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Sci-Fi & Fantasy > Fantasy: Contemporary

Fantasy: Contemporary

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Benoibe

Benoibe New Orleans, LA, United States Member Since 2010

I've become a sucker for Audible. I love audiobooks, to the point of addiction. Especially a good romance audiobook... :)

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  • "Leaves you wanting more! Guilty ple..."

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    Hot, full of angst, enthralling and completely addictive.
    I love this series. Book two picks up right where the first leaves off. Doesn't miss a beat, and gets better with each word! You might as well buy this with book three. You will want more when you finish this second book.
    Love this narrator. Read this series.

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    Bloodfever: Fever, Book 2

    • UNABRIDGED (9 hrs and 3 mins)
    • By Karen Marie Moning
    • Narrated By Joyce Bean
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (1266)
    Performance
    (590)
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    (601)

    MacKayla Lane's ordinary life underwent a complete makeover when she landed on Ireland's shores and was plunged into a world of deadly sorcery and ancient secrets. In her fight to stay alive, Mac must find the Sinsar Dubh - a million-year-old book of the blackest magic imaginable, which holds the key to power over both the world of the Fae and of Man.

    Annie says: "Kept me interested"
  • "Sexy, fun, enthralling. Addictive f..."

    Overall
    Performance
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    If you can accept the accent and self centered main character without judgment, you'll be rewarded. Such a great start! I was swept away in this author's scary, sexy tale. Escape to a fantastically exciting "page-turner", made more compulsively addictive by the performance of the reader.
    I don't read books like this: but I'm smitten with Mac and her world. You won't be dissapointed.

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    Darkfever: Fever, Book 1

    • UNABRIDGED (8 hrs and 57 mins)
    • By Karen Marie Moning
    • Narrated By Joyce Bean
    Overall
    (1691)
    Performance
    (750)
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    (759)

    MacKayla Lane's life is good. She has great friends, a decent job, and a car that breaks down only every other week or so. In other words, she's your perfectly ordinary 21st-century woman. Or so she thinks...until something extraordinary happens.

    Dana says: "Stick with it!"
  • "Response to Negative reviews re: R..."

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    This IS NOT A SMUTTY ROMANCE BOOK. By any reasonable standards! But Ive been Shocked to see the neg reviews calling this incredibly famous novel just that.

    *****A tip for the prude or those who aren't interested in love stories: read the description before you get the book. If you can't stand any mention of sexuality, or cant understand and appreciate the story of two lovers amidst tragedy of war and time, don't purchase a 32-hour, time-travel, Scottish romance novel.

    Considering all the positive reviews, I rated this book, but never wrote a review bc it was all said already. This is a beloved novel, and it is also a beautiful work of literature that will stand the test of time. I am obviously not the only one to think that.

    The reason I write this review is in response to the readers who call this a silly romance, a piece of smut, or overly and offensly sexual. Oh my God! I can't imagine anyone thinking there was too much sex or graphic sex in this book. Moreover, I was annoyed for the first 15 hours that there wasn't more love and romance. This author writes the few love scenes with grace and tenderness, choosing precise words that are not offensive in the least. The few major intimacy scenes are brilliant, in fact. Diana Galdaldon was able to convey the intensity of the moment without resorting to brash language.

    I wanted More time for the lovers to talk and get to know each other, mentally and physically. Thus I gave the story 4 stars instead of 5. But I still gave the overall a 5, because it was excellent.

    It actually both angers and scares me that anyone is so sexually repressed that they think this PG novel is too sexy or smutty. Of all the fantasy novels I've read, excluding Harry Potter :), and of all the romance novels I've read, the sexuality is mild, to put it lightly. There are some wonderful scenes, and they are needed and important as part of the story. But as I said, these are written with precision to avoid offensive language.

    So to anyone who fits the uptight mold I describe- start looking for your fantasy books in the kids section.



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    Outlander

    • UNABRIDGED (33 hrs and 8 mins)
    • By Diana Gabaldon
    • Narrated By Davina Porter
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    (5681)
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    (5488)

    Why we think it’s a great listen: An all-time Audible favorite that mixes historic fiction, adventure, and romance with one of the most fascinating literary devices: time travel. Outlander introduces an exhilarating world of heroism and breathtaking thrills as one woman is torn between past and present, passion and love. In 1945, former combat nurse Claire Randall returns from World War II and joins her husband for a second honeymoon. But their blissful reunion is shattered....

    Lulu says: "The Reason for the Existence of Audio Books"
  1. Bloodfever: Fever, Book 2
  2. Darkfever: Fever, Book 1
  3. Outlander
  4. .

