The Whitefire Crossing

The Shattered Sigil, Book 1

By: Courtney Schafer

Narrated by: Andy Caploe

Length: 17 hrs and 26 mins

Publisher's summary

Dev is a smuggler with the perfect cover. He's in high demand as a guide for the caravans that carry legitimate goods from the city of Ninavel into the country of Alathia. The route through the Whitefire Mountains is treacherous, and Dev is one of the few climbers who knows how to cross them safely. With his skill and connections, it's easy enough to slip contraband charms from Ninavel - where any magic is fair game, no matter how dark - into Alathia, where most magic is outlawed.

But smuggling a few charms is one thing; smuggling a person through the warded Alathian border is near suicidal. Having made a promise to a dying friend, Dev is forced to take on a singularly dangerous cargo: Kiran. A young apprentice on the run from one of the most powerful mages in Ninavel, Kiran is desperate enough to pay a fortune to sneak into a country where discovery means certain execution - and he'll do whatever it takes to prevent Dev from finding out the terrible truth behind his getaway.

Yet Kiran isn't the only one harboring a deadly secret. Caught up in a web of subterfuge and dark magic, Dev and Kiran must find a way to trust each other - or face not only their own destruction, but that of the entire city of Ninavel.

©2011 Courtney Schafer (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

Worst Narrator Ever...

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

A decent debut.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Whitefire Crossing?

The depictions of climbing in a fantasy setting were phenomenal. The characters (once I started reading the book rather than listening) were pretty good.

Would you be willing to try another one of Andy Caploe’s performances?

No. Never. I just checked to see if I'd purchased anything else narrated by him and found, to my relief, that I hadn't. He voice-work is awful. He sounds like one of those robot voice programs. He made all the character sound like whiny children, when in fact they were actually pretty good.

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

Extreme reaction? Yeah, I had to stop listening to the book and buy a physical copy just to enjoy it. This narrator should never read anything aloud again.

Any additional comments?

Overall, the story is good and fairly original. The ending delves into the convenient to make it work, but I would read the sequel. Note, I said "READ". I will never listen to another book narrated by Andy Caploe. I'm trying to figure out if I can request a refund for this audio presentation. It's not the author's fault. She does fine.

Good narrator

What made the experience of listening to The Whitefire Crossing the most enjoyable?

Andy Caploe made this story fun to listen. The first 1/2 of the books was real exciting, but it kind of petered out in the conclusion. There is a good twist to the ending. Overall well worth the read.

Loved the plot, loved the characters

Any additional comments?

I loved this story! It was fast-paced, kept its sense of mystery and urgency to the end, and I found both of the main characters really likeable. The author has built an interesting world with an unusual take on magic. I couldn't stop listening and I find myself impatient for the next book!

Wonderful

What did you love best about The Whitefire Crossing?

It was well written, well paced, and well read.

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

I have both read and listened to this book, and I think that Andy Caploe brings it to life in a way that is absolutely refreshing. There are one or two rather scathing reviews about this narrator on here that seem so out of place (and kind of personal?). He does a wonderful job. So many books that I have listened to have narrators that speak in an almost monotone dynamic throughout the book. This guy performs! He is always engaged in what he is saying, and pulls you into the story. I would listen to him again.

Slow going

A character-driven story more than concept or plot-driven. Not bad, if you like evil blood magic and mountaineering. Story moved too slowly for audiobook format. Chapters alternated between mountain guide Dev, in 1st person POV, and young mage Kanin, in 3rd person. Thus, listeners hear the same events from two different perspectives. This overlapping felt slow and frustrating. I wanted the plot to move faster. Also, I saw no reason for the unusual choice of perspective style.

Great fantasy!

Well, it's official. I have another favourite! I absolutely loved this book. The plot is tight and fast moving and the main characters are engaging and complex. I wished it was longer... I loved the magic system, which reminded me of the old, honest-to-goodness magic that I read in my early fantasy books in my teenage years, but with a very fresh take. How the magic is used or not used is well thought out. One of my favourite moments was the "fight" between Ruslan and Kiran. The only thing I was a little put off with was the narrators weird emphasis on some of the words. Still, overall, a good narrator.

Slow start, great finish

I have to say, this book really grew on me. If I had reviewed it after the first 3rd, I would have given it 3-stars as a promising first book, but by the halfway point I was really engaged. It took the author a while to set up the total plot line of the book, but it was worth it. I look forward to the 2nd book.

