Rise to Power

The David Chronicles, Volume 1

By: Uvi Poznansky

Narrated by: David George

Length: 7 hrs and 38 mins

Publisher's summary

Here is the story of David as you have never heard it before: from the king himself, telling the unofficial version, the one he never allowed his court scribes to recount. Rooted in ancient lore, his is a surprisingly modern memoir.

Notorious for his contradictions, David is seen by others as a gifted court entertainer, a successful captain in Saul’s army, a cunning fugitive, a traitor leading a gang of felons, and a ruthless raider of neighboring towns who leaves no witnesses behind. But how does he see himself, during this first phase of his life?

With his hands stained with blood, can he find an inner balance between conflicting drives: his ambition for the crown, his determination to survive the conflict with Saul, and his longing for purity, for a touch of the divine, as expressed so lyrically in his psalms?

If you like ancient historical fiction about court intrigue, this king David novel has a modern twist like no book you have read before.

©2013 Uvi Poznansky (P)2014 Uvi Poznansky

Impressive achievement

Where does Rise to Power rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This is one of the best realised audiobooks I've listened to so far.

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

This is the first time I've listened to a performance by David George. I think his presence is excellent and he makes a great success of bringing out the passion and intrigue of Uvi Poznansky's great writing.

Any additional comments?

The story of David, known by many only for the killing of Goliath, offers a rich source for mythological storytelling that has appealed to writers, poets, playwrights and filmmakers. Uvi Poznansky joins this select group by offering a new perspective, one infused with her acute artistic sensibility. Writing from the point of view of David himself, she presents a portrait of a man consumed by passions he will perhaps never be able to fully control and imagines in superb detail much that is absent from the historical record. This is not the expected picture of the biblical King but one that brings out the whole man, good and bad. ‘Rise To Power’, the first volume of a three book series, is an impressive achievement and one that leaves no doubt that the remaining books in the series will be at the top of your reading list.

Masterful Adaptation of an Old Testament Story

"Rise to Power" is beautifully written, emotionally engaging, thought-provoking and very interesting. David George is a great narrator: emotional and engaging. His delivery is smooth and presented at the perfect pace, making the story easy to follow and easy to enjoy.

Uvi Poznansky's adaptation of a familiar story from the Old Testament is unique and feels very modern. From the very first line of the prologue, the story drew me in, partly because of the masterful use of the first person by the author, and partly because of her engaging writing style. The scene of King David as a prisoner trying to escape and tell his story to liberate his soul is compelling and highly readable.

And then the story gets even better. Like all Uvi Poznansky’s books, this one has crisp and engaging dialogue, well-drawn characters and a unique plot. It was interesting for me to hear about the events from King David’s perspective and trace his journey from childhood to maturity and right into today’s time, making the story relevant and engaging for today’s readers. In this story, King David is not a mythical hero – he comes across as a real person, imperfect, flawed, and experiencing conflicting emotions – and that makes him so much more relatable, and his story – so much more compelling. A great story narrated perfectly by David George! Five stars.

Engrossing, Personable, and Poetic

This is the second book of Uvi's I've read and I enjoyed it. First, I'd like to say that the audio version is incredible and the narrator excellent. He truly did a wonderful job telling this story.

I am not well versed in the bible and did not really know the story of David. So this story was like reading any other historical fiction, but so much better.

The story begins with David ill and dying. As he fades away, losing his kingdom, he tells the story of his life. It is an interesting and well told story. It was history told in a modern way, which made it so easy to understand. There were no complicated words to look up or try to understand. It was all very straight forward. It made the flow of the story seamless.

David grew up with a struggle but a lot of smarts or luck on his side. As much trouble as he found, he seems to have weaseled his way out of it all. I was completely engrossed once David began to tell his story, and found his story telling to be personable and poetic.

If you like historical fiction and great story telling, I recommend this book to you.

A Fantastic Twist on a Familiar Biblical Tale

What made the experience of listening to Rise to Power the most enjoyable?

Hearing Uvi's gorgeous prose read, with great depth and feeling by the narrator, David George

What was one of the most memorable moments of Rise to Power?

David's introduction to King Saul, and his desperation to carve our a place for himself. It's very compelling.

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

He brings life and depth to the characters. It IS there on the page, but hearing it, with the emotions brought out, lends a whole new dimension to the story.

Who was the most memorable character of Rise to Power and why?

David himself. Seeing a completely different side to him from the David we know in the Bible was fascinating - but also completely believable.

Any additional comments?

This is my original review of the story:

Uvi Posnznsky's "Rise To Power" follows in the style of previous stories (her tale of Job's wife in "Twisted" and her retelling of the story of Jacob and Esau in "A Favorite Son"), taking a well-known Biblical tale and examining it through a modern lens. And like those previous stories, she has created a compelling book that can't be put down.

"Rise to Power" chronicles exactly that: David's rise from obscurity to the throne of Israel. All the elements of the Biblical story are here, and the beautiful psalms and songs of David, but the author gives us a look behind them to the human beings who lived and struggled to create them. It's a fascinating approach, and it makes a distant age more accessible to modern readers.

Like her other works, the use of language in "Rise to Power" is simply beautiful - the author's artistic training shows through in the way she carefully uses words to paint images and draw forth emotion. It's simply a pleasure to read Uvi Poznansky's prose.

I'd highly recommend this book, and I'm looking forward to the next book - "A Peek at Bathsheba".

Tomorrow's Literary Classic - Today!

What did you like about this audiobook?

