Taking Hawaii
How Thirteen Honolulu Businessmen Overthrew the Queen of Hawaii in 1893, With a Bluff
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
$0.99/mo for the first 3 months
Prime members: New to Audible? Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Taking Hawaii
Buy for $29.95
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
David Franklin
About this listen
On a January afternoon in 1893, men hunkered down behind sandbagged emplacements in the streets of Honolulu, with rifles, machine guns, and cannon ready to open fire. Troops and police loyal to the queen of the sovereign nation of Hawaii faced off against a small number of rebel Honolulu businessmen - American, British, German, and Australian. In between them stood hundreds of heavily armed United States sailors and marines. Just after 2:00 p.m., the first shot was fired, and a military coup began. This is the true, tragic, and at times amazing story of the 1893 overthrow of Queen Liliuokalani of Hawaii and her government. It's also the story of a five-year police state regime in Hawaii following the overthrow, an attempted counter-coup by Hawaiians in 1895, and of how Hawaii became a United States possession.
In Taking Hawaii, award-winning author Stephen Dando-Collins (Standing Bear Is a Person, Legions of Rome, Tycoon's War) reveals previously little-known facts uncovered during years of research on several continents, in the most dramatic and comprehensive chronicle of the end of Hawaii's monarchy ever published. Using scores of firsthand accounts, this often minute-by-minute narrative also shows for the first time how the queen's overthrow teetered on a knife's edge, only to come about purely through bluff.
Taking Hawaii plays out like an exciting novel, yet this tale of a grab for power, of misjudgment and injustice, truly took place. Judge for yourself whether you think the queen of Hawaii was wronged, or was wrong.
©2012 Stephen Dando-Collins, This edition published in 2014 by Open Road Integrated Media, Inc. (P)2014 Audible Inc.Listeners also enjoyed...
-
Lost Kingdom
- Hawaii's Last Queen, the Sugar Kings, and America's First Imperial Adventure
- By: Julia Flynn Siler
- Narrated by: Joyce Bean
- Length: 10 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 173
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 152
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 150
A thriving monarchy had ruled over Hawaii for generations. Taro fields and fish ponds had long sustained native Hawaiians but sugar plantations had been gradually subsuming them. This fractured, vulnerable Hawaii was the country that Queen Lili‘uokalani, or Lili‘u, inherited when she came to power at the end of the nineteenth century.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Fascinating story, sparsely told
- By Great Tutu Kona on 01-17-12
-
Hawaii's Story by Hawaii's Queen
- By: Lili‘uokalani
- Narrated by: Emily Woo Zeller
- Length: 9 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 270
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 234
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 233
In 1893, Liliuokalani, the Queen of Hawaii, was deposed and five years later her nation became an incorporated territory of the United States. Published shortly after these momentous events, her book Hawaii's Story by Hawaii's Queen is an incredibly personal history of the islands that she was born to rule. Liliuokalani covers from her birth in 1838 through the reigns of her forebears to her own turbulent time as Queen of the Hawaiian Islands.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Learn to pronounce Hawaiian words before narrating
- By ArchJoanne on 11-15-19
By: Lili‘uokalani
-
Aloha Betrayed
- Native Hawaiian Resistance to American Colonialism
- By: Noenoe K. Silva
- Narrated by: Kaipo Schwab
- Length: 8 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 28
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 24
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 24
In 1897, as a White oligarchy made plans to allow the United States to annex Hawai'i, native Hawaiians organized a massive petition drive to protest. Ninety-five percent of the native population signed the petition, causing the annexation treaty to fail in the US Senate. This event was unknown to many contemporary Hawaiians until Noenoe K. Silva rediscovered the petition in the process of researching this book. With few exceptions, histories of Hawai'i have been based exclusively on English-language sources.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Same story again and again
- By Buretto on 01-28-22
By: Noenoe K. Silva
-
Hawaii
- A Novel
- By: James A. Michener, Steve Berry - introduction
- Narrated by: Larry McKeever, Fred Sanders - introduction
- Length: 51 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,091
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,834
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,828
The saga of a land from the time when the volcanic islands rose out of the sea to the decade in which they become the 50th state. Michener uses individuals' experiences to symbolize the struggle of the various races to establish themselves in the islands.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Much to My Surprise, I Really Liked It
- By Donna L. Leary on 05-16-18
By: James A. Michener, and others
-
Hawaiian Legends: Introduction
- The Legends and Myths of Hawaiʻi: The Fables and Folk-Lore of a Strange People
- By: King David Kalākaua
- Narrated by: Kekoa Lake
- Length: 2 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 15
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 12
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 12
Spanning several centuries of history in the Pacific, The Legends and Myths of Hawaiʻi: Fables and Folk-Lore of a Strange People is a collection of Hawaiian stories that were preserved through the ages by oral tradition and documented for posterity by King David Kalākaua in 1887. This massive tome recalls the tales of chiefs and kings, explorers and pirates, prophets, sorceresses, and renegades. This is the first in a series of 22 parts.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Great, despite the performer.
