The Cycle of Arawn

The Complete Trilogy

By: Edward W. Robertson

Narrated by: Tim Gerard Reynolds

Length: 65 hrs and 54 mins

Publisher's Summary

The White Tree (book one): In Mallon, the dark magic of the nether has been banned for centuries. Its users have been driven out or killed. Its secrets lost.

But the holy book of the nethermancers has just been found by a boy named Dante.

As he works to unlock the book's power, he's attacked in the street. The nethermancers aren't gone—and they want their book back. Caught between death cultists and the law, Dante fights for his life, aided by his growing skills and a brash bodyguard named Blays. Together they're drawn into a centuries-old conflict that brings Mallon to the brink of civil war.

Surviving won't be easy. But if they make it out alive, they'll step down the path to becoming two of the greatest warriors the world has ever known.

The Great Rift (book two): Dante and Blays have averted war against their new home of Narashtovik. But they didn't do so alone. It's time to repay their debts.

The norren who helped them remain enslaved by the Gaskan Empire. While arming the norren clans for rebellion, Dante hears one of them is in possession of the legendary Quivering Bow. If he can track down the weapon, it could secure norren independence.

But the wheels of war have already begun to turn. As Gask moves to crush the rebellion, Dante and Blays find themselves at the head of a campaign for survival—for norren and Narashtovik alike.

The Black Star (book three): Narashtovik has been saved—but Dante and Blays' friendship has been destroyed.

Blaming the Gaskan king for the loss of his love, Lira, Blays infiltrates the enemy nobility. There he schemes to bankrupt Gask and drive its ruler from the throne. But Dante's been waiting for Blays' return. If he finds and exposes him, Blays will be executed as a spy.

As they squabble, strange lights shine in the east. Harbingers of a long-forgotten threat. If the signs go ignored, Narashtovik will be annihilated by an enemy it never knew it had.

©2012 Edward W. Robertson (P)2015 Podium Publishing

In Response to the Criticism from Other Reviewers

I greatly enjoyed the Cycle of Arawn and have continued to follow the sequel series the Cycle of Galand. The most important thing to know about the series is that the plot is secondary to the characters, specifically the two protagonists. The book is built on their relationship and upon their banter and while there is always some exciting crisis requiring their intervention (or caused by it) their interactions and dialog are the main focus. Tim Gerard Reynolds does a fantastic job of capturing their relationship and their banter, and his performance makes this audiobook worthwhile. That isn't to say that the plot is not interesting or engrossing, just that it is not what makes these books great.

The main criticisms I have seen while reading through the reviews fall into two categories. The first is that the readers did not like the main characters and felt that they were not good enough in the moral sense. While the book is entertaining and much of it has an almost lighthearted feel to it, readers should be warned that the protagonists are not heroes. They lie, cheat, steal and kill throughout the series and while there is development and growth, they not become knights in shining armor. The series follows recent trends towards making more interesting, flawed characters (which in my view is a positive.) But if you are looking for champions of good who fight back the dark forces of evil, look somewhere else. Blayse and Dante invariably try to do what they think is best for them and their allies, but a lot of people still end up dead.

The second category of criticism is that the two protagonists constantly find themselves needing to rush off and complete some quest, save some people, yada, yada, yada. This is true and inherent in the genre and eventually lampshaded in later books. But to reiterate, the plots, while fun, are a setting for the main characters to interact, quip and generally be entertaining as they try to "save the day" or at least muddle through without getting themselves or too many others killed. You could toss the two in any setting and still get a book worth listening too, and to some degree this is what the author does.

The book does start off a bit slowly, but if you stick with it, it quickly and obviously becomes well worth the wait.

Wanted to Like This Book, but Couldn't Finish

As previously mentioned in other reviews, the dynamic of the book is primarily around the two main characters with the story line going nowhere fast. My personal preference is towards a dynamic story that intertwines with the characters, but in this book, they are almost separate entities entirely.

That being said, I think that the fantastical elements of the book are interesting and a new concept with how they are depicted, just don't expect an explanation or anything with that to tie in to a story. I do like how the characters aren't "perfect" heroes; they are horribly flawed like any normal person who got put in similar circumstances, but I did have a hard time relating to their motivations as they were not really tied to a story line. I always enjoy Tim Gerard Reynolds narration.

Overall, a fine/good book if you are a character focused reader, but ultimately, not suitable to my reading preferences.

Fantastic!!!!!!

slightly darker hero than I normally care for but I couldn't stop reading and then bought the audio books. great performance by Tim Reynolds.
just get this series, you won't regret it!!!!!
I promise.

Entertaining and Fun

Would you listen to The Cycle of Arawn again? Why?

I might go back and listen to the first book again, this trilogy is so long I've forgotten some of the first book already!

What did you like best about this story?

I liked the fact that it never dragged over 65 hours!

Have you listened to any of Tim Gerard Reynolds’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Reynolds may have even improved since he narrated the Riyria Chronicles!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Ha ha. 65 hours is too long for any one sitting!

