Trollin'

Tales of the World Dragon, Book 1

De: D. M. Almond

Narrado por: Carl Bonebright

Duración: 16 h y 48 m

Resumen del Editor

"The only good troll is a dead troll," as the saying goes. Trolls are feared, hated, hunted down and eradicated.

And yet, one of their kind just might be the kingdom's only hope.

Seventeen years ago, the Vance’s took in a baby troll to raise as their own. Now they’re gone and Kwadjo is on his own, trying to survive in a kingdom that would rather see him dead.

Agamon, one of the most powerful wizards in the land, has been exiled from the Silver Spire. His quest for vengeance shatters the young troll’s life, tossing everything he knows on its head and thrusting him into a dangerous world.

A beguiling tale of rejection, revenge, and the adventure of a lifetime. Join Kwadjo on his journey across the lands of the World Dragon, as he is thrust into a battle for survival and pitted against impossible odds. Agamon seeks to harness the power of the fabled crystal throne to usurp the king. Can one troll find his way in the world in time to stop him?

(Previously published as the Kindle Vella series The Life & Times of Kwado Vance, Troll)

©2022 David Matthew Almond (P)2023 David Matthew Almond

Exciting, Action-Filled, and Magical Story!

A childless couple takes in a baby troll and raises it with kindness, love, and compassion. Although the parents loved Kwadjo, the rest of the world didn’t. They feared him as they only knew about the stereotypical behaviors of trolls that they had learned over time from rumors and folktales. Regardless of what life threw at Kwadjo, he maintained his humanity better than most of the humans he encountered!

D. M. Almond creates a magical and detailed fantasy world of trolls, goblins, dragons, and wizards mixed with humans and kingdoms. In this magical world, Almond weaves several themes that reflect everyday occurrences in our own world – bigotry, enhancement of negative stereotypical behaviors, deceit, and hatred balanced out with good, acceptance, compassion, thoughtfulness, and trust. The characters are rich and vivid in their interaction with one another and the differing situations. As a listener, one cannot help but cheer Kwadjo onward and gasp in fear during his more trusting and naive moments that prove to be nearly deadly. Innocence is lost through several encounters and situations, and greed and lust for power are shown in its rawness. The depth of each character and their role within the story kept it moving forward and engaging.

The narrator, Carl Bonebright delivers an excellent performance! His unique voice for each character was well done as he captured the essence of each character. He spoke clearly and with rich tones, his subtle intonations and energy kept the listener on the edge of the chair in suspense.

I enjoyed the story of Kwadjo very much but for me, the rich themes within were even more rewarding. These are the main themes I saw within the story: stereotypes are always present no matter what one does to expel them, one’s ultimate dream changes with time and experience, and compassion and kindness are far more powerful than money or power. I cannot wait to experience Kwadjo’s next adventure!

There were no issues with the quality or production of this audiobook.

Unfortunately I can't sugarcoat this one.

How can I say it. This was bad. The only way I could finish it, was by skipping ahead several chapters. I will say that the ending was pretty cute tho. I initially thought I was in the wrong audience for this coming-of-age book, but then realized 😳 that I really couldn'd recommend Trollin to any audience. I see some people liked it, because there are several 5⭐'s reviews for this slow starter. Ta' each their own.
Carl Bonebright did a great job, but I disliked his use of electronic enhancements for some of his characters.