Booklog 59/2024: Anthony Hope: The Prisoner of Zenda - Audiobook

Audiobook narrated by James Wilby.

This is a well known story which I first encountered watching the 1952 Stewart Granger movie on TV (itself a remake). Rudolph Rassendyll, an Englishman from a good family, travels to Ruritania where he finds that one of his ancestor's indiscretions has left him with the blood of the Ruritanian royal family running through his veins. Meeting the new king while out hunting he finds that (apart from his beard) they are as alike as twins. Thus begins a story of treachery and deception. When the king drinks himself insensible before the coronation, Rudolph is persuaded by the king's loyal retainer, Zapt, to step up and take the king's place. The coronation is a success, but when Rudolph tries to sneak away to his own life, the king's bastard brother, Michael, kidnaps the king imprisoning him in his secure castle at Zenda. Rudolph must contuinue the deception until the king can be rescued. He's faced with another dilemma. The king is expected to court his cousin Flavia and in doing so, Rudolph falls in love. Flavia, who previously didn't much like the king, falls for Rudolph. There is temptation for Rudolph to let Michael dispose of the king and claim both Flavia and the crown, but dammit, he's English, and just doesn't do that kind of thing. The ending is bittersaweet. Yes he rescues the king, but loses Flavia, condemning her to a loveless marriage. It's a book of its time (1894) but full of derring do and faily races along. The reader, James Wilby, does a fine job of bringing out the emotion and danger of the plot twists.

Booklog 60/2024: Lois McMaster Bujold: Penric’s Demon – Penric #1 – Audiobook

Original review from 2015.
Penric is a bright eyed innocent. On the way to his betrothal he stops to help and elderly lady and his life suddenly changes. She's a temple divine. Her avowed god is The Bastard, 'master of all disasters out of season." She carries a demon inside her. When she dies, the demon makes a jump, and that's how Penric, totally unprepared, acquires a demon who has the memories and knowledge of twelve previous hosts, and a mind of her own. This novella is bascally how Penric and his demon form a relationship, uneasy at first, and Penric joins the clergy. In the world of the Five Gods, religion is a practical subject raher than theoretical. The gods can, and frequently do, make their presence felt. This is a good set-up novella, in the world of the Five Gods where The Curse of Chalion (my favourite book) and Paladin of Souls are both set, though somewhat later in the timeline.

Audiobook read by Grover Gardner 15/06/24

It was good to revisit the first Penric novella via audible. It's a long time since I read it. I'd forgotten a lot of the detail and later novellas skip over Penric's initiation into holy orders. I love Bujold's work and will listen to it regardless, but I could wish she had a different reader for the Chalion books (and the Vorkosigan ones) but she or her publishers obviously have a relationship with Grover Gradner. He's a good reader, who has narrated over a thousand books, but I find his voice very heavy and a bit grating for this type of book. It feels much older than the character he's voicing - which, indeed, it is (I looked him up, he was born in the mid-50s.) Penric is only 18 in this novella while Gardner was approaching 60 when he read it. Also it's a second world fantasy setting and Gardner's voice is heavily American.

 

Booklog 61/2024: Juliet E. McKenna: Green Man’s Heir – Green Man #1 – Audiobook

Original review 2018.
A modern fantasy, rural rather than urban. Dan works with wood, moving from place to place so he doesn't get too close to anyone. A century ago, a person with a secret could simply move to the other end of the country and take up a new identity, but nowadays with CCTV and social media, it's not so easy. Dan has a big secret. His mother is a Dryad and that makes Dan… different. When a young woman is murdered and left in Derbyshire woodland, Dan realises that the culprit is from his world. She's not the first. The police are never going to find the serial killer, so it's up to Dan. Dan is a great character, always trying to avoid that attention of the local police, but rarely managing it. He's a big lad with powerful fists and usually at the top of the list when the Law comes around asking questions. I do hope Juliet McKenna makes this the first in a series. I'd love to read more. There's a wealth of British folklore in here, and a damn good story.

Audiobook narrated by Will Huggins

I love this book, so imagine how gutted I am to have to say that I didn't care much for the reader. Will Huggins is a bit... clinical. He reads perfectly well, but he doesn't bring out the drama and emotion, and that's doing this excellent book an injustice. I had to listen slightly speeded up to give the whole thing some of the pace it deserved. Dan McMain is a larger than life character and that doesn't come over as well as it might. I enjoyed listening, but not as much as I hoped, and I think this is one case where I'm glad I read the book first.