A Shade of Madness
The Ashes of Avarin, Book 2
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Buy for $24.95
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Kevin Kemp
-
By:
-
Thiago Abdalla
About this listen
Avarin tumbles into madness through the shattered ruin of a centuries-old peace.
As griffin riders clash against airships above and hordes of madmen below, Lynn finds herself surrounded by enemies. Ones that will test the limits of her faith. To defeat them, she must risk everything...including her sanity.
Adrian has lost the Legion, but new magics on foreign shores might be the answer he needs to rebuild his army. His return to the Domain will bring vengeance and the hope that he will finally prove himself to his father.
Nasha’s curse has taken on a new, terrifying shape. She dreads it could be just what the dead goddess needs to escape from her prison within the Silent Earth. Will she be strong enough to resist, or will Nasha’s curse give rise to the monster she fears to become?
Madness is spreading, and it cares not for the borders of men.
A Shade of Madness is the second book in the Ashes of Avarin series, picking up straight after the exciting conclusion of A Touch of Light.
©2023 Thiago Abdalla (P)2023 Thiago AbdallaListeners also enjoyed...
-
Sons of Darkness
- By: Gourav Mohanty
- Narrated by: Homer Todiwala
- Length: 24 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Bled dry by violent confrontations with the Magadhan Empire, the Mathuran Republic simmers on the brink of oblivion. Senator Krishna and his third wife Satyabhama have put their plans in motion, both within and beyond the Republic’s blood-soaked borders, to protect it from total annihilation. But they are soon to discover that neither gold nor alliances last forever – and that they are not the only players on the board.
-
-
Nice book. flawed narration
- By Anonymous User on 11-03-23
By: Gourav Mohanty
-
Of Blood and Fire
- The Bound and the Broken, Book 1
- By: Ryan Cahill
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 16 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Epheria is a land divided by war and mistrust. The High Lords of the South squabble and fight, only kept in check by the Dragonguard, traitors of a time long past, who serve the empire of the North. In the remote villages of Southern Epheria, still reeling from the tragic loss of his brother, Calen Bryer prepares for The Proving - a test of courage and skill that not all survive. But when three strangers arrive in the village of Milltown, with a secret they are willing to die for, Calen’s world is ripped from under him and he is thrust headfirst into a war.
-
-
Didn’t expect a “grow up power fantasy”
- By Anonymous User on 07-23-22
By: Ryan Cahill
-
The Darkness That Comes Before
- The Prince of Nothing, Book One
- By: R. Scott Bakker
- Narrated by: David DeVries
- Length: 20 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In a world scarred by an apocalyptic past, evoking a time both 2,000 years past and 2,000 years into the future, untold thousands gather for a crusade. Among them, two men and two women are ensnared by a mysterious traveler, Anasûrimbor Kellhus - part warrior, part philosopher, part sorcerous, charismatic presence - from lands long thought dead. The Darkness That Comes Before is a history of this great holy war, and like all histories, the survivors write its conclusion.
-
-
Finally in audiobook!
- By Anonymous User on 06-28-12
By: R. Scott Bakker
-
The Will of the Many
- Hierarchy, Book 1
- By: James Islington
- Narrated by: Euan Morton
- Length: 28 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Catenan Republic—the Hierarchy—may rule the world now, but they do not know everything. I tell them my name is Vis Telimus. I tell them I was orphaned after a tragic accident three years ago, and that good fortune alone has led to my acceptance into their most prestigious school. I tell them that once I graduate, I will gladly join the rest of civilized society in allowing my strength, my drive, and my focus—what they call Will—to be leeched away and added to the power of those above me, as millions already do. As all must eventually do.
-
-
I don’t know what the other reviews are on about
- By Anonymous User on 06-24-23
By: James Islington
-
The Serpent and the Wings of Night
- Crowns of Nyaxia, Book 1
- By: Carissa Broadbent
- Narrated by: Amanda Leigh Cobb
- Length: 15 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The adopted human daughter of the Nightborn vampire king, Oraya carved her place in a world designed to kill her. Her only chance to become something more than prey is entering the Kejari: a legendary tournament held by the goddess of death herself. But winning won’t be easy amongst the most vicious warriors from all three vampire houses. To survive, Oraya is forced to make an alliance with a mysterious rival.
