The Bull from The Sea cover art

The Bull from The Sea

 Preview
Try Premium Plus free
1 credit a month to buy any audiobook in our entire collection.
Access to thousands of additional audiobooks and Originals from the Plus Catalogue.
Member-only deals & discounts.
Auto-renews at $16.45/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

The Bull from The Sea

By: Mary Renault
Narrated by: Kris Dyer
Try Premium Plus free

Auto-renews at $16.45/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $26.99

Buy Now for $26.99

About this listen

This second instalment in the story of the legendary hero begins with Theseus' triumphant return from Crete after slaying the Minotaur.

Having freed the city of Athens from the onerous tribute demanded by the ruler of Knossos - the sacrifice of noble youths and maidens to the appetite of the Labyrinth's monster - Theseus has returned home to find his father dead and himself the new king.

But his adventures have only just begun: He still must confront the Amazons; capture their queen, Hippolyta; and face the tragic results of Phaedra's jealous rage.

Piecing together the fragments of myth and using her deep understanding of the cultures reflected in these legends, Mary Renault has constructed an enthralling narrative of a time when heroes battled monsters and gods strode the earth.

©1962 Mary Renault (P)2015 Audible, Ltd Historical Fiction Fiction Royalty Tear-jerking Greek Mythology Mythology Ancient History Ancient Greece

Critic Reviews

"Miss Renault has no equal." ( New Statesman)
"Excellent entertainment." ( New York Times Book Review)
All stars
Most relevant  
It’s not like she had to create the story, and she distorted it in such bizarre ways...you know it’s failing when you can’t wait for it to be over.
The narration didn’t help it was robotic and lacking feeling, as if read by a synthetic voice...the voice was too gentle for this manly man and Greek hero but the worst was the pronunciation of conventional terms such as Centaur (said as Kentor). It took me ages to realise that was what he was referring to...very disappointing

Boring and disappointing

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
We tend to grow up knowing legends presented either as children's entertainment or read by chance when in primary or junior secondary school. To come across them again as an adult could be a dangerous activity in terms of disillusionment or dismissal. However, Mary Renault not only re-presents the stories, but offers interpretation and commentary on them that allow them to assume their proper stature.

And in this audiobook Kris Dyer's reading captures the youthfulness of the narrator, Theseus, as well as pointing to his destiny.

Legends Reborn

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
The writing draws you in and the narration is sensitive and evocative. The myth is beautifully humanised.

Beautiful language

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.