Sweep of the Blade

Innkeeper Chronicles, Book 4

By: Ilona Andrews

Narrated by: Natalie Naudus

Length: 8 hrs and 53 mins

Publisher's Summary

Maud Demille is a daughter of Innkeepers - a special group who provide "lodging" to other-planetary visitors - so she knows that a simple life isn't in the cards. But even Maud could never have anticipated what Fate would throw at her. 

Once a wife to a powerful vampire knight, Maud and her young daughter, Helen, were exiled with him for his treachery to the desolate, savage planet of Karhari. Karhari killed her husband, and Maud - completely abandoned by his family - has spent over a year avenging his debts. Rescued by her sister Dina, she's sworn off all things vampire. 

Except...in helping Dina save the world, she met Arland, the Marshal of House Krahr, one of the most powerful vampire houses. One thing led to another and he asked for her hand in marriage. She declined. Arland is not used to hearing the word "no"; and try as she might, Maud can't just walk away from Arland. It doesn't help that being human is a lot harder for Maud than being a vampire. 

To sort it all out, she accepts his invitation to visit his home planet. House Krahr is extremely influential and Maud knows that a woman - a human, with a very questionable past - who's turned down a proposal from its most beloved son won't get a warm reception. Maybe she’s not sure about marrying Arland, but House Krahr isn’t going to decide for her. Maud Demille has never run from a fight, and House Krahr will soon discover that there's a lot more to Maud than they’re expecting.

©2019 Ilona Andrews, Inc. (P)2019 Ilona Andrews, Inc.

Why a new narrator?

I read and listened to this series and was looking forward to the audio version. When I saw it was available I was excited. Then I saw a new narrator was noted and was disappointed. With hope I bought it anyway and found that my initial disappointment was well founded. The characters had very little definition and at times was hard to figure out who was talking. The emotion during certain scenes were off and made the story feel campy. The accents were far worse. This was extremely difficult to listen to given the previous audio books and all of the Kate Daniels stories this one was an extreme disappointment and only hope future ones come with either the previous narrator or a complete new one. It was like listening to a pretentious valley girl.

With each book the series get better

With each book the series get better. The first book was fun and entertaining but as each book came out, I got more and more caught up in the characters and more immersed in the world the authors created.
The narrator did a very good job. Someone complained about the British accent for the vampires but they were a bit of high society snobs and nothing sound more snobbish then an upper class British accent so it worked for me.
I look forward for the next book in this series and the next book in the Iron Covenant series.

Follows the Sister instead of Dina

By Illona Andrew's
Narrated by Natalie Naudaus

Finally another installment to this series. Is me or do these take forever to come out?

I must admit I was reluctant when I saw that this was about the sister, Maud, rather that Dina. However, even though I desperately want to know what's happening at the Inn, I was able to submerge myself into Maud's story.

I feel bad that some of my favorite reviewers disliked this book because I loved it. As a mother I felt and understood all of Maud's apprehensions about falling in love again. She was banished by her last Vampire family and wanted to ensure that she never put herself (or her daughter) in the same situation. She wanted a family that did not link her worth solely to her husband. She wanted to be accepted for her own strengths. This hit my motherly strings.

I was hoping that at the end they would send her old vampire family a message. Something like "See what you let go". But maybe that's just me being petty 🤣.

Unfortunately, I didnt care for the fact that Muad's ability to go head to head with vampires wasnt explained. She is human and they are supernatural. So logically she couldn't be as fast or as strong as them. I'm ok that she beat some vampire butts, I just wanted there to be an explanation.

I also loved Helen. A five year old with big dreamy eyes... unless you hurt her mommy, then she goes John Wick on everyone.

Some of my favorite characters from the previous books make some cameo appearances in this one.

There is no mention of what's happening with Dina so I guess that will be book 5.

The narrator did well. Oh course I'm use to the characters having different voices with the narrator from the first 3 books. This narrator was a good choice for Muad. Loved her version of Helen too.

3 Stars 🌟🌟🌟- Good Book. I like the overall concept and it was delivered well. Most common ranking for a book I enjoyed and look forward to the next.

Love the story, narration not so much

I love everything by these authors and this story is no exception. It is a terrific addition to the innkeeper series and I have been waiting for the audio edition to come out. Honestly I read the ebook with Siri reading it to me and I enjoyed it more than this narration. While I appreciate wanting a new voice for a new character but what I don’t understand why the irritating “accent” used by this narrator. She made all the vampire sound like the same pompous character. The voice of Helen is inconsistent. I really doubt I would ever choose to listen to this narrator again. It was disappointing after the long wait to have this performance mar my favorite authors work.

superb story, subpar narrator

Ilona Andrews as always does a superb in their storytelling and world-building. In fairness to the narrator they don't do a bad job. however it's not that great either. well some voices a pretty good a lot of choices are questionable if not outright bad. The child often doesnt sound like one, the main male lead sounds effeminate, and the voices of most of the alien races dont seem to match their character types. there isn't even consistency at times. if you are going to make one member of a race have an English accent, the rest should probably have one also. Certainly the members of his own family. And the problem is exacerbated by the superb job done by the narrator of the rest of this excellent series.

I would love to give this a 5 star rating but just cant which seems almost unfair to the authors.

I liked Maud story, it's just not Dina’s league.

An exciting look at the vampire’s world, but the romance was a little lack luster and took a back burner in this story. It was good to see old friends, even if they are in a different voice. As usual Ilona Andrews stories are always good. I am excited to learn more about what happened to their parents and now that their brother is back the story is just getting juicier. Narrator is good, but I love Renee Raudman so she is hard to follow.