-
-
Fantastic
- By Anonymous User on 08-16-23
-
The Collarbound
- By: Rebecca Zahabi
- Narrated by: Lara Sawalha, Peter Kenny
- Length: 10 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A man marked by magic. A woman marked by her past. On the other side of the Shadowpass, rebellion is brewing and refugees have begun to trickle into the city at the edge of the world. Looming high on the cliff is The Nest, a fortress full of mages who offer protection, but also embody everything the rebellion is fighting against: a strict hierarchy based on magic abilities. When Isha arrives as a refugee, she attempts to fit in amongst the other mages, but her tattoo brands her as an outcast. She can't remember her past or why she has the tattoo. All she knows is that she survived.
-
-
Wait for book two before listening.
- By Anonymous User on 05-25-22
By: Rebecca Zahabi
-
Sons of Darkness
- By: Gourav Mohanty
- Narrated by: Homer Todiwala
- Length: 24 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Bled dry by violent confrontations with the Magadhan Empire, the Mathuran Republic simmers on the brink of oblivion. Senator Krishna and his third wife Satyabhama have put their plans in motion, both within and beyond the Republic’s blood-soaked borders, to protect it from total annihilation. But they are soon to discover that neither gold nor alliances last forever – and that they are not the only players on the board.
-
-
Nice book. flawed narration
- By Anonymous User on 11-03-23
By: Gourav Mohanty
-
Of Blood and Fire
- The Bound and the Broken, Book 1
- By: Ryan Cahill
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 16 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Epheria is a land divided by war and mistrust. The High Lords of the South squabble and fight, only kept in check by the Dragonguard, traitors of a time long past, who serve the empire of the North. In the remote villages of Southern Epheria, still reeling from the tragic loss of his brother, Calen Bryer prepares for The Proving - a test of courage and skill that not all survive. But when three strangers arrive in the village of Milltown, with a secret they are willing to die for, Calen’s world is ripped from under him and he is thrust headfirst into a war.
-
-
Didn’t expect a “grow up power fantasy”
- By Anonymous User on 07-23-22
By: Ryan Cahill
-
The Darkness That Comes Before
- The Prince of Nothing, Book One
- By: R. Scott Bakker
- Narrated by: David DeVries
- Length: 20 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In a world scarred by an apocalyptic past, evoking a time both 2,000 years past and 2,000 years into the future, untold thousands gather for a crusade. Among them, two men and two women are ensnared by a mysterious traveler, Anasûrimbor Kellhus - part warrior, part philosopher, part sorcerous, charismatic presence - from lands long thought dead. The Darkness That Comes Before is a history of this great holy war, and like all histories, the survivors write its conclusion.
-
-
Finally in audiobook!
- By Anonymous User on 06-28-12
By: R. Scott Bakker
-
The Will of the Many
- Hierarchy, Book 1
- By: James Islington
- Narrated by: Euan Morton
- Length: 28 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Catenan Republic—the Hierarchy—may rule the world now, but they do not know everything. I tell them my name is Vis Telimus. I tell them I was orphaned after a tragic accident three years ago, and that good fortune alone has led to my acceptance into their most prestigious school. I tell them that once I graduate, I will gladly join the rest of civilized society in allowing my strength, my drive, and my focus—what they call Will—to be leeched away and added to the power of those above me, as millions already do. As all must eventually do.
-
-
I don’t know what the other reviews are on about
- By Anonymous User on 06-24-23
By: James Islington
-
The Serpent and the Wings of Night
- Crowns of Nyaxia, Book 1
- By: Carissa Broadbent
- Narrated by: Amanda Leigh Cobb
- Length: 15 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The adopted human daughter of the Nightborn vampire king, Oraya carved her place in a world designed to kill her. Her only chance to become something more than prey is entering the Kejari: a legendary tournament held by the goddess of death herself. But winning won’t be easy amongst the most vicious warriors from all three vampire houses. To survive, Oraya is forced to make an alliance with a mysterious rival.
