Showing results by narrator "Derek Jacobi" in All Categories

The Doctor ventures into alternative dimensions in these four exciting novelisations of TV stories.

Star of stage, screen and television, and one of only two people to be awarded two Knighthoods, Sir Derek Jacobi is one of Britain’s most distinguished actors. ‘If you want to be an actor, don’t. If you need to be an actor, do.’ The world of theatre could not have been further from Derek’s childhood: an only child, born in Leytonstone, London. With his father a department store manager father and his mother a secretary, his was very much a working class background.

A full-cast dramatisation of Neil Gaiman's magical retellings of the Norse myths, inviting us into a world of gods and monsters, tricks and trust, fiery endings and new beginnings Winner of The London Book Fair CAMEO Award 2020 for Book to Audio adaptation. 'And the game begins anew…' Meet the...

The bestselling novel from international literary phenomenon Paulo Coelho, author of The Alchemist. ‘Love is a terrible thing that will make you suffer…’ So says Maria, a young Brazilian girl convinced from an early age that she will never find true love. A chance meeting in Rio takes her...

It's Christmas, and a local visiting dignitary suddenly takes ill immediately following his decision to bequeath his manorial estate to the abbey. Luckily, the abbey boasts the services of the herbalist Brother Cadfael, who hurries to the man's bedside, only to be confronted with two surprises: the man's wife is Richildis—whom Cadfael loved before he took his vows—and the poison is monk's-hood oil from Cadfael's stores. Using his knowledge of both herbs and the human heart, Cadfael deciphers a deadly recipe for murder.

The Peloponnesian War, one of history’s most pivotal conflicts, comes to vibrant life in this “unabashedly brilliant, epic, intelligent, and moving” (Kirkus Reviews) novel from the bestselling author of Gates of Fire. “Pressfield’s battlefield scenes rank with the most convincing ever...

During the ploughing of the Potter's Field, the Brothers unearth the grisly remains of a woman's body. Rumors had it that the wild, beautiful Welsh woman had gone away with a lover, returning to her homeland, but now it seems as if she had been murdered. With the arrival of a young monk fleeing from the devastating civil war in East Anglia, the mysteries surrounding the corpse start to multiply. Uneasiness pushes Brother Cadfael to find the whole truth behind this unexpected discovery, piecing together cryptic clues to solve a baffling crime.

Hear the immortal story of Arthur, the once and future king! The legendary tale of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table is a superb story of adventure, love, honor, and betrayal. Originally published in 1485, Malory's epic poem, Le Morte d'Arthur, is filled with dramatic power and deep, tragic irony. Guenever, Launcelot, Mordred, the quest for the Holy Grail and the ultimate doom of Arthur's realm - it's all here.

Sir John Betjeman’s unique relationship with the BBC left a lasting legacy of poetry, readings and performances. A First Class Collection features a selection of some of his most memorable and best-loved poetry. Betjeman was one of the best-known and loved Poet Laureates and over a hundred...

While Brother Cadfael has bent Abbey rules, he has never broken his monastic vows—until now. Word has come to Shrewsbury of a treacherous act that has left 30 of Empress Maud's knights imprisoned during England's dynastic war between two grandchildren of William the Conqueror. All have been ransomed except Cadfael's secret son, Olivier. Conceived in Cadfael's soldiering youth and unaware of his father's identity, Olivier will die if he is not freed. Cadfael is determined to find him but must leave the monastery without his abbot's blessing.

Penguin presents the audiobook edition of Lust by Roald Dahl, read by Mark Heap, Derek Jacobi, Richard E Grant, Gillian Anderson, Shane Rimmer, Julian Rhind-Tutt and Jessica Hynes. We fall not in love but in lust . . . Lust, in all its myriad forms, consumes us. What won't we do to achieve our...

Read by Derek Jacobi and Michael Morpurgo Set on a farm in rural Devon, this is a collection of Grandpa’s reminiscences and stories as told to his grandson. Grandpa’s nature and his touching relationship with the boy is evoked superbly by Michael Morpurgo’s writing. This two-voice read...

Brought to you by Penguin. Secrets, murder and mayhem collide as this unlikely sleuthing duo - an under-butler and a foul-mouthed octogerian - hunt a killer in a manor sealed against the end of the world. Cornwall, 1910. On a remote tidal island, the Viscount of Tithe Hall is absorbed in...

In the summer of 1139, there is a pause in the civil war racking the country. St. Peter's Fair attracts merchants from across England and beyond, promising to bring some much-needed gaiety to Shrewsbury—that is, until the dead body of a wealthy merchant is found in the river Severn. Brother Cadfael offers to help the merchant's lovely niece uncover the murderer, but as he searches for the killer, the merchant's wares are ransacked and two more men are murdered.

Katherine Mansfield is remembered as one of the great modernist short-story writers, who managed to pack a huge amount of creative work into her 34 years before she died of TB in 1923. This impressive collection includes brand-new full-cast BBC dramatisations of 'Bliss', 'Something Childish but Very Natural', 'Marriage a la Mode', 'Daughters of the Late Colonel', 'The Garden Party', 'Life of Ma Parker and Her First Ball', plus many more readings brought to life by a wealth of narrators.

In summer of 1144, a strange calm has settled over England. The armies of King Stephen and Empress Maudhave temporarily exhausted each other. Brother Cadfael, herbalist-sleuth of Shrewsbury's Benedictine Abbey, agrees to accompany wise young Brother Mark on Church business in Wales. But the brothers soon find themselves caught up in yet another feud. A Welsh prince has banished his brother, accusing him of the treacherous murder of an ally, and the country teeters on the brink of civil war. Cadfael has to survive the brotherly quarrel that could plunge an entire kingdom into chaos.

** THE INTERNATIONAL PHENOMENON ** 'There are many laughs in this book but it's so much more than just a comedy. It's a story about how friendship, selflessness and dignity lie at the heart of the human experience. When I'm an old man, I want to be Hendrik Groen' John Boyne, author of...

Lewis Raycie is sent on a Grand Tour of Europe with instructions from his father to acquire a collection of accepted Art Works. His father's dream is to own a Raphael; instead, Lewis returns with a priceless collection of Renaissance masterpieces by Piero della Francesca and others of equal stature. They are, however, unknown in America. His father is appalled and disinherits him. His family ridicule him. But it is only after Lewis dies that the magnificent collection gets the recognition it really deserves.

Combined into one volume, this is the definitive collection of Tolkien’s five acclaimed modern classic ‘fairie’ tales in the vein of The Hobbit, read by Derek Jacobi. The five tales are written with the same skill, quality and charm that made The Hobbit a classic. Largely overlooked...

Brought to you by Penguin. This Penguin Classic is performed by Lesley Manville (winner of the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress and known for Phantom Thread and Mum), Derek Jacobi (winner of the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor and known for Gladiator and Gosford Park), Michael...