Get Best Sellers Audiobooks in Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Epic Top Rated

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Title: Unseen

Subtitle: Unborn Series, Book 2

Author: Amber Lynn Natusch

Narrator: Angela Dawe

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 13 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-17-15

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 183 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Epic

Publisher's Summary:

Welcome to the Kingdom of Hades, where even its prodigal princess sleeps lightly.

After fighting Soul Stealers in Detroit, Khara hoped to return home to find answers in her father's realm. But the land of the dead offers little information, and far too much tragedy. Now cut off from her brothers, and left only with her dark and unreliable companion Oz, Khara must navigate the centuries-old webs of deceit and betrayal, all while eluding the Underworld's most depraved inhabitant. But she soon finds an unexpected ally in her adopted sister Persephone. Together, they endeavor to right a terrible wrong. And as Khara soon discovers, there's more riding on her success than she ever thought possible.

Members Reviews:

Continuetion erros

While worthy of the price for the amount of time it takes to listen, there are several minor continuation errors, let's just say the main male character have the ability to conjure magically wall on the middle open areas so he can force the main character against it.

And can also erase the memory of every one so he can keep what he just boosted out loud a secret.

It's pretty vapid

Not a super great story, but not terrible. I thought the premise was interesting, but there wasn't much in backstory in the first book. I listened to it mostly as filler.

Flat story, flat characters read, flat monotone

The protagonist Cara, is described as being flat and unemotional, which I guess the author carried off successfully. She was completely flat. There was nothing to relate to. she passively progressed through a muddy plot without much reaction. The rest of the characters were similarly two dimensional with no spark. I made it through two books now and I can't tell what the point of the plot was.

Agh!!

This series is so awesome I love it more than caged. I don't know why I keep torturing myself listening to these over & over like unspoken will magically appear. The suspense & world building are intense the characters are so 3-d you feel you know them I love this series

Gripping

Would you listen to Unseen again? Why?

Both Unborn and Unseen are gripping, intriguing, can't put down stories. I want so bad to hear the next part of the story.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I'm drawn to Oz because I just can't give up hope that he can be redeemed though I love Kiersan too. He's the perfect big brother.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes

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Title: Iron Axe

Subtitle: The Books of Blood and Iron, Book 1

Author: Steven Harper

Narrator: P. J. Ochlan

Format: Unabridged

Length: 13 hrs and 28 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-06-15

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 343 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Epic

Publisher's Summary:

In this brand new series from the author of the Clockwork Empire series, a hopeless outcast must answer Death's call and embark on an epic adventure... Although Danr's mother was human, his father was one of the hated Stane, a troll from the mountains. Now Danr has nothing to look forward to but a life of disapproval and mistrust, answering to "Trollboy" and condemned to hard labor on a farm. Until, without warning, strange creatures come down from the mountains to attack the village. Spirits walk the land, terrifying the living. Trolls creep out from under the mountain, provoking war with the elves. And Death herself calls upon Danr to set things right. At Death's insistence, Danr heads out to find the Iron Axe, the weapon that sundered the continent a thousand years ago. Together with unlikely companions, Danr will brave fantastic and dangerous creatures to find a weapon that could save the world - or destroy it.

Members Reviews:

Surprisingly good!

Because of the lack of hype around this book, I had no expectation going into this book. So it was quite a surprise when I ended up really liking this book.

The book starts off a little rough but evens out as you move forward. It took me a while to get into it because, although I expected this to be an Adult fantasy novel, I didnt expect it to be as gritty as something similar to A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin. The fantasy world seems more like a dystopian since there isnt much order or governing going on and where slavery and rape isnt as big of an issue for the population as I would think it would be. But thankfully, the focus shifts more to Danrs story/quest forward and less on the cruelty of the world as you get further into the story.

But despite the fact that Danr is the main protagonist of the story, half troll half human, I actually liked Aisaand to a greater extent, even Talfimore than any other character. Considering she is a sex slave and constantly abused by her master and his wife, she is a very strong female protagonist. She is at times sassy, sharp, and loyal to the bone towards someone who looks after her. Despite the fact that her father sold her into slavery, at one point in the book, she even comes to let that past go. For someone who bares physical scars of rape and abuse, covers herself in heavy clothing so the world cant see, I can imagine that forgiving the man who became the reason for it all wasnt an easy feat. She is incredibly strong and I loved her for that. Talfi, on the other hand, is just as lovable a sidekick as one would want. Although there isnt much humor in this book, Talfis trustworthy attitude contrasting against Aisas dark sorrows and Danrs self-deprecating musings was a refreshing change at times.

