Prisoner of Steel and Shadow

The Forsaken, Book 1

De: Meg Anne

Narrado por: Stella Hunter, Shane East, James Joseph

A kidnapped queen

A vengeful god has stolen everything from the queen of assassins. Her title. Her power. Her memories.

Even her name.

Now merely a ghost of her former self, Shadow must enter a deadly game and fight for her freedom or risk spending the rest of her life as a madman’s prisoner.

But in order to win, she may be forced to lose what’s left of her true self in the process.

A legendary warrior

Resolved to a life sworn to duty instead of love, Ronan wasn’t prepared when the assassin queen swept into his life. Then as suddenly as she appeared, she vanished without a trace.

After five years he’s no closer to finding her, so when a prophecy offers the first clue to her whereabouts, there’s no question he’ll set off to rescue her. But when they finally come face-to-face, she has no idea who he is. In fact, she seems more inclined to slit his throat than fall into his arms.

When it becomes clear his only chance to save her is to become her enemy and enter the contest, he doesn't hesitate. He’d risk everything to bring her back.

Including his life.

After all, the only reason his heart still beats is for her.

Prisoner of Steel and Shadow is the first book in a brand-new trilogy set in the Chosen Universe. Fans of Sarah J Maas and Jennifer L Armentrout will adore this addictive high fantasy romance.

©2022 Meg Anne (P)2022 Meg Anne

How soon does the next one come out!?

Great narration casting and good new storyline from Meg Anne. Looking forward to the next book.

absolutely loved it

First off I have to say how much I love the narrators that did this story. They make you feel like you are a part of it
Ronan decided to take a little vacation and either find who he is missing, or die trying. What he didn't expect to find was exactly what he did. I don't want to give away spoilers so you need to read it
I absolutely love this book

Ok I’m hooked

First I love the narration. Everyone is pitch perfect. And the story is compelling. I’m ready for more.

Exciting, amazing audio perfection!

I can’t get enough of this series, and I can’t recommend it highly enough! Prisoner of Steel & Shadow is book 1 in the Forsaken series, which picks up 5 years after The Keeper’s Vow, book 8 in The Chosen series. I wholeheartedly and enthusiastically recommend listening to The Chosen series to fully understand the history and the characters (or at least the Keeper’s trilogy), but it is not required. Ronin is struggling in Reyna’s long absence and has traveled to another realm in his search for her. Throughout The Chosen series Ronin was a strong and interesting character, and I’m so glad we now get his story with The Forsaken. We meet new characters, like Bast, who is the best kind of scoundrel performed impeccably by James Joseph! I just love their bromance as Bast becomes the sidekick Ronin never wanted. Bast is the character I never saw coming and now I’m totally hooked! Their friendship is delightful and really adds depth and humor to this new story that is layered in complex emotions, mysterious plots, an old enemy who has been lurking and planning, and above all a love that will not fade. Meg Anne is a genius at weaving in the angst with exciting action and taking us to a new world with new possibilities for magic and intrigue. I knew what I was getting into when I started this book and still I found myself listening late into the tonight.

The performances by Shane East and Stella Hunter with James Joseph in duet are absolutely amazing with such deep emotions, angst, and brilliant characters of varying accents, ages, and even states of inebriation. Such an absolute joy to listen to them together in duet!

Oh my his voice

Lol so yes great story and Stella is also amazing but Shane East.. I think I may be a little in love with his voice lol it just does something to me 😅🫠

Fantastic Fantasy Entertainment

Meg Anne wrote such a satisfying fantasy world that is easy to enter, full of rich characters and exciting stakes. I want more from this author she writes work that is entertaining, full of heart and depth and bubbly steamy tension.

If you love critical role, the Witcher and dungeons and dragons you’ll have a wonderful time with these characters and this world. I was fully invested from the start- that opening!

Also get. The. Audio. This multi cast duet recording is exceptionally produced and performed. James’ range of character work is stunning, Shane’s narrative voice is rumble butter and his Ronan depiction gives Geralt a run for his money- then Stella ices the cake with not only an impressive range of character voices but a smooth, nuanced and effortless performance in her narrative voice and depiction of Shadow.

