The Cold Commands Audiobook By Richard K. Morgan cover art

The Cold Commands

A Land Fit for Heroes, Book 2

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The Cold Commands

By: Richard K. Morgan
Narrated by: Simon Vance
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With The Steel Remains, award-winning science fiction writer Richard K. Morgan turned his talents to sword and sorcery. The result: a genre-busting masterwork hailed as a milestone in contemporary epic fantasy. Now Morgan continues the riveting saga of Ringil Eskiath - Gil, for short - a peerless warrior whose love for other men has made him an outcast and pariah. Only a select few have earned the right to call Gil friend. One is Egar, the Dragonbane, a fierce Majak fighter who comes to respect a heart as savage and loyal as his own. Another is Archeth, the last remaining daughter of an otherworldly race called the Kiriath, who once used their advanced technology to save the world from the dark magic of the Aldrain - only to depart for reasons as mysterious as their arrival. Yet even Egar and Archeth have learned to fear the doom that clings to their friend like a grim shadow... or the curse of a bitter god.

©2011 Richard Morgan (P)2011 Tantor Epic Fantasy Historical Literature & Fiction Science Fiction & Fantasy Heartfelt
Complex Plotting • Fascinating Characterization • Intense Action • Gritty Realism • Masterful Writing • Sexy Delivery

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The story is now hitting its stride. The three main characters from book one are back. Ringil is on a vendetta that he has made personal to take vengeance for his cousin who was taken in slavery in the first book, and Egar the Dragonbane is fending off internal power struggles. It has the feel of a middle novel in that the story is allowed to stretch out its legs. It seems that in this second installment of The Land Fit for Heroes trilogy that the exigencies of plot preclude explicit diversions. They are, at least fewer in number and shorter in length than such scenes were in book one. It is my guess that one of two circumstances conspired to bring this situation about: Either Morgan had finished making his point concerning diversity or the buzz caused by the first book was becoming negative to an uncomfortable degree and concern for the bottom line persuaded both author and publisher to tone down the in-your-face nature of the first volume. We may never know. I, for one, am glad that Morgan seems to have spent more of his efforts on developing the story. It is a better book than the first.

Jack Vance is a fine reader for this book. I appreciate the way his British accent makes the dark underbelly of this story a little easier to hear. As I mentioned in my review for the first book, sometimes, particularly when portraying female voices, I think he is channeling the characters of Monty Python in the Medieval worlds of The Holy Grail or Jabberwocky. He brings some much needed, if unintentional, comic relief to the brutal grimy mercenary world in which the story takes place.

.....Sublimation to Plot Development.....

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good 2nd book in the series! maybe not quite fulfilling as the 1st. Non the less great series and moving on to the next book

fantastic series

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This is one of the books I judge all others by. Richard Morgan is one of the few gifted authors that can paint detailed images in your mind. No doubt he's going to be remembered as one of the Grand Masters of Sci-Fi and fantasy.

One of the books I judge all others by

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When I read or listen to an audiobook, what I look for is how well the story flows, how the world around them is given form and life by it's author. this book will not be an easy book to read or listen to, because of the complexity and writing of the plots how they intercept and break apart.
The Cold-Command was well written; the three main characters had their own issues, pace of performance and plot.
Ringil for the most part is still as confused has he was in book one, going were the tides take him sometimes literally; with all the power he as attain; whatever he is becoming, he still allows himself to be lead by others. A hero and an anti- hero rolled into one.
In this book the myths and legends were explain more clearly, giving the reader a better understanding of that broken world.

A Ringing Performance for Richard K. Morgan

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A thrilling continuation of the Steel Remains! Morgan provides adventure, excitement, suspense, lust, love, and more fantastic character building! Starting book three immediately!

Another Great Book from Richard K. Morgan

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