Uncharted

Arcane America, Book 1

By: Kevin J. Anderson, Sarah A. Hoyt

Narrated by: Nick Sullivan

Length: 10 hrs and 6 mins

Publisher's summary

New alternate history fantasy series created by New York Times best-selling author Kevin J. Anderson and Sarah A. Hoyt.

Arcane America

A new world. New magic. New history.

After Halley's Comet was destroyed in a magical battle in 1759, the backlash separated the entire New World from the Old in an event known as The Sundering. Now isolated from the rest of the globe, America has become a very different place, where magic works and history has been changed forever.

It is 1803 - a new 1803. Young Meriwether Lewis, footloose and intrigued, goes to hear a lecture in St. Louis by the venerated old wizard Benjamin Franklin. Franklin's talk is disrupted by the attack of a winged fire-breathing beast, much like legends from Lewis' own Welsh heritage. In the aftermath, Franklin tells the young man that he knows of a great, growing evil that lurks in the uncharted Arcane Territories west of the Mississippi.

Using his own vast fortune, Franklin commissions Lewis and his own talented partner, William Clark, to embark on a remarkable voyage of exploration, to meet and document the indigenous tribes, to find a route all the way to the Pacific Ocean - and perhaps beyond the magical veil to Europe again - and to stop the growing evil that is filling the American West. For while the Sundering separated the rest of the world and granted the original colonists unexpected magical gifts, sorcery inspired by native legends has also been ignited. And the Arcane Territories may hold unparalleled dangers for the expedition, both natural and magical.

Accompanied by the brilliant shape-shifting sorceress Sacajawea, Lewis and Clark set off on an unparalleled adventure across a landscape that no European has ever seen.

©2018 Wordfire, Inc. and Sarah A. Hoyt (P)2018 Audible, Inc.

History with a twist of fantasy.

This sure puts a whole new spin on the expositions of Lewis and Clark. The imagination of the author is wild and his writing is very descriptive holding you captive. The performance was good, heightening the action. I am not a fan of stories about the netherworld therefore the reason for the lower score on review but that is a personal preference . Should make a good supernatural movie.

Amazing tale of an Alternate America

Originally, I was skeptical, I've read both authors before. But the story drew me in, and the depth of research needed to make this feel real certainly paid off.

Holding out empty smartphone to Kevin and Sarah:

Please, could I have some more?

And excelent reading

The authors took a piece of American History, added magic, and spun an great alternate history where North America has been cut off from Europe and, consequently, that pesky little rebellion of 1776 never happened. The narrator initially came across as if the book were being read by a game show host, but I stopped noticing after the first chapter.

Excellent magical alternative history

In a world ripped away from our own by the explosion of Haley's Comet and infused with magic by the same event, the journey of Lewis and Clark is a very different matter than the one studied in this world's history.

Here there be dragons

You know how you can tell the difference between a good alternate history book, and a bad one? The way the characters are played in the book. If you didn't have a name to tell you who the person was could you pick them out of a historical line up? are they described well, and does their personality match with what you know about them from your own readings or history classes? Is the language appropriate to the setting? I mean I don't think Abe Lincoln ever said cool or groovy, in spite all that Bill and Ted have taught us. Do they use phrases like OK before they actually existed? Do they describe the lands and people therein appropriately?

All of those are nice, but it really just comes down to the writing. Is it smart, is it entertaining, is it fun or fascinating? If you answered yes to any of those things then you have a winner. The other stuff is great if you can pull it off, but it can be overlooked if the other requirments are met.

The good news is that Uncharted is smart, fun, entertaining, and fascinating. The characters are a real blast, and one really steals the show! That would be the great and powerful wizard, Benjamin Franklin. I could have really stood to have had more of him sprinkled throughout the story. Lewis and Clark made for good choices as the main characters, as they get to do a lot of rambling and we get to see a lot of an America that we would not have if we just stayed with lovable old Ben. Kevin J. Anderson & Sarah A. Hoyt work well together, they really mesh their writng styles together very well. Their story does cover the duo, and their trek across the fledgling country which allows them a lot of leeway when it comes to surprises and action. I hate to say, but I think the only thing that slows the story down is the letters that Clark writes. While I am sure it fits historically, it really doesn't aid the story and I felt that they made it feel like you were walking through mud. You still make progress but it isn't fun, nor are you happy about the state you are in when it is over. Still, the rest of the book is solid and moves rapidly, always keeping your attention. If you want my opinion, skip the letters altogether, and you will not miss them.

I really enjoyed the book's cover, it really had the "Here there be Dragons" vibe, and tells you right away that this is not your typical historical story. The art itself is beautiful and a treasure to behold. It really fits with the story itself. Nice choice.

Lastly, I would love to tell you about Nick Sullivan and his narration. Nick first caught my attention with his book, Zombie Bigfoot. He wrote and narrated it, and I was impressed, not every writer can read his own story and make it sell. Sorry, Neil Gaiman, but I'm looking at you. Nick, however, is a long time narrator and has (as the kids would say) some mad skills. He can do numerous voices and accents, play male and female parts, and still add in emotion, action, and endear you to the characters. He is quite possible one of the most nuanced narrators I have ever listened to, and I have listened to a lot of audiobooks.

The really great news is that this looks to be part of a new series, and I will most certainly be there looking for the next audio release! Don't miss out. You should enjoy hearing Ben Franklin battling dragons, or possible listen in as another founding father fights troll. You never know what might turn up as we will still be in UNCHARTED territory! Even though I did receive a promo code for this review it in no way influenced my considerations of the material, and in fact, inspired me to be more honest. In fact, getting a code generally makes me harsher as a reviewer as I am more often concerned what someone like Me will decide based on my review.

If this review helped, please press the YES below. Thank you immensely!!!

A good story, but with a few concerns

My first issue is the narrator just came across as too staccato, as if every syllable needed to be emphasized. On top of that, there was almost never any emotion in his voice; not quite monotone, but rarely emotionally appropriate. Finally, I'm a little unsure of the story's tone; while I would call this a fantastic history as opposed to an alternate history, the fact that the expedition had a double goal of finding the Pacific and solving the riddle of the dragon at times almost made it seem more like a secret history. I found that a little awkward, sometimes even distracting. Otherwise, I thought it was good and can't wait to check out the second book in the series, which Eric Flint contributed to.

Great Alt History

Uncharted America, the first book of Arcane America takes us to the world of the sundering, where magic is real, and America never fought for its independence.
Follow young wizard Meriwether Lewis on his voyage to explore the western territory and face the Dragon Wizard.
Great fun.
Highly recommended.

magical alt history

very enjoyable alternative history. love the isolation on arcane america and how keeps the states separate.