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Forge of Darkness
- Kharkanas Trilogy, Book 1
- Narrated by: Daniel Philpott
- Length: 31 hrs and 55 mins
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Publisher's summary
Steven Erikson entered the pantheon of great fantasy writers in 1999 with his debut, Gardens of the Moon. In the span of just 10 years, he completed his epic telling of the Malazan Book of the Fallen, collecting hordes of fans along the way. Now Erikson returns with a place for new listeners to enter the Malazan world, a trilogy that takes place at a time before the events of the concluded series.
Forge of Darkness takes listeners to Kurald Galain, the warren of Darkness, and tells of a realm whose fate plays a crucial role in the fall of the Malazan Empire and surrounds one of the Malazan world’s most fascinating and powerful characters, Anomander Rake. It’s a conflicted time in Kurald Galain, where Mother Dark reigns above the Tiste people. But this ancient land was once home to many a power...and even death is not quite eternal.
The commoners’ great hero, Vatha Urusander, longs for ascendency and Mother Dark’s hand in marriage, but she has taken another Consort, Lord Draconus, from the faraway Dracons Hold. The idea of this union sends fissures throughout the realm, and as the rumors of an inevitable civil war burn through the masses, something emerges from the long-dead seas. The Vitr - an ancient power that shakes the dormant and dying powers of the past. Caught in the middle of it all are the Sons of Darkness: Anomander, Andarist, and Silchas Ruin of the Purake Hold.
It’s a time of great strife as the past and the present of this warren boil with unfathomable alliances, great deceptions, and even greater passions...of both love and hate. This ancient tale within the world Erikson introduced in the Malazan Book of the Fallen should appeal to fans of George R. R. Martin for its characters and intrigue, but goes leaps further in the realm of the imagination.
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It sticks in your head.
- By Door on 09-07-13
By: Mark Lawrence
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Battle of Kings
- By: M. K. Hume
- Narrated by: Steven Crossley
- Length: 17 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
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In the town of Segontium a wild storm washes a fugitive ashore. He brutally rapes the granddaughter of the ruler of the Deceangli tribe, leaving her to bear his son, Myrddion Merlinus (Merlin). Spurned as a demon seed, the child is raised by his grandmother and, as soon as he turns nine, he is apprenticed to a skilled alchemist who hones the boy’s remarkable gift of prophecy. Meanwhile, the High King of the Britons, Vortigern, is rebuilding the ancient fortress at Dinas Emrys.
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Underrated book author and narrator!
- By Zachary on 04-15-22
By: M. K. Hume
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Child of Vengeance
- A Novel
- By: David Kirk
- Narrated by: Mark Bramhall
- Length: 15 hrs
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Overall
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Japan in the late 16th century was a land in turmoil. Lords of the great clans schemed against one another, served by aristocratic samurai bound to them by a rigid code of honor. Bennosuke is a high-born but lonely teenager living in his ancestral village. His mother died when he was a young boy, and his powerful warrior father Munisai has abandoned him for a life of service to his Lord, Shinmei. Bennosuke has been raised by his uncle Dorinbo, a Buddhist monk who urges the boy to forgo the violence of the samurai and embrace the contemplative life.
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Clever weaving of history and fiction.
- By JW Crummett on 02-25-16
By: David Kirk
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Hero of Rome
- By: Douglas Jackson
- Narrated by: Cornelius Garrett
- Length: 11 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
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The Roman grip on Britain is weakening. Emperor Nero has turned his face away from this far-flung outpost. The Druids are on the rise, spreading seeds of rebellion among the British tribes. Roman cruelty and exploitation has angered their British subjects. The warrior queen Boudicca will lead the tribes to war. Standing against the rising tide of Boudicca's rebellion is Roman Tribune, Gaius Valerius Verrens, Commander of the veteran legions at Colonia.
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Good story, well told and well read
- By Mike Varley on 10-01-14
By: Douglas Jackson
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The Serpent Sword
- The Bernicia Chronicles, Book 1
- By: Matthew Harffy
- Narrated by: Barnaby Edwards
- Length: 12 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
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Performance
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Story
Beobrand is compelled by his brother's almost-certain murder to embark on a quest for revenge in the war-ravaged kingdoms of Northumbria. The land is rife with danger, as warlords vie for supremacy and dominion. In the battles for control of the region, new oaths are made and broken, and loyalties are tested to the limits. With no patronage and no experience, Beobrand must form his own allegiances and learn to fight with sword and shield. Relentless in pursuit of his enemies, he faces challenges which transform him from a boy to a man.
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Amazing story, needs a warning in the description.
