Across the Great Barrier

Frontier Magic, Book 2

By: Patricia C. Wrede

Narrated by: Amanda Ronconi

Length: 9 hrs and 25 mins

Publisher's summary

From New York Times number-one best-selling author Patricia C. Wrede, the second in the series of magic on the western frontier.

Eff is riding west, away from the safety of the frontier city she's always known.... Eff could be a powerful magician if she wanted to. Except she's not sure she wants that kind of responsibility. Everyone keeps waiting for her to do something amazing - or to fail in a spectacular way. Worse, her twin brother, Lan, a powerful double seventh son, is jealous of all the attention she's been getting.

Even as Eff protests that she's just an ordinary girl, she's asked to travel past the Barrier Spell with one of the new professors at her father's school. The land west of the Barrier is full of dangers, both magical and wild. Eff will need to use all her strength - magical and otherwise - to come safely back home.

With wit, magic, and a touch of good pioneer sense, Patricia C. Wrede once again weaves a fantastic tale of the very wild west.

©2011 Patricia C. Wrede (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

Three cheers for Eff!

Three cheers for Eff! She is brave. Very brave.

Again, these books are a little slow, much like the lumbering traveling over prairie lands in the frontier times, but I like it. It's nice to not feel so rushed during a book.

Amanda Ronconi continues to be an excellent narrator.

I'm looking forward to Book 3! I heard there's more William, and I missed him!

Here there be excellent magical creatures!

If you love magical creatures, this is the book for you!
This fantasy novel has a refreshing, new setting that artfully melds familiar American frontier history with how it might have been different if magic had been a part of it. The narrator, a young woman growing up and finding her place on the magical frontier, is earthy, believable, and satisfying for the heard-that-read-that jaded fantasy listener. She isn't a heroine on the rails to fame; she doesn't get bogged down by romance, and she discovers the answers to the problems she encounters on pace with the listener. You won't be mentally screaming, "Agh the solution is so obvious! When will the author let the characters figure this out and move along?" while listening to this tale.
The author put thorough and logical thought into her world and its many original fantastical creatures, seamlessly blending the ordinary and the magical. Wrede weaves a story arch that seems to be following the theme of how the entry of humans into any system creates far-reaching consequences without beating the listener over the head with it or detracting from the interest and flow of the plot.
My only complaint would be that it's too short! I kept finding more chores to do so that I could keep on listening, and downloaded this sequel right after finishing the first installment of the series. I'm excitedly waiting for my next credit to download the third book.

good story

Where does Across the Great Barrier rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

contiued from the first book, good stroy line. enjoyable light-hearted read

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

very animated reader. enjoyed listening

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

yes

Any additional comments?

none

Not going to continue with third book

Just too slow, filled with minutia... I liked the charaters but they seemed secondary to the travel log that just went on and on.

This is a lesser copy of the first book.

The plot is similar to the first book. There are some interesting moments, but overall it's a little tedious at times.