Get Most Popular Full Audiobooks in Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Epic

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Title: Magic's Pawn

Subtitle: The Last Herald Mage, Book 1

Author: Mercedes Lackey

Narrator: Gregory St. John

Format: Unabridged

Length: 12 hrs and 18 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-14-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 753 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Epic

Publisher's Summary:

In Magic's Pawn, an ancient age in the history of Valdemar comes to life - an age when the kingdom was ravaged by the ungoverned fury of bandit warlords, ferocious ice dragons, and the wild magic of wizards. A new addition to Lackey's Valdemar kingdom - and her most powerful series to date!

Members Reviews:

It's not him, it's me

Here is my problem. I love this series. I have read and re-read these books for years and that means that I have formed an opinion of how certain names and words should sound - even if the author might pronounce them differently - so when I hear the narrator say a word that I think should be said differently, I wince. I shouldn't, but I do. So, in a sense, this might be a good version of the book, but my experience with the material has jaded my listening opinion. Sorry.

That being said, I do want to take issue with the way in which the book was read. I had a hard time distinguishing between characters. The narrator has a few different voices, but they are not distinct enough to tell which character is talking. Also, I was taken aback by not being able to tell when the narrator was moving from scene to scene. It all seemed to blend into one great big paragraph instead of sections of story. I didn't enjoy that aspect.

Like I said, it might be my experience with the material, but this reading was only an adequate version of this story. I am happy to have bought it, but it does not rank high of my favorite purchases.

Still Readable, but.....

If you could sum up Magic's Pawn in three words, what would they be?

Overpowering teen angst.

What did you like best about this story?

Since I'm not a fan of excessive teen angst, that eliminates Vanyel. My favorite part of the story on listening after 20+ years was actually Savil.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Gregory St. John?

Someone who actually knows how to narrate a story? The narration was dreadful. The pacing was off (someone explain to Mr. St. John about punctuation and what it means), the pronunciations were off (some of them made me want to claw my ears off), there were often instances when I literally said to myself, "WHAT did he just say?" I found myself wondering what the narrator was using as his source for the reading. Was it OCR errors that he was actually reading rather than questioning? An example from the second book, which stopped me dead and threw me out of the story: a character says, "Count your messings!" What? I'm sure it was actually "blessings". That is not the only jarring instance. There are a lot of them. Honestly, Audible, did you not have anyone checking these readings for consistency and proper English? Direction would be good. Post-production editing would be good. Getting the pronunciations from the author would be good. At one point during listening (to one of the other two books), I literally pulled out the hardcopy and read along and was boggled by how... off it all was. This is not the first bad experience I've had with this narrator; so yeesh. No thanks.

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

It probably did when I was younger, but honestly, I was often rolling my eyes.

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Title: Dissolution

Subtitle: Forgotten Realms: War of the Spider Queen, Book 1

Author: Richard Lee Byers

Narrator: Rosalyn Landor

Format: Unabridged

Length: 14 hrs and 11 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-08-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 467 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Epic

Publisher's Summary:

The War of the Spider Queen begins here.

While their whole world is changing around them, four dark elves struggle against different enemies. Yet their paths will lead them all to the most terrifying discovery in the long history of the drow and set them on a quest to save not only Menzoberranzan but the entire dark elf race from Dissolution....

Members Reviews:

A Dark Elf Series That Will Consume You...

I've always loved the stories of Drizzt the dark elf, and while my heart longs for the Salvatore's Safehold, the very first Drizzt novel in the trilogy, I have to say that I truly enjoyed this series of novels that came out later, due to their rich defining shorelines and Byers love affair with the dark elf universe. Be warned: This series will connect you to a great line of audiobooks that have just been released at Audible, some 200 such books in the Forgotten Realms in the Dungeon and Dragons family of books. Some of these books are so very good listening, that you'll want more.

This is such a series in that family.

It's dark. It's Machiavellian. It's descriptive and delightful. Its got great characters, dark purposes, vast family houses in turmoil, royal intrigues and forbidden magics. It is, in a word, magnetic. I enjoyed this long ago, and again today. So much so, that the entire series is now in my Audible library.

