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

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Title: Straken

Subtitle: High Druid of Shannara, Book 3

Author: Terry Brooks

Narrator: Paul Boehmer

Format: Unabridged

Length: 15 hrs and 21 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-02-05

Publisher: Books on Tape

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 602 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Epic

Publisher's Summary:

For reasons known only to himself, the King of the Silver River has charged young Penderrin Ohmsford, barely more than a boy, with the daunting task of rescuing his aunt, Grianne, Ard Rhys of the Druid order, from her forced exile in the terrifying dimension of all things damned: the Forbidding. With the noble dwarf Tagwen and the prodigal elven princess Khyber Elessedil by his side, and with the outcome of the bloody war between the Federation and the Free-born at stake, Pen has accepted his mission without question. But not without risk, or sacrifice.

Shadea a'Ru, the ruthless Druid responsible for imprisoning the true Ard Rhys and usurping leadership at Paranor, has sent her agents and assassins in relentless pursuit of Pen and his comrades. In securing the talisman he needs to breach the Forbidding, Pen has paid a devastating price. Now if the Free-born forces, already decimated by the Federation's death-dealing new weapon, should fall, Shadea's domination of the Four Lands will be assured. Nothing short of Pen's success can turn the tide.

But Pen's challenge grows greater when he learns that his parents, Bek Ohmsford and Rue Meridian, have fallen into Shadea's hands. He must try to help them, but once within the walls of Druid's Keep, where Shadea's minions and dark magic lurk at every turn, Pen's survival is far from assured. Yet it will all pale in comparison to the horrors that wait inside the Forbidding, horrors poised to break free upon the Four Lands when the time is right.

Critic Reviews:

"A great storyteller, Terry Brooks creates rich epics filled with mystery, magic, and memorable characters. If you haven't read Terry Brooks, you haven't read fantasy." (Christopher Paolini)

"Terry's place is at the head of the fantasy world." (Philip Pullman)

Members Reviews:

Finally!

Lately I've been listening mostly to the works of Robert Stanek (The Kingdoms and the Elves, his recent story collection) - books that reminded me how much I love the fantasy genre. I must say, and I could be the only one to not like where Terry has been going with the Shannara books, but I just didn't like Jarka Ruus, the first book of the High Druid trilogy. Tanequil was more of the same, and it suffered lots from "middle book syndrome", but unlike Morgawr, the last book from the previous trilogy which was disappointing to say the least, Terry catches stride, returns to form with Straken. Straken was thoroughly enjoyable, a cut above the norm.

narrator, not so much.

The story was good. Good turns and twists. true to Terry Brooks style. good strong characters, even the evil ones.

The narrator butchered the pronunciation of characters' names, to the point of confusing the the tale.

I still give this book a 5 star, despite the narrators blunders.

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Title: Tanequil

Subtitle: High Druid of Shannara, Book 2

Author: Terry Brooks

Narrator: Paul Boehmer

Format: Unabridged

Length: 13 hrs and 37 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-25-04

Publisher: Books on Tape

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 583 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Epic

Publisher's Summary:

The danger is increasing for Grianne Ohmsford, rightful High Druid of Shannara, who has been banished to the harsh world called the Forbidding by a treasonous fellow Druid. Her only hope for rescue is her nephew Pen, but Pen is under siege as well. Both he and his parents are sought by the Druids, who want to make sure that their magic will never help Grianne to return. Yet no one but Grianne is aware that her banishment into the Forbidding allowed the simultaneous transference of a fearsome denizen of the Forbidding back into Grianne's world, an evil creature that can take on any shape, can kill at will, and is only the harbinger of a much greater, devastating invasion.

©2004 Terry Brooks; (P)2004 Books on Tape

Critic Reviews:

"Brooks' efficient pacing, skillful characterizations, and suspenseful plotting all bode well for the trilogy's conclusion." (Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

Wrong Narrator

This narrator does not seem to have the experince of Scott Brick who did the first in this series. It makes it hard on the steady listener when they switch in the middle of a series. This is even worse when they switch to someone not as good as the first.

Good book, adequate narration

As always, Terry Brooks has managed to build new pieces into a world both dark and inviting, pieces that add to the world's magic and mystery in a way that few can. The events story as it exists has become so far removed by time and events from the first story that they're barely recognizable as being the same, but still believable as the same world nonetheless.