-
-
Fantastic
- By Anonymous User on 08-16-23
-
The Collarbound
- By: Rebecca Zahabi
- Narrated by: Lara Sawalha, Peter Kenny
- Length: 10 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A man marked by magic. A woman marked by her past. On the other side of the Shadowpass, rebellion is brewing and refugees have begun to trickle into the city at the edge of the world. Looming high on the cliff is The Nest, a fortress full of mages who offer protection, but also embody everything the rebellion is fighting against: a strict hierarchy based on magic abilities. When Isha arrives as a refugee, she attempts to fit in amongst the other mages, but her tattoo brands her as an outcast. She can't remember her past or why she has the tattoo. All she knows is that she survived.
-
-
Wait for book two before listening.
- By Anonymous User on 05-25-22
By: Rebecca Zahabi
-
The Book That Wouldn't Burn
- By: Mark Lawrence
- Narrated by: Jessica Whittaker
- Length: 22 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The boy has lived his whole life trapped within a book-choked chamber older than empires and larger than cities. The girl has been plucked from the outskirts of civilization to be trained as a librarian, studying the mysteries of the great library at the heart of her kingdom. They were never supposed to meet. But in the library, they did. Their stories spiral around each other, across worlds and time. This is a tale of truth and lies and hearts, and the blurring of one into another.
-
-
Keeps the reader guessing
- By Anonymous User on 08-17-23
By: Mark Lawrence
-
The Last Ranger
- Ranger of the Titan Wilds, Book 1
- By: J.D.L. Rosell
- Narrated by: Imogen Church
- Length: 16 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Leiyn “Firebrand” is no stranger to a fight. A brash ranger of the Titan Wilds, she takes up her bow to ward against the colossal spirit creatures known as titans, ever a threat to the colonies she has sworn to protect. But no amount of skill can guard against treachery. When tragedy strikes the rangers’ lodge, Leiyn vows to avenge the fallen. But if she is to succeed, she must embrace a power within her she has long denied. Power to move mountains and rivers. Power over life and death.
-
-
JDL Does it Again!
- By Anonymous User on 01-26-23
By: J.D.L. Rosell
-
Rise of the Ranger
- The Echoes Saga, Book 1
- By: Philip C. Quaintrell
- Narrated by: Steven Brand
- Length: 15 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Mankind has lorded over the land of Illian for a thousand years, building on the ruins left by the elves, as if it were their birthright. A thousand years is a long time for an immortal race to see the truth of things, a truth that has remained unsaid for a millennium - elves are superior. They are faster, stronger, and connected to the magical realm in a way that man could never grasp. Illian should belong to them.
-
-
Worth it
- By Anonymous User on 03-24-18
-
The Dragonbone Chair
- Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn, Book One
- By: Tad Williams
- Narrated by: Andrew Wincott
- Length: 33 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A war fueled by the dark powers of sorcery is about to engulf the peaceful land of Osten Ard—for Prester John, the High King, slayer of the dread dragon Shurakai, lies dying. And with his death, an ancient evil will at last be unleashed, as the Storm King, undead ruler of the elvishlike Siti, seeks to regain his lost realm through a pact with one of human royal blood. Then, driven by spell-inspired jealousy and hate, prince will fight prince, while around them the very land begins to die.
-
-
A Work of art
- By Anonymous User on 10-22-16
By: Tad Williams
-
The Raveling: The Complete Saga
- By: Alec Hutson
- Narrated by: Guy Williams
- Length: 51 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Long ago, the world fell into twilight, when the great empires of old consumed each other in sorcerous cataclysms. In the south, the Star Towers fell, swallowed by the sea, while the black glaciers descended upon the northern holdfasts, entombing the cities of Min-Ceruth in ice and sorcery. Then from the ancient empire of Menekar, the paladins of Ama came, putting every surviving sorcerer to the sword and cleansing their taint from the land. The pulse of magic slowed, fading like the heartbeat of a dying man. But after a thousand years, it has begun to quicken again.
