Hard Magic

Book I of the Grimnoir Chronicles

By: Larry Correia

Narrated by: Bronson Pinchot

Length: 16 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's summary

Audie Award, Paranormal, 2012

Jake Sullivan is a licensed private eye with a seriously hardboiled attitude. He also possesses raw magical talent and the ability to make objects in his vicinity light as a feather or as heavy as depleted uranium, all with a magical thought. It's no wonder the G-men turn to Jake when they need someone to go after a suspected killer who has been knocking off banks in a magic-enhanced crime spree.

Problems arise when Jake discovers the bad girl behind the robberies is an old friend, and he happens to know her magic is just as powerful as his. And the Feds have plunged Jake into a secret battle between powerful cartels of magic-users - a cartel whose ruthless leaders have decided that Jake is far too dangerous to live.

©2011 Larry Correia (P)2011 Audible, Inc.

Get ready for a fun ride

What made the experience of listening to Hard Magic the most enjoyable?

The narration, honestly. Bronson Pinchot is a perfect narrator for this book.

What other book might you compare Hard Magic to and why?

It's pretty unique, actually. Nothing comes to mind. Maybe the comic books? But just a little.

What about Bronson Pinchot’s performance did you like?

Everything. It's literally one of the best narrations I've encountered on Audible so far.

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

I did my best.

Any additional comments?

You'll be doing yourself a favor picking up this one. The whole series is out now, so be prepared to spend some time immersed in a new and original world.

Wow amazing

I wasn't sure how this story was gonna go considering how I feel towards stereotypical magic stories but man this was refreshing and the narrator really blew me away. This is a must read .

I discovered a gem!

I was searching for something a little different from an author I had not read or listened to before and was absolutely gobsmacked by how much I enjoyed everything about this book. The universe that Larry Correia concocts and the varied characters he populates it with left me a fan who will be acquiring more of his works.

The story is set in a world where magic is an accepted part of life although not always welcomed. The parallels that are drawn between this reality and our own are nicely done and, provided you do not hiccup, you will hear a brief reference that links them together. The characters are nicely developed with varied backstories that are compelling and allow us to understand their motivations. This is where Bronson Pinchot does an excellent job. The interpretations he gives to the cast greatly adds to their personalities and made them come alive. As an example I know that if I had read this book, my impression of Faye would have been completely different. His impression of her adds warmth and humor which serve to endear her to the listener.

There is plenty of action, humor, spectacular set pieces, plausible explanations of the magic, and some unexpected twists that kept me looking for excuses to listen to more. If you are in the mood for something refreshingly new that is just plain fun, this is the book you are looking for.

Slow to start but worth it

A little slow to start but quickly becomes full of action. Love all the twists and turns -- love everything though sometimes the accents grate on the nerves (several of the characters have thick accents). Can't wait to listen to book 2!

Original, Talented, Exciting Fun (don't miss it)

What made the experience of listening to Hard Magic the most enjoyable?

This is one of a series where it's got you loving the good guys and resenting the "evil doers" and the imagination of happening in the past like it's really happening. Strong women, fighting men, the world is at stake and humor and Noir effect with revealing surprize after surprize. If you was a page turner, that will make you laugh, cry, and feel so evolved with some really original characters. This is a book I will listen to again and again. I have all three in the series and was not disappointed with any of them. Get the book and enjoy the ride into the Grimmour and enjoy the roller coaster ride. Some of the best audio books I have gotten this far. Try this and you just might fall love with style and technique of the cliff hanger 'what is going to happen next. And it lets the ladies be beautiful and able to take care of them selves. Try HARD MAGIC and see if you can stop there.

What did you like best about this story?

The fast pace, the way he reveals the characters. The way he uses real history to evoke his story line. I say Larry Correia bring a new style or original slice of pie to this genre of writing. No offense but Harry Potter is for children this is for adults. Nothing cute and cuddly about This series. Nior, Magic, and excited. It's a treasure for entertaining that you can return to and enoy again.

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

No. But he brings the story to life. a good actor and he get's into reading the books. Great match for a great story and a great story teller.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Don't worry about it I've got it covered.

Any additional comments?

Very few books do i feel like reading or listening again. The Nior gene isn't my favorite, but with this style and creative writing and performance. It's a treasure. Like a BeCall and Bogoart film, with magic that you will remember forever. Read or listen to this book.

I loved this book!

I usually don't listen to these types of books, but this was on sale and I was in the mood to try something silly. I am now going to buy the rest of the series. It was incredibly entertaining. The story was interesting and the characters were fantastic. The narration couldn't have been better. Especially when Fae was talking.

I prefer Gravity Spiker

What did you love best about Hard Magic?

The world building wasn't skipped going in to this one. Each character is fairly well developed. It's a very immersive alternate history. The magic system is pretty decently thought out.

What did you like best about this story?

Having finished the series as it stands, hindsight has given me a few head slap moments. This seems more fleshed out than most stories, and that s what I like, there was a destination in mind so the story could flow really well. Not like the MHI books were vague references in the first book didn't quite match up with assertions in the latter books.

Which character – as performed by Bronson Pinchot – was your favorite?

He's so dynamic. Faye is my favorite character, and he captures her spirit and flair. But he captures the rest so well that i can get lost in the story. From impatient teen age girl, to well edjucated ruler, he does very well indeed.

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

I grinned through a few parts, was sad in a others.

Any additional comments?

Solid work from a Author that is building a solid reputation for a good story. Yes the authors view points on government can be identified readily, but put that a side and get ready for a good time.

I liked it!

My favorite authors are JKR, GRRM, RA Salvatore, Lian Hearn, Brandon Sanderson, Conn Iggulden, Dan Abnett, and John G. Henry.

I would put Larry Correia on my list of favorite authors. I was entertained by this book but I am not entirely convinced continuing reading the whole series after reading the summaries and the various reviews for the sequels. I'm going to try his other novels though like Dead Six and Into the Storm.

I know it's very contradictory but I'm very picky with me Audible credits and I just didn't think the sequels were worthy.

Don't judge this by the first few chapters!

First, I'll tell you that I'm a procrastinator, so I've read all 3 Grimnoir novels before I got around to this review. Like some other reviewers, I thought Bronson Pinchot made most of the characters sound mentally challenged to the point where I didn't think I would make it through the book. By the end of the book, I couldn't wait to start the next one! I just loved the whole alternate history plot twist. Get this book!

Big fun

What made the experience of listening to Hard Magic the most enjoyable?

Bronson Pinchot's performance is outstanding. He brings every character to life. Each character has its own fascinating story.