Discover Best Sellers Audiobooks in Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Epic Top 100

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Title: Dragon Avenger

Subtitle: Age of Fire, Book 2

Author: E. E. Knight

Narrator: David Drummond

Format: Unabridged

Length: 13 hrs and 31 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-24-09

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 373 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Epic

Publisher's Summary:

Such is the mettle of young Wistala, one of four dragons born high in the mountains, as she breaks free of her shell. The last of a dying breed, the siblings learn of their legacy from their devoted mother and protective father - until the fateful day when their dark sanctuary is invaded by a group of slave-trading dwarves.

Pushed to freedom by their mother as she battles for their lives, Wistala and her scaleless gray brother, Auron, find themselves alone in the Upper World. And when Auron sacrifices himself so that she may live, Wistala must overcome her grief and fear to find others of her kind - and bring her wrath to bear on those who would destroy them.

Members Reviews:

Very Enjoyable

What did you love best about Dragon Avenger?

I think my favorite parts were the ones where there was some reference to the first book in the series, I liked feeling Wistala's hope and happiness when she heard any sort of rumor about her brother.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Definitely Wistala. She is so fiery and determined to avenge her family but at the same time she has a good heart (hearts ^_^).

Have you listened to any of David Drummonds other performances before? How does this one compare?

I haven't listened to any of his other readings before but I definitely liked him and would listen to his other works without hesitation. I will admit though that when he went into any sort of battle scene I had a hard time paying full attention (granted, I listen to my audios while I am working) but I am not sure if that is the book or his reading.

Any additional comments?

I read the first book but didn't feel too inclined to read the second. The book was good just not the kind of thing I normally read. The audio was a great way for me to "read" book two, while still reading whatever other book I chose, without losing interest half-way through.

Great bake and performance!

I always loved this series, and David Drummond's variety of voices and impressive reading is truly amazing!

Strong female lead

This book is one of my favorite series and top 3 book of the series.

An enjoyable read and has a strong female lead.

a beautiful story

every Dragon Story I have read is full of beauty mystery and Adventure in this book have it all

Wistala show her true Self!

What made the experience of listening to Dragon Avenger the most enjoyable?

Following the story and outcome.

What did you like best about this story?

The adventure and surprises.

What about David Drummonds performance did you like?

He was very articulate with all the characters, No matter the time in performance.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No, it was a good read.

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Title: The Sharing Knife, Vol. 4: Horizon

Author: Lois McMaster Bujold

Narrator: Bernadette Dunne

Format: Unabridged

Length: 15 hrs and 25 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-04-09

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 692 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Epic

Publisher's Summary:

As Dag's powers have grown, so has his frustration with the Lakewalkers' rigid mores. Fawn and Dag see that their world is changing and that the traditional Lakewalker practices cannot hold the malices at bay forever. Yet for all the customs that Dag and Fawn have challenged, they will soon be confronted with a crisis beyond imagining. When the old ways fail, can their untried new ways stand against their world's deadliest foe?

Critic Reviews:

"[Bujold's] eventful conclusion to [The Sharing Knife] series proves that her talent for storytelling persists regardless of genre." (

Library Journal)"Bujold develops the characters and their relationship skillfully enough to please romance as well as fantasy fans." (

Booklist)

Members Reviews:

Very satisfying read

This book continually kept my attention throughout the entire book. I found myself staying up late doing chores just so I could continue listening. The whole Sharing Knife series has been very enjoyable. This fourth volume has continued that tradition. I love Dag's no-nonsense heroic ways and Fawn's heroic pluck. I enjoy characters I would personally like to meet and get to know. These two definitely qualify.

I have never been disappointed and have thoroughly enjoyed all of Bujold's books and series. With this book she continues to earn my respect and I hope will earn yours as well.

Beguiled

Lois McMaster Bujold develops a fascinating world and characters. On top of everything else, including the love story, the discovery of inner strength and talents, overcoming adversity, cooperation and more, it is a wonderful story of two groups of peoples slowly overcoming superstitious prejudice and the beginnings of true understanding and trust.

