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The Trumpet-Major Audiobook
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(3.02) - 820 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Set against the larger-than-life backdrop of the Napoleonic wars, Hardy’s only historical novel tells of the loves and sorrows of ordinary people caught in extraordinary times.
When an anticipated invasion brings several regiments to her small rural community, young country maid Anne Garland is courted by three men in uniform: the loyal trumpet-major John Loveday, his sailor-brother Bob, and cowardly Festus Derriman of the yeomanry cavalry.
Founded largely on testimony from elders known to Hardy in his childhood, The Trumpet-Major offers a complex weave of historical fact and fiction that explores the subversive effects of ordinary human desires on systematized versions of history.
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"Another of Hardy's that reminds me of Dickens, except Dickens would have made it three times as long as it was. I usually don't go in for books that try to be humorous, but I'm not surprised to find that Hardy can do it for me when it comes to comic relief."
— Kevin (4 out of 5 stars)
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“Hearkening back to the Wessex of an earlier Napoleonic period, Hardy’s novel creates a homely world of likeable, though sometimes dull folk, anxious to get on with the business of falling in love despite the threat of imminent landing by the French…For readers used to Hardy’s star-crossed characters, this romance is a delightful discovery.”
— AudioFile
The Trumpet-Major Listener Reviews
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" Hardy has written enough books to keep me happy for years now - and there are still more for me to read, thank goodness! There is something about him - an earthiness, a darkness, that makes his stories (which are always about the complications of human relationships, and explorations of human character weighed against fate) very satisfying and full, though not always happy. This one might be lighter than most, but I very much enjoy how he refuses to simplify relationships. I could say more, but I don't want to give the story away. This may not be my favorite of his novels, but every one has been worthwhile, and "The Trumpet Major" is no exception. It has definitely whetted my Hardy appetite. "
— Esther, 2/13/2014 -
" Another 'minor' Hardy that is strong throughout. Captures Napoleon paranoia well, in addition to the usual star-crossed love story. "
— Justin, 2/1/2014 -
" I remember the press gang action sequence as a particular high point. "
— Scott, 1/15/2014 -
" This book is the closest thing to soap opera of any literature I've ever read, though, admittedly, I'm not a big reader of Victorian fiction. "
— Riley, 1/15/2014 -
" Classic Hardy - wonderful language, constantly twisting plot, deep characters all wrapped in a wonderfully painted landscape. I love reading Hardy, with the exception of Tess (which just made me want to slap all the main characters) - this is much better. "
— Robin, 12/2/2013 -
" Not the best Hardy in the world. "
— Janh55, 11/27/2013 -
" Sebenarnya mo ngasih lima bintang, tp krn ga suka ama endingnya..jd empat aja deh.. "
— Kucing, 5/24/2013 -
" Love this book. Think it is one of his best. "
— Lindsey, 10/12/2012 -
" I had not realised that Hardy had written a historical novel and was agreeably surprised. However I don't like the female characters that he writes they are not very impressive or constant. "
— Kate, 6/8/2012 -
" This was fun and a little less of a "message novel" than Hardy's more famous books. "
— Kristen, 5/15/2012 -
" Finally, a Hardy book where the heroine is not the one to suffer for a lost love. I remember crying when I read the ending long ago. I love the T-M and found him worthier than his brother. "
— Elaine, 2/19/2012 -
" Fascinating use of adjectives "
— Grandpy, 2/6/2012 -
" One of my favourite books of all time. "
— Kate, 10/8/2011 -
" Finally, a Hardy book where the heroine is not the one to suffer for a lost love. I remember crying when I read the ending long ago. I love the T-M and found him worthier than his brother. "
— Elaine, 11/1/2010 -
" Not the best Hardy in the world. "
— Janh55, 6/22/2010 -
" i'm on a thomas hardy kick. this one was good. with a hardy book, i have to remember that the ending is always going to be awful and sad so that i don't get my heart dashed to pieces. "
— Abby, 6/7/2010
About Thomas Hardy
Thomas Hardy (1840–1928), English poet, dramatist, and novelist, was born on the Egdon Heath in Dorset. He studied in Dorchester and apprenticed to an architect before leaving for London, where he began to write. Unable to find a public for his poetry, which idealized the rural life, he turned to the novel and met with success as well as controversy. The strong public reaction against some of his darker themes turned him back to writing verse. Today several of his novels are considered masterpieces of tragedy.
About Simon Vance
Simon Vance (a.k.a. Robert Whitfield) is an award-winning actor and narrator. He has earned more than fifty Earphones Awards and won the prestigious Audie Award for best narration thirteen times. He was named Booklist’s very first Voice of Choice in 2008 and has been named an AudioFile Golden Voice as well as an AudioFile Best Voice of 2009. He has narrated more than eight hundred audiobooks over almost thirty years, beginning when he was a radio newsreader for the BBC in London. He is also an actor who has appeared on both stage and television.