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Sci-Fi & Fantasy > Fantasy: Contemporary

Fantasy: Contemporary

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Hallie

Hallie PIKESVILLE, MD, United States Member Since 2011

avid audiobook listener, sociopath, nerd.

HELPFUL VOTES
181
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REVIEWS
148
47
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  • "Couldn't put it down!"

    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    This book was great. I especially enjoyed the relationship between Atticus and Oberon. The whole thing was action-packed and full of bitingly witty banter between characters. Definitely worth my time.

    More

    Hounded: The Iron Druid Chronicles, Book 1

    • UNABRIDGED (8 hrs and 11 mins)
    • By Kevin Hearne
    • Narrated By Luke Daniels
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (6514)
    Performance
    (5702)
    Story
    (5683)

    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"
  • "Better than Monster Hunters"

    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    I loved the monster hunter books, so I figured this had to be good. It surpassed the monster hunter series for me. The characters are more developed, there is less time wasted on elaborate descriptions of firearms, and there's a whole lot of action. I can't wait to see what the next one has to offer!

    More

    Hard Magic: Book I of the Grimnoir Chronicles

    • UNABRIDGED (15 hrs and 59 mins)
    • By Larry Correia
    • Narrated By Bronson Pinchot
    Overall
    (2403)
    Performance
    (2128)
    Story
    (2124)

    Jake Sullivan is a licensed private eye with a seriously hardboiled attitude. He also possesses raw magical talent and the ability to make objects in his vicinity light as a feather or as heavy as depleted uranium, all with a magical thought. It's no wonder the G-men turn to Jake when they need someoneto go after a suspected killer who has been knocking off banks in a magic-enhanced crime spree.

    Jennifer Gerbyshak says: "So Good I Bought the Book and the Audiobook"
  • "A spectacular combination!"

    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    I knew this book would be good, the combination of Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett was too tempting to pass up. If you like either of these authors, this book is a must!

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    Good Omens

    • UNABRIDGED (12 hrs and 32 mins)
    • By Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett
    • Narrated By Martin Jarvis
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (3091)
    Performance
    (1636)
    Story
    (1655)

    The world will end on Saturday. Next Saturday. Just before dinner, according to The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch, the world's only completely accurate book of prophecies, written in 1655. The armies of Good and Evil are amassing and everything appears to be going according to Divine Plan. Except that a somewhat fussy angel and a fast-living demon are not actually looking forward to the coming Rapture. And someone seems to have misplaced the Antichrist.

    Lauren says: "Great voice adds to already amazing story"
  1. Hounded: The Iron Druid C...
  2. Hard Magic: Book I of the...
  3. Good Omens
  4. .

A Peek at Ryan's Bookshelf

Helpful
Votes
608
 
Somerville, MA, United States 185 REVIEWS / 251 ratings Member Since 2005 244 Followers / Following 11
 
Ryan's greatest hits:
  • The Magician King: A Novel

    "Smart, sardonic literary fantasy"

    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    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 Magician King: A Novel

    "Smart, sardonic literary fantasy"

    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    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"

    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    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"

    Overall
    Performance
    Story

    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.

Patsy

Patsy Navarre, FL, United States 05-29-11 Member Since 2009
HELPFUL VOTES
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1
  • "Intense"

    1 of 1 helpful votes

    Loved this series, got all four audio books at once and was done in 3 days, I just couldn't stop listening. Lauren Fortgang was a wonderful narrater, I loved her voice, make the book easy to listen too.
    Good storyline, lots of visual words, which some don't like, but I do, it adds to the story for me..
    Hoping for book 5 sooooooon...

    More

    Spider's Bite: Elemental Assassin, Book 1

    • UNABRIDGED (11 hrs and 59 mins)
    • By Jennifer Estep
    • Narrated By Lauren Fortgang
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (1731)
    Performance
    (1187)
    Story
    (1194)

    They call me the Spider. I'm the most feared assassin in the South -- when I'm not busy at the Pork Pit cooking up the best barbecue in Ashland. As a Stone elemental, I can hear everything from the whispers of the gravel beneath my feet to the vibrations of the soaring Appalachian Mountains above me. My Ice magic also comes in handy for making the occasional knife. But I don't use my powers on the job unless I absolutely have to. Call it professional pride.

    amanda says: "I am bitten"

What's Trending in Fantasy: Contemporary:

  • 4.8 (3658 ratings)
    Changes: The Dresden Files, Book 12
    Play Changes: The Dresden Files, Book 12

    Changes: The Dresden Files, Book 12

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    • By Jim Butcher
    • Narrated By James Marsters
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
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    Performance
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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!"
  • 4.8 (895 ratings)
    Night Watch: Discworld #27
    Play Night Watch: Discworld #27

    Night Watch: Discworld #27

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    • By Terry Pratchett
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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

    • UNABRIDGED (10 hrs and 44 mins)
    • By Terry Pratchett
    • Narrated By Stephen Briggs
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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."
  • 4.8 (15 ratings)
    Kalimpura: Green Universe, Book 3
    Play Kalimpura: Green Universe, Book 3

