Macbeth: A Novel

By: A. J. Hartley, David Hewson

Narrated by: Alan Cumming

Length: 9 hrs and 43 mins

Publisher's summary

Macbeth: A Novel brings the intricacy and grit of the historical thriller to Shakespeare’s tale of political intrigue, treachery, and murder. In this full-length novel written exclusively for audio, authors A. J. Hartley and David Hewson rethink literature’s most infamous married couple, grounding them in a medieval Scotland whose military and political upheavals are as stark and dramatic as the landscape on which they are played.

Macbeth is a war hero and a patriot, doing everything in his power to hold together Duncan’s crumbling kingdom, which is beset by sedition from within and with threats from overseas. But when Duncan, contrary to ancient Scottish tradition, turns to building a family dynasty instead of rewarding those who have borne the brunt of the fighting, Macbeth and his powerful wife, Skena, make plans of their own, plans designed to hold both the nation and their strained relationship together. Sinister figures who claim supernatural knowledge spur them on, but the terrible outcome is as much about accident and failure as it is malevolence. Soon Macbeth and his wife find themselves preeminent in all the land, but struggling to hold themselves and their country together as former friends turn into bitter and deadly enemies.

This is Macbeth as you have not heard it before: fresh, edgy, and vital. It is a story of valor in battle, whispering in shadows, witchcraft in the hollows of an ancient landscape, and the desperate struggle of flawed people to do what they think is right.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

A. J. Hartley, a professor of Shakespeare at the Univ. of North Carolina-Charlotte, is the author of the “Will Hawthorne” fantasy series as well as several thrillers.
David Hewson is the best-selling author of 16 novels, including the Rome-based “Nic Costa” crime series.

ABOUT THE NARRATOR

Alan Cumming stars in CBS's The Good Wife, for which he received an Emmy nomination, and is the host of PBS’s Masterpiece Mystery. He was honored with the 2011 Audie Award for Best Male Narrator.

The Irish folk song “She Moved Through the Fair” is performed by Heather O'Neil of the Irish Repertory Theater.

©2011 A.J. Hartley, David Hewson (P)2011 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

“Not only is the novel an amplification of Shakespeare's famous tragedy, but it also fills in many of the gaps and gives a new perspective on Macbeth….Alan Cumming reads in a luscious Scottish brogue, which adds authenticity to the narration. His subtle changes of voice for different characters provide a full cast for this story of ambition and hubris. This is a wonderful novel of the human condition, read with ardor and enthusiasm.” ( AudioFile)

Expanded Tragedy

Rather than a direct translation of Shakespeare, the authors have done what he did: tell the most exciting bits and make it relevant to the audience of the day. If I have any criticism of Shakespeare's work, it's that many of his stories are told in fast forward. Such is the nature of a stage play. In this case, the story is expanded so as to tell what a stage play cannot, delving deeper into character that dialogue can, and depicting battles that might otherwise get glossed over. The result is a wonderfully told story of which I daresay the bard would approve.

Another point worth mentioning: the biggest issue I have with modern performances of Shakespeare is the incessant need to modernize the story and take characters out of their historical context. This version places the story in Medieval Scotland and makes it feel real. There is a verisimilitude to it that draws you in and makes you believe it.

The narration by Alan Cummings is, as always, a top notch performance, so much so that it seems criminal to call it a narration. The man is a master of his craft, serving the story in ways that need to be experienced.

You may be surprised, but not disappointed

If you could sum up Macbeth: A Novel in three words, what would they be?

Action. Treachery. Ruin.

What did you like best about this story?

The heavy testosterone kept it interesting and exciting.

Which character – as performed by the narrators – was your favorite?

It's a toss up between Macbeth and Banquo--they seemed so alive in the narrative.. It's embarassing to say it, but I think today they's be described as "hot."

Who was the most memorable character of Macbeth: A Novel and why?

Macbeth's wife is incredibly supportive of her husband and wise to the ways of the world. The relationship had a very modern feel to it. But like him, she was not meant to cross the the line of morality.

Any additional comments?

It's generally hard for me to relate to Shakespeare in the way that the audiences of his time would have heard and understood-and enjoyed- the story.. This version felt film-like. I could virtually "see" and understand the characters -- the influences, the decisions, and consequences and how these things affected the characters. All in all, so well done I could hardly put it down.

Too much!!!

Fell far short of "Hamlet". Very disappointed. Seemed to be too much of everything except truth or anything worth remembering. Certainly hard to ever listen again!

Worth every cent!

So this book actually got me back into Shakespeare. After reading the middle to modern English plays in high school I was a little hesitant in purchasing. I did though, and don't regret it one bit. My attention was kept through this audio book, the narrator is quite good. I recommend this.

Great Entrance into Audible Shakespeare.

What did you love best about Macbeth: A Novel?

This novel gave us all the intrigue, romance, torment, politics, obsession and passion without the difficult Elizabethan English and challenging dialogue in the original language of Shakespeare. It was well written by Shakespearian authorities and gave us the important and poignant lessons of the original. Bravo to Hartley and Hewson and we cry for more translation of the beloved playwright.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Macbeth: A Novel?

The vivid and terrifying images of “three sisters” will haunt me.

Which character – as performed by the narrators – was your favorite?

The performance and narration of the key character, Macbeth, in his thoughts, his transparency and his goodness gone bad was captivating in ways that few novels can.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

As Macbeth and his wife take the plunge together into murder and despair one is chilled to the bone of how such good can succumb to such evil on in the name of what is good and right. Can anyone escape this flaw in the human condition? This novel keeps us ever before the axiom: “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” I recently heard the King Maker and political advisor, Karl Rove, say that he learned more about politics studying Shakespeare than he did in all the Poli-Sci classes combined in his education.

Excellent

Amazing story, well written piece of art. Extremely glad I bought this and well worth all the time I've invested into it. It was extremely hard to put it down I had to finish listening to it. It was just that good, I couldn't put it down.

Mac Beth understood

I loved this story.MacBeth characters now seem real to me not metaphors. It is an easy read.

Shakespeare made accessible

These authors have done an incredible job at making Shakespeare accessible to just about anybody. There were times when I struggled a little bit to understand what was being implied, but for the most part, this was utterly engrossing and rewarding to listen to. Amazing amazing narration.

Macbeth Done Right

Even though I was an English major, I never learned to enjoy Shakespeare. I trace back this distaste to my time in college when I took the mandatory course in college taught by this person who had the strangest Maryland/West Virginia accent. As she spoke, she liberally sprinkled the "R" consonant in any word she chose. Being forced to listen to her recite Sir "Garwin" and the Green Knights and "Bearwolf" was excruciating. I avoided Shakespeare since then and will admit I lost out in discovering the rich plot and sub plots Macbeth had to offer its reader.

Macbeth: A Novel, made this story come alive for me. And having it read by a Scotsman - that was brilliant. Through his brogue, I felt the fog. I shivered in the cold mornings and squinted through the dusk right alongside the characters. The complex relationships between the protagonists and the antagonists made sense. This book may rankle the more delicate senses of Shakespearan purists, but I loved it. I was the perfect audience for writing style.

Next winter, I'm going to turn off the heat, burn some candles and light a fire in my fireplace as I listen to this again.

Excellent.

Really enjoyed the story in this format. The narrator's accent and expressive voice brought you to Scotland and put you right there in the middle of it all.