She provides just enough information about the events that occurred before the books for the reader to theorize about the probable history. I hope Bujold has plans for a future book(s) expanding on the history of this world and possibly more development of the third group of peoples.

I bought the first book of this series through one of spend 2 credits get 3 book specials and it was one of my best buys thus far and a great move on Audibles part. I promptly bought the rest of the books of the series & enjoyed them all.

Wonderful Story

I have read this series several time, I am a big fan of Lois McMaster Bujold, and this is one of my favorite books. I have to admit I was hesitant to listen to it since I find I can easily turned off by a reader but Bernadette Dunne does a beautiful job. The entire series is wonderfully done and was a great investment.

Like the characters and the story

Where does The Sharing Knife, Vol. 4: Horizon rank among all the audiobooks youve listened to so far?

Like the development of the characters

What other book might you compare The Sharing Knife, Vol. 4: Horizon to and why?

Fantasy and romance

What does Bernadette Dunne bring to the story that you wouldnt experience if you just read the book?

Her interpretation helps me imagine the characters better

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Understanding each other is the key

Any additional comments?

The story just makes sense and the characters follow their roles

Love Lois McMaster Bujold

I have enjoyed every book I've listened to by this author. I've ended every story with a smile, and this is no exception.

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Title: The Dark Tide

Subtitle: The Iron Tower Trilogy, Book 1

Author: Dennis L. McKiernan

Narrator: Cameron Beierle

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 40 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-12-09

Publisher: Books in Motion

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 178 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Epic

Publisher's Summary:

Despite the fact that they're tiny and temperamental, the Warrows get included in the military forces. But the High King doesn't have enough warriors to hold off the horde of slobbering monsters who are coming to attack. And the battle goes horribly wrong, separating the friends from one another and possibly dooming them all.

Members Reviews:

A Tough Review Of A Carbon Copy...

Let's get to it - Short and sweet.

If you like the Lord of the Rings, but want to avoid the detailed monologues, descriptive family histories, and tedious and long world descriptions found in the Lord of the Rings, this series may be for you.

Here's the problem. This can't be more of a carbon copy of the formula used in The Lord of the Rings - An unlikely hero, a ragtag group to bring about an almost impossible task, a dark enemy of pure evil to get in the way, along with various races mixed up in the war. Only this tiny hero and his team can possibly overcome the impending doom that threatens to swallow the world.

Sound familiar?

Of course it does, but here's where my interest lies: It's a well-written carbon copy without the trapping of an epic trilogy. Think lighter, more casual listening for the simple fun of it. Most people do NOT make it through the Lord of the Rings because of that very reason - It's HEAVY reading. Will you re-listen to this yearly like you might with LotR? Definitely NO. You will however, consider revisiting it once in a very blue moon.

It's written well, and consistently well, at that. BUT...remember, Lord of the Rings it is NOT. Lower your literary expectations for just a little while, loosen your tie, and have a little fun with this enjoyable first book in the series.

I like McKiernan, but Beierle is distracting

I read these books when I was a teenager (back when I actually had time to read printed books for fun), and I was excited to "re-read" them now. Unfortunately, the narrator's delivery is patchy. I really enjoy the way he portrays the characters, giving each a distinctive tenor, but his narration style for the descriptive parts of the text drones. It is very reminiscent of Paul Harvey. I find myself zoning out for long sections of the book unless one of the characters is talking...even during battle scenes. When I tune back in, I keep expecting to hear him say "and now you know...the REST of the story."

Welcome To Mithgar!

I've only heard 1 hour of this book so far and it is wonderful! I have read all of Dennis McKiernan's books, and they only get better with every new book!

Bring on the rest of the series!

The Dark Tide

Dennis McKiernan's Masterpiece and Cameron Beierle does it justice ! Lovers of high fantasy will enjoy this trilogy.

Great Story, OK Narration

Would you consider the audio edition of The Dark Tide to be better than the print version?

I would recommend the print version over this particular narration.

How could the performance have been better?

