Four Winds-One Storm

By: Aaron Hollingsworth

Narrated by: Steve Vito

Length: 13 hrs and 32 mins

Publisher's Summary

Every city has its dangers. But in the city of Embrenil, the thieves steal eyesight as well as coin. No one knows why its citizens are being mystically blinded. Is it merely a way to make victims easier to rob? Or are these blindings part of a greater conspiracy? With no leads and options limited, the Embrenil Civic Police enlist the aid of four supernatural individuals to solve the case and combat the dark powers of the Mystic Mafia. This first volume in the series introduces a team like no other as they seek answers, get wrongly accused, get drunk, get lucky, fight undead assassins, protect a vain beer baron, battle powerful theurges, fall from high places, and learn the secrets that threaten the entire city. In a world where anything is possible, the truth becomes harder to find.

This is the first volume in the Four Winds-One Storm saga.

©2012 Aaron William Hollingsworth (P)2014 Aaron Hollingsworth

Clint Eastwood hangs out with Gandalf

I'm not saying that this is a western, but man, this fantasy sure has some western overtones. And that is great, I love melding genres. Hollingsworth has proven to be a real favorite for me, and I think I can say that everything he has produced has been a real winner. Vito really rocks out doing the narration. He slaps in some special effects, accents, voices, etc. He's really good at his craft, and he accentuates Hollingworth's style. I mean Hollingsworth creates a whole new language and Vito doesn't even blink.

I really could rave on and on about the characters, the story, the magic, the mystery, but the truth is, all you need to know is that this is an amazing book, and that you should be reaading it right now. So, no spoilers or attempts to condense the plot. Just me telling you that Hollingsworth is an amazing writer, nd Vito nails the narration. This is like a buffett of all your favorite food served piping hot and perfectly cooked, so don't waste time considering whether or not you should get this, JUST DO IT. Then, get Hollingsworth other stuff and enjoy life to the fullest.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Lovely new world!

I really liked this book. there were many new characters/races that I've never read about before. I love fresh new takes on fantasy/sci-fi. Don't get me wrong, I love to read and reread my favorites like Jim Butcher, Anne McCaffrey, Kim Harrison, and Laurell K Hamilton. Usually I read urban fantasy, not western anything. But I really enjoyed the new (to me) setting of this book. Plenty of action, and some mystery. there's even a tiny bit of romance, very brief. I'd love to learn more back story on the characters, there's definitely more to be told about at least 2 of the characters. I hope the author, Aaron Hollingsworth gets another book published very soon! in the meantime, I'll be listening to the book again, see if I can find more clues about character histories, and enjoy this wild new world all over again!

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Characters that Grow On You; A Few Inconsistencies

Full Disclosure: I received this audiobook in exchange for my review.

TL/DR: Well developed main characters and an intriguing new magic system. Subtract one star for intermittent sound effects that make it hard to understand the narrator, subtract an additional star for inconsistencies in the story.

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In general, the narration is excellent. The characters have distinct voices and accents. When appropriate, the audio is tweaked to make it apparent that a character is using a PA system or is a ways away from the main action in a scene. However, when these effects are applied, you need to be listening in a quiet environment as the volume drops significantly. (Example: Standing in line at an event, with my media player at maximum volume, I can comfortably understand most of the narration over my headphones. However, when these effects occur, I can't make out what is being said due to the volume drop.)

I was a bit unsettled at first by the admittedly alien justice system that was used to introduce the main characters and bring them together, but as I got deeper into the story, these characters grew on me.

The author provides excellent characterization; each of the main characters has a distinct personality, back story, and motivations that arise from those histories.

The magic system that the author introduces is wholly unique in my long experience with fantasy novels and role playing games. I'd love to see this system of "philocreeds" and their "maxims" written up for Pathfinder, 1st Edition.

There is a depth to the plot that doesn't become apparent until well past the half-way mark, but there are also a few inconsistencies.

One character is apparently able to deceive the narrator (3rd person omniscient) when they are introduced, as their introductory thought is inconsistent with facts about their knowledge and plans which are revealed later in the story. Another character states at one point that they can't cast their maxims (use their magic) under certain circumstances, yet they appear to be able to do so on two different occasions when these conditions are not met.

As of the writing of this review, Book 2 of the Four Winds--One Storm saga, "The Geohex of Wraith County" is available in print and for Kindle, but not yet in audiobook form.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

very different

Would be difficult to add anything new to the reviews. Well written and really good narration. Author created a really new and different world. Narration is spot on throughout.

“I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.”

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Great new western sci fi fantasy

I was given this free review copy audio book at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

This was a really interesting new series. It is an interesting mix of genre, part western, part fantasy, part distopian future sci fi... but it works! The narrator was decent. He started out a little rough but quickly found his mark and the rest of the book was great.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Western Scifi

When I started this book, I really didn't know if I would like it. There was a bit of set up for the world in the beginning which made me question if I'd like it. Suddenly, I was blown away. I wanted to keep listening. If I were to classify this book, I would say that it's a cross between a western and a sci-fi. It has the shootout type of scenes like a western, but it's placed in another world like a sci-fi. I really enjoyed this one once I got into it.

I like that this book ended, but left itself open for more books without ending on a complete cliffhanger. I honestly hope that another comes out soon.

This review copy audiobook was provided by the author/narrator/publisher free of charge.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Otherworldly Old West meets supernatural fantasy

Four Winds - One Storm was a bit different from the genres I usually pick from, but different in a good way. Author Aaron Hollingsworth has created an entire universe formed in a unique way from the one we occupy. All sorts of strange and magical beings inhabit this story, where elements of the Old West meet relics from our nearly forgotten modern world. A group of wonderers find themselves working together to solve a string of thefts and murders. Using magical abilities, wit, hilarity, and brute force, they investigate the stories of the victims in hopes of finding the mastermind behind the crimes. But the group isn't welcomed by everybody in the city, and some of our characters have secret pasts they'd rather have remain a secret.

Funny, unusual, supernatural, and thoughtful. I was taken by surprise at just how much I enjoyed Hollingsworth's well-written fantasy. I would most certainly like to read more from this author. Steve Vito's narrative performance is superb, enhancing the story with professional enthusiasm and energy. Overall, nicely done!

I was provided a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for my unbiased review. Many thanks to the author for this opportunity!

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Great book.

Four different people come together. Full of magic, fighting and heroes. A must. The story and narration are perfect together.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Thoroughly enjoyed this one.

This is a sort of western, fantasy, mystery, murder, detective book with post-apocalyptic elements. For instance plastic used to exist but the technology to produce has been lost for centuries. The world is rich in detail and so are the characters. The narrator was very annoying in the intro for me but was absolutely great just after. It was very strange that he went from terrible for a few pages and then great for the rest of the book. I an following this author now and this was one of my favorite books this year. I picked it up by chance and have never heard of him before. I recommend that you pick up a copy.



I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Great world building, yet average to poor story.

What did you like best about Four Winds-One Storm? What did you like least?

The world that the author created in this book looks very good. The little details and nuances are good to spot. And the world is filled with interesting characters with each of them having their own unique contribution to the story. This is a good way to start a fantasy series.

But then the story started losing steam. Some plots ran slow, other plot flew by in an instant and such. There were pacing inconsistencies. And some jumps were more troubling than others.

In short, the flow of the story kinda ruined an otherwise great setup.

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

Yes, the narration was fine. But its the pace of the story that was the problem.

Any additional comments?

I received this book for free from the author / narrator / publisher, in exchange for an unbiased review.

2 of 3 people found this review helpful