elected and military.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Enjoy the story and forget the politics
- By Lindsay on 01-28-11
- The Last Centurion
- By: John Ringo
- Narrated by: Dan John Miller
Disappointing political rant
Reviewed: 08-12-08
A promising start and good reader soon degenerates into thinly veiled right-wing preaching. At three hours, when I finally gave up on this novel, the storyline had not yet progressed beyond criticism of (democrat) government response to events recently past.
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12 people found this helpful
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Bag of Bones
- By: Stephen King
- Narrated by: Stephen King
- Length: 21 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 9,419
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 7,369
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 7,358
Even four years after the sudden death of his wife, best selling novelist Mike Noonan can't stop grieving, nor can he return to his writing. He moves into his isolated house by the lake, which becomes the site of ghostly visitations, ever-escalating nightmares, and the sudden recovery of his writing ability. What are the forces that have been unleashed here - and what do they want of Mike Noonan?
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5 out of 5 stars
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My Favorite King Novel
- By Michael on 12-26-02
- Bag of Bones
- By: Stephen King
- Narrated by: Stephen King
Weird, strangely offensive
Reviewed: 11-18-06
I like SK, especially his science fiction and fantasy. I adored The Stand and rather liked the Dark Tower series. This story didn't do much for me. I downloaded it based on the great reviews, managed to get through the whole thing and was a bit disgusted in the end. I suggest you pass on this one, there is better SK out there.
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Nobody's Fool
- By: Richard Russo
- Narrated by: Ron McLarty
- Length: 24 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,058
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,556
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,550
Divorced from his own wife and carrying on halfheartedly with another man's, saddled with a bum knee and friends who make enemies redundant, Sully now has one new problem to cope with: a long-estranged son who is in imminent danger of following in his father's footsteps. With its uproarious humor and a heart that embraces humanity's follies as well as its triumphs, Nobody's Fool, from Pulitzer Prize-winning author, Richard Russo, is storytelling at its most generous. Nobody’s Fool was made into a movie starring Paul Newman, Bruce Willis, Jessica Tandy, and Melody Griffith.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Wonderful Book Fabulous Narrator
- By Marsha on 04-27-05
- Nobody's Fool
- By: Richard Russo
- Narrated by: Ron McLarty
Ponderous & depressing
Reviewed: 11-18-06
Like other reviewers, I loved Empire Falls so entered this one with high hopes. I was able to finish it, but it was not an enjoyable experience. The writing was excellent, but the story is a meandering stream headed nowhere.
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The Other Boleyn Girl
- By: Philippa Gregory
- Narrated by: Susan Lyons
- Length: 22 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 74
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 20
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Story4 out of 5 stars 23
When Mary Boleyn comes to court as an innocent girl of 14, she catches the eye of Henry VIII. Dazzled by the king, Mary falls in love with both her golden prince and her growing role as unofficial queen. However, she soon realizes just how much she is a pawn in her family's ambitious plots. The king's interest begins to wane, and she is forced to step aside for her best friend and rival: her sister, Anne. Mary realizes that she must defy her family and her king, and take her fate into her own hands.
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5 out of 5 stars
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The Dangers of Court Life
- By Carol T. Carr on 12-06-06
- The Other Boleyn Girl
- By: Philippa Gregory
- Narrated by: Susan Lyons
Gripping
Reviewed: 11-13-06
I listened to this book nonstop, even to the point where I almost called in sick to work just to finish. It was gripping from the first 5 minutes. Just amazing!
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3 people found this helpful
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Black Swan Green
- By: David Mitchell
- Narrated by: Kirby Heyborne
- Length: 13 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 773
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 512
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 513
Black Swan Green tracks a single year in what is, for 13-year-old Jason Taylor, the sleepiest village in muddiest Worcestershire in dying Cold War England, 1982. But the 13 chapters, each a short story in its own right, create an exquisitely observed world that is anything but sleepy. Pointed, funny, profound, left-field, elegiac, and painted with the stuff of life, Black Swan Green is David Mitchell's subtlest and most effective achievement to date.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Captivating
- By Angie on 06-28-06
- Black Swan Green
- By: David Mitchell
- Narrated by: Kirby Heyborne
Clear, gripping prose
Reviewed: 06-02-06
Just a really great story and easier to follow than Mitchell's other work- Could Atlas. Of the two, I preferred this one, although both are beautifully written. On the surface the story appears straightforeward, but then makes strange turns. I generally dislike literal novels and prefer immersive fantasy, but this was some of both.
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2 people found this helpful
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Gilgamesh
- By: Joan London
- Narrated by: Deidre Rubenstein
- Length: 9 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
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Overall3.5 out of 5 stars 54
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 14
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Story3.5 out of 5 stars 14
Edith and Frances, living with their mother on a tiny farm in the south-east of Australia, are visited by their cousin Leopold and his Armenian friend Aram. The two young men are taking the long way home after working on an archaeological dig in Iraq. It is 1937. The modern world they say, is waiting to erupt. Among the tales they tell is the story of Gilgamesh, the legendary king of Uruk, in ancient Mesopotamia.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Unsatisfactory
- By Marius on 10-11-05
- Gilgamesh
- By: Joan London
- Narrated by: Deidre Rubenstein
Clear, luminous prose
Reviewed: 06-06-05
Set in Australia and Armenia, this novel is beautifully written. The bleak and wild landscapes compliment the characters as if one is a reflection of the other. Paced neither slow nor fast, enough action takes place to keep you interested. Reccomended.
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2 people found this helpful