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Hamlet, Prince of Denmark: A Novel
- Narrated by: Richard Armitage
- Length: 9 hrs and 40 mins
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Summary
It is a tale of ghosts, of madness, of revenge - of old alliances giving way to new intrigues. Denmark is changing, shaking off its medieval past. War with Norway is on the horizon. And Hamlet - son of the old king, nephew of the new - becomes increasingly entangled in a web of deception - and murder.
Struggling to find his place in this strange new order Hamlet tries to rekindle his relationship with Ophelia - the daughter of Elsinore’s cunning spy master, a man with plots of his own. Hamlet turns for advice and support to the one person he can trust -- Young Yorick, the slippery, unruly jester, whose father helped Hamlet through a difficult childhood. And all the while the armed forces of Fortinbras, prince of Norway, start to assemble, threatening to bring down Elsinore forever.
Beautifully performed by actor Richard Armitage ("Thorin Oakenshield" in the Hobbit films), Hamlet, Prince of Denmark takes Shakespeare’s original into unexpected realms, reinventing a story we thought we knew.
A. J. Hartley is the New York Times best-selling author of the Will Hawthorne fantasy series and several thrillers, as well as the Darwen Arkwright books for younger readers. He is the Russell Robinson Distinguished Professor of Shakespeare at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
David Hewson is the best-selling author of more than 20 novels, including the Nic Costa crime series and a trilogy of books based on the hit Danish television show The Killing. His most-recent novel, The House of Dolls, begins a new series set in Amsterdam.
Richard Armitage is known to movie audiences around the world as "Thorin Oakenshield" in the trilogy of films based on The Hobbit. Born in Leicester, England, and trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, Armitage has performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company, and created memorable roles on Robin Hood, North & South, and other British TV series.
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- bookylady
- 07-07-14
A compelling audiobook with a brilliant narrator.
What made the experience of listening to Hamlet, Prince of Denmark: A Novel the most enjoyable?
I listen to many audiobooks and this is amongst the best I have ever listened to. The range of voices and accents that Richard Armitage found for this story was amazing; even the female voices were interesting and believable. The humour and shades of light and dark were fascinating and mesmerising and the quality of the narration made this clever retelling of Hamlet truly memorable.
What was one of the most memorable moments of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark: A Novel?
It's hard to pick out just one moment but I think the section where Ophelia writes to her brother about the plot to kill Old Hamlet was very moving and Richard Armitage managed to convey the difficulty of her personal situation very skillfully.
Which scene did you most enjoy?
The whole fencing match scene between Hamlet and Laertes and the simultaneous poisoning and death of Gertrude was brilliant.
Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
I listened to the book during a 12 hour drive home from holiday and it had me gripped all the way. The story was dark, sad and moving but there were great moments of humour too. I laughed out loud at some of Yorricks' antics and cried (literally) with Gertrude and Ophelia's love and hopes/fears for Hamlet.
Any additional comments?
The afterword by the authors was a great addition. Really interesting information about the odyssey of Shakespeare's play and the history/myths behind it.
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- Miss J. King
- 18-11-14
Lovely Richard Armitage
What made the experience of listening to Hamlet, Prince of Denmark: A Novel the most enjoyable?
'Hamlet' is one of my favourites and read by my favourite actor.
Have you listened to any of Richard Armitage’s other performances? How does this one compare?
no but I will
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- Lizzie Webster
- 12-10-15
? A different Hamlet!
intriguing adaptation beautifully told by Richard Armitage. who's acting range is remarkable! i highly recommend this your time will not be wasted!
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- Candice
- 08-12-16
bring Shakespeare to life- again
This is the second time that I have read a Shakespeare a novel by AJ Hartley and it's phenominal. This is Shakespeare for the modern day, so it brings the play to life, it's well worth the read and essential to any library.
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- Ian Tomkins
- 06-03-24
Great narrator for an interesting story
Really enjoyed the narration. A different perspective on the normal retelling of Hamlet. Well worth a listen
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- ej
- 13-09-18
What an introduction to Shakespeare!
This was a thoroughly enjoyable story of intrigue, power, politics, love, and murder. I cannot recommend it highly enough. As a Shakespearean novice I was a little concerned it would be heavy going, and not be able to get into it. I needn’t have worried. The story itself is written so well, as if you are there in the castle of Elsinore witnessing events. At times exasperated with the characters, at others feeling their pain, not all is as black and white as it may seem. Surprisingly I found it quite comical too. Richard Armitage’s reading was absolutely flawless. Each accent perfectly representing the character. It was critical to feeling sympathy (or not) with the characters, of feeling the story. From the deep timbre of Claudius’ voice to Gertrude’s feminine one, Yoricks clown, or Fortinbras’ Norwegian one, ALL of them came alive. Thank you for such an enjoyable experience and, introducing me to Shakespeare in such an enjoyable a way!
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- Heinz57
- 20-08-20
Marvellous
Ordinary, I can't listen to Shakespeare without becoming confused. I know it is due to my small brain and I have always felt that Shakespeare needed to be deciphered before I could grasp it's meaning. Not so in this version. I think the authors have done a stellar job here and the overall production really brings it to life.
My only criticism is that whilst Mr Armitage's narration, overall is very enjoyable, some of his characterisations, particularly the females are a bit on the weak side. Some of the female speech reminded me of Margaret Thatcher and that's a spectre I'd rather not encounter again in any form. It is the only real distraction from this production otherwise, full marks.
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- RJ Williams
- 16-03-16
Fantastic
Really interesting interpretation. I want sure how well I would get on with someone basically rewriting Shakespeare, but this was a fantastic new insight into an old play.
Richard Armitage's narration is flawless. I could barely believe that he did all the voices for this. His range of accents and delivery gives each character it's own distinct voice.
Highly recommended.
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- vanessa
- 29-02-16
Enchanting
What did you like most about Hamlet, Prince of Denmark: A Novel?
Richard's narration of this famous novel is truly magical.The different use of voices really brings the story alive.
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- Ann
- 05-10-20
Excellent Retelling
I loved this retelling of Shakespeare's work...can I say, much more than I did when studying it at school. It was beautifully performed by Richard Armitage...a voice like silk moving in a breeze 😍. Would I recommend...definitely.
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