A Peek at Ryan's Bookshelf

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Somerville, MA, United States 185 REVIEWS / 251 ratings Member Since 2005 245 Followers / Following 11
 
Ryan's greatest hits:
  • The Magician King: A Novel

    "Smart, sardonic literary fantasy"

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    The Magicians, the novel that preceded this one, was one of my favorite works of fantasy of recent years. Grossman took the sugary soda pop of novels like the Harry Potter or Narnia series, and spiked it with a stiff shot of vodka. Instead of cute, well-mannered kids, the protagonists become a group of brilliant, angsty, self-absorbed young adults, who go to a special school to learn a lot of complicated magic, but don't pick up a whole lot of maturity or direction to go with it. Indeed, there's strangely little for them to DO after graduation, at least not until their poking around with powers above their heads reveals a dangerous world they all thought was fictional.

    Had it just been a sardonic send-up of cherished works of children's fiction, I might not have enjoyed it so much, but under the hood, it also felt like a metaphor for the coming of age of the more privileged members of the generation that read all those Harry Potter books. A blurring line between fantasy and reality? Check. Too much power at one's fingertips? Check. Being well-trained to jump through hoops without necessarily being well-prepared to make good decisions? Check. An absent older generation? Check.

    However, you can’t make a series out of gifted youth disaffection and parodying CS Lewis, and so The Magician King offers its characters the opportunity to grow up. For Quentin, now one of Fillory’s four rulers, the chance comes after the boredom of an easy life in the royal palace inspires him to set off on a diplomatic mission to the far end of the kingdom. As one might expect, this minor quest unlocks a much bigger one, which drags our mopey hero and various friends back to Earth and to other places, teaching him lessons about heroism, sacrifice, and seeing the potential of others. Those readers who felt there wasn't enough plot in The Magicians might be pleased that there's more structure in this outing, though I thought all the place-hopping got to be a little too on rails. Sure, Quentin makes fewer bad decisions, but more often than not, the right pathway simply lines up in front of him. Go through this door because, well, the talking sloth says so.

    Grossman also uses this book to fill in the backstory of Julia, who got rejected by Brakebills in the first book, suffered the kind of emotional breakdown one might expect from a brittle overachiever who doesn't get into Harvard, and then disappeared until the end, at which point we learned that she somehow picked up magic on her own. Here, flashbacks interspersed with the main story reveal exactly how that happened, and introduce us to a gnarlier, off-the-grid alternative magic community. To be honest, I found this tale a bit of a slog, given that Julia's as unlikable as the other characters were in Book One, albeit in a fiercer way. But it's not uninteresting, and expands the world in ways that'll no doubt figure into Book Three. Until now, we’ve only seen the bored, bourgeois side of magic education -- here we get the Fight Club kind.

    The story also answers a few other questions, some probably of more interest to readers. We learn more about the forces behind the magical multiverse (old and powerful, of course), meet some new characters, and find out what became of Josh and Penny. And plenty of groundwork is laid for a sequel.

    All in all, The Magician King, if not as bracingly original as its predecessor, carries forward its momentum without too many stutters. More than just Harry Potter with f-bombs, it’s “adult” fantasy in the truest sense: the magic isn’t safe, the people best suited to it are flawed, and being a hero can come with steep costs. As before, Grossman continues to balance a dark, smartly sardonic sense of humor with a world whose unreality is genuinely haunting. And as before, it's a rather narrow, self-aware audience that will see much of themselves in his characters, but, if you do, this series might speak to you.

    I would certainly recommend the audio version. IMO, Bramhall’s slightly arch but sophisticated reading finds the grain of the story while buffering some of Grossman’s snarkiness.

  • The Black Company: Chronicles of The Black Company, Book 1

    "Lord of the Rings meets Platoon"

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    The Black Company is gritty-as-can-be swords-and-sorcery fantasy, written years before that became a trendy idea. The “Company” of the book is a group of mercenaries that hires on with a powerful sorceress known as The Lady, and does various unpleasant jobs for her high command, a circle of grotesque and generally nasty wizards called The Taken. Imagine if the Lord of the Rings were told from the perspective of a group of Sauron’s hirelings, and you might have a sense of what to expect. Except, here, there isn’t much chivalry from anyone -- the “rebels”, while less defined, aren’t much more savory than the Lady’s minions.

    The writing, accordingly, has a bracingly hard-boiled flavor. The story’s narrator is the Black Company’s chief medic and historian, a man named Croaker. He entertains few illusions that his brothers in arms are “nice people”, as they go from territory to territory, pacifying the inhabitants in the traditional manner, but there’s a sort of professional honor code that holds the company of rogues, fallen men, weirdos, and thugs together. They might be fighting for money, but they operate with discipline, take care of their own, and display occasional human decency. In a world where the unimportant often end up dead in piles as the armies sweep through, that’s better than nothing.

