Far Away Bird
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Buy for $19.46
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Mary Sarah
-
By:
-
Douglas A Burton
About this listen
Inspired by true events, Far Away Bird delves into the complex mind of Byzantine Empress Theodora. This intimate account deftly follows her rise from actress-prostitute in Constantinople’s red-light district to the throne of the Byzantine Empire.
Her salacious past has left historians blushing and uncomfortable. Tales of her shamelessness have survived for centuries, and yet her accomplishments as an empress are unparalleled. Theodora goes on to influence sweeping reforms that result in some of the first ever Western laws granting women freedom and protection. More than a millennium before the women’s rights movement, Theodora, alone, took on the world’s greatest superpower and succeeded. Far Away Bird goes where history classrooms fear to tread, in hopes that Theodora can finally take her seat among the greatest women in history.
Follow young Theodora through the scintillating and violent world of Byzantium. From the brothels to the bathhouses to the spectacular chariot races in the Hippodrome - her role in society seemed hopeless. But when she’s trained as a political spy, the lessons on personal power transform Theodora into the stuff of empresses. She seems impossible - yet her transcendence teaches us that society can’t tell us who we are deep down. Before there was a legendary empress, there was a conflicted young woman from the lower classes.
And her name was Theodora.
©2020 Douglas A. Burton (P)2020 Douglas A. BurtonListeners also enjoyed...
-
From Where You Dream
- The Process of Writing Fiction
- By: Robert Olen Butler, Janet Burroway - editor, Janet Burroway - introduction
- Narrated by: Robert Olen Butler
- Length: 8 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Robert Olen Butler, author of Perfume River, A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain, and A Small Hotel, teaches graduate fiction at Florida State University—his version of literary boot camp. In From Where You Dream, Butler reimagines the process of writing as emotional rather than intellectual and tells writers how to achieve the dream space necessary for composing honest, inspired fiction.
-
-
A Bullseye for Writers (& Other Short Stories)
- By Doug on 06-19-23
By: Robert Olen Butler, and others
-
I, Mona Lisa
- By: Natasha Solomons
- Narrated by: Amelia Donkor
- Length: 11 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For 500 years we've been looking at the Mona Lisa, and it turns out that she's been looking right back at us. Over the centuries, few could hear her voice, but now we are let into the secret, as she tells us her story in her own words - a tale of rivalry, murder and heartbreak. And a mystery of Leonardo's greatest lost painting. Weaving through the years, she takes us from the dazzling world of da Vinci's Florentine studio to the French courts at Fontainebleau and Versailles, and into the 20th century.
-
-
Creative & Fascinating
- By Lelawala on 06-06-24
By: Natasha Solomons
-
The Giver of Stars
- Reese's Book Club (A Novel)
- By: Jojo Moyes
- Narrated by: Julia Whelan
- Length: 13 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Alice Wright marries handsome American Bennett Van Cleve hoping to escape her stifling life in England. But small-town Kentucky quickly proves equally claustrophobic, especially living alongside her overbearing father-in-law. So, when a call goes out for a team of women to deliver books as part of Eleanor Roosevelt’s new traveling library, Alice signs on enthusiastically. The leader, and soon Alice's greatest ally, is Margery, a smart-talking, self-sufficient woman who's never asked a man's permission for anything.
-
-
About time!
- By Amazon Customer on 10-25-19
By: Jojo Moyes
-
The Complete Jaipur Trilogy
- The Henna Artist, The Secret Keeper of Jaipur, and The Perfumist of Paris
- By: Alka Joshi
- Narrated by: Sneha Mathan, Ariyan Kassam, Deepa Samuel
- Length: 33 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Vivid and compelling, The Henna Artist opens a door into a world that is at once lush and fascinating, stark and cruel. Escaping from an abusive marriage, seventeen-year-old Lakshmi makes her way alone to the vibrant 1950s pink city of Jaipur. There she becomes the most highly requested henna artist—and confidante—to the wealthy women of the upper class. But trusted with the secrets of the wealthy, she can never reveal her own. Years later, she is confronted by her husband who has tracked her down.
-
-
An fabulously expanding adventure !
- By Miki Lee on 11-24-23
By: Alka Joshi
-
The Girl with the Louding Voice
- A Novel
- By: Abi Daré
- Narrated by: Adjoa Andoh
- Length: 12 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The unforgettable, inspiring story of a teenage girl growing up in a rural Nigerian village who longs to get an education so that she can find her “louding voice” and speak up for herself, The Girl with the Louding Voice is a simultaneously heartbreaking and triumphant tale about the power of fighting for your dreams.
-
-
A must HEAR!
