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  • A Dangerous Fortune

  • Written by: Ken Follett
  • Narrated by: Michael Page
  • Length: 16 hrs and 21 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (426 ratings)

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A Dangerous Fortune

Written by: Ken Follett
Narrated by: Michael Page
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Publisher's Summary

A breathtaking thriller featuring “political and amorous intrigues, cold-blooded murder, and financial crises” (San Francisco Chronicle), from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Column of Fire

In 1866, tragedy strikes the exclusive Windfield School when a young student drowns in a mysterious accident. His death and its aftermath initiate a spiraling circle of treachery that will span three decades and entwine many lives.

From the exclusive men’s clubs and brothels that cater to every dark desire of London’s upper class to the dazzling ballrooms and mahogany-paneled suites of the manipulators of the world’s wealth, one family is splintered by a shared legacy. But greed, fed by the shocking truth of a boy’s death, must be stopped, or the dreams of a nation will die.

©1993 by Ken Follett. (P)1994 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.

What the critics say

"Breathlessly plotted...relentlessly suspenseful." (The New York Times)

"Ken Follett is a matchless storyteller, and this story is tailor-made for audio.... With Follett teamed up with Page, you can't stop listening." (AudioFile

What listeners say about A Dangerous Fortune

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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  • 4 Stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Astounding!

I couldn't stop listening-lost sleep because it was too intriguing to turn off! Highly recommended to those who love historical fiction!

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Cheezie & simple - good for a flight.

I thought the reader was good. Its a good book if you want to pass some time on a plane. It doesn't ask for much attention and if you miss chunks of the book because of announcements or having to go though security you wont care and you will still be able to follow the narrative. As for depth of characters - cardboard flat.


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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

excellent story

The story has a lot of unpredictable twists and turns. I was hooked from the start and I felt satisfied with the conclusion.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Couldn’t put it down

I highly recommend this book I couldn’t put it down really interesting class vs class story

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

I fought till the end

really liked the characters and loved the history in the book. the love triangle was a little boring but very clever overall.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Fairy tale

All that is missing is Once upon a time and They lived happily ever after.A cut above a Harlequin romance and several cuts below good novel.Second rate at best ans terribly disappointing for a writer of Fowler’s caliber.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

So scandalous!

I am not sure why it took me so long to discover this novel. It is a true "page"-turner, full with lies, betrayals, scandals and, yes, murder! As opposed to other reviewers, I did not find it all that predictable. Some parts reminded me of the plots of old soap-operas. The narration was superb. Very recommended.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Outstanding

Just what you would expect from Follett. A story with intricate twists and turns and an ending that is highly satisfying. I truly enjoy this and found it hard to step away from. The narration was excellent.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Story is good, voiceover not so much

The story is quite good however, I found the readers voice to become very grating.
The reader was attempting to do accents for many of the characters, particularly the male characters. However, when trying to do a voice for a female character it just seemed comical and got pretty annoying after a while. Stopped listening after 1 hour.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

So captivating!

I really enjoyed listening to this book. It was very entertaining and it engaged me all the way through! Highly recommend it!

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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  • Rebecarol
  • 2008-05-24

Predictable Fun

Ken Follett never fails to entertain, and though this is not his best book it's got that "Can't stop listening, got to find out what happens next" quality that is the mark of a natural storyteller. I waffled between three and four stars - and decided on four because of that very quality. As always Follett introduces numerous engrossing if two-dimensional characters, he's great with his villains, the story moves at a great clip. The book is predictable, but still a fun read, almost a guilty pleasure.

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116 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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  • Tom
  • 2009-10-11

mixed review, a net disappointment for a Follett

I'm a real Follett fan, but I ran tepid and cool on this one. The turn-off for me was all the emphasis on bosoms and sex, crying and tears, women and men, page after page, chapter after chapter, ad nauseum (and I'm a boob man, too). A real soap opera.

Other than that, it was ok with interesting twists and turns although the overall plot was somewhat pedestrian, predictable and quite unbelievable. Descriptions of 19th century London with its brothels, mistresses and royal parties seemed authentic and it gave me a much better feel for the British class system and how it worked. The hierarchy of royal titles and how they are obtained was interesting, too.

Also on the positive side, there were some events depicted and resolved (if a bit tritely) that accurately parallel the horrible financial situation that we're presently experiencing. There's an interesting twist at the end, too.

But, oh yes, this is a book review of a thriller. Not too thrilling, but I did finish it.

The reader was excellent. He altered his voice nicely to represent individual characters, and maintained it throughout the book. This made following the sometimes intricate plot a bit easier.

I'm glad I bought it, but probably wouldn't again.

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97 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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  • Richard
  • 2008-06-30

excellent period book

Ken Follet is my favorite author when he writes period pieces. His best was Pillars of the earth and right behind that was World without end. This book comes in third and that is why I gave it only four stars. It is pretty hard to match those first two books. The characters in this book are interesting and some very evil. The way he writes makes you believe they are real though. I won't give away the plot but will just say it held my attention and interest and is worth the download credit.