So, if you do NOT want such engrossing and entertaining listening, move along.

Otherwise, enter the dark elf kingdom of Menzoberranzan, mortal, and be satisfied with its dark gifts!

Very Satisfying Book About Drow Society

I recently listened to the first trilogy about Drizzt Do' Urden. I really enjoyed the books but by the third book I missed the setting of the Underdark and Drow society. So I was excited when I discovered this set of books. I was taken back into the Underdark and backstabbing Drow society, the narration is great and the storyline is satisfying and easy enough to follow. I am just finishing the second book now and I think I'll end up making it through the whole series.

Good start to a series

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

If you like D&D, then you will absolutely love this book. It has a wide variety of demons and creatures that will light up your imagination.

What does Rosalyn Landor bring to the story that you wouldnt experience if you just read the book?

I believe Rosalyn's performance is very good for the most part. Sometimes the voices sound similar, but I enjoyed the book very much.

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

I usually listen to the book while commuting to work and back.

Rosalyn Landor really brings this series to life!

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

Absolutely. My favorite thing about it is the voice acting. Rosalyn Landor's narration sounded odd at first. The pronunciation of some words and phrases were strange, but I soon got comfortable with it and found that it actually enhanced the feel of the setting and the culture of the drow. She is also exceptionally great at making each character sound distinct, without resorting to outlandish accents. She does both male and female voices well. I can't stress enough how the subtlety of her voices really enhances the listening experience.

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Title: War of the Twins

Subtitle: Dragonlance: Legends, Book 2

Author: Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman

Narrator: Ax Norman

Format: Unabridged

Length: 13 hrs and 52 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-08-13

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 540 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Epic

Publisher's Summary:

One hundred years have passed since the fiery Cataclysm that changed the face of Krynn forever. For one hundred years, the people of Krynn have struggled to survive. But for some, those one hundred years have passed in the blink of an eye. Catapulted forward in time by Raistlins powerful magic, Caramon and Crysania find themselves aiding the mages unholy quest to master the Queen of Darkness. To his dismay, Raistlin discovers along the way that the annals of Time are not so easily bent to his will. Neither are the longings of his heart.

Members Reviews:

sigh

The book was excellent, unfortunately Ax Norman had no interest in giving the characters different voices; OR saying their names correctly. I refused to miss out on such a vital part of the story, otherwise, Ax being the narrator would have stopped me from buying it.

Great story, horrible narration

Simply put, a great book that is dragged down by a narrator who doesn't bother to pronounce names, places, and things in this fantasy world.

The story is good enough to get us through it but it is shameful that no one bothered to research or correct him during production. A smaller issue is the inability to provide proper emotion or different voices to the characters.

Norman has GOT to GO!

Once again, the passionless, dry, and obviously unfamiliar-with-the-story narration comes out of Ax Norman!

The Dragonlance series is one of the best in fantasy - in my opinion, some of the best ever written. All it takes to suck the life out of it is narration like this.

I bought the first two books of "Legends" from Audible before I knew what I was in for. I think, for "Test of Twins" I will either just go read the hard-copy I already have (though I switched to audiobooks because I can "read" on my long commutes and/or when my eyes are worn out from staring at a computer screen all day), or I will wait until Audible hires someone with the real ability to narrate before I pick up the third book in audio format.

Very disappointing since these books are SO good, otherwise.

Atrocious narration.

Ax Norman needs some serious voice lessons. How about pronouncing names right? Did he even bother to listen to any other audio books, or even bother to speak to the authors, dear god he is bad.

Great story, but...

I've been a fan of the dragonlance books since I was very young, and I figured I would give them a try in audio book form for some nostalgia.

The narrator absolutely ruins it. My beef isn't just his changing pronounciation every other paragraph, or his apparent inability to pronounce anything; it's the obvious unfamiliarity with the material. Ax doesn't appear to even make an effort to put a semblance of life into his narration, and when he "yells" as a character, it sounds like he's 13 and afraid of waking his parents up in the middle of the night while he's reading aloud to himself.

Over all? Great story, god awful narration. I will be avoiding any audio books narrated by this guy in the future. It was so bad I actually got my credits refunded.

