The Obsidian Tower

The Rooks and Ruin Series, Book 1

By: Melissa Caruso

Narrated by: Senn Annis

Length: 14 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's summary

One woman will either save an entire continent or completely destroy it in a captivating epic fantasy bursting with intrigue and ambition, questioned loyalties, and broken magic.

Guard the tower, ward the stone. Find your answers writ in bone. Keep your trust through wits or war - nothing must unseal the door.

Deep within Gloamingard Castle lies a black tower. Sealed by magic, it guards a dangerous secret that has been contained for thousands of years. 

As Warden, Ryxander knows the warning passed down through generations: nothing must unseal the door. But one impetuous decision will leave her with blood on her hands - and unleash a threat that could doom the world to fall to darkness.

©2020 Melissa Caruso (P)2020 Blackstone Publishing

I thought one character was like Gollum

I listen to books while doing other activities, so maybe it could have been more clear but because it's fantasy I figured one of the characters was housing multiple personalities when I actually think the author is using they/them for a single person.

subpar

I couldn't tell if this book was subpar due to the wimpy characters and lacking storyline or the narrator is terrible accents. would not recommend.

Looking forward to more.

I enjoyed meeting these characters and getting into the world. Such a joy! I really want the hero to succeed and love the supporting characters.

Does not disappoint!

THE OBSIDIAN TOWER is about a girl with broken magic whose family has kept a secret locked away in a tower for thousands of years. When her magic accidentally unlocks that secret, her world starts to unravel. She fights to keep it all together through pain, loss, and heartache. Every chapter of this book kept me guessing, and I never knew what would come next. It’s an excellent page-turner and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Ms. Caruso has a deft way of mixing magic, political intrigue, and betrayal that constantly keeps the reader on the edge of their seat. She crafts detailed characters I fall in love with in books filled with tension, hope, heart-break, and longing. It’s a world filled with complex history, lore, secret societies, and competing factions, which all makes for wonderful conflict.

She mixes swords and sorcery in a new way, in this book in particular. One character laments that not all things “can be fixed with stabbing,” while steampunk-like spectacles “let you perceive certain flows of magical power.”

My favorite aspect, though, is the way she weaves romantic tension throughout the book. Lines like “The memory of his hand on my back set a flush in my face that had no business being there” were perfectly placed to add a little heat here and there. A touch, a look, an almost caress… it’s all so well-written and keeps the reader hoping something more will happen. It’s delightfully tortuous.

As the first book in a new series, THE OBSIDIAN TOWER does not disappoint. You do not need to have read her previous series set in the same world, though I highly recommend her Swords and Fire Series. Same world, same skillful writing, different characters and types of magic and politics.

amazing book

just when you thought the stakes couldn't get any higher they do.

so good
so engaging

Fantastic!

I read the Swords and Fire Trilogy first, and was so excited to hear about this new book coming out so of course I preordered.

I did enjoy the narrator, except for maybe like the first 2 minutes while I got used to her voice. she did a good job.

It was spectacular. I loved the main character, Ryx, and the secondary characters (though I am hoping they are expounded upon in the sequel, as this one was mainly Ryx and her duties, which is completely understandable). I really liked how this was set in one of the Witch Lord lands in Vaskandar, and the small nods to the other series.

great setting. great characters, great plot. I can't wait for the next one.

Caruso is quickly becoming one of my top 10 favorite authors.

Riveting story

This book sucked me in immediately and kept my attention as the story of the Obsidian Tower unfurled. It contains LGBTQ+ inclusivity which is so refreshing in a fantasy series! Highly recommend this author and book series.

The idea behind the story was a good one.

This is a very enjoyable story. I liked most of the characters enough to want to know what would happen to them.
However, I felt it dragged quite often. To much on the politics for my taste. The narrator did a passable job but something about her manner of speaking kept knocking me out of the story.
All in all, I do not regret spending a credit but doubt I will listen to it again.

If Agatha Christie Wrote a Fantasy

This one is a mystery set in a castle where all the suspects are trapped until it's solved, An entertaining set up to a much more entertaining complete series. Very YA, and I'm never a huge fan of first person narrative, but it isn't hard to get over it and enjoy the story. I'm not sure I'd choose the same voices for the characters as this narrator does, but they do have a good range and for the most part every voice is distinct enough.

interesting take on magic

protagonist was too anxiety ridden. Her story arc was stunted, and she seemed not to evolve