Scarlet Odyssey

Scarlet Odyssey, Book 1

By: C. T. Rwizi

Narrated by: Janina Edwards, Korey Jackson, Robin Eller, Kimberly Woods, Susan Dalian

Length: 19 hrs and 24 mins

Publisher's summary

“Thrillingly refreshing, a propulsive story built around a fascinating cast of characters...brutal and beautiful and bold and Black in every way.”—Tor.com

Magic is women’s work; war is men’s. But in the coming battle, none of that will matter.

Men do not become mystics. They become warriors. But eighteen-year-old Salo has never been good at conforming to his tribe’s expectations. For as long as he can remember, he has loved books and magic in a culture where such things are considered unmanly. Despite it being sacrilege, Salo has worked on a magical device in secret that will awaken his latent magical powers. And when his village is attacked by a cruel enchantress, Salo knows that it is time to take action.

Salo’s queen is surprisingly accepting of his desire to be a mystic, but she will not allow him to stay in the tribe. Instead, she sends Salo on a quest. The quest will take him thousands of miles north to the Jungle City, the political heart of the continent. There he must gather information on a growing threat to his tribe.

On the way to the city, he is joined by three fellow outcasts: a shunned female warrior, a mysterious nomad, and a deadly assassin. But they’re being hunted by the same enchantress who attacked Salo’s village. She may hold the key to Salo’s awakening—and his redemption.

©2020 C. T. Rwizi (P)2020 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

"Korey Jackson leads an ensemble cast in narrating this epic fantasy combining Swaziland myths and science fiction. …Jackson, along with Janina Edwards, Robin Eller, Kimberly Woods, and Susan Dalian, portray their characters with passion, allowing listeners to savor the intricacies of the story and multiple points of view. The multiple narrators make the aural experience enjoyable and easier to follow than reading the text."—Audiofile Magazine

"Rwizi’s debut is noteworthy for its African-inspired setting."—Library Journal

Amazing Book and Narrators

I loved this book! I've been looking for a good epic fantasy read for a while, and this one definitely fit the bill. The narrators were great. As I listened, I almost felt like I was there.

Just not my thing.

I found it hard to follow and full of torture & graphic violence. The narration was fine but couldn't get into the storyline or care much about the characters so I did something I very rarely do and quit listening after a couple of hours. Just didn't want to invest any more time in a book I wasn't enjoying.

Mostly Wonderful--needs sound editing

Everything about the story itself is wonderful. Unfortunately, they really needed someone to edit the audio version. Words were mispronounced... there were some enunciation issues that really distracted from the story and broke my immersion. The timbre of the voices was superb, but some editing would have fixed most of the errors and elevated this imaginative and suspenseful and compelling story with a better audio production to true masterpiece.

it was still a very enjoyable book and I definitely intend to look for the next one in the series!

Mind-blowing

This is like Witcher in Africa!! Magic. action, horror- gave me a nightmare!! So good I bought the 2nd by Chapter 5. I have over 900 books in my library and this goes to favs.

Decent story

Decent story but for how long it is not much happens, lots of world building and lead ups to novel number two. I didn’t like how different voice actors had different voices for the same characters when they crossed paths it made it confusing to hear the Maidservant who has been voiced by a woman the whole time be voiced by a man affecting a heavy accent.

Great entry to a fun world

I enjoyed the character build and backstories. There are some unique nuances with the magic system that make the story compelling. I look forward to more.

There are at least 3 narrarators and I really enjoyed 2 of them. For me, a single voice or else a full ensemble might make keeping track of characters less challenging but this was a minor issue by the end of the novel.

I will purchase tge next for sure!

Interesting world and great characters!

The world in this series is really interesting and I loved the characters. It started a bit on the slow side but definitely picked up and I couldn't stop once I got halfway through.

A perfect fantasy novel

I loved listening to this story! World building at its finest! Great narration! I look forward to listening to the next book in this saga!

This story needs to be on the big screen!!!

I can’t wait for my daughter read this book when she’s older. As much as I enjoyed it I know I have to have the hard covers for my collection here at home. Excited for book 2!!

Liked the story even though I'm not a big fantasy

I did struggle with unfamiliar names and keeping the roles straight. It's a magical fantasy plot and that is a tougher genre for me but I liked and would recommend the book. I may even continue the series.

Exceptional

The story and the narrators are exceptional. I was transferred to a distant magical world that captivated my attention. I will be continuing with the series with much anticipation.

Brilliant

Great book made better by listening to it. I have discovered I really like audible books with more than one narrator. Voices matter, often more than the story, and i liked all the narrators. Although some more than others.