Another Kingdom

Another Kingdom, Book 1

By: Andrew Klavan

Narrated by: Michael Knowles

Length: 10 hrs and 14 mins

Publisher's Summary

“What was this place? Was I crazy? Or was I crazy before, back in L.A.? Was my real life some sort of dream? Was this hell reality?”

Austin Lively is a struggling, disillusioned screenwriter whose life is suddenly changed forever when he opens a door and is unwittingly transported to a fantastical medieval realm. Austin finds himself wielding a bloody dagger while standing over a very beautiful and very dead woman. Bewildered and confused, he is seized by castle guards and thrown in a dungeon. Just when he begins to fear the worst he is suddenly transported back to reality in LA.

Did that really just happen? Has he gone insane? Was it all a dream? Did he have a brain tumor? Desperate for answers, he sets out to find them and discovers that the mystery can only be unlocked by a strange piece of fiction that holds the truth about the magical kingdom. But he isn’t the only person searching for the missing manuscript, and his rivals will stop at nothing to get it first. To complicate matters more, Austin soon discovers that he has no control over when he passes between worlds, and finds himself out of trust for even the simple things, like walking through doorways.

Stuck between dual realities - charged for a murder he doesn’t recall in one and running from a maniacal billionaire who’s determined to kill him in another - Austin’s monotonous life has become an epic adventure of magic, murder, and political intrigue in both the New Republic of Galiana and the streets of Los Angeles California.

©2018 Andrew Klavan (P)2019 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

It stops RIGHT when it gets GREAT‼️ AHHHHHHHHHH‼️

This story is so fantastic. I’ve never listened to or watched or read a piece of art like it. Andrew Klavan is truly a great artist. But I can’t help be mad. I feel slightly robbed. I enjoyed the massive range of emotions and stories from this one book but there was no true resolution. It feels like a cop out almost. I’m left to my assumptions that it all worked out. I’m left to my imagination how the story ended. Maybe the good guy wins. Maybe the bad guy wins. If the bad guy wins, was he really the bad guy? It bothers me that the story is dropped right at the climax. I’ll never get over it. Until I’m given “Another kingdom: part II”, I’ll forever feel empty. This story is going to stick in my head for months. I’ll be wondering what happened until I die. Thank you for the experience, Klavan. Fuck you, for leaving me hangin. 4 stars

Written like a teenagers w*t dream

I'm a pretty big fantasy nerd and was excited to try this book. The premise of the book is great: a modern man caught between a fantasy world and modern LA. This story could've been so great but completely fell short for me.
First, the fantasy world the author creates is shallow and uninspiring. I realise not everyone can be tolkien and create an epic world with its own history and languages, but Klavan's world is not one I'd want to immerse myself in. The human-faced rat Maude just comes off weird to me and weapons and armor that conveniently show up at the perfect time just seemed lazy.
The strange sexual scenes we're also off-putting. I'm no prude, but having nymphs bring the main character to orgasm in order to heal him was just juvenile. The main character also saves a woman from rape and immediately after she has sex with him with her rapist dead on the floor. Really??

Great story! Needs a new narrator...

Klavan writes a fantastic story. The characters are compelling, and the imagery draws the listener in very well. I hope they release the next book in the series with a different narrator. The execrable Michael Knowles does not have the talents for this type of work. He does a tolerable podcast, which I enjoy from time to time, but narration is just not his forte. The tones fell flat, and his attempts at multiple character voices were grating, at best. I won’t even start on his “accents.” I hope they let this wonderful story be narrated by someone who has more talent in this area, in the future.

Perfection in rhetorical art

Klavan is a master word-smith. This book, along with Michael Knowles incredible narration, seems to transport you into the world of the book, much like Austin Lively is transported between worlds. The subtle moral and political theme of the story add a deep and rich complexity, much like Ayn Rand’s classic novel, “Atlas Shrugged” does, disguising her philosophy in a fiction setting.

ADDICTIVE!!

Seriously I’m not even finished listening but had to leave a comment. I’m extremely picky with novels and narrators. I’ll listen to the same story or series 6 times before listening to something less than phenomenal. This surprised me greatly though. Michael Knowles does a pretty great job narrating. Even though I’m already familiar with his voice in political commentary, it doesn’t break the immersion for me. Well done. Plot wise, oh my goodness, how Andrew Klavan took a genre that already has some all time legendary stories that make certain scenarios almost cliche, his story stands tall right along some of the greats like Tolkien, Lewis, or Rowling. Absolutely addictive and had to stop to comment. Can’t wait to see how this ends. Well done Andrew. I’m now convinced you are the most underrated artist in Hollywood. I’m sorry you’re intelligent and not a liberal... you could’ve been a star baby lol. Also, Ayn Rand would be proud of the way you wrote this... bravo

So thankful for this story!

Another Kingdom is such a rich story told in a truly creative fashion. The unique way that the two worlds, or kingdoms, exist simultaneously, each full of their own problems and characters, helps to carry the story forward in a brisk, suspenseful, and action packed way without overlooking the characters who take you along for the ride. The author is not afraid to explore the deeper, often unspoken feelings that are found within in the hearts of men, and he frequently contrasts the main character’s knowledge of what is true and good with his desire to avoid the many evils that have to be overcome. I really enjoy how the main character grows throughout this story and how his humanity is what makes his heroism all the more heroic.

I can’t recommend this book enough and am thoroughly looking forward to the next two! Let wisdom reign!

One of the worst Books

Terrible story. Terrible narrator. Also, this author claims to be a Christian believer. You wouldn’t know it listening to what he writes in his book.

5 stars??

Truly baffled by 5 star reviews.

It was okay. It reads/listens like young adult fiction.

From a podcast junkie

I loved the podcast that Andrew and Michael did of this story ( I listened to it twice and recommended it to everyone) . This really is an example of how good a writer Andrew is. l was pissed when Andrew announced after 2 seasons of the podcast that he was putting out the book because now I'm going to have to wait longer to get to the conclusion. I was also a little pissed that Andrew was promoting preordering the book to get all this bonus stuff that you couldn't get with the audiobook.

Super boring, bad voice acting

Couldn't finish it. I tried in earnest to like it, as this is my favorite genre... Couldn't get past the vapid characters, and rushed plot.