Danr, as good a character as he was, was sometimes a bit too annoying. Not for any particular reason honestly, simply because of this constant good vs evil fight he has with himself. I sympathized with him, because of the way he has been treated all his life, but often I just wished he would get over the notion that everyone thinks he is a monster and move on with life. In retrospect, he did have the potential to be a bad person (as do we all) but he never lets out the monster within him so I really felt bad that he wasted so much time scolding himself over nothing.

There is a bit of confusion in terms of what is the targeted audience for this book.

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Title: Doomstalker

Subtitle: Darkwar, Book 1

Author: Glen Cook

Narrator: Eva Kaminsky

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 14 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-09-14

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 29 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Epic

Publisher's Summary:

The world grows colder with each passing year, the longer winters and ever-deepening snows awaking ancient fears within the Dengan Packstead, fears of invasion by armed and desperate nomads, attack by the witchlike and mysterious Silth, able to kill with their minds alone, and of the Grauken, that desperate time when intellect gives way to buried cannibalistic instinct, when meth feeds upon meth.

For Marika, a young pup of the Packstead, loyal to pack and family, times are dark indeed, for against these foes, the Packstead cannot prevail. But awakening within Marika is a power unmatched in all the world, a legendary power that may not just save her world, but allow her to grasp the stars themselves.

From Glen Cook, author of the Black Company and Dread Empire novels. The first audiobook in the Darkwar series.

Members Reviews:

Be ready for an adventure

What did you love best about Doomstalker?

development of characters, descriptive inner dialog and of course the action

What was one of the most memorable moments of Doomstalker?

How she learned and used her talents.

What about Eva Kaminskys performance did you like?

Loved her steady voice, enunciation and various voices for the different characters.

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

No - Just a great read

Any additional comments?

Glen Cook is a very favorite author. I have read and reread many of his books many many times. I think this is my second time thru this series as I read it about 30 years ago and really liked it then. Black Company is my favorite series. Have fun and enjoy either series, I love his writing style and think that you will too.

I love this book

I love this series and recommend it to anyone who is looking for another world to visit and explore.

much appreciated

What made the experience of listening to Doomstalker the most enjoyable?

It is one of my favorites.

Which character as performed by Eva Kaminsky was your favorite?

All of them. She really did a great job managing the pace of the events.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Absolutely!

Any additional comments?

Over twenty-five years ago a friend introduced me to Cook's writings with this series. I have never been disappointed in any of his novels since. This was one of the first series i got as soon as I got a kindle. Now, I am overjoyed to have the audiobook as well.

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Title: Darkness Haunts

Subtitle: The Sensor, Book 1

Author: Susan Illene

Narrator: Cris Dukehart

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 2 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-25-14

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 447 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Epic

Publisher's Summary:

Melena Sanders faced her fair share of danger with insurgents and terrorists when she served in the U.S. Army, but now she is about to go up against a new threat. Her best friend, Aniya, has disappeared while on a trip to Fairbanks, Alaska - a supernatural haven. Most humans have no idea darker races lurk amongst them. Mel knows better. If she wants to get her friend back, she's going to have to go in alone - but not unarmed. Melena has a few special skills the Army didn't provide, but the odds are still against her. And danger likes to play it rough. A war for power is about to rise in Fairbanks, and if she wants to get Aniya back, Mel is going to have to step right into the middle of it.

Contains mature themes.

Members Reviews:

Very interesting first book in a new series!

I took quite a while before deciding to give this new series a chance. There' are no regrets whatsoever. I thoroughly enjoyed this first book in the series. Melena Sanders is a very courageous heroine. She is loyal and got herself into a lot of trouble by going to Alaska to search for her missing best friend. She used her special gift to find her friend who had been captured by the vampires and other supernaturals. I find the narrator, Chris Dukehart did a good job. Her voices for the different characters were easily distinguished. The plot was good.