-
-
Narration is intolerable
- By Anonymous User on 04-22-20
By: Alec Hutson
-
The Wickwire Watch
- The Riverfall Chronicles, Book 1
- By: Jacquelyn Hagen
- Narrated by: Wayne Farrell
- Length: 14 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It's the first and greatest rule Inkwell Featherfield ever learned. It's also the only way he knows how to survive—besides picking pockets, dodging the law, and using every ounce of his plucky charm. But none of this will be enough to save him now. If only he'd never snooped around a dead man's house. If only he'd never found that pocket watch full of strange magic. If only he'd known the old man had snuffed it at the hands of the ghostly Spektors, or that such dark spirits even existed, because now they're after him.
-
-
Begins well, ends well, suffers in the middle.
- By Anonymous User on 10-24-24
By: Jacquelyn Hagen
-
Ascendant
- A Dragon Rider Fantasy (Songs of Chaos, Book 1)
- By: Michael R. Miller
- Narrated by: Peter Kenny
- Length: 17 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Holt Cook was never meant to be a dragon rider. He has always served the Order Hall of the Crag dutifully, keeping their kitchen pots clean. Until he discovers a dark secret: dragons do not tolerate weakness among their kin, killing the young they deem flawed. Moved by pity, Holt defies the Order, rescues a doomed egg and vows to protect the blind dragon within.
-
-
Great Fantasy Coming of Age Story
- By Anonymous User on 11-20-20
-
Along the Razor's Edge
- The War Eternal, Book 1
- By: Rob J. Hayes
- Narrated by: Moira Quirk
- Length: 12 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
At just 15, Eskara Helsene fought in the greatest war mankind has ever known - and lost. There is only one place her enemies would send a Sourcerer as powerful as her: the Pit, a prison sunk so deep into the earth the sun is a distant memory. Now, she finds herself stripped of her magic; a young girl surrounded by thieves, murderers, and worse. In order to survive she will need to make new allies, play the inmates against each other, and find a way out. Her enemies will soon find out that Eskara is not so easily broken.
-
-
Old lady rolls her eyes at past self.
- By Anonymous User on 12-23-20
By: Rob J. Hayes
-
The Sword of Kaigen: A Theonite War Story
- By: M. L. Wang
- Narrated by: Andrew Tell
- Length: 24 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On a mountainside at the edge of the Kaigenese Empire live the most powerful warriors in the world, superhumans capable of raising the sea and wielding blades of ice. For hundreds of years, the fighters of the Kusanagi Peninsula have held the Empire's enemies at bay, earning their frozen spit of land the name "The Sword of Kaigen". Born into Kusanagi's legendary Matsuda family, f14-year-old Mamoru has always known his purpose: To master his family's fighting techniques and defend his homeland.
-
-
OH. MY. GODS! Holy emotional epicness!
- By Kevin Potter on 09-03-20
By: M. L. Wang
-
The Umbral Storm
- Sharded Few, Book 1
- By: Alec Hutson
- Narrated by: Kevin T. Collins
- Length: 23 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A thousand years ago the Heart of the World was shattered, its fragments scattered across the lands. In the chaos that followed, martial orders arose to gather these shards, for it was found that great powers were granted when these pieces were bonded to the flesh of the chosen. These are the Sharded Few, warriors imbued with the divine energies that once coursed through the Heart, and driven to absorb enough fragments to claim godhood.
-
-
So good I almost Sharded
- By Anonymous User on 02-05-24
By: Alec Hutson
-
Prince of Thorns
- By: Mark Lawrence
- Narrated by: James Clamp
- Length: 9 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Author Mark Lawrence has won over audiences everywhere with Prince of Thorns, his exciting debut novel. Nine-year-old Prince Jorg is forced to watch as his mother and brother are slaughtered. Fleeing the palace, Jorg joins a bloodthirsty band of thugs. But he’s determined to take back what’s rightfully his, so he returns to the castle a few years later - unaware of the dark and powerful magic that awaits.
-
-
It sticks in your head.
