Never Greater Slaughter
Brunanburh and the Birth of England
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Never Greater Slaughter
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Narrated by:
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Rupert Farley
About this listen
Bloomsbury presents Never Greater Slaughter by Michael Livingston, read by Rupert Farley.
‘No one has done more than Michael Livingston to revive memories of the battle, and you could not hope for a better guide.’ BERNARD CORNWELL Bestselling author of The Last Kingdom series
Late in AD 937, four armies met in a place called Brunanburh. On one side stood the shield-wall of the expanding kingdom of the Anglo-Saxons. On the other side stood a remarkable alliance of rival kings – at least two from across the sea – who’d come together to destroy them once and for all. The stakes were no less than the survival of the dream that would become England. The armies were massive. The violence, when it began, was enough to shock a violent age. Brunanburh may not today have the fame of Hastings, Crécy or Agincourt, but those later battles, fought for England, would not exist were it not for the blood spilled this day. Generations later it was still called, quite simply, the ‘great battle’. But for centuries, its location has been lost.
Today, an extraordinary effort, uniting enthusiasts, historians, archaeologists, linguists, and other researchers – amateurs and professionals, experienced and inexperienced alike – may well have found the site of the long-lost battle of Brunanburh, over a thousand years after its bloodied fields witnessed history. This groundbreaking new book tells the story of this remarkable discovery and delves into why and how the battle happened. Most importantly, though, it is about the men who fought and died at Brunanburh, and how much this forgotten struggle can tell us about who we are and how we relate to our past.
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Critic reviews
"Written with both the critical gaze of a military historian and the dramatic verve of a historical novelist, this book brings to vibrant and bloody life the momentous battle of Brunanburh in AD 937." (Robert Woosnam-Savage, FSA, Curator of Armour and Edged Weapons, The Royal Armouries)
"Never Greater Slaughter raises the bar for what narrative history can do.... This book will wow you as it educates you on the fascinating story of one of the most important battles in British history." (Myke Cole, author of Legion Versus Phalanx)
"Only the most adept of military historians, of writers, can combine combat with context and not lose their listeners’ interests. Michael Livingston is one of those. Never Greater Slaughter tells the whole story of the birth of England, from Alfred the Great to Athelstan and Brunanburh. No one tells the history better." (Kelly DeVries, Professor of History, Loyola University Maryland)
What listeners say about Never Greater Slaughter
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Garrison_Lad
- 01-01-24
A moment in history I was unaware of
Well argued with many theories reviewed and rationale explained. Still much physical evidence to be discovered and recovered the story continues.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- edward goodwin
- 16-05-23
Brings to life the battle of Brunanburh
Brings a grate forgotten battle and brings the search for the we’re the battle took place and those who took part to life .
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Luke Ow
- 18-09-22
History with Missing Pages
but that's the point! Michael Livingston uses a part of English history with many holes in the record to explain the process of how we make sense of our past - from going through lines of handwritten chronicles to digging through the earth itself. The prose is accessible & thought-provoking. As a history buff, I was glad that there were new facts to be gained from this darkened period of English history! Rupert Farley was well-chosen as the text's narrator - his warm gravelly voice aptly conveys the impression of a weather-beaten guide taking the listener through the wilderness & memories of centuries past. Highly recommended!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Sarah E
- 09-09-21
Everything I hoped it would be
Great book, lots of detail, great narration could fault it. Was sad when it finished
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Mr. P. G. Harris
- 09-06-21
A case well made
The author has delivered a well researched evaluation on the most likely site in England for the epic battle that saved the English nation. The book is well narrated and the background history and main characters are comprehensively analysed. A compelling piece of work and I for one accept the authors case.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 05-06-21
High Priest Of The Wirralites
Normally I think we have a right to expect that authors self narrate, however in this particular instance one can perfectly understand why an authoritive GB RP speaker was chosen. The thought of an American DARING to express an opinion on Brunanburh would have the Gammons and armchair xenophobes frothing. And what an excellent choice of narrator Rupert Farley was! Really he should spend his days giving Master Classes to would be narrators of British historic works - as anyone who has suffered through the appalling narrations of some of Max Adam's or Marc Morris' audibles can attest. Even his Old English and Old Norse pronunciation seemed 'authentic'.
Having recently attended a lecture by Michael Wood who made a convincing case for Brunanburh being towards the east I was looking forward to hearing the opposing arguments and Michael Livingston didn't disappoint. Exquisitely researched, sourced and convincingly argued, giving due weight to opposing theories and possible other interpretations. He certainly makes a good case for ignoring John Of Worcester on this point .
Is he right? Was the battle fought on the Wirral ? This layman wouldn't dare express an opinion. My only thought is that if the recent archaeology was as convincing as he seems to think then the argument would be over already.
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8 people found this helpful