To many pauses in the cadence of the Narration. At times I thought I was hearing a Shattner impersonation. His creation of the various characters was great, the narration between characters was weak.

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Title: Lamentation

Subtitle: The Psalms of Isaak, Book 1

Author: Ken Scholes

Narrator: William Dufris, Scott Brick, Maggi-Meg Reed, Stefan Rudnicki

Format: Unabridged

Length: 14 hrs and 49 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-17-09

Publisher: Macmillan Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 229 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Epic

Publisher's Summary:

Nearer to the Devastation, a young apprentice is the only survivor of the city - he sat waiting for his father outside the walls, and was transformed as he watched everyone he knew die in an instant.

Soon all the Kingdoms of the Named Lands will be at each others' throats, as alliances are challenged and hidden plots are uncovered.

This remarkable first novel from an award-winning short-fiction writer will take readers away to a new world - an Earth so far in the distant future that our time is not even a memory; a world where magick is commonplace, and great areas of the planet are impassable wastes. But human nature hasn't changed through the ages: War and faith and love still move princes and nations.

Members Reviews:

Highly Enjoyable

Plot is well developed with excellent pace and characters are penned with a sapient hand. Rather than thin, transparent characters, Ken Scholes writes with insight.

I prefer stories/authors who are able to maintain an interesting tale, something Ken has a strong sense for. When an author is able to meld interesting and character depth it is a satisfying and enjoyable balance!

Contemporary take on fantasy

Interesting mix of traditional sci-fi and fantasy elements set in post-apocalyptic environs. Characters are vibrant and have definite point-of-view.

Terrific first volume of an epic fantasy

Riveting, highly original story, engrossing characters, tremendous writing - this book has it all. I also enjoyed the narrators except for the one who narrated Rudolfo - he was too ponderous and slow for my taste. I can't recommend this book highly enough - can't wait for book 2!

Riveting.

You cannot help but be immersed in the world that Ken Scholes has woven. And the adventure continues...

Good book, but not great

I started off and really liked the beginning of the book. I was quickly drawn into the characters and wanted to know more about them. The plot lines were good and they kept you guessing, but somehow at the end of the book, it just couldn't hold my interest. At first I thought about downloading the second book but now I am glad I waited. I really have no desire to continue on as I just barely made it through the last hour or two of the first book.

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Titel: Tintenherz (Tintenwelt 1)

Autor:: Cornelia Funke

Erzähler: Rainer Strecker

Format: Unabridged

Spieldauer: 17 hrs and 59 mins

Sprache: Deutsch

Veröffentlichungsdatum: 12-05-08

Herausgeber: JUMBO Neue Medien & Verlag GmbH

Bewertung: 4.5 von 5 von 14 Stimmen

Kategorien: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Epic

Zusammenfassung des Herausgebers:

Der Sprecher:

Der Schauspieler Rainer Strecker, der auch "Tintentod" und "Tintenblut" interpretierte, entführt seine Zuhörer in eine abenteuerliche Welt. Ulrich Maskes Musik, mal meditativ, mal hochdramatisch, bietet Stationen zum Reflektieren zwischen den Kapiteln.

Kritik Bewertungen:

So vielschichtig ist dieser Roman, so komplex, prall und mit buntem Leben gefüllt, dass man gebannt zuhört und nicht mehr abschalten kann.

--Jury der hr2 Hörbuch-Bestenliste

Mitglieder Bewertungen:

A wonderful story

I first read this story more than a decade ago and was immediately captivated, ultimately reading the entire trilogy. I was thrilled to discover the audiobook - thank you Audible for finally expanding the choices for additional languages.

I had high expectations for the audio version and these were met. The performance was well done.

One addition to the audiobook is music between chapters. In some ways this was a nice, creative addition. I wish, though, that it hadn't been at the expense of all of the great quotes that begin each chapter in print. I also wish the sound engineer had paid closer attention to the volume levels: without exception, the musical interludes were significantly louder than the spoken tracks. In fact, they were so loud that the constant need to adjust the volume became a distraction as well as a nuisance. Instead of the music enhancing the story as it very well could have done, it detracted.

