Thuggiana

The First Quarto, Book 5

De: Gregory Ashe

Narrado por: J.F. Harding

Pics, or it didn’t happen.

Thuggiana is a collection of short stories connected to The First Quarto. It includes the following:

• “The Slightest Folly”: This prequel provides a glimpse into Auggie’s and Theo’s lives in high school. It takes place before They Told Me I Was Everything.
• “As School-Boys from Their Books”: A series of vignettes set shortly after the events of They Told Me I Was Everything.
• “The Woodsong Fog”: A series of vignettes set shortly after the events of Yet a Stranger.
• “We Fools of Nature”: Theo and Auggie go on a float trip. This story is set after The Fairest Show.
• “Thuggiana”: Auggie takes the gang on a private, overnight ghost hunt in an abandoned prison. This story is set after A Fault against the Dead.

Please note that the first four stories were distributed previously in various formats.

“Thuggiana” is exclusively available in this collection.

©2022 Gregory Ashe (P)2026 Gregory Ashe

Very enjoyable lighter moments

It's always nice to visit with Greg Ashe's characters in a setting where you can be confident they won't end up at death's door. Which is to say, only in these short stories. These lighter moments are a lot of fun, though that cliffhanger...!

Yes, you really should listen to the short stories

The series I was most reluctant to read/listen to in Gregory Ashe's Hazardverse was The Last Quarto. I am not a fan of college-centered stories since my college experience was not the thrilling adventure described in most fiction. Still, I can't seem to resist reading everything in the Hazardverse. I enjoy the world and the characters too much to skip one series based on my less-than-fun life experiences. The Last Quarto series actually has a realistic portrayal of the perils of college life, with the exception of the number of mysteries encountered during a typical semester. I did not solve a single murder mystery on my college campus, although I did get to explore some secret tunnels. Anyway...

Thuggiana is filled with the quiet, personal interactions that happen between the moments of action showcased in The First Quarto series. Auggie and Theo survive some very intense situations, and J. F. Harding does a spectacular job of conveying the emotional tension between Auggie and Theo as they navigate their way through a slightly taboo relationship. Harding was already one of my favorite narrators, and his portrayal of Auggie has me appreciating Auggie's wit and humor even more. Thuggiana is a must-read/listen if you enjoy The First Quarto series. I recommend reading this short story collection before the next series is released, because you really don't want to miss the unsubtle hints about what new adventure Auggie and Theo will be encountering next.

Enjoyable listen

This is Book 5 of The First Quarto. It is a collection of short stories. This is not a stand alone, you need to have read the first four books. I really enjoyed revisting Theo and Auggie’s story. There are stories from before they met, during their courtship and the last two (my favorites) adventures in love. We get a little more insight as to how deep Auggie’s trauma was and how it affected his relationship with Theo. My favorites were the camping trip and the haunted prison. They are really fun and one with a shocking ending; I actually gasped. Highly recommended for fans of the series. J.F. Harding does an amazing job and gives a stellar performance.

I was given a free copy of this audiobook in return for an honest review.

Thuggiana - definition provided

The best part of being on Greg's newsletter is you get the opportunity to read short stories that go along with the main ARC series. But it's even better when they are all packaged up in a single book to read through. These stories range from before They Told I Was Everything all the way to a story post A Fault against the Dead. Each story provides a great insight into Theo and Auggie and how they have grown over time. Love that the Thuggiana has its own quick mystery. These stories will leave you craving for MORE.

Audio:
Love coming back to these guys after a bit of time. It's a great to see the progression of Auggie and Theo's relationship through the series and getting a little bit more. J.F. Harding does the greatest voice for Theo. The added gruffness for his indifferent attitude is just perfect.

4 stars

Thuggiana is a collection of short stories connected to The First Quarto. It is necessary to have read the series and even more helpful if you have read the series recently. The last book in the series was published in 2022 and some of these stories go back to the beginning. With Ashe working on a new book in this series it was fun to see the progression of Theo and Auggie’s relationship in a lighter way.

“The Slightest Folly” This prequel, that takes place before They Told Me I Was Everything, provides a glimpse into Auggie’s and Theo’s lives in high school. I wasn’t sure how I would feel about going so far back but seeing Theo, who still went by Daniel in high school, was fun. Auggie is not too far out of high school when we meet him in the main series so he was a similar character but showed his insecurities navigating attraction in high school.

“As School-Boys from Their Books” is a series of vignettes set shortly after the events of They Told Me I Was Everything. Auggie is going to California and the men have mixed feelings about being separated. Theo thinks Auggie is happy to get out of Missouri, but Auggie is going to show him the top 5 things he likes about the state. Each short in this story features another location and has Auggie and Theo’s early relationship on full display. The last location even makes Theo tear up a bit with emotion that catches him off guard.

“The Woodsong Fog” is a series of vignettes set shortly after the events of Yet a Stranger.
It’s summer break Auggie doesn’t want to go home but his brother, Fer, is insisting. It’s hot in MO, the A/C is broken and Auggie is bored. Theo has a lot to do like always, as he’s trying to write a paper for a conference and with Auggie’s constant interruptions it’s slow going. Life is stressful but the men make time for each other as their attraction and relationship grows. It’s also a good reminder that Auggie is not always as confident as he seems

“We Fools of Nature” is set after The Fairest Show where Theo and Auggie go on a canoe trip. Theo loved the outdoors, Auggie not so much. Theo grew up going camping with his father and brother but now they go without him. Auggie wants to do this for Theo but he’s hesitant about many things. Some things go wrong; some things go right and Theo and Auggie learn to compromise on how to have a good time.

“Thuggiana” is set after A Fault against the Dead where Auggie takes Theo and friends on an overnight ghost hunt in an abandoned prison. The opening of the story tells us that the suffix “ana” is from “Latin origin to convert nouns, usually proper names, into mass nouns. Most commonly to refer to a collection of things….” This is the only story that is new and exclusive to this collection. The story sets the group at an overnight to a haunted location to film for their social media channels. This is also the story that is set most recently in Auggie and Theo’s relationship. I couldn’t seem to get into this story. I found the shenanigans only highlighted the differences between Auggie and Theo and by this point I wanted a little more. The pseudo villain in the story has a record and when his previous charges are mentioned I didn’t understand why it went in the direction it did and I never connected the name of the story to the actions within the story. As the last story in the collection, it left me feeling less favorable which was disappointing for an author’s work I truly like and read regularly.

J.F. Harding offers a nice performance with this collection. He doesn’t have a wide range of voices for the characters, but he keeps the fast narrative moving effortlessly. I do like listening to Ashe’s books in audio as his choice of narrator in Harding captured the atmosphere and vibe of the world Auggie and Theo live in. If you are familiar with Auggie and Theo, these stories may add to your overall enjoyment of the series.