Showing results by narrator "Chris Macdonnell" in All Categories

A Tale of Two Cities (1859) is set in Paris and London, firmly placed in the period leading up to and including the French Revolution to the subsequent Reign of Terror. It's primarily the tale of Doctor Alexandre Manette, who is unjustly imprisoned in the Bastille for 18 years; his daughter, Lucie Manette, who believes him to be dead; two men who both fall in love with her; and the supporters or foes of the family who, for their own reasons, love or despise them.

Given the time and location in which it was written, the original Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi contains many events and episodes which, today, many consider unsuitable for a modern children's audience. The Disney animated version was changed in many ways to reflect this - and so is this adaptation. Chris MacDonnell and Spoken Realms have re-imagined and re-written the more unsuitable sections to reflect contemporary expectations of children's literature. However, it is still truly a children's classic and the story is largely unchanged.

Almustafa, the chosen and beloved, must leave the port of Orphalese upon the ship he has waited upon for 12 years. As he descends to the waterfront, the people of Orphalese gather to question him and hear his wisdom on important topics of their daily lives. Kahlil Gibran's masterpiece is a series of enlightening, philosophical answers to those questions. The inspirational and spiritual words of The Prophet, written in an almost Biblical, poetic style, reveal deep insights into each of the subjects in question.

Scrooge! His name has become synonymous with being miserly and miserable, especially at Christmas! A Christmas Carol is the much-loved novella by Charles Dickens which tells Scrooge's story. This mean, misanthropic man is visited by the ghost of his former partner, Jacob Marley, and then three spirits: the ghosts of Christmas Past, of Christmas Present, and of Christmas Yet to Come.

Adolf Verloc is a secret agent who provides information and takes care of arriving undercover agents of an un-named government through their embassy. He also runs a shady business selling pornography, comic books, contraceptives, and the like. As well as this, he’s a confidential informant to Chief Inspector Heat of the London police. His family consists of his wife, Winnie, her Mother, and his (presumably) autistic brother-in-law, Stevie.

For countless years, Moth has been frozen still, one half drenched in eternal daylight, the other cloaked in endless night. For countless years, the soldiers of sunlight and the dwellers of darkness have lived in isolation. We are the children of Moth. We were born in sunlight or in shadow. We can stop the fire, or we can watch our world burn. This is our story.

Our world burns with war. In the west, the people of eternal sunlight invade the darkness, armed with swords, arrows, and torches. In the east, the children of endless night fight from the shadows. Soldiers of sunlight and dwellers of darkness. Their war flares across the world of Moth.

Our world has fallen still. One half lies drenched in eternal daylight, the other cloaked in endless night. Our people are divided, some living under the sun, the others hidden in shadow. All is light or darkness. All is the sun or the moon. All but me. My father was born in the never-ending sunlight of the West. My mother is a daughter of darkness. I am split in two. Like the moth of our forests, one wing white and the other black, I am torn.

Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas is a classic science-fiction novel by French author Jules Verne. First serialized in 1870, the plot is straightforward. There is believed to be a monster terrorizing ships on the oceans of the world and an expedition is organized to hunt it and eradicate it from the seas. At the first encounter, marine biologist M. Arronax and his servant Conseil along with a Canadian harpooner (Ned Land) are washed overboard and are picked up by the submarine vessel Nautilus, which is the actual perpetrator of the terrorizing incidents.

Charles Dickens's Hard Times (1854) is a satirical novel, as well as a romantic one. It is a commentary on social issues of the Industrial Revolution. He sets the tale in his imaginary northern location of Coketown. Gradgrind, father of Tom and Louisa, as the superintendent of schools wants education and life to be founded on facts alone. Bounderby, a Banker, and Industrialist is a boastful, bullying, self-proclaimed vagabond made good

For the past six months, since solving the thefts of England's subsidies meant for its war allies, Lady Cecilia and Sir James Branstoke have concentrated on renovating their estate in Kent. When David Thornbridge sends word to them that someone has kidnapped a child from The East India Company dock, Cecilia and James immediately return to London to investigate. Their investigation leads them from warehouses, to a society musical entertainment, and to the rooftops and chimneys of London. And just when they rescue the child, murder occurs.

It can be said that the subject of Rating Pilots and the Fleet Air Arm may only be of interest to avid aviation and naval historians. In this short but concise treatise, Alan Clifford provides an in-depth and detailed history, from the inter-service social and governmental politics to the practical reasons for the Rating Pilot schemes coming into being.

Rathen, ex-captain of the late king’s army, pulls together a team to defeat the evil that threatens them all. The Book of Ziz, with its instructions for protective spells against an evil deity, has fallen into the nefarious hands of High Priest Litagus, meaning soon untold evil will reign unchecked if Rathen fails. Consumed by his personal vengeance for the betrayer in the earlier death of his friends, Rathen travels to the ruins of Ghrakus Castle to enlist the aid of the very being who tried to kill Rathen once before.

The dragonkin have returned, devouring the essences of those able to tame the Elements. Now Elwin must learn to survive in exile. As he searches for ways to use his innate powers without being destroyed by the dragons, Zarah and Feffer seek out secrets long hidden by the ancient magi. But the magi guard their secrets dearly, and have stepped from the shadows, using their Words of Power to wage war against the elementalists. With enemies everywhere, Elwin still must learn to master the Elements and save the people most dear to him.

Rathen, a former Captain in King Delvant's army, is approached by the emissaries of a powerful lord to lead a team of fighters, healers, and mages to dispel brigands from his lands. Rathen quickly recruits his best friend Bulo, an ex-gladiator and landlord of the local tavern, to assist him. The two join other members of the group and begin to hear stories of magical creatures and numerous dead in the land they are supposed to cleanse. Despite this, they head for Ghrakus Castle.

Learning of his Irish origins, a proud English knight seeks the secrets of his birth. But the truth shatters his illusions, leaving him struggling with God's purpose for his life.

Cornelius Mildew is dead, but his drug-trafficking gang lives on! The Hon. Peter Boyle has taken administrative control of the organization, and appears to be as ruthless as his former master. But is Boyle the only member of London high society involved with the crooks? Inspector Cauldron thinks not. When Boyle is poisoned by one of his own gang, Cauldron must push and probe the dying drug lord to give up his backers. Only Billie Wingrove seems to have the inside track on the gang's activities.

The activities of the infamous drug-running gang founded by Cornelius Mildew may have been hampered in The Mildew Gang, but the king of crime is still alive and well-and still threatening to take his revenge. Scotland Yard whisks the two young people responsible away from London, where they'll presumably be safe-but when they're attacked once again by Mildew's henchmen, they return to the big city to help bring about his downfall.

Isabel Houghton has been shot dead, and her fugitive husband James is the chief suspect. Scotland Yard's Inspector Cauldron must unravel the mystery, and discover the connection between James and the notorious drug dealer, Cornelius Mildew.

With the fall of the Glyssian Realm a new king rises; one who is bent on vanquishing all of his remaining enemies. Queen Klienne, having survived the siege of Storms Reach Castle, flees to the northern Isle of Payzik to seek sanctuary and naval aid, while the last of the knights who formed the king’s Outer Guard set off in different directions after arriving at an impasse. Meanwhile, the surviving princess, Redora Vame, aided by her grand tutor, Sapient Breen, are pursued by a band of militia, who corner them in Eastern Plain.