Listen free for 30 days

  • In the Shadow of the Sword

  • The Battle for Global Empire and the End of the Ancient World
  • Written by: Tom Holland
  • Narrated by: Jonathan Keeble
  • Length: 17 hrs and 50 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (54 ratings)

1 credit a month, good for any title to download and keep.
The Plus Catalogue—listen all you want to thousands of Audible Originals, podcasts, and audiobooks.
$14.95 a month plus applicable taxes after 30 day trial. Cancel anytime.
In the Shadow of the Sword cover art

In the Shadow of the Sword

Written by: Tom Holland
Narrated by: Jonathan Keeble
Try for $0.00

$14.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $23.22

Buy Now for $23.22

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Tax where applicable.

Publisher's Summary

In the 6th century AD, the Near East was divided between two venerable empires: the Persian and the Roman. A hundred years on and one had vanished forever, while the other seemed almost finished. Ruling in their place were the Arabs: an upheaval so profound that it spelt, in effect, the end of the ancient world. In The Shadow of the Sword, Tom Holland explores how this came about. Spanning from Constantinople to the Arabian desert, and starring some of the most remarkable rulers who ever lived, he tells a story vivid with drama, horror, and startling achievement.

©2012 Tom Holland (P)2012 Hachette Digital
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History

What the critics say

"An unequivocal argument for the relevance of ancient history . . . Holland never strains for modern references; they are implicit in the stories he tells with such scholarship and flair.” (Geraldine Bedell, Observer)
“Brings this tumultuous, epoch-making period dazzlingly to life.” (William Napier, Independent on Sunday)
“Tom Holland has a rare eye for the detail, drama and the telling anecdote . . . A vibrant, bloodthirsty history, told with a rich sense of irony and irresistible narrative timing” (Dominic Sandbrook, Daily Telegraph)

What listeners say about In the Shadow of the Sword

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    37
  • 4 Stars
    14
  • 3 Stars
    1
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    2
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    38
  • 4 Stars
    10
  • 3 Stars
    2
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    33
  • 4 Stars
    13
  • 3 Stars
    1
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    2

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Not accurate about Christian history

While the narration is good, the writer has studied only one side of his argument and presents a very skewed version of Christian history. It sounded like apologetics for the Muslim faith.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Mat
  • 2023-04-23

Interesting but wish the argument was a it clearer at times

I enjoyed this book.it provides a really interesting look at the origins of Islam. Maybe it is the academic in me but I wish there was slightly more discussion of sources but imsuremost listeners will be glad that is not in there. Enjoyable

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

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

EXTREMELY INTERESTING:

Fascinating and highly informative .
I believe that it's very important for truth to out there and assessable.
I have no wish to be controversial but so many people claim to practice a religion which in truth they know little about. Here I am referring to any specific religion.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

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

Outstanding

Tom Holland reads like poetry. I listened to Shadow of the Sword after Dominion....both books opened my eyes and answered many questions I had regarding organized religion. I believe more now than ever that faith and religion are two separate things.
I'm a fuller person by my better understanding of the evolution of Christianity, Judaism, Islam and paganism and their effect on humanity.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

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

Extremely interesting and engaging.

Perhaps the best way to describe Holland is "A Fantasy novel fan's first history book" He uses the most sensationalist versions of any story and then adds a little on top.

Can't not love it. He makes History so approachable, interesting and engaging. Buyer Beware, this is a starting point in the journey of history not the last stop. It will light the fires to know more.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

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

It's great

Book is great if you like history. I flew through this audiobook in like 4 days

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

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

Solid Performance, story jumps a bit

Feels like the story jumps too much, going from different geographical areas and times without much warning. Narrator did a good job

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

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

An amazing look at the end of the ancient world

An epic as well told and fascinating as any modern story, no matter how fantastical.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

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

Best material for History of Christianity .

I already took numerous history courses in the university on this subject that this book is still amazed me to hear it again that serves as my personal refresher course. Thanks for making this available to me.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Barry J. Crompton
  • Barry J. Crompton
  • 2012-09-22

Another great book from Tom Holland

What did you love best about In the Shadow of the Sword?

I've read and listened to four of Tom Holland's books, he has the ability to capture a lot of historical fact and put into a way of making it understandable.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Jaffar
  • Jaffar
  • 2021-11-02

out. of. control. prose, didactics, cheekyness

The Narrator is a stellar. The Author celestial. Must read for any anyone interested in history. Also, a triumph of scholarship. The thing good.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for BK
  • BK
  • 2019-01-07

Excellent overview of the ending of late antiquity

The narrator is great, and the amount of information in this book is staggering. That said, I found it far too long, especially compared to Rubicon. That's to be expected, as the topic is so much larger, but I still struggled to finish this book. The highlight for me was all the information on Sassanids and white huns etc. Recommended for history buffs.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Mr Oluwasegun Olatunde Bewaji
  • Mr Oluwasegun Olatunde Bewaji
  • 2018-07-20

Extremely Good, Informative and Eye Opening Read

An essential must read for anyone trying to truly understand today's geopolitics and social turmoil

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Rick
  • Rick
  • 2017-10-13

Captivating and informative

The author and the narrator cooperate to tell the story of the march of religion and culture through the end of late antiquity in a way that often has the feel of a rollicking adventure.

Though the information content is dense, it comes at the reader with the pace of a good story, and the picture it paints is illuminating and satisfying.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Charles
  • Charles
  • 2015-01-06

Great history

Yet another fantastic book from Tom Holland. Yet more history is made interesting and accessible. The performance is also great.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Malgorzata
  • Malgorzata
  • 2020-11-28

Very good

I was hearing this book with enormous pleasure. It is interesting and is concerning particular period of time, important to understand history of Europe and Middle East.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

.