- By Michelle on 03-09-20
By: Abi Daré
-
Call Your Daughter Home
- By: Deb Spera
- Narrated by: Robin Miles, Adenrele Ojo, Brittany Pressley
- Length: 11 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It's 1924 in Branchville, South Carolina, and three women have come to a crossroads. Gertrude, a mother of four, must make an unconscionable decision to save her daughters. Retta, a first-generation freed slave, comes to Gertrude's aid by watching her children, despite the gossip it causes in her community. Annie, the matriarch of the influential Coles family, offers Gertrude employment at her sewing circle, while facing problems of her own at home.
-
-
Lovely story/perfect narration
- By christi mccoy on 07-08-19
By: Deb Spera
-
From Where You Dream
- The Process of Writing Fiction
- By: Robert Olen Butler, Janet Burroway - editor, Janet Burroway - introduction
- Narrated by: Robert Olen Butler
- Length: 8 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Robert Olen Butler, author of Perfume River, A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain, and A Small Hotel, teaches graduate fiction at Florida State University—his version of literary boot camp. In From Where You Dream, Butler reimagines the process of writing as emotional rather than intellectual and tells writers how to achieve the dream space necessary for composing honest, inspired fiction.
-
-
A Bullseye for Writers (& Other Short Stories)
- By Doug on 06-19-23
By: Robert Olen Butler, and others
-
I, Mona Lisa
- By: Natasha Solomons
- Narrated by: Amelia Donkor
- Length: 11 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For 500 years we've been looking at the Mona Lisa, and it turns out that she's been looking right back at us. Over the centuries, few could hear her voice, but now we are let into the secret, as she tells us her story in her own words - a tale of rivalry, murder and heartbreak. And a mystery of Leonardo's greatest lost painting. Weaving through the years, she takes us from the dazzling world of da Vinci's Florentine studio to the French courts at Fontainebleau and Versailles, and into the 20th century.
-
-
Creative & Fascinating
- By Lelawala on 06-06-24
By: Natasha Solomons
-
The Giver of Stars
- Reese's Book Club (A Novel)
- By: Jojo Moyes
- Narrated by: Julia Whelan
- Length: 13 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Alice Wright marries handsome American Bennett Van Cleve hoping to escape her stifling life in England. But small-town Kentucky quickly proves equally claustrophobic, especially living alongside her overbearing father-in-law. So, when a call goes out for a team of women to deliver books as part of Eleanor Roosevelt’s new traveling library, Alice signs on enthusiastically. The leader, and soon Alice's greatest ally, is Margery, a smart-talking, self-sufficient woman who's never asked a man's permission for anything.
-
-
About time!
- By Amazon Customer on 10-25-19
By: Jojo Moyes
-
The Complete Jaipur Trilogy
- The Henna Artist, The Secret Keeper of Jaipur, and The Perfumist of Paris
- By: Alka Joshi
- Narrated by: Sneha Mathan, Ariyan Kassam, Deepa Samuel
- Length: 33 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Vivid and compelling, The Henna Artist opens a door into a world that is at once lush and fascinating, stark and cruel. Escaping from an abusive marriage, seventeen-year-old Lakshmi makes her way alone to the vibrant 1950s pink city of Jaipur. There she becomes the most highly requested henna artist—and confidante—to the wealthy women of the upper class. But trusted with the secrets of the wealthy, she can never reveal her own. Years later, she is confronted by her husband who has tracked her down.
-
-
An fabulously expanding adventure !
- By Miki Lee on 11-24-23
By: Alka Joshi
-
The Girl with the Louding Voice
- A Novel
- By: Abi Daré
- Narrated by: Adjoa Andoh
- Length: 12 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The unforgettable, inspiring story of a teenage girl growing up in a rural Nigerian village who longs to get an education so that she can find her “louding voice” and speak up for herself, The Girl with the Louding Voice is a simultaneously heartbreaking and triumphant tale about the power of fighting for your dreams.
-
-
A must HEAR!
- By Michelle on 03-09-20
By: Abi Daré
-
Call Your Daughter Home
- By: Deb Spera
- Narrated by: Robin Miles, Adenrele Ojo, Brittany Pressley
- Length: 11 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It's 1924 in Branchville, South Carolina, and three women have come to a crossroads. Gertrude, a mother of four, must make an unconscionable decision to save her daughters. Retta, a first-generation freed slave, comes to Gertrude's aid by watching her children, despite the gossip it causes in her community. Annie, the matriarch of the influential Coles family, offers Gertrude employment at her sewing circle, while facing problems of her own at home.
-
-
Lovely story/perfect narration
- By christi mccoy on 07-08-19
By: Deb Spera
-
A Song of Wraiths and Ruin
- By: Roseanne A. Brown
- Narrated by: Jordan Cobb, A. J Beckles
- Length: 12 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For Malik, the Solstasia festival is a chance to escape his war-stricken home and start a new life with his sisters in the prosperous desert city of Ziran. But when a vengeful spirit abducts his younger sister, Nadia, as payment to enter the city, Malik strikes a fatal deal - kill Karina, Crown Princess of Ziran, for Nadia’s freedom. But Karina has deadly aspirations of her own. Her mother, the Sultana, has been assassinated; her court threatens mutiny; and Solstasia looms like a knife over her neck. Grief-stricken, Karina decides to resurrect her mother through ancient magic.
