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In a world beset by plagues, Tyrus of Kenatos has made it his life’s work to end the devastation. Yet when he first ventures into the Scourgelands to uncover the secret of the plagues’ origin, he barely makes it out alive after being ambushed by a mysterious, unseen enemy. Tyrus knows the plagues will rise again - more powerful than ever before - and he is determined to complete his mission. To aid in his new quest, he summons his nephew Annon and his niece Hettie - both of whom possess an innate magic called the fireblood - and a pack of unlikely allies.
In a stand-alone series set in the world of Muirwood, eighteen-year-old Maia is the exiled princess of Comoros and heir to the throne. As a result of her father's ceaseless need for authority, she was left disinherited and forced to live as a servant in her enemy's home. When the king invites chaos into the land by expelling the magical order known as the Dochte Mandar, Maia finds herself on a perilous quest to save her people. To survive, she must use magic she has learned in secret - despite the fact that women are forbidden to control it.
The Wretched of Muirwood, the opening novel in the Muirwood Trilogy, is the tale of the orphan Lia - who is part of a pariah caste known only as the "wretched", a people unloved, unwanted, and destined to a life of servitude. Forbidden to read or write, and forced to slave away in the Abbey kitchen, Lia is all but resigned to her fate. But when an injured squire named Colvin is abandoned at the Abbey kitchen, opportunity arises, and Lia conspires to hide Colvin and change her life forever.…
Before she befriended a frightened young boy in the palace of Kingfountain, Ankarette Tryneowy grew up during the shattering civil war that raged between members of the Argentine family. This is the story of how the only daughter of a lawyer and a midwife became the famed Queen's Poisoner.
Ella and her brother, Miro, are orphans, their parents killed long ago in the ongoing struggle against the mad Emperor. From the day Ella witnesses an enchanter using his talents to save Miro from drowning, she knows what she wants to be. But the elite Academy of Enchanters expects tuition fees and knowledge. Determined, Ella sells flowers and studies every book she can. Meanwhile, Miro dreams of becoming one of the world's finest swordsmen, wielding his nation's powerful enchanted weapons in defense of his homeland.
The discovery of a strange and superior warship sends Dion, youngest son of the king of Xanthos, and Chloe, a Phalesian princess, on a journey across the sea, where they are confronted by a kingdom far more powerful than they could ever have imagined. But they also find a place in turmoil, for the ruthless sun king, Solon, is dying. In order to gain entrance to heaven, Solon is building a tomb - a pyramid clad in gold - and has scoured his own empire for gold until there's no more to be found.
In a world beset by plagues, Tyrus of Kenatos has made it his life’s work to end the devastation. Yet when he first ventures into the Scourgelands to uncover the secret of the plagues’ origin, he barely makes it out alive after being ambushed by a mysterious, unseen enemy. Tyrus knows the plagues will rise again - more powerful than ever before - and he is determined to complete his mission. To aid in his new quest, he summons his nephew Annon and his niece Hettie - both of whom possess an innate magic called the fireblood - and a pack of unlikely allies.
In a stand-alone series set in the world of Muirwood, eighteen-year-old Maia is the exiled princess of Comoros and heir to the throne. As a result of her father's ceaseless need for authority, she was left disinherited and forced to live as a servant in her enemy's home. When the king invites chaos into the land by expelling the magical order known as the Dochte Mandar, Maia finds herself on a perilous quest to save her people. To survive, she must use magic she has learned in secret - despite the fact that women are forbidden to control it.
The Wretched of Muirwood, the opening novel in the Muirwood Trilogy, is the tale of the orphan Lia - who is part of a pariah caste known only as the "wretched", a people unloved, unwanted, and destined to a life of servitude. Forbidden to read or write, and forced to slave away in the Abbey kitchen, Lia is all but resigned to her fate. But when an injured squire named Colvin is abandoned at the Abbey kitchen, opportunity arises, and Lia conspires to hide Colvin and change her life forever.…
Before she befriended a frightened young boy in the palace of Kingfountain, Ankarette Tryneowy grew up during the shattering civil war that raged between members of the Argentine family. This is the story of how the only daughter of a lawyer and a midwife became the famed Queen's Poisoner.
