The Conquering Family

De: Thomas B. Costain

Narrado por: David Case

Thomas B. Costain's four-volume history of the Plantagenets begins with The Conquering Family and the conquest of England by William the Conqueror in 1066, closing with the reign of John in 1216.
The troubled period after the Norman Conquest, when the foundations of government were hammered out between monarch and people, comes to life through Costain's storytelling skill and historical imagination.©1983 Thomas B. Costain; (P)2008 Books on Tape

Entertaining History

TBC writes well and easily of any historical period and the Plantagenets give him lots of scope for his sort of fireside depiction of historical events. David Case as a narrator can be hard work as he often seems to read without understanding and has an unlikeable accent and a grating edge to his voice.

Thrilled to see Costain's series on Audible BUT...

I have loved the Plantagenet saga from Thomas B Costain since I was a child, so I was happy to see them offered on Audible. However, the narrator's voice is so *affected*, it is difficult to enjoy this classic. It puts me in a quandary as to whether to purchase the next three books. I am very disappointed in the reader, but not in the book itself. The book itself is delightful, bringing personality to what may have otherwise been stale old history.

Good Overview

This book does move quickly from the beginning, and I feared I would loose track of the many players. I printed out a family tree of the Plantagenets; I HIGHLY recommend you do the same. With that in hand, the book was much easier to follow. Re the narrator, I disagree with the prevalent view; Case is an expressive reader despite his apparent pomposity.

Absolutely the best

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

Yes. If one is interested in English history, this book is a must. The research by Costain is very detailed and brings the participants alive.

What did you like best about this story?

Family intrigue.

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

Mr Case's narrative give the story texture.

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

Not really as I wanted to absorb the many superbly researched details.

The ugly truth behind the glorious legends

Would you consider the audio edition of The Conquering Family to be better than the print version?

Didn't read the print version.

What did you like best about this story?

Crisp, colorful, focused narrative, packed with historical facts, peopled with living, breathing characters, shocking, exciting, sad and fascinating.

What about David Case’s performance did you like?

He was a superb reader, one of the very best in the world. He elevated whatever he read, but as always, excels to the highest degree when he starts with good material.

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

Of course not!

Any additional comments?

The legend of Richard the Lion heart falls to pieces with this view of a rotten, selfish adventurer, in it for the glory and willing to drain every drop of labor, cash and blood from his people in the attempt. One of the worst things that ever happened to England.