City of the Fallen Sky

By: Tim Pratt

Narrated by: Victor Bevine

Length: 9 hrs and 15 mins

Publisher's summary

Once a student of alchemy with the dark scholars of the Technic League, Alaeron fled their arcane order when his conscience got the better of him, taking with him a few strange devices of unknown function. Now in hiding in a distant city, he's happy to use his skills creating minor potions and wonders - at least until the back-alley rescue of an adventurer named Jaya lands him in trouble with a powerful crime lord. In order to keep their heads, Alaeron and Jaya must travel across wide seas and steaming jungles in search of a wrecked flying city and the magical artifacts that can buy their freedom. Yet the Technic League hasn't forgotten Alaeron's betrayal, and an assassin armed with alien weaponry is hot on their trail....

©2012 Paizo Publishing, LLC (P)2015 Audible, Inc.

Two stories in one

Loved the story and the back story all in one. All the lands traveled each unique and Pathfinder true. I look forward to the next book in the series.

A wonderful Journey

It was an amazing journey starting with a scene setting first few chapters that evolve into slow revelations of the characters true merits as you listen/read. On par, in my opinion, with the Liars series

Great book in the Pathfinder tales series

I really enjoy Victor Bevine's reading of this. I don't have time to read often so audio books are the only way I'm able to enjoy great books. I recommend City of the Fallen Sky to any fantasy reader.

Not a good standalone piece

A friend of mine has been trying to sell me on Pathfinder as a franchise, to middling success. This book, which he recommended, has not helped.

This book serves more as a tour through Pathfinder's world of Golarion than as a proper story. Pratt does his best, and does introduce a couple interesting ideas, namely with the MC's artifacts. But overall, its obvious that there isn't much room for change, both in the setting's status quo and in the characters.

Unfortunately, the characters as they are weren't terribly engaging either. Alaeron is just a general sleeze, and aside from his one moment of heroism in the beginning, he does nothing of interest. Jaya is just a Girl, and serves as little more than a carrot to lead the plot along. I would applaud Skiver for representation, but introducing the one openly gay man in the novel as the least reputable cutthroat you've ever seen, and not even having the decency to actually make the cutthroat part fun, doesn't earn any marks.

Honestly, the book isn't terrible. I finished it. It was fine. But it's far from great.

running a campaign based off this

this help give me a lot of ideas to run one of my own campaigns like this one

Don't miss this one.

I've been listening to all the Pathfinder Tales in order and this has been the best of the series so far. It’s an engaging story with likeable characters and a great bad guy in the vein of the Terminator. Great LGBT representation as well, one of the party is a gay man without that being central to the character and presented in a non-pandering way. Additionally, the book does a great job world building across Golarion which is very useful for PFRPG players and GMs.

Good adventure

I wasn't familiar with the Pathfinder universe before this and found "City of the Fallen Sky" a good jumping on point. I liked that the main character wasn't some overpowered hero. It's a pretty standard story of unlikely companions going on a journey, facing challenges and danger, and becoming friends (sort of) along the way. The magic and world and characters are interesting. It's all basic fantasy genre tropes but they're done well enough not to feel cliche. Some aspects are genuinely intriguing and made me want to know more. I got more invested than I expected to be and was satisfied with how it all played out.

Great start to a great series

Developed characters, and a engrossing story that is above your basic fantasy tropes. pathfinder tales delivers again!

Classic and fun

A good story. Good characters, good narrative.
I loved how it ended. Only the political correct aspects kept this book from 5 stars.

Fun and awesome.

I wish Victor Bevine narrated all books. He always portrays the characters smoothly and gives their dialogue a natural flowing essence.