• The Green Ember

  • By: S. D. Smith
  • Narrated by: Joel Clarkson
  • Length: 7 hrs and 55 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (5,004 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
The Green Ember  By  cover art

The Green Ember

By: S. D. Smith
Narrated by: Joel Clarkson
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $15.59

Buy for $15.59

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

Heather and Picket are extraordinary rabbits with ordinary lives until calamitous events overtake them, spilling them into a cauldron of misadventures. They discover that their own story is bound up in the tumult threatening to overwhelm the wider world.

Kings fall, and kingdoms totter. Tyrants ascend, and terrors threaten. Betrayal beckons, and loyalty is a broken road with peril around every bend.

Where will Heather and Picket land? How will they make their stand?

©2015 S. D. Smith (P)2015 Story Warren

What listeners say about The Green Ember

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    3,793
  • 4 Stars
    743
  • 3 Stars
    301
  • 2 Stars
    92
  • 1 Stars
    75
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    3,207
  • 4 Stars
    721
  • 3 Stars
    256
  • 2 Stars
    70
  • 1 Stars
    43
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    3,285
  • 4 Stars
    610
  • 3 Stars
    239
  • 2 Stars
    85
  • 1 Stars
    65

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Not Just for The Elementary Age Group

Any additional comments?

I saw a friend recommend this on her blog - she has younger children, I have teens - so I thought I'd download this for me to listen through since we often get asked for recommendations for younger years books. (We home educate and are voracious readers.)
The story line is so engaging I wanted to share it with the rest of the family.
It's not just a story to read to children in the elementary years - it's one that will have appeal to a very wide age range.
For those that enjoy the Narnia Series, Watership Down, The Hobbit - tones of those are in this story.
Recommending this as an, easy, engaging car time/ road trip listen.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

151 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Adventurous, fun story

I listened to this book with my 11, 10, 7 and 5 year old. My older 2 children loved it, some parts were a little hard to follow for the 7 and 5 year olds, but it was simple to stop and explain when they didn't understand. We all really enjoyed this story, as well as the many voices of the narrator. Highly recommended by myself and my children!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

110 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

YOUR ONLY A BETRAYER IF YOU BETRAY YOURSELF

THE WHITE RABBIT HELD UP HIS HAND, (not his paw?)
This is more Brian Jacques and it is not Watership Down. In this book rabbits, have hands, not paws, they wear clothes, climb trees, and wolves wear uniforms, shoot bows and arrows and have swords. Rabbits live in houses with windows, winding stair cases etc.. I loved Watership Down and in that rabbits lived in warrens and the only one who wore anything close to clothes was the old general, who wore an eye patch. I have never understood turning animals into humans, if you are going to do that, then just make them elves or hobbits or some sort of little people. I understand having them talk, we can easily pretend that animals communicate with each other. Jacques has his own following, so if you are one of those you might like this.

Putting that aside, I have the maturity of a ten year old, but I found this to be too dark and too serious and almost void of humor. I could not get into it. It is liable to give the younger kids nightmares, if they don't die of boredom first.

The narrator talks in a slow monotone whispery voice, that most people use to talk to five year olds. I actually put him on 2x and he sounded normal. When something exciting happens, you will never know it by the tone of voice used by the narrator, it will be the same tone, used for going to bed.

I hate to be the first to throw a wet blanket on this, but I feel strongly that our youth should have well written stories to listen to, or they will not want to read when they get older.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

87 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing!

Where does The Green Ember rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

One of our favorites

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Green Ember?

There were too many to list just one. Picket's achievement definitely stands out!

What about Joel Clarkson’s performance did you like?

He did a great job with the various voices and carried the story along really well.

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

YES!!

Any additional comments?

It is really nice to find good, high quality books for our kids to listen to. They are very reminiscent of the Chronicles of Narnia, and the message and morals within them are extremely refreshing. We can't wait to see what Mr. Smith has next.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

58 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

ENCHANTING

Where does The Green Ember rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I have so much love in my heart for this book. As a preschool teacher, I have a big place in my heart for all children's literature. But this book, this book ranks TOP 5 favorite of all time. And that's a big compliment. It's enchanting- it's the kind of book that should be read by a fireplace when it's raining out on a early saturday morning- yes, it's that enchanting. But it's also full of adventure and simplistic fun that will make an child's nose crinkle with delight, but it's also full of truth so much that it led me to contemplate my own mistakes and fears and change them. And just wait til the end, you'll be fist pumping and yelling at S.D. Smith all in the same breath.

I highly recommend this book to anyone, if nothing else to see Truth and Beauty combined in one stunning story.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

53 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Heavy

A little too heavy for my 6 & 9 year old. The story dragged and the imagery was just too dark.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

49 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Highly recommended!!

What a great story! A rabbit tale with a much kinder worldview than Watership Down. S. D. Smith has created a wonderful world with a rich history. An exciting story great for kids and adults alike. We listened to it going to and from soccer games and hated to turn off the car when we arrived! The audio performance was excellent as well.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

44 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A stirring tale of adventure, courage and hope

Would you listen to The Green Ember again? Why?

Yes, and I will listen with my two sons and my daughter, and then watch them go straight out to make wooden swords to learn to fight bravely like Picket and conquer their fears. A wonderful set of role models and creative sparks for kids.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Green Ember?

In this Audible version, I got chills when narrator Joel Clarkson sang the song of the Mended Wood to a haunting tune he composed himself... the perfect embodiment of their beautiful vision of future reality.

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

This is my first book read by him, and I enjoyed it. He's a talented reader, and I enjoyed his musical additions very much.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

The Green Ember: A tale of perilous adventure, thrilling courage, and hope in the midst of darkness

Any additional comments?

With elements of Watership Down, Redwall, and Narnia, S.D. Smith has masterfully woven a fresh tale in a brand new world with endless possibilities. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and am on the edge of my seat waiting to find out what happens to Heather, Picket, crabby old Elmer, and especially King Jupiter's heir! A job very well done, S.D. Smith! More please, as soon as possible!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

44 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Nothing new...

I wanted to like this audiobook. It sounded like the kind of fantasy that is very much up my alley but it quickly turned into a clone of the inheritance cycle, hunger games, with a touch of lord of the rings. Very boring and does not feel fresh to me. I doubt I will continue listening and buying additional books.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

34 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

It IS just a kids' book.

This is billed as a kids’ book but many reviewers commented about how it would be enjoyed by adults too. I disagree. This book isn’t even in the same league as the Harry Potter books, which I did enjoy.

The story never drew me in. The first two hours or so consisted of action scenes as Heather and Picket tried to escape from multiple attacks with no explanation about the reason for the attacks. The prologue had hinted at a fallen kingdom, but by the third hour of this eight-hour book there had still been no real history given to explain the goal behind the story. It became too boring to continue and I gave up.

I think that some of the attack scenes early in the book might be a bit too scary for some children. If you’re a parent I recommend listening to the first hour or so before you let your young child hear this book.

The narrator’s style wasn’t to my taste either. I admit that it might be a good style for reading to children, but I didn’t care for it.

– Loren

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

32 people found this helpful