- By Anonymous User on 09-07-13
By: Mark Lawrence
-
Malice
- By: John Gwynne
- Narrated by: Damian Lynch
- Length: 23 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Banished Lands has a violent past where armies of men and giants clashed in battle, but now giants are seen, the stones weep blood, and giant wyrms are stirring. Those who can still read the signs see a threat far greater than the ancient wars. For if the Black Sun gains ascendancy, mankind's hopes and dreams will fall to dust....
-
-
This Book...
- By Anonymous User on 03-21-20
By: John Gwynne
Related to this topic
-
Project Hail Mary
- By: Andy Weir
- Narrated by: Ray Porter
- Length: 16 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ryland Grace is the sole survivor on a desperate, last-chance mission - and if he fails, humanity and the Earth itself will perish. Except that right now, he doesn't know that. He can't even remember his own name, let alone the nature of his assignment or how to complete it. All he knows is that he's been asleep for a very, very long time. And he's just been awakened to find himself millions of miles from home, with nothing but two corpses for company.
-
-
Bazinga
- By Anonymous User on 05-04-21
By: Andy Weir
-
George Orwell’s 1984
- An Audible Original adaptation
- By: George Orwell, Joe White - adaptation
- Narrated by: Andrew Garfield, Cynthia Erivo, Andrew Scott, and others
- Length: 3 hrs and 27 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It’s 1984, and life has changed beyond recognition. Airstrip One, formerly known as Great Britain, is a place where Big Brother is always watching, and nobody can hide. Except, perhaps, for Winston Smith. Whilst working at the Ministry of Truth, rewriting history, he secretly dreams of freedom. And in a world where love and sex are forbidden, where it’s hard to distinguish between friend and foe, he meets Julia and O’Brien and vows to rebel.
-
-
A Revelation!
- By Anonymous User on 04-07-24
By: George Orwell, and others
-
The Martian
- By: Andy Weir
- Narrated by: Wil Wheaton
- Length: 10 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars. Now, he's sure he'll be the first person to die there. After a dust storm nearly kills him and forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded and completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive - and even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive. But Mark isn't ready to give up yet.
-
-
I love Wil Wheaton but why not R. C. Bray?
- By Anonymous User on 01-11-20
By: Andy Weir
-
Starter Villain
- By: John Scalzi
- Narrated by: Wil Wheaton
- Length: 8 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Inheriting your uncle's supervillain business is more complicated than you might think. Particularly when you discover who's running the place. Charlie's life is going nowhere fast. A divorced substitute teacher living with his cat in a house his siblings want to sell, all he wants is to open a pub downtown, if only the bank will approve his loan. Then his long-lost uncle Jake dies and leaves his supervillain business (complete with island volcano lair) to Charlie. But becoming a supervillain isn't all giant laser death rays and lava pits.
-
-
Volcanic Lairs, Death Rays & Cats… Oh My! 😼
- By Anonymous User on 09-19-23
By: John Scalzi
-
The Signal
- By: Eric Buchman
- Narrated by: Paget Brewster, full cast
- Length: 2 hrs and 39 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Two astronomers have detected a strange, pulsing signal from deep space. Within hours, the US government goes into lockdown, restricting airspace and scrubbing scientific data. Was the signal an intercepted communication revealing alarming plans for an enemy’s military strike? Or has humanity at long last found proof of extraterrestrial life?
-
-
Endings Matter
- By Anonymous User on 12-08-24
By: Eric Buchman
-
Artemis
- By: Andy Weir
- Narrated by: Rosario Dawson
- Length: 8 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jazz Bashara is a criminal. Well, sort of. Life on Artemis, the first and only city on the moon, is tough if you're not a rich tourist or an eccentric billionaire. So smuggling in the occasional harmless bit of contraband barely counts, right? Not when you've got debts to pay and your job as a porter barely covers the rent. Everything changes when Jazz sees the chance to commit the perfect crime, with a reward too lucrative to turn down.
