Echoes of a Fallen Kingdom

Stalwart Link, Book 1

By: B. T. Narro

Narrated by: Simon Vance

Length: 10 hrs and 20 mins

Publisher's Summary

Strong-willed and full of hope, Leo strives to learn more of the magic he has read so much about. He's heard of invisible links in his world, and hidden rifts to other realms filled with creatures and stones of power. But Leo's family is stuck in an impoverished city. He performs backbreaking farm work beside his older brother, a rebellious and cunning thief, but nonetheless a brother whom Leo would trust with his life. Their father takes care of them as best he can, but a dangerous secret has weighed heavily on him for years. He won't be able to keep it hidden much longer.

Leo believes everything will change for the better when he begins work as a bookbinder and finally leaves the dreadful farm. He can apply for apprenticeship to the Bookbinding Guild upon his soon-approaching birthday.

Everything will change, but in ways their family would never expect. It all begins when Leo's brother steals something that he should've left alone.

©2018 B.T. Narro (P)2019 Tantor

Very Disappointed

I struggled to finish it. Until almost the end, it was just the characters going about their daily lives; no plot advancement. Then, when it finally starts to get interesting, the book abruptly ends. I know this book is part of a series, but once it was decided that book 1 was done, the author could have done a better job of creating a conclusion and setting up a transition to the second book. I was disappointed. If you can make it through, however, book 2 is better.

Enjoyable, but I don't know why

To start with, Simon Vance killed it as always. This story seems like it's going to be great but this first book seems mostly just the setup. Although not a lot of amazing things happened, it was still enjoyable and I'm really looking forward to the next book.

This book has a snails pace, it drags on and on

I bought this book because of the summary. I listened to it for 6 hours. I understand the author has to lay the ground work but after a while it is like listening to a soap opera. It goes on and on about nothing, mostly about how the family eats. Getting enough "coin" is stated over and over, I get it, you have to work to eat.
This story goes no where, and after the first 6 hours it was in the same place as the beginning, only 3 days later... snoozefest.

So hard to listen to!

Boring daily life and no excitement! seriously, most of it is about them working and being excited for dinner. one excitement was about two paragraphs long and then right back to starving and working. Could've been a good book if they progressed the story l ine.

Skip the first 24 chapters and lose nothing

On the positive side: There is clear talent on behalf of the author. Characters are well developed, clearly defined and decently complex. The story concept is compelling, and also well developed... BUT... not until the end of the book.
Downside: The first 24ish chapters is nothing but "We are poor, mistreated by everyone, and we hate our jobs". The story (as described in the summery) doesn't even really begin until the last 3 or 4 chapters.
I'm not returning the book, simply because the story has potential.. just needs to actually be part of the book. We'll see.

Good story, bad pacing

The author spent too much time on their mundane lives as poor people. The beginning was strong, but I felt like I had to listen 7 hours before anything really interesting happened. I'm excited for the next book, but only if it keeps up the pacing found at the end of this one.

Barely finished

The narrator was good but the story just drags. Nothing really happens until near the end of the book.

brutally slow with lots of potential

much potential just brutally slow Not much action which is what we as readers want

SO MUCH POTENTIAL

Wonderfully talented writer, amazing narrator. You have character development, character chemistry. But boring as *$#!. The story is actually very interesting, but he does nothing with it. It's killing me, the missed opportunities to make this book amazing!! It's weird, most authors convolute their stories with so much that you're over it "yada yada, fight, kiss, fight, who's this guy?". This one is like "oh man, it's coming! I can sense it!! Oh. ok. Maybe, he's getting us relaxed then will spring it on us. Oh. ok. Maybe not. Maybe next time". But nope.

Nothing to this book......

I really wanted to like the story, There is just no story here to keep anyone interested and makes me sceptical about a second novel. Like others have said skip the first 20 Chapters.

Good set up for the rest of the series

This whole book is a set up for what’s going to happen in the rest of the series. Normally that would annoy me but it stands up well enough as a novel in its own right. I’ll be reading more.

It was OK

As usual Simon Vance is amazing. The story is just, I hope it builds to something epic. I have listened to many B T Narrow book and they have all been outstanding. This was just a bit boring and has spent a full book building to something. Hopefully it's worth it

Amazing Listen

really good book cant wait to start to listen to book 2 100 worth a listen

Horrendous pacing.

For a 10 hour listen it's surprising how little happens. The narration is good. I assume there is going to be massive time skips in future books, seeing as the characters are very young children. Maybe the author will describe their lives one day at a time like in this awfully paced book.

Great start to series

As with the other books in this series its good storytelling but feels like books 1 and 2 could have been in one volume

It gets really good stick with it to the end.

The beginning is a little slow, but I was gripped by the end of the book, court intrigue, battles, it has the best qualities of the Mortal Mage series I enjoy so much. It feels like part 1 of a novel.