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Company of Liars: A Novel Audiobook
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(3.00) - 3,906 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
In this extraordinary novel, Karen Maitland delivers a dazzling reinterpretation of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales—an ingenious alchemy of history, mystery, and powerful human drama. The year is 1348. The Black Plague grips the country. In a world ruled by faith and fear, nine desperate strangers, brought together by chance, attempt to outrun the certain death that is running inexorably toward them. Each member of this motley company has a story to tell. From Camelot, the relic-seller who will become the group’s leader, to Cygnus, the one-armed storyteller . . . from the strange, silent child called Narigorm to a painter and his pregnant wife, each has a secret. None is what they seem. And one among them conceals the darkest secret of all—propelling these liars to a destiny they never saw coming. Magical, heart-quickening, and raw, Company of Liars is a work of vaulting imagination from a powerful new voice in historical fiction. Praise for Company of Liars “[Maitland] brings to life a medieval England of muddy streets and half-naked children fighting each other for pieces of dog dung to sell to the tanners, as sheep-stealers swing purple-faced from the gallows. . . . She neatly catches the spirit of primitive superstition that governed every aspect of 14th century life and then rolls on with it for her own story-telling ends. . . . Company of Liars is a richly evocative page-turner which brings to life a lost and terrible period of British history, with a disturbing final twist worthy of a master of the spine-tingler, such as Henry James.”—Daily Express (UK) “Transports readers back to the days of the Black Death . . . Paying homage to The Decameron and The Canterbury Tales, this is a gripping read. . . . As a reader you are taken as close to the plague as you would ever wish to go.”—Bookseller
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"Just finishing up this one. Read it in four days. Truly great read for me, likeable characters that you could follow easily, even when reading before bed, half asleep. A unique perspective on the "pestilence" and that time in history for peasants .... would not want to be them!....and "the pardoner", the "healer" the "Rune Reader" and the "Musicians" are all here with their story. A re-telling of the Canterbury Tales with a twist...A good read, for sure."
— Roseann (5 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“[Maitland] neatly catches the spirit of primitive superstition that governed every aspect of fourteenth century life and then rolls on with it for her own storytelling ends…Company of Liars is a richly evocative page-turner which brings to life a lost and terrible period of British history, with a disturbing final twist worthy of a master of the spine-tingler, such as Henry James.”
— Daily Express (London) -
“A jewel of a medieval mystery…Maitland’s own narrative strength is her skill at setting scenes that connect the harsh realities of medieval life with the no less cruel pagan customs and Christian rituals meant to explain and contain those realities.”
— New York Times Book Review -
“Mysterious, sinister, and totally enthralling! It’s the sort of book where you close the back cover and immediately open it again, hoping to find a few more pages.”
— Diana Gabaldon, #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Breath of Snow and Ashes -
“Karen Maitland immerses the modern reader in the daily life of the Middle Ages. Intricately plotted, Company of Liars offers complex characters today’s reader can identify with. A dark Canterbury’s Tale, this long winter’s night of magical storytelling expertly blends history and mystery.”
— Julia Spencer-Fleming, Edgar Award finalist and author of I Shall Not Want -
“Karen Maitland has dug into some obscure corners of medieval history to produce an almost parallel universe: a place where myth, magic, and superstition take over as the established order breaks down, but a world that nevertheless rings true. On top of that, she has fashioned a compelling mystery story that should appeal to a much wider readership than historical fiction fans…Compelling.”
— Daily Mail (London) -
“Maitland combines the storytelling traditions of The Canterbury Tales with the supernatural suspense of Kate Mosse’s Sepulchre in this atmospheric tale of treachery and magic.”
— Marie Claire (4 stars) -
“A Canterbury Tales scenario with an M. Night Shyamalan ghost story…A harrowing historical.”
— Denver Post -
“A compelling and highly atmospheric twist on Dan Brown land.”
— Mirror (London) -
“[A] rich, diverting novel.”
— Philadelphia Inquirer -
“Imagine a sinister version of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales…Maitland excels at describing the bleak, devastated landscape…Intriguing characters and burgeoning suspense.”
— Booklist -
“Executed with stunning skill.”