Ella and her brother, Miro, are orphans, their parents killed long ago in the ongoing struggle against the mad Emperor. From the day Ella witnesses an enchanter using his talents to save Miro from drowning, she knows what she wants to be. But the elite Academy of Enchanters expects tuition fees and knowledge. Determined, Ella sells flowers and studies every book she can. Meanwhile, Miro dreams of becoming one of the world's finest swordsmen, wielding his nation's powerful enchanted weapons in defense of his homeland.
The discovery of a strange and superior warship sends Dion, youngest son of the king of Xanthos, and Chloe, a Phalesian princess, on a journey across the sea, where they are confronted by a kingdom far more powerful than they could ever have imagined. But they also find a place in turmoil, for the ruthless sun king, Solon, is dying. In order to gain entrance to heaven, Solon is building a tomb - a pyramid clad in gold - and has scoured his own empire for gold until there's no more to be found.
As an orphan ward of the Sisterhood in the ancient Tarachand Empire, eighteen-year-old Kalinda is destined for nothing more than a life of seclusion and prayer. Plagued by fevers, she's an unlikely candidate for even a servant's position, let alone a courtesan or wife. Her sole dream is to continue living in peace in the Sisterhood's mountain temple. But a visit from the tyrant Rajah Tarek disrupts Kalinda's life. Within hours, she is ripped from the comfort of her home.
Finn doesn't remember much about her previous life, and in a world that has been changed by the wars of the Tuatha De, where trust is hard to come by, answers are even more difficult to find. Little does she know, an unknown evil tugs on the strings of fate, and the answers she so desperately seeks may be more important than she could have ever imagined.
At the height of its power, the elven court of Queen Emerelle relishes in the joyful, wintry Festival of Light. Yet, as tribes gather to reaffirm their loyalty to the queen, treachery festers within the nobility. An assassination attempt leaves Emerelle severely injured and plunges the realm back into the throes of an ancient war. While an army of trolls ravages the kingdom, the elves seek aid from Alfadas, the human hero who was raised among them. Back in the land of men, Alfadas has settled into a quiet life as his village's protector.
A fierce and merciless demon has been unleashed on the world, spreading destruction and bloodshed in both the human and the elven realms. Northlander Jarl Mandred witnesses the ruthless attack on his men, and he seeks vengeance with the help of the elf queen, Emerelle.
Lorness Carol, coming of age in the kingdom of her warlord father, Lord Rafel, aspires to wield magic. But she's also unknowingly become the obsession of Kragan, an avenging wielder as old as evil itself. He's waited centuries to find and kill the female prophesied as the only human empowered to destroy him. However, dispatching the king's assassin, Blade, to Rafel's Keep, ends in treason. For Blade arrives not with a weapon but rather a warning for the woman he's known and loved since he was a child.
In the first installment of the A Fire Beneath the Skin trilogy, the city of Klaar has never fallen. No enemy has ever made it across the Long Bridge or penetrated the city's mighty walls. Even when a powerful invading army shows up at the gates, the duke and his daughter, Rina Veraiin, are certain that it poses little threat. But they are cruelly betrayed from within and, in a horrific spasm of violence, the city is brought to its knees.
What happens when Terry and Char meet Bethany Anne? They get to do the Empress' bidding, but not on Earth. With the infamous Valerie of New York, to space they go, to become the Direct Action Branch of Nathan Lowell's Bad Company. Before they reach Nathan on the other side of the galaxy, they find that space is a dangerous place, even for the wary, especially for the unprepared. Are you ready to join them on their epic journey?
Years before, a gateway opened between their world and ours. Sending one young woman through may be the key to survival for the kingdom of Fourline. Strapped for cash, college student Natalie Barns agrees to take a job at a costume shop. Sure, Estos - her classmate who works in the shop - is a little odd, but Nat needs the money for her tuition.
Markal, an apprentice wizard, is thrust unexpectedly to the head of his order when his master is decapitated by a gray-skinned assassin. The order's walled gardens have the power to restore their dead master to life, but only if the apprentices can protect his body long enough for their sanctuary to work its magic. When a barbarian warrior named Bronwyn invades the gardens wielding a soul-binding sword and accuses the order of harboring a powerful sorcerer, Markal thinks she is another assassin come to finish the job.
