Herrick's End

The Neath, Book 1

De: T. M. Blanchet

Narrado por: Cameron D Dryden

"You did nothing. You were nothing. And so, you shall remain here, until the end of your days. As nothing."

Ollie's only friend disappeared a few days ago, and now, he's frantic to find her.

But he doesn't have much to go on until a mysterious note arrives, which reads: "Still looking for your friend? I know where she is."

Unfortunately for Ollie, the trail leads to the last place he'd ever expect.

Somewhere dark.

Somewhere deep.

The kind of place where magic spills like blood, vengeance is merciless, and escape seems all but impossible.

Worse still, it soon becomes clear that someone-or something-was expecting him.

Now, time is running out. If Ollie has any hope of ever seeing home again, he's going to have to summon every last scrap of courage, smarts, and tenacity he can find. And none of it will matter if he can't get some help. Fast. Because Ollie might not know much about the vast underworld that's ensnared him, but he does know this: He'll never make it out alone.

©2022 Tiny Fox Press (P)2024 Tiny Fox Press

Fantastical Bostonian Story Brought To Life By Vibrant Narration!

I wasn’t sure where this story was going at first but it all came together in the end! As a Bostonian, I appreciated the descriptions of familiar locations; it enhanced my experience of imagining the scenes of the story actually taking place there. While the plot was just a bit predictable at times, there were enough surprises that really kept me guessing. Perhaps a bit cynically, I wondered if any male was as thoughtful as this main character was written. Regardless, the writing and characters served their purpose in transporting me to quite a unique fantasy world. The characters seemed to have been written in a way that exaggerated their differences and this was remarkably brought to life through the narration. The narrator’s portrayal of the extensive variation of characters, accents and speech patterns was nothing short of incredible! He even found ways to change his tones for the female characters in a way that kept the focus on the dialogue and not on the fact that the reader was a male narrating female voices. The best character voice was his portrayal of Lazlo. It sounded like an entirely different person and really brought this fantastical story to life! Thank you to the author and narrator for such an adventure!

Imaginative story and captivating narration

Herrick’s End is a complex, imaginative story of love, loss and living. References to unique Boston locations are authentic and colorful. The main character, Ollie, is an unlikely hero. But the author helps the reader connect with him as she leads him through a dizzying range of experiences and relationships. The narrator provides Ollie with a warm voice full of personality and character, adding nuance and depth to the text and making him completely relatable.

The author has populated her fantasy world of The Neath with a huge, diverse cast of compelling characters. The narrator skillfully navigates cultures, dialects, gender, age and more, bringing the characters to life and providing touchstones that help the reader keep track of plot twists and turns.

As the first book in a trilogy, Herrick’s End entices readers to continue the journey with Ollie, his friends and his enemies. I wonder where this talented author and narrator will take us next?