Company of Liars

By: Karen Maitland

Narrated by: David Thorpe

Length: 18 hrs and 46 mins

Publisher's summary

On this day of ill omen, plague makes its entrance. Within weeks, swathes of England will be darkened by death's shadow. While panic and suspicion flood the land, a small band of travelers comes together to outrun the breakdown in law and order.

But when one of their number is found hanging from a tree, the chilling discovery confirms that something more sinister than plague is in their midst. And as the runes warn of treachery, it appears no one is quite what they seem, least of all the child rune reader, who mercilessly compels each of her companions to tell their stories. And face the consequences...

©2008 Karen Maitland (P)2008 Oakhill Publishing Ltd

A teller of tales

This author is brilliant and has storytelling skills far beyond most. There are tales within tales in this book and characters you are not likely to forget soon. The one armed story teller is one, but there are more. This like all really good novels is a journey, ie; The Wizard of Oz. But this journey is through a plague ridden England in the 1300's. And no, it isn't a story about the plague. That would be everybody dies, horribly. The end. This is so much better. I listened to every word and couldn't get enough. I can only compare this book to Pillars of the earth by Ken Follett. This is a very high comparison as that is the best book I have ever downloaded and is of the same period as this. This book confirms my low opinion of the church though and I am sure not all feel the same. Some would be religious no matter how many they burned alive. I am ever amazed at that but that is not what the story is about. It is just part of what these travelers faced. One strange thing though is there are two copies of this on Audible. One is one hour less and costs two credits but can be bought for 34 bucks. The other is one hour longer with a different narrator for one credit or about 48 bucks. Both narrators sound good, so make your choice on how you are paying. The narrator on the one credit version is excellent though and would be hard to beat. Either way it is money well spent. Bravo

Throughly enjoyable!

This is the type of book that is best enjoyed as an audio book. The story consists of a lot of dialogue that is very well read and truly makes the story come alive!

Works for Me

I enjoyed this tale. No, it isn't really about the plague. It is about the mindset and ethos of Medieval England - the fears, the expectations, and the brute force of traveling through the English countryside.

The end was a bit abrupt, but seriously unexpected given the beginning. David Thorpe is wonderful. O, I am clergy. Being disliked goes with the territory I suppose.

Surprise Ending...

This book needs a sequel, If I was writing this book I would have written one. It was a little slow and hard to get into at the beginning. Once you get to know the characters the story flies. I would recommend this book it's worth the credit point.

Brilliant!

Brilliant!! It reminds me of the Canterbury Tales in that the author uses lets characters tell their own stories as they wonder in and out of the story. I really enjoyed watching Maitland weave her story, just delightful --- great dialog, rounded characters and lots of historical tidbits. And more than a few surprises!

So much superstition wrapped around religion-gone-vicious, so much poverty and illiteracy facing an unseen killer. Maitland does a great job of telling a can't-put-it-down story

David Thorpe delivers an excellent performance as narrator. First rate!

Great story - it will chill you to the bone

The story is set against a very bleak landscape and will chill you to the bone. It is a very long and at times slow moving story but realy worth the read. Looking forward to read more from Karen Maitland.

A Medieval Mystery Tour

If you could sum up Company of Liars in three words, what would they be?

Misfits, Mountebanks & Mystery,

What was one of the most memorable moments of Company of Liars?

The surprising identity of the protagonist.

Have you listened to any of David Thorpe’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Not sure

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

A fascinating tramp through Medieval England with a wandering band of outcasts. Memorable characters, fascinating times and everyone has a secret.

Spellbinding!

Outside of Umberto Eco, I've not read many contemporary works of fiction set in the Middle Ages in which the author has managed to create more than a caricature of the period and it's people. Karen Maitland's work, then, is exceptional. Like Medieval society itself, Company of Liars melds the harsh realities of the times with mystery and magic. David Thorpe's narration is splendid. Storytelling at its best, set in a time when storytelling was a much appreciated art. I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook.

I didn't see it coming-

I have read a lot of historical novels, a lot of mysteries, and yet this one really surprised me, not something easily done anymore. The characters, became people I cared about as the story unfolded. I didn't pick this book right away, because the plague years were so dismal, so grindingly awful, I did not want to go there. When I finally picked this one up, I was surprised at how much the author had been able to do with this subject.

New Classic

A journey of pilgrimage which draws the reader into stepping on the road with the company. There are the lovers, a nurse, the musicians, the crooked trader, the leader and the magical child.