
She Who Became the Sun
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
$0.99/mo for the first 3 months

Buy for $24.74
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Natalie Naudus
About this listen
Read by fan-favorite narrator Natalie Naudus
Mulan meets The Song of Achilles in Shelley Parker-Chan's She Who Became the Sun, a bold, queer, and lyrical reimagining of the rise of the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty from an amazing new voice in literary fantasy.
To possess the Mandate of Heaven, the female monk Zhu will do anything
“I refuse to be nothing…”
In a famine-stricken village on a dusty yellow plain, two children are given two fates. A boy, greatness. A girl, nothingness…
In 1345, China lies under harsh Mongol rule. For the starving peasants of the Central Plains, greatness is something found only in stories. When the Zhu family’s eighth-born son, Zhu Chongba, is given a fate of greatness, everyone is mystified as to how it will come to pass. The fate of nothingness received by the family’s clever and capable second daughter, on the other hand, is only as expected.
When a bandit attack orphans the two children, though, it is Zhu Chongba who succumbs to despair and dies. Desperate to escape her own fated death, the girl uses her brother's identity to enter a monastery as a young male novice. There, propelled by her burning desire to survive, Zhu learns she is capable of doing whatever it takes, no matter how callous, to stay hidden from her fate.
After her sanctuary is destroyed for supporting the rebellion against Mongol rule, Zhu takes the chance to claim another future altogether: her brother's abandoned greatness.
A Macmillan Audio production from Tor Books
©2021 Shelley Parker-Chan (P)2021 Macmillan AudioListeners also enjoyed...
-
The Priory of the Orange Tree
- By: Samantha Shannon
- Narrated by: Liyah Summers
- Length: 25 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The House of Berethnet has ruled Inys for a thousand years. Still unwed, Queen Sabran the Ninth must conceive a daughter to protect her realm from destruction - but assassins are getting closer to her door. Ead Duryan is an outsider at court. Though she has risen to the position of lady-in-waiting, she is loyal to a hidden society of mages. Ead keeps a watchful eye on Sabran, secretly protecting her with forbidden magic.
-
-
In a word, WOW
- By Kevin Potter on 03-09-19
By: Samantha Shannon
-
Godkiller
- By: Hannah Kaner
- Narrated by: Kit Griffiths
- Length: 12 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Gods are forbidden in the kingdom of Middren. Formed by human desires and fed by their worship, there are countless gods in the world—but after a great war, the new king outlawed them and now pays “godkillers” to destroy any who try to rise from the shadows. As a child, Kissen saw her family murdered by a fire god. Now, she makes a living killing them and enjoys it. But all this changes when Kissen is tasked with helping a young noble girl with a god problem. The child’s soul is bonded to a tiny god of white lies, and Kissen can’t kill it without ending the girl’s life too.
-
-
Good story but the Narration is so bad
- By Nino Svanidze on 10-31-23
By: Hannah Kaner
-
Babel
- Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators' Revolution
- By: R. F. Kuang
- Narrated by: Chris Lew Kum Hoi, Billie Fulford-Brown
- Length: 21 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
1828. Robin Swift, orphaned by cholera in Canton, is brought to London by the mysterious Professor Lovell. There, he trains for years in Latin, Ancient Greek, and Chinese, all in preparation for the day he’ll enroll in Oxford University’s prestigious Royal Institute of Translation—also known as Babel. Babel is the world's center for translation and, more importantly, magic. Silver working—the art of manifesting the meaning lost in translation using enchanted silver bars—has made the British unparalleled in power, as its knowledge serves the Empire’s quest for colonization.
-
-
The novel language lovers have been waiting for
- By LisaLee on 09-06-22
By: R. F. Kuang
-
The Jasmine Throne
- By: Tasha Suri
- Narrated by: Shiromi Arserio
- Length: 19 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Exiled by her despotic brother, princess Malini spends her days dreaming of vengeance while imprisoned in the Hirana: an ancient cliffside temple that was once the revered source of the magical deathless waters but is now little more than a decaying ruin. The secrets of the Hirana call to Priya. But in order to keep the truth of her past safely hidden, she works as a servant in the loathed regent’s household, biting her tongue and cleaning Malini’s chambers.
-
-
I had to stop
- By Evanlee on 07-11-21
By: Tasha Suri
-
The Night and Its Moon
- The Night and Its Moon, Book 1
- By: Piper CJ
- Narrated by: Natalie Naudus
- Length: 16 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Farleigh is just an orphanage–at least, that's what the church would have the people believe. But beautiful orphans Nox and fae-touched Amaris know better. They are commodities for sale, available for purchase by the highest bidder. So when the madame of a notorious brothel in a far-off city offers a king's ransom to purchase Amaris, Nox ends up taking her place—while Amaris is drawn away to the mountains, home of mysterious assassins.
