Kyle

If you read several of the listener ratings you will find that half love it and half hate it. This is not anything like LotR. This is bigger in every respect. The world is bigger, the characters are deeper and thjere are many, many, more of them. If you take on this series you need to be ready to focus. If you listen half heartedly you will be lost very quickly. I understand some of the points of the bad reviews. This series is detailed. You will always know what everyone is wearing and what every room looks like and some people will find it tiresome. I however really get a sense of being in the story and that is why I read/listen. If your thing is a movie type book, a few hours and everything is rapped up, then you are looking for something else. There are many great stand alone books on this site alone but if you are looking for a neck deep fantasy with as much intrigue as can be put on paper then look no further. Personally this and the Sword of Truth are my favorites. Be warned though that the author recently died and the 12th book (A Memory of Light) is now being written by Brandon Sanderson of Mistborn. The final installment is about 60% through the rough draft phase. I usually dont get books until the series is done because i cant stand waiting a year to see how it ends but just the fact that the last book is on its way has prompted me into a second go round on this series so I know exactly what is going on. WHether you get this one or not happy listening.

I never write bad reviews because I have enjoyed many books that had poor reviews overall. I also think comments on narrarators are very much tied to a particular listeners taste. However this audiobook requires a warning to all. The narrarator does a poor job. I could not put my finger on what was wrong for a while and then it hit me. This narrarator pauses in the middle of sentences where he shouldn't. I'm not talking about pauses for effect. I'm talking about wierd disconnects and it happens often. Things like "I turned *2 second pause* around to look, and saw it was not truely *3 second pause* there. I have over 400 titles in my library and am proud to say I have finished all but a handful. But this is the first book that I had to turn off, not because the content was bad, but because I couldn't take the narrarator any longer. The storyline is fine. It's not going to blow you away, but for listeners like me that are waiting for the next Wheel of Time or GRRM book and have exhausted every recommended title on audible it is ok. But the *3 second pause* narraration is stunted and unlistenable.

This series stayed in my wish list for months while I picked other titles to listen to. After rereading the intro I decided to get it. I am a big Wheel of Time fan as well as George Martin and Terry Brooks. This one is different but still good. Different use of magic with a good mix of description and action. I felt I understood the surroundings but they werent over down. It is listed as kids fiction but I think adult listeners would enjoy this as well. Not a lot of gore except the description of dead flesh other than that good story... good listen...