Spell Games

A Marla Mason Novel

By: T. A. Pratt

Narrated by: Jessica Almasy, T. A. Pratt (Introduction)

Length: 9 hrs and 10 mins

Publisher's Summary

Mad sorcerers, psychic vampires, an army of vengeful demons, Marla Mason would rather face them all than a flesh-and-blood ghost from her dysfunctional family past: her con artist brother, Jason. As Felport's chief sorcerer, Marla would ordinarily consider it her duty to protect her town from such an unscrupulous ne'er-do-well. As his sister, things are a lot...trickier.

Now, as Marla attempts to train an apprentice oracle whose magical wires have gotten crossed, Jason is setting up an elaborate sting and drawing her ever-so-corruptible partner Rondeau into the ruse.Their patsy is a filthy-rich wannabe mage and their bait is something so valuable, so dangerous, so sought after, it probably doesn't exist. But now word's gotten out that the Borrichius spores do exist and instead of a sucker Jason and Rondeau have a much bigger - and much deadlier - fish on their line: a reclusive sorcerer whose devotion to the mushroom god and command of vegetal magic could bring a fungal apocalypse to Felport.

It'll be the mother of all bad trips unless Marla can pull off the ultimate magical switcheroo...and somehow live to tell about it.

BONUS AUDIO: Includes an exclusive introduction written and read by author T.A. Pratt.

©2009 T.A. Pratt (P)2009 Audible, Inc.

Critic Reviews

2009 Recommended Reading (Locus magazine)

Quite a ride

After the first book in this series, I came back to audible and bought all the rest in one go. I have loved every book. The characters are amazingly well drawn and fun. You care about the plot, you care about the people, you even care about the weird magico-political system for gosh-sakes. I understand the reviewers who felt like this book left them hanging off a ledge. The cliff hangers at the end of this book are painful, I do feel left hanging, in part because the fate of characters I do care about is still in the balance. Do I feel like the story is incomplete? No. This was a natural break in the action, a natural completion of this set of events. Does it feel like the story could end here? Heck no. But the overarching story doesn't end, it is a series. I am willing to forgive Mr. Pratt for his cliffhanger, so long as he doesn't procrastinate writing the next one. Are you reading this, Mr. Pratt? Back to your typewriter!

best one yet!

although I had enjoyed all 4 books in the series this one is the best yet. Marla seems a little softer in places and yet just as strong in others. the addition of her brother jason was interesting as was the the B story line. I can't wait for the next book. I really like the narrator as well.

t. A. Pratt is a genius!

I started with the first book in the series and half way through I bought the other three. Pratt has created an amazing world and a gutsy heroine in Marla Mason. All of the characters are interesting, and the books are not derivative (like so many others). I couldn't put them down, and i'm sure i'll listen again and again. Great narrator, too!

This one's a game changer, folks!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would recommend the entire series. I love love love it!

What does Jessica Almasy and T. A. Pratt (Introduction) bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Memorable, realistic, voices. She brings the story to life! Particularly Bulliard. That voice cracked me up!

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

THE ENDING. How can you move forward after that?

No character development

Marla is the exact same in every book. She was born without the capacity to feel shame or self-doubt. Kind of like a cat. She was an interesting character for the first few books but honestly a character that is always confident (arrogant?) all the time is as one-dimensional and tiresome as a character that has no backbone at all.

Disappointed

I'm generally a fan of T.A. Pratt, and I have listened to all 4 of his Marla Mason books on Audible.

Unfortunately, this last book ended - as another reviewer put it - in midair. I find this both frustrating as a reader/listener, and manipulative on the part of the author. If I wanted half of a story, I could have just stopped listening halfway through.

I would, of course, understand if the book were entitled "Spell Games, Part I"...but as it was not, I assumed that it was a complete story.

This has kind of put me off the Marla Mason novels, so I'm not sure that I'll waste a credit on any more.