Hamlet, Prince of Denmark: A Novel

By: A. J. Hartley, David Hewson

Narrated by: Richard Armitage

Length: 9 hrs and 40 mins

Publisher's 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.

©2014 A.J. Hartley, David Hewson (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"It's a fresh, contemporary take on Shakespeare's tragedy, one not afraid to create new characters or cut long soliloquies. We get a noirish Hamlet, who, when asked by Laertes if he's ready to fence, blurts out: 'I've been ready all my life.'" ( Associated Press)

"English literature teachers worried about getting pupils entranced by Shakespeare should plug them in to this imaginative gloss on Hamlet before starting on the real thing. Hobbit-fanciers will rejoice to find that Richard “Thorin Oakenshield” Armitage is an outstandingly versatile narrator. This is the one of the most powerful listening experiences that I’ve had." ( The Times London)

"Armitage is amazing. He's more than a simple reader, showing himself as a gifted actor. He gives distinct life to each of the many characters in the tragedy, making it easy to follow the story. You can actually close your eyes and listen to the work and imagine the scenes unfolding, thanks to Armitage's acting skills." ( AudioFile)

awesome. stellar story

I'd give it 6 stars if I could. What an intrigingly different views- loved it!!!

a great listen and well written

love the direction this story, inspired, has taken! Well worth the investment of time irregardless if you have heard Shakespeare's rendition or not. For the young and uninitiated. Or those who cant stand the thou, thee, and thus. This is the book for you.

brilliant

captivating and kept me interested the entire book, glad I purchased this one, I do recommend.

New villains and some traditional ones.

On some lingering questions, answers given. I don't like that shortshrift is given to the BEST bromance in all of literature: Horatio and Hamlet.

A rich, dark, and textured experience

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Absolutely. It was exquisitely read, and an interesting and classy take on this brilliant classic. I am often leery of adaptations, but this maintained the power of the original while bringing a fresh perspective to the work.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Yorick - for the poignant humor he brought to the story, and for being a social outsider on the whole affair which allowed me to see the story through new eyes.

What does Richard Armitage bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

He gives each of the characters a distinct voice, and each voice is deeply compelling. I purchased this audiobook because when I listened to the sample it gave me scalp tingles. Armitage is a masterful reader who clearly understands the motivations and personalities of the characters. I sincerely hope he will do more audiobooks in the future.

Who was the most memorable character of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark: A Novel and why?

Ophelia - I was impressed with the depth, complexity, and strength that this novel gave to her character, and I will never see her the same way again.

Hamlet, an adventure

What a great story ! Who would have thought of Hamlet, Shakespearian drama and tragedy, as an adventure story ?! Addictive listening, excellent plotting, and absolutely stellar narration. Every audio fan should have this in their library. FYI, probably not suitable for family listening, there is a fair amount of sex and violence, not to mention an intricate plot and a lot of characters.

A SUPERB EXPERIENCE IN EVERY WAY

I will admit that Hamlet is my favorite Shakespearean play and the idea of this book didn't sound appealing when I first heard about it. But, because I love the play so much and the narrations of Richard Armitage, I gave it a try and I couldn't have been more pleasantly surprised.

In a word, this novel is EXCELLENT. It doesn't change any of Shakespeare's plot but it does offer a tremendous amount of added depth to the story and to the characters. For example, we get a glimpse into the depths of Ophelia's despair and depression so when her story is completed, we have a better understanding of what happened.

The authors have done a masterful job of giving new life to well-known and much beloved material. This was a stunning and wonderful listening experience...which brings me to Richard Armitage, the book's narrator.

Mr. Armitage is a fantastic narrator and I'm a fan of all the books he has read. But this could be the jewel in his crown. He does such a superlative job reading this dense, complex novel. The listener never gets confused, despite the myriad number of characters and accents required of the narrator. It is a phenomenal performance, one of the best I've ever heard in any genre.

Thank you, Audible, for commissioning this novel. It was truly an exceptional listening experience.

An Old and New Melancholy Friend

Planning to see Benedict Cumberbatch in a live from London movie theater presentation of Hamlet, I decided that a refresher was in order. As I listened I began to realize that this was not a simple retelling of the play.

As is explained in an afterword by the authors, they used a very clever device to turn soliloquy into dialogue. It works marvelously for me. Character development is well maintained. Intrigue is retained and action developed.

I highly recommend this, but beware the student who reads this and
expects to do well on an English test about the play!

A nice surprise

I heard good things about the story but was haunted by Shakespeare’s ghost from high school. Richard Armitage reading was what tempted me to bite the bullet, finally give in and get it. They payoff was worth it. Wonderfully entertaining story and Richard Armitage...win/win.

Worth the time!

A great adventure with ingenious devices and plot twists. Listen even if you're a purist-- it's familiar and original!