Girly book with just the right amount of angst

Liked this a lot. A little harlequin romance with supernatural flair. Fun read for a lazy afternoon. I would recommend

Pretty Good story so Far......

Its always nice to find a series that can actually keep me intrigued enough to purchase the next book in the series. So Far Darkness Haunts has a building and interesting enough story line to keep me curious to delve into the next part of the series. I suppose it the next book will determine if the series can keep me enthralled.

This is what I mean by a worthy female lead!

Melena Sanders, ex-military, is planning to attend college in the fall in California but right now she has to track down her missing friend, Aniya. A cryptic message left by her points Mel to Fairbanks, Alaska. There she discovers a war brewing that involves plenty of supernatural folks. Not all are human friendly. Luckily for Mel, shes a little more than human. Shes a Sensor and that gives her just enough of an edge to be a true threat to these werewolves, vampires, and witches.

This is my new favorite urban fantasy series. This book is off to a good start, introducing our main character, Mel, and the paranormal world she deals with. Her dedication to her friends is a key component to the plot for this book. In her search for Aniya, she tries to keep Lizette out of it for her own safety. However, this goes a bit awry and Im sure these two will have some words for each other later. She also makes some new friends in Alaska, some out of necessity and others out of choice. She needs all the assists she can get as she tries to find Philip Mercer, the last person Aniya was seen with.

Theres tons of alliances in this book and some of those alliances pull good folk into bad situations while other alliances pull questionable people into doing good deeds. Things, actions, and people are not always clearly evil or good and I really liked this aspect of the book. It kept me on my toes and engaged throughout the story.

Theres a powerful magic user, Variola, who holds several witches and werewolves in fealty.

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Title: The Seventh Sigil

Author: Robert Krammes, Margaret Weis

Narrator: Kirby Heyborne

Format: Unabridged

Length: 26 hrs and 29 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-06-14

Publisher: Dreamscape Media, LLC

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 53 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Epic

Publisher's Summary:

Five hundred years ago, a clan of rebels was banished to the bottom of the enchanted world of Aeronne; ever since, these Bottom Dwellers have sought revenge, and now they are waging all-out war on the rest of humanity. Their deadly 'contramagic' beams destroy buildings and attack naval airships, and their demonic drumming brings terrible storms and disrupts the magic of the people and dragons Above. The attack of their full contramagic power will create a magical armageddon. In an effort to prevent further death, Captain Stephano de Guichen leads the Dragon Brigade, taking the fight to the Bottom. Only the Dragon Brigade can prevent an endless dark age. Their epic battle will test the mettle of those thrown into the breach, and determine the fate of this magical world.

Members Reviews:

Page turning fantasy with humor

In Book 1 of Dragon Riders, The Cadre Of The Lost, a small group of young people bound together by their love for adventure and mutual admiration but so, so different from one another, embarks on a paid job - to find a journeyman crafter (of magic) who has probably been abducted by a foreign power. Weis and Krammes, to my mind her best writing partner to date, spin a tale of intrigue, surprise, treachery, bravery and loyalty - all laced with humor between the two leading males of the group - Stefano and Rodrigo. The Seventh Sigil is the concluding book, in which the climax stretches for almost three hours. I found the entire series to be so engrossing that it was difficult to ration my reading to leisure hours. The entire trilogy may not be at the level of a Tolkein, a C.S. Lewis or an Ursula K. LeGuin, but it's far above average in my opinion. It has the stuff that engrossing action movies are made of, sans extreme cruelty and gory detail. Weis and Krammes build believable characters and spin a web of intrigue, conflict and cooperation between enemies that engrossed me throughout the reading experience. I found a change of narrators between the three books a bit upsetting, but both Kirby Heyborn and John Keating did yeoman work with different character accents and between genders. I think that the story deserves a 5, while the entire experience rates a 4 for me. Overall highly imaginative, never a trudge. I think that the trilogy and especially the third book The Seventh Sigil, will please fantasy fans, especially dragon lovers like me.

Great Story! Welcome back Kirby!!!

Would you listen to The Seventh Sigil again? Why?