-
-
A ferrari with no motor
- By Anonymous User on 11-18-17
By: Andy Weir
-
Project Hail Mary
- By: Andy Weir
- Narrated by: Ray Porter
- Length: 16 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ryland Grace is the sole survivor on a desperate, last-chance mission - and if he fails, humanity and the Earth itself will perish. Except that right now, he doesn't know that. He can't even remember his own name, let alone the nature of his assignment or how to complete it. All he knows is that he's been asleep for a very, very long time. And he's just been awakened to find himself millions of miles from home, with nothing but two corpses for company.
-
-
Bazinga
- By Anonymous User on 05-04-21
By: Andy Weir
-
George Orwell’s 1984
- An Audible Original adaptation
- By: George Orwell, Joe White - adaptation
- Narrated by: Andrew Garfield, Cynthia Erivo, Andrew Scott, and others
- Length: 3 hrs and 27 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It’s 1984, and life has changed beyond recognition. Airstrip One, formerly known as Great Britain, is a place where Big Brother is always watching, and nobody can hide. Except, perhaps, for Winston Smith. Whilst working at the Ministry of Truth, rewriting history, he secretly dreams of freedom. And in a world where love and sex are forbidden, where it’s hard to distinguish between friend and foe, he meets Julia and O’Brien and vows to rebel.
-
-
A Revelation!
- By Anonymous User on 04-07-24
By: George Orwell, and others
-
The Martian
- By: Andy Weir
- Narrated by: Wil Wheaton
- Length: 10 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars. Now, he's sure he'll be the first person to die there. After a dust storm nearly kills him and forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded and completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive - and even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive. But Mark isn't ready to give up yet.
-
-
I love Wil Wheaton but why not R. C. Bray?
- By Anonymous User on 01-11-20
By: Andy Weir
-
Starter Villain
- By: John Scalzi
- Narrated by: Wil Wheaton
- Length: 8 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Inheriting your uncle's supervillain business is more complicated than you might think. Particularly when you discover who's running the place. Charlie's life is going nowhere fast. A divorced substitute teacher living with his cat in a house his siblings want to sell, all he wants is to open a pub downtown, if only the bank will approve his loan. Then his long-lost uncle Jake dies and leaves his supervillain business (complete with island volcano lair) to Charlie. But becoming a supervillain isn't all giant laser death rays and lava pits.
-
-
Volcanic Lairs, Death Rays & Cats… Oh My! 😼
- By Anonymous User on 09-19-23
By: John Scalzi
-
The Signal
- By: Eric Buchman
- Narrated by: Paget Brewster, full cast
- Length: 2 hrs and 39 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Two astronomers have detected a strange, pulsing signal from deep space. Within hours, the US government goes into lockdown, restricting airspace and scrubbing scientific data. Was the signal an intercepted communication revealing alarming plans for an enemy’s military strike? Or has humanity at long last found proof of extraterrestrial life?
-
-
Endings Matter
- By Anonymous User on 12-08-24
By: Eric Buchman
-
Artemis
- By: Andy Weir
- Narrated by: Rosario Dawson
- Length: 8 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jazz Bashara is a criminal. Well, sort of. Life on Artemis, the first and only city on the moon, is tough if you're not a rich tourist or an eccentric billionaire. So smuggling in the occasional harmless bit of contraband barely counts, right? Not when you've got debts to pay and your job as a porter barely covers the rent. Everything changes when Jazz sees the chance to commit the perfect crime, with a reward too lucrative to turn down.
-
-
A ferrari with no motor
- By Anonymous User on 11-18-17
By: Andy Weir
What listeners say about A Shade of Madness
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 02-01-24
Magic and Madness
Although I enjoyed this a lot more than the first book in the series and found myself getting invested much more quickly, there are still a couple of key elements that hold this back from being a perfect fit for me.
NOTE: While this review does not contain spoilers for A SHADE OF MADNESS, it does mention specific things about A TOUCH OF LIGHT that could be considered as such.
