Pawn's Gambit
The Mortal Techniques, Book 2
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Narrated by:
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Kim Bretton
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By:
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Rob J. Hayes
About this listen
Yuu wants nothing more than to forget the mistakes of her past. The Gods have other plans.
Once a renowned strategist and general, five years ago Yuu made a mistake that cost her everything. Now she is on the run, royal bounty hunters snapping at her heels. But what if there was a way to get back what she lost, a way to bring back a murdered prince?
Every century, the gods hold a contest to choose who will rule from the Heavenly Jade Throne. Each god chooses a mortal champion, and the fate of all existence hangs in the balance.
On a battlefield full of heroes, warriors, assassins, and thieves can Yuu survive long enough to learn the rules of the game, let alone master it?
Pawn's Gambit is a stand-alone story set in the award-winning Mortal Techniques universe. It's a wuxia adventure filled with heroes, gods, spirits, and magic.
©2021 Robert Hayes (P)2021 Rob J HayesListeners also enjoyed...
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The youngest warlock to ever wield lightning, 14-year-old Anna Atticus Stone dreams of attending the prestigious Academy of Arcane Arts. Except her life is a mess. She's friendless, her older sister keeps knocking her teeth out, and her parents constantly argue.
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On the fence
- By Anonymous User on 03-05-22
By: Sever Bronny
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The Brightest Shadow
- The Brightest Shadow, Book 1
- By: Sarah Lin
- Narrated by: Mikael Naramore, Elizabeth Evans
- Length: 32 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
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Tani’s world has never been peaceful. Torn between the many cultures that meet on the Chorhan Expanse, the greatest threat they now face is an expansionist army of monstrous nonhumans who call themselves the mansthein.
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Couldn't finish
- By Anonymous User on 11-18-20
By: Sarah Lin
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We Are the Dead
- The Last War Trilogy
- By: Mike Shackle
- Narrated by: Nicola Bryant
- Length: 18 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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Jia's people learned the hard way that there are no second chances. The Egril, their ancient enemy, struck with magic so devastating that Jia's armies were wiped out. Now terror reigns in the streets, and friend turns on friend just to live another day. Somehow Tinnstra - a deserter, a failure, nothing but a coward - survived. She wants no more than to hide from the chaos. But dragged into a desperate plot to retake Jia, surrounded by people willing to do anything to win the fight, this time Tinnstra will need to do more than hide.
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Criminally Underrated Gem in a world of Dark Fantasy
- By Anonymous User on 04-24-23
By: Mike Shackle
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Spark City
- The Spark City Cycle, Book 1
- By: Robert J. Power
- Narrated by: Euan Morton
- Length: 18 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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Despite his warriors' lineage, Erroh would rather waste his potential stumbling alone from one tavern to the next, drinking and gambling. Fate, however, has greater plans for him. After decades of peace, a great war draws near, and though he doesn't know it, he is standing in the way of the first wave. What is more, and very much to his dismay, he's about to find out he's not entirely alone either. But Erroh has a plan, a simple plan.
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Felt kind of cheated.
- By Anonymous User on 04-10-20
By: Robert J. Power
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Onyx & Ivory
- By: Mindee Arnett
- Narrated by: Khristine Hvam
- Length: 14 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
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They call her Traitor Kate. It’s a title Kate Brighton inherited from her father after he tried to assassinate the high king of Rime. Cast out of the nobility, Kate now works for the royal courier service. Only the most skilled ride for the Relay and only the fastest survive, for when night falls, the drakes - deadly flightless dragons - come out to hunt. Fortunately, Kate has a secret edge: She is a wilder, born with forbidden magic that allows her to influence the minds of animals.
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Fantastic.
- By Anonymous User on 06-04-18
By: Mindee Arnett
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For the Killing of Kings
- The Ring-Sworn Trilogy, Book 1
- By: Howard Andrew Jones
- Narrated by: Lori Prince
- Length: 16 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
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Their peace was a fragile thing, but it had endured for seven years, mostly because the people of Darassus and the king of the Naor hordes believed his doom was foretold upon the edge of the great sword hung in the hall of champions. Unruly Naor clans might raid across the border, but the king himself would never lead his people to war so long as the blade remained in the hands of his enemies. But when squire Elenai’s aging uncovers evidence that the sword in their hall is a forgery, she’s forced to flee Darassus for her life, her only ally the reckless, disillusioned Kyrkenall.
