Caged

Baal's Heart, Volume 1

By: Bey Deckard

Narrated by: Michael Ferraiuolo

Length: 13 hrs and 55 mins

Publisher's Summary

Sheltered and lonely, Jon's life changes drastically when a strange ship sails into the harbor of his small port town one day. Trapped between the possessive pirate captain and his murderous first mate, he must learn to adapt or he will lose himself completely. An epic tale of love, treachery and revelation, this first instalment of the Baal's Heart series brings you into the lives of three men so bound together by jealousy and lies that they must sail to the very ends of the earth to find forgiveness.

©2014 Bey Deckard (P)2016 Bey Deckard

Stopped listening halfway thru...3 days in.

It's a matter of opinion I know, and not really anything monumental unless you are a particular type of reader like myself. The older, dark, strong, mysterious, captain pirate and a meek and fair and weaker boy....all my cup of tea....up until the captain takes a female at a brothel in front of the boy. I endured it and decided to continue and reluctantly accepted the outcome of that scene. But, I stopped listening completely when when the big, strong, captain, pirate man became the bottom to the young and meek, naive boy. Not what I was hoping for after listening for 3 days with such anticipation for their actual first time. Again, it's only a matter of opinion. for me, it was enough to not continue even if things changed after. it's all about the character and some things just ruin a character completely for me. in this case, the protective, older, wiser, and stronger man just didn't seem so much so after that scene.

Amazing Story and Performance!

Would you consider the audio edition of Caged to be better than the print version?

The Audio version is a wonderful enhancement, though as with most adaptations, I prefer to read the book first to get more details.

This is one of those stories that has a life of its own and you are lucky enough to be sucked into. It is a very descriptive world with some very complex characters (Tom being one of my all-time favorites). It is not fluffy or overly romantic, but still a love story. Three very different men come together, each with their own pasts, needs and secrets, who end up becoming integral pieces to their overall relationship puzzle. How they get there is a very exciting and suspenseful, and often difficult journey.

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

I don’t read a ton of audio books, but I have read enough to know a good narrator when I hear one. The narrator can make or break a story for me, can either dull a story down or bring more life to an already fabulous one. Mr. Ferraiuolo falls into the latter category. He did a fabulous job with these tricky characters. He easily distinguishes between the three, as well as others in the crew, and does an excellent job at portraying each one. Mr. Deckard has already given a vividly clear picture of these characters, so they are some pretty big shoes to fill, but Mr. Ferraiuolo has definitely succeeded in my opinion.

Any additional comments?

If you are looking for a story to get lost in, one that makes you feel as though you are right there watching it unfold, that allows you to escape reality for a bit, with characters you can’t help but love (and even some to dislike at times), this one definitely fits the bill, and I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Definitely heed the trigger warnings on this one though, because things can get pretty rough on the Baal’s Heart, so if you have any tendencies of “sea sickness,” you might be better off staying on dry land.

Great story. Great narration.

I am a fan of any author who can get me to feel empathy for the bad guys. The Captain is such a dark soul that I wanted to warn Jon to stay away. Half way through the book I was making a complete about face. And then there is Tom... The narrator did such a wonderful job of narrating Tom's voice.

i would like to edit out most of the 'however' used in the story. Aside from that quirk, I really enjoyed this book.

Bey Deckard has created a delightful and wicked psychological thriller stuffed inside a pirate story. There was just enough sailor jargon to keep me happy, but not so much that I had to text the pirates in my family to double checking meanings. (Yeah, I know you think I am kidding, but pirates have families too😏 )

If you are looking for a dark escape filled with blood, sex, violence, and excellent narration, I think you will appreciate this book.

Be prepared for abuse

So much cringy abuse masquerading as BDSM dynamic. This book needs T/CW for manipulative, non consensual, sociopathic/psychopathic, abusive "relationship(s)". I'm like half way through, not sure how I got this far or if I'll be able to finish. It's a lot...

Michael Ferraiuolo

OMG!!! All the books that I've listened to so far are absolutely the best especially with that voice,I'm in love with Mr.Ferraiuolo's voice as narrator,it's the best ever. I'm going to keep listening.

Stunning!!! 👏👏👏

Audiobook Re-Listen, July 2020: I had forgotten much of this book from when I first listened to it three years to the day--what a CRAZY coincidence!!! I had the pleasure of experiencing a lot of this book anew & adored it all over again!

Original Review, July 2017:
4.5 Stars--I loved and shuddered at the ugly, and simmered in the heat.

This 13+ hour audiobook was masterfully narrated by Michael Ferrailuolo. The life he gave each of these, at times loathsome, characters drew me into Deckard's fantasy world of pirates, death, lust, and love.

Torture? Yes. Kidnapping? Yes. Drug-fueled whenching in brothels? Yes. Treason, and death, and loss? Yes. HEA? A most definite, sexy yes.

But wait, there are two more books in the series. I can't wait to see what waits in store for this magnificent, unforgivable (and unforgettable) trio.

When a great book is in the right narrator's hands

I loved Caged when I first read it few years ago. These pirates are definitely on my top list. You end up holding favorite characters on a pedestal, as did I. So when it's narrated, you just want it to be perfect.

The narration was masterful. I was hesitant on the voice of Jon in the beginning but Ferraiuolo's Tom and Baltsaros were spot on. So much so, his Jon won me over too!

The text was long and Ferraiuolo was evenly paced. He had multiple voices, lent the perfect amount of emotions where needed. Every character including the minor ones were distinct. (How many voices live in the narrator? It was like a small country or something, all the different people on the speakers!)😊

I highly recommend this series, author and narrator!

It was a delightful experience, well worth the listen!

Polished, mature storytelling.

Would you listen to Caged again? Why?

Triple play: engrossing story with engaging characters and an extraordinary voice talent to bring it all to life. This one will be replayed many times.

What other book might you compare Caged to and why?

Caged stands alone as a unique storytelling and listening experience. It is epic in scope, yet intensely intimate. High fantasy, with high action and adventure, provides the kind of reading experience you look for if you like George R.R. Martin.

What does Michael Ferraiuolo bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Pacing and a fine understanding of each of the characters, major and minor. This narrator elevates the story to the level of a stage performance, with all the gravitas and sensuousness required by the play.

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

Yes, definitely... although the run time precluded doing that.

Any additional comments?

From my Amazon review of the book:
Fantasy and erotica on the high seas, with larger than life characters, and a gripping tale of lust and obsession, this one caught me by surprise - in a very good way. This is polished, mature storytelling. Don't expect to like all the characters, but do expect to be surprised, shocked, and absorbed by the unrelenting unfolding of dysfunction amidst high seas adventures. This one hooked me from the get go. I can't wait to jump into the next.

Still 5 stars the second time listening

This amazing book by Bey Deckard held my attention throughout. And this is my second listen. I wanted to re-listen before listening to the next book in the series, Sacrificed. Michael Ferraiuolo narrates this book beautifully. Consistently different voices for the main characters, and even the supporting characters. No mispronunciations and voice inflection perfect for the different scenes in the story.

Great setting and World, Characters though...jeez

I was disappointed. The setting and the world were constructed rather well. Even the introduction to characters and their distinct personalities was good. But then came the interaction and "love affair", it was unbelievable to me. Its just hard to imagine the characters the author created, reacting in the ways they do in the story...