• Shadowmarch

  • Shadowmarch, Volume I
  • By: Tad Williams
  • Narrated by: Dick Hill
  • Length: 29 hrs and 19 mins
  • 3.8 out of 5 stars (712 ratings)

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Shadowmarch  By  cover art

Shadowmarch

By: Tad Williams
Narrated by: Dick Hill
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Publisher's summary

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.

For centuries, the Eddon family has ruled in ancient, forbidding Southmarch Castle, guarding the border against the Qar's return, but now this powerful royal line has been dealt a devastating blow. The monarch, King Olin, is being held captive in a distant land, and it falls to his inexperienced heirs to lead their people in a time of growing danger and dread.

It is on the two youngest Eddons that the heaviest burdens fall. The twins Barrick and Briony, who in such evil times have only each other, may lose even that bond as darkness closes over them. As the Qar’s power reaches out across their land, will Southmarch Castle, the only home they’ve ever known, become in fact what it has long been called - Shadowmarch?

©2006 Tad Williams (P)2010 Brilliance Audio

What listeners say about Shadowmarch

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    260
  • 4 Stars
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  • 3 Stars
    134
  • 2 Stars
    80
  • 1 Stars
    44
Performance
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  • 4 Stars
    158
  • 3 Stars
    89
  • 2 Stars
    24
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Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    207
  • 4 Stars
    157
  • 3 Stars
    108
  • 2 Stars
    48
  • 1 Stars
    31

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Good story, horrible narration.

Like all Fantasy books there is a large cast of characters, several different races, impending doom and plucky characters that will, one assumes, save the day by book 4. I intend to read this book again in print form and will read the rest of the series in print form because the narration of this book is distractingly horrible.
For some reason, narrators of Fantasy books (or perhaps the directors?) feel the need to impose fake British accents on the listener. The problem with this is that the random elongation of vowels does not a British accent make. This narrator, who is perfectly fine in the Michael Connelly books, butchers the text and renders all the female characters and several of the male ones, as shrill and petulant. Further, the 'performance' often gets in the way of clear enunciation.

Advice to Brilliance Audio - there are plenty of British actors. Please hire one.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars

Disliked narrator

Having non-native English skills, it is important for me (at least until I have more listening training) that the narrator reads clearly. To me, tha narrator mumbles, making me have to concentrate a lot just to understand the words. The story itself more or less escapes me.

As for the story, I found the similarity between the shadow line and the boundary in Goodkind's Sword of Truth a bit unsettling. I'm also uncertain of whether I find the characters to my liking.

In any case, due to the narrator I stopped listening before the 2 hour mark. I still may read it though.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Who left the bad reviews and why??

This book is a banger. Easily up there with the greats. I put reading this book off for a year because of the bad reviews. I am a fool for that. Now it makes me remember, I read the attention span of Americans (and any modern culture) is less than that of a goldfish LOL and with TikTok taking over it goes to show how short the attention span is. Tad comes from a generation where you actually had to read, people want a sword fight every other page and other false filler "action" designed to make you go "ooo hurrrdurrrr he fight wit da sword" and anything that doesn't deliver that false artificial "action" they call slow or boring. it's not slow, it's not boring, you are just a zombie that can't pay attention. Great book, pick it up and ignore these other fools. Starting book 2 now.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Fascinating!

Wow, I am so happy I don't listen to people's reviews! Yes I have read Memory, Sorrow, & Thorn & yes it's one of my all time favorite fantasy series! Tad Williams Shadowmarch is a magnificent literary achievement in fantasy! An intriguing fascinating word, with characters who catch you up. Williams accuracy of language that is essential to fantasy-making, that this is no ordinary fantasy, but very best in its field. A intelligence magnificent engrossing book I could not put down. Reminds readers of what Great Storytelling can be 10*s!

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars
  • O
  • 08-13-19

Headline is optional or required?

The audio book wouldn't play past the second chapter, but from when I physically read the book a few years ago, I enjoyed it.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

One of the best books I have listened

The narration and story blends together so well and gives you a great experience of listening to an Audibook.
Give it a try to experience the flavor of audio yourself

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

They told me “Don’t waste a credit “

Gosh I wish I was a better listener. Sadly, no. Plus, I had the credits and bought the series. A bold move for my favorite author I thought, knowing that only I had the (insert pompous word or words here) to read and really Understand my wonderful (ok, not mine nor with wit) TAD WILLIAMS author of the Dragonbone Chair, could suck. And Otherword!! OMG if you’re over, mmm, 40 or game a lot Read and See where the genre of “gamer” novels really began!!
It Absolutely Sucked
Horrible terrible very poor writing
Three stars for narration

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

unable to finish

I have managed to make it through two books in the series I will not be finishing the other two books. as an over-the-road truck driver I have listened to more than a thousand audio books my audible catalog alone has more than 200 books when I run out of credits I go to the library and get books on CD.
the problem with this series is that it's not, not well written, it has a decent storylines, it has somewhat interesting characters, and it's definitely leading up to something better. the problem is the narrator Dick Hill is the worst narrator I have ever listened to he reads every character the same and he is constantly adding a chuckle or a chortle or some other inappropriate laugh that makes me want to reach into the book and rip his throat out.
I promise I have listened to some absolutely horribly poor written books but I have finished them I currently have seven books in my audible catalog that are narrated by dick Hill. if I could get my credits back for them I would do so in a heartbeat. and they are all fairly good stories being ruined by an absolutely terrible narrator
I have found that a very good narrator like George Goodell or Tim Gerard Reynolds or Michael Kramer or any list a lot of narrators that I've listened to can take even a bad story and make it interesting. likewise the same as true a good story can be ruined by an absolutely piss-poor narrator and that is the case with this book.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Be patient, there is a story to tell.

Well written book with a very slowly developed storyline. You must be patient. Typical of other Ted Williams books. As usual, Dick Hill did a great job with narration.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Read once, listened again.

I randomly bought this book when it first came out. I remember being captivated by the story. listening to it on audible renewed my mysticism and fascination with this verse.

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