Incredible

This book, and series, is amazing. It absolutely does not get the attention it deserves! the writing is fantastic, the plot of fast and fun, and the magic is a joy to read. What's more, Courtney Schaffer does something unique with the physical geology/adventure/climbing/hiking aspects of a journey that I have never encountered before.

A brilliant book, and a great audiobook production too. Well done.

A hidden gem in Epic Fantasy

I discovered this book many years ago on the recommendation of Mark Lawrence. The eBook was on sale and I decided to give the story a shot thinking I would enjoy it. What I didn’t expect was to be completely absorbed and engrossed in a story we have seen before, but with wonderful twist, worldbuilding, and beloved characters who will surprise you at every turn. Cities are built in environments seemingly unable to support human life, but that us where the magic kicks in and there is plenty of it in The Whitefire Crossing. This book is a relatively unknown series in the SFF community and I look forward to sharing it with the ambitious readers.

We follow two main POV characters in The Whitefire Crossing and they both have their secrets and mysteries to be discovered. Dev is a smuggler with the perfect cover story. He’s in high demand as a guide for the caravans that carry legitimate goods from the city of Ninavel into the country of Alathia. The route through the Whitefire Mountains is treacherous, and Dev is one of the few climbers who knows how to cross them safely. With his skill and connections, it’s easy enough to slip contraband charms from Ninavel – where any magic is fair game, no matter how dark – into Alathia, where most magic is outlawed.

Transporting cargo and supplies is one thing, but the smuggle in a person into Alathia is a whole different matter. The borders are guarded by magic warders, but Dev made a promise to a dying friend and he takes the job and the dangerous cargo Kiran. Kiran is a young apprentice mage and decides to pay a small fortune to run far away to Alathia and one of the most powerful mages in Ninavel. Dev is unaware of Kiran’s past and they will traverse the mountains and desert terrains to accomplish their tasks.

What makes this book such a compelling story is the pacing, character depth, and interesting magic system. The background for the characters is told organically throughout the journey with our characters as opposed to huge info dumps. The chapters switch back and forth between Dev and Kiran with you never feeling let down. What I loved most about the plot was Kiran’s flashback episodes involving his training, use of magic, and tragedy he had to endure. You will know why he is on the run from his master at all costs.

Finally we have the magic in this world. Mages have different skills based on there power base and strength. For example, the city of Alathia has water mages to control the water supply into the desert city and I find it ironic that the city where magic is banned uses magic in order to exist. It is very much in the same vain as a leader saying one thing but doing another. The world also possesses charms which can be bought and sold with varying powers. This was a nice touch to a fantasy novel.

This is a story about secrets, politics, and survival and its most pure form. The story will not be made clear from the start and it is just a taste of the larger world we get to explore. You will definitely have more questions than answers upon completion of this book especially with the ending we get. Stakes will be high, but the characters will be their along the way. I’m sure some of you have never heard of this story before and I’m am happy to put this on your radar!

Cheers!

Abysmal. Insufferable.

Would you try another book from Courtney Schafer and/or Andy Caploe?

My daughter wrote a story once about a trip with her cousin to the bounce house and CiCi's pizza. I also listened to a 90 year old man with a sinus infection eat a sandwich for a half hour. Both were more enjoyable than this.

What do you think your next listen will be?

I think I'm done with Audible until I really really need to listen to a book. This was the dealbreaker. I waited so long for a precious credit and wasted it on this.The absolute worst thing I've ever heard. I know it's not Audible's fault, but I'm so angry that this even exists that I have to take it out on someone. Sorry Audible, you've gotten me through some long days, but I think we should take some time apart.

What didn’t you like about Andy Caploe’s performance?

I kind of feel sorry for him. What tricks did this guy have to turn to be paid to read a published work aloud? I lost a contact rolling my eyes so hard. Like every character to sound like Bill S. Preston, Esquire? This is the book for you. I hope you don't read to your kids at night Andy.

What character would you cut from The Whitefire Crossing?

That's not really the issue right now, Audible. The issue is Andy Caploe. A bad book was made infinitely worse by this man. I listened "at" it because I was so put off by the narration. In between the groans and facepalming I had to pull the plug a few times because I was embarrassed for him and couldn't go on.

Any additional comments?

This book is ear-rape.