The Hidden Masters of Marandur

Pillars of Reality, Book 2

By: Jack Campbell

Narrated by: MacLeod Andrews

Length: 12 hrs and 54 mins

Publisher's summary

When Master Mechanic Mari and Mage Alain took down the Dark Mechanics and Dark Mages at Dorcastle, they thought they’d covered their involvement well enough to divert their Guilds’ suspicions. The assassins sent after them by their Guilds, which had trained them from childhood, indicate otherwise. Armed with the knowledge that their respective Guilds are now trying to kill them, and knowing their strengths are greater together, they reunite.

Rumor has it the key to saving their world from the Guilds’ iron-fisted rule is in the dead city of Marandur. But before they can even attempt to traverse the empty wastelands and avoid the imperial guards surrounding Marandur, they’ll have to survive the Guilds’ agents, who are determined to capture them at any cost, and by any means necessary.

©2015 John G. Hemry (P)2014 Audible Inc.

Really!

I really like the story and the narrator does a great job...but. The female lead is a problem. Back in the 70's, when The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant was released the main character had reason to be self loathing, you know leprosy and all. The female lead in this series seems to think she is the worse person in the world. It seems everything is her fault or that's how she acts. It gets very tiring very fast.

Okay. I'm back. I'm into the third book in the series and it's just getting worse. I have however found a way the Jack could have fixed the problem with this female. Don't let her talk.

Back again. I like Jack Campbell and most of his work. I like his Pillars of Reality series. But I finally gave up on it. I think the female protagonist might be the worst character ever created by a good writer. Will someone just find her a child therapist that will convince her to just shut up.

Adventure, romance, fantasy, a bit of sci-fi

I wish this series was made into movies! This one would keep me awake on a long drive. Pretty clean to as far as sexually explicit language goes, but sensual enough to make you laugh.

Growing together

Opposing sides learn they are similar. Organizations taking action against their own members. Money over loyalty.

Still good, and still has a few too many cringy, YA moments.

If you happened upon my review of the first Audiobook in this series, you’ll probably remember that I am a fan of this series, but I also find the emo teen-handwringing to be a serious flaw.

This book continues all the good and the bad of the first book. The story is compelling, the plot is fast paced, MacLeod Andrews does a great job narrating,… and there’s a whole lot of repetitious melodrama that is delivered as subtly as a pie in the face.

So in order not to belabor the points that I made in my previous review, I’ll just say that if you liked the first book then you’ll probably like this one too. On the other hand, if you barely made it through the last audiobook and are hoping that Campbell found a competent story editor for this book then you will most likely be disappointed.