That said, I found the narration to be disjointed and distracting. The speaker made poor attempts at distinguishing one voice from another, and at times would shift "voices" amidst a sentence, making dialog more difficult to distinguish from the rest. He has the voice and stylings of one well-suited to children's stories, of which this is definitely not one.

This saga continues...

Scott Brick brought me to Terry Brooks, but Terry Brooks kept me listening... this narrator does just fine. He is not Scott Brick, but few are! If you read book one, you will love the continuation, as it is not over... in fact, I will be amazed if this is concluded in one more book! As aways, a great listen!

Great Book, Barely Adequate Narration

Once Again, Terry Brooks has drawn us into the Four Lands, and now The Forbidding, with powerful images and intricate plottings. The relationships between enemies and comrades, men and nature, are well thought out and tightly constructed. I wish I could say the same for the narrator. The reading is adequate to convey the basic feelings Mr. Brooks is trying to evoke, but just barely. I found that the dramatic range of Mr. Boehmer was lacking, and he resorted to awkward voicings for inhuman charcters that were more distracting than menacing.

Scott Brick has done an outstanding job of bringing power and finesse to the world of Shannara and it's denizens thus far, and it is disappointing to lose the mental pictures of the characters that we, the listeners, have built in our minds in previous books in the series.

It is especially galling that the change in narrators has been made right in the middle of the High Druid story arc. It has taken away from the experience of this newest volume.

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Title: Jarka Ruus

Subtitle: High Druid of Shannara, Book 1

Author: Terry Brooks

Narrator: Scott Brick

Format: Unabridged

Length: 12 hrs and 13 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-12-03

Publisher: Books on Tape

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 646 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Epic

Publisher's Summary:

Among the highest ranks of the Council she leads lurk those who cannot forget her reign of terror as the Isle Witch, who covet her seat of power, and who will stop at nothing to see her deposed, or destroyed. Even Grianne's few allies, chief among them her trusted servant Tagwen, know of the lots against her. But they could never anticipate the sudden, ominous disappearance of the Ard Rhys, in the dead of the night without a trace.

Now, barely a step ahead of the dark forces bent on stopping him, Tagwen joins Grianne's brave young nephew Penderrin Olmsford, and the wise, powerful elf Ahren Elessedil on a desperate and dangerous mission of search and rescue: to deliver the High Druid of Shannara from an unspeakable fate.

Critic Reviews:

"A sure winner." (Booklist)

Members Reviews:

Brooks is Back!

Having greatly disliked the previous Shannara series, The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara, I had misgivings about starting a new one. I'm glad I chose to give it a chance -- Brooks is back in form! The style and plotting of this series is nothing new -- the usual quest with an Ohmsford along for good measure -- but that doesn't deter from a great plot with well-developed characters, some new, some old from the previous trilogy. This book harkens back to the Heritage of Shannara series, which is IMHO the best of the group. Scott Brick is also a great reader.

Great book enhanced by great reader

I have always been a fan of Terry Brooks. So I knew right away I would like the book. But what makes an audiobook a masterpiece is the quality of the reader and in this case I am not dissapointed. After the first few minutes I became a fan of Scott Bricks. He is easy to understand and know how to use all the secret of his trade to make this wonderful book exceptional.

Slow start, but worth it

This is a great pick for anyone who enjoyed the other Shannara books. Grianne Ohmsford is back, no longer the Ilse Witch--now she's Ard Rhys of the druids and desperate to get the druid council up and running. She has a lot to worry about, including some indications of strange magic going on near Paranor.

At the start of the book I found myself bored with druidic politics and wishing something interesting would happen. But about an hour in, after meeting Pen Ohmsford, the story took off like an airship, with several exciting plot lines going at once. I couldn't stop listening.

Scott Brick as always does a great job here. One warning: the story is a little more epic than some of Brooks's other books (hence the long set-up time at the beginning), and it ends on somewhat of a cliffhanger. Don't start this one unless you're prepared to get part 2, Tanequil.

Great Book, random ending

I loved this book, but it ended very oddly mid story. There was no "finale" or wrap-up of current struggles, there was simply an epilogue that explained how the book was randomly ending and a teaser that the next book would continue where this one left off.

Very odd...

I also found out that this is not the first book of the Shannara series, but the 7th series within several sets of books.

Those gripes aside, I'll probably get the next book to see what happens, and may some day go back to start with Armageddon's Children (what appears to be the actual first book).

Another great book.

I have read all of Terry Brooks books. He is one of my favorite authors.

