The Bull from the Sea

By: Mary Renault

Narrated by: Michael York

Set in classical Greece, this is the riveting sequel to Mary Renault's The King Must Die.

Slaying the minotaur was only the beginning. Theseus's legendary exploits continue in this magnificent tale of mythological adventure in classical Greece. Picking up where The King Must Die left off, this stirring sequel recounts Theseus's triumphant return from Crete to become King of Athens.

Become enthralled by the thrilling adventures of this mythic ruler, from his famous capture of the Amazon Hippolyta to the bitter twist of fate that loosened the bull from the sea. Rich with color and drama, this vivid story captures the heroism and uniquely Greek sense of destiny about a royal ruler who looms larger than life.

©1998 Mary Renault (P)1998 Phoenix Books, Inc.

WARNING! The abridgment ruins everything!

I loved this book on paper, but could not even listen all the way to the end of the recording. The abridgment eliminated all of the nuance, personality and motivations of the brilliantly written characters. The story no longer engages, no longer even makes sense. If only someone would record an unabridged edition!

BEWARE! This is a very disappointing radical abridgment of an excellent historical novel

Mary Renault’s historical novels, based on Ancient Greek history and legends, are arguably the most eloquent, well-researched and beautifully written books available in this genre. This particular Audible version of The Bull from the Sea, however, is a very pedestrian, confusing reduction of the powerful second part of the story of Theseus slashed from 11+hours to about 3 hours. The resulting reading is a grade-school-level synopsis of the novel, devoid of character and plot development and Renault’s literary artistry. (That would be like abrieviating Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet to end up with only half of Acts 1 and 5. ) I don’t understand why the word “abridged” doesn’t appear anywhere in the details of purchase. An unabridged Audible version does exist, competently read by Kris Dyer.