-
-
Ok story for racist troupe abound!
- By JBee on 05-30-23
By: Piper CJ
-
The Song of Achilles
- A Novel
- By: Madeline Miller
- Narrated by: Frazer Douglas
- Length: 11 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Greece in the age of heroes. Patroclus, an awkward young prince, has been exiled to the kingdom of Phthia to be raised in the shadow of King Peleus and his golden son, Achilles. “The best of all the Greeks”—strong, beautiful, and the child of a goddess—Achilles is everything the shamed Patroclus is not. Yet despite their differences, the boys become steadfast companions. Their bond deepens as they grow into young men and become skilled in the arts of war and medicine—much to the displeasure and the fury of Achilles’ mother, Thetis, a cruel sea goddess with a hatred of mortals.
-
-
Wasn't Expecting to Like It- BOY! was I wrong!!
- By susan on 06-11-14
By: Madeline Miller
-
The Priory of the Orange Tree
- By: Samantha Shannon
- Narrated by: Liyah Summers
- Length: 25 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The House of Berethnet has ruled Inys for a thousand years. Still unwed, Queen Sabran the Ninth must conceive a daughter to protect her realm from destruction - but assassins are getting closer to her door. Ead Duryan is an outsider at court. Though she has risen to the position of lady-in-waiting, she is loyal to a hidden society of mages. Ead keeps a watchful eye on Sabran, secretly protecting her with forbidden magic.
-
-
In a word, WOW
- By Kevin Potter on 03-09-19
By: Samantha Shannon
-
Godkiller
- By: Hannah Kaner
- Narrated by: Kit Griffiths
- Length: 12 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Gods are forbidden in the kingdom of Middren. Formed by human desires and fed by their worship, there are countless gods in the world—but after a great war, the new king outlawed them and now pays “godkillers” to destroy any who try to rise from the shadows. As a child, Kissen saw her family murdered by a fire god. Now, she makes a living killing them and enjoys it. But all this changes when Kissen is tasked with helping a young noble girl with a god problem. The child’s soul is bonded to a tiny god of white lies, and Kissen can’t kill it without ending the girl’s life too.
-
-
Good story but the Narration is so bad
- By Nino Svanidze on 10-31-23
By: Hannah Kaner
-
Babel
- Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators' Revolution
- By: R. F. Kuang
- Narrated by: Chris Lew Kum Hoi, Billie Fulford-Brown
- Length: 21 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
1828. Robin Swift, orphaned by cholera in Canton, is brought to London by the mysterious Professor Lovell. There, he trains for years in Latin, Ancient Greek, and Chinese, all in preparation for the day he’ll enroll in Oxford University’s prestigious Royal Institute of Translation—also known as Babel. Babel is the world's center for translation and, more importantly, magic. Silver working—the art of manifesting the meaning lost in translation using enchanted silver bars—has made the British unparalleled in power, as its knowledge serves the Empire’s quest for colonization.
-
-
The novel language lovers have been waiting for
- By LisaLee on 09-06-22
By: R. F. Kuang
-
The Jasmine Throne
- By: Tasha Suri
- Narrated by: Shiromi Arserio
- Length: 19 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Exiled by her despotic brother, princess Malini spends her days dreaming of vengeance while imprisoned in the Hirana: an ancient cliffside temple that was once the revered source of the magical deathless waters but is now little more than a decaying ruin. The secrets of the Hirana call to Priya. But in order to keep the truth of her past safely hidden, she works as a servant in the loathed regent’s household, biting her tongue and cleaning Malini’s chambers.
-
-
I had to stop
- By Evanlee on 07-11-21
By: Tasha Suri
-
The Night and Its Moon
- The Night and Its Moon, Book 1
- By: Piper CJ
- Narrated by: Natalie Naudus
- Length: 16 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Farleigh is just an orphanage–at least, that's what the church would have the people believe. But beautiful orphans Nox and fae-touched Amaris know better. They are commodities for sale, available for purchase by the highest bidder. So when the madame of a notorious brothel in a far-off city offers a king's ransom to purchase Amaris, Nox ends up taking her place—while Amaris is drawn away to the mountains, home of mysterious assassins.
-
-
Ok story for racist troupe abound!
