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The Heart of the Conqueror
- The Chronicles of Matilda, Lady of Flanders, Book 1
- Narrated by: Marnye Young
- Series: The Chronicles of Matilda, Lady of Flanders, Book 1
- Length: 18 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Categories: Literature & Fiction, Historical Fiction
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Summary
October 14, 1066. Two armies converge to decide the fate of England....
The most famous date in English history, when the might of the English Saxons faced the wrath of the Norman invasion. The man who stormed the sands of Sussex was William, bastard duke of Normany, the man they eventually came to call the Conqueror....
But the heart of the conqueror was Matilda, lady of Flanders and duchess of Normandy. At the side of the most famous warlord of history, Matilda worked, not as a quiet, modest wife, but as a leader...as a ruler just as ruthless as her husband. Under her soft mask of beauty and modesty there lay the heart of a woman powered by ambition. A woman who was strong, courageous, and devious....
Through the eyes of one of the most extraordinary women of history unfold the events leading to the invasion of England and the battle that would decide its fate....
This is the story of Matilda, lady of Flanders, duchess of Normandy, and queen of England.
Contains mature themes.
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What listeners say about The Heart of the Conqueror
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- starrysky
- 31-03-22
Never wanted it to finish
The very best book I have purchased for a long time. love Gemma Lawrence but this book held me from the start. can't wait to read the next book in this series. have already bought it. thanks Gemma.
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- Erika Faulkner
- 14-03-19
Obnoxious
This book was a ridiculous bodice-ripper. If you’d like to listen to constant descriptions of William and Matilda having rough sex, and hear Matilda refer to William as “my husband” in a smug tone over and over, than this book is for you. Matilda was written (and narrated) in such a conceited, haughty manner that I grew to wish the Saxons won in 1066. Garbage historical fiction.
33 people found this helpful
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- Suznmy
- 18-09-19
Porn
I was expecting a historical novel and what I got was basically porn. Even the reader sounds like she belongs in an X rated movie. Worst book I’ve ever gotten from audible.
13 people found this helpful
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- C Brown
- 04-02-19
Romance novel/Penthouse forum w/ historical drama
I love, LOVE, historical dramas. Poldark, Wolf Hall, etc. I’m half way through this book and i’m really starting to get annoyed. I get it. Matilda was BEAUTIFUL. She craved POWER. Got it. I bet there’s been at least 1 1/2 hours of the same narration over and over again. Matilda KNOWS she beautiful. Matilda likes rough sex with her husband. Over and over again. Matilda does not have an insecure bone in her body. She manipulates William through sex which is no surprise. I understand that in those times, the ruling elite were self important and arrogant. They believed they were superior to the little people because God “favored” them through birth. The story is getting monotonous. The sex scenes are becoming more and more as it seems the author is not creative enough to find a different storyline. I will finish the novel. If my opinion changes I’ll edit this review. But I’m becoming more disappointed with this novel as it progresses. It’s more romance novel and penthouse forum than historical drama.
27 people found this helpful
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- hawaiigirl
- 12-07-19
listen at 1.25 speed
The story is great, the book needed some serious editing. It is soooooo exhaustingly repetitive and the person reading the book overprounces everything. I found that listening at 1.25 speed helped a lot. If you can get through some of the annoying parts, the story is not bad, but I was rolling my eyes a lot when the sex scenes kept coming.
6 people found this helpful
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- M L
- 16-03-19
Well researched, lacks heart
I admire Matilda and have enjoyed reading about her for years. The author has done a wonderful job weaving an imagined tale containing authentic details of medieval life.
I loved the narrator’s voice. The tone and inflection was so arrogantly irritating I couldn’t complete the recorded version.
6 people found this helpful
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- Janet
- 24-11-18
Courageous Heart
LOVED how the author has uniquely shown how Matilda chose to marry William despite circumstances a bride todsy would find appalling! A new and fresh look at the first Queen of England and all her struggles and human qualities as well as the great liove she had for husband and her children. Look forward to a sequal.
10 people found this helpful
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- D. M. Mansfield
- 23-09-19
Good Lordy ....Royalty most bawdy
STORY: If I wasn’t such a medieval bookworm I would have stopped listening early on as the embellished coupling scenarios isn’t why I wanted to hear this book. I compare it to the comedian that tells potty jokes because they lack true comedic talent. The dates and players matched with my impression of who did what and when; yes, but ... that is all I gleaned from this book. PERFORMANCE: Narrator was overly haughty and spoke like a middle aged prude, so the intimate encounters where really quite funny. OVERALL: A shallow story that benefited from true historical facts.
4 people found this helpful
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- Mary-Anne
- 08-04-19
Probably a good story but.....
The narrator of this book has or has effected the most annoying “upper class” accent I’ve ever heard. I managed to limp through the first hour or so in the hope the story would overtake the narration. But eventually another 16 hours of her was just too much & I dumped it.
6 people found this helpful
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- sandra k thompson
- 05-12-18
loved it
what a wonderful story looking forward to the second book in the series . you should definitely read this
9 people found this helpful
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- Reademandweep
- 29-04-20
Godawful Narration, Repetitive scenes, Pathetic.
I am a huge English history buff and a historical fiction fan as well. I know the difference and good historical fiction can tell more about history than a list of dates.. The Best of the best ones include recorded incidents but embellish with elements of living that were historically true of the time and could have been specifically true to this story.
This book is none of those things. It’s weak Storytelling with passages repeated over and over again (to increase the word count?).
All of that might have been acceptable but the reader is so terrible it wouldn’t matter anyway.. This is one of the worst narrations I’ve ever heard. The strange, affected accent she chose sounds like a child trying to imitate a queen. Nobody talks like that. It’s terrible acting, terrible reading and a terrible decision to use this reader.
I gave it the best I could but honestly, three chapters in and I just can’t take it anymore.
Terrible. What a waste.
2 people found this helpful