The narration gets 1 star only because he bothered to show up to work and trudge his way through it.

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Title: Forge of Darkness

Subtitle: Kharkanas Trilogy, Book 1

Author: Steven Erikson

Narrator: Daniel Philpott

Format: Unabridged

Length: 32 hrs

Language: English

Release date: 11-06-12

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 513 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Epic

Publisher's Summary:

Steven Erikson entered the pantheon of great fantasy writers in 1999 with his debut, Gardens of the Moon. In the span of just 10 years, he completed his epic telling of the Malazan Book of the Fallen, collecting hordes of fans along the way. Now Erikson returns with a place for new listeners to enter the Malazan world, a trilogy that takes place at a time before the events of the concluded series.

Forge of Darkness takes listeners to Kurald Galain, the warren of Darkness, and tells of a realm whose fate plays a crucial role in the fall of the Malazan Empire and surrounds one of the Malazan worlds most fascinating and powerful characters, Anomander Rake. Its a conflicted time in Kurald Galain, where Mother Dark reigns above the Tiste people. But this ancient land was once home to many a power...and even death is not quite eternal.

The commoners great hero, Vatha Urusander, longs for ascendency and Mother Darks hand in marriage, but she has taken another Consort, Lord Draconus, from the faraway Dracons Hold. The idea of this union sends fissures throughout the realm, and as the rumors of an inevitable civil war burn through the masses, something emerges from the long-dead seas. The Vitr - an ancient power that shakes the dormant and dying powers of the past. Caught in the middle of it all are the Sons of Darkness: Anomander, Andarist, and Silchas Ruin of the Purake Hold.

Its a time of great strife as the past and the present of this warren boil with unfathomable alliances, great deceptions, and even greater passions...of both love and hate. This ancient tale within the world Erikson introduced in the Malazan Book of the Fallen should appeal to fans of George R. R. Martin for its characters and intrigue, but goes leaps further in the realm of the imagination.

Members Reviews:

A Precursor Epic Fantasy - A Rewarding Beginning!

Steven Erikson challenges the traditional fantasy genre' with his "Book of the Fallen" series, and again, more so, with this first book in his new precursor Kharkanas trilogy, "Forge of Darkness."

First, a brief review: A stirring, powerful, thought-provoking, wonderful "must read."

Now, a bit more info.

I've read this before I listened to it. It's HUGE. Just as in his "Fallen" works, this requires you to think. AND. It's setting the groundworks for a strong, amazing trilogy down the road. If you liked "Gardens of the Moon," which I've already reviewed here at Audible, you'll love this book. "Gardens" carries it's work somewhat herein, so you'll be comfortable. The descriptions are astounding, the plots and storylines immense, and the fantasy element is superb. A powerful mix of fantasy, machiavellian plots and engaging characters.

No spoilers here, as usual. I WILL tell you to look at my review of Erikson's "Gardens of the Moon," so you can get a better idea, if you need one.

This is EPIC. Strong fantasy at it's finest. And just like "Gardens," it's not a casual listen.

This is fantasy on par with NOTHING else out there. It's unique and refreshing.

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Title: Assassins Apprentice

Subtitle: The Farseer Trilogy, Book 1

Author: Robin Hobb

Narrator: Paul Boehmer

Format: Unabridged

Length: 17 hrs and 23 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-30-12

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 372 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Epic

Publisher's Summary:

The first volume in Robin Hobbs internationally best-selling Farseer series.

In a faraway land where members of the royal family are named for the virtues they embody, one young boy will become a walking enigma. Born on the wrong side of the sheets, Fitz, son of Chilvary Farseer, is a royal bastard, cast out into the world, friendless and lonely.

Only his magical link with animals - the old art known as the Wit - gives him solace and companionship. But the Wit, if used too often, is a perilous magic, and one abhorred by the nobility. So when Fitz is finally adopted into the royal household, he must give up his old ways and embrace a new life of weaponry, scribbing, courtly manners, and how to kill a man secretly, as he trains to become a royal assassin.

