The Dream Hunter

By: Laura Kinsale

Narrated by: Nicholas Boulton

Length: 12 hrs and 46 mins

Publisher's summary

To love him is to face her deepest fear...

In search of a legendary mare, Lord Winter enters the crucible of the red sands, forging unbreakable bonds of loyalty and trust with his young companion in the desert. But hidden beneath the ragged costume of a Bedouin boy is a remarkable young woman: Zenia Stanhope, daughter of the extraordinary Queen of the Desert.

Zenia wants nothing of the danger that Lord Winter lives for. She wants only to reach England, far from the blood and sand of the desert. But in one night of terror, condemned to death, their lives are irrevocably bound. Zenia escapes to an English world of elegance and comfort, leaving behind the lonely, fearless man who has changed her life and conquered her heart... until he returns to invade her sanctuary.

Now she must choose between safety and love, but can she find the courage to be the person she was truly born to be?

©1994, 2013 Hedgehog Inc (P)2013 Hedgehog Inc

Thrilling, Brilliantly Captivating…Gripping!

The Dream Hunter by Laura Kinsale deserves another standing ovation. This is my second selection (The Prince of Midnight being first) by this amazing author. She is a master story teller, able to completely captivate and grip you; taking you right into her story’s wild tale. Move over the thrills-and-spills of “Indiana Jones”…The story of Arden and Zenia is every bit as action packed. The romance is steamy, crippling and healing all at once. You will not be able to put this book down.

I am in awe of Laura’s beautiful use of the English language. The scenes are vivid, and rich with color. You can feel, smell and taste the heat, the sand, the sweat and grit. Her characters are among the most developed and memorable that I have had the pleasure to read.

Nicholas Boulton has got to be the most outstanding narrator of all time. I have a few favorites, and they are each very special…but Nicholas has a voice to absolutely LOVE. His rich baritone voice is mesmerizing. Couple his tone with his many accents, and languages and you have nothing less than perfection!
This is a must listen...Absolutely Credit Worthy!

really good

i dont normally read period romances but a good story is a good story, very meaty and intense, will def get another book by this author.

Repeatable

Love the narrator! Really enjoyed the story. got a little slow as we worked through Zanias “issues” but overall, magical transportation. So glad for the historical note at the end! Added dynamic info, wish it had been at the beginning.

Good book. Made better by excellent narrator.

I like this author’s writing style.
She gives detailed insight into both hero and heroine which is lacking in so many other love stories. Many good romance novels could be even better if the author had revealed the thoughts and emotions of both main characters.
The narrator is truly amazing. He brings the story to life. He could probably read a cookbook and make it sound intriguing.

This one needs to be purchased not just rented...

I recently discovered the amazing pairing of talent of author and narrator as a suggestion for audible escape. This was the 3rd book I've now fallen in love with. Even though they were included with the monthly subscription it was not enough. i had to add them permanently to my library because they will be listened to over and over.

Kinsale's heroines always are hard to like for me. But each time I go through their journey I find they are the most real female minds I've ever read. I connect with them even as I don't like them. Their heros are always the perfect mix of masculine bravdo and hero and human beings wanting love just as much as i...i mean the heroine's. 10 years ago before I discovered the love of my life I may not have appreciated her works. but after so many ups and downs in my own drama and crazy brain- its like I'm there...somehow coaching her on to just keep trying and find her way to realize just how much he loves her.

Thank you, Laura for sharing your talent and heart and even though I will never meet you- kinship.

Wonderful heroes, maddening heroines

Now having listened to three Laura Kinsale novels, all narrated by the same narrator, I feel somewhat of an expert on her plots and characters. There are many things I enjoy about her books - she is a very vivid writer, and is good at coming up with plots that aren't as formulaic as some in this genre. Her male protagonists are, for lack of a better word, magnificent. Brooding, handsome, intelligent, sardonic, emotional, seeking a different sort of woman from those who usually throw themselves at him. They go through a pretty big change in the course of the book. Her female protagonists, on the other hand, drive me crazy. I appreciate that they each have their own singular beauty, and are courageous and daring - most of the time. But at other times, they are whiny, stubborn, and willfully blind to the love that these admittedly flawed men are trying to give to them, ascribing to a goal or purpose that makes them repeatedly reject what is offered to them. Toward the end of the book I'm saying, "You are a stupid woman" often to the woman who, yet again, will not take what is offered to her. I'm not sure if I will listen to another Laura Kinsale. I am interested in whether it might be the narrator - who is outstanding when portraying the male character - who is feeding my bias, or if those who have read her books feel the same antipathy toward the female character.

Love in anguish

Laura Kinsale knows how to build a character, strong, free spirited, and emotionally screwed up. Nicholas Boulton narrative is spot on, he brings the characters emotional mess to life. This story went somewhere that my mind has not planned, and I like that. Be it the 18th, or the 21st century, people have been screwed up for a long time. This story is a not so smooth journey through the land mines and emotional road blocks that people put up against getting hurt, and the anguish of not knowing how to get the love they desire. I love this author, and this narrator, you will enjoy this to the very end and then be a little sad when it is done.

My favorite Kinsale of all!

It's strange to read some of the reviews on this site and realize that this -- my favorite of all Laura Kinsale's books -- is not universally adored. The sticking point among reviewers seems to be the deeply damaged and, yes, flawed heroine, who apparently doesn't launch a strong enough (or soon enough) battle against her demons. For me, however, Kinsale takes a character that literally has no chance of ever being anything but a complete mess and walks her -- and the rest of us -- through an amazing adventure in conquering fears. (So MANY fears!) Kinsale's male heroes always come in damaged and flawed, as well, and it's amazing how little help (beyond some physical lifting) the Arden character manages in this story. And, yet, chapter by chapter, these two people keep pulling each other along until you can truly see the changes they make -- and come to believe that they are changes that will stick. (On the narrator, Nicholas Bolton is simply the best there is. Lawyers and rich old English bats are two of his specialties. He never does one that I don't end up laughing out loud. Happily, this story has a number of both!)

wonderful

another great Laura Kinsale narrated by incredibly sexy Nicholas Boulton. I would highly recommend to historical fans.

Great plot

Overall excellent but the author sometimes makes it difficult to understand what's going on by leaving out big chunks of information, Suspense is great, but complete incomprehension not so much!