There's No Such Thing as Monsters

By: Ren Ryder

Narrated by: Greg Patmore

Length: 5 hrs and 57 mins

Publisher's Summary

Monsters come in all shapes and sizes, and not all of them have sharp teeth and beady red eyes.

New London. A thriving metropolis at the forefront of technological advancement and a shining gem of civilization.

Faeries. Whether they come off cute and cuddly or downright predatory, they all bring misfortune or are heralds of it.

Experience is a harsh taskmistress, but her lessons sink the deepest. Having been taught the lesson at a great cost, Kal’s rules for dealing with faeries are simple: Don’t talk to them, don’t look at them, don’t give them the time of the day. 

So, when the Other Side comes knocking one fateful, stormy day, Kal, at first, pretends not to notice. Was forgetting this rule his folly? 

His way of life is in great danger. His little sister, Sammie, a natural mage, is taken by Ouroboros, a criminal organization made up of raving lunatics that profit off the misery and suffering of others, and have everything to do with all the crimes of magic in New London. 

Kal will go to any lengths to save his sister, even to his death. Accompanied by his sylph companion, a mischievous pest, Kal dives deep into the dark underbelly of the city. But, are his hands enough to dig his sister out from the muck?

©2019 Derek Edgington (P)2019 Derek Edgington

An Action packed Dark Fantasy

This was a dark and gritty urban fantasy. Ouroboros, a magical mafia vs. Faerie with Kal and his sister Sammie caught in the middle. Kal is aided by a blood-thirsty fairy named Bell. Their interactions and banter provide some much needed humor. The story is quite action packed and full of interesting people and places. All very well described and imagined. The only problem I had with the story was that you had no idea why Ouroboros suddenly wanted Sammie or why Faerie was taking a personal interest in Kal. I even went back a re-listened to the first couple chapters thinking I had missed a key point. All is finally revealed in a plot twisting final chapter that sets up the next book,
The narrator Greg Patmore’s performance was amazing. He gave each character a completely different voice. His pacing and tone set the atmosphere and truly enhanced the story.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

1 person found this helpful

Be Prepared to Move On to Book Two

Right off, this book doesn't end in a cliffhanger per se, but it does make you want to move on to the next book in the series.

There's No Such Thing as Monsters takes place in New London with a brother and sister struggling to make a life. The mundane and Otherworld overlap a bit, with some people gifted to see fairy beings, but most not.

The adventure begins when a curious fairy explores the mundane world. And, this is a grand adventure! The world building is huge and colorful, mean and petty. It's glorious!

Narrator Greg Patmore is extremely talented, and the story lives the author's words through his rendition. It is like he is an ancient bard, telling the tale, and not reading from a manuscript. *bravo*

1 person found this helpful

the lies of faerie

This book was a little Tam-lin, a touch Carvival Row, with a bit of illuminati thrown in for good measure. I loved the way that your expectations are being subverted and the faerie myths are blended into this Dickenson story. I cant wait for the next one! I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

1 person found this helpful

Not All Faeries Are Cute & Cuddly

This is an excellent first in series. Ren Ryder's world building is superb and her characters are will developed and interesting. Kai has found that the father (priest) that was housing them ha been murdered and his sister Sammie abducted. Since meeting Bell (a faerie), Kai has been trying to get rid of her but now finds he must enlist her help in finding Sammie even though he does not trust her. Will he and Bell be able to find Sammie? I found this story to be an enjoyable read/listen with a brilliant story line that has some twists I did not see coming. Ren Ryder's prose was phenomenal as it drew you into the story and held you until the end and left you wanting more. I am looking forward to the next book to se what Ren has in store for these characters. The narrator Greg Patmore's performance was superb. He brought the characters to life. His pacing and tone was spot on and enhanced your listening enjoyment to the fullest. I received an ARC and this is my voluntary review.

Fun Story with some cool characters

There's No Such Thin as Monsters is a fun little fantasy book. It takes place in a world that is full of magic and creatures. It follows the story of Kal who has the 'sight' which means he can see elemental's, faeries and other creatures. He has found that this is not a gift and actually more of a curse as it just brings trouble. Kal is responsible for him and his little sister Sammie and he does everything he can to keep her safe. Kal is soon noticed by a Sylph Belle who won't leave him alone. They end up forming a bond and their relationship helps move the story along and provides a lot of the comic relief. Kal is thrust into some very dangerous and precarious situations and must use his magic and skills to survive.

There is quite a bit of action and magic in the book and it keeps you entertained throughout. The book seems like it could have been fleshed out a little more and some things explored a little deeper but that is probably going to take place in future installments. The narration by Greg Patmore was great and I was very fond of his voice and accent, it really fit well with the story. The story seems like it will be lighthearted but there are definitely some dark and upsetting moments. I am interested to see where the story goes in future installments.

"Please note I was given this free review copy audio book at my request and have voluntarily left this review."

Beware the fairies

This was a very interesting audiobook. There were parts I really enjoyed and a few parts that were jarring to me. I really loved the sylph and her personality. The magic was really cool I wanted to know more about it to understand how it all worked. I liked the main character for the most part and the beginning was great. Then the middle wasn’t my favorite. I wanted to punch one character but won’t say cause spoilers. The end left off on a cliffhanger and I really want to know what’s going to happen with that and what he’s going to do. Will he survive? And what’s he going to do if he survives? Will he go back to the human world again? I want to see more of the sylph and what she will do. She was my favorite character. This is an interesting take on fairies and I look forward to what else the author will do with this.

An intriguing "monster " story

I received this audiobook from StoryOrigin for my unbiased review and, I must say, I thoroughly enjoyed this. I won't go into a synopsis as it's already been done in other reviews. The narrator is very good, the characters likeable and sorta cute at times, but that little fairy! What a pip! LOVED this story and can't wait to read the next book in this series.

very good and a bit dark

This book a bit of a gaslamp fantasy noir, It's great example of what the genre can be. The characters are great and the world building is intriguing, The story is fantastical but also gritty. It's really quite compelling and will leave you wanting more.

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Interesting listening

I recieved a complimentary copy of this audiobook, and this is my honest review. I really enjoyed this book. the only thing I didn't really like was how it ended. I understand it was to lead us into the next book in the series, but I feel like the book was incomplete. Otherwise I really enjoyed this book.

There's no such thing as monsters

I loved this book!Well,I did get a bit tired of Bells obnoxiosness. Kal has only tried to be there for his little sister.Due to circumstances beyond his control,he can't be.It seems his life is not his own.Greg Patmore did a wonderful job with all the voices.I hope to catch book 2!I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.'