- By Khassy on 01-28-23
-
Sea People
- The Puzzle of Polynesia
- By: Christina Thompson
- Narrated by: Susan Lyons
- Length: 11 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,060
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 917
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 914
A thrilling, intellectual detective story that looks deep into the past to uncover who first settled the islands of the remote Pacific, where they came from, how they got there, and how we know.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Long Lost History
- By Than on 04-19-19
-
Lost Kingdom
- Hawaii's Last Queen, the Sugar Kings, and America's First Imperial Adventure
- By: Julia Flynn Siler
- Narrated by: Joyce Bean
- Length: 10 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 173
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 152
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 150
A thriving monarchy had ruled over Hawaii for generations. Taro fields and fish ponds had long sustained native Hawaiians but sugar plantations had been gradually subsuming them. This fractured, vulnerable Hawaii was the country that Queen Lili‘uokalani, or Lili‘u, inherited when she came to power at the end of the nineteenth century.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Fascinating story, sparsely told
- By Great Tutu Kona on 01-17-12
-
Hawaii's Story by Hawaii's Queen
- By: Lili‘uokalani
- Narrated by: Emily Woo Zeller
- Length: 9 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 270
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 234
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 233
In 1893, Liliuokalani, the Queen of Hawaii, was deposed and five years later her nation became an incorporated territory of the United States. Published shortly after these momentous events, her book Hawaii's Story by Hawaii's Queen is an incredibly personal history of the islands that she was born to rule. Liliuokalani covers from her birth in 1838 through the reigns of her forebears to her own turbulent time as Queen of the Hawaiian Islands.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Learn to pronounce Hawaiian words before narrating
- By ArchJoanne on 11-15-19
By: Lili‘uokalani
-
Aloha Betrayed
- Native Hawaiian Resistance to American Colonialism
- By: Noenoe K. Silva
- Narrated by: Kaipo Schwab
- Length: 8 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 28
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 24
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 24
In 1897, as a White oligarchy made plans to allow the United States to annex Hawai'i, native Hawaiians organized a massive petition drive to protest. Ninety-five percent of the native population signed the petition, causing the annexation treaty to fail in the US Senate. This event was unknown to many contemporary Hawaiians until Noenoe K. Silva rediscovered the petition in the process of researching this book. With few exceptions, histories of Hawai'i have been based exclusively on English-language sources.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Same story again and again
- By Buretto on 01-28-22
By: Noenoe K. Silva
-
Hawaii
- A Novel
- By: James A. Michener, Steve Berry - introduction
- Narrated by: Larry McKeever, Fred Sanders - introduction
- Length: 51 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,091
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,834
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,828
The saga of a land from the time when the volcanic islands rose out of the sea to the decade in which they become the 50th state. Michener uses individuals' experiences to symbolize the struggle of the various races to establish themselves in the islands.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Much to My Surprise, I Really Liked It
- By Donna L. Leary on 05-16-18
By: James A. Michener, and others
-
Hawaiian Legends: Introduction
- The Legends and Myths of Hawaiʻi: The Fables and Folk-Lore of a Strange People
- By: King David Kalākaua
- Narrated by: Kekoa Lake
- Length: 2 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 15
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 12
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 12
Spanning several centuries of history in the Pacific, The Legends and Myths of Hawaiʻi: Fables and Folk-Lore of a Strange People is a collection of Hawaiian stories that were preserved through the ages by oral tradition and documented for posterity by King David Kalākaua in 1887. This massive tome recalls the tales of chiefs and kings, explorers and pirates, prophets, sorceresses, and renegades. This is the first in a series of 22 parts.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Great, despite the performer.