    Overall, I really enjoyed the Platoon-meets-Lord of the Rings feel. The writing is a little choppy, though, often skipping past major events with a terse summary, or dropping in new characters with minimal introduction. But, the style fits well -- Croaker isn’t a guy who believes in the glory or righteousness of the cause and he’s patched up the wounded so many battles, he has little taste for describing what happens on the field, but, at the same time, he feels that what happens to him and his comrades ought to be recorded. I found the simple immediacy refreshing -- even in a fantasy world, the experience of ground soldiers might be universal, including their distance from the politics of everything. That said, some of the anachronisms got a little annoying: I wouldn’t expect someone in this world to know about biological evolution or use the term “sandbagging”. On the other hand, I suppose the use of spellcasters in the lines would enable soldiers to employ somewhat more “modern” tactics.

    Other aspects of the book aren’t as ground-breaking. Once you get past Cook’s different take, the world-building and plot fall into familiar molds. But the action, initially aimless, begins to take on a purpose, and I got caught up in the story around the midpoint of the novel. The climax features an epic siege battle as good (and ghastly) as any in fantasy. I also enjoyed the endless bickering between two rank-and-file wizards, who seem to devote more energy to petty magical squabbles with each other than doing their jobs. I don’t know how well Cook maintains the strengths of his grunt-level perspective in subsequent books, but I’ll have to check out the next one. You can certainly enjoy this entry as a standalone work, if you choose not to go further.

    Audiobook notes: I thought the narrator did a competent if uninspiring job. He sounds a little “older” than I would expect Croaker to be, but, then, it’s not clear how many years after the fact he’s supposed to be telling his story.

  • Shades of Grey

    "Truth through an absurd prism"

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    Shades of Grey takes place in an absurd dystopia that resembles a mix of Brave New World, Kafka, and Monty Python. In the book's reality, it's centuries after some ill-defined cataclysm, and the world is now full of strange things like living roads, man-eating trees, small gravity-defying relics, and wandering balls of electrical energy. More significantly, humans are now divided by their ability to see different parts of the color spectrum, and some colors have interesting physiological effects when looked at.

    The characters of the novel live in a dysfunctional collectivist society that assigns social standing by color, has a less-than-awe-inspiring Big Brother figure, and is bound by all sorts of ridiculous, Kafka-esque rules -- e.g. cars aren't allowed, except for Model Ts; everyone must pretend that certain people don't exist; and manufacture of spoons is forbidden (turning them into a valuable “beige market” good). The protagonist, Eddie Russet, is a guileless young man determined to be a good citizen and secure himself a socially advantageous marriage to a certain tiresome young lady. At least, he is until he meets an low-caste young "grey" named Jane, whose brand of civil disobedience might be better called just "disobedience".

    Fforde's sensibilities are an interesting mix of laugh-out-loud-funny and a bit dark. There's a lot of subversive fun mixing the social rigidity of its characters with their self-serving schemes to exploit loopholes in the rules and/or manipulate others, but there's also a discomfiting bite in the obliviousness with which most of them accept (or even embrace) their society's injustice and warped logic. Humorous or grim, though, I enjoyed Fforde's inventiveness and the process of discovering how everything in the world fit together, which held a few hints at the larger history. From time to time, we get Canticle for Leibowitz-esque references to things left behind after the collapse of our own world, interpreted in a way that's half loopy, half insightful.

    That said, the overall story, themes, and writing aren't quite as original as the setting. Towards the end, things start to fall into molds that'll be familiar to readers of more traditional escapist fiction, which leaves some of the initial potential for satire and mind-bending on the table. Still, I liked the creativity quite a lot, and who knows what Fforde might do with the forthcoming sequel.

    It's my firm opinion that you have to pick up the audiobook to really get the full effect of the cheeky British humor. The untroubled tone the narrator gives to Eddie (speaking as he is from inside a carnivorous tree) is an amusing fit, as are the voices of several other characters.

  • Who Fears Death

    "Intelligent fantasy in an African setting"

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    This novel was a bit different, but mostly different in a good way. Having read dozens of fantasy books set in quasi-European worlds, I appreciated finding one set in Africa. The cultural attitudes reminded me a lot of the Sudanese in Dave Egger's wonderful book, What is the What, so I felt immediately drawn into Okorafor's world. That world, to be sure, is a pretty grim one, full of prejudice, superstition, ethnic violence, misogyny, and other problems that plague modern Africa. The "post-apocalypse" setting is a little unclear -- all we really know is that it's sometime in the future, various bits of technology are still around, and that some sort of now-mythical past event brought about a new (or maybe not?) magical order to the world.

    The heroine resembles a typical fantasy heroine in generalities. She's an outcast for reasons of birth, has latent magical abilities that gradually come to the fore, and is stubborn and persistent in the face of tradition. But, more than the archetype, she has a believably human and conflicted voice. The other characters and cultures felt suitably complex, too, and different enough from my own experience that I became absorbed in the world. Be warned, some the themes are pretty mature, from scenes of violence and rape to some frank sexuality, so this isn't a novel for readers looking for lightweight escapism. Even the friendships between characters are infected by social attitudes -- the protagonist has to battle her own lover’s idea that it’s somehow not right for female sorcerers to be more powerful than male ones.