- By JBee on 05-30-23
By: Piper CJ
-
The Song of Achilles
- A Novel
- By: Madeline Miller
- Narrated by: Frazer Douglas
- Length: 11 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Greece in the age of heroes. Patroclus, an awkward young prince, has been exiled to the kingdom of Phthia to be raised in the shadow of King Peleus and his golden son, Achilles. “The best of all the Greeks”—strong, beautiful, and the child of a goddess—Achilles is everything the shamed Patroclus is not. Yet despite their differences, the boys become steadfast companions. Their bond deepens as they grow into young men and become skilled in the arts of war and medicine—much to the displeasure and the fury of Achilles’ mother, Thetis, a cruel sea goddess with a hatred of mortals.
-
-
Wasn't Expecting to Like It- BOY! was I wrong!!
- By susan on 06-11-14
By: Madeline Miller
-
Nettle & Bone
- By: T. Kingfisher
- Narrated by: Amara Jasper
- Length: 9 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Marra never wanted to be a hero. As the shy, convent-raised, third-born daughter, she escaped the traditional fate of princesses, to be married away for the sake of an uncaring throne. But her sister wasn’t so fortunate—and after years of silence, Marra is done watching her suffer at the hands of a powerful and abusive prince. Seeking help for her rescue mission, Marra is offered the tools she needs, but only if she can complete three seemingly impossible tasks:
-
-
If Only I Could Cut Out Half the Story
- By Ree on 04-28-22
By: T. Kingfisher
-
The Fragile Threads of Power
- By: V. E. Schwab
- Narrated by: Kate Reading, Marisa Calin, Michael Kramer
- Length: 21 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Once, there were four worlds, nestled like pages in a book, each pulsing with fantastical power and connected by a single city: London. Until the magic grew too fast and forced the worlds to seal the doors between them in a desperate gamble to protect their own. The few magicians who could still open the doors grew more rare as time passed and now, only three Antari are known in recent memory—Kell Maresh of Red London, Delilah Bard of Grey London, and Holland Vosijk, of White London.
-
-
Best in the series!
- By Pat on 10-09-23
By: V. E. Schwab
-
This Is How You Lose the Time War
- By: Amal El-Mohtar, Max Gladstone
- Narrated by: Cynthia Farrell, Emily Woo Zeller
- Length: 4 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Among the ashes of a dying world, an agent of the Commandment finds a letter. It reads: Burn before reading. Thus begins an unlikely correspondence between two rival agents hellbent on securing the best possible future for their warring factions. Now, what began as a taunt, a battlefield boast, becomes something more. Something epic. Something romantic. Something that could change the past and the future. Except the discovery of their bond would mean the death of each of them. There’s still a war going on, after all. And someone has to win. That’s how war works, right?
-
-
Flowery poetic word salad
- By Austin on 02-11-20
By: Amal El-Mohtar, and others
-
Iron Widow (Book 1)
- By: Xiran Jay Zhao
- Narrated by: Rong Fu
- Length: 12 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The boys of Huaxia dream of pairing up with girls to pilot Chrysalises, giant transforming robots that can battle the mecha aliens that lurk beyond the Great Wall. It doesn't matter that the girls often die from the mental strain. When 18-year-old Zetian offers herself up as a concubine-pilot, it's to assassinate the ace male pilot responsible for her sister's death. But she gets her vengeance in a way nobody expected—she kills him through the psychic link between pilots and emerges from the cockpit unscathed.
-
-
A fun yet uneven read.
- By Cody McGrath on 09-28-21
By: Xiran Jay Zhao
-
The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi
- A Novel
- By: Shannon Chakraborty
- Narrated by: Lameece Issaq, Amin El Gamal
- Length: 16 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Amina al-Sirafi should be content. After a storied and scandalous career as one of the Indian Ocean’s most notorious pirates, she’s survived backstabbing rogues, vengeful merchant princes, several husbands, and one actual demon to retire peacefully with her family to a life of piety, motherhood, and absolutely nothing that hints of the supernatural.
-
-
Not City of Brass, A Fun Swashbuckling Adventure
- By Pele on 03-23-23
-
Crier's War
- By: Nina Varela
- Narrated by: Kim Mai Guest
- Length: 13 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After the War of Kinds ravaged the kingdom of Rabu, the Automae, designed to be the playthings of royals, usurped their owners’ estates and bent the human race to their will. Now, Ayla, a human servant rising in the ranks at the House of the Sovereign, dreams of avenging her family’s death...by killing the sovereign’s daughter, Lady Crier.
