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Minalan gave up a promising career as a professional warmage to live the quiet life of a village spellmonger in the remote mountain valley of Boval. It was a peaceful, beautiful little fief, far from the dangerous feudal petty squabbles of the Five Duchies, on the world of Callidore. There were cows. Lots of cows. And cheese. For six months things went well. Then one night Minalan is forced to pick up his mageblade again to defend his adopted home from the vanguard of an army of goblins bent on a genocidal crusade against all mankind. And that was the good news.
The world is falling to the burning shadow of the Possessed and only the power of a battle mage can save it. But the ancient bond with dragonkind is failing. Of those that answer a summoning too many are black. Black dragons are the enemy of humankind. Black dragons are mad. Falco Dante is a weakling in a world of warriors, but worse than this, he is the son of a madman. Driven by grief, Falco makes a decision that will drive him to the brink of despair. As he tries to come to terms with his actions Falco follows his friends to the Academy of War.
Davon wants a quiet life, but the Queen orders her new clerk to delve into the affairs of the lovely Lady Hightower to uncover the truth about the mysterious plot. He discovers that powerful and prestigious conspirators don't like meddlesome clerks, and Davon must dodge bullets and increasing scrutiny, fearing the exposure of his past life. As the clues fall into place, Davon finds that the fate of Bittermarch and the Eternal Flame itself are in his flame-branded hands.
They are the fatemarked. Misunderstood. Worshipped. Hated. Murdered at birth. Their time to step into the light has come. An ancient prophecy foretold their coming, the chosen few who will bring peace to a land embroiled in a century of mistrust and war. When kings start dying, that hope and belief swiftly turns to fear. Roan Loren is one of the fatemarked, but has hidden his mark of power his entire life, fearing the damage it might cause to those around him. A great evil is coming. He can't hide anymore.
The Wizard's Council of Tarador was supposed to tell young Koren Bladewell that he is a wizard. They were supposed to tell everyone that he is not a jinx, that all the bad things that happen around him are because he can't control the power inside him, power he doesn't know about. The people of his village, even his parents, are afraid of him, afraid he is cursed. That he is a dangerous, evil jinx.
Mankind has lorded over the land of Illian for a thousand years, enjoying what was left to them by the elves, as if it were their birthright. A thousand years is a long time for an immortal race to see the error of their ways and realize a truth that has remained unsaid for a millennia - elves are superior! They are faster, stronger, and connected to the magical world in a way that man could never grasp. Illian is their birthright. The six kingdoms of man are fractured, unallied and always clawing at each other's doors for more power.
Minalan gave up a promising career as a professional warmage to live the quiet life of a village spellmonger in the remote mountain valley of Boval. It was a peaceful, beautiful little fief, far from the dangerous feudal petty squabbles of the Five Duchies, on the world of Callidore. There were cows. Lots of cows. And cheese. For six months things went well. Then one night Minalan is forced to pick up his mageblade again to defend his adopted home from the vanguard of an army of goblins bent on a genocidal crusade against all mankind. And that was the good news.
The world is falling to the burning shadow of the Possessed and only the power of a battle mage can save it. But the ancient bond with dragonkind is failing. Of those that answer a summoning too many are black. Black dragons are the enemy of humankind. Black dragons are mad. Falco Dante is a weakling in a world of warriors, but worse than this, he is the son of a madman. Driven by grief, Falco makes a decision that will drive him to the brink of despair. As he tries to come to terms with his actions Falco follows his friends to the Academy of War.
Davon wants a quiet life, but the Queen orders her new clerk to delve into the affairs of the lovely Lady Hightower to uncover the truth about the mysterious plot. He discovers that powerful and prestigious conspirators don't like meddlesome clerks, and Davon must dodge bullets and increasing scrutiny, fearing the exposure of his past life. As the clues fall into place, Davon finds that the fate of Bittermarch and the Eternal Flame itself are in his flame-branded hands.
They are the fatemarked. Misunderstood. Worshipped. Hated. Murdered at birth. Their time to step into the light has come. An ancient prophecy foretold their coming, the chosen few who will bring peace to a land embroiled in a century of mistrust and war. When kings start dying, that hope and belief swiftly turns to fear. Roan Loren is one of the fatemarked, but has hidden his mark of power his entire life, fearing the damage it might cause to those around him. A great evil is coming. He can't hide anymore.
The Wizard's Council of Tarador was supposed to tell young Koren Bladewell that he is a wizard. They were supposed to tell everyone that he is not a jinx, that all the bad things that happen around him are because he can't control the power inside him, power he doesn't know about. The people of his village, even his parents, are afraid of him, afraid he is cursed. That he is a dangerous, evil jinx.
Mankind has lorded over the land of Illian for a thousand years, enjoying what was left to them by the elves, as if it were their birthright. A thousand years is a long time for an immortal race to see the error of their ways and realize a truth that has remained unsaid for a millennia - elves are superior! They are faster, stronger, and connected to the magical world in a way that man could never grasp. Illian is their birthright. The six kingdoms of man are fractured, unallied and always clawing at each other's doors for more power.
