Hamlet’s Father

By: Orson Scott Card

Narrated by: Stefan Rudnicki

We all know Shakespeare’s classic ghost story—the young prince Hamlet’s dead father appears to him, demanding vengeance upon Hamlet’s uncle Claudius, who has usurped the throne and, to add insult to injury, married Hamlet’s mother.

The young prince dithers and delays, coming up with excuse after excuse to postpone his vengeance—but not for the reason Shakespeare told us. It is instead because Hamlet keeps discovering evidence that things are not quite what they seem in the kingdom of Denmark—and never have been throughout his life.

Once you’ve experienced Orson Scott Card’s revelatory version of the story, Shakespeare’s play will be much more fun to watch—because you’ll know what’s really going on.

©2008 Orson Scott Card (P)2012 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“Card’s prose is powerful.” ( Publishers Weekly)

unneeded and boring

I am not sure that Hamlet needed a retailing. Making his father a pedophile and some of the other characters homosexual must have seen like justification to Card given his personal beliefs. I definitely struggle to finish this novelette.

really good and I learned a lot

I actually did not know the story of Hamlet however I know of an omelet so I thought it would be fun to listen to this audiobook. I really enjoyed it, I actually learned a lot and it was of course very well written and narrated.

TRIGGER ALERT FOR THIS BOOK

I love everything by Card. This one doesn't disappoint. There are triggering topics, though. A truly creative take on Hamlet with all of the Card dialogue and philosophical thought that you expect from Card.

makes sense

What made the experience of listening to Hamlet’s Father the most enjoyable?

Brilliant! Finally this strange old tragedy started make sense. Finally there is a certain "rhyme and reason" to the behavior of one of the most famous heroes in dramatic history - Hamlet. Till today it always baffled me, why Hamlet has been so wildly popular through the centuries. Probably it has been touching the same backstory in our subconcsious that OSCard tries to bring forward. Hearing it has been intellectually very satisfying, thank you!

Oh Snap!

Time to reread Hamlet proper. OSC's style with a story shines through. Rudnicki's deliver is satin as usual.

Caught me by surprise

Did not expect that ending. The usual greatness of Orson Scott Card. It could have been longer but that’s just me being greedy.

Fun listen, but too divergent from the original.

As always, great narration. As a student of the Bard, I was a bit taken aback by the changes in plotline, but I was entertained.

Hamlet's Father

I didn't expect this ending. I enjoyed the story. I listened to the audio book version and found it to be interesting and entertaining.

Okay that was something

That was something. That was something. It was quite fittingly Shakespearean. It was subtle. It was jarring. It was well done. I am still in shock. Oh god.

Wonderful Retelling of a Shakespeare Classic

Well written. Timeless Tale adaptation. Plain language and easily understood without Dumbing-down the Original Story.