This book is an amazing mixture of Treasure Island, Oliver Twist and Frankenstein, but it's much better than any of those. The Half Continent is a da..Show More »ngerous place and is populated with fascinating characters. Rosamund is a boy cursed with a girl's name, and his adventures as he travels from an orphanage to his first posting in the service of the Emperor will keep you on the edge of your seat. The foreshadowing is masterful. The audiobook is wonderful, I hear something new every time I listen. You really do need the print version as well. Have you ever read an illustrated book where the artist didn't bother to read the story? Well, that's not a problem here. This book started out as an art student's portfolio, and there is also an "Explicarium" to help you keep track of all the new words, people and places you will encounter.

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I was thrilled to find this book available and so well spoken by Humphrey Bower. Truely exciting fantasy. It is a joy to be wrapped up in the langua..Show More »ge that Cornish has created, a wonderfully realised world. (Not long now till Book 3 is out, Huzzah!!)

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I chose this series as a alternate genre to normal and not least because of the narrator, the first book was entertaining and original with a good use..Show More » of character. The second, however, has shades of Harry Potter and is trying to hard to invent new names for everyday items, the use of a single location with secret passages and an ongoing battle between good and evil within. fought by two understudies supported by a well meaning head and undermined by senior individuals could easily be mistaken for Hogwarts. I hope the third book moves away from this and regains the originality of the first instalment. For those that enjoy fantasy and want another version of the Potter series, this is just the book for you.

I am a devoted listener to books narrated by Humphrey Bower and would suggest to anyone that they should focus on his renditions, this series does however show his limits with many of the accents no different to those used in his Bryce Courtney books, I feel it is time he learnt some new characters to add to his repertoire.

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As a 57 year old male, I might not be "qualified" to enjoy the Lamplighter trilogy (it being a Young Adult read), but I have enjoyed every minute of i..Show More »t. I became very attached to Rossamünd and the other characters in the story. The narration of Humphrey Bower is always amazing, but in this case the excellence was due as much to the writing as the narration. If you are a person who is willing to let his or her imagination roam free, I challenge you to listen to the this trilogy (begin with the first book, of course). You will not be disappointed.

While some trilogies end with a whimper, rather than a bang, the ending of the final book (Factotum) was unpredictable and satisfying.

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