The Scar

By: Sergey Dyachenko, Marina Dyachenko, Elinor Huntington - translator

Narrated by: Jonathan Davis

Length: 15 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's summary

Reaching far beyond sword and sorcery, The Scar is a story of two people torn by disaster, their descent into despair, and their re-emergence through love and courage.

Sergey and Marina Dyachenko mix dramatic scenes with romance, action and wit, in a style both direct and lyrical. Written with a sure artistic hand, The Scar is the story of a man driven by his own feverish demons to find redemption and the woman who just might save him. Egert is a brash, confident member of the elite guards and an egotistical philanderer. But after he kills an innocent student in a duel, a mysterious man known as “The Wanderer” challenges Egert and slashes his face with his sword, leaving Egert with a scar that comes to symbolize his cowardice. Unable to end his suffering by his own hand, Egert embarks on an odyssey to undo the curse and the horrible damage he has caused, which can only be repaired by a painful journey down a long and harrowing path.

Plotted with the sureness of Robin Hobb and colored with the haunting and ominous imagination of Michael Moorcock, The Scar tells a story that cannot be forgotten.

©2012 Marina and Sergey Dyachenko (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Rich, vivid, tactile prose, with a solid yet unpredictable plot—and an extraordinary depth and intensity of character reminiscent of the finest Russian literature." (Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review)

Really enjoyed this book.

The narrator was very good. I liked the concept of this type of a curse and Egert's struggle to interpret the meaning given for removing it.

Totally drew me in!

Where does The Scar rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This is one of my favourites so far. I loved the way the fantasy elements blended seamlessly into the background, with the story driven by strong characterisations and intense personal experiences.

If I hadn't read that it had been translated I would have assumed it was written in English - admittedly by someone with the seriousness I associate with Russian literature.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Scar?

The key traumas experienced by the lead lead character were very vivid.

Which scene was your favorite?

I loved the gradual evolution of the relationship between the male and female leads. It was such a wonderful twist on the usual fantasy relationships.

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

I just don't think this book would make a film, people wanting fantasy movies would expect a lot more action and less character interaction driving the plot.

Any additional comments?

I can heartily recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fantasy as a genre but is looking for a little more depth to the characters.

Beautifully written & translated fairytale

Where does The Scar rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I've been an audible subscriber for several years; this is the first book I have ever felt compelled to review. It contains some of the best writing I've listened to to date, and perhaps THE best for the genre. My next plan is to actually read the story. The translation to English is superb, not a wit of character nor the soul of the story is lost.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Scar?

The character development and story arc are a perfectly crafted fairy tale. A true joy to follow the protagonists' journey.

What three words best describe Jonathan Davis’s voice?

Passionate, but poorly edited/modulated.

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

More or less. Finished it in one weekend.

Wow-a cold and dark journey.

Would you consider the audio edition of The Scar to be better than the print version?

Yes because the performance is first rate and the writting style is simply beautiful. It is a beautiful yet dark journey. A complete exploration of your emotions as you listen to the unfolding of Eggert life.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Eggert - so scarred by the journey

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

This is an incredible experience to listen to the discriptive articulation of what is going on and just letting yourself melt into it.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The entire book is a moving experience.

Any additional comments?

Did I mention this is on the dark side? But well worth the listen, you will love the writting.

Good storyline but extremely slow

I did like the eventual story but it was so slow that I nearly did not finish it. Storyline was good but could have been told in half the time.

Worth a chance if your a fantasy buff

If you could sum up The Scar in three words, what would they be?

Hubris-tic Consequences & Redemption.

What did you like best about this story?

A little off the beaten path.

What three words best describe Jonathan Davis’s performance?

Workman like performance.

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

I was moved a couple times but by the ending especially.

Any additional comments?

If your a student of the genre you really should give it a try. If you liked twilight, Fifty shades of grey, or anything by kim harrison you will not like this. no vampires or werewolves.

What a different style

Have been reading Fantasy for over 50 years.
What a great read. Reminds me of the impact Stephen Donaldson created with The Thomas Covenant Chronicles series

Could not finish it

Any additional comments?

I got about two hours into it and had to stop. It seems it was written by a 13 year old boy. Again some may like it but i could not get into it.

Meh.

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

A main character who wasn't totally despicable. A coherent, interesting story would have been nice as well.

What was most disappointing about the authors’s story?

Where to begin? The first fourth of the book introduced the thoroughly unlikeable lead character, at length and in depth. The lead character is physically brave and morally shallow. It's as if the authors simply went down a checklist of despicable behavior.

*Spoiler*
The middle of the book details his 180 change to a physical coward. He cowers at everything. He becomes even less likeable, if that's possible.

The Lash is mentioned but completely unconnected to anything in the rest of the story.

Any additional comments?

Perhaps something was lost in translation.

awful ... just awful

do not waste a credit on this book it wasn't well written and the plot sucked