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Winter Pilgrims

Kingmaker, Book 1

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About this listen

February 1460.

In the bitter dawn of a winter’s morning, a young man and a woman escape from a priory. In fear for their lives, they are forced to flee across a land ravaged by conflict.

For this is the Wars of the Roses, one of the most savage and bloody civil wars in history. Where brother confronts brother, king faces king and Thomas and Katherine must fight just to stay alive....

©2014 Toby Clements (P)2016 Bolinda Fiction Historical Fiction Royalty War Scary Thought-Provoking

Critic reviews

"An enthralling adventure story, honest and powerful. The Wars of the Roses are imagined here with energy, with ferocity, with hunger to engage the [listener]." (Hilary Mantel)
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This book was interesting with a fascinating plot, fast paced and well researched - I could not put it down.

I found the battles scenes a little too long and gory but I got used to them in the end. This was all brought to life so brilliantly by the best of narrators. It will be a hard act to follows. Thank you.

A fantastic read

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AT last, a well written historical novel!

So many historical are full of cardboard characters and limited study of the periods when they are set that I had almost given up on this genre. Particularly when any part of the tale is written from a female perspective, many historical authors slip into slush Mills and Boon would retch at, or lose track of the facts of the time and try to move the setting to fairyland. This book is refreshingly different, with decent research on the era and the warfare of the times and the bonus of characters who seem human and believable.

The story is based on humble characters in difficult situations, solidly set in real historical settings with all the difficulties and hazards of day to day life and a mystery about a book which isn't solved. This underlying puzzle is not part of the dramatic story of the everyday dangers and compromises of a country in wartime, where social mores operate in favour of the powerful and not the ordinary people.

I was pretty happy with the narration too, with the exception of some irritating mispronunciations. The text is well handled and read with feeling, but not over dramatised.

Hope the rest of the series are of similar quality - this is certainly an encouraging start.

Ripping yarn!

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brilliant book and narrator enjoyed it very much, looking forward to the next ones to read

book

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What made the experience of listening to Winter Pilgrims the most enjoyable?

The story line was amazing it was projected from a different angle rather than the usual of Barons, lords and knights I've been reading audiobooks for over 30years firstly with my children in the car via cassettes then CDs now streaming I have to have my fix every day also due to an incident I listen to get to sleep due to tinnitus were I have it on a low volume to get to sleep. If there were oscar awards for audios this book would take the best in so many categories the teller has such a range and the villain of the book I have never hated a character so much all down to the Skills of Jack Hawkins and I I have a library of over 200 audio books some narrated by the very famous who could never sell characters as Jack has in this addition cannot wait to read more

What did you like best about this story?

The fulll Essenes of the period not just the perfect knights? I've enjoyed Chadwick, Young, Igolden mantel and many many more but non rech the descriptions within the Winter Pilgrim

Which character – as performed by Jack Hawkins – was your favourite?

All because of the diversity in Hawkins voice however from the start with the word "open the gate monk" I actually hated the character but wanted to listen to his voice more and more test I hated every vowel, plural and sylobol he pronounced (addictive)

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Endurance of the human spirit through the belief in the greater good?

Any additional comments?

I think I have tried to stay level-headed one of my first buys was lord of the rings in the 1970s many audiobooks have been a life line as I was badly injured in 96 causing hypaccussive and tinnitus problems whilst. Volunteering for the RNID I became an advocate (the first I believe as a therapist) for talking books my second by was how green was my Valley (being Welsh) now with a library in excess of 200 books I woluld rate this author in the top 5 leaning towards the top two he is brilliant however as a pensioner I have to be careful with the addiction at over £30 a pop is the only reason it is now prohibiting the habit as I have notice there is an extreme increase in prices over the last 12 months to two years perhaps publishers should listen to the metaphor "Less is more" especially when you are cultivating a following like myself who listen to more than 30hours per week not a month a weekHowever I still thank you for the drama skills and shear entertainment you bring to me daily looking forward to my next purchase with open Ears???Please edit or use anything from my feedback that may help promote Audio books they are better than any film

The Best

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this is poorly read and it takes a while to accept the narrator performance, who gives little or no feeling too the story

decent story poor performance

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