-
-
the ending was so unsatisfying
- By April Ohms on 11-23-19
By: Nina Varela
-
A Memory Called Empire
- Teixcalaan, Book 1
- By: Arkady Martine
- Narrated by: Amy Landon
- Length: 15 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ambassador Mahit Dzmare arrives in the center of the multi-system Teixcalaanli Empire only to discover that her predecessor, the previous ambassador from their small but fiercely independent mining station, has died. But no one will admit that his death wasn't an accident - or that Mahit might be next to die, during a time of political instability in the highest echelons of the imperial court. Now, Mahit must discover who is behind the murder, rescue herself, and save her station from Teixcalaan's unceasing expansion.
-
-
Story is great, weird editing, not great narration
- By Nadia on 06-10-19
By: Arkady Martine
-
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
- A Song of Ice and Fire
- By: George R. R. Martin
- Narrated by: Harry Lloyd
- Length: 10 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A young, naïve but ultimately courageous hedge knight, Ser Duncan the Tall towers above his rivals—in stature if not experience. Tagging along is his diminutive squire, a boy called Egg—whose true name is hidden from all he and Dunk encounter. Though more improbable heroes may not be found in all of Westeros, great destinies lay ahead for these two . . . as do powerful foes, royal intrigue, and outrageous exploits. Featuring more than 160 all-new illustrations by Gary Gianni, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is a must-have collection that proves chivalry isn’t dead—yet.
-
-
What separates Lloyd from Dotrice
- By Pusang Tulog on 10-14-15
-
New Spring
- The Wheel of Time Prequel
- By: Robert Jordan
- Narrated by: Kate Reading, Michael Kramer
- Length: 12 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For three days battle has raged in the snow around the great city of Tar Valon. In the city, a foretelling of the future is uttered. On the slopes of Dragonmount, the immense mountain that looms over the city, a child is born, an infant prophesied to change the world. That child must be found before he can be killed by the forces of the Shadow.
-
-
Read it after reading others in the series
- By Stacy Fair on 12-13-07
By: Robert Jordan
-
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow
- A Novel
- By: Gabrielle Zevin
- Narrated by: Jennifer Kim, Julian Cihi
- Length: 13 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Sam and Sadie—two college friends, often in love, but never lovers—become creative partners in a dazzling and intricately imagined world of video game design, where success brings them fame, joy, tragedy, duplicity, and, ultimately, a kind of immortality. It is a love story, but not one you have heard before.
-
-
This book sucked the life out of me
- By RMan on 08-08-22
By: Gabrielle Zevin
-
The Shadow of What Was Lost
- Licanius, Book 1
- By: James Islington
- Narrated by: Michael Kramer
- Length: 25 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It has been 20 years since the end of the war. The dictatorial Augurs, once thought of almost as gods, were overthrown and wiped out during the conflict, their much-feared powers mysteriously failing them. Those who had ruled under them, men and women with a lesser ability known as the Gift, avoided the Augurs' fate only by submitting themselves to the rebellion's Four Tenets.
-
-
Atrocious. Almost abusive.
- By Captain Spanky Of Nazareth on 06-10-20
By: James Islington
-
Light from Uncommon Stars
- By: Ryka Aoki
- Narrated by: Cindy Kay
- Length: 13 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Shizuka Satomi made a deal with the devil: To escape damnation, she must entice seven other violin prodigies to trade their souls for success. She has already delivered six. When Katrina Nguyen, a young transgender runaway, catches Shizuka's ear with her wild talent, Shizuka can almost feel the curse lifting. She's found her final candidate. But in a donut shop off a bustling highway in the San Gabriel Valley, Shizuka meets Lan Tran, retired starship captain, interstellar refugee, and mother of four.
-
-
Awesome with a few hitches.
- By Levi Fay on 10-01-21
By: Ryka Aoki
Critic reviews
Lambda Literary Award - Nominee, 2022
“The characters are bold and complex in this story of fealty, family, and self. Epic worldbuilding, high action, and ruthless shades of love and desire make the tale at turns tragic and inspiring... Parker-Chan’s debut is forceful, immersive, and unforgettable. This inspired queer retelling of Chinese history is an exciting read.” (Library Journal, starred review)
“Parker-Chan’s gorgeous writing accompanies a vibrantly rendered world full of imperfect, fascinating characters. With every turn of the page, the book offers a new set piece, a new revelation, a new horror.... If you’re a fan of epic fantasy, you can’t miss this one.” (BookPage, starred review)
"Natalie Naudus delivers this epic of fate, ambition, and identity set in thirteenth-century Mongol-ruled China." (AudioFile review)
Featured Article: The Best Women Narrators to Listen to Right Now
One of the biggest questions listeners have when it comes to approaching a new audiobook is whether or not they'll enjoy the narration style. This is understandable, as audiobooks are at least a few hours long (with many clocking in at 20 hours long—or more!), and sticking with one person's voice for that time period can feel like a big commitment. We rounded up some of the best female narrators with a robust list of audiobooks under their belts.
