Hamlet, Prince of Denmark: A Novel

By: A. J. Hartley, David Hewson

Narrated by: Richard Armitage

It is a tale of ghosts, of madness, of revenge - of old alliances giving way to new intrigues. Denmark is changing, shaking off its medieval past. War with Norway is on the horizon. And Hamlet - son of the old king, nephew of the new - becomes increasingly entangled in a web of deception - and murder.

Struggling to find his place in this strange new order Hamlet tries to rekindle his relationship with Ophelia - the daughter of Elsinore’s cunning spy master, a man with plots of his own. Hamlet turns for advice and support to the one person he can trust -- Young Yorick, the slippery, unruly jester, whose father helped Hamlet through a difficult childhood. And all the while the armed forces of Fortinbras, prince of Norway, start to assemble, threatening to bring down Elsinore forever.

Beautifully performed by actor Richard Armitage ("Thorin Oakenshield" in the Hobbit films), Hamlet, Prince of Denmark takes Shakespeare’s original into unexpected realms, reinventing a story we thought we knew.

A. J. Hartley is the New York Times best-selling author of the Will Hawthorne fantasy series and several thrillers, as well as the Darwen Arkwright books for younger readers. He is the Russell Robinson Distinguished Professor of Shakespeare at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

David Hewson is the best-selling author of more than 20 novels, including the Nic Costa crime series and a trilogy of books based on the hit Danish television show The Killing. His most-recent novel, The House of Dolls, begins a new series set in Amsterdam.

Richard Armitage is known to movie audiences around the world as "Thorin Oakenshield" in the trilogy of films based on The Hobbit. Born in Leicester, England, and trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, Armitage has performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company, and created memorable roles on Robin Hood, North & South, and other British TV series.

©2014 A.J. Hartley, David Hewson (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"It's a fresh, contemporary take on Shakespeare's tragedy, one not afraid to create new characters or cut long soliloquies. We get a noirish Hamlet, who, when asked by Laertes if he's ready to fence, blurts out: 'I've been ready all my life.'" ( Associated Press)

"English literature teachers worried about getting pupils entranced by Shakespeare should plug them in to this imaginative gloss on Hamlet before starting on the real thing. Hobbit-fanciers will rejoice to find that Richard “Thorin Oakenshield” Armitage is an outstandingly versatile narrator. This is the one of the most powerful listening experiences that I’ve had." ( The Times London)

"Armitage is amazing. He's more than a simple reader, showing himself as a gifted actor. He gives distinct life to each of the many characters in the tragedy, making it easy to follow the story. You can actually close your eyes and listen to the work and imagine the scenes unfolding, thanks to Armitage's acting skills." ( AudioFile)

Hartley and Hewson have done it again!

Any additional comments?

A. J. Harley has once again masterfully added flesh and sinew to a Shakespeare tragedy, this time bringing the story of Hamlet to life. Those who have succeeded in reading the original may not appreciate Hartley's work. But for those of us who, despite our desire, have been unable to overcome the difficulty inherent in reading Shakespeare's Hamlet, Hartley and Hewson have given us a wonderful gift. And Richard Armitage was an awesome pick for narration.

I am a novice of "The Bard"

Where does Hamlet, Prince of Denmark: A Novel rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I must admit, initially I purchased this book due narrator and the first chapter, I enjoyed "The Voice" more than the novel. I stopped listening until I felt I could listen to the story. I began listening from the beginning once again and I quickly got over "The Voice" and pretty much listened straight through. Now I want to read or listen to the original version of Hamlet. Mr. Armitage gave a wonderful performance but in the end I truly enjoyed the novel more. Having the authors explain how and why they came up with the idea of the novel, was icing on the extraordinary cake.

What other book might you compare Hamlet, Prince of Denmark: A Novel to and why?

In the past I have read or listened to David Baldacci, John Sanford, J. D. Robb, Lee Child and a great deal of non fiction. This novel has all the elements of a great suspense/thriller novel and I would and will recommend to all my friends that have similar taste in reading/listening choices.

