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The Privilege of the Sword
- Narrated by: Ellen Kushner, Barbara Rosenblat, Felicia Day, Joe Hurley, Katherine Kellgren, Nick Sullivan, Neil Gaiman
- Length: 15 hrs and 36 mins
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Publisher's summary
Audie Award Nominee, Multi-voiced Performance, 2013
Award-winning author, narrator, and screenwriter Neil Gaiman personally selected this book, and, using the tools of the Audiobook Creation Exchange (ACX), cast the narrators and produced this work for his audiobook label, Neil Gaiman Presents.
The Privilege of the Sword tells the tale of a young girl who risks everything to go live with her eccentric, litigious - and extremely rich – uncle Alec in the colorful city Kushner has created, a city where elegant nobles can mingle with raffish actors one moment and deadly swordsmen the next. Fans of Kushner's first book, Swordspoint, will already be familiar with Alec as the angry young scholar with mysterious origins, living in the city’s Riverside district with a notorious killer swordsman. Now, in The Privilege of the Sword, some years later, Alec is the Mad Duke Tremontaine, living in a mansion on the Hill, still tortured by his past….
But you don’t need to have read Swordspoint to enjoy The Privilege of the Sword. This is the story of Katherine herself, a girl who starts out imagining her life will be a sort of Jane Austen-style romance, full of dances and dresses and parties - but finds that her iconoclastic uncle has other plans. When she gets to his house in the city, the Mad Duke dresses Lady Katherine in men's clothes, gets her a first-rate tutor in swordplay, and sets her loose on a traditional world that is not really ready for her…. Nor, at first, is she ready for it.
A few words from Neil on Privilege of the Sword: "Life hands us so many moments when we hover between who we were raised to be, who the people around us are trying to make us, and who we are trying to become. In Katherine's case, that means encountering a range of people and behaviors her mother never prepared her for - including some shocking acts of violence, both physical and emotional. As one of Kushner’s most charming characters, an actress known as 'The Black Rose', sighs, 'It's all so very difficult, until you get the hang of it.'"
In this exciting new "illuminated production", the author herself reads her own work, supported by a full cast. Author Ellen Kushner is also a popular performer and National Public Radio host (Sound & Spirit). As with her previous audiobooks, the award-winning Witches of Lublin and Swordspoint, Ellen teamed up with Sue Zizza of SueMedia Productions to illuminate certain key scenes with some truly stunning sound elements, including original music commissioned just for this book (!) by composer Nathaniel Tronerud. Ellen Kushner reads all of the first-person narration from Katherine’s own point of view. In scenes where an omniscient narrator takes over, we’ve called on the amazing talents of the award-winning actor Barbara Rosenblat, a woman who's been called "the Meryl Streep of audiodrama". The cast also features Joe Hurley (Alec Campion: the Mad Duke Tremontaine), Felicia Day (Katherine Talbert), Nick Sullivan (Lord Ferris; Arthur Ghent), Katherine Kellgren (Lady Artemesia Fitz-Levi; Teresa Grey; Flavia "the Ugly Girl"), and Neil Gaiman himself (Rogues' Ball Artist)! The artwork used here is an original painting and design by Thomas Canty created exclusively for the Neil Gaiman Presents audiobook edition of The Privilege of the Sword.
Learn more about Neil Gaiman Presents and Audiobook Creation Exchange (ACX).
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One of the most beloved authors in the field of historical romance, the remarkable Loretta Chase proves that Silk Is for Seduction. The acclaimed New York Times best-selling author brings listeners the first in a very sexy, emotionally rich new series in which sisters from a rather scandalous aristocratic family - the purveyors of the most fashionable shop in Regency London - discover passion and love as sumptuous as the exquisite gowns they create.
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Pefect Loretta Chase novel!
- By Anne on 12-27-19
By: Loretta Chase
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The Will of the Empress
- By: Tamora Pierce
- Narrated by: Tamora Pierce
- Length: 15 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
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For years, the Empress of Namorn has pressed her young cousin, Lady Sandrilene fa Toren, to visit her vast lands within the Empire's borders. Sandry has avoided the invitation for as long as it was possible. Now, Sandry has agreed to pay that overdue visit. Sandry's uncle promises guards to accompany her. But they're hardly a group of warriors! They're her old friends from Winding Circle: Daja, Tris, and Briar. Sandry hardly knows them now. They've grown up and grown apart.