People who viewed this also viewed...
-
Crier's War
- By: Nina Varela
- Narrated by: Kim Mai Guest
- Length: 13 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After the War of Kinds ravaged the kingdom of Rabu, the Automae, designed to be the playthings of royals, usurped their owners’ estates and bent the human race to their will. Now, Ayla, a human servant rising in the ranks at the House of the Sovereign, dreams of avenging her family’s death...by killing the sovereign’s daughter, Lady Crier.
-
-
the ending was so unsatisfying
- By April Ohms on 11-23-19
By: Nina Varela
-
The Jasmine Throne
- By: Tasha Suri
- Narrated by: Shiromi Arserio
- Length: 19 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Exiled by her despotic brother, princess Malini spends her days dreaming of vengeance while imprisoned in the Hirana: an ancient cliffside temple that was once the revered source of the magical deathless waters but is now little more than a decaying ruin. The secrets of the Hirana call to Priya. But in order to keep the truth of her past safely hidden, she works as a servant in the loathed regent’s household, biting her tongue and cleaning Malini’s chambers.
-
-
I had to stop
- By Evanlee on 07-11-21
By: Tasha Suri
-
Burning Roses
- By: S.L. Huang
- Narrated by: Nancy Wu
- Length: 3 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Rosa, also known as Red Riding Hood, is done with wolves and woods. Hou Yi the Archer is tired, and knows she's past her prime. They would both rather just be retired, but that's not what the world has ready for them. When deadly sunbirds begin to ravage the countryside, threatening everything they've both grown to love, the two must join forces. Now blessed and burdened with the hindsight of middle age, they begin a quest that's a reckoning of sacrifices made and mistakes mourned, of choices and family, and the quest for immortality.
-
-
Fairy tales blended with Asian sentiment
- By 🔥 Phx17 🔥 on 12-17-23
By: S.L. Huang
-
On a Red Station, Drifting
- By: Aliette de Bodard
- Narrated by: Emily Woo Zeller
- Length: 5 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For generations, Prosper Station has thrived under the guidance of its Honoured Ancestress: born of a human womb, the station's artificial intelligence has offered guidance and protection to its human relatives. But war has come to the Dai Viet Empire. Prosper's brightest minds have been called away to defend the emperor; and a flood of disorientated refugees strain the station's resources.
-
-
Great world-building and characters, volume issues
- By Rachael Bailey on 07-08-19
-
Kaikeyi
- A Novel
- By: Vaishnavi Patel
- Narrated by: Soneela Nankani
- Length: 17 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
So begins Kaikeyi’s story. The only daughter of the kingdom of Kekaya, she is raised on legends of the gods: how they churned the vast ocean to obtain the nectar of immortality, how they vanquish evil and ensure the land of Bharat prospers, and how they offer powerful boons to the devout and the wise. Yet she watches as her father unceremoniously banishes her mother, listens as her own worth is reduced to how great a marriage alliance she can secure. And when she calls upon the gods for help, they never seem to hear.
-
-
Good effort but dissappointing
- By Purva on 08-17-22
By: Vaishnavi Patel
-
The Ones We Burn
- By: Rebecca Mix
- Narrated by: Roisin Rankin
- Length: 14 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ranka is tired of death. All she wants is to be left alone, living out her days in Witchik’s wild north with the coven that raised her, attempting to forget the horrors of her past. But when she is named Bloodwinn, the next treaty bride to the human kingdom of Isodal, her coven sends her south with a single directive: kill him. Easy enough, for a blood-witch whose magic compels her to kill. Except the prince is gentle, kind, and terrified of her. He doesn’t want to marry Ranka; he doesn’t want to be king at all. And it’s his sister who seems to be the real threat.
-
-
Really enjoyed!
- By Anonymous User on 09-01-24
By: Rebecca Mix
-
Crier's War
- By: Nina Varela
- Narrated by: Kim Mai Guest
- Length: 13 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After the War of Kinds ravaged the kingdom of Rabu, the Automae, designed to be the playthings of royals, usurped their owners’ estates and bent the human race to their will. Now, Ayla, a human servant rising in the ranks at the House of the Sovereign, dreams of avenging her family’s death...by killing the sovereign’s daughter, Lady Crier.
-
-
the ending was so unsatisfying
- By April Ohms on 11-23-19
By: Nina Varela
-
The Jasmine Throne
- By: Tasha Suri
- Narrated by: Shiromi Arserio
- Length: 19 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Exiled by her despotic brother, princess Malini spends her days dreaming of vengeance while imprisoned in the Hirana: an ancient cliffside temple that was once the revered source of the magical deathless waters but is now little more than a decaying ruin. The secrets of the Hirana call to Priya. But in order to keep the truth of her past safely hidden, she works as a servant in the loathed regent’s household, biting her tongue and cleaning Malini’s chambers.