Uvi Poznansky's lyrical writing pulled me into this historic story with such power, realism, and poetry that I was immediately drawn into the scenes. I felt immersed in the battles and drenched in my enemies blood. I felt myself swagger over the battlefields in armor and helmet, carrying a spear, exultant in anticipated victory. But that was just one of the aspects of this tale. More than anything, I was deeply intrenched in David's mind and thought processes throughout the entire story. What a ride!

How has the book increased your interest in the subject matter?

Frankly, I've never been interested in this type of story - historical, biblical, drama or epic tales. I am a passionate fan of mysteries and suspense, mostly in the current day. But when another book is written by this outstanding author, I would definitely read or listen again!

Does the author present information in a way that is interesting and insightful, and if so, how does he achieve this?

Interesting - absolutely! Insightful - almost frighteningly so. How this author puts herself in the mind of such a man astonishes me. Her ability to think and speak like a man -- and a man living many centuries ago -- was formidable. Ms. Poznansky portrayed David's inner thoughts better than most men of this generation could possibly have done. Kudos!

What did you find wrong about the narrator's performance?

Nothing - this narrator was outstanding and on target. His voice changed and matured as the character aged. I loved his interpretation of each character, and his amazing range of voices was delightful. I'd listen to him read the newspaper, to tell the truth. Great job, Mr. George. I do wish, however, that my daughter (Melanie Lazar Carbonneau) had written the music for the song that was performed over and over again ("Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands..") I think she could have provided a more interesting musical theme!

Do you have any additional comments?

I am often reluctant to read or listen outside of my normal, very predictable genre. But I'm glad I did. I can see this book (and others written by Ms. Poznansky) offered in the future as classic literature in future writing or reading classes. Truly, I think this book will become a global classic. Thank you, Ms. Poznansky, for taking such care with your writing and production. This was a stellar production.

Spend some quality time with a Biblical hero

What made the experience of listening to Rise to Power the most enjoyable?

I loved listening to Rise of Power. The match of narrator to text was perfect for this wonderful book. The narrator got the nuances of the Biblical David precisely as one would most like to hear them. A reader can suspend disbelief and feel that David is telling his story.

What did you like best about this story?

This story delivers great insight into the life and time of David. The intimacy evoked by the combination of author and narrator weaves a potent spell. The tale took me to the Biblical world in all its color, danger, and grandeur.

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

David George's narration is gritty and knowledgeable, smooth and yet prickly. He sounds as if he allows the characters to inhabit him and use his voice.

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

David...the Untold Story.

Fabulous!

What made the experience of listening to Rise to Power the most enjoyable?

Uvi Poznansky combined her superb knowledge of Biblical history and her amazing sense of humor to create David’s story. In Rise to Power, David is looking back on his life and telling not only his story, but how he thought and felt at the time.
Because Rise to Power is told in first person by the protagonist, David, his-story literally comes to life!

What did you like best about this story?

With David at the center during a time of war and constant upheaval for the people, his story, as written through Poznansky and narrated by George, made me laugh out loud more times than I could count. Rise to Power in many ways, makes sense of some of the difficult to understand and nonlinear parts of the Bible.

What about David George’s performance did you like?

George was expressive, articulate, and engaging. Very professional - serious when he should be and appropriately amused when called for.

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

I would have liked to listen to Rise to Power for it's entirety but did it over a few nights.

Any additional comments?

Of all the audiobooks I've listened to thus far, Rise to Power has been my favorite.

Sherri Christian

Great listen

This is not the type of book I would normally listen too but if found it very good good.

Uvi has brought David to life in the story.

David George's rendition of the book is great.

A must listen to book

King Davids Memoirs for the Modern Age Vol 1

Rise to Power: The David Chronicles, Volume 1 by Uvi Poznansky. The narration is provided by David George. Many people that know nothing of religion know of the tale of David and Goliath. This is that David. This is the man in his elders years remembering his life and how he came to power. For those that fear an audiobook preaching religion to them, this performance is not that. This is more of a modern re-telling as David recounts his life and deeds. Told in Ms. Poznansky’s beautiful lyrical prose that flows amazingly from the narrator.

King David recounts his youthful days in the court of King Saul through his Rise to Power told only the amazing way the Ms. Poznansky can tell a story. Ms. Pozanansky has taken a basis in biblical fact and tradition and expanded it into a greater story. Enriching the world and characters by filling in gaps in the biblical narrative. This story held my attention through the entire performance. I was very familiar with the story of David but still was highly entertained and enjoyed the way David characters complex personality and his internal struggle with himself and others are portrayed. The narration by Mr. George was simply outstanding. His characters were enjoyable and his David was amazing. Mr. George made changes in David’s voicing as he ages that was subtle but showed a truly impressive attention to detail. The audiobook was produced by Ms. Uvi Poznansky. The entire production was crisp and clear through the entire performance. I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

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Not Quite the Story You Remember from Bible School

In this unorthodox and thoroughly entertaining story, Uvi Poznansky tells the early story of the biblical David and his time in the service of King Saul. Told by David himself, in his own words, the story peels away the gloss and glory recorded by the historians who wrote the Bible and reveals the main characters in this saga as he saw them, with all their warts and wantonness.
Poznansky's Saul is spoiled, jealous and more than a little crazy and her David is a sharp witted, often self-depreciating schemer, determined to fulfill the prophet's predictions for his destiny. The story covers the early days from his arrival in Saul's court to his first meeting with Bathsheba.
A riveting story masterfully read by David George, Rise to Power will give you hours of entertainment and forever change your view of the story of two of the pivotal characters in the Old Testament.