Luck in the Shadows

Nightrunner, Book 1

By: Lynn Flewelling

Narrated by: Raymond Todd

Length: 18 hrs and 6 mins

Publisher's summary

When young Alec of Kerry is taken prisoner for a crime he didn't commit, he is certain that his life is at an end. But the thing he hadn't counted on was his cellmate.

Spy, rogue, thief, and noble, Seregil of Rhiminee is many things, none of them predictable. And when he offers to take on Alec as his apprentice, things may never be the same for either of them. Soon Alec is traveling roads he never knew existed, toward a war he never suspected was brewing. Before long he and Seregil are embroiled in a sinister plot that runs deeper than either can imagine and that may cost them far more than their lives if they fail. But fortune is as unpredictable as Alec's new mentor.

Don't miss the other volumes in Lynn Flewelling's Nightrunner series.

©1996 Lynn Flewelling (P)2004 Blackstone Audiobooks

Let down by narration

Enjoyable story with memorable characters in an interesting setting - I didn't find the 'world-building' a problem at all. I have to echo other comments about the poor narration, however. Mispronunciations, awkward phrasing and unrecognisable accents detracted from the pleasure of this audiobook. I'll listen to the sequel for the strength of the story, but would avoid anything else with this narrator.

Good but amateurish

This was a pretty good tale, but with an amateurish feel. The plot was linear and not terribly complicated, and I never sensed the characters were in great danger. They quickly overcame any problems they had. There were hints of some greater troubles but these felt too distant to worry about. The characters were also a bit cliche and bland.

The author had a touch of world builder's disease, giving us long bits of background in the guise of having one character educating another. Most of this background didn't seem necessary to the story, although it may be setting up the rest of the series.

Nonetheless, the book was entertaining. It was well written and the setting was involved and interesting. I probably will try the sequel.

The narrator was good. Most of his voices sounded the same, and thus it was hard sometimes to tell one from another and from the narration itself, but he was clear and I could follow him well enough.

great begining of a series

Would you listen to Luck in the Shadows again? Why?

I enjoyed this book. Although there are parts that are uncomfortable forr me to listen to (explict parts). I will probably listen to this series again.

One of the best books I've experienced!

One of the best books I've ever experienced. Additionally, the narration of this audiobook is also the best I've heard to date.

Spactacular ! 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤

This book was such an absolute pleasure to read. I had been in a six book slump (was just bored and tortured with everything I picked up) and was looking for something with gay lead characters (not that this is a major point of the book in any way, it's just good sometimes to read a book where you can actually relate to the characters and not have to constantly put yourself into the mind of straight people). I am completely thrilled to have found this series. Sure there are some common troops, and sure there are some world building ideas that I've seen before, but remember when this book was written and give it a chance and I promise you will fall in love with it. The world building is rich, The characters have depth, and there is a complete feeling and vibe. I so exited there are more in the series and it seem people love them just as much. Very cool!

Obsessed

I’ve been obsessed with this series since the moment I picked it up a few years back. I was reading it on kindle and blew through all the books one after the other getting not as much sleep as one should. Once I got the books on audible I did the same thing listening to them. They are one of my go to series if I need a little pick me up. They’re one of the multiple series I’ve listened to over and over again, and so I’ll listen to them to help me fall asleep - since I know the story so well already (NOT because it’s boring). I’m always trying to find a similar story (LGBT fantasy wise) but nothing has held a candle to this series.

I have a few issues with the narrators pronunciations (most notably the way he says fae) It you eventually get used to it; and I appreciate his wide range of voices. Part way thru the series the narrator is changed to someone with better pronunciations (there’s an authors note explaining she worked with the new narrator to get pronunciation to be what she intended) and while it’s a bit odd to have new voices for beloved characters at first, you get used to it quick and you won’t be mildly cringing at the pronunciation of fae anymore.

Fantastic Series! Homophobes, shut up!

I am completely enthralled by the series and its characters. Lynn Flewelling does a expert job of weaving together a world for her creative energies to take form in. This--the first book--is largely exposition woven into an array of adventures that build the relationship between our main characters and introduce the most influential ones to grace us throughout the rest of the series. However, I highly encourage the effort to gain the knowledge of this exposition to more fruitfully enjoy the rest of the books. Though this is not a kind of literature that begs the reader to develop grand theories of metaphor and symbolism, I would urge anyone looking for a good adventure with engaging characters to purchase this text and the ones that follow. Raymond Todd, while occasionally missing an inflection or overusing certain voices, does an excellent as far as most audiobooks go. Mainstream youth fantasy novels such as Harry Potter or the Inheritance Cycle receive more funding and are able--I imagine--to buy more studio time to master all the different characters voices.

However, I must say that I am disgusted by the heteronormative and homophobic interjections of fellow reviewers on this site. The mere idea that queer characters being present could be "unsafe for children" is appalling and deserves a good scolding. Furthermore, that this should make anyone avoid the series is outlandish. Though I suppose--to be fair--I find myself rather appalled by the blatant heterosexuality that dominates the majority of books on this site. However, until this moment, I have felt no need to scream from the rooftops that I don't wish to read/listen to such "lifestyles" being exhibited in literature. Therefore, I kindly ask all homophobic and heteronormative listeners to shove it and let listen to my queer audiobook in peace.

I will not be warned against what I look for in the first place. Heteros don't own the world, they just seem to think they do

in love with this story

fantastic narrator he keeps you captivated into the story to the point where you can see it and feel like you're part of it.

I enjoyed the whole series.

Reviewers who bemoan "explicit homosexuality" in these books are being ridiculous. There are no graphic depictions of sex in any of the books, which only tamely and tastefully mention the characters' sexual encounters without going into details. If that is what you're looking for, you will be disappointed. It is only "explicit" or "blatant" in that the love between the two main characters is not hidden, nor is a big deal made of it. I don't think I would even categorize this as LGBTQ fiction, because that aspect of the main characters was not prominent enough to think of it that way.
That nonsense aside, these books were a lot of fun and I really enjoyed them. I binged the whole series too quickly, and now I wish there were more. The characters are endearing. The action is well paced. Flewelling did a masterful job creating her world for her characters to inhabit. I seldom ever feel compelled to write a review, but I enjoyed this series enough to recommend it. I'm sure I'll go through the whole series again eventually.

A surprisingly good series

I was pleasantly surprised by this series of books. The characters are enjoyable from the first and as they develop across the series you find some new depths. Sometimes keeping a handle on what is happening can be a bit tricky at first but I found I soon got into the flow of it. At times it is distracting that the narrator miss pronounces some of the words and the strange accents are a bit comical, but it does not distract too much. The book does not have a complex plot and because of this it works well as an audio book. Worth a listen for some good harmless fun