- By Lisa Schilling on 04-12-17
By: Matthew Harffy
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Abomination
- By: Gary Whitta
- Narrated by: John Lee
- Length: 11 hrs
- Unabridged
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He is England's greatest knight, the man who saved the life of Alfred the Great and an entire kingdom from a Viking invasion. But when he is called back into service to combat a plague of monstrous beasts known as abominations, he meets a fate worse than death and is condemned to a life of anguish, solitude, and remorse. She is a fierce young warrior, raised among an elite order of knights. Driven by a dark secret from her past, she defies her controlling father and sets out on a dangerous quest.
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cool concept. typical execution.
- By Amazon Customer on 11-22-16
By: Gary Whitta
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Legend
- Drenai Series
- By: David Gemmell
- Narrated by: Sean Barrett
- Length: 13 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
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Druss, Captain of the Axe: the stories of his life were told everywhere. Instead of the wealth and fame he could have claimed, he had chosen a mountain lair, high in the lonely country bordering on the clouds. There the grizzled old warrior kept company with snow leopards and awaited his old enemy, death.
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Two Legends Come to Audible
- By Carol on 06-26-17
By: David Gemmell
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Shapechangers
- Chronicles of the Cheysuli, Book 1
- By: Jennifer Roberson
- Narrated by: Bronson Pinchot
- Length: 10 hrs and 41 mins
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Shapechangers. They were the Cheysuli, a race of magical warriors gifted with the ability to assume animal shape at will. For centuries they had been allies to the King of Homana, treasured champions of the realm. Until a king’s daughter ran away with a Cheysuli liege man and caused a war of annihilation against the Cheysuli race. Twenty-five years later the Cheysuli were hunted exiles in their own land, feared for their sorcery, their shapechanging.
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Victims of R-assult/kidnapping BEWARE
- By A. on 06-26-21
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Kushiel's Dart
- By: Jacqueline Carey
- Narrated by: Anne Flosnik
- Length: 31 hrs and 5 mins
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The land of Terre d'Ange is a place of unsurpassing beauty and grace. It is said that angels found the land and saw it was good...and the ensuing race that rose from the seed of angels and men live by one simple rule: Love as thou wilt.
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The Kushiel series in order
- By Glen Gaines on 10-27-09
By: Jacqueline Carey
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Feast of Souls
- Magister Trilogy, Book 1
- By: C. S. Friedman
- Narrated by: Elisabeth Rodgers
- Length: 18 hrs and 12 mins
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C.S. Friedman, acclaimed author of The Coldfire Trilogy, returns to the epic style which has made her one of the most popular fantasy writers in the genre. In this first book of the trilogy, Friedman introduces listeners to a world of high fantasy, replete with vampire-like magical powers, erotic interludes, treachery, war, sorcery, and a draconic creature of horrific power and evil that will have listeners eagerly awaiting the next novel in the series.
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difficult in the beginning but........
- By Amazon Customer on 04-29-13
By: C. S. Friedman
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Shadowmarch
- Shadowmarch, Volume I
- By: Tad Williams
- Narrated by: Dick Hill
- Length: 29 hrs and 19 mins
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Overall
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For generations the misty Shadowline has marked the boundary between the lands of men and the lost northern lands that are the lair of their inhuman enemies, the ageless Qar. But now that boundary line is moving outward, threatening to engulf the northernmost land in which humans still live - the kingdom of Southmarch.
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It's the characters that matter...
- By JC on 11-09-10
By: Tad Williams
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The Skystone
- Camulod Chronicles, Book 1
- By: Jack Whyte
- Narrated by: Kevin Pariseau
- Length: 21 hrs and 3 mins
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Everyone knows the story-how Arthur pulled the sword from the stone, how Camelot came to be, and about the power struggles that ultimately destroyed Arthur's dreams. But what of the time before Arthur and the forces that created him?
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Fascinating new series
- By Jim R. Whitt Jr. on 08-27-13
By: Jack Whyte
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The Dark Mirror
- Bridei Trilogy #1
- By: Juliet Marillier
- Narrated by: Michael Page
- Length: 24 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
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One bitter Midwinter's Eve, everything changes when Bridei finds a child on their doorstep - a child abandoned by the Fair Folk. It is the height of ill fortune to have truck with the Fair Folk, and all in the area counsel the babe's death. But Bridei sees an old and precious magic at work and, heedless of the danger, fights to save the child. Broichan is wary but relents, for Bridei must grow to be his own man and make his own decisions.