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Great Story!
- By Anonymous User on 05-15-19
What listeners say about Pawn's Gambit
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Anonymous User
- 09-23-21
Awesome Narrator!
Quite possibly one of, if not the best narrators I’ve ever listened to. Full disclosure, I am a sucker for European accents but Kim Bretton’s performance is top notch.
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- Anonymous User
- 01-27-22
Great story, great narration
The story is great, the writing is great. But since I'm writing this on Audible, ler me just say that I love Kim Bretton's narration. She gives life to the characters and grabs tour attention with ver performance. Really awesome.
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- Anonymous User
- 08-01-23
Instant Hit!
This was my first time reading this author and now I think I have to read everything he's ever written.
I decided to read this because I am exploring SPFBO 9 entries and I'd heard such good things about Never Die, even though I haven't read it yet. So I went into this story knowing nothing about the previous book with the understanding that this was a standalone book. I can tell you that I never felt lost or like there was something missing that must be in the other book. This book was a well contained standalone.
I was pleasantly surprised by the book. I've never read Asian inspired fantasy before and didn't know what to expect. I LOVED the gods in this world and how they operated. I also loved that certain people in this world have powers, called techniques, which can give them an edge and make them uniquely qualified to their place in life. Our main character, aside from being a phenomenal strategist, has a technique that she brings into play in such a clever way that it was totally enjoyable and surprising.
Yuu, the main character, gave me anti-hero vibes and the people she collected along the way made for an interesting group. The end was flawless. I loved it and was so pleasantly surprised by the depth and layers within this story.
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- Lu
- 08-14-21
Pawn's Gambit is gripping and fun
Yuu, once a famous strategist, has found her niche in life - playing chess with old men and drinking herself into a stupor. Formerly known as "The Art of War," she led armies and won battles until her mistake cost her ruler his life. She doesn't seek redemption, just another bottle of wine.
Unfortunately, it can't stay that way, not when the gods play their games with mortal pawns. Natsuko, the goddess of missed opportunities, needs Yuu to checkmate Batu, the god of war, and rise to power. Once a century, the gods hold a contest to choose a new ruler. Each god chooses a mortal champion, and the fate of heaven and earth depends on the winner.
Rob J. Hayes has packed Pawn's Gambit with action and adventure, and even the quieter moments are intense. The sharp and direct writing style makes it easy to follow and enjoy the story. Even though Pawn's Gambit rehashes familiar tropes (quest for powerful artifacts, redemption story), Hayes' confident narration makes it fresh and interesting. He also twists them in a most exciting way.
Hayes does a lot of things right in Pawn's Gambit. The first is characterization. Yuu and Natsuko have unique perspectives (Yuu human, Natsuko inhuman) and personalities. Their interactions drive the story forward and make it so fascinating to follow. Natsuko toys with mortals, but she respects them. She loves walking through the mortal plane as an old woman because she finds it liberating to be the curmudgeon. As a strategist, Yuu has learned to remain cold and think of troops as numbers rather than individual lives. She knows she shouldn't consider the consequences of her actions because the end justifies the means, but she doesn't quite succeed. I found her more introspective moments insightful and engaging.
Secondary characters have whimsical names (The Ticking Clock, Laws of Hope, etc.) and possess a variety of supernatural abilities that make their encounters explosive and intense. Expect lots of blazing action, cool magic, breakneck pacing, and relatable and well-developed characters doing what they have to to survive.
The combination of an engaging plot, excellent pacing, good dialogue, fleshed-out characters, and economy of language enhances the reading experience. Pawn's Gambit is gripping and fun, and I'm sure it'll keep most readers glued to the pages.
The narration: I listened to the audiobook version of the book. Kim Bretton was a great choice for the narrator - she captured and shaped the tone as needed, and gave the right portrayal to each character.
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