The High Lord

By: Trudi Canavan

Narrated by: Richard Aspel

Length: 21 hrs and 26 mins

Publisher's Summary

Life should have been easier for Sonea, now that Regin ignored her and the rest of the novices treated her with wary respect, but she cannot forget what she witnessed in Akkarin's underground room, or his warning that Kyralia's ancient enemy is watching the Guild closely. The last few years have been good for Cery. He has a respected position among the Thieves, and connections in high and low places. When an exotic stranger offers to help him with a secret task, Cery knows he should refuse, but life would be boring without the occasional risk...

As Akkarin reveals more, Sonea does not know what to believe or what she fears most - that the truth is as terrifying as he claims or that he is trying to make her his accomplice in black magic.

©2004 Trudi Canavan (P)2009 Bolinda Publishing

Critic Reviews

"A wonderfully and meticulously detailed world, and an edge-of-the-seat plot, this book is a must for lovers of good fantasy." (Jennifer Fallon)

Best book I have heard in a long time

When I started out reading this trilogy,I thought the book 1 was good,a little slow at times,but we need time to let her build the characters and let us get to know them,by book 2 we knew them all and were able to enjoy the story and let it wrap itself around us,by the end of book 3 I felt as if I was there with the characters,and when someone died I felt like I lost a friend,Bravo Ms. Canavan,I have not enjoyed a book this much in a LONG time,and I look forward to more of your work.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Amazingly narrated but the story ended poorly.

I was dying to read this book after the huge cliffhanger in the second book. The first and middle parts of this book were absolutely awesome; I was completely glued to this story. Unfortunately the ending absolutely sucked in the most sucky of sucky ways.

I listened to this on audiobook and the narrator did an amazing job. I highly recommend listening to this series on audiobook.

This is one of those books that is tough to review without spoilers; so I will put a spoiler header in here further down.

The first part of the story focuses on Sonea as she deals with being Akkarin’s apprentice. Akkarin reveals some truths to Sonea in very convincing ways. This leads Sonea down a difficult path along Akkarin’s side.

The story is well written and flows nicely. I loved the characters as well. The story really focuses on Akkarin and Sonea; although Dorian, Robin, and others still play a big role in the story as well. Akkarin is the best character in this series so I was excited to have him feature so much in this story.

Things end up coming together nicely and I loved how all the factions of the city (commoners, dwells, thieves, and mages) had to band together to face a larger fault.

Now for the spoilers….

-----------BIG SPOILERS START-------------------------
I loved how Sonea stuck up for her beliefs and what she thought was right. The fact that she stands steadfastly by Akkarin’s side for the sake of the kingdom and her own believes showed amazing strength and also showed how much she had matured as a character and magician. Even when Akkarin wants to take the fall by himself and leave Sonea out of it, Sonea refuses to make things easy for herself and the Guild and instead does what is right.

Sonea and Akkarin falling in love and becoming a couple was perfect. They complement each other so well; neither one will let the other falter and they both temper each other when either start to go down a path that’s too dark. I loved that they had started thinking about ways to change the future of Imardin and improve it for future generations. I was so looking forward to seeing Sonea and Akkarin come back and help the city improve and really put energy into taking care of the city they loved so much.

So...well screw that! said Canavan...I have a better idea let’s f%^&% kill Akkarin right at the end of the battle. Because you know neither Sonea nor Akkarin has suffered enough personally throughout this series. They only both lost all their friends and their home trying to save this stupid city, so right when they get to the pinnacle of victory let’s kill off the best character in this book.

As if that’s not enough let’s take this awesome, beautiful, and strong new person Sonea has become (despite all her previous trials and tortures) and crush the emotional fight out of her once and for all. Nope, no happiness for this girl. In fact let’s pour salt in the wound and make her pregnant too! That way she can be a perpetually sad woman, who is shadow of herself and continues to be ostracized by the guild for not only being Black Magician left but for being pregnant with a potentially powerful child as well.

I don’t get it, why take a great story and give it this awful and contrived ending that does nothing but destroy the best characters in the book. So depressing and sad and anti-climatic.
-------------BIG SPOILERS END-----------------

Overall this was a great series and this book definitely wraps it up...but not nicely. The majority of the book is fantastic and engaging, the world and characters are amazing. The ending sucks big time and kind of made me sad I read this series at all. I don’t plan on reading anymore of Canavan’s books because the ending to this series angered me big time.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Wonderful book

Where does The High Lord rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

The whole Black Magician's trilogy was a wonderful group of books. At the end of the series, it made me long for more. I found that Miss Trudi wrote another series with Sonea as a main character. I am interested in reading that. I am currently enjoying Terry Goodkind's "Sword of Truth" series.