De

Nice continuation and expansion of the series but the narrator’s reading of the male voices was a bit annoying

Great Continuation of the Inkeeper Series

I loved the story and the character development. There were a few repetitive plot points that made me zone out, but they were short and didn't ruin the experience for me.

While I absolutely love the narrator for the original innkeeper trilogy, this narrator was not my favorite. She wasn't terrible, but she reads more like she's doing a dramatic reading than conversational speaking. I think her over enunciation and repetitive timbre kind of bothered me and kept taking me out of the story.

Overall: I'd still recommend listening. The story is entertaining and leaves you wanting to know what happens next!

I Love, LOve, LOVE this book!

(The first part of this review was written in 2018, so please bear with me regarding the incongruities in my timeline)
   I Love, LOve, LOVE this book!!! Ilona Andrews wrote 3 novels and a novella this year, and not only that, but she posted THIS book free, as a weekly web-serial, when time allowed!!! Thank you... I'm gonna wait for the finished eBook version to land before I post a real review... 

And now, it's july 25th, 2019...
   OK, Sweep of the Blade has been released in eBook format, and here goes! The book starts out as a flashback... Maude is back in Karhari, and it's a few days before her rescue by Dina, Sean, and Arland. It gives us a deeper understanding of Maud through her own POV, and it also makes the book a little more self-reliant... less dependant on the first 3 books, which were told from Dina's POV. But, of course that doesn't mean that you can skip those books! You absolutely need them so you won't miss out on any of the world building, unless you've already done that... LOL... I have to say that Ilona Andrews indie published books are just as good as any of her other works, and Sweep of the Blade is possibly the best yet... but, then whichever Ilona Andrews book I'm currently reading, is always "the best book I've read all year"... LOL 
I think I've figured out why I love Ilona's books so much... It's because of heart. Not only is Maud totally kickass, but she's smart, cautious, and she has heart! So much so, that sometimes it hurts! I just gotta love her for that! But wait, Arland (Maude's suitor), Helen (Maude's daughter) and a whole slew of possible extended family and friends, all have heart too, thus making this my favorite book this year (told ya so!). It's a plot driven, action packed Scifi adventure that Delivers the Goods!
Now, gotta wait for the audio book... drums fingers... Ilona? Im waiting!

Audio book has just been released and I absolutely love it, no surprise there! Natalie Naudus is a new narrator for Ilona Andrews and she takes the reins giving us a stellar performance! She is Maud!

the story is fine

The innkeeper series is my favorite by Ilona Andrews. I just did not like this narrator and it is hard to explain why. I think I just got tired of her. There was a contrivance to her notion of performance that just got boring. The story is just fine and I can listen to it but I have to take breaks. I can usually have the recording going over and over again because I like the writing and the company of voice. Most of the narrators make really good company. This one is not awful, just boring.

Loved It!

After being betrayed by her husband and cast aside like garbage by a society she helped, Maude finds it hard to trust any vampires. She seeks her sister's help. There she meets a vampire named Arland. Despite herself, she falls for him and his charms.

I really enjoyed this book a lot. I can't lie though, I enjoyed the first three books with DIna a bit more. This book was pretty great on its own though. I loved that the first chapter kind of summarizes the last book very neatly. That was pleasantly unique for me. I was frazzled by the ending. I can't wait until the fifth book is released!

Maude is a very loyal and fierce woman. I really do like her. She isn't like her sister Dina at all. She's sarcastic, but it's just different. Arland is something else. If I had to compare him, I'd say he was a combination of Eric and Bill from True Blood. He's formal and polite, but he'll kill without mercy.

The narrator for this book is Natalie Naudus. A different narrator than the first three books. She did a really great job. Personally, I found it fitting they used a different narrator since it's a different point of view than the first three books. Not sure if I've listened to anything else by this narrator, but I would consider it.

I'm not sure why they did a point of view switch halfway through the series, but it's okay. I really liked this book. I'm glad I got to see a bit more of Maude. I missed DIna in this book. I won't lie. But I'm glad that I got to see a different world outside of the inn. I can't wait for book five! I wish it was in my hands now! I believe it releases mid-January!

Original story but

Still very original and a dejligt to listen to. Only “complaint” is the obsession with how much muscles the male characters have. I really prefer authors that shows rather than tells. Also why doesn’t Shawn and his inn keaper doesn’t go forward in the relationship? They are both adults. The “holding back” is boring and kind of childish.
But I think it is a cultural (American) thing.

Riveting

Sheer gold. I have listened to this book over half a dozen times and love the story and the narration.

superb

literally perfect! i listened to the book in two days as it was just brillant! fantastic story line and amazing characters and character development.

Fabulous book brilliant story

with lots of twists and turns this amazing book by House Andrews is fantastic in any form but I particularly enjoyed the reading by Natalie. highly recommended space vampire romp.

Fantastic.

I cried, laughed and went through every emotion inbetween. I have read all the books in this series so far without pause. I was completely immersed in the story. Not something that happens very often

A Completely Addictive Story That Had Me Hooked!

Just a quick few lines to say I am already a big fan of this Urban Fantasy series and love Ilona Andrews' writing style. Natalie Naudus is a new-to-me narrator and I loved her performance. My 5 star rating confirms that I love this latest instalment of the Innkeeper Chronicles and I will write a more detailed review when it's not the middle of the night! See, I couldn't put this story down! ;-)

Sweep of a Blade

This is a thrilling forth book in the series, with great fighting and love. Read brilliantly by Natalie Naudus.

Great book

This book has discription on point. All the battles are discribed so well that my heart races along with them.

Book 4 but I need more

Ok well that was book four, where's the next one, you can't leave me with that bombshell in the last sentence. I need more!!