-
-
A truly unique and beautiful tale....
- By Anonymous User on 08-18-20
-
The Exiles
- A Novel
- By: Christina Baker Kline
- Narrated by: Caroline Lee
- Length: 10 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Seduced by her employer’s son, Evangeline, a naïve young governess in early 19th-century London, is discharged when her pregnancy is discovered and sent to the notorious Newgate Prison. After months in the fetid, overcrowded jail, she learns she is sentenced to "the land beyond the seas", Van Diemen’s Land, a penal colony in Australia. Though uncertain of what awaits, Evangeline knows one thing: The child she carries will be born on the months-long voyage to this distant land.
-
-
Tragic
- By karis on 11-10-20
-
Wild Seed
- The Patternist Series, Book 1
- By: Octavia E. Butler
- Narrated by: Robin Miles
- Length: 11 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For a thousand years, Doro has cultivated a small African village, carefully breeding its people in search of seemingly unattainable perfection. He survives through the centuries by stealing the bodies of others, a technique he has so thoroughly mastered that nothing on Earth can kill him. But when a gang of New World slavers destroys his village, ruining his grand experiment, Doro is forced to go west and begin anew. He meets Anyanwu, a centuries-old woman whose means of immortality are as kind as his are cruel. Now they begin a struggle that will last centuries.
-
-
A Tough Review To Write...
- By AlTonya on 04-05-21
-
Where the Lost Wander
- A Novel
- By: Amy Harmon
- Narrated by: Lauren Ezzo, Shaun Taylor-Corbett
- Length: 11 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Overland Trail, 1853: Naomi May never expected to be widowed at 20. Eager to leave her grief behind, she sets off with her family for a life out West. On the trail, she forms an instant connection with John Lowry, a half-Pawnee man straddling two worlds and a stranger in both. But life in a wagon train is fraught with hardship, fear, and death. Even as John and Naomi are drawn to each other, the trials of the journey and their disparate pasts work to keep them apart.
-
-
Good story, bad reader
- By LoverofClassics on 06-09-20
By: Amy Harmon
-
The Dovekeepers
- A Novel
- By: Alice Hoffman, Heather Lind
- Narrated by: Aya Cash, Jessica Hecht, Tovah Feldshuh
- Length: 19 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Over five years in the writing, Alice Hoffman’s most ambitious and mesmerizing work ever, a triumph of imagination and research set in ancient Israel. The author of such iconic bestsellers as Illumination Night, Practical Magic, Fortune’s Daughter, and Oprah’s Book Club selection Here on Earth, Alice Hoffman is one of the most popular and memorable writers of her generation. Now, in The Dovekeepers, Hoffman delivers her most masterful work yet - one that draws on her passion for mythology, magic, and archaeology and her inimitable understanding of women.
-
-
Grade of B-
- By FanB14 on 06-29-12
By: Alice Hoffman, and others
-
Mage's Blood
- The Moontide Quartet, Book 1
- By: David Hair
- Narrated by: Nick Podehl
- Length: 26 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Most of the time the Moontide Bridge lies deep below the sea, but every 12 years the tides sink and the bridge is revealed, its gates open for trade. The Magi are hell-bent on ruling this new world, and for the last two Moontides they have led armies across the bridge on "crusades of conquest". Now, the third Moontide is almost here, and this time the people of the East are ready for a fight... but it is three seemingly ordinary people that will decide the fate of the world.
-
-
Nick Podehl
- By Logan on 01-05-15
By: David Hair
-
The First Girl Child
- The Chronicles of Saylok
- By: Amy Harmon
- Narrated by: Rob Shapiro
- Length: 14 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Bayr of Saylok, bastard son of a powerful and jealous chieftain, is haunted by the curse once leveled by his dying mother. Bartered, abandoned, and rarely loved, she plagued the land with her words: From this day forward, there will be no daughters in Saylok. Raised among the Keepers at Temple Hill, Bayr is gifted with inhuman strength. But he’s also blessed with an all-too-human heart that beats with one purpose: to protect Alba, the first girl child born in nearly two decades and the salvation for a country at risk.
-
-
Loved it
- By C&D on 09-05-19
By: Amy Harmon
-
The Light over London
- By: Julia Kelly
- Narrated by: Lucy Brownhill
- Length: 9 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It’s always been easier for Cara Hargraves to bury herself in the past than confront the present, which is why working with a gruff but brilliant antiques dealer is perfect. While clearing out an estate, she pries open an old tin that holds the relics of a lost relationship: among the treasures, a World War II-era diary and a photograph of a young woman in uniform. Eager to find the author of the hauntingly beautiful, unfinished diary, Cara digs into this soldier’s life, but soon realizes she may not have been ready for the stark reality of wartime London she finds....
