The Grand Dark

By: Richard Kadrey

Narrated by: Vikas Adam

Length: 16 hrs and 13 mins

Publisher's summary

“A stand-alone heavy hitter that’s more in line with recent deviants like Chuck Wendig’s upcoming Wanderers (2019) and Daniel H. Wilson’s The Clockwork Dynasty (2017). Tonally, this lush novel is closer to Scott Lynch’s pirate fantasy The Lies of Locke Lamora (2006), but technologically it resembles the near-future dystopias of Cory Doctorow or China Miéville [...] Wildly ambitious and inventive fantasy from an author who’s punching above his weight in terms of worldbuilding - and winning.” (Kirkus (starred review)

From the best-selling author of the Sandman Slim series, a lush, dark, stand-alone fantasy built off the insurgent tradition of China Mieville and M. John Harrison - a subversive tale that immerses us in a world where the extremes of bleakness and beauty exist together in dangerous harmony in a city on the edge of civility and chaos.

The Great War is over. The city of Lower Proszawa celebrates the peace with a decadence and carefree spirit as intense as the war’s horrifying despair. But this newfound hedonism - drugs and sex and endless parties - distracts from strange realities of everyday life: Intelligent automata taking jobs. Genetically engineered creatures that serve as pets and beasts of war. A theater where gruesome murders happen twice a day. And a new plague that even the ceaseless euphoria can’t mask.

Unlike others who live strictly for fun, Largo is an addict with ambitions. A bike messenger who grew up in the slums, he knows the city’s streets and its secrets intimately. His life seems set. He has a beautiful girlfriend, drugs, a chance at a promotion - and maybe, an opportunity for complete transformation: a contact among the elite who will set him on the course to lift himself up out of the streets.

But dreams can be a dangerous thing in a city whose mood is turning dark and inward. Others have a vision of life very different from Largo’s, and they will use any methods to secure control. And in behind it all, beyond the frivolity and chaos, the threat of new war always looms.

©2019 Richard Kadrey (P)2019 HarperAudio

Excellent story with great narrator!!

Post apocalypse from different world/history..grimdark style..check. Went by fast with a perfect narrator. There were a few moments towards the beginning when I thought there was another person narrating but turns out vikas Adam is just good at his job.

The scene with lucy's character when at her birthday party might be the only complaint I have,..just didn't like her voice..but loved the story and would listen to the next if there is one. Definately a dark world to place youtself in.

Thank you Richard and Vikas.

Good Book

I listened to another book by the same narrator and couldn't stand him. I think he was perfect for this book though. The protagonist is written as a kind of dim "useful fool" character. Instead of twisting and become a brainiac by the end of the book, he basically stays the same (with a few character improvements). This is the perfect way to write a book like this, IMO, as it allows the reader to see the world through a neutral eye. Early on, we understand what's happening in the city, and the corruption, but Largo is blissfully unaware until the 3rd act. Good writing, good narration, good book.

Great world building falters in the end.

Great world building. Story really loses steam in the last 3rd of the book. It lost all of the interesting subtleties the made the 1st 2/3 great. I really enjoyed living in that world for a while but it fumbles in the endzone. Too precious at the end.

Richard Kadrey at the top of his game

amazingly realized world that will be a welcome balm for anyone missing the gritty noir of Sandman Slim - but taken in an entirely different direction with a protagonist who feels like he could have started as any of us. IMHO his best standalone novel.

Very interesting, and voicing is good no problems

it was very interesting to listen too, the setting was the best part. but the plot helped to take the readers all over the city.

wow!

it's one of my all-time favorite stories. it's half the writing and half the narration but God the depressing overview of life in this war-torn City tale is just magnificent almost like I can picture living there and it's not necessarily a good thing but you get what good you can out of it I don't know amazing book definitely listen to it I've already given it five goes

Useful idiot turned heroic

I got a couple hours into this book and then read every single review looking for a reason to keep going. I realized there is no review for people like me, so this review is for readers who are not Kadrey followers, have not read the Sandman Slim series, and are not into steampunk (I legit had to google steampunk - no shade, please).The phenomenal reviews from Kadrey fans kept me hanging in there, but the story was slow moving. I decided I’d give it five hours and then DNF if it didn’t get better, but right around the five hour mark, I became interested enough in Largo to keep going.

I’m not sure how I made it through 16 hours of this. I was so annoyed at the 13 hour mark, but so close to the end, that I had to continue, so I bumped up the speed and plodded along.

All in all, the writing and narration were good, but the story was either 3 hours too long, or 3 hours too short. Some plot lines should have been left out or expanded.

If you’re not a fan of Kadrey, Steampunk, or Sandman Slim, I would skip it.

Great narration, mediocre story

Story wasn’t bad, just not great. Super narration, hats off to a great performance - great voices.

Kadrey's Best Work Yet

The Grand Dark is a familiar book. The setting, the writing, the partial use of German nouns and verbs is almost a little awkward because I am already so very familiar with each of the disparate themes brought together. What makes this superior and in no way cliche, is the craftsmanship and world building Kadrey brings to the table in just a single spectacular novel. The first 100 pages establish the context and culture of this world, as he simultaneously lays out the world, but also introduces us to the main character. The last 100 pages race along at supersonic speed and might have needed an additional 100 pages to feel more natural.

Richard Kadrey's initial talents have been eclipsed by honed craft and hard practiced skill from the Sandman Slim series. I like that Kadrey writes in themes and mood that I intrinsically like - and The Grand Dark has aspects of nearly all of them while still telling a cogent story. But the craft level of his writing is above excellent when it comes to the dialog between characters. He uses supporting characters so expertly to reflect the better nature of the main character in one fantastic scene after another. Affection, esteem, respect, and love are very well represented in these pages.

I enjoyed this book. I simultaneously read and listened to it. There are a few areas that are rougher than others, but like many of Kadrey's other readers, I'm hoping he is able to return to these characters and this world he penned an introduction to in The Grand Dark. As is often the case with Kadrey's amazing cast of characters, I'd buy any book set in this world with any character introduced in these pages. I look forward to many more hours of reading and listening.

Vikas Adam did a good job with his acting, although I found his female voice portrayal to be too similar. This blurred the line between Kadrey's depiction and the actors interpretation to voice.

The most Kadrey book thuse far.

An amazing ingrossing art of wolrd building by Kadrey. Its kind or Aminie meet the raging poast war 30s.

The characters and storey draw you in.

Hos vebal imagery is much like his photographs vivid yet leave room for the thenpeson peering at them to expand on them.

If I had one negative it would be that in parts Kadrey held back taking us down the rabithole to uncomfortable areas. He hints at them and lets us peak through the curtain by breifly. I wish he went full out, I know he has it whith in him.