-
-
I had to stop
- By Evanlee on 07-11-21
By: Tasha Suri
-
Burning Roses
- By: S.L. Huang
- Narrated by: Nancy Wu
- Length: 3 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Rosa, also known as Red Riding Hood, is done with wolves and woods. Hou Yi the Archer is tired, and knows she's past her prime. They would both rather just be retired, but that's not what the world has ready for them. When deadly sunbirds begin to ravage the countryside, threatening everything they've both grown to love, the two must join forces. Now blessed and burdened with the hindsight of middle age, they begin a quest that's a reckoning of sacrifices made and mistakes mourned, of choices and family, and the quest for immortality.
-
-
Fairy tales blended with Asian sentiment
- By 🔥 Phx17 🔥 on 12-17-23
By: S.L. Huang
-
On a Red Station, Drifting
- By: Aliette de Bodard
- Narrated by: Emily Woo Zeller
- Length: 5 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For generations, Prosper Station has thrived under the guidance of its Honoured Ancestress: born of a human womb, the station's artificial intelligence has offered guidance and protection to its human relatives. But war has come to the Dai Viet Empire. Prosper's brightest minds have been called away to defend the emperor; and a flood of disorientated refugees strain the station's resources.
-
-
Great world-building and characters, volume issues
- By Rachael Bailey on 07-08-19
-
Kaikeyi
- A Novel
- By: Vaishnavi Patel
- Narrated by: Soneela Nankani
- Length: 17 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
So begins Kaikeyi’s story. The only daughter of the kingdom of Kekaya, she is raised on legends of the gods: how they churned the vast ocean to obtain the nectar of immortality, how they vanquish evil and ensure the land of Bharat prospers, and how they offer powerful boons to the devout and the wise. Yet she watches as her father unceremoniously banishes her mother, listens as her own worth is reduced to how great a marriage alliance she can secure. And when she calls upon the gods for help, they never seem to hear.
-
-
Good effort but dissappointing
- By Purva on 08-17-22
By: Vaishnavi Patel
-
The Ones We Burn
- By: Rebecca Mix
- Narrated by: Roisin Rankin
- Length: 14 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ranka is tired of death. All she wants is to be left alone, living out her days in Witchik’s wild north with the coven that raised her, attempting to forget the horrors of her past. But when she is named Bloodwinn, the next treaty bride to the human kingdom of Isodal, her coven sends her south with a single directive: kill him. Easy enough, for a blood-witch whose magic compels her to kill. Except the prince is gentle, kind, and terrified of her. He doesn’t want to marry Ranka; he doesn’t want to be king at all. And it’s his sister who seems to be the real threat.
-
-
Really enjoyed!
- By Anonymous User on 09-01-24
By: Rebecca Mix
-
The Empress of Salt and Fortune
- Singing Hills Cycle, Book 1
- By: Nghi Vo
- Narrated by: Cindy Kay
- Length: 2 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A young royal from the far north, is sent south for a political marriage in an empire reminiscent of imperial China. Her brothers are dead, her armies and their war mammoths long defeated and caged behind their borders. Alone and sometimes reviled, she must choose her allies carefully. Rabbit, a handmaiden, sold by her parents to the palace for the lack of five baskets of dye, befriends the emperor's lonely new wife and gets more than she bargained for.
-
-
I feel like I’m not smart enough to understand why this is supposed to be so great
- By J. Angel on 08-06-20
By: Nghi Vo
-
Godkiller
- By: Hannah Kaner
- Narrated by: Kit Griffiths
- Length: 12 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Gods are forbidden in the kingdom of Middren. Formed by human desires and fed by their worship, there are countless gods in the world—but after a great war, the new king outlawed them and now pays “godkillers” to destroy any who try to rise from the shadows. As a child, Kissen saw her family murdered by a fire god. Now, she makes a living killing them and enjoys it. But all this changes when Kissen is tasked with helping a young noble girl with a god problem. The child’s soul is bonded to a tiny god of white lies, and Kissen can’t kill it without ending the girl’s life too.