Yes. Action-packed from the very beginning.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Father Jacob. He is smart and self-deprecating and just plain heroic

Have you listened to any of Kirby Heybornes other performances before? How does this one compare?

Thank goodness Kirby concluded this trilogy. His voices and inflections are fantastic!

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

no

Any additional comments?

I'd like more!

A somewhat perdictible ending

This was a predictable ending to this series. All the plot lines where wraped up but the story line was not as exciting as the fist two books in the series

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Title: The Child Prince

Subtitle: The Artifactor, Book 1

Author: Honor Raconteur

Narrator: Cheridah Best

Format: Unabridged

Length: 19 hrs and 48 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-05-14

Publisher: Raconteur House

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 198 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Epic

Publisher's Summary:

Sevana Warran, reigning prodigy Artifactor of the age, has absolutely no desire to selflessly serve her fellow man. She wants, in fact, to be left alone so that she can putter about in her workroom.

But her efforts in avoiding other people prove to be in vain. The reigning family of Windamere is no longer sitting upon the throne and the Council has instead taken power. The sole hope of avoiding the evil machinations of the Council is Bellomi Dragonmanovich, Prince of Windamere. As a 21-year-old cursed into the body of a perpetual eight-year-old, he lacks the power and ability to stop the Council.

Sevana, after a judicious review of the situation, decides that she cannot let things continue. If she did, she'd never be left alone and would instead be buried in paperwork if the Council has anything to say about it. So she kidnaps the prince from where he was locked away in the palace and sets about breaking his curse.

Prince and Artifactor quickly realize that simply breaking the curse won't be enough to free Windamere from the Council. It will take training, cunning, allies, information, and more than just a little magic if they are to reclaim the throne.

Members Reviews:

Too many....hesitations....in...speaking.

What did you love best about The Child Prince?

Who was your favorite character and why?

Sevana, I enjoyed her rebelliousness.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Cheridah Best?

Not exactly, see below comment.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No

Any additional comments?

Enjoyed story but was constantly put off by the hesitations of the narrator. Once I noticed the pauses I could not stop hearing them. A good audio editor should have given Ms. Best guidance.

A good story

I was looking for a new author. I've had this book on my Wish List for awhile. I was hesitant to get it due to its length. The cover art seemed to imply a novel for teens and younger. I also have too many audio books that get tedious with such a long duration.Well, I finally decided to give this book a try. I was pleasantly surprised. The book is well done. It has appeal for adults as well as teens. I enjoyed hearing a story were bedroom scenes real and implied were absent for a change. I found the characters interesting and fun. The development of the cursed prince is kept a part of the story. I also enjoyed Cheridah Best reading and character interpretations. There was predictability and surprises. A new world with magic and a touch of steampunk, magical and mythical creatures and a sentient mountain home for added interest. These complimented the main characters. I hope there will be more books from this author. I recommend this book.

Took me awhile to get through...

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Cheridah Best?

Not sure. Perhaps a male narrator. She just read in a really drawn out fashion, that drove me a little crazy. Luckily I was listening on my Droid app so I could put on speed read at 1.5x. That seemed to work much better, making her sound like she was speaking at a normal speed. I did really enjoy some of her voices. BUT Bel's grown up voice sounded like his childs voice. His child voice was quite good, for a child, but for an adult it was really bad. This made it very hard for me to picture him as grown up when he sounded like a four year old.

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Title: The Dragon at War

Author: Gordon R. Dickson

Narrator: Paul Boehmer

Format: Unabridged

Length: 14 hrs and 40 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-23-14

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 38 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Epic

Publisher's Summary:

Baron Jim is in the thick of it again. Somehow he's found himself taking on England's oldest enemy - the French - who have entered into an unholy alliance with a most fearsome horror: The mighty serpents of the deep underseas. Nobody has battled them before; nobody even realized they could leave the sea. And with the serpents as their allies it's only a matter of time before the French invasion succeeds - unless Baron Jim can stop them.

Members Reviews:

Good continuation of an entertaining fantasy series!

A good continuation in the Dragon knight fantasy series. I read the first 3 books in this series some time ago and while this book is not quite as entertaining as the first 2 books in the series I liked this better than the 3rd book. This series was written some time ago but is still entertaining if one is looking for some light reading. Nothing very complicated or deep in this storyline. Readers of the late Gordon Dickson will like this book.

