The Warded Man

By: Peter V. Brett

Narrated by: Pete Bradbury

Length: 18 hrs and 10 mins

Publisher's summary

Peter V. Brett has won accolades from critics, fans and fellow authors alike for this riveting debut novel. The Warded Man features a world where demons stalk the night, hunting humans who have long forgotten the magic of their ancestors. But all is not lost, as some hold out hope that a savior will release humanity from the demons' terrifying reign.

©2009 Peter V. Brett (P)2009 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

"Brilliant, with action and suspense all the way." (Best-selling author, Terry Brooks)

Excellent!

This book was a great escape on a long trip. Thoroughly enjoyed the world and characters. Looking forward to listening to the series.

A messiah in denial

An enjoyable yarn adult themed would love to see this made into a tv show

Nothing new but I’ll keep going with the series

The plot was familiar and beyond predictable but this is good story telling with excellent narration. It’s an easy listen while doing other things.

Overall - a captivating read!

Cons: I didn’t like the long pauses between chapters. The story seemed to move slowly at times with spurts fast paced action. The demons morphing into tangible flesh seemed a bit implausible - though that may be explained in the rest of the series.

Pros: Great world building. The characters were likable; I found myself enjoying their growing up stages, finding themselves and how they rivaled in who they became. Despite the (sometimes) slow pace - the reader skillfully held my attention and I found it hard to put down when I should have been sleeping!

It is hard to keep this much disbelief suspended

Brett builds characters extremely well. He spends the entirety of "The Warded Man" developing fascinating personal histories for the three who will, presumably, be the prime movers in the action of the rest of the story. Their journeys are tortuous, often surprising and quite satisfying. By the end we know them intimately so that their every action is rooted in convincing personal history.

Unfortunately I did not find myself nearly so convinced of the reality of the world in which the author places his wonderful players. We are asked to believe that no one in this civilization has ever conceived of the most obvious responses to the plague of demons which terrorizes them. As a result, the whole structure of the story is weakened as we ask ourselves "why don't they just...." Of course they DO eventually "just...." But by asking us to assume a complete lack of imagination and initiative on the part of the entire population of the book, Brett immeasurably weakens his story and renders his marvelously drawn central characters slightly ridiculous.

The most important central conflict Brett paints in this book is between the people and their own immobilizing fear. At some moments that comes through clearly and powerfully, but fear and simple stupidity are two entirely different things.

Far Above Average

I almost passed this book over while reading some of the reviews. I read statements like "boring" and "nothing new." I decided to give it a try anyway I am very glad that I did!

This is everything that I want from an Epic Fantasy book! The characters are multi-dimensional and relatable. I cared about what happened to them. The setting was rich and descriptive. The magic system is unique and interesting. I was drawn in from the start and found myself sitting in the car long after I pulled into the driveway because I didn't want to stop listening.

It's not filled with complexity like ASOIAF or the Wheel of Time but that's not to say this book is simple or childish. It's not as dark as The First Law Series but it's not rainbows and sunshine either. It's good fantasy. If you love a good book that draws you into it's world then I highly recommend The Warded Man.

slow start but stick with it

ill be honest, the first hour listening i was ready to give up, but i stuck with it and it was the best choice ive ever made

after the character get flushed out of there daily lives it really becomes very interesting,

if you like books with very good character development then you should def get this

What a wonderful Surprise

Can't wait for the next book. I was very surprised at how well written, plus character development was great.

Good Fantasy Read

Nice plot, with good characters, and I like the new premise of a "warded" man. Has a good history that should create an easily developed back story as the series continues.

Wards, wards everywhere (spoiler free)!

I was surprised when I stumbled upon "The Warded Man" by Peter V. Brett as Audible seems to have this gem of a series tucked away. Here are a few thoughts if you're considering this book:

-The Good-
1. Voice actor Pete Bradbury provides an exceptional performance which is engaging, compelling, and entertaining. You can really feel the emotion and that a lot of time and care went into this recording.
2. The characters are vivid, compelling, and have distinct personalities.
3. Extra detail went into crafting the world that the world exists in. This includes cities, towns, townsfolk, and hopes and fears of main characters in a high fantasy setting.
4. Actions and dialogue by the characters are fluid and natural. You experience life through their eyes and what they feel, see, and think.
5. Moral conflict and questionable actions are everywhere, making you pause the book for a moment to process the story.
6. The story has a unique premise and the concept is brilliant!
7. If you like Brandon Sanderson and Robert Jordan, this will be your cup of tea.

-The Bad-
1. Some characters are 'evil' just for being evil. This is to establish the collective societal state of mind, but some motive would be nice.
2. The middle of the book tends to slow down and the ending comes all to soon; you'll have to buy the other books to find out what happens next.
3. If you've read books by Sanderson or Jordan, you'll be able to easily identify what plot elements are leading where, this predictability is a touch sad.

-Overall Thoughts-
This is a fantastic starter to a series that I'm still exploring. The first book is a greater 'primer' to get you invested into the characters. There is a good deal of action, intrigue, and other pieces that will keep you listening and engaged. If you like a bit of classic fantasy mixed with Sanderson fantasy, this will be right up your alley. I had a great run with this book and you'll probably want to learn the fiddle by the time you're done with this one as well.