Stalked by Flames

By: Susan Illene

Narrated by: Marguerite Gavin

Length: 10 hrs and 1 min

Publisher's Summary

Bailey Monzac has just graduated college and is heading to her parents' ranch for the summer when dragons invade. Like something out of her worst nightmare, the fire-breathing beasts rain down chaos and devastation on unsuspecting human populations. One minute Bailey's planning her future; the next she's merely trying to survive. But it isn't long before she discovers she's different from the people around her - the dragons' destructive flames don't affect her. That gives her an edge, but it also means that she'll become a target for powerful individuals seeking to use her to their advantage. Bailey will have to distinguish between allies and enemies quickly as she gets drawn into a war unlike anything the world has seen before.

©2015 Susan Illene (P)2015 Tantor

Great concept, enjoyed it!

If you liked Susan Illene's urban fantasy series, The Sensor, I guarantee you will enjoy this one. She takes an apocalyptic event of our world colliding with an another dimension, and creates a believable, creative scenario, blending dystopia and fantasy genres, magic and technology, dragons and college graduates.


Bailey just graduated from college and is getting ready to ride back to her parents ranch in Texas, when there is a huge earthquake, and suddenly dragons roam the sky attacking people. During an attack on the campus Bailey survives and realises that she is immune to dragon fire.


Suddenly our rational, sensible heroine is forced to admit there is more to world than she can see with a naked eye. Dragons and witches and crazy survivalists thrive, while ordinary people are forced to band together, loot neighbouring stores for food, clothes and water while the thin veneer of civilisation slowly crumbles away.


Bailey's point of view is counteracted by Aidan's, - a young dragon shifter determined to help his clan survive and prevail in the collision of two worlds. Finding Bailey on his territory he recognises her as one of rare dragon slayers and offers to teach her if she helps him fight pure dragons who consider people as food and nothing else.


Aidan's character is pretty awesome. He is cunning, strategic but at the same time, there is no darkness in him. He is a decent guy who is determined to do what's needed to be done, nothing more.


Both him and Bailey have separate struggles and dangers, and both have a solid circle of secondary characters whom I really enjoyed.


The narrator, Marguerite Gavin, whom you might know for her narration of Kim Harrison's works, does a stellar job with Southern drawl for Bailey and her friends, and for expressionless, slightly alien accents of dragon shifters.


Overall, this is a book which lays down the rules and creates the base for an extensive world-building. It's interesting, easy to listen and full of potential. I enjoyed it and very much am looking forward to the next one in the series.

7 of 7 people found this review helpful

Credit worthy listen

I read the print copy of this book awhile ago and really enjoyed it so I used a credit when I saw it on Audible narrated by one of my favorite voices.

The story is a well written tale of our current world colliding and reuniting, for better or worse, with a species that was banished long ago. It has a post apocalyptic, fantasy theme that weaves an enjoyable but dark tale. The characters are fairly well rounded and there is chemistry without the real mush. You have a strong heroine and a sexy hero but the funny and foul mouthed sidekick is, in my opinion, the best character in the book.

Use a credit. You won't be disappointed.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

solid and worth the read.

very good, action devekops quickly and the characrers are decently fleshed out. The romance is a but cliche... but it fits very well within the story, slow and very well writen, and doesnt seemed forced at all so it is very enjoyable.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

I liked it!

I enjoyed this book. It was written with a series in mind. So... It seamed slow at first but it's all needed to get the series off to a good start.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

cant wait for the next one

If you could sum up Stalked by Flames in three words, what would they be?

fear and the need to fight it

What did you like best about this story?

dragons and magic

What does Marguerite Gavin bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

love her way to expand the story

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

brotherhood in the dragon clan

Any additional comments?

the story was slow but pikes up at the middle of the book and it needs more action

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

EXCELLENT--beginning to a series and Narration--A+

Firstly--Marguerite Gavin, again, a GREAT JOB. I will always listen to your narrations.

Susan Illene-You did it!. Great start to a great series. I need to be truthful here--I LOVE DRAGONS. But Susan, your dragons tell stories--WOW.

Main Character-Baily, goes from being a college student, just graduated and moving home to work with mom and dad on the ranch--to--finding she is a dragon killer all within 24 hours. Plus a hot dragon shifter willing to train a dragon killer is the start to a new series---But you have to keep the secrets, I have a feeling these secrets will lead somewhere. You will find--drama--action--emotions all in this story and looks like it will only grow.

Great fun to be had. I feel this series can go far and is well worth the credit. I can't wait for book 2.

Not for me.

Any additional comments?

I really wanted to love this; yet it never really got going for me.  There is a bunch a word building and it’s obvious that this is going to be a multi-book story, but the first book just never seemed to have a real solid foundation, other than building the world and overall plot for the bigger story.  I never fell into the intensity of the situation, or felt how I should feel in an apocalyptic situation.  It was lackluster at best.  I kept thinking it would get better with Bailey learning how to fight, but I just never connected with her.  I did enjoy Gavin’s narration and thought she did a wonderful job but this isn’t a series I will continue....Sara 

Not For Me

Quit about an hour into the story... Stock characters not to my taste, I was hoping for more. It may develop as the story is told. But I returned the book. With many five star ratings I hold a minority opinion.

Love every minute of it!!

This is an exciting book, it's like the walking dead meets San Andraus meets dragons and shape shifters.
I haven't read a book this excellent in a few months, I plan on reading every single book.

The narrator is fabulous and the book reads smooth, full of action and mystery.

terrible narration

Please find another narrator! she throws the whole story off! I couldn't listen to more than a few minutes before I gave up. I gave this to my sister and she said the same thing, horrible narrator for this book!

1 of 2 people found this review helpful