Critic Reviews:

Hobb is one of the great modern fantasy writers what makes her novels as addictive as morphine is not just their imaginative brilliance but the way her characters are compromised and manipulated by politics. (The Times)

In todays crowded fantasy market Robin Hobbs books are like diamonds in a sea of zircons (George R. R. Martin)

Members Reviews:

Robin hobb did u pick this narrator?

Read a hard copy some years ago-wonderful rich enchanting. But I really hope robin hobb rethinks the narrator....grating, classist and way to refined and constricted to create the variation in voices this story deserved

Good story, disappointing performance.

It actually took me a while to be brave enough to purchase this book. Many friends have recommended me Robin Hobb's work but when I listened to the samples I just didn't think I could bear the narration.

I normally prefer books narrated with a British presenter, but as this book is written in a first person style the performance is spoken in a horrible upper-class English accent. H's are dropped ehverywhhere (!). Which is a shame because most of the other characters in this book are performed quite well and that's actually what makes the book ok to listen to.

The story is solid. A growing-up up story for the most part about a boy making his way in court as a royal bastard. And a few little adventures with a bit of court intrigue at the end. You can tell the author is just setting the scene for what's to come.

It's well written and the characters are multi-dimensional and interesting. Overall I enjoyed it - yes would have been better with a different narrator but it didn't completely ruin it for me.

Gripping story, very slow reader

Excellent book, loved the story and characters. Some heartbreaking twists. Beautiful vocabulary. Believable dialogues and motivations. World building is a bit sparce. VERY... SLOW... NARRATOR... Had to listen on 1.5 speed, otherwise was put to sleep in 10 minutes :)

Will get the rest of the books by this author.

Good story and narrator

Liked the story, finished the book rather quickly. People seem to complain about the narrator, but I cant say that I agree. At some points every now and then he seems to not pause when it seems he should've, but other than that I find his narration good.

Dull at the beginning better towards the end

This book was quite boring for the first half but still a good piece of writing. When compared to other books from the genre the action unfolds slowly. A good book for long nights.

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Title: Royal Assassin

Subtitle: The Farseer Trilogy, Book 2

Author: Robin Hobb

Narrator: Paul Boehmer

Format: Unabridged

Length: 29 hrs and 21 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-30-12

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 294 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Epic

Publisher's Summary:

The second volume in Robin Hobbs internationally best-selling Farseer series.

We are here Fitz, you and I, to change the future and the world

Fitz dreams of Red-Ship Raiders sacking a coastal village, leaving not a single man, woman, or child alive. Tortured by this terrible vision, he returns to the Six Duchies court where all is far from well.

King Shrewd has been struck down by a mysterious illness and King-in-waiting, Verity, spends all his time attempting to conjure storms to confuse and destroy the Red-Ship Raiders. And when he leaves on an insane mission to seek out the mystical Elderings, Fitz is left alone and friendless but for the wolf Nighteyes and the Kings Fool with his cryptic prophesies.

Critic Reviews:

Hobb is one of the great modern fantasy writers what makes her novels as addictive as morphine is not just their imaginative brilliance but the way her characters are compromised and manipulated by politics. (The Times)

In todays crowded fantasy market Robin Hobbs books are like diamonds in a sea of zircons (George R. R. Martin)

Members Reviews:

Getting used to the narrator!

Not cringing so much and despite upper class accent he is doing a fine job. The story is brilliant and worth the agony of narration.

Absolutely stunning performance by Paul Boehmer

The Farseer trilogy is quickly becoming one of my favorite works of fiction. The author carefully builds a gallery of complex and believable characters that both fulfill and transcend their given archetypes. The setting is deep and engaging and the story that takes place there is an absolutely masterful tour of themes like loyalty, friendship, love, duty, hatred and sacrifice. Robin Hobb constructs a living, breathing world around the characters with the immersive writer's voice that she maintains throughout the work. This is in turn rendered magnificently by Paul Boehner, who reads it as if it were an autobiographical work from another life. I will recommend it to my friends, and I recommend it to you.

Could not stop listening

Any additional comments?

An excellent follow up to Assassin's Apprentice, this book is full of action and adventure. Several times I found myself sitting in my car for several minutes at the end of my commute, waiting for a good place to pause the story, but they are hard to find! Once again, Paul Boehmer reads excellently, and does the story a great justice in the telling.