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disappointing
- By Binia on 11-18-08
By: Juliet Marillier
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The powerful city-state of Saraykeht is a bastion of peace and culture, a major center of commerce and trade. Its economy depends on the power of the captive spirit Seedless, an and at bound to the poet-sorcerer Heshai for life. Enter the Galts, an empire committed to laying waste to all lands with their ferocious army. Saraykeht has always been too strong for the Galts to attack, but now they see an opportunity.
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For generations the misty Shadowline has marked the boundary between the lands of men and the lost northern lands that are the lair of their inhuman enemies, the ageless Qar. But now that boundary line is moving outward, threatening to engulf the northernmost land in which humans still live - the kingdom of Southmarch.
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It's the characters that matter...
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The Lowlands’ city states have lived in peace for decades, hailed as bastions of civilization. Yet that peace is about to end. A distant empire has been conquering neighbours with highly trained soldiers and sophisticated combat techniques. And the city states are its desirable new prize. Only the ageing Stenwold Maker – spymaster, artificer and statesman – foresees the threat, as the empires’ armies march ever closer. So it falls upon his shoulders to open the eyes of the cities’ leaders.
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A hidden gem in Epic Fantasy
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EMPEROR: The Gates of Rome, Book 1 (Unabridged)
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On a small estate just outside Rome in the first century BC, two boys become blood brothers, little imagining the extraordinary future that lies before them. As friends and rivals, Gaius and Marcus are destined to find lasting fame.
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thin characterizations, focus on fights and battle
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What listeners say about Forge of Darkness
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Michael
- 11-08-12
A Precursor Epic Fantasy - A Rewarding Beginning!
Steven Erikson challenges the traditional fantasy genre' with his "Book of the Fallen" series, and again, more so, with this first book in his new precursor Kharkanas trilogy, "Forge of Darkness."
First, a brief review: A stirring, powerful, thought-provoking, wonderful "must read."
Now, a bit more info.
I've read this before I listened to it. It's HUGE. Just as in his "Fallen" works, this requires you to think. AND. It's setting the groundworks for a strong, amazing trilogy down the road. If you liked "Gardens of the Moon," which I've already reviewed here at Audible, you'll love this book. "Gardens" carries it's work somewhat herein, so you'll be comfortable. The descriptions are astounding, the plots and storylines immense, and the fantasy element is superb. A powerful mix of fantasy, machiavellian plots and engaging characters.
No spoilers here, as usual. I WILL tell you to look at my review of Erikson's "Gardens of the Moon," so you can get a better idea, if you need one.
This is EPIC. Strong fantasy at it's finest. And just like "Gardens," it's not a casual listen.
This is fantasy on par with NOTHING else out there. It's unique and refreshing. And again, anyone who knows Erikson's works will agree: He's preparing us in this first book for very great things.
Enjoy.
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- Damon
- 03-29-14
Not As Good As The Malazan Books
I'm a huge fan of the Malazan series and consider Erickson to be one of the best, if not the best, of the epic fantasy authors. I assume you've read some of the Malazan books if you're contemplating this book. This book is similar to the Malazan books in that involves massive world building and development of a huge cast of characters, most with difficult names that sometimes sound like others (an issue that may only be problematic when reading the audio version). While the scale and slow pace of the book is frustrating, it's also very much Erickson's typical approach. That said, this book seemed even harder to follow than the Malazan books. It constantly bounces around between characters and plot lines (again, as is typical), but unlike the Malazan books, the plot lines here rarely do anything interesting and often very little happens each time you re-encounter a character. There's also a dearth of enjoyable or comedic characters, as can be found in most Malazan books. As a result of all this, the book is a bit tedious, but worst of all, it lacks a real pay off. This may be due to the fact that it's the first in a trilogy, but that doesn't absolve it from the need to be enjoyable on its own, and it falls short of my expectation in this regard. I'm sure I'll read the next installment, but if it's the same as book one, I may not read the third. If you read it, I hope you enjoy it more than I did.
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- Kyle
- 01-14-13
Not for the commute
I had hoped that in ten years the author would have learned to write a less disjointed plot. He has not. I still found myself forgetting who the characters were and where they fit into the plot. This book, like all of this author's books, demands attention, and getting distracted for a few minutes leaves you lost in a land of square pegs and round holes. Obfuscation is not art.
However, the joy of this book is also its weakness. The command of the English language displayed in this book is stunning. It merits the comparison to Jack Vance's Dying Earth; the very complexity of the language creates a sense of other-worldliness that, combined with imagery, creates a captivating world and a captivating story. Like Vance (or like Shakespeare for that matter), this book is a high-effort, high reward read.
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- Bri
- 01-02-13
I can't believe I have to wait for the next book!
