The Portent

George MacDonald (1824 - 1905)

Overshadowed by the dark legend of the murderous rider of the horse with the loose shoe, Duncan Campbell sets out from his home in the Highlands to make his fortune in the world. When he finds the woman whose destiny is mingled with his, he must overcome first her indifference, then the malice of her family, then the forces of space and time. Will he ever put to rest the old curse?

George MacDonald was an influence on many famous fantasy writers, including C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, and Madeleine L'Engle. This fantasy romance derives from MacDonald's own Celtic tradition of the "Second Sight". It is a daydream, but one which holds up a mirror to human nature and shows us the truth of ourselves, as well as being a work of art in itself. (summary by Beth Thomas and Gemma Myers)

Genre(s): Fantasy Fiction

Language: English

Section Chapter Reader Time
Play 00 Preface Beth Thomas (1974-2020)
00:02:59
Play 01 Chapter 1: My Boyhood Gemma L Myers
00:09:30
Play 02 Chapter 2: The Second Hearing Gemma L Myers
00:07:35
Play 03 Chapter 3: My Old Nurse's Story Mike Pelton
00:31:25
Play 04 Chapter 4: Hilton Hall Larry Wilson
00:08:58
Play 05 Chapter 5: Lady Alice Larry Wilson
00:08:17
Play 06 Chapter 6: My Quarters Larry Wilson
00:07:38
Play 07 Chapter 7: The Library Larry Wilson
00:07:36
Play 08 Chapter 8: The Somnambulist Larry Wilson
00:06:51
Play 09 Chapter 9: The First Waking Gemma L Myers
00:07:19
Play 10 Chapter 10: Love and Power JustinJYN
00:11:54
Play 11 Chapter 11: A New Pupil JustinJYN
00:08:48
Play 12 Chapter 12: Confession JustinJYN
00:07:19
Play 13 Chapter 13: Questioning JustinJYN
00:04:50
Play 14 Chapter 14: Jealousy JustinJYN
00:04:47
Play 15 Chapter 15: The Chamber of Ghosts Mike Pelton
00:10:38
Play 16 Chapter 16: The Clanking Shoe Mike Pelton
00:14:39
Play 17 Chapter 17: The Physician Mike Pelton
00:09:20
Play 18 Chapter 18: Old Friends Mike Pelton
00:04:48
Play 19 Chapter 19: Old Constancy Mike Pelton
00:05:47
Play 20 Chapter 20: Margaret Mike Pelton
00:24:21
Play 21 Chapter 21: Hilton Gemma L Myers
00:07:35
Play 22 Chapter 22: The Sleeper Gemma L Myers
00:09:27
Play 23 Chapter 23: My Old Room Gemma L Myers
00:10:27
Play 24 Chapter 24: Prison-Breaking Gemma L Myers
00:08:10
Play 25 Chapter 25: New Entrenchments Gemma L Myers
00:09:21
Play 26 Chapter 26: Escape Gemma L Myers
00:09:00
Play 27 Chapter 27: Freedom Gemma L Myers
00:04:30