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Title: Titus Groan

Subtitle: Volume 1 of the Gormenghast Trilogy

Author: Mervyn Peake

Narrator: Simon Vance

Format: Unabridged

Length: 17 hrs and 32 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-11-01

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 541 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Epic

Publisher's Summary:

In this first volume, the Gormenghast Castle, and the noble family who inhabits it, are introduced, along with the infant firstborn son of the Lord and Countess. Titus Groan is sent away to be raised by a wet nurse, with only a gold ring from his mother, and ordered to not be brought back until the age of six. By his christening, he learns from his much older sisters that epileptic fits are "common at his age." He also learns that they don't like his mother. And then, he is crowned, and called, "Child-inheritor of the rivers, of the Tower of Flints and the dark recesses beneath cold stairways and the sunny summer lawns. Child-inheritor of the spring breeze that blow in from the jarl forests and of the autumn misery in petal, scale, and wing. Winter's white brilliance on a thousand turrets and summer's torpor among walls that crumble..."

In these extraordinary novels, Peake has created a world where all is like a dream - lush, fantastical, vivid; a symbol of dark struggle.

Critic Reviews:

"[Peake's books] are actual additions to life; they give, like certain rare dreams, sensations we never had before, and enlarge our conception of the range of possible experience." (C.S. Lewis)

Members Reviews:

Count Me Among the Peake Fans

As others have noted, Peake is often spoken of in the same breath as Tolkein. They are undoubtedly two of the greatest English fantasy novelists of the twentieth century. But rather than thinking of Peake as similar to Tolkein, it's perhaps best to think of him as the anti-Tolkein. Both Peake and Tolkein are great at what they do, but they're up to rather different things. If The Lord of the Rings is a basically celebratory series that focuses on plot, Peake's Gormenghast books (not, by design, a trilogy, but the first three books of a longer series cut short by Peake's untimely death) are deeply cynical and are about character and, above all, setting. While Tolkein's world is full of magic, monsters, and a variety of non-human races, Peake's is largely without all these things.

I'm a longtime Tolkein fan who is now also a Peake fan. Plenty of people appreciate the qualities of both authors. But others love one and detest the other. For example, the great British novelist Michael Moorcock is a proponent of Peake and a detractor of Tolkein.

At any rate, this book is a classic that deserves a listen by those prepared for something un-Middle Earth-y. And Robert Whitfield's reading is truly outstanding, as he effectively brings to life the many characters who populate Peake's book.

A great book ,no cliches, worth the effort

I completely understand why a lot of readers would give this book a low rating. Many readers, and especially readers of fantasy, get very comfortable with the presence of cliches, and this book just doesn't give them any. Titus Groan doesn't have a grand good vs evil narrative, there is no sword play, nor wizards, nor damsels in distress, nor teenager-saves-the-world narrative. You get none of the usual formulas. The action is sparse, the language is thick, and the world is just sort of weird. It's not something that an average teenage fantasy fan will enjoy.

With that said, Titus Groan is a fantasy masterpiece. In its weird way, it's every bit as rich as Tolkien or Rowling.

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Titel: Harry Potter und der Halbblutprinz (Harry Potter 6) [Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince]

Autor:: J.K. Rowling

Erzähler: Felix von Manteuffel

Format: Unabridged

Spieldauer: 23 hrs and 32 mins

Sprache: Deutsch

Veröffentlichungsdatum: 11-20-15

Herausgeber: Pottermore from J.K. Rowling

Bewertung: 5 von 5 von 34 Stimmen

Kategorien: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Epic

Zusammenfassung des Herausgebers:

Seit Voldemort, der gefährlichste schwarze Magier aller Zeiten, zurückgekehrt ist, herrschen Aufruhr und Gewalt in der magischen Welt. Als Harry Potter und seine Freunde Ron und Hermine zu ihrem sechsten Schuljahr nach Hogwarts kommen, gelten strengste Sicherheitsmaßnahmen in der Zauberschule. Dumbledore will seine Schützlinge vor dem Zugriff des Bösen bewahren. Um Harry zu wappnen, erforscht er mit ihm die Geschichte des Dunklen Lords. Ob auch Harrys Zaubertrankbuch, das früher einem "Halbblutprinzen" gehörte, ihm helfen kann?

Please note: This audiobook is in German.

Mitglieder Bewertungen:

Five Stars

I bought this to work on my German. The vocabulary is rich with imagery and imagination.

The translation is very good. The translator(s) took extra care

The translation is very good. The translator(s) took extra care, it seems, to make sure that the German version of HP:HBP was accurate to (and as good as) the original, whilst maintaining a good grammatical structure.