Fantastic start to the series 🔥🙌🏾

Get this book asap ! Don’t just take my word for it 🙌🏾.

Meg Anne is back at it again with Ronan’s story – Prisoner of Steel and Shadow ( The Forsaken Book 1) . Before you read this I would suggest that you read the Chosen series first; so you can get the preface and gain an understanding of the characters that make an appearance in this book. I will give you a hint (Effie and Lucian the Keepers). I was super excited to get this one; as Ronan’s character was so significant in the previous books . We get Ronan’s point of view, as he is on a journey of self destruction because the person he valued most was taken from him. Rayna, the assassin queen who has been presumed dead as this story falls in 5 years later from the previous books with Ronan. Grieve stricken with emptiness; Ronan reaches deep within and allows the reckoning to begin. Starting with his alter – ego … ( I will never tell 🤫). Will he need to leave the Circle his position as the Sheild and seek out his one true love, who is not dead?…..😱


Effie, a Keeper, has provided this message of her vision to Ronan, of the so called rumor; but in fact it is all TRUTH . Ronan is on his way home to find what he seeks, and when he does he will make it hurt 🤬! Dark magic, portals and fantasy gives you all the skin prickly feels that pull you in as a listener . I love the back and forth amongst characters in this book . I actually laughed a lot with the interactions between the meeting of the Circle and Effie. Along the way we meet Sebastian “ Bast” and I will tell you , you do not want to miss their interaction. While on his journey Ronan meets the Shadow, a very familiar being and oh boys and girls the plot thickens….

Meg Ann has written one hell of a great beginning to this series and her narrators bring it home with a bang ! Shane East, Stella Hunter and James Joseph are all fantastic . So grab this book, you will not be disappointed. Hey don’t just take my word ! Oh and did I mention the MAJOR CLIFF HANGER !!! Ha leaves you breathless. Enjoy !!!!!

Perfection

Forgive me while I gush over this book!
I, like many others, have been impatiently waiting for Ronan and Reyna’s story! They’re a favorite pairing of mine from the Chosen series and Keepers series and everyone was waiting to hear what happened to Reyna.
Well we kinda know, and it’s not good. Poor Ronan has to jump through every fiery hoop imaginable to get to Reyna and the way Meg Anne tells his story will have you cheering, pounding your fists and tearing up right along with Ronan.

The new characters we meet in this series are the best. I can’t pick a favorite, yet! But with so many great leading characters and additions, a multi cast in audio was a perfect call by the author.

Stella and Shane bring a beautifully crafted story to light as they perform as Reyna and Ronan. This isn’t an audio that is read to you, where they authors work carries the whole story. No, this is a performance that brings Meg’s work to life jumping off the page and stealing your heart. It was such a treat to read and then listen to all my favorite characters brought to life.
But it wasn’t just Stella and Shane that knocked it out of the park, we also have James Joseph making a scene stealing appearance in this book as Erebos and Bast!
Bast is lovable, so of course I wanted to hear more of him, but i was not expecting to want more Erebos. Bravo JJ and making me like the baddie so much.

Now full disclosure, there is a cliffy at the end of this trial to be the champion of Erebos. It has me eagerly waiting for book two to be released. Not only so I can see more of these characters, but also so I will know what happens next!

If you love a good slow burn romance where the couple is more enemy than lover and you can’t quite understand why (yet), if you enjoy fights for your freedom and for your future, you will love this tale.

Riveting Story with Stellar Narration!

I was so excited to continue the overall story that started in The Chosen series (which was incredible btw) with this Forsaken series! And specifically, I was excited for Reyna and Ronan’s story. And I was definitely not disappointed with this first audiobook in the series. These characters are emotionally layered and multifaceted, and the plot is beyond intriguing. The combination makes this a story that is nothing short of riveting.

The stellar narration from the audio dream team of Stella Hunter, Shane East, and James Joseph further elevates this fantastic story. Stella Hunter is perfect in the role of Reyna, turning in a performance that is every bit as powerful as the character herself. Shane East’s passionate portrayal of Ronan allows the listener to hear all the emotion and vulnerability in the strong warrior’s heart. And James Joseph continues to shine as Kieran/Erebos, effortlessly portraying the complex nature of this dual character. And he deserves a special shout-out for his performance as Bast, everyone’s favorite hilarious and lovable French-accented scoundrel. He stole more than a few scenes, in my opinion. Overall, these three talented voice actors flawlessly bring this colorful story to life, making this a title that is absolutely not to be missed!