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from a writer's perspective
- By daniel orzechowski on 05-24-08
By: Tamora Pierce
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You May Kiss the Bride
- The Penhallow Dynasty, Book 1
- By: Lisa Berne
- Narrated by: Carolyn Morris
- Length: 10 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
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Wealthy and arrogant, Gabriel Penhallow knows it's time to fulfill his dynastic duty. All he must do is follow "The Penhallow way" - find a biddable bride, produce an heir and a spare, and then live separate lives. It's worked so well for generations, certainly one kiss with the delectable Livia Stuart isn't going to change things. Society dictates he marry her, and one chit is as good as another as long as she's from a decent family.
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Slow Story. EXCELLENT SUPERB NARRATION!
- By Tracy T on 03-30-17
By: Lisa Berne
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A Duke in Shining Armor
- A Difficult Dukes Novel
- By: Loretta Chase
- Narrated by: Kate Reading
- Length: 11 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
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Hugh Philemon Ancaster, seventh Duke of Ripley, will never win prizes for virtue. But even he draws the line at running off with his best friend's bride. All he's trying to do is recapture the slightly inebriated Lady Olympia Hightower and return her to her intended bridegroom. For reasons that elude her, bookish, bespectacled Olympia is supposed to marry a gorgeous rake of a duke. The ton is flabbergasted. Her family's ecstatic. And Olympia? She's climbing out of a window, bent on a getaway.
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Wonderfully humorous and entertaining!
- By Millie Hill on 12-13-17
By: Loretta Chase
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The River of No Return
- By: Bee Ridgway
- Narrated by: Samuel Roukin
- Length: 18 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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Bee Ridgway’s wildly inventive debut novel, The River of No Return, blends romance, conspiracy, and time travel for a tale sure to intrigue listeners. When soldier and aristocrat Nick Falcott is sent from a Napoleonic battlefield in 1815 to modern-day London, he never expects to go back - until the Guild calls for him. Returning home as if from the dead, Nick reunites with his lost love, Julia Percy, and enlists her help in finding a mysterious object known as the Talisman.
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great book, but sudden ending ruined the good will
- By Shelly on 04-27-14
By: Bee Ridgway
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Closer to Home
- Valdemar: The Herald Spy, Book 1
- By: Mercedes Lackey
- Narrated by: Nick Podehl
- Length: 11 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
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Mags was once an enslaved orphan living a harsh life in the mines, until the King's Own Herald discovered his talent and trained him as a spy. Now a Herald in his own right, at the newly established Heralds' Collegium, Mags has found a supportive family, including his Companion Dallen.Although normally a Herald in his first year of Whites would be sent off on circuit, Mags is needed close to home for his abilities as a spy and his powerful Mindspeech gift.
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Great story !!
- By T on 10-19-14
By: Mercedes Lackey
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Florence Grace
- By: Tracy Rees
- Narrated by: Imogen Church
- Length: 15 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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Florrie Buckley is an orphan living on the wind-blasted moors of Cornwall. It's a hard existence, but Florrie is content; she runs wild in the mysterious landscape. She thinks her destiny is set in stone. But when Florrie is 14, she inherits a never-imagined secret. She is related to a wealthy and notorious London family: the Graces.
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Utterly brilliant!!!
- By Maria on 07-04-16
By: Tracy Rees
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The Sisters of Versailles
- Mistresses of Versailles Series # 1
- By: Sally Christie
- Narrated by: Elizabeth Wiley
- Length: 15 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
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Set against the lavish backdrop of the French Court in the early years of the 18th century, The Sisters of Versailles is the extraordinary tale of the five Nesle sisters - Louise, Pauline, Diane, Hortense, and Marie-Anne - four of whom became mistresses to King Louis XV. Their scandalous story is stranger than fiction but true in every shocking, amusing, and heartbreaking detail.Court intriguers are beginning to sense that young King Louis XV, after seven years of marriage, is tiring of his Polish wife.
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Best book I've listened to in ages
- By Dr. A. on 01-09-16
By: Sally Christie
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The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie
- Mackenzies Series, Book 1
- By: Jennifer Ashley
- Narrated by: Angela Dawe
- Length: 9 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
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It was whispered all through London Society that Ian Mackenzie was mad, that he’d spent his youth in an asylum, and was not to be trusted - especially with a lady. For the reputation of any woman caught in his presence was instantly ruined. Yet Beth found herself inexorably drawn to the Scottish lord, whose hint of a brogue wrapped around her like silk and whose touch could draw her into a world of ecstasy.