Disappointing

I loved reading the first book in the trilogy, and still think Robin Hobb a good author. While the story here is inventive and I was looking forward to listening to this one, it was spoiled by the narration. Is this meant to be an English accent? Incompetent voice coach if it is. I would have given no stars if possible. I shall get the third book from the library and read it, far more satisfying to give the characters voices n my own head.

Great sequel, performance distracting at times.

Narrator had a frustrating habit of pronouncing 'o' as 'aw'. Some dodgy accents, but not too bad overall. Did female voices well for a male. Took some getting used to, but by the end didn't mind too much.

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Title: Wards of Faerie

Subtitle: The Dark Legacy of Shannara

Author: Terry Brooks

Narrator: Rosalyn Landor

Format: Unabridged

Length: 14 hrs and 25 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-21-12

Publisher: Random House Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 954 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Epic

Publisher's Summary:

Seven years after the conclusion of the High Druid of Shannara trilogy, New York Times best-selling author Terry Brooks at last revisits one of the most popular eras in the legendary epic fantasy series that has spellbound listeners for more than three decades.

When the world was young, and its name was Faerie, the power of magic ruled - and the Elfstones warded the race of Elves and their lands, keeping evil at bay. But when an Elven girl fell hopelessly in love with a Darkling boy of the Void, he carried away more than her heart.

Thousands of years later, tumultuous times are upon the world now known as the Four Lands. Users of magic are in conflict with proponents of science. Elves have distanced their society from the other races. The dwindling Druid order and its teachings are threatened with extinction. A sinister politician has used treachery and murder to rise as prime minister of the mighty Federation. Meanwhile, poring through a long-forgotten diary, the young Druid Aphenglow Elessedil has stumbled upon the secret account of an Elven girl's heartbreak and the shocking truth about the vanished Elfstones. But never has a little knowledge been so very dangerous - as Aphenglow quickly learns when she's set upon by assassins.

Yet there can be no turning back from the road to which fate has steered her. For whoever captures the Elfstones and their untold powers will surely hold the advantage in the devastating clash to come. But Aphenglow and her allies - Druids, Elves, and humans alike - remember the monstrous history of the Demon War, and they know that the Four Lands will never survive another reign of darkness. But whether they themselves can survive the attempt to stem that tide is another question entirely.

Critic Reviews:

"[Terry Brooks is] the most important fantasy writer since J.R.R. Tolkien." (Rocky Mountain News)

Members Reviews:

Call It A Comeback!

What made the experience of listening to Wards of Faerie the most enjoyable?

The narrator was great but it was the story itself , this is undoubtedly Terry Brooks finest book since The First King Of Shannara.

What did you like best about this story?

This story had me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. Some parts of it were so thrilling i had to hold my breath

What about Rosalyn Landors performance did you like?

She did a great job of relating the emotions of the characters involved. I liked in particular the scene where the Khyber confronts the Ohmsford Twin's mother. The emotion was raw in that scene and she did a great job of portraying the mother's intense reaction to Khyber's request.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The Battle of Paranor was very thrilling, I didn't know what was going to happen from one moment to the next even though it was a mismatch going into it. The Federation had no chance to win the battle but the narrative and the story really made it seem like they were going to do it.

Any additional comments?

This is Terry's finest novel in a decade and i hope he continues the momentum throughout the rest of the decade.

This is, simply put, a triumph.

Terry Brooks is one of those writers that's strongly influenced fantasy writing, and also our expectations for what such writing should bring to its readers and listeners.

Granted. We all can agree on that.

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Title: Trumps of Doom

Subtitle: The Chronicles of Amber, Book 6

Author: Roger Zelazny

Narrator: Wil Wheaton

Format: Unabridged

Length: 5 hrs and 34 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-31-12

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 699 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Epic

Publisher's Summary:

Trumps of Doom is the sixth book of The Chronicles of Amber; an epic fantasy series written by six-time Hugo Award winning and three-time Nebula Award winning author Roger Zelazny.

The ten books that make up the series are told in two story arcs: The Corwin Cycle and the Merlin Cycle.