    I did have my frustrations. The storytelling could have used better editing in places, and in later parts of the book, magic begins to be relied on too heavily as a plot device, at the expense of organic character development. The setting never entirely made sense to me, either. The levels of technology and magic are a bit inconsistent, and the minimal establishment of background history made the import of different events unclear. And I’d take a point off for the stilted use of “prophecy”.

    Still, I’m not sure that these issues detracted too much from my overall appreciation. Onyesonwu’s story feels like a humanization of a myth -- the raw, unfiltered version prior to its formation into legend. Even a world in which magic is real might still be like our own in that heroes are flawed, “evil” is something that resides in all people and can’t just be blamed on a select villain, and powers don’t always make sense, even to those wielding them. Worth reading if you’re looking for a serious-minded fantasy novel set in an interesting world.

Rae

Rae Meandarra, Australia 05-18-12 Member Since 2011
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  • "Great Start to New Series"

    17 of 18 helpful votes

    Great narration. I like to list this first as it can make or break a story.

    Just finished this series and highly recommend all 3 stories. But definitely read/listen in order.

    I really enjoy it when readers with similar reading interests list their favourite authors and series. It really helps me find new authors too follow. Mine are Charlaine Harris, Jeaniene Frost, Jennifer Estep, Faith Hunter, Molly Harper, Ilona Andrews, Kresley Cole, Deborah Harkness, Nalini Singh, Coreene Callahan, Stacia Kane, Kelly Medding and Sherrilyn Kenyon.

    Happy Reading


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    Mind Games: Disillusionists, Book 1

    • UNABRIDGED (11 hrs and 50 mins)
    • By Carolyn Crane
    • Narrated By Rebecca Wisocky
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    Justine Jones has a secret. A hardcore hypochondriac, she’s convinced a blood vessel is about to burst in her brain. Then, out of the blue, a startlingly handsome man named Packard peers into Justine’s soul and invites her to join his private crime-fighting team. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime deal. With a little of Packard’s hands-on training, Justine can weaponize her neurosis, turning it outward on Midcity’s worst criminals.

    Rae says: "Great Start to New Series"

What's Trending in Fantasy: Contemporary:

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    Changes: The Dresden Files, Book 12
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    Changes: The Dresden Files, Book 12

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    Long ago, Susan Rodriguez was Harry Dresden's lover-until she was attacked by his enemies, leaving her torn between her own humanity and the bloodlust of the vampiric Red Court. Susan then disappeared to South America, where she could fight both her savage gift and those who cursed her with it.Now Arianna Ortega, Duchess of the Red Court, has discovered a secret Susan has long kept, and she plans to use it-against Harry.

    Julie D says: "WOW. I'm stunned!"
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    Night Watch: Discworld #27
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    Night Watch: Discworld #27

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    Commander Sam Vimes of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch had it all. But now he's back in his own rough, tough past without even the clothes he was standing up in when the lightning struck.

    Terry A. Austin says: "Another brilliant Pratchett"
  • 4.8 (113 ratings)
    Night Watch: Discworld, Book 27
    Play Night Watch: Discworld, Book 27

    Night Watch: Discworld, Book 27

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    Truth! Justice! Freedom! And a hard-boiled egg! Commander Sam Vimes of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch had it all. But now he's back in his own rough, tough past, without even the clothes he was standing up in when the lightning struck. Living in the past is hard. Dying in the past is incredibly easy. But he must survive; he has a job to do.

    Ken says: "Pratchett at his best."
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    Kalimpura: Green Universe, Book 3

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    Green is hounded by the gods of Copper Downs and the gods of Kalimpura, who have laid claim to her and her children. She never wanted to be a conduit for the supernatural, but when she killed the Immortal Duke and created the Ox god with the power she released, she came to their notice. Now she has sworn to retrieve the two girls taken hostage by the Bittern Court, one of Kalimpura’s rival guilds. But the Temple of the Lily Goddess is playing politics with her life.

    Pam says: "Please let there be a fourth book!"
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  • 4.5 (6570 ratings)
    Dragonfly in Amber
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    Dragonfly in Amber

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    New York Times best-selling author Diana Gabaldon enchanted scores of fans with Outlander, her electrifying historical saga set in 18th-century Scotland. Now this sequel sweeps listeners back into the past as Claire relates more of her perilous sojourn there with her Scottish warrior husband, James Fraser. Twenty years after her strange journey back in time, Claire has returned to Scotland with her daughter, determined to share with her the secret she has harbored since her time travel.

