Servant of the Crown

Heir to the Crown Book 1

By: Paul J Bennett

Narrated by: Greg Patmore

An old warrior, too stubborn to die. A royal heir, hidden at birth. Can they save a realm on the brink of war? Tragedy tears Gerald's world apart and only his unwavering loyalty to the Baron of Bodden saves him. After serving as a soldier for years, a single act of self-sacrifice thrusts his future into the world of politics. Cut off from all he knows, he becomes no more than a pawn to those in command. Banished with little more than the clothes on his back, he seeks a new purpose, for what is a warrior who has nothing left to fight for? A fateful meeting with another lost soul unmasks a shocking secret, compelling him to take up the mantle of guardian. Bandits, the Black Hand, and even the king, he battles them all for the future of the realm. Memories of the past, secrets that shape the future; his adventure is only the beginning. Servant of the Crown is the first audiobook in the medieval Heir to the Crown fantasy series. You will love Paul J Bennett's tale of a warrior who refuses to retreat. Discover the realm of Merceria today!©2018 Paul J Bennett (P)2019 W. F. Howes Ltd

Quick to get into!

There are some audiobooks where you have to listen to the setup for what feels like an eternity just to find your footing. Not this one! Immediately, you feel a connection to the characters and how life happens around them. It pulls you right along. There is no exaggerated rehash of Job and his crummy life struggling toward some amorphous goal; this story has real direction and meaningful consequences. I couldn't stop listening and highly recommend it!

Enjoyable medieval fantasy

Servant of the Crown, Heir to the Crown, Book 1
Great introduction to this series. Gerald Matheson is the Servant of the Crown. Simply written, easy read, easy listen. In the first quarter of the book we are introduced to significant events in the first forty years of Gerald's life. When the wounded soldier is sent to work as the grounds keeper at the Royal Estate at Uxley he befriends Anna, a lonely 6 year old girl. Hidden from public view since birth and rumoured to be deformed, Anna is the unwanted youngest daughter of the Queen. Anna is fair and her paternity is in question, albeit the King acknowledges her as a daughter. The majority of this story meanders through the next seven years of their life at Uxley. Anna is uncannily clever for a child. When an Elf and a Dwarf are introduced, the story moves into fantasy.

This is a linear narrative, without a POV, suitable for teens (although there is a rape and murder). There isn't a clear plot line. No sense of urgency or impending doom until the end when the knight Dame Beverley delivers news that Merceria has been invaded. Then the story stops. Anna has just turned 13 years. Not a true cliff-hanger and you could stop here. I will continue this fantasy saga as in Sword of the Crown, a stand alone, we learn more about Dame Beverly Fitzwilliam.

I love the narration by Greg Patmore. The characterisations are great. Gerald is as I imagine. My only gripe is that Anna doesn't sound childlike in the early stages. I'm not sure how Greg could mature her vocally and keep Anna identifiable as Anna.

Charming

Love this book and the performance! The performance was really "warm" and the focus was on unlikely friendships.

Unexpectedly rich and enjoyable story

A bit of a slow start and the plot twists and turns were subtle and more character development than plot related--at least to start. It was an enjoyable story where the characters are not perfect and worth cheering for! Thanks for an enjoyable read--this goes for all three of the initial books. I'm into book 4 now. I hope vols. 5-10 will be released by the time I'm done... so... you have a week!

Awesome

I totally loved reading this book a d the Audible rendition was excellent. The voice of Gerald was just as I expected and Anna was pretty close too. This story drew me into the world of Mercia and totally enthralled me. The world building is top notch and all the characters are completely different and totally enjoyable. Grab yourself a copy and curl up in your favourite reading spot with your favourite beverage and lose yourself in a fabulous series. Highly recommended.