The Eyes of Tamburah

Archives of the Invisible Sword, Book 1

By: Maria V. Snyder

Narrated by: Gabra Zackman

Length: 11 hrs

Publisher's summary

New York Times best-selling author Maria V. Snyder begins an action-packed new fantasy series: Archives of the Invisible Sword.

2020 PRISM Award winner: fantasy

He thinks you are the thief....

Shyla is a researcher who resides in the underground desert city of Zirdai, which is ruled by the wealthy Water Prince and brutal Heliacal Priestess. Even though Shyla is sun-kissed - an outcast, considered cursed by the Sun Goddess - she is still renowned for uncovering innumerable archaic facts, lost artefacts, ancient maps, and obscure historical documents.

Her quiet life is about to change when Banqui, an archaeologist, enlists her services to find The Eyes of Tamburah: legendary gemstones that bestow great magic on their wielder. These ancient objects can tip the balance of power and give whoever possesses them complete control of the city.

But chaos erupts when The Eyes are stolen soon after they're found - and Shyla is blamed for the theft. Forced to flee, with the prince's soldiers and the priestess' deacons on her trail, Shyla must recover the jewels and clear her name. A quest that will unearth secrets even more valuable than The Eyes of Tamburah themselves.

©2020 Maria V. Snyder (P)2021 Maria V. Snyder

Fun tomb raider-esque fantasy

I got this book because it was fantasy and had high ratings on Goodreads. I got it for a long road trip that would be occurring in a couple days. I accidently listened to the entire thing before my trip. Woops. It is simply an enjoyable read with a likeable main character in a world I can't wait to learn more about.. it's both medieval and futuristic. I'm astonished that it does not have more attention from audible reviewers, but hopefully this review will help! The narrator was great as well. Sometimes accents are distracting but hers was just right.

Great world building and characters!

I’ve enjoyed many books (series or stand alone) by this author. She has a wonderful imagination and uses it very effectively to come up with original settings, plot lines, and characters. It is always a delight to read her stories and see where they will take you. If it is in a series, I am sure that you, like I, will be coming back to read all the books in the series. This, coupled with a terrific narrator, make for first rate escapism. Bravo!

Wow

I was knocked out by this story. Twists and turns like the lowest depths of Zirdai kept me engrossed. The narrator was perfect. I never lost track of who was speaking. I felt Shyla’s need to be seen and her very wise distrust of others.

With fascinating characters like the Water Prince and the Heliacal Priestess, I felt myself being dragged into a story that celebrated observation. The ending was taut! I was on the edge of a knife’s blade myself.

I already downloaded book 2. And I wasn’t even halfway through book 1.

Another magical adventure

I loved joining Shyla Sun-Kissed and her friends on this adventure, and am looking forward to starting the next book.

Good, but a bit hard to start

I love the Study novels and really enjoy her other stories, so I wanted to love this new series—but it’s not an easy listen. She’s crafting a new world and introduces a lot of new vocabulary for that world, which take a bit of getting used to (angles, sun jumps). I found it a little difficult at first, but adjusted to it.
The story itself is very interesting, and I’m looking forward to finding out what happens in the next two novels (which I will buy), but the things that happen to Shyla and all the betrayals and twists and turns are brutal and take up more than 3/4ths of the book. It reminds me very much of Storm Glass and all the misfortunes that befell Opal Cowan. You just keep wondering when things are going to start looking up for poor Shyla.
I do recommend the book, just realize it’s not a happy or easy listen. It’s an intense novel set in an interesting world.

Good once you're used to it

great original story with realistic relationship building! takes a minute to get used to the flow so stick with it! not a book to use as a background, definitely needs more attention because you can loose place if you miss a sentence and the names can be harder to track sometimes. still recommend!

I need more.

This story requires commitment and patience to start because it is a first book in a series and a lot of information must be conveyed. It also requires patience because of how intricate the plot is. As you learn more and follow the main character as she learns more the story picks up. It is an amazing ride that I highly recommend and will be embarking on again. I cannot wait for book 2.

The first one is always my least favorite

I’ve truly enjoyed Snyder’s other two series but found with each one that the first book is my least favorite. It’s not just the world building it seems to me the flow is always a little more stilted. That said this as with the other first in series is still good enough to convince me to continue with the next book. I’ve got high hopes for the second.

Wow

I absolutely loved listening to this first book of the series and cannot wait to continue! Shyla was such a fun character to follow, and had a lot of unique characteristics that made her feel real. I liked the creative storyline and pace of the book. There was a lot of information to set up the story, but it was done in a very deliberate and easy to follow way. I was never bored, and was completely enthralled with the world. Absolutely would recommend! "I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review."

It is a fun read

yet again I believe I outgrew this author. it is all a bit too dramatic and simplistic for my taste. that said she writes a decent story and her ideas are interesting and awesome. I love the world concept of zairdai (am I writing this right I audiobooked). it's original and sci Fi like in an epic fantasy. I just prefer my lines more blurred, when it comes to characters, more complicated. she does a good job of portraying a fallible human being but they're still too good or too bad. like Rendor. he has his fallacy of being a brute and a killer but he's all good and wants to atone. a 1970's hero. I like interpersonal relationships to be a little more messy and my bad guys to be a bit less evil. More personable. Yet that's me and my preferences. I do have to say that is where she really loses the star... her character base pattern is used and over used. I just read A Touch of Power and the Eyes of Tambura and really Rendor is Kerrick with a different backstory. Shayla is really Avry, same miss goodie two shoes, one of her kind doing stupid selfless things to get her in trouble with the water prince/Ryne. Both evils need her for something and discard her and in both books a band of loyal rowdy misfits lead by her live interest save her from what should have been terminal doom. Both die and come back... so entertaining and fairly well written yes, original? no.