Nikolaos

A Retelling of the Saint Nicholas Story

De: Taylor Marshall

Narrado por: Kennedy Hall

In the heart of the Roman Empire, presbyter Nikolaos faces an otherworldly battle far beyond anything he has ever experienced.

Melitta, daughter of a fallen merchant, teeters on the precipice of slavery, her family's fate entwined with a demonic force gripping her father's soul. Nikolaos is tasked with the impossible: to free Melitta’s father from the demon’s malevolent clutches and save Melitta and her sisters from a life of shameful servitude. Can he overcome his own uncertainties to confront the demon and unravel the secrets binding Melitta's family to a fate worse than death?

As the feast of the Nativity approaches, the boundaries between faith and fear blur, and miracles are forged in the crucible of desperation. Will love, courage, and the spirit of the season prevail over the evil threatening the Empire’s very soul?

©2023 Taylor R. Marshall (P)2023 Taylor R. Marshall

Ol' Saint Nick

The story of St. Nicholas (not the Coca Cola Santa Clause we think of) is one I really like. I also watch/listen to Dr. Marshall's podcast. So for the Christmas season I listened to his retelling of the Saint Nicholas Story.

This is really funny and I can say it because it's not a spoiler. I didn't read the publisher's summary so I was very surprised that Melitta's father was possessed by a demon. That was a turn of events I didn't see coming! Oh wait, I just read the summary and its right there. *face palm*

Usually I stay away from stories of that kind because they're frightening and unnerving. But here I was okay because a) the narration was not scary, b) it's a short story and I knew Bishop Nikolaos would figure out a solution quickly.

I thought the character development for Nikolaos was pretty good. I liked how he overcame his doubts and realized going at it alone and letting the demon control the conversation was not going to work. Calling upon the Lord was the way to do it. I also liked his dedication to making sure Melitta and her sisters wouldn't be trafficked.

Melitta had her own struggles too. While thinking her reasons were noble she was repeatedly tempted to do the wrong thing and I just kept thinking, girl remember Exodus 14:14 "The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still."

While I liked the story and the inclusion of religious and historical elements, the narration was not good. I know Kennedy Hall has narrated Marshall's other books and I have yet to listen to them, but I have a feeling he's only a good narrator when it comes to non-fiction. He's not good at voicing different characters. Nikolaos, who was from modern day Turkey, sounded Scottish. Everyone else sounded Middle Eastern, and (this isn't really his fault because he's grown man) his voices for the young girls were -how do I put this?-painful to listen to. If it weren't for the bad narration I would have given this a 4 or 4.5 but as it stands I am giving it a 3 out of 5 Gold Coins.

Worst narration i've ever heard

Well, all i can say is, JRR Tolkien and JK Rowling have nothing to worry about. Taylor Marshall should stick to theology rather than try to cobble together a story using concepts and imagery from Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter.
The narrator sounded like he wasn't paying any attention at all to what he was reading; the cadences and tone were completely off. And since when does a saint from Anatolia speak with a Scotts/Irish accent?! The story might have seemed less lame if the narration hadn't been so strange