Glorious Exploits Audiobook By Ferdia Lennon cover art

Glorious Exploits

A Novel

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Glorious Exploits

By: Ferdia Lennon
Narrated by: Ferdia Lennon
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An utterly original celebration of that which binds humanity across battle lines and history.

On the island of Sicily amid the Peloponnesian War, the Syracusans have figured out what to do with the surviving Athenians who had the gall to invade their city: they’ve herded the sorry prisoners of war into a rock quarry and left them to rot. Looking for a way to pass the time, Lampo and Gelon, two unemployed potters with a soft spot for poetry and drink, head down into the quarry to feed the Athenians if, and only if, they can manage a few choice lines from their great playwright Euripides. Before long, the two mates hatch a plan to direct a full-blown production of Medea. After all, you can hate the people but love their art. But as opening night approaches, what started as a lark quickly sets in motion a series of extraordinary events, and our wayward heroes begin to realize that staging a play can be as dangerous as fighting a war, with all sorts of risks to life, limb, and friendship.

Told in a contemporary Irish voice and as riotously funny as it is deeply moving, Glorious Exploits is an unforgettable ode to the power of art in a time of war, brotherhood in a time of enmity, and human will throughout the ages.

©2024 Ferdia Lennon (P)2024 Random House Audio Alternate History Fairy Tales Fantasy Fiction Science Fiction Magic War Heartfelt Funny
Unique Storytelling • Historical Authenticity • Outstanding Narration • Lyrical Writing • Sublime Performance
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The performance of this offbeat and bizarre tragedy was exquisite and captivating. Need something refreshing and bizarre? This is it.

Not the same old play!

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The book is so moving on multiple levels - particularly if you’re interested in the craft of fiction and the power narrative holds for us storytelling apes. I laughed. I cried. I feel blessed to live amongst apes who can capture through writing the light and dark of our natures in such novel and profound ways.

The narration: Despite recounting a story from Greek antiquity in an Irish accent - the author’s voice acting is incredible and brings the book to life in unexpected ways.

Only negative; for a work of such attention - the audio production quality was surprisingly sub-par but with a few eq tweaks the listener can easily compensate for this.

Best books of 2024/25

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The story offers a glimpse into the lives of common people in ancient Greece, highlighting their loves, hates, and humour, all through a unique and fitting narration.

Funny, Touching, Historical fiction

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Incredible well written and performed by Ferris Lennon. My heart is just aching for so many different reasons at the end. Lampo is such an incredible idiot - I love him so much!

Astonishing.

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really enjoy this. the performer did a fantastic job bringing out the personality of the main character

fun and outstanding

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Such a pleasure to listen to! , story kept my attention up to the very last word! Loved it!

Loved the characters!

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I see why it’s nominated for awards. Excellent story, cheekily narrated, lyrically written. Love, loss, friendship, humor, honor and hope. I loved it all.

Excellent story

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Splended story even better ending! This is one I will always remember and recommend.

Marvelous

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"Glorious Exploits" is one of the most remarkable books I have ever read or listened to. Read by the author, it really comes alive. Heartbreaking and inspiring by turns, it is very like the ancient Greek tragedies which form the underpinnings of the story. The germ of the story is a tale told by Plutarch in his "Life of Nicias," the Athenian general who led the disastrous Sicilian expedition in 415 BC. "Some also were saved for the sake of Euripides. For the Sicilians, it would seem, more than any other Hellenes outside the home land, had a yearning fondness for his poetry." I hope that the author, Ferdia Lennon, who has a degree in the classics, will follow this wonderful first novel with many more stories about ancient Greece.

One of the best books of recent time

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While I could occasionally guess what would happen next, I was more often surprised. I loved the tone, the energy, the shifts of character and narrative. The narrator/Lamp were brilliant.

An unexpected delight

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