Before the Reign Falls Audiobook By David Black cover art

Before the Reign Falls

The Lost Words of Lady Jane Grey

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Before the Reign Falls

By: David Black
Narrated by: Sarah Jane Rose
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During the renovation of a decrepit old barn by several friends, the chance finding of various old manuscripts lodged between some wall cavities reveals clues to a mystery that goes back over four and a half centuries to the time of Queen Mary I, Queen Elizabeth I, and Lady Jane Grey, who is often referred to as the Nine Day Queen.

Told from several viewpoints, the startling story of Lady Jane Grey finally comes to light as the previously unknown last moments of her life involving mystery, intrigue, politics, and love come to an explosive ending that may even force a revision of the history books.

©2019 David Black (P)2019 David Black Historical Fiction
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I enjoyed the narration and the story. My only disappointment is that at least three (by my count) issues in the story were vaguely wrapped up and each of them deserved a better ending. I am hoping there is a sequel but if there is or will be I haven't been able to find any information.

I am not specific because I don't want to spoil anyone's enjoyment of the book. If he writes another one, I will buy it.

Nice change of pace for a Tudor story

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Listener received this title free

Well written characters and dialogue, paired with a narrator flexible enough to clearly relate facts or create engaging scenes between characters, make this a diverting romp through the late Tudor Period.

Very Enjoyable Way to Digest History

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Listener received this title free

This is an intriguing alternate history creatively presented mostly through diary entries. It also includes some very concise and straight forward historical details of the people and politics of the time period. It's nicely performed by Sarah Jane Rose.

NOTE: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Intriguing alternat history

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Listener received this title free

I requested a free copy from the author and this is my unbiased review.
I loved the history and twist of Lady Jane Grey’s demise. However, there didn’t seem to be a real purpose for the characters other than discovering the documents and being used by the author narrator to “tell” the story. I think this would have been better in Lady Jane’s point of view. Overall the voice narrator did a good job. But the fake-sounding sophisticated accent of one character annoyed me. Great idea though.

Interesting

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Listener received this title free

This was an amazing book!I enjoyed the whole thing, After buying a house a diary is found that is possibly the true story of Lady Jane Grey. Narration was well done.I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Before the reign falls

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Listener received this title free

As a lover of historical fiction, a self professed anglophile, and a massive fan of Tudor literature Before the Reign Falls checks all these boxes. The story of the Nine-Day Queen, Jane Grey, Before the Reign Falls is the story of missing letters and events that occur after her execution.

I enjoyed a lot of the callouts of the historical details, like Catherine Parr's portrait painter. The fictional twists were very interesting and enjoyable to read.

I received a copy of this ebook in exchange for my unbiased review.

Great for Lovers of Historical Fiction

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Listener received this title free

Author David Black uses literary license to relate the intense historical fiction of Lady Jane Grey, the nine-day queen. A royal, descending from Henry VII, she was put on the throne only to be deposed by her cousin Mary, Queen Mary I.

This story unfolds using a diary type of format that has the listener moving between 16th century England and modern day. The prologue sets the listener up with the history of the royals which provided me a suitable frame of reference for those times and the relationships. From there, the story moves to modern day with Alice and Elliott traveling the backroads of England to help a buddy who is restoring and older property he purchased.

The combination of the historical back story told from the modern-day viewpoint was enjoyable. I liked how many of the characters told their own story, especially Lady Jane Grey. None of her short life was easy and though she was privileged I found her a tragic character. The author weaves surprising twists and turns that piqued my interest all the way to the unexpected ending.

Sarah Jane Rose was a good choice as narrator of this tale. She has a delightful quality to her voice, with accents ideal to the story location. Her speed and timing were perfect along with well-placed emotional highs and lows as the characters told their portion for the story.

The production quality of the audible as done well and without flaws.

A Thoughtful Historical Fiction!

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Listener received this title free

Tudor history fascinates me, so a book about Lady Jane Grey is right up my alley. There's some back and forth in time in this book that is pretty well done, but the story could have done with a bit more editing. I want more of the contemporary exploration, more mystery. Jane Grey's perspective was great, and the insertion of this idea into actual history was fun, but it felt pretty disjointed and incomplete? Also, as I was listening to the audiobook, I have a serious bone to pick with the tiny excerpts from each chapter before the chapter actually starts; it was really confusing and felt repetitive and unnecessary. Anyway, like Perkin Warbeck, I happily accept this headcanon.

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Excellent premise with good delivery

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