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Dunstan

One Man. Seven Kings. England's Bloody Throne.

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Dunstan

By: Conn Iggulden
Narrated by: Geoffrey Beevers
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Summary

Penguin presents the unabridged, downloadable audiobook edition of Dunstan by Conn Iggulden, read by Geoffrey Beevers

From acclaimed historical writer Conn Iggulden comes a novel set in the red-blooded days of Anglo-Saxon England. This is the original game for the English throne.

In the year 937, King Æthelstan, grandson of Alfred the Great, readies himself to throw a great spear into the north. His dream of a kingdom of all England will stand or fall on one field and the passage of a single day.

At his side is Dunstan of Glastonbury, full of ambition and wit, perhaps enough to damn his soul. His talents will take him from the villages of Wessex to the royal court, to the hills of Rome - from exile to exaltation.

Through Dunstan's vision, by his guiding hand, England may come together as one great country - or fall back into anarchy and misrule . . .

From one of our finest historical writers, Dunstan is an intimate portrait of a priest and performer, a visionary, a traitor and confessor to kings - the man who changed the fate of England.

 Action & Adventure Destiny Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Medieval War & Military Middle Ages Royalty England
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Critic reviews

One of the most interesting historical novels of recent times
Iggulden's Dunstan is a vivid, convincing character
This engrossing novel is rich in intrigue, with Iggulden breathing life into this remarkable and complex figure who played a vital role in safeguarding a newly united England
Iggulden... tells an absolutely cracking story... the pace is nail-biting and the set dressing magnificent
Iggulden takes what you thought was a ho-hum era and peopled it with characters so finely honed it becomes a gripping and glorious legend. Can't fault the man. Brilliant!
Breathes new life into the darkest and most dramatic of times
Iggulden is in a class of his own when it comes to epic, historical fiction
Compelling reading
Superbly plotted and paced
All stars
Most relevant
Conn Iggulden has made a name for himself as a star in the world of historical fiction by taking massive icons such as Julius Caesar and Genghis Khan and doing their legends full justice. Dunstan, might not have quite their fame and notoriety but his story is definitely worth hearing. He's a different kind of character, not a front man but a man of influence and power of various levels across a long period of time.

He's also not as admirable or easy to like, in fact some of his character traits are definitely more flaws rather than strengths. He was however a great mind and a big influence on a formative part of British history. The story begins with a harsh early monastic education at Glastonbury, a place which holds sway over Dunstan throughout his life. I found it fascinating and engaging but possibly not quite as gripping as Iggulden's other works. Towards the end, as many life stories tend to it felt as though it petered out just a little.

In Audiobooks Iggulden has famously made the odd poor choice of narrator but I don't think anyone could fault Geffrey Beevers and his treatment of Dunstan's story.

At the end of the book there are some excellent historical notes which give a comprehensive overview of how the author has woven historical fact, as far as we know it from those times, into his tale. I always appreciate it when authors take the time to do this.

So, a fine effort from one of the premier writers of historical fiction. It's more fascinating than exciting but with that proviso aside I'd recommend it to people who have enjoyed his other books.

Dunstan Isn't quite a Caesar

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Full of wit, charm and a vein of malice. A book and reading to savour.

Work of art

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This is an epic story. It is incredibly well read.
I loved every minute of it.

Modern Classic

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This story has entertained me and peaked my interest. Conn Iggulden has a wonderful way of taking historical facts and weaving a story around them.

Entertaining and interesting.

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If you are fortunate enough to have listened to Emperor series of Ceaser, you can't help but compare with Ceaser. There are no characters like Ceaser. Once that reality is accepted, Dunstun is quite an interesting character in its own right.
Resilient and ruthless.
And you simply can't just go wrong with Conn Iggulden.

Brilliant, if you can resist comparison to Ceaser

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