Otherwise, this is a highly recommended story and performance.

Lovely story, frustrating music

Any additional comments?

Positives: I read this book as a child in german and fell in love with the story. Now listening to it was great, felt very nostalgic. I loved the story as much as the first time and the narrator did a decent job. I liked the fact that he changed his voice per character and although he did not always manage, tried to keep them the same each time.

Negatives: The narrator sometimes had trouble holding a character but what most frustrated me is that I often listen to audiobooks out loud whilst cleaning etc. I was anxious for every time the music would come as it was so annoying and so loud that I would always have to stop what I was doing to turn it down (trying to avoid annoying everyone around me). I really wish there was an option to purchase this without the music or just to put i off, because it really ruined the experience for me. I bought the second book at the same time and now just got through it with exactly the same feeling. Very frustrating!!

wonderful story, fantastic narration

My first book with Rainer Strecker. He brought the characters to life (no pun intended!).

Great reading, annoying music

I loved the telling of the story, but the music in between each chapter really bothered me.

Great story. Great Narration

What made the experience of listening to Tintenherz (Tintenwelt 1) the most enjoyable?

Rainer Strecker is a terrific narrator. Very natural. The story flows nicely and with a good pace and variation. Characterisation is brilliant.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The enigmatic Staubfinger is my favourite character. Strecker brings him to life.

Which scene did you most enjoy?

Hard to pick! It's so well written.

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Title: The Modern Scholar

Subtitle: Rings, Swords, and Monsters: Exploring Fantasy Literature

Author: Michael D.C. Drout

Narrator: Michael D.C. Drout

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 50 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-24-08

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 462 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Epic

Publisher's Summary:

Should fantasy be considered serious literature, or is it merely escapism? In this course, the roots of fantasy and the works that have defined the genre are examined. Incisive analysis and a deft assessment of what makes these works so very special provides a deeper insight into beloved works and a better understanding of why fantasy is such a pervasive force in modern culture.

Members Reviews:

An Informative, Stimulating, and Enjoyable Class

I enjoyed Professor Michael D. C. Drout???s 14-lecture class on modern fantasy, which mainly focus on J. R. R. Tolkien, which is fine, because Tolkien is a major figure in modern fantasy. Professor Drout has a pleasing enthusiasm and a comprehensible clarity as he lectures.

After discussing the fantasy genre (a hybridization combining oral epics with novelistic techniques and concerns), Drout limns the origins of modern fantasy (Victorian works like the Alice books, The Waterbabies, and The Princess and the Goblin), and then dives into Tolkien, depicting relevant facts about his life and philological study before assessing The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, as well as difficult work like The Silmarillion and important scholarly essays on Beowulf and fantasy. Drout next covers two followers of Tolkien, Brooks the imitator and Donaldson the reactor, as well as two ???worthy inheritors??? who create fantasy as aesthetically and thematically consistent and compelling as that of Tolkien: Ursula K. Le Guin and Robert Holdstock. He then discusses children???s fantasy (Narnia, The Dark is Rising, Prydain, and a bit of Rowling and Pullman) and then the Arthurian genre (T. H. White, Mary Stewart, and Marion Zimmer Bradley). He concludes with a chapter on magical realism (Borges and Garcia-Marquez), arguing that, unlike most modern fantasy, it denies rather than provides healthy escape and is oriented around tragedy rather than Tolkieniean eucatastrophe.

I like the many insights that Drout provides as he lectures, like about Le Guin???s solution to death in The Other Wind or about class in The Hobbit or about the way in which Peter Jackson???s movies make Tolkien???s world smaller. Sure, I wish he???d have covered more authors (like L. Frank Baum, Lord Dunsany, E. R. Eddison, Robert E. Howard, Mervyn Peake, or Michael Swanwick) and to have gone into more detail in non-Tolkien chapters, but that only shows how much I enjoyed his ???class??? and wished it could have been twice as long.

One of my very favorite Audibles ever!