- By Khassy on 01-28-23
-
Sea People
- The Puzzle of Polynesia
- By: Christina Thompson
- Narrated by: Susan Lyons
- Length: 11 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,060
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 917
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 914
A thrilling, intellectual detective story that looks deep into the past to uncover who first settled the islands of the remote Pacific, where they came from, how they got there, and how we know.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Long Lost History
- By Than on 04-19-19
-
Edgar Allan Poe - The Complete Short Stories
- By: Edgar Allan Poe
- Narrated by: Bob Thomley
- Length: 16 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 1,311
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 1,158
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,165
All of Edgar Allan Poe’s great short stories in one 16-hour collection.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
NEVERMORE
- By Jim "The Impatient" on 11-23-15
By: Edgar Allan Poe
-
Paradise of the Pacific
- Approaching Hawaii
- By: Susanna Moore
- Narrated by: Kaipo Schwab
- Length: 8 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 50
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 43
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 43
The history of Hawaii may be said to be the story of arrivals - from the eruption of volcanoes on the ocean floor 18,000 feet below, the first hardy seeds that over millennia found their way to the islands, and the confused birds blown from their migratory routes to the early Polynesian adventurers who sailed across the Pacific in double canoes, the Spanish galleons en route to the Philippines, and the British navigators in search of a Northwest Passage....
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Excellent Overview
- By tmiq on 08-20-16
By: Susanna Moore
-
Shoal of Time
- A History of the Hawaiian Islands
- By: Gavan Daws
- Narrated by: Kaipo Schwab
- Length: 20 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 40
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 39
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 39
The Hawaiian kingdom was tiny, and the big world was huge. The 19th century was the high water mark of Western imperialism, worldwide, and the great powers were planting their flags across the Pacific. Hawai'i was in their sights. By late in the century, two strong American currents were running: one east from the islands, one west from the continent. Sugar plantations had become Hawai'i's biggest moneymaker. And many of the biggest names in the business were of American blood - the sons of missionaries, devout capitalists.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Truly wonderful history and storytelling.
- By Sharman on 06-12-22
By: Gavan Daws
-
Winds of Fate
- Valdemar: The Mage Winds, Book 1
- By: Mercedes Lackey
- Narrated by: Karen White
- Length: 18 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 980
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 884
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 889
High Magic has been lost to Valdemar centuries ago when the last Herald-Mage gave his life to save the kingdom from destruction by dark sorceries. Yet now the realm is at risk again. And Elspeth, Herald and heir to the throne, must take up the challenge, abandoning her home to find a mentor who can awaken her untrained mage abilities. But others, too, are being caught up in a war against sorcerous evil.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Very disappointing; could have been so much better
- By CatBookMom on 03-26-13
By: Mercedes Lackey
-
The Aeneid
- By: Virgil, Robert Fitzgerald - translator
- Narrated by: Christopher Ravenscroft
- Length: 8 hrs and 40 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 210
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 182
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 182
Profoundly poetic yet gloriously accessible, this is the best way to experience a work that has remained a centerpiece of Western civilization for 2,000 years. Fitzgerald's rendering speaks directly to the modern listener, inviting us to share the excitement, adventure, and human tears as Aeneas, the warrior hero, escapes from the burning city of Troy, embarks on a long and perilous journey, and eventually, triumphantly establishes a new nation: Rome.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Not complete
- By Martin E Sargent on 04-16-16
By: Virgil, and others
-
The Western Canon
- The Books and School of the Ages
- By: Harold Bloom
- Narrated by: James Armstrong
- Length: 22 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 236
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 138
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 140
Harold Bloom explores our Western literary tradition by concentrating on the works of twenty-six authors central to the Canon. He argues against ideology in literary criticism; he laments the loss of intellectual and aesthetic standards; he deplores multiculturalism, Marxism, feminism, neoconservatism, Afrocentrism, and the New Historicism. Insisting instead upon "the autonomy of aesthetic," Bloom places Shakespeare at the center of the Western Canon.....