    Daniel says: "Finally! The unabridged version is here!"
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    Hounded: The Iron Druid Chronicles, Book 1
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    Hounded: The Iron Druid Chronicles, Book 1

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    Atticus O’Sullivan, last of the Druids, lives peacefully in Arizona, running an occult bookshop and shape-shifting in his spare time to hunt with his Irish wolfhound. His neighbors and customers think that this handsome, tattooed Irish dude is about twenty-one years old - when in actuality, he’s twenty-one centuries old. Not to mention: He draws his power from the earth, possesses a sharp wit, and wields an even sharper magical sword known as Fragarach, the Answerer. Unfortunately, a very angry Celtic god wants that sword, and he’s hounded Atticus for centuries....

    Chris says: "Finally, a modern day fantasy that really hits the"
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    Set in the intriguing Scotland of 200 years ago, the third installment in the romantic adventures of Jamie and Claire is as compelling as the first. Now that Claire knows Jamie survived the slaughter at Culloden, she is faced with the most difficult decision of her life. She aches to travel back through time again to find the love of her life, but, in order to do that, she must leave their daughter behind.

    Kathy says: "Hurry up! I want them all!"
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    Twice Claire has used an ancient stone circle to travel back to the 18th century. The first time she found love with a Scottish warrior but had to return to the 1940s to save their unborn child. The second time, 20 years later, she reunited with her lost love but had to leave behind the daughter that he would never see. Now Brianna, from her 1960s vantage point, has found a disturbing obituary and will risk everything in an attempt to change history.

    Frances M says: "You listened, Audible!"
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  • 4.5 (3847 ratings)
    An Echo in the Bone: A Novel
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    Jamie Fraser knows from his time-traveling wife Claire that, no matter how unlikely it seems, America will win the Revolutionary War. But that truth offers little solace, since Jamie realizes he might find himself pointing a weapon directly at his own son - a young officer in the British army. And Jamie isn't the only one with a tormented soul - for Claire may know who wins the conflict, but she certainly doesn't know whether or not her beloved Jamie survives.

    Lisa says: "Excellent"
  • 4.7 (3632 ratings)
    Death Masks: The Dresden Files, Book 5
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    Death Masks: The Dresden Files, Book 5

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    Harry Dresden, Chicago's only practicing professional wizard, should be happy that business is pretty good for a change. But he also knows that whenever things are going good, the only way left for them to go is bad. Way bad. Recent examples: A duel with the lethal champion of the Red Court, who must kill Harry to end the war between vampires and wizards...Hit men using Harry for target practice...The missing Shroud of Turin - and the possible involvement of Chicago's most feared mob boss.

    James says: "Pick up the coin?"
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    Tricked: The Iron Druid Chronicles, Book 4

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    Druid Atticus O’Sullivan hasn’t stayed alive for more than two millennia without a fair bit of Celtic cunning. So when vengeful thunder gods come Norse by Southwest looking for payback, Atticus, with a little help from the Navajo trickster god Coyote, lets them think that they’ve chopped up his body in the Arizona desert. But the mischievous Coyote is not above a little sleight of paw, and Atticus soon finds that he’s been duped into battling bloodthirsty desert shape-shifters called skinwalkers.

    Nicholas says: "Hooked in an Instant"
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    Returning to the territory he so brilliantly explored in his masterful New York Times best seller American Gods, the incomparable Neil Gaiman offers up a work of dazzling ingenuity, a kaleidoscopic journey deep into myth that is at once startling, terrifying, exhilarating, and fiercely funny, a true wonder of a novel that confirms Stephen King's glowing assessment of the author as "a treasure house of story, and we are lucky to have him."

    A. Hawley says: "Beautifully narrated"
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    Nola Leary would have been content to stay in Kilcairy, Ireland, healing villagers at her family’s clinic with a mix of magic and modern medicine. But a series of ill-timed omens and a deathbed promise to her grandmother have sent her on a quest to Half-Moon Hollow, Kentucky, to secure her family’s magical potency for the next generation. Her supernatural task? To unearth four artifacts hidden by her grandfather before a rival magical family beats her to it. Complication One: The artifacts are lost somewhere in vampire Jane Jameson’s occult bookshop. Complication Two: Her new neighbor, Jed Trudeau, keeps turning up half-naked at the strangest times....

  • Outlander
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    Outlander

    • UNABRIDGED (33 hrs and 8 mins)
    • By Diana Gabaldon
    • Narrated By Davina Porter
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    Overall
    (11058)
    Performance
    (5681)
    Story
    (5488)

    Why we think it’s a great listen: An all-time Audible favorite that mixes historic fiction, adventure, and romance with one of the most fascinating literary devices: time travel. Outlander introduces an exhilarating world of heroism and breathtaking thrills as one woman is torn between past and present, passion and love. In 1945, former combat nurse Claire Randall returns from World War II and joins her husband for a second honeymoon. But their blissful reunion is shattered....