Have you listened to any of Richard Armitage’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No, this my first, only because I wasn't sure of female voices and "The Voice". I am pleasantly surprised.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Once I began listening to the story and not the narrator, that's pretty much what I did. Our daughter is an adult and she visits often, but I am no longer a full time, hands on Mom. My time is my own!

Any additional comments?

Now I have to listen to these authors interpretation of Macbeth!

Exceptional

It's not Shakespeare and it's not Hamlet, but it has all the great plots, subplots, and tragedy of Shakespeare in the prose of a novel with all the characters of Hamlet in a parallelish story. When it started I was not sure, but then I shortly found myself all caught up in it. The narration is amazing and really makes it an exceptional listen.

An Entertaining Take On An Enduring Classic

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, it gives additional depth to a centuries old classic tale.

What did you like best about this story?

I enjoyed the Yorick character.

Which scene was your favorite?

Hard to say, the encounter with the pirates perhaps.

Any additional comments?

First class performance by Richard Armitage.

A great & moving version of Hamlet

I was unable to put down this audiobook. The underlying book is very moving, it follows the Shakespeare version well, if not perfectly, but fills in the context, or an imagined context, both historical & with respect the the relationships between the characters. It does all this without the Elizabethan language that can mar Hamlet, the play, to the untutored ear. All this gives the audiobook great narrative power. The narration gives it some more. You shouldn't avoid going to the play itself because in the hands of a good group it too has great narrative power, but I loved this audio version just the same. I have already downloaded the Macbeth the Novel availability on audible.

Loved it.

Never could get through much Shakespeare, but knew I should. This novelization was easy to listen to and compelling end to end.

Wonderful story

Makes Hamlet more accessible. Especially for those uninterested in wading through Shakespeare's dated language, obscure references & terse poetry.

The ghost in your ear

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, anyone who's enjoyed the original play (or maybe found it daunting--as it is!) will like this adaptation. It's as if backstories of all the characters (and a few more added judiciously) enliven the events as we're used to seeing them performed. It supplements the play well.

What other book might you compare Hamlet, Prince of Denmark: A Novel to and why?

Hard to do this. Perhaps one of Beckett or T.S. Eliot's characters? The existentialist turn as one of the authors notes in the afterword colors our reaction to Hamlet. But this adaptation attempts to flesh out the earlier folio form of the play, and to reveal motivations that in the play as we know it might have been overshadowed. Maybe Oedipus in his haunted torment?

What does Richard Armitage bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

He handles the range of accents well. An added character, a Scot, allows him to try out one in particular. His women are a bit strained as he delivers their dialogue, but that reflects their tension, for all involved here are uneasy, rattled, paranoid, and grasping as the case may be.

If you could rename Hamlet, Prince of Denmark: A Novel, what would you call it?

The ghost in your ear--a phrase uttered by a particularly apt character. It fits perfectly.

Any additional comments?

Avoid finding out any spoilers. The fun of this adaptation is listening to how much with which you are familiar, and then how the authors and performer enliven and enrich the potential within the minds of many characters. Some ingenious dramatizations and elaborations will follow, and the authors and performer understand this very daunting and sometimes still enigmatic drama well. It's clever without being cute, and it's an intelligent interpretation.

Good Production

This was a "hard to listen to" book. If not for the narrator, Richard Armitage, I doubt that I would have finished. I bought this on the strength of the ratings, and they were not wrong... The writers infused more action into the storyline and gave me more understanding of Shakespeare's version. But it wasn't a fun listen. Then again, the play by Shakespeare wasn't "fun" either.

Shakespeare improved

What did you love best about Hamlet, Prince of Denmark: A Novel?

I have never been a big Shakespeare fan. The language is too difficult for me to get past. This brought the story to life and made me want to read more.

What did you like best about this story?

Good read. You can't go wrong with Hamlet as long as you keep the original in mind.

Which character – as performed by Richard Armitage – was your favorite?

The jester.

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

Hamlet: The original brought to life with modern language