The Mask of Apollo
- Author
- Mary Renault
- Narrator
- Barnaby Edwards, Joan Walker
- Publisher
- Little, Brown Book Group
- Publish Date
- 15 October 2026
- Run Time
- 15 hours 33 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
What to expect
'Mary Renault has made the classical era alive' GORE VIDAL
'Her books have stood the test of time' INDEPENDENT
The artist flows into the mask the poet offers him; only so will the god possess him.
Greece, fourth century BC. The golden age of theatre may be over, but Nikeratos still lives and breathes the stage. Finding work with a group of travelling actors, he discovers amongst their dusty props an old, discarded mask of Apollo.
When a violent attack threatens the company mid-performance, the actors must go on: once the show ends, they know their lives are at stake. Seized by inspiration, Niko dons the golden mask and feels the powerful words of Apollo coursing through him - spurring the defenders to victory.
But Greece is racked by political struggles, and as his fame grows Niko finds himself caught in the crossfire, a pawn in a game of tyrants. And all the while, the mask gains power - becoming his conscience, keeper of his secrets and, ultimately, the maker of his gravest choice.
'To Mary Renault, we are all Ancient Greeks, and that is the secret of her novels' brilliance' CHARLOTTE MENDELSON
'Renault has few peers in the art of reconstructing and making utterly convincing the people and places of classical times . . . a superbly controlled performance' NEW YORK TIMES
'An important and wonderful writer . . . she set a course into serious-minded, psychologically intense historical fiction that today seems more important than ever' GUARDIAN
User Reviews
No reviews yet.
Details
- Author
- Mary Renault
- Narrator
- Barnaby Edwards, Joan Walker
- Duration
- 15 hours 33 minutes
- Release Date
- 15 October 2026
- ISBN
- 9780349022772
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- Little, Brown Book Group
- Genre
- Modern and contemporary fiction: literary and general, Classic fiction: literary and general
Synopsis
<b>THE ANCIENT GREEK STAGE BROUGHT THRILLINGLY TO LIFE BY THE QUEEN OF HISTORICAL FICTION, PERFECT FOR FANS OF <i>THE WOMEN OF TROY </i>AND <i>THE ODYSSEY</i></b><br><br><b>'Mary Renault has made the classical era alive'</b> GORE VIDAL<br><br><b>'Her books have stood the test of time'</b> <i>INDEPENDENT</i><br><br><i><b>The artist flows into the mask the poet offers him; only so will the god possess him.</b> </i><br><br>Greece, fourth century BC. The golden age of theatre may be over, but Nikeratos still lives and breathes the stage. Finding work with a group of travelling actors, he discovers amongst their dusty props an old, discarded mask of Apollo.<br><br>When a violent attack threatens the company mid-performance, the actors must go on: once the show ends, they know their lives are at stake. Seized by inspiration, Niko dons the golden mask and feels the powerful words of Apollo coursing through him - spurring the defenders to victory.<br><br>But Greece is racked by political struggles, and as his fame grows Niko finds himself caught in the crossfire, a pawn in a game of tyrants. And all the while, the mask gains power - becoming his conscience, keeper of his secrets and, ultimately, the maker of his gravest choice. <br><br><b>'To Mary Renault, we are all Ancient Greeks, and that is the secret of her novels' brilliance' </b>CHARLOTTE MENDELSON<br><br><b>'Renault has few peers in the art of reconstructing and making utterly convincing the people and places of classical times . . . a superbly controlled performance' </b><i>NEW YORK TIMES</i><br><b></b><br><b>'An important and wonderful writer . . . she set a course into serious-minded, psychologically intense historical fiction that today seems more important than ever' </b><i>GUARDIAN</i>
About xigxag
xigxag is an independent, UK-based audiobook platform and the UK's only B Corp certified audiobook company. We offer nearly 150,000 audiobooks, all with professional human narration. No AI-generated voices. xigxag is rated an Ethical Consumer Best Buy for audiobooks and a top-rated ethical bookshop.
There is no subscription. You buy the audiobooks you want, you own them permanently, and prices start at $13.95. The more you listen over the year, the less you pay per book, and there is always a selection in Listen for Less from $7.95. You can also send audiobooks as gifts using our audiobook gift cards or in-app gifting.
Every audiobook on xigxag has honest reviews covering both the book and the narration, and our community features make it easy to share what you are listening to, discover what others recommend, and find your next listen.
Download or stream on iOS, Android, or in your browser. Browse the full catalogue at xigxag.co.uk.