    Lulu says: "The Reason for the Existence of Audio Books"
  • The Golem and the Jinni: A Novel
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    The Golem and the Jinni: A Novel

    • UNABRIDGED (19 hrs and 43 mins)
    • By Helene Wecker
    • Narrated By George Guidall
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    Overall
    (39)
    Performance
    (36)
    Story
    (35)

    Helene Wecker's dazzling debut novel tells the story of two supernatural creatures who appear mysteriously in 1899 New York. Chava is a golem, a creature made of clay, brought to life by a strange man who dabbles in dark Kabbalistic magic. When her master dies at sea on the voyage from Poland, she is unmoored and adrift as the ship arrives in New York Harbor. Ahmad is a jinni, a being of fire, born in the ancient Syrian Desert. Trapped in an old copper flask by a Bedouin wizard centuries ago, he is released accidentally by a tinsmith in a Lower Manhattan shop.

    Tango says: "Enchanting Debut Novel - Delicious!"
  • American Gods: The Tenth Anniversary Edition (A Full Cast Production)
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    American Gods: The Tenth Anniversary Edition (A Full Cast Production)

    • UNABRIDGED (19 hrs and 39 mins)
    • By Neil Gaiman
    • Narrated By Dennis Boutsikaris, Daniel Oreskes, Ron McLarty, and others
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    Overall
    (2445)
    Performance
    (2099)
    Story
    (2100)

    First published in 2001, American Gods became an instant classic, an intellectual and artistic benchmark from the multiple-award-winning master of innovative fiction, Neil Gaiman. Now discover the mystery and magic of American Gods in this 10th anniversary edition. Newly updated and expanded with the author's preferred text, this commemorative volume is a true celebration of a modern masterpiece by the one, the only, Neil Gaiman.

    Michael says: "New to Neil"
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  • The Ocean at the End of the Lane: A Novel

    • UNABRIDGED (5 hrs and 49 mins)
    • By Neil Gaiman
    • Narrated By Neil Gaiman
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    A middle-aged man returns to his childhood home to attend a funeral. He is drawn to the farm at the end of the road, where, when he was seven, he encountered a most remarkable girl, Lettie Hempstock. Forty years earlier, a man committed suicide in a stolen car at this farm at the end of the road. Like a fuse on a firework, his death lit a touchpaper. The darkness was unleashed, something scary and thoroughly incomprehensible to a little boy. And Lettie - magical, comforting, wise beyond her years - promised to protect him, no matter what.

  • The Gate Thief: Mithermages, Book 2
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    The Gate Thief: Mithermages, Book 2

    • UNABRIDGED (12 hrs)
    • By Orson Scott Card
    • Narrated By Stefan Rudnicki, Emily Rankin
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    Overall
    (569)
    Performance
    (523)
    Story
    (523)

    Here on Earth, Danny North is still in high school, yet he holds in his heart and mind all the stolen outselves of 13 centuries of gatemages. The Families still want to kill him if they can’t control him - and they can’t control him; he is far too powerful. On Westil, Wad is now nearly powerless - he lost everything to Danny in their struggle. Even if he can survive the revenge of his enemies, he must still somehow make peace with the Gatemage Daniel North, for when Danny took that power from Loki, he also took responsibility for the Great Gates.

    Benjamin says: "Flashes of Great, Ok, and Bad. Overall: Meh."
  • The Fiery Cross
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    The Fiery Cross

    • UNABRIDGED (55 hrs and 34 mins)
    • By Diana Gabaldon
    • Narrated By Davina Porter
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    Overall
    (2436)
    Performance
    (2083)
    Story
    (2068)

    The year is 1771. Claire Randall is still an outlander, out of place and out of time. But now she is linked by love to her only anchor: Jamie Fraser. They have crossed oceans and centuries to build a life together in North Carolina. But tensions, both ancient and recent, threaten members of their clan. Knowing that his wife has the gift of prophecy, James must believe Claire, though he would prefer not to. Claire has shared a dreadful truth: there will, without a doubt, be a war.

    Dawn says: "THANK YOU!!!"
  • Kiss of a Demon King
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    Kiss of a Demon King

    • UNABRIDGED (12 hrs and 10 mins)
    • By Kresley Cole
    • Narrated By Robert Petkoff
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    Overall
    (118)
    Performance
    (108)
    Story
    (107)

    From New York Times best-selling author Kresley Cole comes this spellbinding story of a demon king trapped by an enchantress for her wanton purposes - and the scorching aftermath that follows when he turns the tables and claims her as his captive.