-
-
Good story but the Narration is so bad
- By Nino Svanidze on 10-31-23
By: Hannah Kaner
-
The Bird King
- By: G. Willow Wilson
- Narrated by: Elmira Rahim
- Length: 14 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
G. Willow Wilson’s debut novel Alif the Unseen was an NPR and Washington Post Best Book of the Year, and it established her as a vital American Muslim literary voice. Now she delivers The Bird King, a stunning new novel that tells the story of Fatima, a concubine in the royal court of Granada, the last emirate of Muslim Spain, and her dearest friend Hassan, the palace mapmaker. Hassan has a secret - he can draw maps of places he’s never seen and bend the shape of reality.
-
-
Good enough to suffer through the poor narration
- By J. OBrennan on 03-22-19
By: G. Willow Wilson
-
His Majesty's Dragon
- Temeraire, Book 1
- By: Naomi Novik
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 9 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When HMS Reliant captures a French frigate and seizes its precious cargo - an unhatched dragon egg - fate sweeps Captain Will Laurence from his seafaring life into an uncertain future and an unexpected kinship with a most extraordinary creature. Thrust into the rarified world of the Aerial Corps as master of the dragon Temeraire, he will face a crash course in the daring tactics of airborne battle.
-
-
Excellent AU period fantasy
- By Melanie on 07-08-10
By: Naomi Novik
-
The Merciful Crow
- By: Margaret Owen
- Narrated by: Amy Landon
- Length: 12 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Fie abides by one rule: Look after your own. Her Crow caste of undertakers and mercy-killers takes more abuse than coin, but when they’re called to collect royal dead, she’s hoping they’ll find the payout of a lifetime. When Crown Prince Jasimir turns out to have faked his death, Fie’s ready to cut her losses - and perhaps his throat. But he offers a wager that she can’t refuse: Protect him from a ruthless queen, and he’ll protect the Crows when he reigns.
-
-
Worth the read/listen
- By Shannon on 09-13-19
By: Margaret Owen
-
The Cartographers
- A Novel
- By: Peng Shepherd
- Narrated by: Emily Woo Zeller, Nancy Wu, Karen Chilton, and others
- Length: 14 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Nell Young’s whole life and greatest passion is cartography. Her father, Dr. Daniel Young, is a legend in the field, and Nell’s personal hero. But she hasn't seen or spoken to him ever since he cruelly fired her and destroyed her reputation after an argument over a cheap old gas station highway map. But when Dr. Young is found dead in his office at the New York Public Library, with the very same seemingly worthless map hidden in his desk, Nell can’t resist investigating. To her surprise, she soon discovers that the map is incredibly valuable, and also exceedingly rare.
-
-
This audiobook should come with a warning label...
- By Amazon Customer on 03-28-22
By: Peng Shepherd
-
The City in Glass
- By: Nghi Vo
- Narrated by: Susan Dalian
- Length: 6 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The demon Vitrine—immortal, powerful, and capricious—loves the dazzling city of Azril. She has mothered, married, and maddened the city and its people for generations, and built it into a place of joy and desire, revelry and riot. And then the angels come, and the city falls. Vitrine is left with nothing but memories and a book containing the names of those she has lost—and an angel, now bound by her mad, grief-stricken curse to haunt the city he burned.
-
-
No investment
- By Kevin Alan Wenner on 11-07-24
By: Nghi Vo
-
Witch King
- By: Martha Wells
- Narrated by: Eric Mok
- Length: 13 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After being murdered, his consciousness dormant and unaware of the passing of time while confined in an elaborate water trap, Kai wakes to find a lesser mage attempting to harness Kai’s magic to his own advantage. That was never going to go well. But why was Kai imprisoned in the first place? What has changed in the world since his assassination? And why does the Rising World Coalition appear to be growing in influence? Kai will need to pull his allies close and draw on all his pain magic if he is to answer even the least of these questions.
-
-
I gave up
- By Mara P on 06-26-23
By: Martha Wells
-
Gearbreakers
- Gearbreakers, Book1
- By: Zoe Hana Mikuta
- Narrated by: Catherine Ho, Cindy Kay
- Length: 12 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The shadow of Godolia's tyrannical rule is spreading, aided by their giant mechanized weapons known as Windups. War and oppression are everyday constants for the people of the Badlands, who live under the thumb of their cruel Godolia overlords. Eris Shindanai is a Gearbreaker, a brash young rebel who specializes in taking down Windups from the inside. When one of her missions goes awry and she finds herself in a Godolia prison, Eris meets Sona Steelcrest, a cybernetically enhanced Windup pilot.
-
-
disapointing
- By Preston Poland on 08-26-21
By: Zoe Hana Mikuta
-
One Last Stop
- By: Casey McQuiston
- Narrated by: Natalie Naudus
- Length: 12 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For cynical 23-year-old August, moving to New York City is supposed to prove her right: that things like magic and cinematic love stories don’t exist, and the only smart way to go through life is alone. She can’t imagine how waiting tables at a 24-hour pancake diner and moving in with too many weird roommates could possibly change that. And there’s certainly no chance of her subway commute being anything more than a daily trudge through boredom and electrical failures.
