The Skull Throne

By: Peter V. Brett

Narrated by: Pete Bradbury

The first three novels in New York Times best-selling author Peter V. Brett's groundbreaking Demon Cycle series - The Warded Man, The Desert Spear, and The Daylight War - set a new standard for heroic fantasy. The powerful saga of humans winnowed to the brink of extinction by night-stalking demons, and the survivors who fight back, has kept listeners breathless. Now the thrilling fourth volume, The Skull Throne, raises the stakes as it carries the action in shocking new directions.

The Skull Throne of Krasia stands empty. Built from the skulls of fallen generals and demon princes, it is a seat of honor and ancient, powerful magic, keeping the demon corelings at bay. From atop the throne, Ahmann Jardir was meant to conquer the known world, forging its isolated peoples into a unified army to rise up and end the demon war once and for all. But Arlen Bales, the Warded Man, stood against this course, challenging Jardir to a duel he could not in honor refuse. Rather than risk defeat, Arlen cast them both from a precipice, leaving the world without a savior and opening a struggle for succession that threatens to tear the Free Cities of Thesa apart.

In the south, Inevera, Jardir's first wife, must find a way to keep their sons from killing each other and plunging their people into civil war as they strive for glory enough to make a claim on the throne. In the north, Leesha Paper and Rojer Inn struggle to forge an alliance between the duchies of Angiers and Miln against the Krasians before it is too late. Caught in the crossfire is the duchy of Lakton - rich and unprotected, ripe for conquest. All the while, the corelings have been growing stronger, and without Arlen and Jardir there may be none strong enough to stop them. Only Renna Bales may know more about the fate of the missing men, but she, too, has disappeared....

©2015 Peter V. Brett (P)2015 Recorded Books

Not as expected, but still good

Alright so I do not want to spoil this book for anyone, but I want people to know a few things. The first thing is that Arlen and Jardir take a backseat for this book. The book is still great, but I wanted more of the warded man.

When you read this book it will be sad. Sure people die, but at the end of the book you will have this feeling of something bad is going to happen, even though bad things just happened. In a way it is a little worse than a cliffhanger since we now see a set up for the last book. This book will probably make you cry and then scream for the next.

Not quite as good as the previous books

Not my favorite of the series but it does build at the end. I will definitely continue on with the series, it is very well done.

Another great book.

This book was a good shift in the series because it refocus the audience in a direction that does not focus on the warded man. Each character plays thier part even if my opinion they were cut short.

I love this exciting Fourth Book in a great series

The saga continues as we watch terrible calamities befall some of the characters we love and those we love to hate as frightening new obstacles appear for them all. I'm very excited to find out the thrilling conclusion of this series. Thanks again Peter V. Brett for a delicious glimpse into the hellacious fantasy realm of demons vs. humans in the perpetual battle for supremecy. Who will prevail and who will fail? Bring on The Core!!

Keep it up Peter V Brett

A fast moving many POV series. I love that Peter has limits on the "magic system" he's built in the world but more than anything the collision of cultures created. Awesome series!

Amazing series

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

Within the top 10

What did you like best about this story?

the characters are well thought out, have depth and their actions have consequences

Have you listened to any of Pete Bradbury’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have in other books in the series. He does both male and female characters very well. So far, he's the best narrator I have encountered.

The lull is over

This entry brings the series back on track from the lull that Book 3 (The Daylight War) created. Book 3 wasn't bad, but it was definitely more of a building block than a scintillating tale. The Skull Throne really does have more of everything that made you like The Warded Man (under its many names). The action is more intense and desperate. The cultural clashes are more jarring. The political intrigue is more...political intriguey.

That's why Brett's the writer and I'm not. Great book in the series.

Great series and a good book to add to the collect

Some parts dive head first into an absurd pool of fantasy, but that's why you are reading a collection of fantasy book about demons using humans as cattle, right? Can't wait for book 5!

Amazing

Performance was superb as with the last books. But the story! My God!!! The last three/four chapters! Sooooo many things were happening, almost too much to keep up with. But the fast pace at the end makes me glad that the next book is already out and I don’t have to wait.

Pete Bradbury is the GOAT

The story is average but the performance of the narrator is fantastic.
The author time after time characterizes women as bitter and constantly sarcastic even the protagonist women. It's fine if that's highlighted once in a while but it keeps coming back every chapter.