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Perfect
- By Pookie_Plans on 03-09-21
By: Jennifer Ashley
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My Lady Notorious
- Malloren Series, Book 1
- By: Jo Beverley
- Narrated by: Alison Larkin
- Length: 13 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
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Desperate to help her widowed sister and baby escape a deadly pursuer, Lady Chastity Ware dresses as a highwayman and captures the first coach to travel down the road. Coming face-to-face with its occupant, the arrogant aristocrat Cyn Malloren, she orders him to drive her to a remote cottage. Little does Chastity realize that after long months of recovering from his war wounds, the handsome Cyn is looking for adventure, and being abducted by a cocky highwayman - obviously a lovely woman in disguise - is even more than he had hoped for.
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At Last!
- By Bee on 03-23-14
By: Jo Beverley
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Ace of Hearts
- By: Barbara Metzger
- Narrated by: Jenny Sterlin
- Length: 11 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
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Ace Endicott, the Earl of Carde, needs a woman who will give him an heir, but he never expects to be engaged to three different women, or to become the laughingstock of the gossip columnists. Escaping this London nightmare, he takes a chance and comes up with a winning hand in the game of love.
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Fun Read, but cliffhanger ending
- By Julia Aryeh on 08-09-09
By: Barbara Metzger
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The Wild Baron
- Baron, Book 1
- By: Catherine Coulter
- Narrated by: Anne Flosnik
- Length: 12 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
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Catherine Coulter introduces the dashing Carrington brothers with the story of Rohan, a man with a rakish reputation but a heart of pure gold.
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Super
- By Glenda Begnoche on 09-14-18
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Quatrain
- Twelve Houses, Book 0.5
- By: Sharon Shinn
- Narrated by: Eva Wilhelm
- Length: 12 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
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Sharon Shinn's Twelve Houses books have fascinated fans and critics alike with their irresistible blend of fantasy, romance, and adventure. Now in Quatrain, she weaves compelling stories in four of the worlds that fans love in "Flight", "Blood", "Gold", and "Flame".
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Lovely set of novellas, description needs updated
- By Lindsay C. on 09-25-20
By: Sharon Shinn
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Steam and Sorcery
- By: Cindy Spencer Pape
- Narrated by: Helen Stern
- Length: 7 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
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Sir Merrick Hadrian hunts monsters, both human and supernatural. A Knight of the Order of the Round Table, his use of magick and the technologies of steam power have made him both respected and feared. But his considerable skills are useless in the face of his greatest challenge, guardianship of five unusual children. At a loss, Merrick enlists the aid of a governess....
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light read
- By Marcelina on 02-07-13
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Luck in the Shadows
- Nightrunner, Book 1
- By: Lynn Flewelling
- Narrated by: Raymond Todd
- Length: 18 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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Spy, rogue, thief, and noble, Seregil of Rhiminee is many things, none of them predictable. And when he offers to take on Alec as his apprentice, things may never be the same for either of them. Soon Alec is traveling roads he never knew existed, toward a war he never suspected was brewing. Before long he and Seregil are embroiled in a sinister plot that runs deeper than either can imagine and that may cost them far more than their lives if they fail. But fortune is as unpredictable as Alec's new mentor.
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Fantastic Series! Homophobes, shut up!
- By Ted on 09-23-11
By: Lynn Flewelling
What listeners say about The Privilege of the Sword
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Troy
- 11-01-12
My favorite NGP so far!
I have listened to several of the Neil Gaiman presents audiobooks and this is my favorite so far by a vast margin. The characters are rich and delicious and it is a pleasing period piece with excellent female characters.
The story is very satisfying in a Jane Austin way without being too stereotypical.
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3 people found this helpful
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- Michael
- 09-18-12
Best of an audio book and audio drama
The first time this switched from a more forward audio book to a full cast audio drama, I was a bit taken aback by it. However, it became clear this was all for the benefit of this great listen. Kushner herself does a great job of narrating her text, but I have to say Felicia Day shines as Lady Katherine and Neil Gaiman's brief appearance is nothing short of brilliant.
This book isn't something I would normally go for, but I can't adequately describe how much I ended up enjoying it.
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- Margaret
- 08-05-12
Enormous fun
What did you love best about The Privilege of the Sword?
High adventure and derring do.
What about the narrators’s performance did you like?
The book is narrated by the writer with embellishments including music and guest performances by Neil Gaiman and Felicia Day, amongst others. The embellishments really add to the feel of the piece.