-
-
Never Forget
- By Caliope on 05-15-19
By: Julia Kelly
-
The Complete Earthsinger Chronicles Novellas
- Earthsinger Chronicles, Books 1.5 - 3.5
- By: L. Penelope
- Narrated by: Allyson Johnson
- Length: 10 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Delve deeper into the world of the Earthsinger Chronicles with these prequel novellas full of magic, adventure, destiny, and love.
-
-
well done
- By Wonder Rose on 09-25-21
By: L. Penelope
-
Weyward
- A Novel
- By: Emilia Hart
- Narrated by: Aysha Kala, Helen Keeley, Nell Barlow
- Length: 10 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Weaving together the stories of three extraordinary women across five centuries, Emilia Hart's Weyward is an enthralling novel of female resilience and the transformative power of the natural world.
-
-
Awful, Problematic Story
- By Anonymous User on 04-23-23
By: Emilia Hart
-
Dreamers
- Legacies of the Ancient River, Book 1
- By: Angela Hunt
- Narrated by: Stina Nielsen
- Length: 13 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the land of Pharaoh, Tuya has always been a slave. As a little girl, she was sold as a playmate to a wealthy child who became her best friend. But as she approaches womanhood, beautiful Tuya is betrayed and cast out. Now she belongs to Potiphar, captain of Pharaoh's guard. Yet her heart is owned by handsome Joseph, sold into slavery by his own brothers. Proud, arrogant Joseph dreams of freedom, of his own household, of Tuya as his queen.
-
-
I was so immersed in the story I couldn’t sleep until done.
- By Micah70 on 05-17-23
By: Angela Hunt
-
She Who Became the Sun
- By: Shelley Parker-Chan
- Narrated by: Natalie Naudus
- Length: 14 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 1345, China lies under harsh Mongol rule. For the starving peasants of the Central Plains, greatness is something found only in stories. When the Zhu family’s eighth-born son, Zhu Chongba, is given a fate of greatness, everyone is mystified as to how it will come to pass. The fate of nothingness received by the family’s clever and capable second daughter, on the other hand, is only as expected.
-
-
Almost great.
- By stacey on 09-13-21
Related to this topic
-
The Lotus Palace
- By: Jeannie Lin
- Narrated by: Nancy Wu
- Length: 11 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It is a time of celebration in the Pingkang li, where imperial scholars and bureaucrats mingle with beautiful courtesans. At the center is the Lotus Palace, home of the most exquisite courtesans in China. aidservant Yue-ying is not one of those beauties. Street-smart and practical, she's content to live in the shadow of her infamous mistress - until she meets the aristocratic playboy Bai Huang.
-
-
always an excellent story.
- By Rdow on 11-14-22
By: Jeannie Lin
-
Mage's Blood
- The Moontide Quartet, Book 1
- By: David Hair
- Narrated by: Nick Podehl
- Length: 26 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Most of the time the Moontide Bridge lies deep below the sea, but every 12 years the tides sink and the bridge is revealed, its gates open for trade. The Magi are hell-bent on ruling this new world, and for the last two Moontides they have led armies across the bridge on "crusades of conquest". Now, the third Moontide is almost here, and this time the people of the East are ready for a fight... but it is three seemingly ordinary people that will decide the fate of the world.
-
-
Nick Podehl
- By Logan on 01-05-15
By: David Hair
-
Daughter of the Gods
- A Novel of Ancient Egypt
- By: Stephanie Marie Thornton
- Narrated by: Ilyana Kadushin
- Length: 15 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Egypt, 1400s BC. The pharaoh's pampered second daughter, lively, intelligent Hatshepsut, delights in racing her chariot through the marketplace and testing her archery skills in the Nile's marshlands. But the death of her elder sister, Neferubity, in a gruesome accident arising from Hatshepsut's games forces her to confront her guilt...and sets her on a profoundly changed course.
-
-
Great story
- By Anonymous User on 01-30-21
-
The Secret History
- A Novel of Empress Theodora
- By: Stephanie Marie Thornton
- Narrated by: Patricia Santomasso
- Length: 13 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In sixth-century Constantinople, one woman, Theodora, defied every convention and all the odds and rose from common theater tart to empress of a great kingdom - the most powerful woman the Roman Empire would ever know. The woman whose image was later immortalized in glittering mosaic was a scrappy, clever, conniving, flesh-and-blood woman full of sensuality and spirit whose real story is as surprising as any ever told....
