John Hanks has narrated 4 audiobooks on Listento.it by 3 authors, with an average listener rating of 5★ across 2 ratings. The most-rated is Gilgamesh: The New Translation.
Beowulf: The New Translation
Summary
J. R. R. Tolkien, author of Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, in his famous 1936 lecture, "Beowulf, the Monsters and the Critics", said, "Beowulf is among my most valued sources. It is a work of genius, rare and surprising in the period, and it is worth studying. In Beowulf we have an historical story about the pagan past. Beowulf is not an actual picture of historic Denmark or Geatland or Sweden about 500 A.D. But it is, on a general view, a self-consistent picture, a construction bearing clearly the marks of design and thought. Beowulf is, indeed, the most successful old english heroic elegy." The origins, history and authorship of Beowulf are shrouded in uncertainty. This heroic epic probably began, as most do, with a wandering troubadour strumming a stringed instrument, sitting before a hearth-fire, and singing the verses to a spellbound audience arrayed before him. At some point, the words of the troubadour were inscribed in manuscript form, in order to preserve the story for posterity. The events depicted in this story take place during the late fifth to early sixth century. However, there is great dispute among scholars as to when the manuscript itself was actually transcribed. Tolkien believed it was written about the eighth century, while other serious experts assert it was written as late as the early 11th century. Beowulf is a rousing adventure story, filled with intrepid heroes, monsters and fire-breathing dragons, which can be listened to for the sheer enjoyment of the tale.
©2013 Gerald J. Davis (P)2014 Gerald J. Davis
Gilgamesh: The New Translation
Summary
The Epic of Gilgamesh is the oldest story that has come down to us through the ages of history. It predates the Bible, The Iliad and The Odyssey. The Epic of Gilgamesh relates the tale of the fifth king of the first dynasty of Uruk (in what is modern-day Iraq), who reigned for 126 years, according to the ancient Sumerian list of kings. Gilgamesh was first inscribed in cuneiform writing on clay tablets by an unknown author during the Sumerian era and has been described as one of the greatest works of literature in the recounting of mankind's unending quest for immortality.
©2014 Gerald J. Davis (P)2015 Gerald J. Davis
Animalis
Summary
One hundred years ago, the Animalis were unleashed. Their intelligence and rough humanoid forms granted them basic human rights, and humanity seemed willing to share dominance over the Earth with them. Now, Earth is in turmoil. A deadly conflict rages between humans and the genetically engineered Animalis. Jax Minette hurls himself into battle, ready to make a hero of himself; determined to erase the shame of being son to a dishonored veteran. Jax is duty bound, until he comes face-to-face with the Animalis and is ordered to kill an innocent. With blood staining his hands and his disillusionment growing, he turns to the only alternative he knows: a captivating redhead who has her own plans, and envisions what Jax thought was an impossible future. Until now. Animalis is a sweeping young adult futuristic action adventure. John Peter Jones' first novel is an imaginative and hopeful vision of the future, saturated with deep moral questions that will leave listeners thinking for years to come.
©2014, 2015 John Peter Jones (P)2020 John Peter Jones
The Canterbury Tales
Summary
The classic collection of beloved tales, both sacred and profane, of travelers in medieval England. Complete and unabridged.
Public Domain (P)2020 Gerald J. Davis