I've been going through some family health crisis stuff lately and I find that's Drout's lectures are so fascinating they are the one thing that can completely take my mind off my problems. I started with his lecture on Anglo Saxon stuff and was delighted to find this one when I finished. I downloaded and saved it for a day I expected to get some bad news. Sure enough... it was bad but like magic this lecture kept my mind occupied for hours on end and left me in a good mood. I didn't realize there would be so much on The Hobbit and The Lord of The Rings my two favorite books of all time. I've no interest whatever in poetry and writing but I'm thinking about getting those lectures too. The guy is just so enthusiastic about the material. What a treasure!

Insightful and Entertaining

Prof Drout is both extremely knowledgeable and an excellent lecturer.

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Title: Reader and Raelynx

Subtitle: The Twelve Houses, Book 4

Author: Sharon Shinn

Narrator: Joe Barrett

Format: Unabridged

Length: 19 hrs and 14 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-04-08

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 349 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Epic

Publisher's Summary:

Much to the dismay of her advisors, Amalie begins to fall in love with the wholly unsuitable Cammon. Even worse, war comes to Gillengaria anyway, and Amalie can only be kept safe through the combined efforts of the Riders, the mystics - and the wild raelynx that has mystical powers of its own.

BONUS AUDIO: Includes an exclusive introduction by author Sharon Shinn.

Members Reviews:

Great Listen

I loved this series so much I hated to see it end. It took sometime to get used to the new narrator, Joe Barrett -- and I have to admit, I never did warm to his interpretation of Kira, but I was able to over-look it. The story was so engaging and the battle at the end was great. I hope Sharon Shinn continues to write for the main characters, and that Audible gets more of her work soon. Highly recommended..

Loved it!

This is a delightful book. Exciting, imaginative, beautifully written, and wonderfully narrated. The worst part of this book was that it came to an end. I really will miss these characters. I enjoyed all the Mystic and Rider books, but this one was even more exceptional.

Wonderful & satisfying!

This book is a satisfying conclusion for the trilogy! It ties up loose ends I didn't even know were there! I love happy answers and happy endings!

Top series

This has been my favorite series i have listened to to date. I will be re-reading them all again i'm sure. I will miss the characters as i have become so attached to them all. Every book has had me captivated from beginning to end, just wish there were many more book to the series and it never end's lol. Just love it so much.

great writing, poor narration

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Honestly, when I finish Part I, I'll probably stop listening. If you are thinking of buying this audio book, I recommend you buy a print or ebook version instead.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Reader and Raelynx?

Won't spoil the plot but it involves the raelynx!

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Joe Barrett?

The original narrator, Jennifer van Dyck, should have been hired to narrate all five books. She does male voices just fine, whereas Joe Barrett makes Kirra sound like a 1980s drag queen. It is extremely offputting. I could not finish listening to Dark Moon Defender and I don't know if I'll be able to finish Reader and Raelynx. I do wish there was a new version of this book with Jennifer van Dyck. I would buy it, even though I've already purchased this version.

Do you think Reader and Raelynx needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

It has a followup book. Unfortunately, it has yet another narrator. Jennifer van Dyck should have been re-hired, especially after the fiasco with Joe Barrett.

Any additional comments?

Stick to Mystic and Rider, Thirteenth House, and Troubled Waters in audio version. Get the rest in print or ebook. And check out other titles narrated by Jennifer van Dyck, especially those by Jack McDevitt.

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Title: The Sum of All Men

Subtitle: The Runelords, Book One

Author: David Farland

Narrator: Ray Porter

Format: Unabridged

Length: 22 hrs

Language: English

Release date: 10-20-08

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 897 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Epic

Publisher's Summary:

Young Prince Gaborn of Mystarria is traveling in disguise on a journey to ask for the hand of the lovely Princess Iome of Sylvarresta. Armed with his gifts of strength and perception, the prince and his bodyguard stop at a local tavern, where they spot a pair of assassins who have their sights set on Princess Iome's father. As they race to warn the king, they realize that more than the royal family is at risk - the very fate of the Earth is in jeopardy.

