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Dark Angels Audiobook
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(3.01) - 2,070 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
The long-awaited prequel to Koen’s beloved Through a Glass Darkly, Dark Angels is a feast of a novel that sparkles with all the passion, extravagance, danger, and scandal of seventeenth-century England. Alice Verney is a young woman intent on achieving her dreams. Returning to England after a messy scandal forced her to flee to Louis XIV’s France, Alice is anxious to re-establish herself by regaining her former position as a maid of honor to Charles II’s queen and marrying the most celebrated duke of the Restoration. But all is not as it seems in the rowdy, merry court of Charles II. Since the Restoration, old political alliances have frayed, and there are whispers that the king is moving to divorce his barren queen, who some wouldn’t mind seeing dead. Alice, loyal only to a select few, is devoted to the queen, and so sets out to discover who might be making sinister plans—and if her own father is one of them. When a member of the royal family dies unexpectedly, the stakes are raised. As Alice steps up her efforts to find out who is—and isn’t—true to the queen, she learns of shocking betrayals throughout court, and meets a man who she may fall in love with—and who could spoil all of her plans. With the suspected arrival of a known poison-maker, the atmosphere in the court electrifies, and suddenly the safety of the king himself seems uncertain. Secret plots are at play, and war is on the horizon—but will it be with the Dutch or the French? And has King Charles himself betrayed his country for greed? Unforgettable in its dramatic force, here is a novel of love and politics, of romance and betrayal, of power and succession—and of a resourceful young woman who risks everything for pride and status in an era in which women were afforded little of either.
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"the reign of King Charles II and his wife, his lovers, and their courtiers, on 17th century England and France. Hopefully very based in history, it was a fascinating intrigue that kept me interested until near the end. Sometimes it would be interesting to see the behind-the-scenes machinations at work and be reminded how the role of women was so limited. I actually found the Queen to be the most interesting. She certainly was the only character that had some sense of self-awareness and realization. the main character's pride nearly made me leave the book completely. Still, very fascinating, for those interested in this era."
— Stephanie (4 out of 5 stars)
Dark Angels Listener Reviews
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" Absolutely loved this. There is a particular passage where she describes the men as vampires...amazing I'll have to find it and post it! "
— Alejandra, 2/16/2014 -
" Loved this fabulous historical fiction novel - was caught up in it for days. Why does the library not have the sequel? Bastards. "
— Celia, 1/24/2014 -
" Readed it twice just the story catches you and you can't let go . Anger and fustration with the characters. "
— Natasha, 1/21/2014 -
" This is the sequel to Through A Glass Darkly, published by my company (Sourcebooks). I haven't actually read Through A Glass (we published it years ago, before I was with the company), but I picked up an advanced copy of Dark Angels at Book Expo America and read it recently. I really enjoyed it (historical fiction) and am looking forward to reading Through a Glass. Long books, though, so be ready to devote some time to it! "
— Heather, 1/20/2014 -
" Slow start, but a good read. "
— Melissa, 1/18/2014 -
" Best book I've read in a long time! Loved the characters. The right amount of love, drama, and action. Better than Jane Austin could write. "
— Juls, 1/18/2014 -
" I liked this book almost as much as "The other Boleyn Girl". It is a little more fiction and a little less history than I usually pick but a good read for sure. "
— Karen, 1/16/2014 -
" Audio Book. It reminded me a lot of the Emerald Ring only gloomier. Nothing went right for Alice. I wasn't completely bored but I wouldn't say I liked it. "
— Jake, 12/31/2013 -
" Story takes places during the reign of Charles II of England and Louis X1V of France. Follows a young courtier navigating the intrigues of both courts. Is a prequel to the novel "Through a Glass Darkly". "
— Melinda, 12/31/2013 -
" It was alright, nothing special. "
— Lindsey, 12/26/2013 -
" A good historical fiction read about an era that is not as popular. "
— Shannon, 12/24/2013 -
