Bruce
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Theft of Swords
- Riyria Revelations, Volume 1
- By: Michael J. Sullivan
- Narrated by: Tim Gerard Reynolds
- Length: 22 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
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Acclaimed author Michael J. Sullivan created instant best sellers with his spellbinding Riyria Revelations series. This first volume introduces Royce Melborn and Hadrian Blackwater, two enterprising thieves who end up running for their lives when they’re framed for the death of the king. Trapped in a conspiracy bigger than they can imagine, their only hope is unraveling an ancient mystery - before it’s too late.
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Two books in one - keep listening!!
- By Magpie on 08-21-12
- Theft of Swords
- Riyria Revelations, Volume 1
- By: Michael J. Sullivan
- Narrated by: Tim Gerard Reynolds
30,000 ratings can't be wrong
Reviewed: 02-07-25
Clear storyline. The characters tell you everything you need to know (narrator really unnecessary). And they explain everything to each other as we listen in. Unlike 19th century lit, this one is easily accessible to the anyone who can read The Hobbit. Good for listening when you are prone to distraction. Strong on humor and action, anemic on tragedy, subtlety and elevated language, A great yarn.
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The Midwife's Apprentice
- By: Karen Cushman
- Narrated by: Jenny Sterlin
- Length: 2 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
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Lyrical yet unsentimental, The Midwife's Apprentice won the coveted 1996 Newbery Medal. Filled with striking characters, it paints unforgettable pictures of village life in the Middle Ages, the midwife's craft, and a very remarkable girl's growing independence and pride.
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A good morality tale for young people
- By Sher from Provo on 06-22-12
- The Midwife's Apprentice
- By: Karen Cushman
- Narrated by: Jenny Sterlin
Wrong Audience
Reviewed: 01-17-25
Classic example of a Newbury winner that the average young reader would quickly put down; in other words, one and done - one chapter and look for something more interesting; unless such a reader had read and survived Cushman's "Alchemy and Meggie" first. Cushman's world building has created a world in which I would not like to live; makes C Dickens' worlds more a joyful walk in the park. College nursing students or abused orphans would be the target audience I would think.
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The Islands of the Blessed
- Sea of Trolls Trilogy, Book 3
- By: Nancy Farmer
- Narrated by: Gerard Doyle
- Length: 13 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
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In this much-anticipated conclusion to the Sea of Trolls trilogy, Notland is no place to seek one's true calling. Or is it?
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I cried......
- By Shay Fox on 09-21-20
- The Islands of the Blessed
- Sea of Trolls Trilogy, Book 3
- By: Nancy Farmer
- Narrated by: Gerard Doyle
I loved the series
Reviewed: 10-05-24
But when this book finished I thought, is that all? It seems like there was no climax, at least not one that follows rising tension.
So maybe there could be more, but I am not aware of any follow up. I do appreciate the realism - real life stories do not wrap up nicely. And these kids do have many more years ahead of them.
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The Land of the Silver Apples
- By: Nancy Farmer
- Narrated by: Gerard Doyle
- Length: 13 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
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Jack has caused an earthquake. He was trying to save his sister, Lucy, from being thrown down a well, but he is, after all, only a 13-year-old bard in training. Sometimes the magic doesn't quite work out. Not only does Jack demolish a monastery, but Lucy is carried off by the Lady of the Lake. Jack has to follow her through the Hollow Road that lies underground. It leads to all sorts of unexpected places: caves full of dragon poop, knucker holes (you do not want to know what knuckers are), and Elfland.
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Part of Chapter 5 seems to be missing.
- By cford50 on 09-26-16
- The Land of the Silver Apples
- By: Nancy Farmer
- Narrated by: Gerard Doyle
Better than the last book
Reviewed: 10-05-24
Usually a middle book is weaker, But I think this middle book has more to offer, and while third book is less than I hoped for it was a good story.
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The Sea of Trolls
- By: Nancy Farmer
- Narrated by: Gerard Doyle
- Length: 13 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
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In the year 793, siblings Jack and Lucy are captured by fearsome Vikings with a thirst for battle and pillaging. Taken to the court of Ivar the Boneless, Jack and Lucy are sent on a perilous journey - full of dragons and giant spiders - deep into the magical kingdom of the trolls!