CHARACTERS
Adrian, Nasha, and Lynn all return as main characters and their stories continue pretty much right from the moments that we last left them in A TOUCH OF LIGHT. A fourth POV character is added to the roster this time in the form of Kadmus. Initially, I was a bit thrown off by his sudden inclusion in the chapter rotation and I wasn't quite sure what to make of him given his rather cold and calculating demeanor. He quickly turned into one of my favorite characters to follow though and I think he played possibly the biggest role in the story's main source of conflict out of everyone (other than maybe Adrian). I also enjoyed the side characters that were a part of his narrative thread, which helped with making his chapters some of the more enjoyable ones for me. His arc also crosses over with Nasha's quite a bit in different capacities, with the two characters actually meeting near the book's end. I will say that it still bothers me somewhat that none of the other main characters meet each other, but I'll get to that more in a bit. Overall, Nasha is still my least favorite of the bunch. The voices that Kemp gives to her and her protege, Shy, are just kind of whiny and grating, though I will say that this sort of fits their personalities rather well. Nasha, like many of the other characters, is incredibly self-serving. What makes her so annoying to me is how indignant she gets whenever someone wrongs her. The world that Abdalla has constructed is a brutal one indeed, but for this character to bemoan that fact while she doesn't do much to be less awful than everyone else just comes off as hypocritical. She does kind of become a bit more heroic towards the end of this book though, so I'm curious to see if I will see her more favorably in the third installment. Adrian remains the most compelling character for me and his storyline feels the most pivotal. It was really interesting to see him come into his own power, but then also rather horrifying to watch him descend into the darkness of it all at such a rapid pace. I wouldn't say that I "like" him so much as I'm just engaged in his journey and very curious to see what will happen with him next. Lynn's story was a bit easier to get into this time around. There's also substantially more griffins than there was in the first book. There's a lot going on in her chapters from delving into some of her personal baggage, to further building out the religious structure of this world, to unraveling a political conspiracy. I felt like I got a much better read on her as a character this time, but it's still the stuff that's happening around her that I found most intriguing.
PLOT/TONE
If you thought that A TOUCH OF LIGHT was a touch too dark for your tastes, then you may want to be warned that A SHADE OF MADNESS really doubles down on the more twisted elements of this world. Adrian's plotline in particular is brimming with some super disturbing content and his character seems to be on a possibly tragic trajectory. Lynn contends with a brutality that lies buried beneath the pious veneer of her church while also having to confront the horrors that she's committed in her past, all in the name of her duty. She's faced with some very heavy choices and while I think she navigates those admirably, the story seems set on corralling her into a rather dark destiny as well. Surprisingly, most of the more hopeful notes come from Nasha and Kadmus with them both making some progress toward unraveling the mystery of the Madness in the hopes of finding a possible cure for it. There are a lot more battle scenes in this book than there were in the predecessor, at least in terms of larger-scale conflicts. While that might sound like a good thing, I actually found some of these a little hard to follow. Some of that could just be the nature of consuming this on audio, but I also think that the way some of Adrian's military campaign scenes were depicted were just genuinely missing a certain level of clarity and/or detail. It probably doesn't help that certain things like sky gates and airships aren't really described with much (if any) visual detail. I can certainly imagine what they might look like, but filling in some of these blanks may have distracted me from the action itself. As I mentioned before, I am still not a huge fan of how there are almost three different books that are spliced up into one, in the sense that the main characters are all just doing their own thing, almost entirely separate from one another. As with the first book, they are thematically tied, with book one exploring the theme of death from their different perspectives, while book two has them largely focused on the Madness that is sweeping across their realm. I can appreciate what the book is going for, but it still feels weird to me for there to not be some more tangible overlapping elements to tie things together. Another thing that doesn't fully work for me is how both books in this series don't really have an ending, they simply stop. There is certainly some sense of resolution in that all the characters typically have a big moment that fulfils a certain aspect of their arc, but the way things are cut, it still feels as though there should be another chapter that follows. I imagine this might be a really neat artistic choice once the series is complete because it seems like it will continue with one book just flowing right into the next, but that, frankly, has left me feeling somewhat unfulfilled. It doesn't bother me as much as a true cliffhanger, but I think this decision puts a ton of pressure on the conclusion to the final book in the series to really deliver something mind-blowing, otherwise there will almost certainly be some folks who feel cheated by the finale.