A Story That Never Ages

I've read this story many times and I always find some new aspect within it that keeps me returning to read it again and again.

Five Stars

Good read, I recommend it.

great read

Not gonna say too much. GR Dickson is one of my favorite 3 writers, and espouses all the values that I subscribe too. Just a charming medieval novel set in an alternate world where Dickson is a dragon and a magician. Bottom line...you like a good family type book, where good conquers evil, friends are friends, chivalry is revered, etc etc, buy the book. You will not be disappointed

Great adventure

If you've read other Sir James Books - you'll enjoy this adventure with Jim and his friends. I love the interaction between all the characters and some new friends along the way!

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Title: Wit'ch Gate

Subtitle: The Banned and the Banished, Book 4

Author: James Clemens

Narrator: Kevin Pariseau, Jennifer Van Dyck

Format: Unabridged

Length: 21 hrs and 15 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-23-14

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 47 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Epic

Publisher's Summary:

The dazzling epic of The Banned and the Banished has established James Clemens as an exciting new voice in fantasy fiction. Now his remarkable skills reach their peak with Wit'ch Gate, as one girl remains her realms only hope against the forces of darkness. In a spectacular feat of daring and magic, Elena and her army of outlaws and rebels have defeated evil's minions and released the mystic secrets of the Blood Diary. But the malevolent Dark Lord has unleashed the Weirgates - black wells of ferocious energy that are his greatest source of power. Now Elena's bravest allies are sent to find and destroy the Gates, as windships carry the fight north to the frigid woodlands, south to the burning desert sands, and east to the blasted regions of dread Gul'gotha. Along the way, they will face their own personal demons as well.

The twin brothers Mogweed and Fardale race against time to break the curse that has stolen their shapechanging birthright, and Elenas brother Joach must evade the desert sandsharks if he is to master his own elemental power. The trail will lead them even to the fabulous el'vin homeland of Stormhaven. None of the rebels will come back unscathed, some never returning at all. And Elena herself must journey to Gulgotha. Daring the enemy's own lair, she must emerge victorious if she is to reveal the secret of the Dark Lords frightening identity - and the shocking nature of his vast powers.

Members Reviews:

Great books! Very under-appreciated

Great books! Very under-appreciated. As a heads-up for James Rollins fans, they're the same guy. His non-fantasy writing is a bit more polished, but this story was pretty darned good, and he wasn't trying to retell Lord of the Rings or Wheel of Time. Also true to Rollins/Clemens fashion, there will be bad guys that you hate so much you want to pull off your own arm and beat them to death with it, were it the only potential weapon available.

It's a fun

My daughter and I read this series many years ago. I bought all 4 books from Amazon so we would have them again in our library. It's a fun story

Five Stars

this author is a great author. and i love this series of books.

Brilliant.

I can't describe how awesome this book was. I love how masterfully Clemens weaves the entire story together and how he builds the plot and characters perfectly, leaving a rollercoaster-esqe feeling of being windswept and wanting more. Buy this book!

A enjoyable fantasy series that is finished!

I finished this series about a week ago. It feels like a through back to fantasy from the late 80's to 90's. It has a well rounded grounded group of about 12 main characters. It always has plenty of action but never delves that deeply into characterization, but the world and the story are fully fleshed out. So if you are looking for a fast pace action adventure fantasy with a medieval type background with plenty of monsters and fighting, this is the series for you. More importantly it is a series that is completely finished! That almost always gives it an half star to me!

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Title: Fire Mage

Subtitle: Blacklight Chronicles, Book 1

Author: John Forrester

Narrator: Dennis Kleinman

Format: Unabridged

Length: 5 hrs and 10 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-21-14

Publisher: John Forrester

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 43 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Epic

Publisher's Summary:

For centuries, mages perfected magic at the Order of the Dawn. Mastery over fire, wind, and storm. They live in the last free city in a world plagued by dark sorcerers. Talis Storm and friend Mara discover a terrible secret. The Jiserian Empire has targeted their city for attack. An army of undead soldiers. Flying necromancers. None have ever survived.