    Karen says: "It doesn't get any Better than this for me."
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  • Dragonfly in Amber
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    Dragonfly in Amber

    • UNABRIDGED (39 hrs and 28 mins)
    • By Diana Gabaldon
    • Narrated By Davina Porter
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    Overall
    (6570)
    Performance
    (3354)
    Story
    (3373)

    New York Times best-selling author Diana Gabaldon enchanted scores of fans with Outlander, her electrifying historical saga set in 18th-century Scotland. Now this sequel sweeps listeners back into the past as Claire relates more of her perilous sojourn there with her Scottish warrior husband, James Fraser. Twenty years after her strange journey back in time, Claire has returned to Scotland with her daughter, determined to share with her the secret she has harbored since her time travel.

    Daniel says: "Finally! The unabridged version is here!"
  • Voyager
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    Voyager

    • UNABRIDGED (43 hrs and 51 mins)
    • By Diana Gabaldon
    • Narrated By Davina Porter
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    Overall
    (5608)
    Performance
    (2905)
    Story
    (2872)

    Set in the intriguing Scotland of 200 years ago, the third installment in the romantic adventures of Jamie and Claire is as compelling as the first. Now that Claire knows Jamie survived the slaughter at Culloden, she is faced with the most difficult decision of her life. She aches to travel back through time again to find the love of her life, but, in order to do that, she must leave their daughter behind.

    Kathy says: "Hurry up! I want them all!"
  • Smoke and Mirrors: Short Fictions and Illusions
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    Smoke and Mirrors: Short Fictions and Illusions

    • UNABRIDGED (10 hrs and 36 mins)
    • By Neil Gaiman
    • Narrated By Neil Gaiman
    Overall
    (1)
    Performance
    (1)
    Story
    (1)

    In Smoke and Mirrors, Gaiman's imagination and supreme artistry transform a mundane world into a place of terrible wonders - where an old woman can purchase the Holy Grail at a thrift store, where assassins advertise their services in the Yellow Pages under "Pest Control," and where a frightened young boy must barter for his life with a mean-spirited troll living beneath a bridge by the railroad tracks.

  • Deadlocked: A Sookie Stackhouse Novel, Book 12
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    Deadlocked: A Sookie Stackhouse Novel, Book 12

    • UNABRIDGED (9 hrs and 29 mins)
    • By Charlaine Harris
    • Narrated By Johanna Parker
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    Overall
    (2622)
    Performance
    (2316)
    Story
    (2321)

    Growing up with telepathic abilities, Sookie Stackhouse realized early on there were things she'd rather not know. And now that she's an adult, she also realizes that some things that she knows about, she'd rather not see—like Eric Northman feeding off another woman. A younger one. There's a thing or two she'd like to say about that, but she has to keep quiet—Felipe de Castro, the Vampire King of Louisiana (and Arkansas and Nevada), is in town.

    pewter says: "Who, What, and Why"
  • Fantasy
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    Fantasy

    • UNABRIDGED (34 mins)
    • By Malte Persson
    • Narrated By Malte Persson
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    I Fantasy introduceras en helt ny genre, Stureplansfantasy - Snabba cash möter Narnia. Novellen är en berättelse om Hemligheten, ett ofullbordat filmprojekt, där vi befinner oss i gränslandet mellan verklighet och fiktion. Med ett rappt och lekfullt språk låter författaren oss möta några av de involverade, alla klädda i sagoskrud: Dvärgen, Häxmästaren, Den namnlöse och såklart Den Sorgsne Prinsen.

  • The Big Bleep: The Mystery of A Different Universe
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    The Big Bleep: The Mystery of A Different Universe

    • UNABRIDGED (6 hrs and 55 mins)
    • By Lawrence R. Spencer
    • Narrated By John Bell
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    The Big Bleep is the story of hard-boiled, Harley riding detective Sam Shovel, digging up the truth on a comedic, existential journey of self-realization. It's an investigation into a universe where a fictional character can become self-aware - just like in real life! And, it's the only book that tells the truth about what REALLY happened to the Earth dinosaurs... (really).

  • Horror in the Wax Museum
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    Horror in the Wax Museum

    • UNABRIDGED (10 mins)
    • By Drac Von Stoller
    • Narrated By Ted Brooks
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    It was 1863 in a town called Cactus Jack and Dr. Henry Corbin who was the town's doctor had grown tired of practicing medicine and was really interested in opening his own wax museum. When Henry brought mannequins to his wax museum and had his grand opening it turned out to be a disaster and Henry was out for revenge. That's when the horror begun for the townspeople.

  • The Red Plague Affair: A Bannon and Clare Case
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    The Red Plague Affair: A Bannon and Clare Case

    • UNABRIDGED (8 hrs and 25 mins)
    • By Lilith Saintcrow
    • Narrated By Jane Collingwood
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    The fantastic follow-up to The Iron Wyrm Affair, set in an alternate Victorian world where magic has turned the Industrial Revolution on its head. Emma Bannon, Sorceress Prime in service to Queen Victrix, has a mission: to find the doctor who has created a powerful new weapon. Her friend, the mentath Archibald Clare, is only too happy to help. Unfortunately, their quarry is a fanatic, and his poisonous discovery is just as dangerous to Britannia as to Her enemies.

