The Highborn Longwalker

By: Joshua Robertson

Narrated by: Todd Menesses

Length: 8 hrs and 26 mins

Publisher's Summary

After receiving an ominous message about forthcoming demons and doom, Falmagon Sej is sent to retrieve a magical staff to protect the Anshedar. But he has unknowingly fallen in love with the sister of his enemy, and the price for betraying love may be too high for him to stomach. 

Falmagon's footpath to becoming the Highborn Longwalker is riddled with sorrow, promising an undying hate for himself, unless he can somehow find salvation under the grace of the light bringer.

©2018 Joshua Robertson (P)2019 Joshua Robertson

ENJOYABLE

The Highborn Longwalker, my first read/listen from author Joshua Robertson. Well-written & enjoyable fantasy, I found it very enjoyable. Todd Menesses’s narration made the 8-hour 26-minute tale pass quickly. I was given an Audible copy of this book & am voluntarily reviewing it. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).

Awesome magical adventure!

The Highborn Longwalker by Joshua Robertson and narrated by Todd Menesses is an audible book I requested and the review is voluntary. This book has the feel of an epic fantasy adventure with magical elements to it. I certainly want to learn more about this world. It is a cruel world with creatures that look horrible and used as slaves. So much in here I want to explore! Intriguing characters, some a bit crazy, but all interesting! I just rested on my bed and let my mind travel and experience this adventure! Amazing! Great action, adventure, dialogue, world building, and characters. Narration was terrific!

An intriguing but flawed fantasy book

The Highborn Longwalker is an intriguing fantasy, but I had a hard time getting through the audiobook. The story has a lot going for it, and there were moments when I was captivated. I think my issue was that I found it hard to get behind the characters. I found the lead character to be arrogant, foolish, and somewhat stupid. This gave a lot of room for character growth, but in the end I would still use the same words to describe him. There are some readers who enjoy having a flawed hero and may appreciate this, but apparently I’m not one of them. The book has some scenes that are pretty violent including one of my personal favorite scenes underground in a demon crypt (where I found myself rooting for the demons to finish off the hero). This is the first book in a series, so if you do enjoy it, there are more to read or listen to. The narrator is very talented at doing an assortment of voices; however, the voice he chose for the hero emphasizes my opinion of the character. Perhaps a more attractive voice would have made him easier to follow. I received a complimentary copy of this audiobook. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Boasting Boasting

Book drove me nuts with all the constant male boasting, 5 chapters in I have no idea wtf is going on with any sort of plot. Aside from some random stranger whooping one of the boasters butt real bad.

More Slavic tales of yore

The author continues his re-imagining of Slavic mythology, this time telling of a highborn longwalker journeying to retrieve a magic staff. Along the way he falls for the sister of his enemy, which affects his better judgement. When demons come a-calling, can he regain his faith enough to save the day? The author has this re-imagining malarkey almost down to an art form at this stage, properly evoking the epic vibe that permeates much if his work. The characters could slot into any mythology, and the world it is set in sounds very familiar (longwalkers assuming that other peoples will automatically defer to them?). The narrator does a pretty good job, although the pseudo-Scottish accents for the longwalkers seemed a bit out of place. A good story, not the most original, but definitely entertaining.

much fub

I loved the story the narrator was good for the most part as well. I love all the world building and the consistancy of it between novels. this was a great insight into a character that you. met an earlier published novel but the story takes place before you met him which is nice to see who he was and who he is in later years.

Engrossing.

After a slow start the story becomes one of those that would be called unputdownable if in print. I got so caught up in it that it was almost 4am when I finally turned it off. A little laboured at times but the essence of the story carries it.

Good book

This is a good book full of magic and wonder. It gives some backstory of one of the characters we met in a story published previously, which is always nice to have.