A Leaf and Pebble

The Learner Trilogy, Book 1

By: Andrew Monroe

Narrated by: Andrew Pond

Length: 13 hrs and 42 mins

Publisher's summary

Two friends. A few airships. One shadowy group. A phenomenal ride through a new world rich in action and adventure.

In a land of elemental magic and Learner Skill, a gripping tale of two friends who narrowly avoid death while attending the school under the mountain takes place. As both are forced to flee before finishing their studies, they must unravel and attempt to thwart a plot to plunge their homeland into war after ages of peace.

Balteris is an enormous peninsula with an impassable causeway leading to an unknown land. The seas around it are filled with mysterious and deadly creatures keeping the inhabitants penned into the region. Naturals, people who have an inborn talent for elemental manipulation make up a portion of the otherwise regular population. But an even smaller percent of the people study Skill, and are therefore called Learners. This study allows the Learner to manipulate raw willpower into a powerful energy force.

Two of these people, Nil, a Learner, and Volant, a Natural, are forced to abandon their respective studies to save their own lives and uncover a mysterious group that has been slowly plotting to turn Balteris' five city-states into war-mongering kingdoms. Along the way, they must learn to survive, grow in their powers, and fight back against the government who thinks they helped murder their classmates.

©2019 Andrew Monroe (P)2020 Andrew Monroe

Ready for the next book!

Andrew Monroe describes a thoughtful and magical world that you can easily get lost in. It throws me right back into my childhood days of reading Lord of the Rings or Deltora Quest and resulting in the urge to pick up a toy sword and pretend to battle the evil of the world. He propels you from scene to scene and smoothly drives the story while also making you feel like you're being dragged through the mud with the characters as they face adversity as they flee then seek to take revenge. I know it is always a strategic move to leave you wanting more in the end but Andrew Monroe leaves you with an atomic bomb of anticipation for the next book. Do yourself a favor and dive into this imaginative world of a new kind of magic.

A very, very good writer.

I'm 64. I like reading youth adventure books to help me get to sleep. Andrew does such a good job it's difficult to put it down.

First book from Author

I have no complaints which means it moves at a steady, even breakneck pace. Perfect narrator for the intriguing and likeable protagonist.

Started Good Ended Bad

In the beginning you have the two witty characters who are just joking and stealing it's wonderful then they go on the run after their friends are slaughtered in a bar for a shiny magical crystal. The part I really loved about the beginning to the middle of this book is there was not a lot of explanation we just rolled into explanations as you saw the characters developed. Once you get to the middle of the book the beginning of the war it starts to get stupid and the end of the book it's a fever dream makes no sense at all.

Pure fun and pure bromance

This book is great for anyone looking for instant action, a bit of food lust and a great bromance. Monroe keeps readers on their toes with constant adventure and intrigue. The lead characters are a joy and their relationship with each other is perfect. I can’t wait for sequels to see how the world continues to develop.

Absolutely FANTASTIC!!!

First - the reader - Andrew Brandt was absolutely astounding! It was like listening to a play! The book was truly amazing! We enjoyed listening to it so, so much! Thank you for such an imaginative adventure!

Great story

This book has a great story and a lots of action. I enhoyed it leaving the sense for more.

Great introduction to a grand new world!!

Really great first book from an up and coming author! The world building is done with great attention to detail and the humor is well placed and well received. The magic mechanic is new and intriguing. The main duo is well written and has a true sense of brotherly love and brotherly shenanigans. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of the Lies of Locke Lamora trilogy and the Name of the Wind saga.

Fantastic Fantasy!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Both the story and the authors style. The author is the reader and is excellent! I will be waiting right into the next book.

Simply amazing!

Excellent story, very captivating characters, and the audiobook is completely spellbinding with the AMAZING voices of the characters! Our entire family enjoys the story over and over again! Everyone should have this loaded on their device of choice as a classic adventure!!!