by Umberto Eco
Published 1994
In 1327, the Franciscan friar William of Baskerville arrives at a wealthy Benedictine abbey in the mountains of northern Italy to prepare a politically delicate theological debate. Within hours, the abbot asks him instead to investigate a monk's mysterious death, and over the seven days that follow, more bodies accumulate as William and his young scribe Adso thread their way through the abbey's scriptorium, its forbidden library, and its rigidly hierarchical community. Suspicion falls on heresy, on rival orders, on the rumored second book of Aristotle's Poetics, and on the abbey's labyrinthine library itself. Umberto Eco's 1980 novel, his first work of fiction, became a global bestseller while also being, at heart, an erudite piece of medieval scholarship, a semiotic puzzle, and a meditation on reading, power, and the violence that institutions are willing to commit to protect what they are afraid of. Part detective story, part historical novel, part philosophical tract, The Name of the Rose is one of the defining works of twentieth-century European literature.
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Top voices for narrating this book
British · Old · Male · Narrative Story · Mature
“This voice is old, British, calm, and described as ideal for thoughtful storytelling, perfectly matching the wise, melancholy, and scholarly older Adso.”
British · Old · Male · Narrative Story · Confident
“A calm, expressive, and warm English voice from an older male, suitable for a reflective and wise narrator.”
British · Old · Male · Narrative Story · Confident
“An old, British, calm, and trustworthy voice that fits the scholarly and reflective nature of the narrator.”
For listeners: use the Best Narrator voice above in ElevenReader or Fish Audio. Character casting is for authors producing audiobooks with studio tools.
A Franciscan friar and former inquisitor with a keen intellect and a deductive mind, reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes. His voice should be intelligent, authoritative, and sharp.
British · Middle Aged · Male · Narrative Story · Confident
“Articulate, crisp, confident, and versatile, this British voice perfectly captures William's keen intellect and deductive nature.”
Also recommended for: Bernardo Gui
British · Middle Aged · Male · Narrative Story · Confident
“Engaging, confident, clear, and authoritative, this British voice is excellent for William's commanding presence and sharp mind.”
Also recommended for: Bernardo Gui
British · Middle Aged · Male · Narrative Story · Classy
“A warm, rich, and authoritative British voice that conveys wisdom and confidence, suiting William's seasoned intellect.”
Also recommended for: Bernardo Gui
William's young, impressionable, and sometimes fearful novice. His voice should convey youth and a certain naivete, evolving as he experiences the unsettling events.
German · Young · Male · Narrative Story · Calm
“This is the only young, German voice available, matching Adso's key traits of youth and origin, with a calm and gentle tone ideal for his impressionable nature.”
A zealous and ruthless inquisitor, focused on proving guilt rather than finding truth. His voice should be harsh, authoritarian, and unwavering.
British · Middle Aged · Male · Narrative Story · Confident
“Though not French, this voice is professional, clear, authoritative, and confident, which can convey the unwavering and serious nature of the inquisitor.”
Also recommended for: William of Baskerville
British · Middle Aged · Male · Narrative Story · Confident
“An articulate and versatile voice with a dynamic emotional range, which can be adapted to portray Bernardo's intensity and zealous authority.”
Also recommended for: William of Baskerville
British · Middle Aged · Male · Narrative Story · Classy
“Possessing a strong authoritative presence, this voice can deliver the strict and confident tone required for Bernardo Gui, despite its 'warm' descriptor.”
Also recommended for: William of Baskerville
The cautious and traditional abbot of the monastery, more concerned with maintaining order and reputation than with the true causes of the deaths.
British · Old · Male · Narrative Story · Mature
“This old, British, calm, and steady-paced voice with an authoritative presence perfectly fits the cautious, measured, and traditional abbot.”
British · Old · Male · Narrative Story · Confident
“An old, British voice with an authoritative, calm, and trustworthy tone, suitable for the abbot's concern with order and tradition.”
British · Old · Male · Narrative Story · Confident
“A calm, expressive, and warm English voice from an older male, which can convey the measured and serious disposition of the abbot.”