Trumps of Doom begins the Merlin Cycle, with Alessandro Juliani handing over his narration duties to customer favorite Wil Wheaton, who won the 2012 Audie Award for his engaging performance of Fuzzy Nation. Wheaton brings this classic series to a stunning close by giving voice to Merlin, Corwins son, for the final five audiobooks.

Members Reviews:

Favorite Series - Good Narration - Great Storyline

I have read this series several times over the past 20+ years and never tire of it. Zelazny is imaginative and spices the dialog with just the right amount of reflective commentary and occasional humor. The only lulls in the story are the infrequent, but detailed, descriptions of passing through shadow. While this might be great for someone who jumps into the middle of the series and only reads one book, I didn't benefit from its repetition. They give the reader/listener a good feeling for what Zelazny was visualizing. But, for those who are progressing through the series, these periods of "shadow manipulation" dialog become a down-draft when you'd rather be soaring.

Regarding narration, I prefer Alessandro Juliani's performance to Wil Wheaton's. This is not to say Wheaton's performance detracts from the story; not at all. It's the comparison to Juliani's performance for the Corwin Chronicles that elicits my opinion. Juliani has a good command of voice specialization and identification for each character and manages these identities extremely well. Once you make the connection of the voice to the character you no longer need Corwin said, or Julian said, or Random said. Wheaton's voice is rich and easy to listen to; it's just not what I was used to after the Corwin Chronicles and Juliani' versatility.

I'm 60 now and I plan on listening to this series several more times before I pack it in. Over the years, when asked what I like to read and what my favorite books are, this series is always part of my response.

If you like fantasy, action and a good story-line you will find this series a pleasant escape from the more mundane activities of daily life.

good but not QUITE good enough for $130

I love the Zelazny Amber series and Wil Wheaton does a great job of brining it to live as Merlin.

The only catch is, while this series is excellent, it's just two expensive - 10 volumes as $12-$15 (members) and 6 hours each is an astronomical price, and there is no bulk discount. I bought the first 6, but will read the rest on paper in the library and save my credits for longer books.

love this series

now listening to blood of amber, I really don''t

know what I will do when I have finished the whole lot, the characters are part of my life now. Narrated perfectly for the subtle humour in the books.

April 30'th starts the new direction.

Would you consider the audio edition of Trumps of Doom to be better than the print version?

I cannot consider any audio version of a book that I've read multiple times as better...

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Title: Sky Dragons

Subtitle: Dragonriders of Pern

Author: Anne McCaffrey, Todd McCaffrey

Narrator: Emily Durante

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 41 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-26-12

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 268 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Epic

Publisher's Summary:

From the New York Times best-selling mother-and-son team of Anne McCaffrey and Todd McCaffrey comes the final installment in the riveting Pern saga that began with Todds solo novel, Dragonsblood. Now, with all of Pern imperiled by the aftereffects of a plague that killed scores of dragons and left the planet helpless against the fall of deadly Thread, the only hope for the future lies in the past.

There, on an unexplored island, a group of dragonriders led by Xhinna, a brave young woman who rides the blue dragon Tazith, must battle lethal Merows and voracious tunnel-snakes to build a safe home for themselves and the dragons, whose offspring will one dayif they survivereplenish Perns decimated dragon population. But as the first female rider of a blue dragon, and the first female Weyrleader in the history of Pern, Xhinna faces an uphill battle in winning the respect and loyalty of her peers... especially after an unforeseen tragedy leaves the struggling colony reeling from a shattering loss.

Amid the grieving, one girl, Jirana, blessedor cursedwith the ability to foresee potential futures, will help Xhinna find a way forward. The answer lies in time... or, rather, in timing it: the awesome ability of the dragons to travel through time itself. But that power comes with risks, and by venturing further into the past, Xhinna may be jeopardizing the very future she has sworn to save.

Members Reviews:

A very epic story

This was the first of the mother-son McCaffrey collaborations I have read or listened to, and it surpassed my expectations. I will admit, I had my heartstrings tugged more than once by the heroics present in the story.

