The Prime Minister

The problem alluded to by other reviews appears to've been corrected, as I heard the complete novel. The incomparable Timothy West illuminates Trollope's prose in such a way that makes the experience of listening to it far more rewarding than silent reading ever could.

they have "escalated this to the Audio Bug Department to be corrected, and will continue to monitor it's status. Depending upon the extent of the audio problem, we may be able to resolve this issue internally within about 2 weeks, however if we have to request a new copy of the title this may delay the time until it is resolved.

In the mean time, if you prefer not to wait until the file is repaired, please let us know and we will be able to remove the book from your library and issue you a full refund. " (call 1-888-283-5051 or email Customer Service)

Let's hope that it's fixed soon!

This should have been a good book and the first 14 hours really were, with an interesting villain and some political & social maneuverings by old friends from the earlier Palliser novels. But honestly, everything was settled and finished after 14 hours, and there 7 hours left to go. Trollope's heroines do sometimes get tedious with their insistence on morbid self-punishment but this heroine takes the cake. She goes on and on until no one in the book cares any longer what happens to her and we readers stopped caring way before that. It seems like Trollope couldn't stop dragging it out. Indeed, the book doesn't really end. It just peters away from exhaustion.

That said, Simon Vance does a great reading. He has a deep and delicious voice perfect for Victorian novels, and distinguishes his various characters' voices and accents with a light but effective touch.

I was very disappointed in this purchase of The Prime Minister. The audio is only a small part of the novel and yet I was charged full price. That is why I give it only one star. However, Timothy West is an excellent reader, if only he were reading the entire novel. Previously I have purchased and downloaded all of the audiobooks of Anthony Trollope. Many of them last more than twenty hours reading time and they were not sold in small parcels of the book. I hope that Audible will remedy this.

This is not the complete book; rather, it is less than 1/3. I am addicted to the Palliser series as read by Timothy West, and was extremely disappointed when I got to the end of the 5-hour file sold by Audible and the book was abruptly cut off in the middle of a scene. Further research confirmed that the complete book is at least three times longer.


I hope that Audible will fix this soon, since Trollope as read by Timothy West is a pure delight. Audible, while you are at it, please add the The Duke's Children, the last book in the series!! And please let us know when you will be providing us with the rest of the book that we purchased!!!

The narration of this wonderful book by Timothy West is simply superb. Because he is so obviously absorbed in the story and the characters, the whole experience is rich and authentic. Timothy is such a consumate actor that he sweeps the listener into Trollope's world. Simply sublime! Interesting insight into the isolation of the lonely and self-doubting leader. This is a fascinating installment in this brilliant and engrossing series. Emily's resistance became a little tiresome but Trollope was probably endeavouring to protect the honour of his heroine. What a marvellous team: Timothy and Trollope! This series is pure bliss!

Timothy West does a brilliant job of bringing this book to life. Experienced no problems with the download that previous listeners have experienced.

This sprawling novel follows two main plots and sets of characters. Previous readers of the Palliser novels find Plantagenet Palliser, now Duke of Omnium and a member of the House of Lords, inveigled into becoming prime minister of an unstable coalition government. Meanwhile his wife, the inimitable Glencora, decides to reinvent herself as a grand political hostess, to her husband's exasperation and ultimate misfortune.

The second plot strand follows the story of Ferdinand Lopez, one of Trollope's most memorable villains. When Lopez courts Emily Wharton, her barrister father initially forbids the marriage to a "greasy Portuguese, probably a Jew", and indulges in one of the memorably xenophobic outbursts in the annals of fiction. Emily accuses her father of prejudice and eventually wins the right to marry Lopez; yet despite his racism, her father turns out to have been right about Lopez's character and motives. Trollope is always a keen observer of human psychology, and in Lopez he presents an extraordinary portrait of a narcissistic personality, who over the course of the novel subjects his wife and her father to escalating psychological abuse, while piece by piece losing his own grip on reality. When Lopez decides to enter politics as a liberal candidate, and is encouraged by the meddling Glencora Palliser, the two plot lines converge in a scandal which threatens to bring down Palliser's government.

I adore Trollope, and the Palliser novels are among the jewels in his crown. The Prime Minister contains some thrilling moments, but is a little marred by the last section of the book. After Lopez's death, which is surely one of the highpoints of the novel, the widowed Emily struggles to re-establish herself. As always, Trollope is psychologically spot on when he describes the victim mentality she has developed as a result of her husband's psychological abuse; but listening to her droning on about how she deserved the way she was treated becomes terribly tedious when repeated in chapter after chapter. Lopez might have been a bad egg, but he made the plot go like a firecracker when he was onstage, and without him, the storyline can't but suffer the loss. The political sections are amongst the best in these novels, but again, the most exciting bits occur earlier, and the last section altogether feels as if, like the coalition government, it is running out of steam. For this reason, I am only giving four stars instead of five to the actual story, but it's still a great listen, and no one can read these books quite like the incredible Timothy West.

I liked the Plantagenet Palliser storyline in that people today must deal with decisions regarding life quality versus job prestige.
I was a bit disappointed with the Ferdinand Lopez storyline. I really did not feel that it was characteristic of that type of character to choose that way of ending life. I think that he would more convincingly have taken some others with him.
Nevertheless, as always, a very entertaining book! Well read by Timothy West.

Trollope's fifth of the Palliser Novels surely must have served as inspiration for Downton Abbey. The truly noble sensibilities of the Prime Minister (The Duke of Omnium) and of his bright and charming, but not always appropriately sedate wife, Lady Glencora, remind the reader of the main characters in Downton Abbey.

Timothy West makes all the characters, the ones you love and the ones you hate, real. This is one of those books whose spirit permeates the way you feel about your day! It also leads you to take up activities that will allow you to keep listening!

Readers of The Prime Minister will want to go back to the first Palliser Novel, Can You Forgive Her?, and become acquainted with the engaging cast of characters who move in and out of the series.

About 4 hours and 30 minutes into Part 3, there is an eloquent statement by the Duke about why he has remained a liberal in Parliament.

Trollope improves the way I think, and the way I talk. He writes the best letters for his characters to send (though not especially in The Prime Minister).