Members Reviews:

A MAN WHO BELIEVES HE IS DOOMED TO FAIL

TENDS TO FAIL

There is a lot of stuff in this book, thrown at you every other paragraph. There are so many things, that we get told a lot of stuff, but not much showing. I lost count of how many times while our hero is running from various enemies, that he remembers back to an earlier time. This of course is an author's way of info dumping. Several authors have done this and I wish they would quit. If you are going to have a action scene, don't break away to remember the past. Who does that anyway? Last time you where in a car accident or something scary, did you start reminiscing about the past?

I also could not get into the story or care about the characters.

one highlight is Ray Porter. This is one of his earlier works and seems a little more subdued than his later works.

A world of interesting magics and moral choices.

David Farland has created a land where the rulers take advantage of a magical process by which one person can acquire the attributes of another, such as strength, stamina, glamour, metabolism, or grace. The person that gives the endowment loses the attribute and is "crippled" while the receiver is enhanced. These Runelords approach the process of receiving endowments from multiple moral perspectives and this adds to the richness of the story.

This ability to take/receive endowments re-defines how people live, rule, and fight wars and Farland goes into much detail explaining how this ability can be manipulated by good or evil. Rarely is such a structure governing magic so well defined in Fantasy books and for me it really helped make the magic seem more realistic and plausible.

Endowments aren't the only magic in this series and there is also a whole range of wizards that use various elemental magics, as well as strange creatures that live underground known as Reavers. Ray Porter does an excellent job of bringing all of these various characters to life with his narration.

This book hooked me pretty quickly and I have now listened to the first 4 books in the series. I have enjoyed them all, so this book is an excellent start to an excellent series.

Excellent Fantasy Series!

Exceptionally good book! Magic, romance, and characters that you love and others that love to hate.

It has been awhile for me to find a new series that is similar to and as good as the "Wheel of Time series" by Robert Jordan. Like the "Wheel of Time series", I am totally engrossed, sitting on the edge-of-my-seat listening. The plot is very interesting. Also, the book is up-beat (most of the time anyway). But, like George R.R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" series there are some tragedies.

NARRATION: The narrator reads the Prolog in a way that seems too overacting, but after that his style of reading changes and I enjoyed listening.

At this point, I have commited to purchasing books 2 thru 4. Book two, I downloaded.

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Title: Dragon Harper

Subtitle: Dragonriders of Pern

Author: Anne McCaffrey, Todd McCaffrey

Narrator: Susan Ericksen

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 40 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-30-08

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 353 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Epic

Publisher's Summary:

Meanwhile, in nearby Fort Hold, a clutch of fire-lizard eggs is about to hatch, and Lord Bemin's beautiful young daughter, Koriana, is determined to Impress one of the delightful creatures. At the hatching, Kindan Impresses a fire-lizard of his own...and wins the heart of Koriana. But Lord Bemin mistrusts harpers and will not hear of a match between his daughter and the low-born Kindan.

Then fate intervenes in the form of a virulent plague as fast-spreading as it is deadly. Arising suddenly, as if out of nowhere, the contagion decimates hold after hold, paying no heed to distinctions of birth.

In this feverish crucible, friendship and love will be tested to the breaking point and beyond. For with Threadfall scant years away, the Dragonriders dare not expose themselves to infection, and it will fall to Kindan and his fellow apprentices to bravely search for a cure and save humanity.

The price of failure is unthinkable. But the price of success may be even harder to bear.

Critic Reviews:

"The McCaffreys depict the crisis vividly, with enough detail to make the tragedy all too real and with enough hope to keep fantasy fans happy." (

Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

Disappointing

I was sorry to see one of my favorite authors put her name on this book. It started out as a conglomeration of several previous books with very little originality. It ends as a lengthy and tedious account of sickness and dying. Very little was either original or interesting. I forced myself to finish the story in hopes there would be something redeeming. The narrator was good but it wasn't worth the effort or time.

very dissapointed

I have been a fan for a great many years, starting with the first book I read. If this had been the first book of the Pern series I had ever read, it would have been the last. There is nothing original to this book and it is now filed in my will not read again file.