Young wizards coming of age in a time of war... Will they be ready? Eynon was excited to leave his village and set off on his wander year. He’d turned sixteen today, and hoped for at least a few adventures. At high noon, he arrived a crossroads and saw a shimmer of silver in the mud. It was a thin and dirty oval, about the size of his palm. He washed it with squirts of water from his goatskin, then marveled at what was revealed.
In a feudal land, a Kingdom is at risk. With no heir to the fragile throne, its future rests with the powerful members of the dying king's Council, including Minori, a nightblade warrior, and Kiyoshi, a dayblade healer. The two men are bound by the sword but divided by two opposing principles: rule the land, or serve it. In their challenge for supremacy, a spark has been lit. Her name is Asa. Her creed is revenge.
Single mom Cedar McLeod leads an ordinary but lonely life, balancing the demands of her career and her six-year-old daughter, Eden. One day, a fight between the two leads to the stunning discovery that Eden can open portals to anywhere she imagines. But before they can learn more about Eden’s extraordinary gift, the young girl mysteriously disappears. Desperate to find answers and her daughter, Cedar seeks out Eden’s father, who left before Eden was born.
In the scourged kingdoms of Mirrowen, little hope survives.
Rumors stir of a hidden child who can stop the devastating plagues — and the race to find her has begun. The ruthless ruler of Kenatos, the Arch-Rike, and the people pledged to stopping him will do anything to make sure they’re the ones to reach her first.
Because even though young Phae may be unaware that she is the long-lost daughter of Tyrus — the Arch-Rike’s rival — there is no mistaking her gift. She not only wields the dangerous fireblood, but she can also steal the memories of anyone who looks into her eyes. Both Fireblood and Dryad-born, she alone can survive the Scourgelands long enough to learn the secrets hidden within the oaks — secrets that may reveal the origins of the plagues…and how to fight them.
Now Phae must learn to accept her newfound destiny or forever fear the steadfast evil of the Arch-Rike.
Would you try another book from Jeff Wheeler and/or Sue Pitkin?
I would certainly listen to another of Jeff Wheeler's books, I totally enjoy his writing style. I would never try another book narrated by Sue Pitkin. She has no ability to narrate multiple characters in any distinctive fashion.
How could the performance have been better?
The performance would have been better if Michael Page narrated the second book as well as the first. Sue Pitkin was simply pathetic. I was perplexed by things such as how the Quiet Kishion takes on some sort of Arnold Schwarzenegger accent. He (she) sounded ridiculous. Her narration almost ruined the book for me.
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
Is there anything you would change about this book?
I would go back to Michael Page as the narrator. Sue Pitkin does okay when she isn't reading dialogue, but she can't read dialogue well to save her life. I can only listen to this book for short periods of time before I have to turn it off.
I got this audiobook despite the poor reviews of the narrator because I had the ebook already and it was only $2, but I would never waste a credit or pay full price for it. The book is excellent, but Pitkin was not the right choice at all. I feel like she'd do much better with something like Jane Austen rather than epic fantasy.
What did you like best about this story?
I enjoy everything about this story except the performer. It's a solid follow-up to the first book.
How did the narrator detract from the book?
Her speech is exaggerated, her attempts at different accents are awful, and it is clear that she didn't listen to any of the previous book. Conversations between characters are painful and unnatural. As an example, the voice she uses for the archivist's passages is stilted and overdone while Michael Page's interpretation was scholarly and thoughtful. I grit my teeth every time one of those sequences comes up when I used to enjoy them. I gave her two stars because I can at least listen to her for short periods of time, but I have to take a break after long dialogues.
Was Dryad-Born worth the listening time?
Reading time, heck yeah. Listening time... Just barely, maybe? It was better than not listening to a book at all, I guess.
Any additional comments?
Please, please, please, please bring Michael Page back.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
If you could sum up Dryad-Born in three words, what would they be?
more flushed out!
What was one of the most memorable moments of Dryad-Born?
when you find out who the villain in hiding is.
How could the performance have been better?
did not care for the voice talent. accent were not the same as the first book I think.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
This book is so great. I would listen to it as I fall asleep, but I would find myself staying up late trying to listen to more. The narrator is awful. I eventually got used to her voice, but I really hope audible has the narrator from Fireblood read the next book in the series. Again, this book is so good!