2022's most captivating soul piercing romantasy

Prisoner of Steel and Shadow is Book 1 of the Forsaken Trilogy in Meg Anne’s Chosen Universe. We pick up 5 years after the Keeper’s Vow and wow do we have ourselves another epic romantasy!

Like all of Meg Anne’s books, it was no surprise that I would love this book. It’s action packed full of humour, slow-burn angsty romance in a mystical world of Empyria to follow another epic love story of Ronan and Reyna/Shadow and features:

Inspired by The Princess Bride
Enemies-to-lovers
Competition to the
Assassins, Mercenaries, and Mages (oh my!)
Delicious villain
Loveable sidekick
Epic banter (#whisperoff)
Glorious cliffhanger
Off the charts chemistry

Reyna/Shadow was mysteriously separated from Ronan and he had spent the last 5 years searching for her and had all but given up hope ever finding her, until Effie told him about a vision that she was in fact alive, but in Empyria, so Ronan sets about on a mission to find his beloved who he does manage to locate, but sadly for him, she has no memory of him or her feelings for him and she goes by the name of Shadow.

As I’ve begun to expect from Meg Anne, we meet some captivating side characters that creep into your heart such as the likeable flamboyant Rogue Sebastian, nicknamed Bast for short and boy does he steal the show. Bast becomes Ronan’s tour-guide in the city of Glimmermere and tells him all about the ruler: High Lord Erevos and discovers that Shadow/Reyna is a loyal servant to him.

Determined to win her back and help restore her memories, Ronan decides to enrol in a “Battle Royale” deadly contest to the death in the hopes that spending time with Reyna/Shadow will help restore her memories of their love.
Although Reyna/Shadow has no memories of Ronan, what they both discover, is she does hold a very strong attraction to him: their chemistry is sizzling! Be warned though the slow-burn is intense and will torment your soul in such an excruciatingly delicious way that is unique to Meg Anne’s writing and I’m so here for it!
Add the talented voice actors of Shane East, Stella Hunter and James Joseph, and you have a multi-cast audio play of epic proportions!
These 3 actors are fast becoming my very favourites and are amazing but continue to get better with every performance.

Stella is the perfect Shadow/Reyna, she captures her emotions as she shifts into the vulnerable Reyna/Shadow who is slowly acknowledging her feelings for Ronan. I absolutely adore Stella she can do no wrong at this point. Her accent work in this is outstanding. She is the queen!

James Jospeh is the perfect Erevos and Bast – his accent work in this is impeccable: we hear Russian, American and French – not to mention the Cockney marathon he and the others pull off in the beginning – it’s astonishing how talented he is to the point where I’m now hoping we end up with a book dedicated to Bast – JJ is that good!

Shane does much of the heavy lifting in this book and portrayal of Ronan is flawless and perfectly captures his emotions as he shifts from heart-broken and broody, to the determined, jovial and seductive lover, desperately trying to stir up emotions from his fated-mate – and Reyna never had a chance what with his signature seductive sonorous tones that can vaporise you into nothingness…he is that exceptionally talented.

Shanes’s accent work in this is outstanding and there are so many in this book: Scottish, Spanish, American and even Australian – which I am a massive fan of – Shane’s Aussie accent is so perfect, I swear he sounds like a natural and that’s high praise coming from an Aussie like me.
Shane’s signature sonorous voice is flawless, not to mention his whispers – he and James Joseph have a whisper off, and while James does well, there is just something about Shane that sets him ahead of the game, his depth of talent is supreme and unmatched.

Overall, I adored this audiobook and I did not want it to end. Be warned though, this does end if a cliff-hanger, so I am impatiently waiting on the next book.
It’s an epic romantasy by a fabulous writing genius author, performed by a talented multi-cast that feels larger than the 3 actors! If I could give this more than 5 stars I would.