The Whitefire Crossing

The Shattered Sigil, Book 1

De: Courtney Schafer

Narrado por: Andy Caploe

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.

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.

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.

Survival Adventure and Dark Fabrasy Rolled into One

This has to be one of my all-time favorite series and I've lost count of how many times I've listened to the first two books and re-read the third book (which sadly doesn't have an audio version on here, because the narrator for the first two is fantastic).

The stakes are set high and early, with just enough information for you to know Dev is unknowingly getting himself into deep trouble with Kieren, but little enough to keep you hungry for details. I love the contrast between the street smart, more jaded Dev and the surprisingly wide-eyed and sheltered Kieren (which is ironic considering what yiu find out about Kieren partway into the book). I really enjoyed the refreshing combination of genres that worked surprisingly well together: part nail-biting nature survival and part dark fantasy. The setting was also fun and unique, especially when i first read it - reminding me of where I live where instead of ruthless mages, our politicians make bargains with the real world equivalent.

Underlying everything is a compelling human story about power and abuse, the complicated relationships that creates, and overcoming it that kept me rooting for the characters all the way through. I highly recommend this and the next two books in the series.

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!

Climbing part is cool, but characters aren’t relatable

The whole first part of the book - traveling through a still frozen mountain pass in the spring - is excellent adventuring. My problem with the book is that the characters aren’t relatable and feel shallow: at no point did I feel anything for Dev or Kiran.

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.

Fast, fun, furious

Love the mountaineering! Such a fun setting for a truly complex story full of old prejudices, power struggles, and reluctant heroes. Exceptional performance.

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.