Decent story

but as another reviewer pointed out, our main protagonist is a bit feckless. Perhaps it's just a build up to make him more of a hero when he develops more of a spine.

My review is probably colored by the antipathy I feel for the narrator. Every character bellows his lines like he's standing on a Shakespearean stage; there is no sense of anyone having a private conversation. And so many characters cackle like witches around a cauldron.

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1 person found this helpful

Few Moments of brilliance

I found in hard to want to finish this book. There are moments of brilliance and the story line is fresh and unique, but overall im not sure id recommend it as a good read.

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Sir, May I Have More Please

Like Oliver, I am hungry for more. Need to hear the second installment which, I believe, is out in England already. A book of rare richness; in it's universe, strata of society, and characters!

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4 people found this helpful

Feels like a classic story

Honestly surprised these books don’t have more reviews. I definitely recommend them to everyone. It’s always hard to decide on a new book series just hoping it will be good and this one is definitely worth a listen. Yes there definitely times where things get a bit jumbled with information also I’m not 100% sure what age he was going for as it had an overall PG13 vibe that occasionally slips into MA, which I always find confusing. Buttt overall one of the better young adult novels I’ve listened to.

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Almost, but not quite, great

I loved this book for the first three-quarters. The conclusion left me seriously debating whether to continue the series. The writing is usually excellent, with only occasional descents into the ponderous dialect of High Fantasy. The world-building is superb and the characters are largely compelling (and Michael Page does a brilliant job of evoking them). For what I understand is an early effort, this is brilliant work. Unfortunately, Redick suffers from excessive ambition. His conspiracies are so elaborate and many-layered that he loses narrative control. At many points, he resorts to "round-table exposition" where a bunch of characters dump information on one another, to explain all the elements that were not coming clear in the normal course of events. For a while, I excused this, since Redick generally shows great creativity in narration (journals, newspaper articles, letters, letters intercepted, in addition to the usual 3rd-person narration). And conspirators need to conspire! But as we approach the ending, these info-dumps come fast and furious, sometimes in the middle of otherwise tense situations. I could feel the author frantically grasping loose threads, reminding of us of plot elements left forgotten for hundreds of pages. For the last hour, I got confused repeatedly and I still don't think I quite understand the thinking of the arch-villain at the end. I wish the editor had told Redick this was a great draft, but that it needed radical revision. Keep the length, but simplify the plot-lines to something more manageable. Then use the extra words to expand the narration. Show more; tell less. Let readers have "aha!" moments as they put things together. Make sure no important element is left forgotten too long. With another draft, this book would have been truly great. Still, I gladly finished it. When Redick sticks to his storytelling, he tells a cracking tale. I loved his characters and his world. I hope his next volume benefits from more experience.

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5 people found this helpful

A GREAT READ

I've been entranced with this story - can't hardly wait to continue the adventure! Book two coming up!!

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1 person found this helpful

Very Good

The narrator made this book for me. The story is very good--I've read the two books in the series so far--but Michael Page brought it alive in a way few narrators can.

The description of this book compares the writer with George Martin, but that is extremely misleading. George Martin is a good writer, true, but his stories have no clear-cut heroes, no good guys or bad guys, which makes it difficult to root for any of them. This disconnection between the reader and the characters makes one enjoy the story, admire the art of prose, and marvel at the characterization, but lacks a certain something that makes his books truly great.

But this isn't a review of George Martin.

Robert Redick's books are about people who recognize the corruption within their respective empires and amongst their respective peoples, and rather than submitting for the sake of solidarity, choose to do the right thing. Unlike other fantasy books, where the enemy is a demon, or someone possessed by evil magic, the enemies are people who think they have the right to rule unjustly, and treat the world like crap due to some sense of entitlement.

Robert Redick's ability to make the fight for good feel like a true struggle for the protagonists is amazing. I found a few of the good guys rather obnoxious, which can make the story difficult to get through at times, but overall, I'm very glad I purchased these books. I will warn you, though, that the series isn't complete, yet, and the second book ends on a rather extreme cliffhanger.

All the same, a definite must read for any fantasy reader.

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13 people found this helpful

Not Bad, not great.

This book as been compared to George R.R. Martin and Philip Pullman's works, its not as good as either. Although it has a expansive convoluted plot it lacks any of the realism or character insight that Martin has. Although many of the characters are young adults and talking animals the plot is no where near as tight and fun as Pullman's books.
There are no outright bad ideas in this book, each plot element is well thought out in itself and the cast of characters is interesting. Where this book fails in in tying together any of this. I'm not speaking of the plot twists, as the first book of a series I don't expect every element to be brought together (even though this book does this) Its more like this author didn't know what kind of fantasy he wanted to write so he tried it all. If this book had been twice as long this may have worked but instead you get the feeling that he had to rush through certain parts.
The characters spend the vast majority of the book in terrible danger but since nothing truly bad ever happens you eventually stop worrying and just wait for the deus ex machina to kick in and save them.
Despite these things this is not a 'bad' book, its just not as good as it should be. This would be a good listen for young people or sensitive adults. There is no sex or really horrible violence in this book.
For those looking for a good nautical fiction, this book isn't really about the ship or sailing, much of the action actually takes place in the various ports. The sailing isn't described with much detail although you can tell that author has done some research.
The reader does a good job pronoucing the many invented lanquages and names that this story has, a difficult task in a book like since nearly every sentence uses them.

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14 people found this helpful

narrator excellent..makes the book..story..wierd

Michael Page. Love him.
This story is more about a group of people telling a story about a story than it is anything else. I was never pulled in. I was unable to suspend reality and flow with the tale. It was like watching something instead of doing something.
If I listen to the other stories, it will be to hear Michael Page, not because I care about the story or characters.

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Fun

Unlike most fantasy, this novel and its sequel don't take themselves too seriously. Redick has a great imagination and his characters are likable. Both books could use a bit of editing, however. I'm looking forward to the third.

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