-
-
Disappointing
- By kdiz on 06-04-21
By: Casey McQuiston
-
The Midnight Lie
- By: Marie Rutkoski
- Narrated by: Justine Eyre
- Length: 9 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Where Nirrim lives, crime abounds, a harsh tribunal rules, and society's pleasures are reserved for the High Kith. Life in the Ward is grim and punishing. People of her low status are forbidden from sampling sweets or wearing colors. You either follow the rules, or pay a tithe and suffer the consequences. Nirrim keeps her head down, and a dangerous secret close to her chest.
-
-
Excellent Fantasy ...Bad Narration
- By Courtney Nichole Thompson on 04-12-20
By: Marie Rutkoski
-
The Keeper of Night
- The Keeper of Night, Book 1
- By: Kylie Baker
- Narrated by: Rebecca Yeo
- Length: 12 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Half British Reaper, half Japanese Shinigami, Ren Scarborough has been collecting souls in the London streets for centuries. Expected to obey the harsh hierarchy of the Reapers who despise her, Ren conceals her emotions and avoids her tormentors as best she can. When her failure to control her Shinigami abilities drives Ren out of London, she flees to Japan to seek the acceptance she’s never gotten from her fellow Reapers.
-
-
Amazing!
- By AshleyC on 04-27-22
By: Kylie Baker
What listeners say about She Who Became the Sun
Highly rated for:
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Yoshay
- 03-14-22
Slow Burn
Took me a while to get the into the story. Names were a bit confusing but after more than half the book, I felt properly invested. The eunuch general Ouyang was my absolute favourite take from this book. Zhu Chongba, the main protagonist, is not a very likeable character but her virulent energy and drive is undeniable and contagious. Overall a good read, great narration, could've been a bit shorter.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Bella Borg
- 01-24-22
So good
I couldn’t stop listening. Narration was lovely, plot kept me hooked, dialogue was culturally accurate while staying modern through the translation… I’m taking a second listen to catch the foreshadowing I know I missed… so great
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
- Anonymous User
- 04-19-22
Liked the Book, but the ending left me wanting
I liked the story, the different people in THE Book that felt totally different from other books I have Read before. But I wanted more from the ending...
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Audra Lorton
- 03-29-23
Middle of the Road IMO
The book is an interesting narrative on the war between fate and self belief/actualization. I appreciate that the story was very novel, but I never truly was captured by the story itself and felt very removed from the characters. I did also enjoy the gender-bent aspect of the story and that it challenged the assumptions projected onto a person simply due to the gender they were born to, which in itself can be powerful for some readers. I saw many people rave over this book, but it overall was rather 'meh' for me.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Brandon James
- 11-01-22
A Queer Epic for the Ages
She Who Became the Sun is an amazing fictional read deeply rooted in asian culture. Well written and gripping enough that both the protagonist and antagonist fully wowed me. The queer representation in this novel as well is so impossibly excellent that it deserves its own mention! A huge thanks to Natalie Naudus for lending her voice to the ebb and flow of this winding adventure!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Susan
- 03-06-24
Great story
I love historical fiction novels and this one did not disappoint. I’m looking forward to the next book
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Jason
- 05-04-24
Excellent
Incredible world building and character depth. Exciting story and effective storytelling. Must read for those who enjoy military fantasy.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Lorraine Romano
- 08-11-21
Amazing
Written in a powerfully evocative way - imaginative and captivating. An ambitious, relentless heroine Terrific narration-
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
5 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Sarah
- 09-18-22
Powerful Storytelling and Intriguing Characters
What an amazing read! I haven’t felt so connected to characters like this in a long time. Though they are living in different place and time, their internal struggles and doubts suffuse the story with immediacy. I also became more interested in the specifics of 1300’s China from a historical perspective. I’m definitely excited for the sequel whenever it comes!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Lauren
- 01-04-22
Amazing lyrical story
I loved this story so much, it's one of the best things I read in 2020 and I'm going to spend 2021 telling everyone I know who appreciates queer and non-eurocentric fiction that they need to read/listen to this!
Beautiful powerful story, I loved the different perspectives and how it created a whole world of flawed beautiful characters. I did struggle a bit to keep track of who was who, but that just gives me an excuse to listen to it again now with a better grasp of the cast. I'm halfway through my second listen and enjoying it just as much with a better ability to appreciate all the nuance as things develop.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful