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Niccolo Rising

The House of Niccolo 1

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Niccolo Rising

By: Dorothy Dunnett
Narrated by: John Banks
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About this listen

Penguin presents the audiobook edition of Niccolo Rising by Dorothy Dunnett, read by John Banks.

The time is the 15th century, when intrepid merchants became the new knighthood of Europe. Among them, none is bolder or more cunning than Nicholas vander Poele of Bruges, the good-natured dyers apprentice who schemes and swashbucukes his way to the helm of a merchantile empire. NICCOLO RISING, Book One of the series, finds us in Bruges, 1460. Street smart, brilliant at figures, adept at the subtleties of diplomacy and the well-timed untruth, Dunnett's hero rises from wastrel to prodigy in a breathless adventure that wins him the love of the strongest woman in Bruges and the hatred of two powerful enemies. NICCOLO RISING combines history, adventure and high romance in the tradition stretching from Alexandre Dumas to Mary Renault.

©1986 Dorothy Dunnett (P)2018 Penguin Audio Action & Adventure Historical Historical Fiction Medieval Fiction Romance Middle Ages
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Most minor characters in this series are actual people recorded in history. The Niccolo "family" and company are of course fictional. This series provides a different view of the world of 15th Century Europe: the action is determined by the increasingly powerful traders of this period. Nicholas vander Poele, the protagonist, is rejected by his family because he is considered a bastard. Dunnett uses Niccolo's fictional successes and failures to highlight different trade goods; alum in this book, and backroom powerplays. "Niccolo Rising" establishes Niccolo within the trading world of Anselm Adorne, an actual trader/diplomat who travelled extensively and kept written records.

Fantastic vocal actor as narrator.

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I listened to the Gordon griffen versions then didn’t like his replacement, so having another go at the full series with a new narrator is awesome. Go on John Banks you wee legend!

The best historical fiction of all time? Probably

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