
Apprentice - Scarlet City - Part I
An Audible Original Drama
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By:
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Rebecca Gablé
About this listen
Please note: This title contains explicit language and scenes of a graphic sexual nature.
This Original multicast drama blends history with fiction to tell the story of Jonah, a young apprentice from London who raises himself from poverty by wit and luck to become one of the most powerful merchants of the age.
A rags-to-riches tale, Jonah's journey spans the breadth of human experience, from the intricacies of Edward III's political intrigues to the cutthroat world of international trade, from the triumphs of war to the agonies of personal loss - love, friendship, joy, heartbreak and glory. Set largely in London, the Scarlet City, the centre of medieval England, the Scarlet City trilogy is a thrilling portrait of the age and the people who made it so rich, colourful and extraordinary.
London, 1330. Jonah Durham grows up in the household of his tyrannical cousin Rupert, and only his grandmother, the calculating Cecilia Hillock, recognizes his talent and intelligence. After her death he inherits a handsome fortune, bestowing him with both wealth and independence but also the wrath of his increasingly dangerous cousin. However, a fateful encounter with the young King Edward III is set to radically change Jonah's life and the future of English cloth production.
Told in three parts, hear Medieval London come to life in this historical epic, Audible Original's most ambitious production to date. Narrated by Miriam Margolyes, OBE (Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Romeo + Juliet, Mulan) and starring Douglas Booth (Riot Club, Loving Vincent, Shelley) as Jonah, and Alison Steadman, OBE (Gavin and Stacey, Orphan Black, Shirley Valentine) as Cecilia Hillock.
Also featuring: Daniel Anthony, Josephine Arden, John Banks, Timothy Bentinck, Clare Buckfield, Beth Chalmers, Elliot Chapman, Trevor Cooper, Oliver Coopersmith, Raymond Coulthard, Gareth David-Lloyd, Richard Earl, Andrew French, Helen Goldwyn, James Joyce, Olly McCauley, Tony Millan, Tracy-Ann Oberman, Katarina Olsson, Steven Pacey, Nicholas Pegg, Nigel Planer, Siobhán Redmond, Christopher Ryan, David Schofield, Dan Starkey, Sarah Sutton, Alexander Vlahos, Niky Wardley, Finty Williams, Claire Wyatt.
©2002 Rebecca Gablé (P)2017 Audible, LtdNow I’m craving the next instalment and more productions of a similar format. Well done Audible!
Best Audible book ever
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Saying that, the story itself is excellent, if a little predictable in places. That I managed to complete all three books is a testament to the acting skills of the cast and narrator and given all that I have said, I would still recommended this book.
Lost in translation
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My new obsession!
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Looking forward to part 2 and 3
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There is music in Apprentice, but by contrast it really enhances the experience. While I don't recognise any of it, I found it occasionally reminiscent of some of my favourite bands - Kraftwerk, Joy Division, Echo and the Bunnymen and one or two Prog Rock bands - as well as the traditional sort of harp music you associate with King Arthur or Middle Ages stories. No Greensleeves, though, which is just as well as Henry VIII is far in the future during this story.
There is a certain Young Adult feel about the story, despite the sex and violence, and Jonah's career is so dependent on lucky coincidences and being at the right place at the right time that even the characters comment on the fact. Yet this doesn't detract from the story at all.
Rebecca Gable's books are not available in English, so it's not obvious how "true" this adaptation is to the original (I read somewhere that the original Jonah is a lot less likeable) but as a dramatisation it works exceedingly well. Everything from crowd scenes to creaking doors and clipclopping horses evokes the atmosphere brilliantly, while at the same time Miriam Margolyes's narration ensures we can visualise it all as if we were watching a film.
The sense of history is conveyed very well even if it does feel a little like a "history brought to life for schools" at times.
I've bought the remaining parts of the trilogy, but I expect to return to this again and again like a favourite Genesis album.
Greensleeves not included
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but the story seemed to hurry end too quickly.
another one on the way maybe
Great listen, story tends to move and then end to
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Excellent.
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Totally engrossing story!
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Promising Start
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Fantastic production all round
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