The Kingdoms and the Elves of the Reaches

By: Robert Stanek

Narrated by: uncredited

After the Great War that divided the peoples, the kingdoms of men plunged into a Dark Age that lasted 500 years. To heal the lands and restore the light, the great kings decreed that magic and all that is magical, be it creature, man, or device, shall be cleansed to dust. The cleansing raged for so long that no human could recall a time without it and it is in this time that the Dark Lord Sathar returned from the dark beyond. The one hope of the peoples of Ruin Mist was Queen Mother, the elf queen of old. She saw a way out of everlasting darkness, a path that required the union of the divided peoples. And so it began.Listen to more books in The Kingdoms and the Elves of the Reaches series.©2002 Robert Stanek (P)2005 Reagent Press

Critic reviews

"[A] complex tale...sure to attract fans of graphic novels and classic Tolkien alike....Stanek will likely draw a cult following....This cliffhanger guarantees fans, and those fans will be ready to wield their swords against the Dark Lord in Stanek's next installment." (Voice of Youth Advocates)

Not Impressed

I've just re-read all the reviews, now that I've finished the first two books for myself, and I am mystified by all the glowing reports. I am a long-time fantasy and sci-fi fan, but this just didn't grab me. I found the characters flat and unengaging. The events were hard to follow, and unfold more as after-the-fact "this is what's been going on" rather than taking you along to discover them for yourself. There was no sitting on edge of your seat awaiting the next revelation-- it was more like riding in the back seat asking "are we there yet?"

Maybe it is more appealing to young readers-- I am an adult, I listened to this as a possible title to hand down to my daughter. If you choose to ignore my minority opinion and listen anyway, I do recommend you go ahead and get the second at the same time, as this first one stops more than ends. You might as well subject yourself both and at least get some closure. I only happened to have both becuase they were part of the summer sale and had such wonderful reviews. I understand there are third and fourth books, but I won't be bothering with them.

An audiobook is supposed to be about the audio

I chose this audiobook based on the glowing reviews. It's hard to comment on the story itself--eight chapters into the book, I still have a hard time figuring out what is going on. This is some of the poorest narration I've ever heard in an audiobook. The narrator has little inflection, reads at a breakneck pace, and leaves no pauses between sentences, paragraphs, and whole sections. I often find myself trying to absorb one section, only to realize that the narrator has moved on to a different scene and different set of characters with no break in cadence.

Especially in a fantasy novel with unfamiliar character names and geography, this sloppy diction leaves the story in a confusing muddle. For that reason, I find the narrative and characters completely unengaging; perhaps I would feel differently reading the print version.

slow down

I was unable to finish this book do to the fast pace of the narrator. I felt like I was listening to a child read without pause.

Is Audible's review system being gamed here?

Or are all the 5-star reviewers for this book on crack? Seriously, there is no objective way that anyone can claim that this is worthy of 5-stars, unless you're scoring on a 10-star system. Even accounting for differing tastes, a 5 hour story that has just two plot points, has horrible narration (is the guy TRYING to impersonate Will Farrell cheesing it up?), and that just DEAD STOPS is not worth 5-stars.

Seriously, if someone had asked me how this book was 10 seconds before I heard the "story continues in book 2" bit, I would have said that it's been a slow start but that it looks like it is just starting to pick up. I actually went back to my library to confirm that "Book" 1 has only one part.

I can maybe see if some of the reviewers have never before been exposed to the concept of fiction, but if you've ever read a fantasy book before in your life, you will be DISAPPOINTED by this audiobook selection. If you enjoy plot or dialog, look elsewhere. I agree with others that one's money/book credits are much better spent on Robert Jordan, George R.R. Martin, or damn near anyone else than this audiobook.

The only reason I gave it two stars instead of one is that it might be the start of a decent book. But considering that I will have had to pay at least two book credits (or $40) just to have the possibility of reading a complete book that isn't really that great to begin with, I am definitely passing on the rest of these. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Shame on you , RP Audio!

Formula Fiction

A shocker. Paint by numbers fantasy characters and possibly the worst reading I've heard on audible. The cringeworthy voices of female characters makes me shudder just recalling it.
I'll be giving the next volumes a wide berth.

The Kingdoms and the Elves of the Reaches I

I found the book excellent. The story and characters are great. I reduced the rating to 3 stars because of how the book is sold. When I bought the book it was not clear that the story continues over 3 more volumes, in fact I might not have bought the first book if it was known to me at the time. Spending over $80 dollars for a book is too much for me.

Good start

I got a new ipod for my birthday and my dad had already put several audiobooks on it. This one is my favorite of them all and I can't wait to listen to the next one.

Reviews very misleading

Out of many fantasy and fiction audio-books I have listened to this is the first time I have truly hated the way the book was read. Haughty, insincere, ridiculous--all at the same time somehow. By the end of the book I wasn't bothered quite as much, but still irritated by it. The book itself was entertaining I suppose, but saying there is a "sequel" is a misnomer, it basically just cuts out half-way through and says "this story is continued in part II." Don't buy this unless you're prepared to get the second one as well.

Average story - bad narrator

Intereting fantasy story if you like that sort of thing but would have been better with an unaccented, less trilling voice providing the narration. The faux heroic English accent is grating.

ok

I hesitate to rag on this title because its so hard to find, if Audible doesnt carry it, it will be more inconvienient to locate the remaining books. Not sure if this is another series like Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time Series, where there is a endless series of books with no ending/conclusion in sight.

The difference is, Robert Jordan delivers quantity of words; in his early stuff it had substance. Toward the end it seemed he was paid or rewarded by the word.

Robert Stanek has published 8 novels of The Elves of the Reaches, and they probably equal one Lord of the Rings or One Wheel of Time. Thus my irritation.

By the way, the reader here sounds very wooden like the narrator for Wheel of Time's series. Its a style, clearly. One that takes some getting used to.