    Kalimpura: Green Universe, Book 3

    • UNABRIDGED (11 hrs and 59 mins)
    • By Jay Lake
    • Narrated By Katherine Kellgren
    Overall
    (15)
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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!"
  •  
  • 4.5 (6560 ratings)
    Dragonfly in Amber
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    Dragonfly in Amber

    • UNABRIDGED (39 hrs and 28 mins)
    • By Diana Gabaldon
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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!"
  • 4.5 (6514 ratings)
    Hounded: The Iron Druid Chronicles, Book 1
    Play Hounded: The Iron Druid Chronicles, Book 1

    Hounded: The Iron Druid Chronicles, Book 1

    • UNABRIDGED (8 hrs and 11 mins)
    • By Kevin Hearne
    • Narrated By Luke Daniels
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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"
  • 4.6 (5601 ratings)
    Voyager
    Play Voyager

    Voyager

    • UNABRIDGED (43 hrs and 51 mins)
    • By Diana Gabaldon
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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!"
  • 4.6 (4844 ratings)
    Drums of Autumn
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    Drums of Autumn

    • UNABRIDGED (45 hrs and 23 mins)
    • By Diana Gabaldon
    • Narrated By Davina Porter
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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 (3845 ratings)
    An Echo in the Bone: A Novel
    Play An Echo in the Bone: A Novel

    An Echo in the Bone: A Novel

    • UNABRIDGED (45 hrs and 58 mins)
    • By Diana Gabaldon
    • Narrated By Davina Porter
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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 (3625 ratings)
    Death Masks: The Dresden Files, Book 5
    Play Death Masks: The Dresden Files, Book 5

    Death Masks: The Dresden Files, Book 5

    • UNABRIDGED (11 hrs and 21 mins)
    • By Jim Butcher
    • Narrated By James Marsters
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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?"
  • 4.6 (3363 ratings)
    Tricked: The Iron Druid Chronicles, Book 4
    Play Tricked: The Iron Druid Chronicles, Book 4

    Tricked: The Iron Druid Chronicles, Book 4

    • UNABRIDGED (10 hrs and 41 mins)
    • By Kevin Hearne
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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"
  • 4.3 (3111 ratings)
    Anansi Boys
    Play Anansi Boys

    Anansi Boys

    • UNABRIDGED (10 hrs and 8 mins)
    • By Neil Gaiman
    • Narrated By Lenny Henry
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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"
  • Ship of Magic: The Liveship Traders, Book 1
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    Ship of Magic: The Liveship Traders, Book 1

    • UNABRIDGED (35 hrs and 24 mins)
    • By Robin Hobb
    • Narrated By Anne Flosnik
    Overall
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    Bingtown is a hub of exotic trade and home to a merchant nobility famed for its liveships---rare vessels carved from wizardwood, which ripens magically into sentient awareness. The fortunes of one of Bingtown's oldest families rest on the newly awakened liveship Vivacia. For Althea Vestrit, the ship is her rightful legacy unjustly denied her---a legacy she will risk anything to reclaim.

    Lorena says: "Something altogether new"
  • Spider's Bite: Elemental Assassin, Book 1
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    Spider's Bite: Elemental Assassin, Book 1

    • UNABRIDGED (11 hrs and 59 mins)
    • By Jennifer Estep
    • Narrated By Lauren Fortgang
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (1731)
    Performance
    (1187)
    Story
    (1194)

    They call me the Spider. I'm the most feared assassin in the South -- when I'm not busy at the Pork Pit cooking up the best barbecue in Ashland. As a Stone elemental, I can hear everything from the whispers of the gravel beneath my feet to the vibrations of the soaring Appalachian Mountains above me. My Ice magic also comes in handy for making the occasional knife. But I don't use my powers on the job unless I absolutely have to. Call it professional pride.

    amanda says: "I am bitten"
  • The Black Company: Chronicles of The Black Company, Book 1
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    The Black Company: Chronicles of The Black Company, Book 1

    • UNABRIDGED (10 hrs and 54 mins)
    • By Glen Cook
    • Narrated By Marc Vietor
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (757)
    Performance
    (460)
    Story
    (460)

    Some feel the Lady, newly risen from centuries in thrall, stands between humankind and evil. Some feel she is evil itself. The hardbitten men of the Black Company take their pay and do what they must, burying their doubts with their dead - until the prophesy: The White Rose has been reborn, somewhere, to embody good once more. There must be a way for the Black Company to find her....

