Blood and Ink

By: DK Marley

Narrated by: Jon C. Dixon

Length: 17 hrs and 30 mins

Publisher's summary

In the tradition of The Marlowe Papers by Ros Barber, the debut historical fiction novel Blood and Ink tells the story of Christopher (Kit) Marlowe, the dark and brooding playwright of Queen Elizabeth's court. Marlowe sells his soul to gain the one thing he desires: to see his name immortalized.

Inspired at an early age on the banks of the Stour River, his passion for a goose quill and ink thrusts him into the labyrinth of England's underworld - a secret spy ring created by the Queen's spymaster, Sir Frances Walsingham. Kit suffers the whips and scorns of time as he witnesses the massacre of Paris, the hypocrisy of the church, the rejection from his 'dark lady', the theft of his identity as a playwright, and wrenching loss breathing life into many of his unforgettable characters.

As he sinks further into the clutches of Walsingham, a masque is written by his own hand to save his life from shadowing betrayers, from the Queen's own Star Chamber, and from the Jesuit assassins of Rome, thus sending him into exile and allowing an unknown actor from Stratford-upon-Avon, William Shakespeare, to step into his shoes. And so begins the lie; and yet, what will a man not do to regain his name?

©2010, 2018 D K Marley (P)2018 D K Marley

Good

This was the perfect narrator for Blood and Ink. This book was very well written and an enjoyable listen. I would recommend it

I loved every minute of it.

I just finished listening to the audible version of BLOOD AND INK, by DK Marley, acted by Jon Dixon.

The story follows Kit Marlowe’s life from a young boy with an invisible muse through a life of espionage in the service of the queen. The book suggests Marlowe was not killed in a bar fight but was hiding from Papists who wanted to kill him. While hiding, he wrote Shakespeare’s plays. Sonnets and play excerpts weaved throughout give legitimacy to the theory and make for an enjoyable read.

I said “acted by,” because Jon Dixon did so much more than simply read this book. With an impressive range of voices and accents, he performed each character with a distinctive air. The haughty voice of the queen, the snarly tone of the archbishop, and French, German, Italian and dozens of different English inflections make it hard to believe the book is narrated by only one person.

I loved every minute of it.

Brilliant story!

This novel is everything historical fiction should be. It successfully transport the listener back in time and makes one wish they could change the course of history. Characterizations are spot on and the prose is gorgeous. If you haven't considered before whether or not Christopher Marlowe wrote the works of Shakespeare, you will after listening to this.

I was impressed throughout this novel at the skill of the author in writing about two exceptional writers. How does one put the thoughts of Marlowe into words, words that sound like they could be his? I confess that I could not. Marley does a beautiful job of it, and Dixon is the ideal narrator for this story.

This is certainly a book that I will return to, either in print or to listen to this wonderful production again.

Great Story

This is a fictional bio of Christopher Marlowe, a boy genius who has often been linked with William Shakespeare. Born only a few months apart their lives entwined with both becoming famous playwrights for Queen Elizabeth I.
Kit (Christopher) sold to a benefactor is forced to become a spy in exchange for education and to someday become the Queens favorite.
Honestly what I knew of Marlowe came from Shakespeare In Love and I read a little about him in the middle of the book, just to know how accurate the book is. It's a wonderful story, especially is you love all the intrigue of the Elizabethan period.
The narrator has a great voice for the period speech. But here lies the problem for me, especially in the first half of the book, the voice, the speech put me to sleep. I'd have to actively listen or I'd get lost or nap. The back half there is a lot of drama and it isn't a problem.
It's a fantastic story and worth the extra effort.

Blood and Ink An exceptionally thought-provoking,

A thought-provoking, entertaining, very well-plotted book with an astounding cast of characters. The story line is exceptional and so is the very good narration.

Something Different

This book is the first piece of historical fiction that I have ever listened to. It was presented well and the book kept my attention. What a treat!

Beautiful

The author has great talent in painting a picture for your mind. Settings are superbly described, and the plot is engaging. Jon C. Dixon narrates masterfully.

Fantastic Story

I like the story very much, it is great written, so I really enjoy it, and the Narrator did also a great job, therefore I really enjoy each minute

Incredibly written

This book is incredible. The writing is clever, the story is captivating, and the characters are so realistic you really feel as though you've gotten to know them. I will absolutely be looking for other books by this author.

An Interesting New Take

An intriguing look into the character and development of one of history's most famous playwrights.