Listen up, ladies and gents, because I've got an audiobook that will have you on the edge of your seat. We've got Bruce Holsinger's thrilling historical masterpiece, "A Burnable Book," narrated by the incredible Simon Vance. Now, I ain't gonna sugarcoat it, this audiobook's got a rating of 2.6 out of 5, but don't let that deter you. We're looking at a hefty listen, with a length of a solid 14 hours and 0 minutes. So, buckle up, my fellow history buffs, because we're about to dive headfirst into the intriguing world of Chaucer's London.
Picture this, it's the year 1385, and London is one chaotic, dangerous place to be. Betrayal, murder, royal intrigue, mystery, and politics that could make your head spin are all swirling around like a wild tornado. And right in the middle of it all is a prophetic book that's got folks in a frenzy. This ancient book happens to predict the deaths of England's kings, and you can imagine the chaos that ensues.
Our protagonist? Well, it's none other than England's young and untested king, Richard II. Surrounded by his scheming courtiers, including his powerful uncle, John of Gaunt, and Gaunt's clever mistress, Katherine Swynford, Richard is in some serious mortal peril. But here's the kicker - the danger is just getting started.
Now, listen carefully, because this is where things get juicy. Songs, catchy verses, start popping up all over London, claiming to come straight from the pages of the infamous "burnable book." Word on the street is that this cryptic text predicts Richard's assassination, and, trust me, that ain't something a king wants hanging over his head.
But hold on tight, folks, because only a select few know the truth hidden within the elusive burnable book. This seditious work threatens to rock the very foundations of the realm, and it's up to a crafty bureaucrat named Geoffrey Chaucer to track it down. But he can't do it alone. Oh, no. He turns to his fellow poet, John Gower, a man with connections high and low, a man who trades in information like it's nobody's business.
Here's where it gets even more tangled. Gower finds out that the burnable book, along with some damning evidence about its author, has accidentally fallen into the hands of a couple of innocent souls. And guess what? They're about to be sucked into a dangerous conspiracy that stretches from the luxurious king's court all the way down to the dark underbelly of London's slums and brothels. And guess who might end up being implicated in all this mess? Yep, you guessed it – Gower's own son.
As the plot thickens, secrets unravel, and the danger escalates, it becomes clear that Gower, a man harboring secrets of his own, may just be the key to saving a king from a terrible fate. Bruce Holsinger, a scholar of medieval times, uses his immense knowledge to bring life to this gripping tale – complete with vibrant details about everything from poetry and bookbinding to court shenanigans and the seedier parts of London.
So, my friends, grab your headphones, sit back, and prepare to be transported to the dramatic world of Chaucer's London. Holsinger's "A Burnable Book," narrated by the brilliant Simon Vance, is an audiobook that will keep you guessing until the very end. Let the adventure begin!