Raised and trained in seclusion at a secret fortress on the edge of the northern wilds of the Kingdom of Ashai, a young warrior called Rezkin is unexpectedly thrust into the outworld when a terrible battle destroys all that he knows. With no understanding of his life’s purpose and armed with masterful weapons mysteriously bestowed upon him by a dead king, Rezkin must travel across Ashai to find the one man who may hold the clues to his very existence.
Pentamuria, the world of five kingdoms, is in a time of change. The power of the nobles and mages is threatened. War is upon them, although they do not know yet when or with whom. Thus, the mages are gathering in their capital, Ringwall, to prepare together against any possible enemy. At this time, the orphan boy Nill is found by the Druids. He possesses considerable magical skills. So he is taken to Ringwall, where he is to be trained in the magical arts alongside his fellow students. Nill, an outsider, shows no respect for the traditions of the magical world.
A chance encounter with an ancient and mysterious object awakens a latent gift, and Wulfric's life changes course. Against a backdrop of war, tragedy, and an enemy whose hatred for him knows no bounds, Wulfric will be forged from a young boy into the Wolf of the North. This is his tale.
Theus is sold into servanthood by his poverty-stricken family and taken by his kindly master on a journey across a continent, following the course of the Landwide River. From there, he begins to learn the secrets of the memory stones, the extraordinary objects that can store information for people.
Magic is outlawed. Those caught wielding it are taken to the White Tower. They are never heard from again. After the chaos of the Wizard Wars a thousand years ago, the people turned their backs on magic. It was deemed evil. Those born with it will stop at nothing to remain hidden.
For 500 years, the Gods have united the Three Nations in harmony. Now, that balance has been shattered, and chaos threatens. A town burns, and flames light the night sky. Hunted and alone, 17-year-old Eric flees through the wreckage. The mob grows closer, baying for the blood of their tormentor. Guilt weighs on his soul, but he cannot stop, cannot turn back. If he stops, they die. For two years, he has carried this curse, bringing death and destruction wherever he goes. But now, there is another searching for him.
Control dinosaurs. Tame women. Rule the world. Victor Shelby and his tribe of beautiful alien women have built a fortress to keep themselves safe, but when they encounter another tribe of survivors, Victor must leverage his dinosaur-taming abilities to negotiate either peace or violence. And violence is what Dinosaurland is all about.
The entire Legends of the Nameless Dwarf Tetralogy in one set.
When Soren is plucked from the streets and given a place at the prestigious academy of swordsmanship, he thinks his dream of being a great swordsman has become a possibility. However, with great intrigues unfolding all around him, Soren discovers that he is little more than a pawn to the ambitions of others.
The city of Peradain is the heart of an empire built with steel, spears, and a monopoly on magic...until in a single day it falls, overthrown by a swarm of supernatural creatures of incredible power and ferocity. Neither soldier nor spell caster can stand against them. The empire's armies are crushed, its people scattered, its king and queen killed. Freed for the first time in generations, city-states scramble to seize neighboring territories and capture imperial spell casters.
DeathWizards have been the scourge of Talohna for over 5000 years; they are executed at birth or hunted to the death. There are no exceptions. Pulled by magic and blood sacrifice into a world he can't possibly begin to understand, Kael Symes soon finds himself the focus of a Talohna-wide manhunt. Desperate and trying to stay ahead of ArchWizard Giddeon Zirakus's execution squad, Kael soon discovers that Talohna's ArchWizard may be the least of his worries.
Aaron Jace had a normal life until they came for him. Now he's being hunted. Assassins will stop at nothing to find him. Aaron is from Earth; his family is not. He is the last scion of an ancient and powerful family. Thrust into another world, Aaron must find his way to the one man who can help him survive. The Safanarion Order includes the first three stories in the captivating epic fantasy series listeners describe as compelling and full of suspense.
For generations, warlords fought bitterly for dominance in a land without a king, leaving a fractured, war-torn country plagued by thieves, slavers, and the servants of dark gods and darker magic.
Allystaire Coldbourne travels a treacherous path toward his Ordination as a holy knight of legend, a Paladin, a savior of the people. But to fulfill this role, he - and the unexpected allies he finds along the way - must face the demonic, sorcerous evil that stalks the land, the wrath of gods and men, and his own dark past.
The story of Ordination is classical, as in this is fable level of classical, with few truly original elements. Yet you could be forgiven for forgetting this with the writing. Archetypical characters are given depth and nuance without breaking the mold, and even when you can see what's coming from a mile away, you still want to read on. Still, my one major complaint is that this is an unsatisfying book 1 if only for an abrupt ending. I still recommend and plan to read the rest. Also Michael Kramer could read the yellow pages and and his wife the White Pages and I'd listen to both.
Highly recommended, but I might wait for book 2 as to not have to deal with that sudden end!
9 of 9 people found this review helpful
It's been a long time since I enjoyed a book as much as I enjoyed this. Worth the credit and every minute spent listening to it.
