Ross Poldark

A Novel of Cornwall, 1783-1787

By: Winston Graham

Narrated by: Oliver Hembrough

Length: 14 hrs and 27 mins

Publisher's Summary

Ross Poldark is a heartwarming, gripping, and utterly entertaining saga that brings to life an unforgettable cast of characters and one of the greatest love stories of our age.

Ross Poldark returns to Cornwall from war, looking forward to a joyful homecoming with his family and his beloved Elizabeth. But instead, he discovers that his father has died, his home is overrun by livestock and drunken servants, and Elizabeth, having believed Ross dead, is now engaged to his cousin. Ross must start over, building a completely new path for his life, one that takes him in exciting and unexpected directions....

Thus begins an intricately plotted story spanning loves, lives, and generations. The Poldark series is the masterwork of Winston Graham, who evoked the period and people like only he could, and created a world of rich and poor, loss and love, that listeners will not soon forget.

©2009 Winston Graham (P)2015 Random House Audio

Critic Reviews

"Narrator Oliver Hembrough's plethora of accents and voices captures the diverse characters and vivid atmosphere of this rich family saga.... Variations in Hembrough’s cadence and pitch enhance the drama of the story, creating an intriguing listen for lovers of historical fiction and romance." (AudioFile)

Hats off to the Screenwriters and Actors

If you could sum up Ross Poldark in three words, what would they be?

Human and a Rock

What did you like best about this story?

The real world ups and downs of the people in this novel. We all have lived a life of good and bad times. Lost love. Family we may or may not get alone with. You can relate to the story and the people in it.

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

I have not and I did enjoy his voice. That is important for an audio book. I will look for him in future.

If you could take any character from Ross Poldark out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Ross Poldark

Any additional comments?

I must say well done to the Screenwriters and Actors who have put the novels in a nutshell and given us all of the people, places and inter thoughts of each person for us to see and love on our TV screen. I love the books and I love the TV show from the 70's and the current one on PBS 2015.

At last!

If you could sum up Ross Poldark in three words, what would they be?

Loved these books since the first airing of Poldark in the 70's. Glad to see them finally made into audiobooks. The reading is well done although I was hoping for Aidan Turner or Jim Dale.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Ross Poldark?

Ross' first visit to Trenwith is so beautifully done. We learn a lot about each character in this scene-Verity's kindness and loyalty, the weakness in both Francis and Elizabeth, the roughness of Charles and the unsympathetic coldness of Mrs. Chynoweth.

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

No. He does a fine job.

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

Again in the opening scene. Although he has been delivered a horrendous blow, Ross still manages a toast. In this scene, I see him rising above the pettiness around him. He is already becoming a hero of extraordinary fiber.

Any additional comments?

Where are the rest!!??

Loved this book, I look forward to the rest in the series!

Having just finished watching the new Poldark series on TV, I thought that the books may be worth a read & so I purchased this audiobook. I have not been disappointed, I thought enjoyed listening to it & have already bought book 2. The narration was easy to listen to & before I knew it the book had finished. I highly recommend this series, my only concern is that the books are
only now being made into audiobooks & I just hope that there isn't too long a wait for the rest of the series to become available.

If you love the TV show, read the book!

Ross Poldark is a veteran of the American Revolution. He returns home to Cornwall to find his father dead, his home in ruins, and his beloved Elizabeth married to another. Yes, if you've seen Masterpiece Theater you know how this all turns out. But the book is richer and much more textured than the TV series. There are numerous incidents in the book that don't appear on TV. And Jud and Prudie are much more comical.

Oliver Hembrough's narration is witty and understated, using a variety of accents to help convey each character. There were a couple of glitches in the actual recording, but that's on the editor, not Hembrough. I'm seriously looking forward to the next book in the series.

Simply Fantastic!

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

I would recommend this audiobook to a friend without hesitation. I came to the book Poldark via the highly successful remake of the TV series on BBC. I got the book at the library but it's long and didn't get much of it read. I was so glad to see it available in audiobook form. The TV series was amazing but the book is so much richer and detailed adding depth to the brilliant story and characters. I haven't enjoyed a book as much in years! And that's saying something.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Ross Poldark?

When Ross and Demelza realise their attraction and get it together so to speak. It's lovely. Romantic without being frilly and OTT. Down to earth but with just enough emotion. Wonderful. Makes the book accessible to both sexes in my opinion.

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

Ugh I just looooooooved what Oliver Hembrough brought to the reading of this audiobook. It's a book set in Cornwall so having an English accent is appropriate. What I loved was his knowledge and clear understanding of dialects and accents from that region. You could clearly differentiate all the different characters thanks to his voice. He has a real talent. And unlike other reviewers (who are very much entitled to their opinions too) I loved his take on the female voices. I thought he did really well and I can't wait to listen to more books voiced by him. I haven't before searched for audiobooks based on the person who read it but I did with Oliver.

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

Simple answer is YES! I listened to hours of this book at a time, walking around the house with ear phones most of the time and rewinding when I missed something. I never do that!

Any additional comments?

If you like historical fiction, you will love this.
One of the main things I love about this book is its accessibility for today's reader. It's set in the 18th Century and written in the 1940's so it could have easily been like trying to get your head around Shakespeare but Winston Graham wrote this book in modern enough language, especially the narration, whilst still remaining true to the speech, words and turn of phrase from that time period. It makes it so accessible, easy to follow and mostly - enjoyable!

I cannot wait to listen to the 2nd book.

Fills in the story from the series

Very good. We get more info than the series. Nice compliment. Now I have to get the next one!!

Couldn't put it down!

What did you love best about Ross Poldark?

This is historical fiction at it's very best!

What did you like best about this story?

Ross Poldark has it all: adventure, history and romance!

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I gave up my afternoon nap to finish this book-it was that good! I loved the way the book ended and I love Demelza!

Wonderful story. Wonderful storytelling!

I love Audible because I can absorb more books than I ever could by reading them. The characters are well described, not just in appearance, but in their thoughts and actions. The narrator was great, clearly defining which character was speaking with different voices and accents, female as well as male. I look forward to the next book in this series!

Great read

I loved the masculinity and unplumbed depths of this character , Ross, but there is so much more that will remain a mystery to us and probably to the character as he learns that the ruby above price is already his own
I can't wait for the next book

Excellent

Charming story and worth the read. Discovered the book series after watching the masterpiece TV series and absolutely fell in love with Ross and Demelza.