Darrion

By: Marissa Ames

Narrated by: Matt Thurston

Length: 1 hr

Publisher's summary

A short story set in the world of Tir Athair, 20 years after the events of the novel Minstrel. The first time Darrion struck her, Lana loaded her wagon and left Cynegil. Two-year-olds should not hit like that. She draped the windows of her cottage with dense cloth and worked by a single candle. If she timed her flight well, she could pass through the market during changing of the guard. In another era, under another king's reign, Lana would have rejoiced that Darrion had inherited his father's gift. Now, if Lana does not present her son to the king, she could lose her head.

©2003 Marissa Ames (P)2014 Marissa Ames

Beautiful setup for the coming novel.

In a few crisp, emotional strokes, Ames paints the backdrop for a promising story. One: a world of magic that can be used to heal or destroy. Two: A man forced to use his gift for evil, and a woman who loves him anyway. Three: A child with power.

Yep, I'll be reading the novel.

My only complaint is that it apparently happened 20 years after the events in Minstrel, which had no mention of the magic that, according to this short story, had been around for generations.

I need more!!!!

Would you consider the audio edition of Darrion to be better than the print version?

I'll admit first off that I dislike audio books. Usually I am "directing" the characters to deliver their lines differently than the narrator does. Or I nitpick the voice or the accents. I found very little complain about with the narration. A few quirky things that are entirely my preference, but I was able to lose myself in the story and enjoy a magical, tragic, hopeful tale of sacrifice.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Okay, yeah, I teared up…a lot of emotion is expertly packed into this short story.

Any additional comments?

A young mother struggling with a toddler? I can relate. A young mother struggling with a toddler who can't control his magical powers? Oooh, I'm interested. A king who is taking all magically-inclined children away from their parents…sweet, romantic backstory that ends in sacrifice and tragedy? I'm in. Completely.I can say that I really liked Minstrel. I LOVED Darrion. I know this is a bridge story between Minstrel and Vassal and Darrion's story BETTER continue in Vassal. It's the perfect set up for a corrupt kingdom and a hero who can take it on. Yes, it's a short story. It's complete and satisfying, though I want so much more. The use of flashbacks was done well…I was just as interested in the snippets of backstory as I was the current drama of the tale.This story is not contingent on reading Minstrel. So go ahead and wet your toes in Darrion first. You'll want to check out everything by Marissa Ames.

Great short story!

Where does Darrion rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Darrion is in the top 5 among the audiobooks I've listened to. Matt has a clear, easy cadence that was fun to listen to, and really enhanced the story. After reading Darrion, it was a bit strange to hear someone else's cadence, but I greatly enjoyed it!

What did you like best about this story?

I love Marissa's writing style. She paints an amazing picture with her words without getting the listener lost in detail.

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

I have not listened to anything else from Matt.

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

As Darrion wasn't terribly long, it was easy to listen in one sitting, which was great because you didn't want it to end. Darrion is captivating and pulls at the heart strings. Great for fantasy lovers!

What a cliff hanger!

What made the experience of listening to Darrion the most enjoyable?

I think the suspense and mystery though out the story made it both enjoyable and compelling.

What does Matt Thurston bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

When you listen to the story with all the different voice inflections it really brings the story to life in your mind so that you are sitting right there experiencing it!

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

Yes, in my dreams. I have 4 children and a husband and and...

Any additional comments?

I am looking forward to finding out what happens to Darrion in Vassal!