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  • Summer of Blood

  • The Peasants’ Revolt of 1381
  • By: Dan Jones
  • Narrated by: Kris Dyer
  • Length: 7 hrs and 51 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (142 ratings)
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Summer of Blood cover art

Summer of Blood

By: Dan Jones
Narrated by: Kris Dyer
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Summary

Revolt and upheaval in medieval Britain by a brilliant new narrative historian, Summer of Blood breaks new ground in its portrayal of the personalities and politics of the bloody days of June 1381.

The Peasants’ Revolt of 1381 is one of the most dramatic and bloody events in English history. Starting with village riots in the Essex countryside, chaos rapidly spread across much of the southeast of England, as tens of thousands of ordinary men and women marched in fury to London, torching houses, slaughtering their social superiors and terrifying the life out of those who got in their way. The burning down of Savoy Palace, home to the most powerful magnate in the realm, marked one of the Revolt’s most violent episodes.

The Peasants’ Revolt has remained an underexplored period of history. In revisiting the bloody events of 1381, Dan Jones has brought back to glorious life the squalor, drama and complex hierarchies of a society that until now seemed almost too distant to imagine. His examination of village life and the failings of government from the perspective of the Revolt’s key players is both intellectually stimulating and compulsively readable.

Vivid, atmospheric and beautifully written, this is historical writing of the highest quality.

©2019 Dan Jones (P)2019 HarperCollins Publishers Limited
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History

Critic reviews

"Short, clear history of a long, hot summer." (Scotsman)

"Dan Jones seeks to uncover the idealism and brutality of this fateful summer…A fresh look." (John Guy, Sunday Times

"Dan Jones relates his tale with relish and zest…If anyone is looking for a racy account of England's 'summer of blood' this is it." (TLS

What listeners say about Summer of Blood

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  • Overall
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    5 out of 5 stars

A nicely told story.

A detailed telling of a less explored historical event. I liked the narrator’s simple tone, and even if I’d have liked a more thorough detailed telling of the major rebel leaders’ life’s, I accept that’s probably hard to find. I enjoyed this a lot.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Solid, well-researched account of the rising.

It was a bit short, but on the whole worth a read for anyone interested in the topic.

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1 person found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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EXCELLENT.

I would have preferred the rebels to have won but unfortunately you can't have everything.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Poll Tax revolt

Good detail , the scene set at beginning of book to clarify reasons for revolt. Good read as all of Dan Jones books.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Peasants Brexit Vote

Great presentation and deatail for the Peasants Revolt and a very engaging reader bringing those bloody times to life

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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How can such a gory tale be so boring to listen to

Dan Jones is an exceptional historian with a way of storytelling that really brings history to life. Unfortunately the narration was quite droning and at times mind numbing, I really struggled to finish it. Much prefer the books he has narrated himself.

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2 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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New narrator

An excellent coverage of an often neglected period in history. Dan Jones has done a great job. However, whilst the narrator is clear in his enunciation, he has no life in his delivery at all, and I kept finding my attention drifting. It would have worked better with, say, Dan himself

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    5 out of 5 stars
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This is why we love history

This is a book that details and explains from beginning to end probably the best known rebellion or uprising in history. There have been others yes but this one is as well known as some of the later uprisings and is proof that we need democracy and that is can work. the book puts you right at the heart of the matter making you feel as if you are there and though the outcome is obvious still one finds oneself rooting for the underdog just as we often do now. Short but really good. The narration’s not so great. The narrator reaeds in a somewhat staccato fashion so giving the book an air of breathlessness but otherwise it’s fine.

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4 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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A Most Informative Book.

This book goes into great detail into the Peasant's Revolt in a way I have not yet seen. It is very informative - I knew very little about this event before hearing the Audio Book - it is extremely well written - well it is by Dan Jones - and very descriptive, imbuing events with clarity and panache.
The narrator is really good and brings " life "to the audio which is frequently missing in less adept speakers.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Great book, bad reader

the book is clearly well researched like most of Dan Jones's work, but the reader of this particular audiobook is not good. He reads every sentence in exactly the same tone and intonation to the degree that it's unlistenable, I had to stop after an hour or so. Buy physical/digital text copy. Avoid this audiobook.

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