Any additional comments?
Kushner writes full on and unashamedly queer fantasy. If that's not your cup of tea, try something else.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Nancy
- 10-24-12
Maybe the best audiobook I've ever heard
If you could sum up The Privilege of the Sword in three words, what would they be?
Entertaining, with wonderful performances that matched the text.
Which character – as performed by the narrators – was your favorite?
Narrators Ellen Kusher and Barbara Rosenblatt were terrific.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
I wanted listening to this book to take as long as possible, because I didn't want it to end.
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- linda
- 08-28-13
great acting
the acting was superb, the voices were delightful, but many details left hanging, motivations etc. Overall an enjoyable experience.
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- Aleysha
- 09-09-17
great book
I'm glad I gave this one a chance. It was very enjoyable and I liked it very well.
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- Jason H.
- 03-16-17
Fascinating story and stellar performances.
My only minor complaint, and I wish I could only take off a half a star for this, is the inconsistent audio volume levels. Some conversations were too low to hear, followed by a loud sound effect or a shouting person. Needs a normalize pass.
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- E. Book
- 12-08-20
My All Time Favorite in audio
One of my all time favorite books is available in audio, how good is that! This version by Neil Gaiman didn’t disappoint. I love the buzzing noises of Riverside, the music at the balls of the aristocracy, the budding romance of the swashbuckling heroine and the personal assistant of the Mad Duke.
Agreed, some noises like closing doors and ticking clocks can be missed. Some voice actors are better than others, but I find it an added bonus this version is narrated by author Ellen Kushner herself.
If you like the world of Victor Hugo, Dickens and Georgette Heyer put together, painted in erotic colors, this is for you. Don’t miss it.
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- CM
- 11-26-19
Terrible audio mix can't ruin this amazing story.
Kushner is brilliant with dialogue, and her characters are colorful and engaging. This book is ahead of its time w/r/t the ideas it engages with--esp. gender norms, the societal constructs that prop up social hierarchies. A few of the characters and plot elements trend towards familiar romantic archetypes, but the book does more to comment on these norms and remix them than to wallow in the traps of their familiarity. Kat is a fun hero to root for.
Unfortunately, the audio engineers really dropped the ball on this one. There are way too many "fun" sounds effects of swordfighting and music and tavern chatter, etc., which are so loud in the mix that they quite literally hurt your ears. This is worsened because you have to crank the volume in order to hear the quiet narrators, and the engineers did a very poor job normalizing the volume between the various voice actors (who are not used to good effect, largely unnecessary). A standard reading of this book, done well, would've been much better than this "fancy" reading, achieved poorly.
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- Jessica
- 12-24-12
A Delight to Hear-
I've always enjoyed reading this book, and when I heard Neil Gaiman had produced an audiobook version of it, I knew I had to hear it. I'd been intrigued by an interview I'd heard where he'd spoken to how aware he was of the audible quality of his writing for children. So I picked up from the library his audiobook for Stardust, which he himself read, and greatly enjoyed it. Hearing a book read by the author is an entirely different experience from reading one.
When I first started listening to The Privilege of the Sword, I was initially thrown off by the switching actors. Yet eventually I figured out where and why they were switching the voices, so that made sense and I just enjoyed it. I wish there had been more parts with the actor who played Duke Tremontaine! Ah- what a fabulous voice that man has, and PERFECT for the part. And there was another woman who read most of the narration when it wasn't from the first perspective of the main character, and her voice was so rich, yet stern, yet purring all at the same time... like rubbing your ear on an old velvet cushion.
Come to think of it, all of the other actors brought in for the roles had voices wonderful to hear and perfect for their roles. Great casting.
Ellen Kushner reads the story very well, even though the story is from a much younger woman's point of view. The fact that she is the author adds everything I could want to the story- I love getting to hear how the story sounds in the author's own head, where they put emphasis and inflection, how they hear the voices of the characters and such.
I did wish for a bit more consistency as to when they brought in the external actors besides the two main narrators, but I suppose there were probably some budget or time constraints there, so they only did it at the really pivotal scenes. I felt like an old throwback to the days where families would gather around radios, as I sat next to my computer, my other tasks forgotten, listening it go back and forth and back and forth between actors like I had snuck into a play backstage, with only a backdrop to hide the action from me... yet it all played out in my head so there was no lack.
Excellent story, excellent production- a delight to hear.
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3 people found this helpful