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Act of Oblivion
- Narrated by: Tim McInnerny
- Length: 15 hrs and 42 mins
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Act of Oblivion
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Summary
Brought to you by Penguin.
'From what is it they flee?'
He took a while to reply. By the time he spoke the men had gone inside. He said quietly, 'They killed the King.'
1660, General Edward Whalley and Colonel William Goffe, father- and son-in-law, cross the Atlantic. They are on the run and wanted for the murder of Charles I. Under the provisions of the Act of Oblivion, they have been found guilty in absentia of high treason.
In London, Richard Nayler, secretary of the regicide committee of the Privy Council, is tasked with tracking down the fugitives. He'll stop at nothing until the two men are brought to justice. A reward of £100 hangs over their heads—for their capture, dead or alive.
Act of Oblivion is an epic journey across continents and a chase like no other.
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Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kindle Customer
- 07-09-22
Challenging Our Views
Buy this title. I was hopeful of this novel after my great disappointment with both ‘The Second Sleep’ and the modest step forward with ‘V2’. I was additionally hopeful of the light the novel would shine on the regicides that haunt Susanna Gregory’s Thomas Chaloner series of novels set in the Restoration period, that I am part-way through. I was more than amply rewarded. The novel is considerably and wonderfully better than the previous two, and does not disappoint. This is not a straightforward novel and has a complexity that is involving; prompting reflection and questions in the listener or the reader. There is in this novel the ‘standard’ Robert Harris in his clear, confident exposition and pace of what you take to be a pursued/pursuer tale with its ins and outs - then you are taken by surprise. That pace changes and becomes all the more thoughtful, and reflective. The device Harris uses to do this makes full sense. Harris is canny enough to vary the locations of the plot in pursuance of the Act. My attention was broken a few times when I questioned ‘is that right?’, and ‘where did that come from?’. The final chapters give resolution, but lasting little comfort, save hope. How else would it have been? As an adventure story there is more than enough for Royalist or Puritan sympthathisers to be content. I am unclear about similarities with the present, saving the cruel simplicity of opposed, monochrome views. I thought I knew enough about this period of our British history. This novel was a wonderful alterative and certainly lays bare the fact that nothing at that time was simple or sure. Harris, by the way, must have enjoyed his Bible hunts for the telling quotes that the novel’s characters are guided and shaped by. And also his final instruction to us in the text. (What an oddity. I did as I was told.) The audiobook is exceptionally fine and clear in Tim McInnerny’s interpretation. There is consistency of tone and the pace that well matches the plot. In terms of voice characterisations they are well done, save that the regicide hunter Nayler is rendered with a voice that whilst soft it too often sounds something ghoul-like. (A leaning to Major Arnold Ernst Toht of ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’?) I think this robs away from any complexity in the character. Also the character Whalley’s, Nottinghamshire voice sounds nearer to Birmingham, but what do I know about regional accent variation over time? These are minor considerations, however. All prospective listeners will be able to select this title with full confidence.
53 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Kez
- 13-09-22
An entertaining historical thriller
It is 1660 and General Edward Whalley and his son in law Colonel William Goffe cross the Atlantic to Massachusetts, they are on the run, they are wanted for murder, they killed the King. The King they killed was Charles I and they are being hunted under the provisions of the Act of Oblivion. In London Richard Nayler, secretary of the regicide committee of the Privy Council, is given the task of tracking them down.
The 1660 Act of Oblivion was an order given in the aftermath of the fall of the English Commonwealth. It pardoned all those who took up arms against the king except those directly involved in his execution. By 1660 most of those regicides were dead, Cromwell himself had died two years previously. Colonel Edward Whalley however, a cousin and childhood friend of Cromwell and Colonel Will Goffe are not.
Richard Harris’ novel is a fictitious account of the hunt for Whaley and Goffe, however apart from Richard Nayler most of the other characters in this account are factual which adds authenticity to the story. It’s an epic story covering continents and twenty years, it takes in the Great Plague, the Fire of London, and with flashbacks, the English Civil War. It is meticulous in detail and is well researched. But despite the scale Harris manages to portray a deeply personal story too, he does this by populating his novel with strong well defined characters, I felt both empathy and sympathy for the two fugitives and also for Richard Nayler. Harris also paints a vivid picture of 17th century London and Massachusetts. The descriptions of some of the executions are particularly graphic and harrowing.
Act of Oblivion is a highly entertaining and engaging historical thriller. Placing his fictitious account of the hunt within a accurate historical framework is the main reason for this, it feels, as I have said, authentic and if you wish to separate the fiction from the factual Harris provides further reading at the end of the book.
20 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- E P
- 11-09-22
Harris on the top of his form
This is a great listen; Harris is back on form, with no disrespect to his recent books, but this is in a class of its own. A powerful adventure story set against a shrewd assessment of the later civil war period. The complex nature of the Army debates and the decision to put the King on Trial are explained in a way many history books fail. We meet many historical figures, including Cromwell and Downing of Downing Street fame. The narrator Tim McInnerny is pitch-perfect on accent and the flow of seventeen century
12 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kirstine
- 06-09-22
Excellent once one gets into the story
The beginning of the recording is a bit off-putting as a long list of characters, many unfamiliar are listed. The narrative takes a while to get going but soon becomes a gripping cat and mouse story as the newly ascendant people in power, after the restoration of Charles II, engage in a relentless pursuit of those who signed the death warrant for Charles I. An engaging mix of act and fiction abled narrated.
11 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- eduardo
- 10-09-22
Fascinating book, brilliantly read
Anyone who has an interest in the English civil war will be fascinated by this exciting story of the hunt for the regicides after the Restoration. Robert Harris also brings out a lot of modern lessons and parallels. Tim McInnerney does a first rate job so all the stars from me.
10 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Gordon Barclay
- 05-09-22
How does Robert Harris keep doing it?
Another extraordinary, gripping novel from Harris. He has a knack of giving the reader a convincing feeling of time and place. Great characters. And brilliantly read.
6 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Fiona Hope
- 04-10-22
A not well known piece of history illuminated.
I am a fan of Robert Harris and enjoy his weaving of history into his novels. While it is an interesting story, very well constructed and written, it is not his best work. An Officer and a Spy being my favourite.
It does beautifully frame the evil cunning of the zealot righteous in the form of Mr Naylor with the humanity, profound belief and devotion, however misplaced, of common folk and soldiers in the form of Whalley and Goffe.
A performance by Tim McInnerney which brings the story to life as you listen.
4 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 16-09-22
Incredible saga
I found this book at times thrilling other times repetitive and longwinded. The writing, the details and the research are very admiral. The narrator is entertaining despite the story being a bit of a slog.
4 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- PDS
- 12-09-22
Absolutely fantastic - stunning
This is riveting thriller from start to finish - a manhunt across the world it brings characters and events to life. I connected to the past it a deep and profound way. A very enjoyable read!
4 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Steve Mike
- 10-05-23
Nearly great but not quite
The narration is excellent but the story labours. Just when you start to get interested it slows and never really catches alight
3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- anders
- 28-05-23
Thrilling
A very suspense and action filled book. A good reader. Got me interested in this particular chapter of English and American history
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- HEATHER DAY
- 19-11-22
Thrilling!
What a great book. I am a fan of Robert Harris anyway, but this is one of his best books. The characters are wonderful and the historical research obviously was thorough. Tim McInnerny’s narration is skilful and defines each character well.