• Carniepunk: The Demon Barker of Wheat Street

  • By: Kevin Hearne
  • Narrated by: Kirby Heyborne
  • Length: 1 hr and 4 mins
  • 4.1 out of 5 stars (1,786 ratings)

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Carniepunk: The Demon Barker of Wheat Street  By  cover art

Carniepunk: The Demon Barker of Wheat Street

By: Kevin Hearne
Narrated by: Kirby Heyborne
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Publisher's summary

From the New York Times best-selling author of Hounded comes an Iron Druid Chronicles short story in the captivating Carniepunk anthology.

The ancient Druid Atticus O’Sullivan gets more than greasy corn dogs and flat soda when he visits a carnival in Kansas to which his apprentice, Granuaile, drags him. He runs across a barker with a strange power over the crowd: attractive women leave their men and disappear into an unmarked tent, never to be seen again, and the men wander away, forgetting that they ever had girlfriends or wives. When Granuaile falls under the barker’s influence and enters the tent, Atticus isn’t about to forget it and move on. He and his Irish wolfhound, Oberon, pursue her and discover the horrifying secret to the carnival’s success.

©2014 Kevin Hearne (P)2014 Simon & Schuster Audio

Critic reviews

“A superb urban fantasy debut” ( Publishers Weekly, starred review)

What listeners say about Carniepunk: The Demon Barker of Wheat Street

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Awe Really?!?!?

The story itself is ok but the narration KILLS it. Why Kevin? Was Luke busy?

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42 people found this helpful

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

Disappointing

What disappointed you about Carniepunk: The Demon Barker of Wheat Street?

The narrator for this is not the typical for the Iron Druid series. It's also part of a larger collection narrated by Kirby. That being said, I was still hopeful he could pull it off. I was wrong, very wrong. Oberon goes from being charming and funny to perv-y and weird - what a difference a narrator makes.

How could the performance have been better?

Luke Daniels - all the way.

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40 people found this helpful

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

OMG the narrator

I have listened to every single Iron Druid book that Mr. Hearne has released and I think that the absolute worst thing that could have happened was to change the narrator. I understand that it was originally part of an anthology with a bunch of different authors but this really saddened me. However, the story was just as good as all the other books in the series. One last thing, the narrator absolutely destroyed Oberon's voice, so if you love the mangy mutt then be ready to feel cheated on his voice.

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38 people found this helpful

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

Not sure why he did not use Luke Daniels

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

If they had never listened to the series, yes. If so, no.

Would you be willing to try another one of Kirby Heyborne’s performances?

Not sure...was not impressed, but I am judging because the story usually has Luke Daniels.

Any additional comments?

Think it was a mistake not to use Luke Daniels. Felt like all different characters. They didn't even try to do Oberon correctly...

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23 people found this helpful

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

Hate the narrator!

Would you try another book from Kevin Hearne and/or Kirby Heyborne?

I love the Iron Druid Chronicles. I've listened to all of the books. I can't comment on the story because I couldn't get past the reader. Horrible.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

In spite of the reader I love the series

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

After listening to the entire Iron Druid Chronicles with Luke Daniels as narrator Kirby Heyborne is like listening to melba toast. Simply awful. Luke Daniels brings so much more
variety to the characters. I hated everything about Kirby's performance as a narrator.

Any additional comments?

If you like the series, then read this one and avoid Kirby Daniels. I'm returning this book!

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20 people found this helpful

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

Serious let down...

Would you try another book from Kevin Hearne and/or Kirby Heyborne?

I would definitely read another Kevin Hearne book, he is a brilliant writer.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I love all of the Iron Druid characters, though Oberon is definitely the gravy of the series...not necessary but deliciously rewarding.

How could the performance have been better?

The narrator was horrible, mispronounced several key terms in the story and his voice was all wrong for the story. The narrator from the actual Iron Druid series is perfect for the part...no clue whose idea it was to pick this guy but if it's not broke, I say don't fix it.

Was Carniepunk: The Demon Barker of Wheat Street worth the listening time?

The story was a great short story, however I would rather read it than listen to it simply because of the narrator.

Any additional comments?

All in all, I can't say I'd recommend this as an audible title, though I would certainly encourage everyone to by the ebook version.

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16 people found this helpful

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

Not the Same without Luke Daniels

Would you listen to Carniepunk: The Demon Barker of Wheat Street again? Why?

No, because without Luke Daniels it is not the same.

Any additional comments?

Not the same without Luke Daniels doing the narration.

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13 people found this helpful

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

Brilliant Story.... Narrator is beyond bad

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

The story is one of the (if not THE) best short story so for in the Iron Druid series. However the narrator is so bad I had to stop listening after 5 minutes, which I have NEVER done before. Why did you not stick with Luke Daniel who has done every other Iron Druid book?

Kirby Heyborne is so bland there is next to no inflection in his voice. At times you don't even notice when he switch from narration to character dialogue. Sarcasm sounds just like describing the environment. And unless you catch identifying pronouns you can go minutes without knowing a character has started talking, or even worse, who the hell is talking to whom as every single voice sounds exactly the same.

I am going to get the Kindle version instead as the story itself was (so far as I was able to stand to listen) excellent. Kirby's horrendous delivery just made it un-listenable and painful.

What did you like best about this story?

Awesome, plot and as usual very well written. Love the Iron Druid.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Kirby Heyborne?

Luke Daniels, who else!!! He has been the voice of this series from the beginning. If it's not broke don't mess with it!

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12 people found this helpful

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

A decent addition to the iron Druid universe!

This short story takes place somewhere in the middle of the iron Druid universe! Although it was a bit grizzly and somewhat out of his usual depths,it's still made for a decently entertaining iron Druid story. If there was a downside to the story, it is the narrator. Hello he does a decent enough job, he simply does not compare to Luke Daniels – the usual voice Atticus O'Sullivan, oberon, Granuweul, and the rest of the characters in the universe! If you are an Iron druid Fan, it's not a bad addition, but the narrator simply just does not do a decent enough job to Bring the characters to life.

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5 people found this helpful

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

Good short story. Different Narrator.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I love all the Iron Druid books to one degree or another. A specific voice for all the characters has been established in my mind. A new narrator is an adjustment. He does a good job. It's just different. Overall a worthy listen.

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4 people found this helpful