• The Bishop's Heir

  • The Histories of King Kelson, Book 1
  • By: Katherine Kurtz
  • Narrated by: Nick Sullivan
  • Length: 13 hrs and 49 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (191 ratings)

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The Bishop's Heir  By  cover art

The Bishop's Heir

By: Katherine Kurtz
Narrated by: Nick Sullivan
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Publisher's summary

Once again, the Kingdom of Gwynedd under young King Kelson found itself facing the horror of war between the Church and the Deryni. As the Pretender Queen plotted to free Meara from Gwynedd's control, and the ex-Archbishop hatched a devious plan, it looked like the peace of Gwynedd was to be a thing of the past.
©1987 Katherine Kurtz (P)2009 Audible, Inc.

What listeners say about The Bishop's Heir

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

At last in audio, but this narrator isn't the best

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Yes, with reservations about the narration in particular. Also, by today's standards, the story might be considered a bit stilted, but these have been favorites of mine since they were first published, and they are good tales, with fine characters and a lot of excellent research behind them.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Hard to choose. Kelson, of course; Dhugal has a great role here. Saying more could be a spoiler.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Nick Sullivan?

Simon Vance, John Lee, Dick Hill, many others. Anyone who can do different voices well and who knows how to sound like a Highlander. Nick Sullivan over-enunciates often; seems to have made some particularly odd choices for voices for some of the characters - Alaric Morgan's deep voice is awkward and flattened, Bishop Arilan sounds quavery when he's young and active; didn't do his homework about the Latin words; and is especially awful with the Highland accent.

Did The Bishop's Heir inspire you to do anything?

I like to think I'll buy the rest of this trilogy, but I really get annoyed at Nick Sullivan's reading.

Any additional comments?

Thanks for getting these books into audio.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars

A good book ruined

I've read this book and all of Kurtz's Deryni books many times. This narrator could easily ruin it for me. He o-ver e-nun-ci-ates, which would be good for some readers, I guess, but not for me.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Good book; terrible reading

I've been a lifelong fan of Katherine Kurtz's Deryni novels, so I was excited to try the audio version of this first book in her "Histories of King Kelson" series. Unfortunately, the reading by Nick Sullivan was very nearly intolerable. In the course of this book, he badly overenunciates, pronounces both Latin and Scots-equivalent words incorrectly, and even makes mistakes in which accent goes with which character. The worst, in my opinion, though, is the awful, growly voice he chooses for the crucial character of Morgan. I simply goggle at the fact that the rest of this series is also read by him. What a travesty!

Nonetheless, I love her work so well that I am willing to listen through the other books... But only if I can get my library to stock them, so I don't have to pay more of my own good money in order to get to the last and most recent book in the series, "The Bride of King Kelson," which I haven't yet read. I must say, I will feel a bit guilty at recommending them to my library, though, as terrible as the reading is. :( Still, for those who cannot read with their eyes, a bad performance of her books is still probably better than no performance at all.

Buyer beware.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Not the best narrator

One of my absolute favorite books growing up. But, the audible version leaves a lot to be desired, IMO. The narrator has a flat, almost monotonous voice, and even mixed up names and voices towards the end.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

narrator ruined this for me

Loved narration on prior books, not this. This is terrible. Getting kindle for remaining books.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent Story

This mythology created by Kurtz is both entertaining and enthralling. I continue to enjoy it even in the 2nd and third readings.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

King Kelson must squash a rebellion, part one

Originally posted at Fantasy Literature.

The Bishop’s Heir is the first book in Katherine Kurtz’s trilogy called THE HISTORIES OF KING KELSON but it’s a direct sequel to High Deryni, the third book in her CHRONICLES OF DERYNI trilogy. (Did you get that?) To get the most out of The Bishop’s Heir, you really need to read THE CHRONICLES OF DERYNI first. This review of The Bishop’s Heir will contain a couple of spoilers for the original trilogy.

King Kelson’s battle with the church is over… or so he thinks. Archbishop Loris, the man responsible for the Church’s persecution of the Deryni and for the excommunication of Morgan and Duncan, Kelson’s trusted advisors, has been sent to live out the rest of his life in confinement. Kelson, Morgan, and Duncan should now be free to run the country with the help of a Church led by more tolerant clergy. However, trouble is brewing in Meara, a district of Gwynedd that used to be a sovereign nation. A descendant of Meara’s royal ruling family is eager to make herself queen and is fomenting rebellion against King Kelson. She finds eager allies with those of the clergy who are unhappy with Kelson’s Deryni heritage and the way he treated Archbishop Loris.

By the time Kelson discovers what’s going on, the Mearan conspiracy is well under way. In their efforts to thwart the rebels, Kelson et al. take some major hits. There are battles, assassination attempts, kidnappings, daring escapes and rescues, and brutal murders.
This time they are aided by Dhugal MacArdry, a young border lord who was fostered with Kelson when they were boys. At first Dhugal is just what he seems — a young man who loves his clan and who Kelson can trust — but it gradually becomes clear that Dhugal is more than he seems, something that surprises him just as much as it surprises everyone else. Other new characters include a love interest for Kelson. At the end, tragedy strikes, both personal and political. I’m interested to find out what happens next.

Readers who have enjoyed the DERYNI novels so far will probably be pleased with The Bishop’s Heir. There is plenty of action and political intrigue, though I admit that I zoned out during the numerous liturgical ceremonies in this novel. These, with accompanying chanting and reciting and feasting, go on far too long and I just can’t imagine anybody enjoying them. Similarly, the scenes in which Kelson or Morgan is delving into someone’s mind (usually Dhugal’s) are likewise long and dull.

Another complaint is that there are a couple of major events — Kelson’s romance and a discovery and confession made by Duncan — which could have been used for an enormous emotional impact but which fell a little flat. Still, there is plenty of emotional resonance in The Bishop’s Heir and it will no doubt carry over to the next novel, The King’s Justice.

Nick Sullivan narrates Audible Studio’s version of The King’s Bishop. This is a change for the series; Jeff Woodman narrated the first trilogy. I was a little disappointed because I really loved Woodman’s performance and I had gotten used to his voices for the characters, but Nick Sullivan did a fine job. I don’t think he’s quite as good as Woodman, but I quickly adapted and ended up enjoying his performance. The audio version is 14 hours long.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Narrator ruined a great story

I cannot understand how a narrator could be chosen who has not read the story. The narrator of the 1st 3 books was fantastic. This guy can't even pronounce Deryni correctly! Arilan is made to sound like an old man while only two years older than the last book of the previous series. A book wherein the author makes a point of his youth. Why would you not listen to the previous narration to get a feel for the characters? I love these books but I can't bring myself to buy the next two.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Return to a childhood favorite

I read this book back when they first were published. It has been fun to return to these characters and stories after all these years. Even better that it was via an audible audiobook.

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Couldn't finish because of the narrator

I purchased this book despite the other reviews regarding the narrator. I love this series but but had to return it because I cannot stand the narrator. Why would they use someone with a deep voice for a king who is 14 or 15 years old? Sadly, I had to return the book because I could not get past the narrator's flat inflection.

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