The fact that this is such a good translation has enabled me to understand the German (as I am still learning, being able to read a translation of a book series that I know quite well helps a lot).

Five Stars

Great condition, even better than described!

YOU CAN'T GO WRONG WITH THIS AUTHOR AND THIS SERIES!!!

Not only is this book of excellent quality, but the entire series is outstanding. I read multiple languages, English, Spanish, Dutch, German, and Portuguese. I have not read all of the Potter books in every languages, but I have read some of them in every language. All translations are very excellent, You cannot go wrong with these books or with Author!!!

Great story, great writing, great translation, great practice for students of German

Excellent translation from the original English version. If you enjoyed this book in English, and you want to expand your German vocabulary, reading this epic story in German will help a lot ... I would recommend the same for all seven books in the Harry Potter series.

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Title: The Final Empire

Subtitle: Mistborn, Book 1

Author: Brandon Sanderson

Narrator: Michael Kramer

Format: Unabridged

Length: 24 hrs and 39 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-21-11

Publisher: Orion Publishing Group Limited

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 609 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Epic

Publisher's Summary:

A thousand years ago evil came to the land and has ruled with an iron hand ever since. The sun shines fitfully under clouds of ash that float down endlessly from the constant eruption of volcanoes. A dark lord rules through the aristocratic families and ordinary folk are condemned to lives in servitude, sold as goods, labouring in the ash fields. But now a troublemaker has arrived and there is rumour of revolt. A revolt that depends on criminal that no-one can trust and a young girl who must master Allomancy - the magic that lies in all metals.

Members Reviews:

Great story and narration, but cut off at the end!

The story and narration deserve 5 stars, but what's up with the audio book ending abruptly before the end? Roughly a page at the end of the last chapter and the entire epilogue are missing! I guess that explains why this version is 24 minutes shorter than the Macmillian audio book. I had to get the book from the library just to finish the story...

The Final Empire: Mistborn, ROCKS

This is an amazing story line, so inventive and involving. I found myself completely hooked. Michael Kramer really brings the character to life.

The audible book finished early (about a chapter) so I emailed Audible and they fixed the problem in minutes. Thank goodness, that last 30 mins so set the scene for Book 2.

Engaging fantasy, adequate narration

This is a good intro to a new trilogy and a new fantasy universe with an interesting magical system. the characters are reasonably well drawn and Sanderson is pretty genre-savvy. the pacing of the book is excellent, and I found the twists quite surprising. Many of the themes are very thoughtful and I welcome his gentle challenge to many of the assumptions that inform orthodox fantasy novels.

The narration is good, though the narrator does choose some pretty stereotypical 'voices' for the villains. This tends to broadcast whether the character in question is a 'goody' or a 'baddy', which is disappointingly simplistic and unnecessary. On the other hand the characters unmistakeably wear white hats or black hats and there are no shades of grey in there. Nice to have a female protagonist who is somewhat complex as well as being kickass.

Rich and Exquisite

This is my first Brandon Sanderson novel and I have to say it was a real treat. The audio narration was exquisite. Michael Kramers deep tones complimented the richness of the prose which served to create an immersive reading/listening experience that had me looking forward to my times on the exercise bike and the commute to and from work. There were times when my mandatory 30min cycling blew out and other times when I wished I didnt get to work so quick. Where are the red lights when you want them.

I like Sandersons world building. It may not be as detailed and complicated as say Steven Eriksons Malazan series, but I dont see that as a negative. What Sanderson achieves in The Final Empire is world building that is rich yet accessible, fascinating and mysterious but at the same time doesnt hinder the plot. In the world Sanderson creates, we have The Lord Ruler, An immortal Tyrant with god like power, who has ruled The Final Empire for a thousand years.

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Title: Vallista

Subtitle: Vlad Taltos, Book 15

Author: Steven Brust

Narrator: Bernard Setaro Clark

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 31 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-17-17

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 143 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Epic

Publisher's Summary:

Full of swordplay, peril, and swashbuckling flair, Steven Brust's Vallista is a treat for longtime fans of this popular fantasy series, a deep dive into the mysteries of Dragaera and all within it.

Vlad Taltos is an Easterner - an underprivileged human in an empire of tall, powerful, long-lived Dragaerans. He made a career for himself in House Jhereg, the Dragaeran clan in charge of the empire's organized crime. But the day came when the Jhereg wanted Vlad dead, and he's been on the run ever since. He has plenty of friends among the Dragaeran highborn, including an undead wizard and a god or two. But as long as the Jhereg have a price on his head, Vlad's life is...messy.