-
-
How very hard to sympathize with a narcissist
- By DrBon on 03-15-22
-
Dreamers
- Legacies of the Ancient River, Book 1
- By: Angela Hunt
- Narrated by: Stina Nielsen
- Length: 13 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the land of Pharaoh, Tuya has always been a slave. As a little girl, she was sold as a playmate to a wealthy child who became her best friend. But as she approaches womanhood, beautiful Tuya is betrayed and cast out. Now she belongs to Potiphar, captain of Pharaoh's guard. Yet her heart is owned by handsome Joseph, sold into slavery by his own brothers. Proud, arrogant Joseph dreams of freedom, of his own household, of Tuya as his queen.
-
-
I was so immersed in the story I couldn’t sleep until done.
- By Micah70 on 05-17-23
By: Angela Hunt
-
The Frozen Crown
- A Novel
- By: Greta Kelly
- Narrated by: Imani Jade Powers
- Length: 14 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Askia became heir to the Frozen Crown of Seravesh because of her devotion to her people. But her realm is facing a threat she cannot defeat by sheer will alone. The mad emperor of the Roven Empire has unleashed a horde of invading soldiers to enslave her lands. For months, her warriors have waged a valiant, stealth battle, yet they cannot stop the enemy’s advancement. Running out of time, she sets sail for sun-drenched Vishir, the neighboring land to the south, to seek help from its ruler, Emperor Armaan.
-
-
Encapturing
- By Amazon Customer on 07-27-21
By: Greta Kelly
-
The Lotus Palace
- By: Jeannie Lin
- Narrated by: Nancy Wu
- Length: 11 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It is a time of celebration in the Pingkang li, where imperial scholars and bureaucrats mingle with beautiful courtesans. At the center is the Lotus Palace, home of the most exquisite courtesans in China. aidservant Yue-ying is not one of those beauties. Street-smart and practical, she's content to live in the shadow of her infamous mistress - until she meets the aristocratic playboy Bai Huang.
-
-
always an excellent story.
- By Rdow on 11-14-22
By: Jeannie Lin
-
Mage's Blood
- The Moontide Quartet, Book 1
- By: David Hair
- Narrated by: Nick Podehl
- Length: 26 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Most of the time the Moontide Bridge lies deep below the sea, but every 12 years the tides sink and the bridge is revealed, its gates open for trade. The Magi are hell-bent on ruling this new world, and for the last two Moontides they have led armies across the bridge on "crusades of conquest". Now, the third Moontide is almost here, and this time the people of the East are ready for a fight... but it is three seemingly ordinary people that will decide the fate of the world.
-
-
Nick Podehl
- By Logan on 01-05-15
By: David Hair
-
Daughter of the Gods
- A Novel of Ancient Egypt
- By: Stephanie Marie Thornton
- Narrated by: Ilyana Kadushin
- Length: 15 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Egypt, 1400s BC. The pharaoh's pampered second daughter, lively, intelligent Hatshepsut, delights in racing her chariot through the marketplace and testing her archery skills in the Nile's marshlands. But the death of her elder sister, Neferubity, in a gruesome accident arising from Hatshepsut's games forces her to confront her guilt...and sets her on a profoundly changed course.
-
-
Great story
- By Anonymous User on 01-30-21
-
The Secret History
- A Novel of Empress Theodora
- By: Stephanie Marie Thornton
- Narrated by: Patricia Santomasso
- Length: 13 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In sixth-century Constantinople, one woman, Theodora, defied every convention and all the odds and rose from common theater tart to empress of a great kingdom - the most powerful woman the Roman Empire would ever know. The woman whose image was later immortalized in glittering mosaic was a scrappy, clever, conniving, flesh-and-blood woman full of sensuality and spirit whose real story is as surprising as any ever told....
-
-
How very hard to sympathize with a narcissist
- By DrBon on 03-15-22
-
Dreamers
- Legacies of the Ancient River, Book 1
- By: Angela Hunt
- Narrated by: Stina Nielsen
- Length: 13 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the land of Pharaoh, Tuya has always been a slave. As a little girl, she was sold as a playmate to a wealthy child who became her best friend. But as she approaches womanhood, beautiful Tuya is betrayed and cast out. Now she belongs to Potiphar, captain of Pharaoh's guard. Yet her heart is owned by handsome Joseph, sold into slavery by his own brothers. Proud, arrogant Joseph dreams of freedom, of his own household, of Tuya as his queen.
-
-
I was so immersed in the story I couldn’t sleep until done.
- By Micah70 on 05-17-23
By: Angela Hunt
-
The Frozen Crown
- A Novel
- By: Greta Kelly
- Narrated by: Imani Jade Powers
- Length: 14 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Askia became heir to the Frozen Crown of Seravesh because of her devotion to her people. But her realm is facing a threat she cannot defeat by sheer will alone. The mad emperor of the Roven Empire has unleashed a horde of invading soldiers to enslave her lands. For months, her warriors have waged a valiant, stealth battle, yet they cannot stop the enemy’s advancement. Running out of time, she sets sail for sun-drenched Vishir, the neighboring land to the south, to seek help from its ruler, Emperor Armaan.
