The Tangled Lands

By: Paolo Bacigalupi, Tobias S. Buckell

Narrated by: Kate Reading, Tim Gerard Reynolds

Length: 10 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's summary

From award-winning and New York Times best-selling authors Paolo Bacigalupi and Tobias Buckell comes a fantasy novel told in four parts about a land crippled by the use of magic and a tyrant who is trying to rebuild an empire - unless the people find a way to resist.

Khaim, The Blue City, is the last remaining city in a crumbled empire that overly relied upon magic until it became toxic. It is run by a tyrant known as The Jolly Mayor and his devious right hand, the last archmage in the world. Together they try to collect all the magic for themselves so they can control the citizens of the city. But when their decadence reaches new heights and begins to destroy the environment, the people stage an uprising to stop them.

In four interrelated parts, The Tangled Lands is an evocative and epic story of resistance and heroic sacrifice in the twisted remains surrounding the last great city of Khaim. Paolo Bacigalupi and Tobias Buckell have created a fantasy for our times about a decadent and rotting empire facing environmental collapse from within - and yet hope emerges from unlikely places with women warriors and alchemical solutions.

©2010, 2018 Paolo Bacigalupi, Tobias S. Buckell (P)2018 Audible, Inc.

Repeat of Alchemist with Unsatisfying Additions

Just thought I'd alert readers that this is a repeated take on "The Alchemist and The Executionist" with more with additions to three storylines, non of which came close to any plausible end. Just more hanging threads. Will they come out in a couple years and take the stories to another non-conclusion? I support authors repeating good story themes and returning to worlds they built for their readers, but, for me, the repeat was ok but the additional material was very depressing without knowing what all the angst and sad events was relevant to. Perhaps they have a direction for these hanging threads and plan another book repeating this and adding to it. At best this is a weird mid book. Do read all other Paolo B's work on Audible. I especially admire and love The Windup Girl.

A world with more potential

I thoroughly enjoyed this "novel," however it doesn't feel so much as a novel as four outstanding short stories that happen to occur in the same realm. I really wish the authors would have done more, interwined the different persepectives into one larger story, versus the four short stories that just so happen to be taking place at the same time in the same world. They even neglected, excluding perhaps once, the mentioning of the other various protagonists. It's simply disappointing that something with such an intercut world fell flat.

Strong women are beautiful women.

I wasn't crazy about the first story, but the last two just resonated with me. I loved the struggle and strength of the female characters. It painted women unlike the usual female characters who are physically frail, tiny and soft. These women were physically rough and strong, yet still women, mothers, daughters; dreaming of what most women dreamt of: love and family. It was real, it was refreshing...they were, to me, the definition of what a beautful woman should embody. The author did a great job making the reader understand what the characters were going through.

More, please!

Loves the writing and narration! If I have a complaint, it is only that I wanted to hear how the characters in each vignette fared. Highly recommend!

the synopsis is misleading!

The synopsis claims that it is a novel with 4 interrelated parts but instead it is 4 short stories or novellas that all happen within the same fictional world. While the stories are interesting, being so short they leave you wanting. The concept of a bramble blighted world in the hold of magic is intriguing and I thought it was a great idea, but I was disappointed and sad that what I bought was not what I actually thought I was buying. The stories are good so it gets 3 stars, but I was disappointed.

Bacigalupi is a masterful storyteller

I'm not a huge fan of epic fantasy but I really enjoyed Bacigalupi's previous book. And again he proved to be a masterful storyteller. The narrator did an awesome job.

A free audiobook was provided by Audible.

All these stories are so ridiculously GOOD!

Each story provides background and builds the world more and more. The final arch is amazing. Kate did so good. The suspense kept me up at night. I was deeply invested in the last two stories. One was beautiful. The other bittersweet.

Left without closure

The concept is good and while I enjoyed each story this is really a few short stories and none of them have any finality. I wondered the whole time when we would find out what the alchemist did, don’t hold your breath, never found out.

An unexpected gem!

Surprisingly at points reminiscent of Greek tragedy. for every inch of good our protagonists get they get another mile of bad road. It is a book of a few short stories that string together to make a cohesive whole... and each protagonist brings something new and interesting to the equation.

Mr Reynolds and Ms. Reading turn in fantastic performances (as usual) and one can hardly find them being disappointed by picking a title with one of their names attached to it.

My single and solitary complaint is that this book is not a series. as of the time of me writing this review, there is no follow-up, and I am anxious for more. one or maybe two got a definite ending, but there are a few protagonists that I really like to see where they went and what they did afterwards... so if my vote means anything, please make another one.

Thank you for your time and consideration

Interesting. idea

Dig these two authors and this is seriously interesting. Modern day fairy tales with modern content. Also two of my absolute favorite narrators. Kate Reading us the bomb!