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The Trumpet-Major

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The Trumpet-Major

By: Thomas Hardy
Narrated by: Nicholas Rowe
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About this listen

War threatens the rich, green fields of Wessex in Hardy's historical novel The Trumpet-Major.

The Napoleonic Wars are at their height, and upheaval and uncertainty plague British soil. In the midst of it all, the impoverished beauty Anne Garland finds herself at the center of a love quadrangle. She is torn between the persistent and annoying Festus Derryman, her womanizing childhood sweetheart Bob Loveday, and the reliable and thoughtful John Loveday, the eponymous Trumpet-Major. Who will she choose?

Hardy's eighth published novel is a gentle and humorous tale about the confusion and conflict of life.

Public Domain (P)2016 Naxos AudioBooks Classics Linguistics Social Sciences

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All stars
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Loved it! Brilliant narration. The characters are wonderfully drawn. Even my teenage daughter was laughing.

Highly recommended

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What you expect from Thomas Hardy, Enjoyable listen, v well read. The woman Anne I found annoying.

A good tale of romance

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I've always loved this book, which I first read when I was 14. It is one of very few of Hardy's novels where you can feel real affection for the characters, ably portrayed by the narrator. I just wish the film/television producers who churn out Hardy's better known work would turn their attention to this gem.

Hardy's most underrated novel.

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Excellent Read good story and that is all I have to say Is that enough now

Review

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A book with a fascinating range of characters good and bad whose lives intertwine as history happens around them

A Superb story, twisting and turning throughout

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I wasn't familiar with this book but I loved it. Until the end! Excellent

Excellent performance.

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very well read. story twists and turns and turns again.. very typical of Hardy. Well drawn characters.

Good narrator

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Hardy's only historical novel is set around 1804 when England expected a French invasion. Against this backdrop the Loveday brothers, one a soldier, the other a sailor, are both in love with Anne Gardener, who is also pursued by the dastardly Festus Derriman. Much of the novel is played for laughs but, even at his most comic, Hardy is ever bitter-sweet. It's not his masterpiece (that would be Tess of the d'Urbervilles) but it's well worth the read. It also contains the best description of beer ever published.

Not Your Average Rom-Com

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I have enjoyed many of Hardy’s books but this one was really poor. His plots often rely on unlikely coincidences and overheard conversations but, in this case, credulity is stretched beyond breaking point. The same is true of Bob and John’s on / off love interest in the heroine.

I almost gave up.

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A n enjoyable audio book. But in many ways not typical of hsrdy. The least memorable

A forgettable heroine! Wishy wazshy

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