-
-
Encapturing
- By Amazon Customer on 07-27-21
By: Greta Kelly
-
The Black Rose
- By: Thomas B. Costain
- Narrated by: David Case
- Length: 17 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Walter of Gurnie, bastard son of an English peer, is forced to flee from Oxford for his part in the university riots of 1273. Inspired by Friar Bacon, he determines to travel to China. With his friend Tristam, he fights his way to the heart of the fabulous Mongol Empire and returns famous, to find that he must choose between the first love he thought lost and the exotic flower that he found in the East.
-
-
Great Book
- By Jean on 03-09-13
-
The Bard's Blade
- The Sorcerer's Song, Book 1
- By: Brian D. Anderson
- Narrated by: Andrew Kingston, Tamsin Kennard
- Length: 14 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Mariyah enjoys a simple life in Vylari, a land magically sealed off from the outside world, where fear and hatred are all but unknown. There, she's a renowned wine maker, and her betrothed, Lem, is a musician of rare talent. Their destiny has never been in question. Whatever life brings, they will face it together. Then, a stranger crosses the wards into Vylari for the first time in centuries, bringing a dark prophecy that forces Lem and Mariyah down separate paths. How far will they have to go to stop a rising darkness and save their home?
-
-
Something new
- By Blaise Ancona on 02-20-20
-
The Book of Longings
- A Novel
- By: Sue Monk Kidd
- Narrated by: Mozhan Marnò, Sue Monk Kidd
- Length: 13 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In her mesmerizing fourth work of fiction, Sue Monk Kidd takes an audacious approach to history and brings her acclaimed narrative gifts to imagine the story of a young woman named Ana. Raised in a wealthy family with ties to the ruler of Galilee, she is rebellious and ambitious, with a brilliant mind and a daring spirit. She engages in furtive scholarly pursuits and writes narratives about neglected and silenced women. Ana is expected to marry an older widower, a prospect that horrifies her. An encounter with 18-year-old Jesus changes everything.
-
-
Made me cringe
- By Joan on 05-08-20
By: Sue Monk Kidd
-
The Broken Ones
- By: Danielle L. Jensen
- Narrated by: Eric Michael Summerer, Erin Moon
- Length: 8 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Below Forsaken Mountain, a plot is being hatched to overthrow the tyrant king of Trollus, and Marc is the right-hand man of its leader. His involvement is information more than one troll would kill to possess, which is why he must keep it a secret from everyone, even the girl he loves. After accidentally ruining her sister's chance to become queen, Pénélope is given one last opportunity by her father, the Duke d'Angoulême, to make herself useful: she must find proof that the boy she's in love with is conspiring against the crown.
-
-
A-MAZE-ING!!!!!!!
- By L. DelPrete on 06-30-17
-
The Invasion of Heaven
- Part One of the Newirth Mythology
- By: Michael B. Koep
- Narrated by: Gabrielle de Cuir, John Rubinstein, Stefan Rudnicki
- Length: 12 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Psychologist Loche Newirth becomes hunted when he sees a painting that opens a window onto the afterlife. An ancient order of men seeking to control the art pursue him across the world, through centuries, into madness, and beyond. The first part of Michael B. Koep's the Newirth Mythology The Invasion of Heaven is mystery, adventure, myth, betrayal, murder, and madness. Loche Newirth wonders if it was his fall: The 50-foot drop from the rocky cliff to the icy water below. Is this why he has been hallucinating?
-
-
Good story - well written
- By Amy Q on 05-17-20
By: Michael B. Koep
-
The Councillor
- By: E.J. Beaton
- Narrated by: Moira Quirk
- Length: 19 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When the death of Iron Queen Sarelin Brey fractures the realm of Elira, Lysande Prior, the palace scholar and the queen’s closest friend, is appointed Councillor. Publically, Lysande must choose the next monarch from amongst the city-rulers vying for the throne. Privately, she seeks to discover which ruler murdered the queen, suspecting the use of magic. Resourceful, analytical, and quiet, Lysande appears to embody the motto everything in its place. Yet while she hides her drug addiction from her new associates, she cannot hide her growing interest in power.
-
-
Amazing!
- By Mouktar on 03-19-21
By: E.J. Beaton
-
Mark of the Raven
- The Ravenwood Saga, Book 1
- By: Morgan L. Busse
- Narrated by: Jaimee Draper
- Length: 10 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Lady Selene is the heir to the Great House of Ravenwood and the secret family gift of dreamwalking. As a dreamwalker, she can enter a person's dreams and manipulate their greatest fears or desires. For the last hundred years, the Ravenwood women have used their gift of dreaming for hire to gather information or to assassinate. As she discovers her family's dark secret, Selene is torn between upholding her family's legacy - a legacy that supports her people - or seeking the true reason behind her family's gift.
