Earthbound

Of Earth and Sky Duology, Book 1

De: Katee Stein

Narrado por: Magnus Carlssen

Every oath holds power.

In a land where the Earth spawns terrible beasts capable of moving through all but stone, the Sky bestows power to those bound by Oaths.

As earthbound creatures invade, bringing with them chaos and whispers of a coming war, protector and Overseer Tehran fights to keep his people safe. After losing his best friend to the beasts and with the stability of the region deteriorating, Tehran heads to the Capital to plead for support from the Order of the Sky.

When his friend’s widow stows aboard the transport, determined to hold the Order accountable for the death of her husband, Tehran’s plans are derailed. Torn between upholding his responsibility as an Overseer or honouring his friend’s memory, Tehran must either choose the Oaths that have forged him or trust new bonds to guard the fate of the Mercurial.

©2024 Katie Stein (P)2024 Katie Stein

Compelling, rich world and epic narration!

What an ADVENTURE!!! This fantasy was very well-written and an exciting page-turner (well, I listened via audiobook but never wanted to turn it off). The audiobook by Magnus Carlssen was excellent and his voice really embraced the feel of the novel. Stein is a talented author and expert worldbuilder.

The earthbound creatures, the magic system, and the lore around the oaths were detailed and intriguing. There was a PERFECT balance of action and tension while still diving deep into complex, real characters and relationships. This story is great for fans of Dune and Brandon Sanderson.

If you love epic fantasy, I think you'll fall in love with Knox, Tehren, and Emelia!! Very excited for the next one.

wonderful!

What an amazing story with phenomenal worldbuilding. Absolutely love the narrator Magnus Carlssen! I forget I'm listening to one person read it!

I don’t have words and I’m not okay

I need book two immediately please! What have you done to me Katee? I need answers as soon as possible.

Narration is fantastic!

If The Stormlight Archive and Dune had a love child, it would probably sound a lot like Earthbound. The world is full of weird magic, heavy oaths, and political tension, and the way it unfolds in audio made everything feel even more intense and immersive.

Magnus Carlssen absolutely nailed the narration. His delivery gave the story the kind of gravity it needed without ever feeling too slow or stiff. He reminded me a bit of Michael Kramer, which is a huge compliment in my book. Every POV felt distinct and emotionally grounded, and the pacing made it easy to stay locked in.

The story follows three main characters: Tehran, Knox, and Emilia. They’re not always easy to root for, but they’re layered and fascinating, and the relationships are messy in a way that feels real. The magic system, rooted in words and oaths, is eerie and clever, and the lore in this world is just begging to be explored more in book two.

Also, if you’re into stories where the world feels frayed at the edges, the monsters are terrifying, and the stakes are both political and personal, this is one to try in audio. The vibe is heavy but not overwhelming, and the narration gives it the right amount of weight and atmosphere.

Wonderful worldbuilding

I was gifted this audiobook from the author in exchange for an honest review! I LOVED this book. I will admit that certain characters drove me absolutely crazy, but I still found myself unable to put this book down.

I laughed, I cried, I raged… and I came out absolutely in love with the world Katee has created (and Knox). Cannot wait for book 2!

perfect sci-fantasy

A genius blend of sci-fi and fantasy with beautiful relationships, loveable and real characters, with gut-wrenching suspense. If you want Dune with the vows required by the Jedi order, this must be read.

Great fantasy book

I haven't read a fantasy book in ages, so when Earthbound caught my eye I decided to pick it up and I was not mistaken! It's a captivating adventure of love, honor, and oath. I am definitely waiting for the second book because I want to know how the story ends.

Very entertaining listen and story!

This was such a unique and interesting twist of fantasy and sci-fi. All 3 POVS were incredibly entertaining and helped make this story a hit for me. Narrator Magnus did a fantastic job with this! Highly recommend you check this one out!

An engaging fantasy read

Earthbound is a fantastic new fantasy from author Katee Stein! I’ve been seeing this book all over, and right when I finally purchased a physical copy, I was gifted with the audiobook. I’m so glad I listened to this first, before reading it in my own voice. Magnus Carlssen brought it to life!

With THREE points-of-view, we are not lacking for perspectives, even with a slightly unreliable one. Knox is headstrong but always in a bit of a bin. His bonded, Amelia, is on a challenging path, and while I do empathize with her situation (she’s only doing what she can with the information she has) her actions still made me want to throw my proverbial book across the room. Then there’s Tehran — the backstabbing, no-good, TAKER IF ADVANTAGES——-

I digress.
If you can’t tell, these characters are easy to become invested in.

Characters: 10/10
Plot: 10/10

The setting is unique and again, the mix of fantasy and sci fi are blended to create a world with beasts made from legend and tech of a farther future. The namesake of this book, the Earthbound, are fascinating and scary, Knox having a few run ins that are less than desirable. They immediately sucked me into the story thanks to Carlssen’s bard-like narration.

Atmosphere/Mood: 13/14
Writing Style: 17/18

Intrigue and Excitement are an understatement. Had I read this in physical form I would have been flipping pages furiously! Instead I savored it (so glad I did) on audio, and have not stopped talking about it since! There isn’t a person I haven’t mentioned this book to.

Intrigue: 14/14
Excitement: 10/10

Ok. Now we get to the hard parts of this review which takes up the L in CAWPILE — Logic. The story makes sense of course. The way it ended leaves me wanting more. However! If you’ve heard me yap about this, then you know that I’m about to contradict myself, because while he’s in a surface level I do empathize with Amelia but that doesn’t make her actions LOGICAL. Is she under the spell of an oath. Quite possible. The whole book is about the power of oaths and the power behind our words. And, like myself, Amelia sometimes doesn’t think before she speaks, and doesn’t always listen to the voice inside her head ringing alarm bells. I don’t fault the author for weaving this into the story because it adds to the intrigue but if I was Amelia’s friend I would be having some sage words for her. Too bad all she has is Tehran…

Logic: 13/14


Overall if you are slumping from after Sanderson, this reminiscing-feel fantasy is just for you! And I highly recommend the audiobook for those who are into that sort of thing.

CAWPILE SCORE: 87/90 (my highest yet…)
DP2 SCORE (for audiobooks): 12/12
STAR RATING: 5

This is fabulous and omg just read it

Loved the narration and the characters, so obsessed with how the author has created the Oathbound world and all the complexities within it! It’s like Dune, plus Clockwork Angel (Shadowhunters) plus Way of Kings, plus Wool (Silo). It’s character driven sci-fi with a romance sub plot and it will destroy your emotions! (Which I love).