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

Never underestimate someone with humble beginnings.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Good story, thirsty narrator!

Overall I liked the story, but the narrator's constant sipping/swallowing was very disruptive for me.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

SPOILER

Which scene was your favorite?

the whole invasion and how the Theives help defend the city leading up to the final battle

Any additional comments?

Everything you think of up to this book changes. The High Lord turns into the hero and helps save the City, everyones misunderstanding of the High Lord comes out and they praise him in the end.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Nostalgic

Narrator performance was completely different from how I read it as a child, but it was interesting to hear it in a different style. He has an impressive range of voices and accents. My only qualm is that the voices he used for certain characters were inconsistent throughout the series.

great trilogy

this Trilogy was really good I enjoyed every minute of it the ending of the high Lord could have been a little less sad but overall I enjoyed them very much

just ok. not worth money.

the first books biggest conflict was a fight between the main character and a boy in school. book two, same exact thing except she learns black magic. third book. tiny little fight at the end lacking all detail and imagination. I wouldn't recommend.

great author

this is the second time listeningvto this series. I love Trudi Canavan and the narrator is great as well.

Loved it so much

Dreaded finishing it because I didn't want it to be over but I couldn't stop reading it either! Off to read more by Trudi Canavan now :)

Top notch!

Excellent book brilliantly read, great end of the trilogy, sad to not be listening any more! Can't wait for the age of the five to be released unabridged, if they are ever going to be.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

The High Lord (Unabridged)

This was a brilliant end to the trilogy and again fantastically read by Richard Aspel (another great unabridged achievement by him) Long awaited listeners of this unabridged title will not be disappointed. This novel really completes the story with suspense and finality that was thoroughly enjoyable. Now awaiting the next novels from Trudi Canavan to be made available in unabridged versions to continue my collection from this great author.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

The best book in the trilogy

Having been slightly bored by the first book (nothing particularly new, plot thin and predictable, writing nothing special), I have to admit that I loved this last book in the series, and was left feeling quite bereft, with a real sense of loss at the end (I had to revert to Sookie Stackhouse for some light relief!).

Why did I push on with the trilogy having been disappointed by the first book ? Simple: I had stupidly already purchased and downloaded the entire trilogy - have to say that I'm glad I did.

It certainly doesn't rate amongst my best listens (the narration is ok, but only "ok"), but it gathers momentum in this last book, and whilst clearly aimed at the younger market, surprisingly I enjoyed it, and I don't regret the credits spent.

6 of 8 people found this review helpful

Tedious narration of an excellent book

I'm a great fan of Trudi Canavan, and have read this trilogy four or five times before I bought the audio version. This is the second time I have listened to this recording, and sadly I don't think I can listen again.

The characterisation by Mr Aspel is very poor, the male characters are either querulous or unctuous, with no differentiation of young or old. For the first two books, Akkarin is voiced as extremely supercilious, unctuous and old (and not as dark and sexily dangerous as depicted in the books - he is only 30 at the beginning of the first book!) - over the course of the third book this characterisation is modified as we learn more of Akkarins history, which almost makes you feel that the narrator had not read the books prior to the recordings.

Sonea is narrated as timorous and apologetic to the extreme, which just becomes more and more tedious.

Then there are the various mouth noises, swallows, and nose breathing which is extremely distracting.

If I could find these books narrated by another I would buy a different version as Ms Canavans story telling and world building is excellent.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Fantastic

One of the best trilogies ever, a great listen, good storyline .I can't wait to listen to more of this authors work.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

well written and brilliantly read

a simply captivating audiobook, could not stop listening to it. also well read I would recommend this too anyone

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

An Epic Conclusion

Well, here is the much anticipated conclusion to Trudi Canavan's excellent Black Magician Trilogy and what a delight it is to be able to hear it unabridged! This book more than lives up to the promises set by the first two. Questions are answered, though nothing is as it seems. This is the most powerful of the trilogy and my personal favourite. I defy anyone not to be in tears at the end. I was sad to reach the end and I think the only solution is to start all over again! I believe the author is not done with these characters, so I'm eagerly awaiting the next instalment of their adventures.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Fantastic final book in the series

I love this book so much I’ve listened to it many times. Great narration great story and fantastic ending!

my favourite book. 10/10 would recommend!

I love this book. I cry everyone at the end. re-read atleast 10 times. I love it!

Amazing conclusion to a wonderful series

As usual Trudi Canavan has penned another cracker. The whole series has been phenomenal and this final book was the cherry atop the cake