Meanwhile, for years, Vlad's path has been repeatedly crossed by Devera, a small Dragaeran girl of indeterminate powers who turns up at the oddest moments in his life.

Now, Devera has appeared again - to lead Vlad into a mysterious, seemingly empty manor overlooking the Great Sea. Inside this structure are corridors that double back on themselves, rooms that look out over other worlds, and - just maybe - answers to some of Vlad's long-asked questions about his world and his place in it. If only Devera can be persuaded to stop disappearing in the middle of his conversations with her....

Members Reviews:

Series Fan

I have been looking forward to the next instalment of this series for time. Excellent book! Everything I wanted and more.

great addition to an already fantastic series

I truly wish all audiobooks were as enjoyable as this. I found myself looking forward to my hour commute everyday just to listen.

very satisfying

this was another great sorry about Vlad, and one that kept me thinking. It was fun, funny, and had a very satisfying ending. What more can ya ask for?

Terrific gothic mystery with humor and heart

One of my favorite Vlad books, this is on a smaller scale than Brust's recent works, which is refreshing. Lots of backstory and intrigue with good doses of humor and the continuing evolution of both Vlad and the Empire. it's a breath of gothic sea air. As always, fantastic reading and an excellent pace from the narrator.

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Title: The Renegades of Pern

Subtitle: Dragonriders of Pern

Author: Anne McCaffrey

Narrator: Dick Hill

Format: Unabridged

Length: 13 hrs and 27 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-17-08

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 542 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Epic

Publisher's Summary:

But not everyone on Pern was part of that system of mutual care and protection, particularly those who had been rendered holdless as punishment for wrongdoing. And there were some, like Jayge's trader clan, who simply preferred the freedom of the roads to the security of a hold. Others, like Aramina's family, had lost their holds through injustice and cruelty. For all the holdless, life was a constant struggle for survival.

Then, from the ranks of the criminals and the disaffected, rose a band of renegades, led by the Lady Thella. No one was safe from Thella's depredations, and now her quarry was Aramina, reputed to have a telepathic link with dragons. But when Thella mistakenly vented her rage on Jayge's family, she made a dangerous enemy. For Jayge was bent on revenge - and he would never let her have the girl who heard dragons!

Members Reviews:

one of my favorite authors

This series is very good, but definitely don't read this one first. I would suggest going by book publication date, which is not the same as chronological by the story line. There are a lot of "a-ha!" moments, especially at the end of the series, as Ms. McCaffrey tells the same story from different people's viewpoints. All I can think of as a description is that it is a rich tapestry of a story.

I've read most of the books twice, and look forward to listening to them many times again.

Same Plot, no WOW Factor

If you read the summaries on all of the Pern books, you find they often talk about Thread is due to fall, but it has been so long, the people are not prepared or believe it actually will not happen. This is a good plot for one book, but AM uses it over and over.

I like some of AM's books, such as Dragon Flight, Dragons Dawn, The Rowan and Damia, but often her writing seems lack luster, as if she is just going through the motions. I have been watching a lot of America's Got Talent and Howie Mandel likes to mention that a certain act has no WOW Factor. This book has no WOW Factor.

I also love books about dragons, but McCaffrey's dragons could be replaced with Dogs or Unicorns and it would make no difference. One of the great things about most dragon books, is the attitude of the dragons. They are usually arrogant and deadly beast. Anne has domesticated them and it has killed there character.

McCaffrey wants her readers to start and read the series in the order that she wrote the books. I would suggest you start with Dragon's Dawn. It has more science and tells the story about how it all began.

Dick Hill is one of my favorite narrators, but he could not save this one.

Filling in some spaces

This book takes place over many of the pern books. It gives u a little extra to many stories. Not sure i would suggest it unless u really want more info on the pern books. I only really enjoyed the last 25%.

So many Renagades

This story helps put events that happened in diffrent books into the timeline so well. When I first read it I assumed the title only ment Thella but now I realized that Toric, Pimeur, Robiton, even traders are all rengades versus what nost Pernes consirder normal.

Excellent

Renegades fills in a lot of gaps that weren't addressed in other books and ties several of the stories together in a more seem less manner, a definite read.