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A personal and opinionated book on the Canon
- By Steffen on 07-23-12
By: Harold Bloom
-
Princess Ka'iulani
- Hope of a Nation, Heart of a People
- By: Sharon Linnea
- Narrated by: Jessica Schell
- Length: 5 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 38
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 36
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 36
On March 1, 1893, Princess Ka’iulani, the 17-year-old crown princess of Hawaii, stepped onto the pier at New York City. She was greeted by a crowd of reporters and onlookers who knew that, in many ways, she stood at a crossroads in history. Fully aware of the significance of her visit, she prayed that she could help persuade the American government to return her beautiful islands to the Hawaiian people.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Excellent!
- By MolllyT on 10-30-19
By: Sharon Linnea
-
Letters from Hawaii
- By: Mark Twain
- Narrated by: Robin Field
- Length: 10 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 40
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 32
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 32
A collection of letters Mark Twain wrote for a newspaper publication - from a long, turbulent journey to the island to his encounters with the islanders and the myriad Englishmen who have taken up residence on the island.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
for twain completists
- By mjhnsn on 06-15-17
By: Mark Twain
-
The Civil War: A Narrative, Volume I, Fort Sumter to Perryville
- By: Shelby Foote
- Narrated by: Grover Gardner
- Length: 42 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 5,228
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 3,936
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 3,929
The Civil War: A Narrative, Volume 1 begins one of the most remarkable works of history ever fashioned. All the great battles are here, of course, from Bull Run through Shiloh, the Seven Days Battles, and Antietam, but so are the smaller ones: Ball's Bluff, Fort Donelson, Pea Ridge, Island Ten, New Orleans, and Monitor versus Merrimac.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
OUTSTANDING! I'M PROUD TO BE A BLACK AMERICAN!!
- By The Louligan on 08-22-13
By: Shelby Foote
-
Homer Box Set: Iliad & Odyssey
- By: Homer, W. H. D. Rouse - translator
- Narrated by: Anthony Heald
- Length: 25 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 3,050
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 2,755
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 2,748
Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey are unquestionably two of the greatest epic masterpieces in Western literature. Though more than 2,700 years old, their stories of brave heroics, capricious gods, and towering human emotions are vividly timeless. The Iliad can justly be called the world’s greatest war epic. The terrible and long-drawn-out siege of Troy remains one of the classic campaigns. The Odyssey chronicles the many trials and adventures Odysseus must pass through on his long journey home from the Trojan wars to his beloved wife.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Oddball Translation
- By Joel Jenkins on 05-11-17
By: Homer, and others
-
Aloha Rodeo
- Three Hawaiian Cowboys, the World's Greatest Rodeo, and a Hidden History of the American West
- By: David Wolman, Julian Smith
- Narrated by: Kaleo Griffith
- Length: 6 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 93
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 78
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 78
In the spirit of The Boys in the Boat comes the captivating true story of the Hawaiian cowboys who changed rodeo and the West forever.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A walk in Grandpa’s Boots. Maika’i!
- By Anonymous User on 06-09-19
By: David Wolman, and others
-
Farther Than Any Man
- The Rise and Fall of Captain James Cook
- By: Martin Dugard
- Narrated by: Jack Chekijian
- Length: 11 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 396
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 344
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 343
In the annals of seafaring and exploration, there is one name that immediately evokes visions of the open ocean, billowing sails, visiting strange, exotic lands previously uncharted, and civilizations never before encountered - Captain James Cook. Full of realistic action, lush descriptions of places and events, and fascinating historical characters such as King George III and the soon-to-be-notorious Master William Bligh, Dugard's gripping account of the life and death of Captain James Cook is a thrilling story of a discoverer hell-bent on going farther than any man.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Sloppy History
- By Kyle P. Dalton on 04-06-18
By: Martin Dugard
What listeners say about Taking Hawaii
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance1 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 11-06-15
Great information but terrible narrator
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
I just moved to Hawaii and noticed the museums have a very biased view of the taking of Hawaii. I bought this book to hear the Hawaiian side of the story. It's a well written and engaging book full of well-researched facts. I highly recommend except for the narrator. Not only does he mispronounce common Hawaiian names and words, like Kamehameha and haole but he mispronounces them differently and inconsistently. He's really awful and it takes away from the story. He's so poor I would recommend reading this book rather than listening to it. It's sad this wasn't caught.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
8 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kevin
- 05-12-18
Long time in coming
This work fills in lots of the missing pieces. There have been lots of questions regarding how the overthrow could have come about as it did. This work provides the relevant contextual situations and many of the pertinent details. It kept me gripped from beginning to end.