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  • Two Weeks' Notice: A Revivalist Novel, Book 2
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    Two Weeks' Notice: A Revivalist Novel, Book 2

    • UNABRIDGED (9 hrs and 27 mins)
    • By Rachel Caine
    • Narrated By Julia Whelan
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    Overall
    (3)
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    (3)
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    (3)

    After dying and being revived with the experimental drug Returne, Bryn Davis is theoretically free to live her unlife - with regular doses to keep her going. But Bryn knows that the government has every intention of keeping a tight lid on Pharmadene's life-altering discovery, no matter the cost. Thankfully, some things have changed for the better; her job at the rechristened Davis Funeral Home is keeping her busy and her fragile romance with Patrick McCallister is blossoming.

  • Mission
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    Mission

    • UNABRIDGED (17 hrs and 35 mins)
    • By Patrick Tilley
    • Narrated By Evan Greenberg
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    What would you do if, through an unexpected twist of fate and time, you came face to face with Jesus of Nazareth? In the flesh. A living, breathing, three-dimensional figure with a disconcertingly casual manner. When you had pinched yourself to make sure that you weren't dreaming and found that he was still there, would you turn your back and walk away - or would you try to find out what he was doing so far from home? That was the decision facing Leo Resnick, a smart young Manhattan lawyer, and his girlfriend, Dr Miriam Maxwell.

  • The Vanishing Hitchhiker
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    The Vanishing Hitchhiker

    • UNABRIDGED (5 mins)
    • By Drac Von Stoller
    • Narrated By Ted Brooks
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    "I still remember the day as though it just happened today," said Bill Withers. "I was traveling down Old Hatchet Trail road after midnight when this beautiful woman with golden long blonde hair was standing all alone on the side of the road. It was starting to rain and I just couldn't leave her there in the black of night. I just couldn't, so I stopped my car beside her and rolled down the front passenger window and said 'Please get in out of the rain and I'll take you home.'"

  • My Name Is Michael Bishop
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    My Name Is Michael Bishop

    • UNABRIDGED (8 hrs and 15 mins)
    • By TR Goodman
    • Narrated By Noah James Butler
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    Michael Bishop, an inventor, tinker, and builder of machines lost his wife to a devastating magical plague six years ago and has been raising his daughter alone ever since. When his daughter falls ill with the same plague that struck down his wife, Michael goes to any length to save her, even going so far as to make an illicit deal with a sorcerer to save her life.

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  • Twisted Dragon: Castle Elfwood, Book 2
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    Twisted Dragon: Castle Elfwood, Book 2

    • UNABRIDGED (7 hrs and 38 mins)
    • By Kevin Stein
    • Narrated By James Patrick Cronin
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    Jaeme, new lord of Castle Elfwood, Decutonius, an unpredictable mage, the druidess Laela, and the venerable knight Cedric must confront the evil that threatens to crush Elfwood in only three days.

  • Elfwood: Castle Elfwood, Book 1
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    Elfwood: Castle Elfwood, Book 1

    • UNABRIDGED (6 hrs and 52 mins)
    • By Rose Estes
    • Narrated By James Patrick Cronin
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    The defense of Castle Elfwood, hidden in an enchanted forest in Albion, from barbarians and the unearthly Orcs depends on four young people - a lord, a magician, a druidess, and an orphan - in the first book of the series.

  • Ephemerine Tree
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    Ephemerine Tree

    • UNABRIDGED (4 hrs and 20 mins)
    • By Mirti Venyon Reiyas
    • Narrated By Amber Beard
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    When the butterfly-winged light being, Rainyun, descends from the Ephemerine Realm into the Density Domain to assist in shifting a planet into a more positive probability vector in a higher dimension, the young teenural girl, Eda, is swept into a fast-paced adventurous quest that involves strange planets in the past, an anti-particle universe, her reciprocal twin, her higher Consciousness Field and especially, trees.

  • Little Nelson
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    Little Nelson

    • UNABRIDGED (3 hrs and 19 mins)
    • By Norman Collins
    • Narrated By John Alexander
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    The authentic account of the great Gnome Revolt, Little Nelson is the intimate and moving story of the tender relationship between a runaway garden gnome and a Vicar's spinster sister. The action takes place during the memorable Gnome uprising when the whole country was, for 12 months, in the grip of forces of garden Gnomes numbered in the tens of thousands. Little Nelson himself emerges as a national figure. Named after the distinguished Admiral, Little Nelson reveals all the characteristics of his predecessor - fiery devotion, dedication, and eventual self-sacrifice.