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.

Lots of fun

Have you listened to any of Bronson Pinchot’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Having been an Audible member for several years, I've had the chance to hear performances from many different voice actors, some are very good and can really bring you into the story. I have to say that Bronson Pinchot is easily one of the best he does an outstanding job bringing the characters to life!

Any additional comments?

I will be up front and say i'm a sucker for urban fantasy, however Larry Correia has done an OUTSTANDING job creating a really fun and believable (in its scope) world

So much more than the copy suggests!

I'm not sure the person who wrote the blurb actually read the book, because it describes such a small part of the world created here. Do yourself a favor, trust the people who love it and take the plunge!

The best audiobook I have listened to. Six stars!!

What made the experience of listening to Hard Magic the most enjoyable?

Bronson Pinchot masterful narration (as close to perfection as can be expected) and a remarkable story with fantastic action scenes and memorable characters. What more could you want.

What did you like best about this story?

It's hard to pick a favorite. The narration was fantastic. The story exciting. The magic battles intense. The historical references are brilliant. Great story. Highly recommended.

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

His narration was stellar. He does voices and accents very well. The voice of the character known as the Pale Horse was chilling and got under my skin. This is one narrator I would buy audiobooks just to listen to him read them.

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

I wish I could, but it is too long for that.

Any additional comments?

If you got a credit, this would be a good audiobook to spend it on. I bought the rest of the trilogy and the second book is great too. Looking forward to finishing it and going on to the third.

If I could give more than five stars, I would.

incredible!

absolutely brilliant work of art and a masterpiece. I absolutely love the idea and the way the magic works. can't wait to check out the next book and hopefully more!

Wild ride! Lots of fun

Bronson Pinchot did a marvelous job with a really great story. Larry and Bronson make a great combination.

Great Listen

Story takes to another time line. Very entertaining, highly recommend, good ending. Ready for next one.

Don’t Judge This Book by It’s Cover

If I’d have seen the cover I would not have bought the book. Please do something about the horrible cover. This book is so much better than what the awful cover portrays. You’re going to deter a lot of listeners. To everyone out there give the book a chance. As always Mr. Pinchot does a superb job.

Captivating, unpredictable, spectacular storyline- I’m Hooked!

I cannot wait to listen to this whole darn series. I know we I liked Larry’s books due to his Tom Strange stories, and boom this really impressed me. I cannot wait to hear the next book!

So Good I Bought the Book and the Audiobook

If you like intricate and well-planned magic systems, brilliant plots, exciting pacing, well-developed characters, and a perfect dose of stuff blowing up, Larry Correia's Hard Magic is for you. I love this story. It is mentally and emotionally completely satisfying, yet maintains a quick, light feel. It's fun to listen to. And even better: it's narrated by Bronson Pinchot, who is, without doubt, the best narrator I've encountered thus far. He does all the voices, not just distinctly, but vividly. The life that he breathes into each and every one is, well, just plain delicious. It's so good that I'm buying every book in this series both in hardback and as an audiobook--as long as Pinchot continues as narrator!

Simply, the best audiobook I've ever encountered

WWI was fought, in part, with magic. Hydrogen powered dirigibles dominate the skies because wielders of fire can prevent Hindenburg-like incidents. Genius supplemented with magic creates supergeniuses (Cogs) that advance technology far beyond what was imaginable. Nikola Tesla provides an (extremely deadly) alternative to nuclear weapons... and I'm not even giving away the story!

This book is packed full of ideas and historical figures and characters that bring to life a parallel universe that you'll be convinced must exist. Every chapter begins with an in-universe quote, often from a real-life political or scientific heavyweight of the time, that provides a peak inside the heads of those native to the that universe, allowing us to understand how living in a world where magic exists might actually impact society, ethics, and science.

Bronson Pinchot absolutely dominates as narrator. His accents, articulation, tone, and pacing are so perfect for all of the major characters, and there are many. James Marsters of the Dresden Files has become my favorite narrator due to his ability to perfectly become the voice of whatever character he's reading for, but in this book Pinchot provides a depth of character that is unsurpassed. There are quite a few difficult characters to read for in this book, and Pinchot shines through all of them. He absolutely gets the subtle and well-deserved haughtiness of Japanese soldiers and officers, enhanced with magic, who are arguably the deadliest the world has ever known.

Hard Magic has historical fiction, urban fantasy, and science fiction absolutely covered. If you like the Dresden Files or other urban fantasy-type novels, you will definitely enjoy this book and the sequel. There are strong, capable female and male protagonists alike.

I will say that a few moments felt a lot like some superhero movies I've seen, and around the half point of the book, I felt like I was listening to a story based on the X-men Universe. But, don't fret. While perhaps inspiration and genre sampling from such sources may impact this story, it really is so much more than simple power flinging and devastation. Though, there is quite a bit of that.

Even after the sequel, I still want more. I can't wait for the 3rd book, and I really really hope that they're able to get Bronson Pinchot for the part.