When a surprise aerial invasion hits the Order's temple, Talis casts fire magic for the first time. But his spell is wild and does more harm than good. Sorcerers try to capture Talis and Mara, and they flee into the temple crypts. Awoken from an ancient rest, a fallen champion slays the sorcerers and gives Talis a legendary map. The map leads them on a quest to discover the lost temple of the sun.

To save his city, Talis must discover the power of magic locked away inside the ancient temple. And become a true fire mage.

Members Reviews:

Pretty solid foundation for the next book

The plot line is good and the character building is at a decent level. My biggest problem with the book is the fact that it's not a compleat book it feels like the author got greedy and broke one great book up into several ok books.

The Truth

When I bought this series from audible I thought that sucks , their are only two books in the series. Mind you I bought this because of the art work and the good writen review next, I found the authors site, he actually has 6 in this series which I was bumbed to see, after listening to the first I can see why. This book is terrible, hard to follow and just so fantastically unbelievable. example 6 year old mastered the sword "really" this is to the author (have you seen a six year old) I don't think so cause than you wouldn't say such things . also our protagonist is 13 and has apparently no problem killing others with magic even though he has no idea how to use magic, that is just 2 examples there are more, for in depth summary on the rediculous in the story go to the goodread and read "Inigo Montoya " review she is spot on , on all accounts. as to the author thanks but no thanks I really wanted to like this book.

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Title: The House of the Four Winds

Subtitle: One Dozen Daughters, Book 1

Author: Mercedes Lackey, James Mallory

Narrator: Emily Sutton-Smith

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs

Language: English

Release date: 08-05-14

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 293 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Epic

Publisher's Summary:

From the New York Times bestselling coauthors, a charming romantic fantasy

Mercedes Lackey is the New York Times best-selling author of the Valdemar series and romantic fantasies like Beauty and the Werewolf and The Fairy Godmother. Now these New York Times and USA Today bestselling collaborators bring romance to the fore with The House of the Four Winds.

The rulers of tiny, impoverished Swansgaard have twelve daughters and one son. While the princes future is assured, his twelve sisters must find their own fortunes.

Disguising herself as Clarence, Princess Clarice intends to sail to the New World. When the crew rebels, Clarice/Clarence, an expert with rapier and dagger, sides with the handsome navigator, Dominick, and kills the cruel captain.

Dominick leads the now - outlawed crew in search of treasure in the secret pirate haven known as The House of the Four Winds. They encounter the sorceress Shamal, who claims Dominick for her own - but Clarice has fallen hard for Dominick and wont give him up without a fight.

Full of swashbuckling adventure, buoyant magic, and irrepressible charm, The House of the Four Winds is a lighthearted fantasy romp by a pair of bestselling writers.

Members Reviews:

Solid story, but this one is popcorn

This series has an amazing potential for diversity, which is both its greatest strength and its biggest flaw, but more on this later.

Basically, it appears that each book in the series will deal with one individual of the twelve royal daughters of a small pocket country. The overall setting is at its core our world in the early 1700s, but magic, called thaumaturgy, is recognized as a natural science. This first book focuses on Clarice, the eldest of the Dozen Daughters, who accepts her parents' offer of training in any occupation by choosing to become a swordmaster. The fundamental difficulty of this path is that she must first seek adventure, making a name for herself, to attract students to the school she will eventually open. Thus she goes to the new world, runs afoul of many pirates and an evil sorceress, and ends up falling in love in an entirely predictable fashion.

There is serious foreshadowing of future books in her description of her sisters. This represents the strength of the series, since no two books will be describing similar personalities. Unfortunately, this is also the greatest weakness. I actually want another Clarice book or two more than I want the story of any of the other sisters. On the other hand, there is no reason in the current publishing environment for one or more of the sisters to be granted a full trilogy. In my mind, this may be the best course for the series.

If you enjoy "The Fire Rose" or the Five Hundred Kingdoms books, you will find this book highly addictive. It is nothing special but to quote The Fire Rose, sometimes you're in the mood for an extremely sweet confection.

A Swashbuckling Adventure of the First Caliber!

I discovered Mercedes Lackey in middle school, and while not the target audience of the Valdemar series, I was drawn in and have continued to do so some 12 or so years later.