Hard Magic

Book I of the Grimnoir Chronicles

By: Larry Correia

Narrated by: Bronson Pinchot

Length: 16 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's summary

Audie Award, Paranormal, 2012

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 someone to go after a suspected killer who has been knocking off banks in a magic-enhanced crime spree.

Problems arise when Jake discovers the bad girl behind the robberies is an old friend, and he happens to know her magic is just as powerful as his. And the Feds have plunged Jake into a secret battle between powerful cartels of magic-users - a cartel whose ruthless leaders have decided that Jake is far too dangerous to live.

©2011 Larry Correia (P)2011 Audible, Inc.

Great series. I keep replaying it.

It's like a guilty pleasure movie. Incredible voice acting by Balky. (You'll have to reference that)

this book is a hoot

the characters were great the story was great I've read this book several times and it just keeps getting better

A good read for lovers of over the top fantacy.

Fast moving and gritty. I good read from the point of view of a fantastic group against an unstoppable foe. A might to far on the indestructible character routine. It had an emotional edge and poignant plot lines. I would buy it again.

Surprisingly Refreshing!

If you could sum up Hard Magic in three words, what would they be?

Pulp fiction magic

Who was your favorite character and why?

Fay was my favorite as you really get to feel some character depth and development. Also, I like that intelligence is not defined by what you have read. She is very much a character that sticks heavily to her beliefs and cares about what happens in the world. I adored her.

What does Bronson Pinchot bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Bronson is amazing! His voices truly gave depth and flavor to this world that I don't think would have been possible in reading the novel. I knew what character was speaking just by how they sounded and their phrasing. He mastered the pauses and the tone so well that I started looking for other books he narrated just to hear him do it again.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Casablanca meets the world of magic...

Any additional comments?

I loved this book and really adored the quotes at the beginning of the chapters to show how magic could alter the history of the world. I really liked the alternate reality concept.

Phenomenal!

If you could sum up Hard Magic in three words, what would they be?

unpredictable, well developed, fun

What does Bronson Pinchot bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

It's like listening to a movie. Bronson perfectly captures the tone, pitch and nuance of every character--from a little girl to a powerful brute.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It made me imagine!

Any additional comments?

What a discovery. I'm looking up more books by this author and this narrator.

Exceptional urban fantasy

What can I say except that Mr. Correia has done it again. Great characters and a great story that's well paced on top of a first rate performance from Mr. Pinchot combine to make a most enjoyable experience.

enjoyed it

It took me awhile to actually listen to this audiobook. I originally got it on sale and I started listening but didn't care for it right away.

I like other books by this author, so I finally gave it a shot and listened for more than a chapter and got sucked in. I am off to get the next book now.

Great book

Would you consider the audio edition of Hard Magic to be better than the print version?

yes, the narration does it for me. Bronson Pinchot does a great job

What did you like best about this story?

I didn't think I would like anything as well as MHI, but I really did enjoy this series more than I thought. I like the action, the way the story was told and the characters

What does Bronson Pinchot bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The skill of a great narrator. They have an ability to really bring things to life, not just the words they read, but how they read it

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

yes

OMG love it!

Larry Correia is a master story teller and Bronson Pinchot brings this story to life like no one else can.

Bronson Pinchot brings a great story to life

Where does Hard Magic rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It's up there with the best. I'm not sure whether or not I would have enjoyed it as much if I had not had it so masterfully read to me.

What did you like best about this story?

The characters are very sympathetic, and the action is non-stop. The re-writing of history around the advent of magic makes perfect sense, and the fiction feels authentic in the context. Correia has a light hand, ensuring the story has all the appeal of classic pulp fiction, but a natural feel for our not-so-distant past, rendering a new reality with all the assurance of an impressionist.

What about Bronson Pinchot’s performance did you like?

His British accent was a little over the top, but my ear is not fine enough to have picked up any issues with the rest, and both Sullivan and Fay were impeccably drawn, with distinct voices, and warmly reassuring accents. Pinchot brings each character to life, and makes one fall in love with them in the most natural way.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

History rewritten by magic

Any additional comments?

I recommend this to any Pratchett fan, any 20th century history buff with fantastic leanings, and anyone who just wants an action-packed romp. Escapist fiction at its best!