Talon the Raider

Tales of Talon, Book 2

By: A. A. Warren

Narrated by: Travis Baldree

Length: 8 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's summary

A savage planet. A seductive queen. The galaxy’s deadliest warrior is back....

After a lifetime of slavery in the arena, Talon is a free man, eager to see more of the galaxy. But when his tour in the merchant marines comes to a violent end, he finds himself stranded on the ice world of Neros with a beautiful stowaway named Vaki.

Struggling to survive on the frigid world, Talon and Vaki must overcome freezing temperatures, violent earthquakes, and a horde of deadly creatures. Their only hope for escape lies in an alliance with Queen Katara, the exiled ruler of a brutal mining colony.

But the seductive queen’s bargain may prove even deadlier than the planet itself....

Enter a galaxy of high adventure! Fans of Conan, Thundarr, and Aliens will love Talon’s latest conquest.

©2019 Andrew Warren (P)2019 Andrew Warren

Just love it - like Swarzenegger/Conan in space

Great story & excellent narration, it continues the wonderful story that started with Book 1 when Talon was a gladiator, and it was good too see it carried on many of those motifs. Battle scenes as usual are extraordinary, and looking forward to more books in this series, as the mystery of Talon continues with many twists and turns and intrigues on the way.

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Talon can't get a break!

Boy, poor Talon just can't get a break in this pulpy, 1950's style space opera... it's as if AA Warren wanted to BrEAk his pigheaded barbarian! If Talon is flying, he's actually crashing, and if he's crashing, when he pulls himself from the wreckage, he's either gonna freeze, suffocate, or the "frozen zombies" will get him!   But Talon is made from some pretty stern stuff... so with his trusty battle axe, his companions, and a ton of determination, he's ready for action... though Talon had better choose wisely when it comes to who he picks for allies...
Travis Baldree didn't let me down, and he didn't let-up as he narrated this campy, pulpy, pulse pounding tale! 
So don't miss this book if you want axe wielding barbarian action...

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Talon Rides Again

This stands alone as a Talon story, which is somewhat disappointing because I miss some of the previous characters. Outside of a few dreams, Talon, meets all new people, however all of them are just as interesting as previous characters and I was happy to meet them. The characters are a lot of fun and seemed to me to be a lot more pulpy and 80s fantasy than the previous characters. If only they had Brigitte Nielsen.

I have to say that I preferred this story to the first. The overall plot was more interesting to me and seemed a lot more unique. This story really seemed to take off on its own and didn’t borrow from other mainstream stories. There was a lot of this plot that really excited me. With this style of book, you have to appreciate the plot versus the characters as they are pretty static and it is all about the journey. This journey was a lot of fun and it glued my earbuds to my head.

This has a little bit of a Riddick feel. Would never compare the two, but I couldn’t help but think from time to time that that Riddick could be running around in this world. I hate myself for thinking that because he has no place in this story. The overall setting likened itself to a few of those movies.

The characters were great. Talon has moved on from his pervious life, yet can’t fully leave it, so there still is some sword and sandals aspects. I missed some of the previous characters, although the new ones are just as great. I feel like Warren really nailed the pulpy typical syfy characters and it made this that much more enjoyable.

Travis Baldree is a master at narrating, while I love this style of stories, they don’t allow him to fully show his talent. Baldree adds that layer to this story that makes it go from a decent sci fi story to an exceptionally fun one. If you haven’t had a chance to listen to Baldree, you owe it to yourself to check out his narration. As always, he nailed this story and I am happy that he continues to narrate this series.

I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.

Think Star Wars meets Conan the barbarian

The 2nd installment of a phenomenal story that tells the tale of Talon. A hero with a past he doesn’t remember and future steeped in prophecy. Talon is a man of passion and present without a care for the future and past. Raised in the blood pits fighting for his life daily and now he is a raider with a group of privateers. When a raid goes poorly he is left to his own devices and makes his way to a world of ice that will test him and his abilities to their limits. A great series with great characters and plots. Can’t wait for the next one. I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator or publisher

Travis "Savage" Baldree is Talon!

A. A. Warren continues the saga of a badass ex-gladiator Talon, brought to savage life by Travis Baldree!


Book 2 does not disappoint and I'm looking forward to Book 3!

Superb addition

This second book in the Tales of Talon series is a fantastic addition to the universe of Space Opera. In the tradition of deCamp, Carter, Hamilton, and others, A. A. Warren has written an entertaining story the any space opera fan will enjoy.
Travis Baldree returns as narrator and with his considerable talent, adds to the richness of this book.

A Genuine Rough & Tumble Sci/Fi at its Best!

Opens very well without wasted words as author builds storyline. Progression of story develops consistently without “dead space”. Story has well engineered ending, leaving the way for a sequel, if author so desires. Narration was performed professionally with excellent vocal pressure.
I recommend this audiobook for ages 17 and older due to violence and some suggestive adult situations

Talon Part Deux The Slayer Returns

Talon Returns! His merchant marine days don't really go as planned and he once again is put in the middle of important and dangerous doings in the galaxy. There is an all new cast of characters this time around apart from Talon, and they are all pretty good but I still do miss Zobos from book 1. This was a really fun installment in the series but if you haven't read/listened to book 1 you could still enjoy this book as a standalone adventure. This book didn't seem to delve into Talon's past as much but does setup a sort of quest for the future that deals with his old battle instructor.

Travis Baldree did an amazing job narrating again, he has the perfect voice for a character like Talon. If you enjoyed the first book there is no reason you wouldn't like this one.

"Please note I was given this free review copy audio book at my request and have voluntarily left this review."

Gone a Pirating

Setting out for the edges of all he has known, Talon winds up in a botched raid, then alone on the wrong side of an exploded ship. With all of the universe against him except for a hot thief who keeps turning up, the odds are finally where he likes them, diving straight into the corruption of another empire and finding ladies all along the way. Buck Rodgers meets Thundarr the Barbarian and a great story. I enjoyed the narration, pretty spot in for what I imagined Talon, in particular, to sound like.

Talon's Adventures Continues

Talon, now a free man, sets off across the galaxy and finds himself in a brand new adventure. It's more epic fun for our hero as he finds himself in an more trouble and a new cast of characters around him.

I love the Tales of Talon series. As others have said, he's very much like a Conan the Barbarian in space. He's got a strong moral compass, but if you're not on his side, he has no qualms about killing you to get you out of his way. It's not necessary to read (or listen) to the first book in the series to enjoy this one as this story is not connected with the previous book, but if you enjoy one of them, you'll enjoy the other as well. A.A. Warren has blueprint for this character and his adventures, and he doesn't stray from that. That's a good thing! Talon is a warrior and is very good at it. He's definitely not unintelligent, but if you're looking for a hero that is going to outsmart every opponent, this is the wrong series for you. Talon is looking for adventure, but won't sacrifice his moral code to get rich. He's not looking to get rich, just to live.

This book introduces all new characters to the series and I expect the next book will be a different set of characters. Talon isn't the settling down type. The characters in this book are a welcome change even though I liked the previous characters in book 1.

I love what A.A. Warren is doing with the Talon series. It's a lot of fun as Talon seeks out adventure across the universe. Travis Baldree does a great job with the narration again in this book. If you enjoyed the first book in the series or love adventure-type stories with over-the-top warrior characters like Conan the Barbarian, or even John Wayne types, you'll love this book as well.

*I received a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and my opinions are my own.