Also, for any McCaffrey fan who likes a bit more female presence among the riders, this story takes the cake. The narrator was excellent, and really brought the story to life. There is also a touching tribute by Todd McCaffrey to his late mother in the beginning. Someday, I will share her legacy with my own children. Truly an amazingly inspiring woman.

A Tragic Loss

Would you listen to Sky Dragons again? Why?

By listening to this audio book, I have learned that the woman who inspired me to learn to read (in grade 8) has passed away. I will miss her worlds greatly, but that said, her son Todd has also come into his own as a writer and at least Pern will not be lost forever. I do find Todd a much darker writer. That is not necessarily a bad thing, but sometimes I yearn for the lighter touch of his mother. This book is a series of books I have been enjoying and I found this one quite interesting indeed. Sky Weir! I like it :-) There is a lot of foreshadowing for subsequent books which i can look forward to. The lenth of the book is pleasant and i hope you take the time to listen to this. I would very much help if you listen/read the other books in this series before listening to this one.

Sincerely,

CJ

Average level story somewhat disappointing

Is there anything you would change about this book?

Theme is very dark and desperate; supposed to be a mystery why no help returns to help those left behind, but instead comes across as disorganized plot writing with very little believable plot twists.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

The mix of dragons and riders left behind is the most interesting aspect: leading to the one in charge being a blue ridden by a very inexperienced woman.

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Title: Crown of Shadows

Subtitle: Coldfire Trilogy, Book 3

Author: C. S. Friedman

Narrator: R. C. Bray

Format: Unabridged

Length: 19 hrs and 8 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-15-12

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 489 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Epic

Publisher's Summary:

More than a millennium after the human race forges an uneasy stalemate against the demonic human-psyche feeders known as the fae, a pain-hungry demon called Calesta declares war on all living beings.

Critic Reviews:

"Despite opposition by his Patriarch, warrior priest Damien Vryce again seeks the assistance of the immortal sorcerer Gerald Tarrant. While racing against time to prevent the enslavement of their world, the two men find themselves trapped between justice and retribution. Betrayal and loyalty assume ironic forms in this conclusion to Friedman's complex and compelling "Cold Fire Trilogy." The richly detailed setting and strong supporting characters give substance to a tale that explores the consequences of embracing evil in hopes of achieving its redemption." (Library Journal)

Members Reviews:

Wow, the ending blew me away!

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

Yes, the author provides detail to the mindset of each character and the narrator brings them to life. The final book had me on edge from beginning to end.

What other book might you compare Crown of Shadows to and why?

I find it to be unique. A living world that adapts and has a symbiotic bond with its inhabitants. It feels like the era is old but it is actually thousands of years into our future.

What about R. C. Brays performance did you like?

I really enjoyed the narrator's performance. He scares me when he does the voices of the nameless and the demons. Each character sounds different and he really brings out the personality of the Hunter and the Priest.

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

I actually cried at the end. I don't want to give anything away but you actually feel sorry for many of the characters.

Any additional comments?

I wish there were more books to this series but at last it cannot be. :-( So I purchased C.S Friedman's "Feast of Souls"..

Expertly Wrought Conclusion to Awesome Trilogy

Diverse narration of a beautifully complex dark fantasy epic. If you've come this far in the series, don't stop now! :)

Great ending to an interesting trilogy :)

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

Yes definitely, its always amazing to see a new word with some pretty interesting concepts and the characters are not bad at all . :)

What was one of the most memorable moments of Crown of Shadows?

I really loved all the book but I think by the end I was speechless , nice twists :)

What does R. C. Bray bring to the story that you wouldnt experience if you just read the book?

I think that R.C Bray did bring the book to live , he did an awesome job all together ,I hope I will found his work more often in this genre . Thank you R C Bray :)

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

"Sacrifice" maybe or "Don't trust the dead guy" :)

Any additional comments?

Great writing, C S Friedman did a wonderful job with this trilogy hopefully she will add more books in this world :)

Superb story!

Where does Crown of Shadows rank among all the audiobooks youve listened to so far?

Among the topp ten

What was one of the most memorable moments of Crown of Shadows?

All of it! Its a rollercoaster, that takes you through the whole spektra of emotions.

What does R. C.