    Peter says: "Great Story, Narrator Takes Getting Used To"
  • Outlander
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    Outlander

    • UNABRIDGED (33 hrs and 8 mins)
    • By Diana Gabaldon
    • Narrated By Davina Porter
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    Overall
    (11044)
    Performance
    (5669)
    Story
    (5477)

    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"
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  • The Sleeping Dragon: Guardians of the Flame, Book 1
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    The Sleeping Dragon: Guardians of the Flame, Book 1

    • UNABRIDGED (9 hrs and 2 mins)
    • By Joel Rosenberg
    • Narrated By Keith Silverstein
    Overall
    (39)
    Performance
    (35)
    Story
    (35)

    It began as just another evening of fantasy gaming with James, Karl, Andrea, and the rest ready to assume their various roles as wizard, cleric, warrior, or thief. But sorcerous gamemaster Professor Deighton had something else planned for this unsuspecting group of college students. And the "game" soon became a matter of life and death as the seven adventurers found themselves transported to an alternate world and into the bodies of the actual characters they had been pretending to be....

    greg says: "Great Memories From My Teenage Years!"
  • On the Edge: The Edge, Book 1
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    On the Edge: The Edge, Book 1

    • UNABRIDGED (12 hrs and 8 mins)
    • By Ilona Andrews
    • Narrated By Renée Raudman
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (965)
    Performance
    (588)
    Story
    (597)

    Rose Drayton lives on the Edge, between the world of the Broken (where people drive cars, shop at Wal-Mart, and magic is a fairy tale) and the Weird (where blueblood aristocrats rule, changelings roam, and the strength of your magic can change your destiny). Only Edgers like Rose can easily travel from one world to the next, but they never truly belong in either.

    Karen says: "Wow...wow...what?"
  • Darkfever: Fever, Book 1
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    Darkfever: Fever, Book 1

    • UNABRIDGED (8 hrs and 57 mins)
    • By Karen Marie Moning
    • Narrated By Joyce Bean
    Overall
    (1688)
    Performance
    (747)
    Story
    (756)

    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!"
  • Split Infinity: Apprentice Adept Series, Book 1
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    Split Infinity: Apprentice Adept Series, Book 1

    • UNABRIDGED (13 hrs and 11 mins)
    • By Piers Anthony
    • Narrated By Traber Burns
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (576)
    Performance
    (303)
    Story
    (307)

    On the technological, decadent world of Proton, someone was trying to destroy Stile, serf and master Gamesman. His only escape lay in Phaze, a world totally ruled by magic. Soon he learned that his alternate self had already been murdered, and that he was next. On Proton, his fate depended on winning the great Games. On Phaze, he must master magic to survive. And if he used any magic at all, his friends were determined to kill him at once!

    Jerry says: "Favorite Piers Anthony Series"
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  • A Witch's Handbook of Kisses and Curses: Half Moon Hollow, Book 2

    • UNABRIDGED (8 hrs and 59 mins)
    • By Molly Harper
    • Narrated By Amanda Ronconi
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    (0)
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    (0)
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    (0)

    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....

  • 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
    (106)
    Performance
    (95)
    Story
    (94)

    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."
  • 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
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (2433)
    Performance
    (2088)
    Story
    (2089)

    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"
  • First Truth: Truth Series, Book 1
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    First Truth: Truth Series, Book 1

    • UNABRIDGED (13 hrs and 21 mins)
    • By Dawn Cook
    • Narrated By Marguerite Gavin
    • Whispersync for Voice-ready
    Overall
    (460)
    Performance
    (248)
    Story
    (251)

    Alissa doesn’t believe in magic. Her father’s stories about the Hold, a legendary fortress where human Keepers learn magic from the enigmatic Masters, are just that—stories. But her mother insists Alissa has inherited her father’s magical ability, so she must go to the Hold to be trained. On her way, she crosses paths with Strell, a wandering musician from the plains.

    Liz says: "Don't be Mislead"
  • 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
    (1)
    Performance
    (1)
    Story
    (1)

    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.

  •  
  • 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.

  •  
  • A Train Through Time
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    A Train Through Time

    • UNABRIDGED (6 hrs and 3 mins)
    • By Bess McBride
    • Narrated By Joseph Antone
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    College teacher Ellie Standish awakens from a night's doze to find herself on a bizarre historical train full of late Victorian era re-enactors who refuse to come out of character. When the leader of the group-handsome, green-eyed Robert Chamberlain-finally convinces her the date is indeed 1901, a skeptical Ellie rejects any eccentric theories of time travel and presumes she is smack dab in the middle of a very interesting historical dream. She turns the directorial reins of her dream over to smitten and willing Robert, only to realize that dreams cannot last forever.

  • 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
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    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.

  • The Brazen Amazon: Alliance of the Amazons, Book 3
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    The Brazen Amazon: Alliance of the Amazons, Book 3

    • UNABRIDGED (12 hrs and 55 mins)
    • By Sandy James
    • Narrated By Cynthia Barrett
    Overall
    (1)
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    (1)
    Story
    (1)

    Zach Hanson is a tech wizard, capable of creating and improving gadgets - including remote nuclear warhead launchers. But he's always known that he's destined for something more, something greater, something...supernatural. Powerful Air Amazon Gina Himmel is one of four sisters called to protect the world from those who would do it harm. Demigods in league with an Ancient have been taking over the bodies of leaders in the military and technological sectors, and Gina is sent to San Francisco to watch over Zach.

  • The Warlock's Curse
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    The Warlock's Curse

    • UNABRIDGED (12 hrs and 45 mins)
    • By M. K. Hobson
    • Narrated By Pat Young
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    The Year is 1910. Eighteen-year-old Will Edwards has landed a prestigious apprenticeship at Detroit’s Tesla Industries, the most advanced scientific research center in the United States. It’s a plum prize for a young man who dreams of a career in the new science of Otherwhere Engineering.