SETTING/WORLD
While much of this world feels defined by it's politics and it's people, I think there was some a solid expansion on the world itself this time around as well. For one, we get to learn a lot more about the famous griffins. I was a bit underwhelmed by their role in the first book, but thankfully I now understand what all the fuss is about when it comes to how much people rant and rave about them in this series. It was also nice to get a better understanding of how Lynn's bond with her griffin works exactly since we mostly had to piece those details together before. We get to spend a bit more time in the nation that Adrian travels to at the end of A TOUCH OF LIGHT which seems to be a sort of Middle-Eastern-inspired locale. The brutal politics of this domain were fascinating , though I did find myself feeling like it wasn't THAT much more cutthroat than the kingdoms of the Domain despite how Adrian paints it as being extra savage. Adrian is probably the character who covers the most ground with him travelling to different settlements and battlefronts over the course of his campaign. Nasha's story takes her to a new tribe of people and also delves a bit more into the magical mysticism that she attributes her volatile powers to. Magic in general is greatly expanded upon in some ways that I did not expect. Seeing Adrian develop as some sort of blood mage was both fascinating and grotesque. It was also interesting to see how much of it all seemed to somehow tie back to the source of the Madness. I have to wonder where that will all go in future books.
I've mentioned this before, but I'll state again that it would have been nice to have some more physicals descriptions of certain towns, artifacts, and technology. When left to imagine what certain towns/forts looked like, I typically defaulted to generic fantasy faire while imagining things like sky gates as some sort of stone Star Gate situation and airships as blimp-like contraptions (when perhaps they were meant to look more like actual boats). While I'm capable of filling in those details and perhaps I was meant to imagine these generic images, I would argue that this was a missed opportunity to make these things more unique and distinct through spending a little more time on what they actually look like. Kadmus's shop is one example of where the setting and atmosphere was handled a bit better. Consuming this on Audio also continued to make it hard for me to understand the geography of this world. I'm not sure if a map is included in the visual editions of these books, but since it's not really described where one location sits in relation to another, I feel like having that type of reference would really help keep track of where everyone is. One final gripe I have is that I don't always love the way that religion and faith are handled. I wouldn't say that it feels as though the book is necessarily attacking religion and I actually have no idea if Abdalla himself is religious, but the way that it is represented in the context of the story leans very heavily into the cliché that religions exist solely to control the masses. It also just ultimately reads like it is written by someone who doesn't really understand what it means to live a life of faith. Again, I have no idea whether the author is devout in a particular faith or as nihilistic as his characters, my points here are strictly about the role his made-up religion(s) plays within the story itself and how it ultimately doesn't speak to me in any real way.
THE AUDIOBOOK
This was, once again, masterfully narrated and voiced by Kevin Kemp. All of the characters sound distinct and the voices chosen for them really fit how I expected these characters to sound. As much as I found the voices for Nasha and Shy to be annoying, I think that still fit their characters well. I was particularly impressed when Kemp voiced a character who was being tortured. I felt like I was there in that scene as much as I would be if I was watching a film/TV adaptation of this. It was harrowing and raw and it really spoke to just how talented this guy is. Despite my complaints over how some of the bigger-scale fights were handled, I think the prose here is all masterfully recited. This is as crisp and engaging of a read as anyone could really ask for.
CONCLUSION
If you enjoyed the first book, then I think you should absolutely continue with A SHADE OF MADNESS. If you felt as though it was maybe a little darker than you would have liked, then I would pump the brakes on continuing as this only gets darker and more demented.
(+) Kadmus was a fantastic addition to the main roster that contributed in some surprising ways to the story overall.
(+) I liked that Kadmus and Nasha had crossover between their arcs.
(+) Adrien's story continues to be deeply engrossing.
(+) Another outstanding audio production by Kevin Kemp.
(+) Deeper expansion into the magic of this world as well as the dire consequences of using it
(+) Some expanded worldbuilding and lore.
(-) Keeping the main POVs so separate is still not my favorite thing.
(-) This book ended as abruptly and unceremoniously as the first.
(-) Some of the battles and visuals felt a little fuzzy to me, leaving me to fill in a lot of blanks instead of paying attention to the action.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!