— BookPage
Awards
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A 2009 Macavity Award Finalist for the Sue Feder Memorial Historical Mystery
Company of Liars Listener Reviews
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" A good book right in my sweet spot: historical mystery. Short on the mystery, long on the historical -- set in plague-ridden England, a group of travellers try to find a place to ride out the pestilence, and slowly uncover the secrets each of the group keeps. "
— Gregg, 2/11/2014 -
" very unique book, talking about a pack of travelers that are trying to avoid the plague. They all have a secret that they are hiding & they are being chased by a wolf - or so they think. The thought of being chased is killing them off one by one in the hopes that the death of each particular person will stop the "wolf" from following them. "
— Cheryl, 1/26/2014 -
" Love this book: a fascinating interpretation of the lives of seemingly ordinary people, each with an extra-ordinary tale. "
— Debbie, 12/23/2013 -
" A good twist on Canterbury Tales. I really liked it! "
— Ami, 12/11/2013 -
" It was really good. Predictable but very satisfying "
— Rebecca, 12/10/2013 -
" Well worth the effort - set in a time that is not dealt with often, with a set of characters, again which are not the norm - bravo. "
— Tony, 1/23/2013 -
" What an odd little book. Loved it though. "
— Kitty, 1/15/2013 -
" Het is niet echt enorm angstaanjagend, maar er zit wel spanning in. Al met al een aardig boek om te lezen, bij vlagen goed, bij vlagen te voorspelbaar. "
— Judith, 12/9/2012 -
" I love a book with an ending that makes you say Wow, didn't see that coming!! Brilliant book. Very different to anything I had read before. "
— Georgina, 10/25/2012 -
" I liked this book. Nitty-gritty setting as the plague hits medival England. Not quite a mystery but lots of intrigue among the characters. The plot twists and turns were interesting and unique. "
— Janolyn, 8/31/2012 -
" Compelling tale set in 1348 as the plague reaches England. It very successfully (I imagine) evokes the horrendous living conditions of the period and the ever constant prospect of death, but mixes this with elements of fantasy. "
— Katie, 1/25/2012 -
" If it was possible I would have given this book another half star. It was an enjoyable read that moved along at a fair pace but the secrets of the people in the group were all fairly obvious and that for me stops it being a four star read. "
— Karen, 1/20/2012 -
" I have a habit of re-reading books, many of those I enjoy best get a reading once a year, but I have never read a book and then re-read it immediately, except for once. This book is just a comfortable enjoyment that I have tried to force on everyone I know. "
— Ryan, 7/5/2011 -
" The story had potential, but Maitland's character portrayal was very see-through. The twists were very obvious. "
— Michelle, 5/19/2011 -
" I like anything to do with the plague, I don't know why, which is why I picked up this book again only got half way the first time so never finished it. I am now trying again in the hopes of finishing it, if not I think I will have to get it in audio. "
— Victoria, 5/10/2011 -
" Amazing, one of those books that never explains anything right up until the end. Very suspenseful and gloomy. "
— Stephanie, 4/25/2011 -
" Loved it - lots of characters.<br/>Puts you right into the time period. "
— Janet, 4/5/2011 -
" Well written and engaging. I hope one day to be this good a writer, her description are terrific. I downgraded my rating of the book not because the story is rather dark, but because it felt like the characters lost direction. All in all, worth reading. "
— pacjennifer, 3/10/2011 -
" Well worth the effort - set in a time that is not dealt with often, with a set of characters, again which are not the norm - bravo.<br/> "
— Tony, 3/3/2011
About Karen Maitland
Karen Maitland has a doctorate in psycholinguistics. She has traveled and worked in many parts of the world, from the Arctic Circle to Africa, before finally settling in the medieval city of Lincoln in England. Her British debut novel, The White Room, was short-listed for the Authors’ Club of Great Britain Best First Novel Award.
About Maxwell Caulfield
Maxwell Caulfield is a film, stage, and television actor best known for his roles as Michael Carrington in the 1982 film Grease 2 and Miles Colby in the television shows The Colbys and Dynasty. His other acting credits include the films Gettysburg, The Real Blonde, and Emmerdale. He has won six AudioFile Earphones Awards.