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Title: The Guns of Empire

Author: Django Wexler

Narrator: Richard Poe

Format: Unabridged

Length: 19 hrs and 29 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-09-16

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 303 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Epic

Publisher's Summary:

Fourth in the "audacious and subversive" Shadow Campaigns novels, following The Price of Valor, The Shadow Throne, and the acclaimed The Thousand Names.

After their defeats at the hands of General Janus bet Vhalnich, the opposing powers have called all sides to the negotiating table in hopes of securing an end to the war. Queen Raesinia of Vordan is anxious to see the return of peace, but Janus insists that any peace with the Sworn Church of Elysium is doomed to fail.

Soldiers Marcus d'Ivoire and Winter Ihernglass find themselves caught between their general and their queen. Now they must decide which leader truly commands their loyalty - and what price they might pay for final victory. And in the depths of Elysium, a malignant force is rising, and defeating it might mean making sacrifices beyond anything they have ever imagined.

Members Reviews:

A Return to Form With A Concerning Clifhanger

Would you listen to The Guns of Empire again? Why?

Yes. Great character development, desperate against the odds last stands, and interesting plot progression.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Janus, hes fantastic and brilliant but you never truly know his motives.

Have you listened to any of Richard Poes other performances before? How does this one compare?

Only his work in the same series.

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

The ending left me wanting more but concerned that the next installment won't make the most of the story that's been set up.

Any additional comments?

If you started this series this is a must read. If you haven't and like fantasy but want something different check out book number 1.

Best book in the series since the first.

Doesnt get bogged down in the Vordanian/French Revolution politics of books two and three. Plenty of action and intrigue with a bit of a LOTR quest feel.

great writing, a tad disapointed by end plot

The battle scenes were epic and the book's only drawback were a few weak winter chapter near the end.

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Title: The Measure of the Magic

Subtitle: Legends of Shannara

Author: Terry Brooks

Narrator: Phil Gigante

Format: Unabridged

Length: 14 hrs and 20 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-30-11

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 982 votes

Genres: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fantasy: Epic

Publisher's Summary:

For 500 years, the survivors of the Great Wars lived peacefully in a valley sanctuary shielded by powerful magic from the blighted and dangerous outside world. But the enchanted barriers have crumbled, the borders have been breached by predators, and the threat of annihilation looms large once more.

Sider Ament, bearer of the last black staff and its profound power, devoted his life to protecting the valley and its inhabitants - and, in his final moments, gave stewardship of the black staff to the young Tracker Panterra Qu. Now the newly anointed Knight of the Word must take up the battle against evil wherever it threatens: from without, where an army of bloodthirsty Trolls is massing for invasion; and from within, where the Elf king of Arborlon has been murdered, his daughter, Princess Phryne Amarantyne, stands accused, and a heinous conspiracy is poised to subjugate the kingdom. But even these will pale beside the most harrowing menace Panterra is destined to confront - a nameless, merciless figure who wanders the devastated land on a relentless mission: to claim the last black staff... and the life of he who wields it.

Members Reviews:

Wished for More

Really love the whole series from the Sword til now. However, I was left wishing for more in this latest episode. Would have loved to learn more about the Ragpicker. Where was he during the time of the Hawk? This just seemed to gloss over each subplot during the story. Glad I listened, just not the best of the series.

Awesome

What did you love best about The Measure of the Magic?

Both this story and the bearer of the black staff are great stories. I loved the flow of the stories, the characters, and the plot development. I've read other reviews about these stories, and they criticize the storytelling, author, and his characters. If you have read all of the shannara series then you know Brook's style of writing, his characters growth and progression throughout the story, and basic storyline. Reading one of these books does not make you qualified to comment on terry brooks or his books. These two books are yet another wonderful start to another shannara series. Can't wait for the next book. Great job Mr. Brooks, you haven't lost any talent.

The Magic Has Been Lost

I want to start with the statement that I grew up an avid fan of Terry Brooks and have loyally bought each book and listened to over half of them through Audible, so it pains me to write this review. I have never been more frustrated with a book than I have with this one and its predecessor. I picked up this new series to get an understanding of the transition from the old world to the world of Shannara but am only finishing this book out of stubbornness. I have never experienced such a weak cast of characters, 90% of the dialogue consists of the characters sobbing over their fears and unworthiness to the point it pained me. I truly have no idea how anything was accomplished with the time spent by the characters talking themselves down, if they had whips I wouldn't doubt we would have lost more time with them flogging themselves.

As for the reader, it was a Gigante failure. If I have learned one thing it is to avoid any books read by Mr. Gigante.