-
-
So glad this is on audiobook!
- By Amazon Customer on 11-09-18
By: Morgan L. Busse
-
Some Enchanted Evening
- Lost Princesses, Book 1
- By: Christina Dodd
- Narrated by: Heather Wilds
- Length: 9 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
One of Scotland's most dangerous men, Robert MacKenzie is dazzled by the enchanting beauty who rides into the town he is sworn to defend. Though he is wary of the exquisite stranger, Clarice stirs emotions within him that Robert buried deeply years before. And now he must have her at any cost, vowing to gain her trust through the powers of his sensuous seduction. Torn between her need to protect her secrets and her aching desire for the dark, tormented earl of Hepburn, Clarice is pulled into Robert's glamorous world . . . and into his perilous plan for justice and revenge.
-
-
Dodd! So glad she put in audible!
- By darlingdeb on 10-15-21
By: Christina Dodd
-
Stronghold
- Dragon Star Series, Book 1
- By: Melanie Rawn
- Narrated by: Christa Lewis
- Length: 24 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the first novel of Melanie Rawn's Dragon Star trilogy, there is a devastating new challenge to the power of both the High Prince Rohan and Andry, Lord of the Sunrunners at Goddess Keep, as a mysterious and seemingly unstoppable invasion force swarms across their lands. For Andry it signals the start of a nightmare made real, the horrifying fulfillment of his long-ago visions of his homeland in flames, and he will draw upon even the forbidden sorcerer's magic in an attempt to destroy this enemy which is bent on the extermination of all Sunrunners.
-
-
Boring
- By Donald s. on 09-26-24
By: Melanie Rawn
-
The Ruby in Her Navel
- By: Barry Unsworth
- Narrated by: Andrew Sachs
- Length: 12 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Thurstan, a young Norman and would-be Knight at the Court of King Roger in Palermo, has been in love since boyhood with Lady Alicia, now returned a widow from the Holy Land. Thurstan soon finds himself caught in a tangle of plots.
-
-
A Well-Earned Five Stars for this Gem
- By Ilana on 12-11-14
By: Barry Unsworth
-
The Beholder
- By: Anna Bright
- Narrated by: Emily Rankin
- Length: 11 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Selah has waited her whole life for a happily ever after. As the only daughter of the leader of Potomac, she knows her duty is to find the perfect match. But after an excruciatingly public rejection, Selah’s stepmother suggests an unthinkable solution: Selah must set sail across the Atlantic to visit a series of potential suitors - and if she doesn’t come home engaged, she shouldn’t come home at all. From the gardens of England to the fjords of Norge, Selah’s quest will be the journey of a lifetime. But her stepmother’s schemes aren’t the only secrets hiding belowdecks.
-
-
A hot mess
- By Whimsical Dragonette on 07-07-19
By: Anna Bright
-
Curse of Shadows and Thorns
- The Broken Kingdoms, Book 1
- By: LJ Andrews
- Narrated by: Stina Nielsen
- Length: 10 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
As niece of the king, Elise Lysander cares about two things: sneaking into gambling dens, and avoiding an advantageous marriage at all costs. When her uncle holds the life of her deathly ill father over her head, reluctantly, Elise puts her fate into the hands of Legion Grey, the handsome and mysterious dowry negotiator. He may be arrogant and infuriating, but soon Legion incites a blistering, forbidden passion she can’t ignore.
-
-
Great concept, poor execution on the writing side
- By Kel on 11-24-22
By: LJ Andrews
What listeners say about Far Away Bird
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Imbrim
- 07-17-20
Review Far Away Bird
I completely loved this story. Douglas Burton clearly put a great deal of thought and research into creating this beautiful tale. My only complaint is... it’s finished. I’m eagerly awaiting the sequel now. I will be recommending this book to anyone that will listen to me.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Katie M Fore
- 06-05-20
Captivating!
So so good. I finished it in 3 days. The main character was an inspiring example of how women can overcome, even thrive, after facing even the most devastating of circumstances. Doug’s writing is captivating and I found myself transported into the era at hand. At times I felt as if I was standing next to Theodora herself. Incredible imagery that was powerfully seductive and left me yearning for more at every turn of the page. I am so glad to hear there will be a sequel!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Andre
- 07-10-20
Amazing read! Felt like I was in Byzantine Empire!
The story of Theodora is simply fascinating. I rarely read fiction books, and was recommended to look at this one. I was in love with Theodora's life story, the trials and tribulations she endured, the adversity she overcomes, and her growth from a naive and risk-seeking child to a strong woman of purpose and conviction. I would highly recommend to read this book if you love history, female empowerment, and heroic tales.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Tracy R Tranor
- 06-18-20
Transformative
Absolutely loved it!
