The Siege of Skyhold

Mage Errant, Book 5

By: John Bierce

Narrated by: Ralph Lister

Length: 17 hrs and 16 mins

Publisher's Summary

The Havath Dominion is marching to war.

Humiliated in the ruins of Imperial Ithos, with the Exile Splinter stolen from their grasp by the ancient sphinx Kanderon Crux, Havath's Duarchs have assembled an army that dwarfs the entire population of Skyhold. Led by their Great Powers, monsters and mages individually capable of leveling a city, they pose a threat that even Kanderon, one of the mightiest of Great Powers, and her equally monstrous allies might be unable to stop. 

As the Havathi forces push closer and closer to Skyhold, Hugh and his friends train relentlessly, hoping to make a difference in the oncoming siege. While they venture into dangerous realms of untested experimental magic, though, they're already caught up in currents far beyond their control. 

Once you're a pawn in the games of the Great Powers, there's no escape. 

Let multiple Audie Award-winning voice artist Ralph Lister take you further into the saga of Hugh of Emblin: Don't miss the fifth installment of this epic coming-of-age fantasy.

©2021 John Bierce (P)2021 Podium Audio

Review

Overall the narrator Ralph Lister was great as usual no complaints there. The first 2 books were about sky-hold and the labyrinth beneath it, and about young man trying to find his way in the world. But I did notice in book 3 the tone of the book shifting, not too much. but just enough to show that it’s shifting a lot!. Just by the first 10 hours of the book you can tell the writer is injecting his own political views into the novel which is highly disappointing!!!. It was the last 5 hours of the book that the author went back to what made the first 2 books popular. When looking at the reviews I was surprised people gave it such a high rating🤨. But those last 5 hours were very entertaining. As a listener you’re either going to love it or hate it🤷‍♂️. Unfortunately for me this is my last book I will listen to in the series!. For me the point of fantasy books is to get away from the source to a justice, political discord!!!!!!…..

Best so far but talk about a game-changer!

This book has a slow build to a middle climax and then another slow build to many things we've never seen before. New magic, super cool characters we've only heard about or met briefly, and a huge battle John Bierce wrote brilliantly. There can be no doubt that this is the best book of the series so far... and absolutely the most crushing.

Whatever you expected from this book, whatever twists you expected, whatever characters you thought you knew everything about... it turns out to be something other than what you expected... guaranteed. Yet, looking back, everything was foreshadowed... but I missed it. This book changes everything... and little is happy. But I *need* to know what happens next!

Now I need to relisten to the first four books and see what other casually dropped in tidbits or extended lectures might play a role in the super twisty twists in the next--and final?--book.

feeling anxious

This book really put me on the edge at the end. I need to know what happens next.

Ruined the series for me.

This book really ruined the series for me. No spoilers but the ending really left a bad taste in my mouth. Very disappointed.

I love the series but not this book

The author is pushing an agenda and I'm going to stop it by not giving him anymore of my time and money. I do love the series and the past 3 where outstanding and I enjoyed them greatly.

Was it good?

Yes loved it!! It was upsetting, amazing, and sad. I would of loved if it had more chapters. But overall loved it.

what a ride

what an epiv ride that was. so good. its worth your time and money. just buy it.

Drags on a bit

There is some hippy meta-plot developing and I am not sure where it is going. Since peace-on-earth while surrounded by cosmic horrors is impossible, I can only guess the students will have their ideals smashed against reality. Even if they find some order sans the monsters, then they'll still be strife and oppression among people. Even a deus ex machina solution would only be a temporary reprieve against a universe that can magic a counter at any time. The whole meta-plot is off putting. It is made even more frustrating because every litrpg plot seems to also include characters trying to establish some kind of democratic order against gods and monsters and every existential threat imaginable. In worlds where every person is a weapon of mass destruction and omni-beings can blink planets out of existence, it is a silly plot-line. Since there are only a few more books, I will probably carry on to see what happens.

just what!!!

ah the rage the feels ah the thing I thought was coming from the beginning happened but the way it happened arhhghg!!!

why did it turn into a teenage dating book

Why do these litrpg books keep turning into teenage angst romance novels that nobody would ever willingly pick up? The story could be great and complete without the romance side stories. -1 star for 20% of the novel being crap that didn't need written.

Overall a 4/5, worth the read.

Title says it all.. it was gud.
If your going through it all then might as well buy it.

Enjoyed it, great performance.

good listen, just as good as the last, I predicted the ending and was prepared for it based on the previous in the series.