" this is a prequel to her other two books. I thought this was a good book but a little boring. I still liked it learning about Alice when she was young and everything she went through "
— Dawn, 12/23/2013 -
" Great historical novel. Lots of intrigue. A little rushed towards the end, I would have liked to know more. "
— Lisa, 12/11/2013 -
" I am currently reading this and so far am enjoying it but I have noticed I am able to put it down ( or fall asleep )but still love getting back to it. "
— Gwen, 12/1/2013 -
" Light reading, but a fun look at the court of James II. I have read this twice (by accident), and it was just as entertaining the second time as the first. Great airplane read! "
— Kristen, 10/3/2013 -
" This story never really got anywhere. I didn't finish it. "
— cristina, 8/24/2013 -
" The frolicking court of Charles II. Characters flat, dull. "
— Melissa, 8/7/2013 -
" a fun historical fiction set in the court of Charles II told from one of the maid's of honor. certainly not a history of the time nor a terrific work of literature, but an enjoyable saga of the triumphs and turmoils faced by characters in the royal courts. "
— Victoria, 4/4/2013 -
" Great historical fiction (can you sense a them) that takes place in England during the reign of Charles II after the restoration. Loved the headstrong female character who's story is told, even if I did want to scream at her at times! "
— Anne, 1/14/2013 -
" The prequel and sequel to Koen's Though a Glass Darkly have both been disappointing. "
— Elizabeth, 8/31/2012 -
" I enjoyed this book - - it goes along with other 17th century books I've read recently. "
— Rita, 6/25/2012 -
" Having trouble getting started with this one. Read the first few chapters last night and though this is my absolute favorite genre, I'm just not getting into this one... Hmmmm, have decided to put this one down and start something else. "
— Katherine, 6/8/2012 -
" published after "Through a Glass Darkly", , it is the story of Barbara's Grandmother... her aristocratic society in Europe - Barbara's foundation..... "
— Jamie, 11/15/2011 -
" Audio Book. It reminded me a lot of the Emerald Ring only gloomier. Nothing went right for Alice. I wasn't completely bored but I wouldn't say I liked it. "
— Jake, 5/6/2011 -
" Read first chapter - didn't get into it. "
— Mckinley, 4/14/2011 -
" Looking forward to reading the prequel! "
— Linda, 4/10/2011 -
" Read this too long after the first one to be able to accurately connect them - but still enjoyed it "
— Kim, 3/4/2011 -
" Having read the sequel (Through a Glass Darkly) to this book first, I expected more of a lead-in to that book. Kind of disappointing in that regard, but still gave a good feel for the era. "
— Sue, 1/14/2011 -
" I loved this book. I want so much more of Alice's story. The next book picks up when she is an old woman and you get glimpses of what happened during her adulthood. I crave so much more. "
— Andrea, 12/12/2010 -
" Maybe because Chaz. II is not so interesting with his ditzy court and the drama is in the politics which is a boy's game in those days.<br/>Besides, I liked the Puritans better. "
— Bcoghill, 12/1/2010 -
" Even better than the first I thought. "
— Angie, 11/5/2010 -
" I enjoyed this book - - it goes along with other 17th century books I've read recently. "
— Rita, 10/26/2010 -
" Ehhh... not the best book I've ever read but good. If you are a chick/hist/lit fiction fan then you may enjoy it. It just seemed a lot longer than it needed to be. "
— Monica, 10/4/2010 -
" I really enjoyed this writer so much i have ordered all her other books. I will most likely have to reread this book after the other ones which i believe were written first. This is by far my favorite book. "
— Lori, 9/25/2010
About Karleen Koen
Karleen Koen is the New York Times bestselling author of Through a Glass Darkly, of which two million copies have been sold in the US alone. It was on the New York Times bestseller list for five consecutive months. She is also the author of its sequel, Now Face to Face, and its prequel, Dark Angels, a BookSense pick. She lives in Houston, Texas.
About the Narrators
Wanda McCaddon (a.k.a. Nadia May or Donada Peters) has narrated well over six hundred titles for major audiobook publishers, has earned numerous Earphones Awards, and was named a Golden Voice by AudioFile magazine.
Wanda McCaddon (d. 2023) narrated well over six hundred titles for major audiobook publishers, sometimes with the pseudonym Nadia May or Donada Peters. She earned the prestigious Audio Award for best narration and numerous Earphones Awards. She was named a Golden Voice by AudioFile magazine.