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Summary
This brilliant new audiobook explores the lives of eight generations of the greatest kings and queens that this country has ever seen, and the worst. The Plantagenets - their story is the story of Britain.
England’s greatest royal dynasty, the Plantagenets, ruled over England through eight generations of kings. Their remarkable reign saw England emerge from the Dark Ages to become a highly organised kingdom that spanned a vast expanse of Europe. Plantagenet rule saw the establishment of laws and creation of artworks, monuments and tombs which survive to this day, and continue to speak of their sophistication, brutality and secrets.
Dan Jones brings you a new vision of this battle-scarred history. From the Crusades to King John’s humbling over Magna Carta and the tragic reign of the last Plantagenet, Richard II, this is a blow-by-blow account of England’s most thrilling age.
Critic reviews
"Stonking narrative history told with pace, wit and scholarship about the bloody dynasty that produced some of England’s most brilliant, brutal kings." (Observer)
"Colourful and engaging...Jones has produced an absorbing narrative that will help ensure that the Plantagenet story remains stamped on the English imagination." (Sunday Times)
"Action-packed...Filled with fighting, personality clashes, betrayal and bouts of the famous Plantagenet rage." (Daily Telegraph)
What listeners say about The Plantagenets: The Kings Who Made England
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Kirstine
- 23-08-19
Entertaining and scholarly
I've already listened to the author's excellent books: The Templars and The Hollow Crown, and so was confident that I would enjoy the present book. I wasn't disappointed: it's medieval history told with verve by a scholar of the period. Ideally I should have listened to this book before the Hollow Crown as the latter covers the later period of Plantagenet history and the present book sets the scene for the War of the Roses that is a central theme of the Hollow Crown. All three books are admirably read by the author.
I greatly enjoyed the book, but am left, as I often am, saddened by the misery, sacrifice of lives and draining of the public purse caused by the ambitions of rulers to go to war and also by the cruelties enacted in the name of religion. It's depressing that these blights on human life as still happening.
43 people found this helpful
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- michael Billington
- 19-08-19
The story of England's greatest royal dynasty
This is a wonderfully written book about the greatest dynasty of kings(and queens) England or indeed Britain has seen. The Tudors may be more well known but for accomplishment and sheer drama they seem rather dull next to the Plantagenets. This book covers all the highs and lows and is a wonderful listen.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in the story of England and the family who did so much to shape our nation. Dan Jones does a good job or narrating the audiobook, which is not always the case with authors and their own work.
20 people found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 12-08-20
Perfect for serious non-specialist
Wonderful combination human microscopy and macroscopic historical sweep. Hard to conceive of a better treatment for a non-historian but well-schooled amateur reader.
14 people found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 30-03-20
Excellent and engaging
I usually struggle with audiobooks of this length but the really structured and chronological way he set out the book really helped focus my attention.
It gives a really good overview of all the key events while being easy to follow. The most interesting bits were probably the murder of Thomas Becket and just the general explanations of how parliaments were set up and how the principle of law developed.
The only criticisms I would have is that occasionally I felt like there were too many names of various Earls and Barons that no one could possibly be expected to remember and I thought the Black Death was skated over quite quickly given its importance in the overall context of the Peasants’ Revolt. But it was really enjoyable and I would definitely recommend.
13 people found this helpful
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- Janet Williams
- 06-01-21
Informative up to a point, but tedious
This is written with little insight into underlying social issues. Jones also refers to early English (language) as fit only for clods and serfs. I trust this fact gives a flavour of his tone and attitude, both of which l found disappointing.
12 people found this helpful
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- janice richardson
- 15-10-19
Plantagenets rule lol
this is an entertaining and informative history of the plantagenet line... I am now far more informed on this part of history thanks to Dan Jones..... if you have read the Template book by him then you will really enjoy this as it is written and voiced with the same temperament. loved it from cover to cover... strongly recommend as it puts flesh on the fundamental bones of a segment of English history!
6 people found this helpful
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- Jwebguy
- 21-11-20
Excellent
A thoroughly interesting listen. Entertaining and informative. The author, who suffers from 'presenter speak' when on TV reads this far more like a real human here and does a great job. well worth it.
5 people found this helpful
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- Jamie
- 21-02-22
Could do with a companion app
As a historical audiobook, I think the execution of this in Audiobook format is poor. The physical copy has maps and an index. The problem with an audiobook is the narration just rolls on, and suddenly, you have lost where you are. Which King is this, who died, what just happened? Why is he killing his stepfather now? I must have dozed off; where am I?
The audiobook needs a companion map, app, website, or PDF.
Something that tells you where you are in the book. So you can see the maps, the family trees, etc. For example, At 6h;45 minutes in, you are on Chapter X covering XYZ, and these are the maps and diagrams that go with this chapter. I feel like I need to buy the physical book to go with the audiobook.
Audiobooks have been around long enough. It's about time the experience was sorted out with an Audiobook companion.
4 people found this helpful
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- CR STUHLFELDER
- 06-06-19
Thoroughly engaging piece of work
A well written, balanced piece of research, read with authority by the author. Excellent twenty odd hours!
3 people found this helpful
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- Mark Killen
- 08-01-21
A History for Englishness
If you enjoy a sense of self that is wrapped up in 'Englishness' then you may enjoy this book. It feels like the narrative type of History that is presented without reflection or criticism in Secondary Schools, primarily for the purpose of imbuing a sense of National identity. Personally I think it's the type of history that promotes and encourages English xenophobia and elitism. The main actors in the 'story' are presented as definitively 'English' even though I suspect they may have been more akin to European autocratic dictators with little interest or association with National identity and far more concerned with the bullying subjugation of other humans. Given that, I did find the book well read, entertaining and interesting but ultimately I found the classical, royalist perspective depressing.
2 people found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 17-05-19
Plantagenet Powerhouse
A great listen on my favorite English monarch dynasty! Great job Dan Jones! Thank you!!!