Showing results by author "Gill Tavner" in All Categories

One of a series of retellings of classic world literature from publisher Real Reads. True to the original plot, characters and theme, this Real Read also reflects the original author's style and syntax.

A Christmas Carol is one of a series of retellings of classic literature by publisher Real Reads. True to the original plot, characters and themes, Real Reads also imitate the the original author's style. An intelligent, lively and enjoyable introduction to this classic and much-loved Christmas tale.Miserable old Ebeneezer Scrooge hates Christmas. Can somebody so selfish, so harsh and so horribly lonely ever change his ways? In one terrifying night, poor Scrooge is haunted by four ghosts.

"You must hear my tale. You must hear my terrible, terrible tale." Committed to the deadly pursuit of the monster he created, Victor Frankenstein tells his chilling story. It all began with a desire to help mankind, but where will it end? Frankenstein leads us through vast mountainous landscapes and over frozen seas. Can he stop the fiend’s murderous course? Is he prepared to do what the monster demands? The reader will be shocked and surprised. Is the monster as evil as he seems?

Little Nell Trent's childhood is over. Her grandfather's mind is failing, his dark secret makes him sad and distracted and he has nobody to care for him but Nell. The grotesque Daniel Quilp is out to cause trouble. What plans does he hatch with the dreadful Sampson and Sally Brass? What use can he hope to make of the foolish Dick Swiveller? Is Nell’s one true friend, Kit, a match for Quilp's villainous mind? Nell and her grandfather must disappear or be separated forever and so they begin their lives as beggars.

Eight years ago, Anne Elliott was persuaded that her family's honour was more important than her own happiness. She has suffered ever since. Now the man she turned away has returned. Can Captain Wentworth forgive Anne, or will he be charmed instead by the beautiful Louisa? Will Anne be persuaded to marry her cousin, or will she find the strength to follow her heart?

One of a series of retellings of classic world literature from publisher Real Reads. True to the original plot, characters and theme, Real Reads also reflect the original author's style. A brilliant introduction to Bronte's compelling story.Jane Eyre is poor, parentless and plain. her future looks bleak.Jane's aunt and cousin detest her. Life at Lowood School is cruel and dangerous. What inner strength can young Jane find?

Emma is one of a series of retellings of classic literature by publishers Real Reads. True to the original plot, characters and themes, Real Reads also imitate the original author's style. An intelligent, lively and enjoyable retelling of this classic story."I must warn you that you might guess twenty things without being correct.

One of a series of six retellings of Jane Austen's great works, this Real Reads Pride and Prejudice is true to the original in many ways. It is true to the plot, character, and themes, and the author successfully imitates Austen's style and syntax. A wonderful introduction to this classic work of literature, and an enjoyable listening experience in its own right.

This is one of a series of six retellings of Jane Austen's great novels, published by Real Reads. It is true to the original in plot and character, as well as is style and syntax. Real Reads are great introductions to the world's great literature, and enjoyable listens in their own right.... The time has come for an unlikely heroine to have a real adventure.

Sense and Sensibility is one of a series of retellings of classic literature by publisher Real Reads. True to the original plot, characters and themes, Real Reads also imitate the original author's style. An intelligent, lively and enjoyable introduction to this classic tale.Mraianne is ablaze with fire and passion.; Elinor keeps her own heat under control.Marianne seeks a man who shares her eager spirit; Elinor is in love with the polite, considerate Edward Ferrars.

Great Expectations is one of a series of retellings of classic literature by publisher Real Reads. True to the original plot, characters and themes, Real Reads also imitate the the original author's style. An intelligent, lively and enjoyable introduction to this classic tale.An escaped convict threatens to eat young Pip's heart for breakfast. The ghostly Miss Havisham invites Pip to her eerie home.

William Legrand has found a new type of bug, a golden bug, unusually heavy. His servant, Jupiter, is worried. Why is Legrand behaving so oddly? Has the bug's bite made him mad? When Legrand shows his friend a drawing of the gold-bug, it looks more like a skull. What can this mean? The arrival of the gold-bug leads the three men on an exciting adventure towards skeletons, a skull and a hunt for buried treasure.

The blackness of eternal night encompassed me. The intense darkness oppressed and stifled me so that I struggled for breath. Having been condemned to death by the Spanish Inquisition, the narrator descends into a kind of hell. Dizzy with weakness and fainting with fear, he experiences such torments that death itself would be welcome. What troubles him most is the eternal question: how will he die? Toledo Prison is notorious for the torture of the condemned. What minds have dreamed up the terror of the pit in the centre of the cell?

Here is a test, a puzzle for you. It is a faithful account of two most gruesome murders. Can you work out what actually happened in the early hours of one fateful morning in the Rue Morgue? Before you start, here are a few tips. To be a good detective you need the same skills as a good card-player. You must consider and examine every detail, not just the obvious ones. You have to observe every change in a person's face, everything they say, everything they do and you must always expect the unexpected. And finally, you must remember it all.

The foundations of Jewish law are under threat from the followers of a man called Jesus. These people have reached Damascus. They must be stopped. Saul, uncompromising and brutal, is the man for the job. But by the time Saul reaches Damascus, he is blind and in shock. What could have happened to him on that journey? How does a man react when his beliefs are turned upside down? Now calling himself Paul, can he convince his former enemies to trust him? Can he convince the world that Jesus's teachings are for everyone?

Poor Judas - he just can't decide what to do with his life. Everybody expects him to follow in his father's footsteps, but he has too many doubts. Then one day he meets a man who changes everything. With new hope and a new sense of purpose, Judas leaves his home and his family to follow Jesus. But for how long can Judas accept the simplicity of Jesus's work? How soon will his mind return to its former complex ways? Tortured by increasing doubts, troubled by rivalry within the group and sensing that time is running short, Judas feels compelled to take action.

Mary's childhood in Magdala leaves her with emotional scars she fears will never heal - until she meets Jesus. Recognising the importance of Jesus' work, she decides to do all that she can to support him, but what good can a woman do in a man's world? Will Mary ever be accepted by Jesus' other disciples? What will she learn from the miracles she witnesses and from her many conversations with the Son of God? To Mary the message seems simple, so why can't others believe?

Although Simon has no idea why Jesus is beckoning to him from the beach, he agrees to leave his nets and follow him. A robust, enthusiastic fisherman, Simon makes more mistakes and asks more questions than the other disciples. Why then, he wonders, does Jesus call him Peter, which means 'rock'? When Jesus is arrested everybody except Simon Peter flees, but is he brave enough to stand by Jesus until the end? After Jesus' death, how will Simon Peter spread Jesus' teachings? Will he make the right decisions? Can he calm the rivalries developing among Jesus' followers?

Mary is a young woman living a simple life in Nazareth, when an angel's visit changes her life forever. She has been chosen by God to bear him a son. She alone amongst women has been chosen to bear the agony and the joy. From the moment of his birth, she knows that Jesus' life will be like no other. She has been warned of the pain that lies ahead. When Jesus begins his work, how will she react to her increasing awareness of the dangers facing her son?

"It’s a woman. She’s dead, I think--dead in the snow at the Stone-pits--not far from my door." Since his arrival in the small village of Raveloe, Silas Marner has been an outsider. Nobody knows where he came from, nobody understands him, nobody dares to invite him in. All of this changes when a little girl wanders through his door one snowy night. What feelings will she stir in Silas’ lonely heart? How will she draw Silas closer to the heart of Raveloe?