Any additional comments?

I don't agree with people complaining about so many of the characters being smart-alecks. I enjoyed every bit of the wise-cracking repartee and just accepted it as a cultural thing common to this fantasy world. This "Cycle" reminded me a lot of the Riyria Chronicles. I'd say it doesn't quite measure up to Riyria, but it was still quite enjoyable and I hope there's even more to come in this series.

65 hours of awsome for 1 credit

Would you consider the audio edition of The Cycle of Arawn to be better than the print version?

yes, Tim Gerard Reynolds voice will forever be Dante and Blaze

Have you listened to any of Tim Gerard Reynolds’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

he did as good on this as he did on The Riyria Chronicles, one of the best fantasy stories I've ever listened too on audible.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

dark fantasy with a side of snarky humor

Any additional comments?

if you've read The Riyria Chronicles, and loved it, you'll like this slightly darker world with two similar pals. Dante and Blaze are a lot of fun to listen too as they go back and fourth with each other and the others around them. your crazy not to spend one credit on 65 hours of fun entertainment.

Top rate fantasy series, nearly flawless in its development

After a sluggish start, couldn't put it down. Picked this up as a commute time filler and was not disappointed. Excellently crafted storyline surrounded by well developed characters compelling the reader for more!

fantastic.

This was a fantastic story and a wonderful performance. I really just wish it wasn't over...

A weird mix of great and awful....

I picked this book up because it's the complete trilogy- basically 3 books in one; a total of 65 hours of listening. That's a pretty good deal for one credit. But this isn't exactly "solid fantasy gold" you're getting here either.

Let's start off with the good, because it does have it's moments. Robertson has a fair bit of depth to his characters as both individuals and the way they interact. In fact, that is probably the book's real strength- the character's relationships and their dynamics. Everything else is really just background to tell the story of the people involved in them- if you keep the objectives blurry and look at the plot from the corner of your eye, and focus on the people, then the story is intriguing.

The bad is the plot itself. At times it makes no sense whatsoever- like, Michael Bay "Transformers level" logic. An example:

One artifact is central to the 1st book as the reason behind everything, yet is dropped and never mentioned by the 2nd book- nor is it ever explained exactly why it was so important. The protagonists, who are trying to get it back from the "heroes", just decide to give up looking for it in the middle of the 1st book, until at the end of the 1st book, at the climax, when the lead hero says "oh, here it is, I've had it all along..." to the people he is trying to kill. Then they have a plot twit, and the "heroes" decide: "Let's just kill everybody", and you are just sitting there going "what was even the point of this story again?????".

Confused? Yeah, reading it doesn't really make things any clearer. It's horribly frustrating. I almost gave up at the beginning of book 2 because I really stopped caring about what the heroes were up to because, basically, they are stupid and their actions don't really make sense. Maybe it gets as good as the "Star Wars" prequels logic by the end- but it never really exceeds that level.

The main characters also have some real flaws with drawing the line between good and bad that I don't think the author really does a good job of sorting out. The The book starts off with the main character murdering someone in "self defense", but it was also because he (the hero) stole something. So, if someone is going to kill you because you stole something, then it's better to kill them 1st than return what you stole... I don't know how righteous that makes you as a person. And I'm fine with a story arc where the character evolves and learns to change from broken to whole, but that journey has to make some sense. He can't just be killing people in one scene, and then be ready lay his life down to save others in another scene, but then killing in another- it doesn't make sense where he is drawing his lines or why they are moving, except maybe on an elementary school level of reasoning.

The 2 main characters relationship, which is the real story here (and it's as "brothers" in every sense, in case that statement has weird connotations) also start out oddly. In the beginning they pretty much hate each other; yet it changes quickly and drastically to a very strong bond between the two. But it happens too quickly and without enough reasoning to really make sense.

So, if you are looking for a book that is about the people involved in the story and can ignore the story itself, then this will probably be interesting to you. But if watching movies like "Transformers" and the 3 "Star Wars" prequels drives you nuts because what is happening makes little sense, then this book will probably just be frustrating.

I struggled with the point system for rating this book. In a perfect world, we'd have 1/2 stars instead of full ones, in which case I'd give the overall 2 1/2 stars and the story 1 1/2. It really doesn't rate a 3 star for the overall, but it's not as bad as a 2 star either. Same for the story rating (except 1 point lower).

Enter the Nether

If you could sum up The Cycle of Arawn in three words, what would they be?

Magical, Mystical, Fun!

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Cycle of Arawn?

Blaze in as Lord Pendiless out to ruin, disgrace, bankrupt, murder and his game of Run Run Run!

Have you listened to any of Tim Gerard Reynolds’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have not yet but soon will.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

It would be near impossible as its over 40 hours. LOL

Any additional comments?

Awesome narration to and epic saga!