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
the first 6 chapters were kimd of slow and a little boring but once the characters were built I was totally invested and couldn't stop listening. i can't wait for the second book.
8 of 9 people found this review helpful
Picked this up on a whim and was surprised at how sucked in I got. it's slow so give it some time but it becomes an amazing story of honor and righteousness. i'm a sucker for those stories. changed how i'll view paladins in other fiction. also Michael Kramer continues to be a godly narrator.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
Fun very original hooks earlier rather than later and Michael Kramer!!! So many decent books are made unbearable by a bad reader not the case here Kramer is the perfect narrator for this main character. Gritty exciting story loved it!!!
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
The story starts off strong, then meanders, then loses all focus.
Michael Kramer is top notch as always, idk what the other reviewer meant, but Michael is one of the finest narrators of our time
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
The book opens up on some solid ground, I felt like " here comes an epic tale of general badassery" it does deliver! I did find that it got repetitive near the mid all the way to the end, the book becomes a little predictable as well but that can't be helped if you've read a lot of epic fantasy. If you have no patience for a hook repeating the same explanation for multiple occurrences then this may not be the best book for you. Overall a decent start to a series!
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
Really enjoyed it, great narrator in my opinion, wish main character was quite so grumpy
5 of 6 people found this review helpful
This was by far one of, if not, the best I've ever heard. I am sooooo ready for the second book it has me wanting more and wanting more....well done!
8 of 10 people found this review helpful
Ok- right away let me say that any low star or bad review must ONLY of come from impatience!!! No true fantasy lover could give this book less than 4 1/2 starzzz! This book was AWESOME! The first chapters (1-6/7) were admittedly “slow” and I even had begun to think “ugh, ok but boring” as I couldn’t yet really connect to the characters or storyline. However, like other GREAT novels, once the foundation of this book is established...wow! I would compare it to Melissa McPhail’s A Pattern of Shadow & Light series or even Brandon Sanderson’s Various series... (all of which are worth every moment)
This is not the typical coming of age fantasy although it has the goods that matter; sorcery & magic, war, gods, good vs evil all set in a medieval type world with dwarves, knights, & lords as well.
The main character is Alistar, a knight whose given up fighting for a selfish Baron. Like the other territories with overlords, the Brain hopes to continue fighting (a never ending war) hopes to become king (as do his opponents). Without thought to the lives wasted and/or used to accomplish these goals. Well, Alistar has had enough and leaves. His journey had no destination until he started recognizing “the regular folk” suffering, and for reasons he doesn’t understand himself, he begins helping and fighting for the little people (for lack of a better term & not to give away whole plot). He is rewarded for this by a goddess and I will say no more for spoiling the storyline! This is a GREAT listen and I Am downloading the 2nd book as I type this lol. I’m always looking for great listens in the fantasy genre so please send me your recommendations! I listed a couple of my own above and will add authors Anthony Ryan (both his series), David Hair (mageborn series ROCKS), Jim Butcher Codex Alera & Cinder spyres series. Ooh also The daughter of the forest series, and author Brent Weeks are incredible, along with Wheel of Time by the late great master Robert Jordan! A shoutout to what was my 1st & favorite foray into the
SCI-FI fantasy genre; that is Dan Simmons Olympos & Illium!
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
What did you like most about Ordination?
Allystaire and Idgen Marte developing relationship. Idgen Martes character in general is entertaining and interesting.
What did you like best about this story?
The contrasts between the characters ideology and the way in which Allystaire is always battling himself in his decision making, this makes him feel human which also allows you to relate to him.
Which scene did you most enjoy?
Mol flipping out when Allystaire bought the slaves, it felt like such a genuine reaction. This scene really brought out each character's traits to me and allowed me to think about the storytelling in a genuinely different way.
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
The book portrays each character very well and each actions that the characters take is well thought out and shows great planning when it comes to world development, the scene that moved me most was Idgen Marte standing in the doorway in just a shirt and her hair down, this felt like the moment that showed Idgen Marte's developing personality and comfort around Allystaire.
Any additional comments?
I feel the book really plays with your imagination and makes you ask questions of yourself which challenge your way thinking and show others in an understandable way.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
Definitely the greatest Paladin story that I've ever read and I've read quite a lot.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
NOTE: I cannot comment on the story, as the narration was so depressing and lack luster, that I had to delete the title. Narrator sounds so serious and dark, would be better for some scientific book, reading facts, than narrate a story of fantasy.
I may be spoiled by Nick Podhel, Simon Vance or Sean Runette.
I love fantasy books, the summary looked like my kinda tale, but could not stomach the dreary narration. Do not be silly like me and buy before listening to the sample!
0 of 12 people found this review helpful
While not the most reverting book I have read it was well written and of course as you would expect well read. I enjoyed the characters and the premise was interesting. It was an enjoyable filler book while awaiting the next book in favourite series. Will get the rest in the series cause good filler books can be hard to find :)