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79 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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  • Scott
  • 2008-09-07

Listen Closely

Excellent story, *very* intricate plot, many villains and heroes. If you aren't a careful listener (or like me - listen when I *shouldn't* like when using the language part of my brain) -my own fault) you'll find yourself rewinding a lot because so much is packed in it. Don't let the caveat discourage you. D.F. has it all: love, romance, lust, heroism, gold-digging, social climbing, and villainy! Of course, the characters are a BIT two dimensional (good v. bad)..the plot is anything but! This is a thriller, not a Greek tragedy. There is so much double dealing and backstabbing there is a need to remind yourself who is allied with whom. Don't worry this makes your money/credit last longer. Follett did his homework on 19th century London because you get a perfect sketch of the class systems at that time in both: descriptions of elegant of upper classes and the gritty licentiousness of the lower class where the upper go "slumming", quite literally, as that is where all the REAL fun is located. I avoid spoilers because we all use these reviews to decide if a book is well read, produced, etc. (i.e. done well or poorly enough) to BUY. So I shan't give away any secrets even if some prior reviews have given away some pretty substantial hints. Remember, it is all about HOW it all happens and the general the details that are supposed get tied up so nicely.(NOTE: This reviewer *used* to give 5s a lot, and now saves a 5th star for "must listens." So a 4 or 5 means VERY entertaining. I would NOT give a "classic" 5 stars just to give it homage and to create a snobbish persona if it was a dull listen.)

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70 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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  • Daniel
  • 2008-06-30

Best of the Recent Follett Releases

Of the recent Follet audible releases I have listened to (Eye of the Needle, Triple, Lie down with Lions) this is by far the best.

This one ranks right up there with my top three Follet Favorites (Pillars, World, and Hornet Flight).

This genre piece centered around Victorian English life-style in the late 1800's, captures the true pomp and circumstance of the English Monarchy culture of the time to a perfectly ridiculous level of absurdity.

The character development is excellent and in the end - just like Pillars - when asked to explain what the story was about or why it was good, you'll just have to say... "Just listen... I promise it's good, because if I explain it too much, it won't sound as interesting as it really is!"

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62 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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  • Jennifer
  • 2009-01-23

Disappointing

I hardly have the words... this novel was not what it appeared from the publisher's summary. There was a murder mystery set among the upper eschelons of Victorian London, but there was also the seemy underside not mentioned in it. Brothels abound, and the scenes set in them, and in facct all of the scenes involving sex, were grotesque, off-putting, and faintly disturbing. I must assume that this was the desired effect, because it was done so consistantly, but still... The rest of the story was all right, but in no way particularly engaging. The characters weren't deep, the plot was not especially clever, and over everything was the twisted, grotesque sex, even in the simplest things. The only good thing I can find to say is that the narrator is quite enjoyable.

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46 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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  • James Gordon
  • 2008-07-20

Family Saga Done Well

Ken Follett is one of the contemporary authors who both excite and annoy me. I have read Follett novels that are brilliant (i.e, Eye of the Needle) and hopeless messes (i.e., Jackdaws) For me, Dangerous Fortune is on the side of brillance. Follett takes that overdone and predictable plot wherein a bunch of school chums participate in a crime that comes back to haunt them years later. Such begins Dangerous Fortune. What moves Follett's characters into the field of art is the author's artistry. He shapes and presents each character so decidedly that the reader is never lost. These characters have style, wit and purpose and Follett throws them at us with brave gusto. Aided by a great narrator, Michael Page, Ken Follett's brillance is on every page. I loved this book and was sorry when it was over.

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45 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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  • Chris Bish
  • 2008-06-01

Grand Entertainment

This book is not high literature, but it sure is entertaining. As usual, author Ken Follett has an intricate, well executed plot with a historical background. The parallel between the banking scandals during period of the book and now are striking. Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose.
The villain in this story meets a hilarious and well deserved end.
For pure entertainment, this is a great choice.

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24 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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  • Melody
  • 2008-06-18

Very Enjoyable

I thorougly enjoyed this audio book. I've read a lot of Ken Follet and found this book to be very entertaining. It's shorter and lighter then Pillars & World but includes very good charactor building and a nicely paced story. I highly recommend it.

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23 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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  • Brenda
  • 2009-01-25

A Dangerous Fortune

Formula Ken Follett. Engaging but then the story becomes too predictable with bad things happening over and over again to the "good guys" and the "bad guys" continually having everything go their way. The ending did have a surprising twist.

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22 people found this helpful

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  • Mle CT
  • 2019-05-30

good book for the holidays

interesting story but sometimes it s a bit too long and some twists are expected

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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  • DESMONS
  • 2013-02-28

A very good reading time !

It was the first book I read Ken Follett. I liked to plunge every evening in this 19th century history: the atmosphere, the diverse personages, the plot. It was a real pleasure. Moreover, the writing style matchs perfectly the time period. In one word, a very good reading time.

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