San Kuo: Or Romance of the Three Kingdoms (The Complete and Unabridged Chinese Historical Novel)

Tales of Epic Battles, Legendary Heroes, and Power Struggles of Ancient China by Luo Guanzhong

By: Luo Guanzhong

Narrated by: James Francis Markert

San Kuo: Or Romance of the Three Kingdoms is a historical novel attributed to Luo Guanzhong, set during the turbulent final years of the Eastern Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms period (circa 184–280 AD). Widely regarded as one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature, it combines history, legend, and myth to depict the power struggles and heroic exploits of the era.

The story begins with the fall of the Han Dynasty, as political corruption, rebellion, and chaos engulf the land. Three powerful leaders—Cao Cao of Wei, Liu Bei of Shu, and Sun Quan of Wu—emerge to vie for control of China, each building their kingdoms while navigating shifting alliances and betrayals. Central themes include loyalty, ambition, strategy, and the rise and fall of empires.

The novel highlights famous characters like Zhuge Liang, a brilliant strategist; Guan Yu, a symbol of loyalty and martial prowess; and Cao Cao, a cunning and controversial figure. Through vivid battles, political intrigue, and personal rivalries, the narrative captures the human drama and the epic scale of this transformative period in Chinese history.

While it is rooted in historical events, the novel takes creative liberties to enhance its dramatic appeal, making it a timeless exploration of power, morality, and fate.

Renowned for his compelling narrations of Mythology, Myths, and Legends from around the world, James Francis Markert brings a deeply personal touch to this production. A tribute to his favorite novel, this audiobook is a true labor of love. Featuring nearly 600 unique character voices, his performance pushes the boundaries of voice acting—possibly setting a world record. We invite you to experience not just a story, but a passion project brought to life with extraordinary dedication.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

Public Domain (P)2025 Chronos Publishing LLC

Just like the video games!

I remember playing Romance of the Three Kingdoms on the NES back in the 90s. It wasn’t until Dynasty Warriors did I realize it was based on a book. When I looked years ago after having this revelation, I didn’t find a whole lot of options, at least that weren’t Chinese… The story is epic with a lot of moving pieces. There is a wide cast of characters and it sheds some light on Chinese culture. Great book!

Story-telling at its best!

It's been a long time since I studied Chinese history. I used to live near a fantastic Asian Museum and acquired quite a bit of knowledge about the dynasties. It fascinates me because it is so ancient and reveals so much about human nature, how we dominate, lead and how our ambitions influence us.

This book of battles and ancient stories brought out those memories and embellished them with activities that are easy to imagine with Mr. Markert as the story-teller. For me, it gives body to what I already knew about the various rulers and dynasties and reveals how some of the changes and transitions came about It is good to know the nuts and bolts, but we need the stories to really grasp the world as it was then. It is hard to look at a list of rulers and not think of them in terms of our life today unless we have these very tangible tales to provide the setting and backdrop for the politics and intrigue of the time.

Time - so much time has passed since these stories were written and these lives lived, yet the tales are timeless. They tell the story of people everywhere. When you listen to as many of these types of books as I have, you begin to see that at the core there really are not a lot of differences in the histories of peoples from all around the world.

Many thanks to Audible for making these books available. I am a perpetual student and am very thankful that these volumes are readily available for my enrichment.

Really interesting Chinese stories

This is a long one, but worth it for the interesting stories. Good narration that is clear & easy to follow. Great & unique listen.
FTC: i received a free copy in exchange for a review.