Where does Forge of Darkness rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
Right at the top. The production is great, the narrator is engaging and consistent. Erikson is at his most philosophical and his prose is deliciously dark, but at times still warm and humorous.
Who was your favorite character and why?
Draconus. He is the beating heart of the book for me.
What about Daniel Philpott’s performance did you like?
The most important thing about a narrator for me is that they make it easier, not harder, to follow the storyline. Philpott does this.
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- Reese
- 06-05-19
the whispering
very inconsistent volume from the narrator. at times the whispers are barely audible, so I turn up the volume only to have screaming bust my ears.
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- rickey lee
- 05-18-17
cant even get into this
i have listened to all of the malazan series(&loved it), i was looking forward to this book, but with the narrorator changing pronunciations of names and places it makes it hard to follow and harder to want to. i made it about 2 hrs into it and gave up, which is rare for me since i sit on a tractor 6 to 10 hrs a day.
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- Aminar
- 10-02-16
Not up to Malazan Par
Still better than most other books, but the way the story is told is disorienting at first and for a book its size not a lot happens, there's just a lot of PoV's showing the same things. It suffers from prequal syndrome.
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- Grace Ausley
- 03-10-15
Not What the Fans Were Hoping For
What a shame. This book is a missed opportunity to be a new starting point for new readers of the series. Instead, this feels more unapproachable than Gardens of the Moon by far. There are vast sections of boringness, with near endless thought monologue involving minor characters that we've never met and frankly don't care about. If you were hoping for character viewpoints of your favorites, such as Anomander Rake, Silchas Ruin, Caladan Brood, and Draconis, you'll be disappointed.
As the name implies, this book is dark. It's full of sex, grotesque sexual references, rape and brutal violence and gore. Nearly every new scene gets around to the topic of sex, in which it is crudely discussed, then either had, implied, or forced. This gets old really fast, for me.
The problems with this book are the same ones in all of this series. There are several things that stand out in this series that are totally unrealistic. First, every soldier is a philosopher. We get pages and pages of philosophical imaginings by small nobodies and line soldiers. Doesn't anyone have a more simplistic view of life in this world? It's a big mistake to make so many characters so similar.
Secondly, I think it's a mistake to make all of the elder gods, and the ascendants and ancient characters from the Malazan series, to all be contemporaries in this book. I feel that it cheapens the history when we're basically told that the Malazan series was just the same characters from this book getting back together to make war upon each other again. There is very little revealed about any of them, making it feel lacking in terms of payoff.
Finally, all the women in this series are voraciously oversexed. The women in the Malazan series have more sexual appetite then the men in most fantasy series, and in fact they actually act more like men instead of real women. Those who do not, who are in the least bit clean and unsullied, are brutally raped and murdered as a general rule. In fact, there is so much atrocity, child slaughter, and rape-fests in this book I wonder if his was some kind if catharsis for Erikson's dark side, where he could envision the most terrible things happening that he dared write down on a page.
Even if you're a fan of the main series, I don't recommend this book. There are certain cases where the image in your kind of what happened long ago will always be better than the book/movie depicting those events. This is one of those cases.
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- Anka Epsley
- 01-05-14
Catch of the Day
What made the experience of listening to Forge of Darkness the most enjoyable?
I'm a huge fan of Steven Erikson and his mythic, Malazan, decalogy so, naturally, an appointment with Forge of Darkness was on my calendar. His twisting depths of narrative never cease to enthral, and this is no exception. I am an avid reader but thoroughly enjoy the freedom an audiobook can grant.
What did you like best about this story?
Wonderful detail, the intricate unfolding of character relationships, with the customary amount of humour, and the beautiful mythic, overall plot. What is not to like?
How did the narrator detract from the book?
Well, there is the matter of the continuity and correct pronunciation of names from the previous books, which does seem careless given the amount of loving fans who surely will have noticed this. It would be well worth while obtaining a list of correct pronunciations from Erikson himself to finally end the confusion amongst the different narrators of his works.
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- C
- 03-29-13
Terrible
This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?
Anyone who enjoys 32 hours of immortal self respective. Teases u enough to keep listing with a tid bit here and there. He sucked me in all the way to the end. Just more circumspect! And mental agony.
Would you ever listen to anything by Steven Erikson again?
I enjoyed the first two books and will listen to the third.
What didn’t you like about Daniel Philpott’s performance?
The narrator did a fine job
If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Forge of Darkness?
More magic, less characters, less psychological sessions usually one character self analyzing!! The language he uses tends to make ur mind drift. Written in words used 100 years ago , and a lot more action!!
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