Mixed feelings

What disappointed you about Dragon Harper?

In all of the Todd M. books thus far there are too many extraneous characters with similar names too follow in too few places. And way way way too much torture porn. Another plague? Seriously? Sure, readers just love to have all of the main characters either dying or have everyone they care about dying. What great entertainment! Not!!!

It's understandable that every once in a while a sorrowful story is required to be realistic - Moreta's story for example from his Mother's books. But it seems that every book that Todd wrote after his mother passed is depressing as all get out. It's starting to make me wonder if maybe he wasn't resentful about his mother's creation and now is intent on tearing it apart bit by bit with nothing but a bunch of morbid events one after another.

What could Anne McCaffrey and Todd McCaffrey have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Less misery and suffering. Focus more on main characters, show more than just a handful of locations. When Anne used to incorporate multiple characters, they were central to specific themes and locations spread all across Pern. Virtually all of this book takes place in first the Harper Hall then later in Fort Hold. Names come and go as people are just dying one after another. This isn't entertainment. It's just sadism.

Which scene was your favorite?

There were some shining moments.

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Title: The Silver Hand

Subtitle: The Song of Albion Series, Book 2

Author: Stephen R. Lawhead

Narrator: Stuart Langston

Format: Unabridged

Length: 12 hrs and 40 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-12-08

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 296 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Epic

Publisher's Summary:

The words of a prophetess foretell a coming king. But Lewis, as Albion's renowned champion Llew, has a more immediate concern: retrieving the treacherous Siawn-Hy, who has eluded him in the doorway between worlds - and who now, lusting for power, has allied himself with the usurper Meldron.

Forced to flee for their lives, Llew and the bard Tegid find refuge deep in Albion's heartland. Under their leadership, a wilderness citadel arises...and the miraculous reign of Silver Hand begins.

Critic Reviews:

"Stuart Langston reads with a poetic voice well suited to a storytelling bard." (AudioFile)

Members Reviews:

The best of the Song of Albion

This is the best of the series and it shows, glowing as bright as a silver hand. The narrator does a solid job, however, there are a number of times a sentence is repeated as if there is a slight overlay on the recording. It doesn't happen oft though and is only a minor annoyance.

Appallingly poor Audible conversion

This is a solid, entertaining fantasy story. There are a few flaws--we never quite understand why one of the time travelers turns evil, nor why the protagonist (working on a graduate degree in Celtic studies at Oxford) seems to have no clue about plot points that are obvious to any reader of fantasy fiction (being in a state of denial is a weak explanation). The narrator does a good job, other than for the mangling of Celtic names and terms. This is probably not a problem to most who know the terms by reading them in fantasy books, and who have not been teased over pronunciation of place names, etc. in Ireland. It's actually kind of funny when partway through, "Nee-all" becomes "Neil." (I wonder what the producers would have done if the name had been one that is pronounced very differently from way it looks, like Niamh.)

The overall rating is because Audible did a remarkably lazy job in converting CDs into a continuous recording. Throughout the narrative, two or three sentences will be repeated without warning in the middle of a chapter. When listening to audiobooks on CDs, the repeated sentences can be seen as a benefit--or at least are not too disruptive. In a continuous narrative, the duplicated sentences are confusing, spoil the flow, and are profoundly irritating.

Why the repeats?

The main problem was the quality of the recording. About 5-6 times throughout, there would be about 30 seconds that would repeat for no apparent reason.

interesting

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

i would for the celtic lore. it goes in depth with celt practices and myths

Any additional comments?

stuart langston is a little dry and monotone

The Silver Hand: The Song of Albion Series, Book 2

Again Stephan R Lawhead has brought amazing adventure in a well written book about the "time between times" and different realities. Starting in London, and ending in the amazing world of Albion,the island of the blessed. Death, evil, battled by true hearts and even truer friends as they battle their way through trial and testing. Love the whole series.