Across the Great Barrier

Frontier Magic, Book 2

By: Patricia C. Wrede

Narrated by: Amanda Ronconi

Length: 9 hrs and 25 mins

Publisher's Summary

From New York Times number-one best-selling author Patricia C. Wrede, the second in the series of magic on the western frontier.

Eff is riding west, away from the safety of the frontier city she's always known.... Eff could be a powerful magician if she wanted to. Except she's not sure she wants that kind of responsibility. Everyone keeps waiting for her to do something amazing - or to fail in a spectacular way. Worse, her twin brother, Lan, a powerful double seventh son, is jealous of all the attention she's been getting.

Even as Eff protests that she's just an ordinary girl, she's asked to travel past the Barrier Spell with one of the new professors at her father's school. The land west of the Barrier is full of dangers, both magical and wild. Eff will need to use all her strength - magical and otherwise - to come safely back home.

With wit, magic, and a touch of good pioneer sense, Patricia C. Wrede once again weaves a fantastic tale of the very wild west.

©2011 Patricia C. Wrede (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

Great, simply great!

What made the experience of listening to Across the Great Barrier the most enjoyable?

Amanda Ronconi has the greatest voice. She reads at the perfect tempo, never sounds bored. She has a broad range of voices for different characters. I love listening to her. I never have to speed up or slow down the program to compensate for poor meter as I do in some other stories.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Eff is the main character but I like Wash and Prof. Torgensen the best. They are both main characters who add spice to the story. Both are helping to shape Eff far more than her parents are.

Have you listened to any of Amanda Ronconi’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

It is just as great as the other ones. It might even be a bit better. She has to make a far greater range of accents in this one than in some of her other stories.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Here there be Dragons.

Any additional comments?

This story reminds me of the old maps where there is "Here there be Dragons" written in spots no one has explored in the past. In this story, there really are dragons, and a wide range of other magical beasts that cause problems for new settlers.

There is vibrancy in this story that makes it really come to life, I imagine this story will become a cult type of book much like some of the other books have over the years. It is right up there with the Harry Potter series, the Nancy Drew books, the Little House books. Yes, it really is "that good". My only complaint is that I wish the books were longer and I wish there were more of them.

Another excellent book by Patricia C. Wrede

Where does Across the Great Barrier rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I truly enjoy Patricia's ability to create characters and situations that are easy to imagine and her writing style flows so nicely. I am looking forward to the last installment of this story line!

Three cheers for Eff!

Three cheers for Eff! She is brave. Very brave.

Again, these books are a little slow, much like the lumbering traveling over prairie lands in the frontier times, but I like it. It's nice to not feel so rushed during a book.

Amanda Ronconi continues to be an excellent narrator.

I'm looking forward to Book 3! I heard there's more William, and I missed him!

Great read!!

loved this series, sorry to see it end :(. Loved the strength and depth of the characters and the story itself was just a good storry.

More magical western awesomeness.

What about Amanda Ronconi’s performance did you like?

Amanda Ronconi's performance is stellar, as it was in the last book. She captures the character of Eff in a great way, and her performance of all the characters is exemplary.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Absolutely. I practically did, in fact.

Any additional comments?

I liked the first book a bit better, I think, since it covered so much ground in such a short amount of time. This book slows things down a lot. That said, they are in the meat of the story now, so some may prefer the pacing of this book to the last one.

Here there be excellent magical creatures!

If you love magical creatures, this is the book for you!
This fantasy novel has a refreshing, new setting that artfully melds familiar American frontier history with how it might have been different if magic had been a part of it. The narrator, a young woman growing up and finding her place on the magical frontier, is earthy, believable, and satisfying for the heard-that-read-that jaded fantasy listener. She isn't a heroine on the rails to fame; she doesn't get bogged down by romance, and she discovers the answers to the problems she encounters on pace with the listener. You won't be mentally screaming, "Agh the solution is so obvious! When will the author let the characters figure this out and move along?" while listening to this tale.
The author put thorough and logical thought into her world and its many original fantastical creatures, seamlessly blending the ordinary and the magical. Wrede weaves a story arch that seems to be following the theme of how the entry of humans into any system creates far-reaching consequences without beating the listener over the head with it or detracting from the interest and flow of the plot.
My only complaint would be that it's too short! I kept finding more chores to do so that I could keep on listening, and downloaded this sequel right after finishing the first installment of the series. I'm excitedly waiting for my next credit to download the third book.

Great story

Fine original story. Great setting. I hope the author keeps on with our heroine. It's so much fun to read about magic times in the old west!

Not going to continue with third book

Just too slow, filled with minutia... I liked the charaters but they seemed secondary to the travel log that just went on and on.

If you liked the first...

If you liked the first book, you will enjoy this one as well. This follows the pacing of the first book with a bit more intensity. A great chance to meet new characters and fall in love with the old ones all over again.

good story

Where does Across the Great Barrier rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

contiued from the first book, good stroy line. enjoyable light-hearted read

Have you listened to any of Amanda Ronconi’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

very animated reader. enjoyed listening

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

yes

Any additional comments?

none