Company of Liars

By: Karen Maitland

Narrated by: David Thorpe

Length: 18 hrs and 46 mins

Publisher's summary

On this day of ill omen, plague makes its entrance. Within weeks, swathes of England will be darkened by death's shadow. While panic and suspicion flood the land, a small band of travelers comes together to outrun the breakdown in law and order.

But when one of their number is found hanging from a tree, the chilling discovery confirms that something more sinister than plague is in their midst. And as the runes warn of treachery, it appears no one is quite what they seem, least of all the child rune reader, who mercilessly compels each of her companions to tell their stories. And face the consequences...

©2008 Karen Maitland (P)2008 Oakhill Publishing Ltd

Suspense and Surprise

A "page turner" this book is great and anyone who loves a surprise at the end will absolutly love it.

Reader is Excellent; Book Meanders to Nowhere

The reader for the audiobook is EXCELLENT and he alone almost makes the book worth my credit. Almost.

The story on the other hand...the first two thirds of the book are well done, but then it just loses its way and never comes to a point. We are left hanging as to the fate of several of the characters and the ending is pointless and stupid. I wish the author would rewrite the last third of the book and actually come up with an ending instead of the total cop out we are asked to accept.

An absolutely spellbinding tale ruined by a weak ending.

I would have liked to say this was one of the best books I have ever listened to. I was all ready to do so. Except for the ending that was a predictable let down. Why is it that some writers can spin a yarn with such an amazing beginning that draws you right into it and details that make you feel as if you were on the medieval rode with this band of people. Just to let you down. It's as if they run out of steam at the end and can barely cross the finish line. So there we have it in a nut shell a highly creative story, a brilliant story, that is somewhat spoiled by a weak ending that you saw coming. Too bad. I wish I could make this author go back and use her talent to write an ending that would do this tale justice. I would recommend it anyway because it was original, well written and made me feel I was in the plague times.

A Fascinating Page Turner

This book was a wonderful experience. It never ceased to entertain, educate and please.

Wonderful story

This was a wonderful story with great characters, but there were serveral things that went unanswered that I thought would tie up in the end, but sadly they didn't. When it ended, I was surprised and I thought there was more and I thought that I forgot to download the last part. It ended to abrubly for me. Other than that, it was a good book and a good read.

A little freaky

Quite a story that had me going to the end. Well written but not what I usually read. It has a very mystical twist to it. I read for total escapism and this left me feeling a bit unsettled at the end

Satisfying!

I loved this book from beginning to end.
The narrator is gifted, and told the story well, giving each character his or her own voice. It's also long, which is always gratifying when you're enjoying the book.

Unromantic perspective on the Middle Ages.

well defined characters. Unexpected, but believable and acceptable ending. Beware the totality of the narrator's story.

company of liars

Read this book many years ago. The re read was as good, if not better than the first time. Wonderful.

Say Yes To

A fantastic book. I almost didn’t buy it after reading so many reviews saying the ending threw them off, but I’m so glad I did. The book immerses you in the brutal world of England before modern day comforts, as our desperate rag tag troop attempts to outrun the plague that is sweeping the country. Steeped in superstition, religious fanaticism, and glittering with moments of magic all along the way. I’m genuinely confused at the reviews that found the ending odd. It was completely in line with the other elements of magic throughout the book. It is also helpful if you have a general grasp of psychology, specifically psychopathy.

This book is not a complete, other world style fantasy. It’s a book of reality if our world also had magic peeking out here and there.

If you are looking for a Hallmark style ending, wrapped up in a bow and placed in your lap, this book is not for you. Don’t listen if you enjoy predictable rom-com style stories. But if you are looking for intriguing, complex characters, vivid imagery, dynamic and believable narration, powerful storytelling, and an ending that trusts the reader to continue to utilize their imagination, then you’ll love it. I loved it.