A WHOLE LOT OF WIT AND FUN

I have to say this was one of my favorite trilogies yet. Besides the quick wit and violence, there were times I thought I was listening to Ryaria. I wish Tim Reynolds could narrate every book I listen too. He can make the phone book interesting.
Really good stuff folks, certainly worth the credit!!

Good potential, poorly executed.

I did plough through the whole trilogy (probably only because it all came at the cost of a single credit for 66 hours of story), but have to admit to being rather disappointed. There was so much potential with the world created, but the plot seemed to lurch from event to event, with huge gaping holes glibly glossed over. Similarly, the characters were under-developed, and all seemed to have the same flippant attitude to events of consequence.............all rather disappointing.

I also found some of the story telling quite jarring at times. For example, this is an "old-world"; with sword fighting and horses as the means of travel.....Yet a throw-away quip by one of the lead characters references "zombies"??!!! I had to rewind just to check I hadn't misheard. Felt horribly out of place.

By the third book in the trilogy, I think the author had settled down a little, and the characters were a little more defined (Blays becomes a little more interesting) but the plot was still so frustratingly shallow and with so many gaping holes its a wonder an editor ever let it get to production.

The narration was ok, although very few characters had real differentiation which could be challenging at times.

If you want mindless entertainment and you are aren't too picky about plots and character development, then this is probably sufficiently entertaining to distract...............however, if you choose to pass this one by, you won't be missing anything.

Gave up half way.

Any additional comments?

I've got no idea how this novel has attained such a high average score. I listened to over 20 hours before I decided I couldn't take anymore and gave up. The only reason I haven't given it one star is because I have not completed it therefore I cannot completely condemn it as something wonderful may happen after the first 30 hours of listening. The two leading characters are criminally underdeveloped. Why does Dante so desperately want to have magical powers - because he saw somebody else do it once, is that it? Why does his eventual side kick Blase seem willing to follow him unquestionably? Again the answer appears wafer thin. The nonchalant attitude the teenage protagonist show to murder and death really shows the lack of true characterisation. I have read some reviewers talk of how they love the way the two characters talk to each other in crudities and they site this as some sort of evidence of good characterisation however when I listen to it all I hear is pithy nonsense, two teenage best friends who never have a real or meaningful conversation, I've never know such a thing, what is the point of a best friend when your at the most vulnerable time of your life if not to share some of that teenage angst? Plot, in the first 20 hours I have not found one, the main characters bumping into people and believing whatever they are told, going wherever they are directed to go, doing whatever they are told to do, does not constitute a plot in my book. We've got protagonist that don't think, how are you supposed to drive a narrative if you don't think for yourself - the answer is they do not. I am a great fan of the fantasy genre, I love gritty realism and I enjoy getting value for money with a long listen but this is really poor.

Arawn grows on you

Took a while to get into it but I find that is usually the case with a trilogy as the scene has to be set and the characters explored. However once that was done I found I could hardly put it down. Actor was excellent .

Rather enjoyable romp

Seriously long, requiring a significant commitment to get started but so worth it. Made my 3+ hour commute more bearable for a few weeks.

Good story spoiled

This could have been great, it had all the ingredients to make an amazing adventure yarn, but is spoiled by too much sarcasm, no one gives a straightforward answer without there being an attempt at humoured smart aleck replies, don't get me wrong, in the right place sarcasm can be funny, but for Dante's sake, give it a rest!!
Having said that I did enjoy the trilogy, but at the same time am glad its finished and I can move on to something with a more balanced and intelligent narrative and storyline.

damn good

excellent narration and great story. characters were very well rounded and interesting. filler words here

GOOD BOOK

I have over 300 audible titles and I have to say that the narration and performance of this book is one of the best I've heard. It's a compelling universe with a great story and awesome characters. I can't wait for a sequel.

A great performance of an original story

Would you listen to The Cycle of Arawn again? Why?

I think I would listen again. I really appreciated the work Tim Gerard Reynolds put into performing, rather than simply reading, the story. The story still would have been fun without his efforts but he made it something better.

What did you like best about this story?

The best thing about this story was the way characters interacted. I hope it doesn't come across as a backhanded compliment to say that the dialogue often seemed Hollywood-esque. Given the drama and action in the story that seemed really appropriate and fun.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Some of the dialogue is pretty funny. I must have let out a few laughs.

Any additional comments?

This story was let down a little by a lack of any particularly well realised female characters, but in my opinion more than makes up for it elsewhere.

I will be looking for more books read by Tim Gerard Reynolds in the future. He really gave life to the characters.

Very well narrated!

I'm not sure I would have liked this book half as much if it hadn't been for the narrator. The story was ok, but Tim Gerard Reynolds really brought the characters and story to life. Overall, it was well worth the money.

Great value but!!!

Any additional comments?

A bit slow and not a patch on Joe Abercrombie's First Law Trilogy but you do get a lot of listening for 1 credit so for those who like long books like me it's great value and well worth it.