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
Any additional comments?
The first part of the series was great... very promising and enjoyable. This second book seemed to have the same elements but the narration was at best unpleasant, but more often actually irritating. I gave up on the book about 3/4 of the way through because I couldn't stomach the narration (the first and only time I've done that with an audiobook)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
What did you like best about Dryad-Born? What did you like least?
I liked the story, but the narrator was terrible
Any additional comments?
I highly recommend the first book of the series. The narrator was fun to listen to and made the characters come alive. I don't know why this book had a different narrator, but she could not use different character voices at all, so it could confusing when two characters were talking to each other. Another thing I didn't like about her was that would be just as dramatic with some mundane description or detail as she would an action sequence or with something important. That got old pretty quick.Anyway, I will probably listen to the next book in the series when it comes out if it has a different narrator. For this book, you would be better off to read it yourself.
6 of 8 people found this review helpful
Fireblood (book 1) was awesome. Good story, but the narrator Michael Page did a fantastic job. He really gave the characters personality through his narrating. Started this book, but couldn't finish, narration is AWFUL. I can't tell one character from the other, why the change? Am I alone in this? Had to return this one, guess I'll just go get it in paperback. I saw book 3 is with the same narrator as this one =( so sad.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
The story was great. The narrator tried, but she mostly had one intense tone that she used, even on obviously gentle parts of the story.
love the story but the performance made it hard to listen to. same voices and not pleasant.
Love the story & all the great characters. Can't wait to finish the next one.
The story is interesting and different from the usual sword and sorcery books which is why I put up with the execrable narrator. I was expecting her to suddenly yell 'and LASHINGS of GINGER beer' at any moment.
The cadence of the narration was awful with frequent emphasis on the wrong words and a real jumble of downright dumb accents poorly realised. The first book was narrated by a much better narrator and I am sorry that they changed for this volume.
I can only hope that they change again for the third volume or I don't think I will be able to put up with it and will never hear the end of the story, although I will probably buy it in written word because, again, the story is really good!
I suggest Ms Pitkin would make a great job of narrating the Famous Five books.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
The story is good, Sue Pitkin gets the intonation wrong a lot though, making it difficult to listen to.
This would really have benefitted from the attentions of a good copy editor, or even a proof reader. Repeating words twice in a sentence & misquoting famous sayings demonstrated a lack of attention to detail.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
yet another great series ruined by changing the narrator,not only from male to female but one who's only character voices are a soft spoken cultured voice and I high pitched wizened old cackling voice that is like fingers on a chalk board ,which not only confuses you to as who is talkin as they all sound the same,female,male ,young,old it's all the same,in general I enjoy a woman narrating but on this occasion,such a disappointment
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
story continues in the same vein as the first in the series and maintains interest throughout but really struggled with narration.
Really hard to tell which person is speaking, pauses in awkward places and all males seem to have the same inflection and base emotion but accents do vary... as best I can tell one character has a mixed accent of French/Russian!
will make it through but if the first book was narrated like this I don't think I would have been hooked enough to even get through the first!
Love the story but really struggled with the voice actor and telling apart some of the characters.
story is great but alas like others have said in other reviews the narration in this one is not up to the usual standard
book 1 was narrated by the guy that did the gentlemen bastards books so the bar was set really high for book 2 in this series
this narrater is pitchy squeeky and seems to use angry voices for no aparent reason
the start of each chapter starts with a passage from the archivist and altho its the same archivest she narates it in diff voices for some unknown reason this makes it confusing when depending on audio
also the prince in book 1 was a levelheaded softly spoken intelligent character but in this narration he seems to say everything in a really angry way
the same for his meek adoring cousin who for some reason gets a wicked witch voice
it seems that angry voice is the default setting in this narration so it is not a good pre bedtime listen as it will not soothe you
pitchy and scratchy
i really hope this series becomes availabewith someone like the female narater of the other books by mr wheeler
she was great
Really develops well as a story, though a tad predictable at end which you can forgive as a lead in to the third book.
Very well written book with many unexpected twists
And turns beautifully read with great empathy, wonderful
Narrator
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
narrator is difficult to listen to, recommend not wasting your time with this book. (need at least 15 words)