King Hereafter

By: Dorothy Dunnett

Narrated by: David Rintoul

Penguin presents the audiobook edition of King Hereafter by Dorothy Dunnett, read by David Rintoul.

It is the eleventh century, and Europe is full of young kings - some dreaming of new civilisation, some content to live as their forefathers have done, and all ceaselessly fighting, befriending or betraying one other.

Such is the world of the real Macbeth, part Christian, part Viking, who has the imagination and determination to move himself and his people out of a barbarian past and into flowering nationhood. In this brilliant recreation of his life we see him as a man of extraordinary courage, wit and skill - utterly self-reliant yet profoundly in love with woman he marries - a pirate of the sea yet a prince with the foresight and passion to set him apart from other men.

Critic reviews

A stunning revelation of the historical Macbeth, harsh and brutal and eloquent

One of the greatest tale-spinners since Dumas

The novel that Dunnett's readers have been hoping for. A brilliant pageant

An extraordinary feat of creative imagination

Splendid

The Real Macbeth?

It requires grit but so worth it! Grit because of the wealth of the historical political detail that brings 11thC Europe to life. A fascinating story, based on meticulous research of the real Macbeth and a heart wrenching romance.

A great story and a great performance.

The style of this book is a bit unusual, but with David Rintoul’s mesmerizing and raw narration, it pulls you straight into the oddness and harsh beauty of 11th-century Scotland. I’m not a native English speaker, yet I find this unique, beautiful style worth the attention and patience it demands.

The story itself is incredible, suspenseful, creative, and deeply engaging. I’m only at the 20% mark, but I already can’t recommend it enough. You feel it's Scotland, even though I've never been there.

There are multiple characters, locations, and relationships, and as in most books of this sort, readers might expect to find it hard to follow and keep up. Yet this author has a brilliant way of naturally reminding you of everything and keeping you in the story. It’s remarkable, and it is the first time I’ve ever encountered such skill.