The heart and emotion put into this character is amazing! It was beautifully written and performed. Definitely looking forward to more from Douglas Burton.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Paula Ball
- 03-15-21
Very good story
Very good story keeps the reader very engaged no un interesting parts if you like that. Part of history would recommend this book
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- cindy fletcher
- 11-22-20
A great listen!
Theodora is fascinating. The author creatively describes her trials and tribulations as a woman during these times. The ending left me wanting more. I look forward to more books by this author, and hopefully more about Theodora!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Mercedes Rochelle
- 01-31-21
An indomitable spirit
This was the first time I ever read a book on Kindle while at the same time listening to it on Audible. It actually added a new dimension; absorbing the book through my ears as well as my eyes enhanced the experience. Although it takes longer to get from beginning to end because I had to allow for pauses and articulation of the words, it was richer and more satisfying to my brain. And this was a very long book. We are thrust deep into the trials of this girl whose world is turned upside down after the death of her father. Life in Constantinople is unkind to widows and orphans, and Theodora learns the hard way how to survive in a world that chews up women and throws them into the gutter. She has a long and treacherous journey to discover her inner strengths, and even then she doesn’t quite get it right. Prostitution seems to be the only answer, though this leads her to a higher calling—a spy for the Blues, the political faction that has saved her from destitution. And who among the Blues is responsible for her promotion (if you could call it that)? Justinian, of course:
"Theodora blinked. This was the man who had taken on a legion of Greens with his voice and words, and now as they stood in the dimly lit fornice, he set his voice and words against Theodora. Whatever flutters of girlishness that lingered in her stomach now faded. She managed a nod. 'I understand.'
'Because some girls collapse under the pressures of the post,' he said. 'A relentless fear of getting caught can break a person. I don’t want to put you through that hell. I need a certain kind of woman.'
She saw that he looked at her as if searching for something in her eyes, some quality. 'I think I can be that kind of woman, Magister Justinian,' said Theodora. 'What exactly are you asking of me?'
'To deliberately betray powerful men who trust you. These men will have high imperial stations, and they’ll tell you things in confidence that you’ll turn around and tell me. If these men discover who you are or what you’re doing, you could be killed. I want you to let that settle in because I can’t afford any confusion. This is a deadly profession that won’t allow second thoughts once you’ve committed.'"
Not a terribly auspicious start, is it? Of course, we all know that she eventually becomes empress, so their mutual attraction must win out. But she is a nobody and he is a high ranking aristocrat, so it seems impossible that they could come to any kind of partnership. When things get too risky between them, she takes another post in another country and tries to forget him. But no, that is not her destiny. What she does discover about herself is an implacable need to defend the weak and defenseless—to fight for the rights of women and stand up to their persecutors. She gets help along the way, and her indomitable spirit carries her through every travail. This book is uncomfortable at times, and the reader must squirm through some mighty disagreeable incidents before she comes out on top. I was waiting for her to become empress, but by about 70% of the way through, I realized this wasn’t going to happen. Frankly, although this was a very good and intense read, I was disappointed that we didn’t get that far. Her conflicts and challenges are the significance of this book, not her future greatness.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
- reader girl
- 09-06-20
great read
I really enjoyed this book, loved watching Theodoras journey, can't wait to hear the sequel!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Amy
- 12-15-20
Excellent Narration
Just when I thought no narrator was as good as Xe Sands along comes Mary Sarah. Her narration is spectacular!
I’ve read much historical fiction and non-fiction, much of which is/was about royal females. The book is good, and I highly recommend it. The narration, however, takes it to the next level.
The author’s style is a combination of historical story-telling with a fairy tale quality. Mary Sarah captures the beauty of this quality.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- renee B.
- 02-07-21
Brilliant Visual Story Teller!
I've always been drawn to historical fictions, but this is by far my favorite. I LOVE this book! Douglas A Burton is a brilliant visual story teller who weaves a believable, yet extraordinary masterpiece with his use of characters, music, historical events, circumstance, creativity, drama and more - tantalizing all the senses! He is so talented! The narrator's voice was captivating, providing the perfect option for my lifestyle. The writing, brought to life by the narrator, immediately drew me in. Theodora, the well deserved star of this novel, is a victim, and a seemingly powerless young woman destined to a life of bringing pleasure to others to survive. Living in the underbelly of Constantinople during the 6th century, Theodora becomes "notorious" for her exotic performances, but secretly trains to use her powers of persuasion in a purposeful way. Eventually, Theodora begins to see beneath her scars and tap into the spirit she once knew as a child. However, it isn't until she risks everything to spare a young girl from the life she decided to leave behind, that Theodora fully awakens her inner strength, taking life into her own hands without compromise. I'm enamored with Theodora's resilience, bravery, leadership and passion for creating more rights for women. Douglas A Burton has written an inspirational, compelling story that I didn't want to see end. I can't wait to read more about all that Theodora will do now that she has found her wings!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!