The Historian

By: Elizabeth Kostova

Narrated by: Justine Eyre, Paul Michael

Length: 26 hrs and 6 mins

Publisher's summary

Late one night, exploring her father's library, a young woman finds an ancient book and a cache of yellowing letters. The letters are all addressed to "My dear and unfortunate successor", and they plunge her into a world she never dreamed of: a labyrinth where the secrets of her father's past and her mother's mysterious fate connect to an inconceivable evil hidden in the depths of history.

The letters provide links to one of the darkest powers that humanity has ever known, and to a centuries-long quest to find the source of that darkness and wipe it out. It is a quest for the truth about Vlad the Impaler, the medieval ruler whose barbarous reign formed the basis of the legend of Dracula. Generations of historians have risked their reputations, their sanity, and even their lives to learn the truth about Vlad the Impaler and Dracula. Now one young woman must decide whether to take up this quest herself, to follow her father in a hunt that nearly brought him to ruin years ago, when he was a vibrant young scholar and her mother was still alive.

What does the legend of Vlad the Impaler have to do with the modern world? Is it possible that the Dracula of myth truly existed, and that he has lived on, century after century, pursuing his own unknowable ends? The answers to these questions cross time and borders, as first the father and then the daughter search for clues, from dusty Ivy League libraries to Istanbul, Budapest, and the depths of Eastern Europe. In city after city, in monasteries and archives, in letters and in secret conversations, the horrible truth emerges about Vlad the Impaler's dark reign, and about a time-defying pact that may have kept his awful work alive down through the ages.

©2005 Elizabeth Kostova. All Rights Reserved. (P)2005 Books on Tape

Critic reviews

• 2006 Book Sense Book of the Year, Adult Fiction

"A bloodthirsty delight....Both literary and scary, this one is guaranteed to keep one reading into the wee hours." (Booklist)
"Along with all the fascinating historical information, there's also a mounting casualty count, and the big showdown amps up the drama by pulling at the heartstrings at the same time it revels in the gruesome. Exotic locales, tantalizing history, a family legacy and a love of the bloodthirsty: it's hard to imagine that readers won't be bitten, too." (Publishers Weekly)
"The Historian is artfully constructed and atmospheric." (Washington Post Book World)

Very Entertaining

Not a vampire prototype. Great story well told with interesting narration. I may listen to it again.

You mean you did what/saw who?!?!

Would you listen to The Historian again? Why?

I originally read this book in paperback a few years ago and happened to be hunting randomly through Audible and stumbled upon it again, and remembered how much I enjoyed the storyline. Because it is such a large book, I hadn't had time to pick it back up and read it again, so I decided why not listen to it. And oh how it got better when someone else was reading it to me.

What did you like best about this story?

what was there not to like. The history of a man who was brutal in all of his actions and how a legend developed around him, no one knowing if he was myth or real. A man chasing this creature with only the words of his professor and the help of a beautiful woman who has her own hidden secrets to tend to. I absolute love this book and made me an instant fan of Elizabeth's'. as soon as I finished this book, I immediately turned around and bought her book Swan Thieves. What a talented woman she is.

What does Justine Eyre and Paul Michael bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I read it and I sound like me not the characters. When Justine and Paul read it, you get lost in their words in the feelings and emotions they provide to the words, to the thoughts, to the story. They did an unbelievably good job. They worked well together, their voices flowed not missing a beat. When I read I just read the words, I don't read the thoughts or feelings behind them, it felt like they were the characters, living the lives of the men and women that were involved in the chase.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

You only thought you knew who Dracula was! OR Who will knock first? You or Death? lol, this is why people are paid to make tag lines (people who are not me) :)

Any additional comments?

this book is great for those who know the Dracula story. this is an elaborate tale of one of the most brutal men in history and a chase that no one ever expected to find themselves on. Time wasn't on their side but knowledge and determination was, to find the truth and stop him in time to save themselves and the next potential victims of a mad tyrant. An amazing read.

Best Story, Best Narration, Best Audible Book

Best audible book in the catalog. Justine Eyre is unparalleled - first time I was a bit put off by her unique voice and diction, but now I hear her narrating my life, and it is wonderful. This is a fantastic story brought to life by an amazing cast - I have listened to the whole amazing Kostova story at least ten times, never gets old.

love this book

love this book even read it twice due to the complexity of it. love the relationship of it to history in Eastern Europe.

Great Story Telling

Story telling at it's best ... excellent twist on an old tell ... well done.

sooooo lonnnng

I personally struggled to finish. the story was engaging, but there was a lot of fluff to forward the plot.

Da Vinci Code Revisited

If you liked Da Vinci Code, you'll probably like this one. It's a bit confusing at first, with three (sometimes four) timelines intertwined. But once you figure out who's who and where, it all falls into place.

The negatives: There are some dry areas of quoted "research" and the epilogue is very disapppointing. It's contrived and seems unnecessary.

Perfect Narration

This is a fantastic, deeply engrossing story, and the narration was impressive. Both narrators did a wonderful job giving each character a unique voice and adeptly handled the different accents. I will definitely keep this book for future listening.

Loved it!!

I loved the story and the narration was great!! Really enjoyed that there were two narrators!

The Historian

Great book, but did not enjoy the female voice reader.
The book is very long and I know s lot needed to be explained but the letter reading was forever!