This is a must read in my opinion for anyone of Hawaiian blood or Hawaiian affiliation, i.e., anyone with sympathy and support for Native Hawaiians. Most especially, this is a must read for those who participate in the Hawaiian arts of hula and song. It will restore the dignity and grace of your queen and royal lineage in a way that is timely and critical for Hawaii today. And it will breathe new meaning and purpose into your dedication to your art forms.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance1 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- Bryan
- 12-17-20
Dishonorable Hawai'ian Language
The research is intriguing, and appears sound. However, quoting from the book itself "bastardized the language.". Shameful, and disrespectful to the people of Hawai'ian blood, deep ancestry.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
-
Performance1 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- Karen Hubbard
- 03-29-15
An Excellent Piece of Writing Ruined by Narration
This exhaustively researched history should be mandatory reading for all Americans, especially those who travel to or live temporarily in Hawaii.
Whomever is responsible for the selection of the narrator should be fired. Apparently the only requirement for the job was to be an Australian, presumably to make the narration more "authentic" since the author is an Aussie. I would have added other qualifications, such as a demonstrated familiarity with the English language, a work ethic that included rehearsals, and the lack of a speech impediment. Audible owes anyone who purchased this version an apology and a free replacement.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
14 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Scott S
- 04-22-19
Wonderfully researched history
An unbiased look at how the USA stole Hawaii. I was captivated and moved both times I listened.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
-
Performance1 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 05-13-21
Horrible Narration
It sounds as those the narrator is reading the book for the first time. Punctuation was added or dropped by narrator. Narrator ruins the story and I assumed must have been a relative of the author. Sometimes actually repeats entire sentences since reflection the first time was do poorly done. I have listened to over 50 audible books and this was the worst narration. I nearly quit he was so bad. Did anyone ever listen to narration before sold to public? Don’t think so. I would never listen to this narrator again
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance1 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- IndyInAsiaPacific
- 10-21-17
Totally Unacceptable Narration
2017 October 20 Friday 22:38 Honolulu (UTC -10:00)
This is too important a book to have it ruined by a narrator without a clue.
Not only does David Franklin badly mispronounce most Hawaiian words, he sometimes alternates between various mispronunciations of the same word, including the name of Hawaii’s most important historical personality, Kamehameha The Great.
Shame, shame, shame, on Audible Studios, which claims to take care of their authors. They absolutely did NOT take care of Stephen Dando-Collins by issuing this pathetic travesty and laughing stock of a most important work.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
-
Performance1 out of 5 stars
-
Story3 out of 5 stars
- C. Freeman
- 04-26-19
Well Written ... poorly narrated.
The book itself seems to have been well researched and clearly written, but that is marred by the odd cadence of the narrator. He has a habit of pausing in the middle and the end of some sentences (almost as if stopping to turn a page) for just long enough that you think the chapter has ended ... when it hasn't. For the first couple of hours I found myself continually checking to see if my player had paused for some reason, only to hear him start up again. Eventually it just became annoying, but manageable. Maybe some of this can be chalked up to editing issues.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
-
Performance2 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Konagal
- 10-05-21
Mispronunciation of the Hawaiian language is annoying
The story is great but the reader mispronounces many Hawaiian words as Ali’i and Paniolo to name just a few. It is very distracting to hear the words and names of Royalty slaughtered. The reader should have checked how words are pronounced more carefully. Hawaiians deserve the respect of proper pronunciation
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
-
Performance1 out of 5 stars
-
Story2 out of 5 stars
- Aaron R Pollard
- 01-03-22
Starts well then quickly runs out of steam. Terrible narration.
I was really looking forward to hearing this story and it started well enough. Unfortunately from chapter 8 onwards it moved from being an historical account to a mix of historical text and novel. There are too many verbatim quotes from key protagonists that add little to the story (and because the narration is so unbelievably terrible) make listening to this story an incredible chore.
The narration is the worst I have heard in any Audible book and sounds like it is completed by someone that has little interest in punctuation or pronunciation. Sentences run into one another and very simple punctuation is overlooked.
The butchering of Hawaiian pronunciations in particular borders on offensive. I'm Australian and it offends me to hear it. As does the attempt to produce American accents when delivering verbatim quotes. Unfortunately the poor narration is what is remembered of this book rather than the story itself.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!