On the Shoulders of Titans

Arcane Ascension, Book 2

De: Andrew Rowe

Narrado por: Nick Podehl

Corin Cadence finally has a firm reason to believe his brother, Tristan, is still alive. Unfortunately, finding more information isn’t going to be easy. Tristan appears to be entangled with a clandestine organization that calls themselves Whispers. And Corin’s last brush with the Whispers didn’t exactly end well.

As much as he wants to follow that lead, Corin has more pressing problems to deal with. Sera is still suffering from a mysterious malady that has stolen her voice and her magic. Corin knows that a portion of that is his fault, and he’s determined to fix it. His mother is still off in another country, and there are growing odds that she’s involved with a conspiracy to overthrow the visages.

Corin has also been branded with a new magical mark on his right hand - one that even veteran climbers don’t seem to recognize. He’s going to need to figure out how it works, otherwise it could be more of a vulnerability than an asset.

Corin still hasn’t finished his first year at Lorian Heights. If he fails his final exams, he’ll be sent off to the military and lose his chance to investigate his brother’s fate. And finally, there’s the issue of enemies. He might have made a few of them.

The biggest problem? He’s not sure if Jin, once one of his closest companions, is one of them.

©2018 Andrew Rowe (P)2019 Podium Publishing

Fantastic, in more than one sense

It isn’t often that I encounter fantasy with so many passing nods to nerdy tropes. It’s even less common that the work normalizes inclusion. Not only is Corin likely Ace (possibly spectrum?), but non-binary folx are a normal part of this world. This book also addresses some of Corin’s trauma at the hands of his garbage father. As a genderqueer ace person myself, I’ll definitely be keeping my eyes on this series.

well performed, good story

Wish there was more, climatic battle not as epic as last one. Feels like a foundation or bridging book to the overall story.

A spectacular sequel, and a promising prequel

Rowe is doing something that I feel many authors are incapable of. He’s being patient. He’s taking his time, developing his characters, and letting his plot evolve at a pace that makes the reader want so much more. This doesn’t mean the book lacks action, nor that it feels like a slow moving story. Many things are happening, and instead of rushing through the plot to get to the end, Rowe helps you enjoy the journey. Also, Podehl gives another phenomenal performance, further enhancing the the listening experience. Arcane Ascension has quickly become one of my all time favorites, and I eagerly await the next installment in the series.

Worth listening to again... and again

So, it's a story about school and dungeons. You think, "yawn." Heh. Just goes to show that good writing matters. And of course, top-notch reading talent is the icing on the cake.

better than the first book in series

better than the first book in series. definitely written for future books. well done. sooooo many characters to explore. id be happy if it we're a 40 hour long book!