Listen free for 30 days

  • Sea of Poppies

  • Ibis Trilogy, Book 1
  • Written by: Amitav Ghosh
  • Narrated by: Phil Gigante
  • Length: 18 hrs and 14 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (20 ratings)

Try for $0.00
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo + applicable taxes after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
Sea of Poppies cover art

Sea of Poppies

Written by: Amitav Ghosh
Narrated by: Phil Gigante
Try for $0.00

$14.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $32.00

Buy Now for $32.00

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

Publisher's Summary

At the heart of this vibrant saga is an immense ship, the Ibis. Its destiny is a tumultuous voyage across the Indian Ocean, its purpose to fight China's vicious 19th-century Opium Wars. As for the crew, they are a motley array of sailors and stowaways, coolies and convicts.

In a time of colonial upheaval, fate has thrown together a diverse cast of Indians and Westerners, from a bankrupt Raja to a widowed tribeswoman, from a mulatto American freedman to a free-spirited French orphan. As their old family ties are washed away, they, like their historical counterparts, come to view themselves as jahaj-bhais, or ship brothers. An unlikely dynasty is born, which will span continents, races, and generations.

The vast sweep of this historical adventure embraces the lush poppy fields of the Ganges, the rolling high seas, and the crowded backstreets of Canton. But it is the panorama of characters, whose diaspora encapsulates the vexed colonial history of the East itself, that makes Sea of Poppies so breathtakingly alive - a masterpiece from one of the world's finest novelists.
©2008 Amitav Ghosh (P)2008 Brilliance Audio, Inc.
Historical Fiction Literary Fiction
Show more Show less

What the critics say

"Such is the power of Ghosh's precise, understated prose that one occasionally wishes to turn the pages three at a time, eager to find out where Ghosh's tale is headed." ( The Boston Globe)
"A writer of supreme skill and intelligence. " ( The Atlantic Monthly)

Featured Article: The Best Audiobook Trilogies of All Time

There is something about the format of a trilogy that seems to be the golden number for a story series. Whether movie trilogies, epic novels, or audiobook series, the magic three instalments seem to package a story in the ideal way - when done right. Here we've composed a list of some of the best trilogies of the book world for audiobook listeners to enjoy.

Featured Article: The Best Audiobook Trilogies of All Time

What listeners say about Sea of Poppies

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    13
  • 4 Stars
    4
  • 3 Stars
    2
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    11
  • 4 Stars
    2
  • 3 Stars
    4
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    1
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    12
  • 4 Stars
    4
  • 3 Stars
    1
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    0

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

Audible.ca reviews

Amazon Reviews
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 Denis Desrosiers

Excellent story and narration

The best thing I have listened to in quite some time. I recommend it highly.

Report this

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 Roberta W

Lyrical and intriguing

I enjoyed this book, and am glad for the book club that brought it to my attention. I found the characters a bit hard to distinguish at first (as often happens with audiobooks), but eventually all was clearer. I’ll read more from this author.

Report this

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Anisha Virani

Horrible Narration!

I rarely write reviews, but I had to comment on the narration of this audio book. A great story DESTROYED by the narrator.
I can’t believe a Hindi speaking narrator couldn’t be found to read this book. The accents and word pronunciations were atrocious.

Report this

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!