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NO KINDNESS IS EVER WASTED
- By Jim "The Impatient" on 11-03-17
- The Sea of Trolls
- By: Nancy Farmer
- Narrated by: Gerard Doyle
A rare example of YA literature
Reviewed: 10-05-24
Literature, not fast paced one liners and superkid hero. Gerard Doyle turns gold into platinum. If there is something that I would have wished for is more reason to reread to discover any gems hidden in the early chapters, pointers to how the story goes. There are some, but mostly the story just moves forward as the young lad slowly grows. One does, in the series, gain more sympathy for those who pillage and plunder, It's just the way they are raised. And we learn that the greedy christian monks are also stupid - they fool themselves into not believing their eyes, when trolls, elves, dragons and whatnot stand right in front of them..
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Relic Master: The Margrave, Book 4
- By: Catherine Fisher
- Narrated by: Dan Bittner
- Length: 7 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
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The fourth installment in the Relic Master quartet!Galen and Raffi's quest has brought them to the Pits of Maar. There, below the surface of the world, in the deepest darkness, a most evil thing is waiting for them to come.
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Good series, but just a bit shallow for me
- By Bruce on 09-19-24
- Relic Master: The Margrave, Book 4
- By: Catherine Fisher
- Narrated by: Dan Bittner
Good series, but just a bit shallow for me
Reviewed: 09-19-24
In the series, the multiple characters, each with their own agenda, create the tension. Makes the story more than a mere quest. The series-story moves forward nicely, but I was never once prompted to go back and consider a clue that I missed. I felt like a re-read provides no benefit or reward. The various revealings just happened, without a sense that the storyteller tickled us with a sense of foretelling. A great young YA story, but not nearly has deep as some of Fisher's other work.
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Relic Master: The Dark City, Book 1
- By: Catherine Fisher
- Narrated by: Dan Bittner
- Length: 5 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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Welcome to Anara, a world mysteriously crumbling to devastation, where nothing is what it seems: Ancient relics emit technologically advanced powers, members of the old Order are hunted by the governing Watch yet revered by the people, and the great energy that connects all seems to also be destroying all. The only hope for the world lies in Galen, a man of the old Order and a Keeper of relics, and his 16-year-old apprentice, Raffi.
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This is a GREAT SERIES! Love it all!
- By AnneMichelle on 03-05-12
- Relic Master: The Dark City, Book 1
- By: Catherine Fisher
- Narrated by: Dan Bittner
A great, formula story
Reviewed: 09-13-24
Wizard; apprentice; a Wookiee stand-in; mystery girl; a quest. Like young Star Wars; like Flanagan's Rangers Apprentice. Like Delany's Last Apprentice. Like the classic L. Alexander's Prydain Chronicles (but without the humor). Like a half dozen lost space colonists series, such as Angie Sage's Tod Hunger Moon series. These series are the upper half of YA series,
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Obsidian Mirror
- By: Catherine Fisher
- Narrated by: Katherine Skinner
- Length: 8 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
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The obsidian mirror. Its power is great and terrible. Men have been lost in it, the dead brought back to life through it, and the future annihilated by it. Or this is what will happen unless the mirror is destroyed. Three people seek the mirror: the first has been sent from the future to shatter its power; the second will protect the mirror at all costs, obsessed with its power; and the third needs the mirror to find a murdered father and save his life. But only one can succeed. The mirror can send you to the past, but it will not bring you back.
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the multiple different perspectives but the cliff hanger at the end.
- By Amazon Customer on 11-29-24
- Obsidian Mirror
- By: Catherine Fisher
- Narrated by: Katherine Skinner
Beyond the mirror you will need a Kindle
Reviewed: 09-12-24
A fine book. Multiple characters who all want the mirror for different reasons: children who want to save their parents; lost love; lost freedom; save-the-world time-travel conundrums. Late 19th century London. So far no romance. Mystery but no subtle clues or misunderstanding -just straight forward action. But the book series morphs from audio to Kindle, The next two books available at Amazon. So for us listeners, story is left unresolved.
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Gallant
- By: V.E. Schwab
- Narrated by: Julian Rhind-Tutt
- Length: 7 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
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Olivia Prior has grown up in Merilance School for Girls, and all she has of her past is her mother’s journal—which seems to unravel into madness. Then, a letter invites Olivia to come home to Gallant. Yet when Olivia arrives, no one is expecting her. But Olivia is not about to leave the first place that feels like home; it doesn’t matter if her cousin Matthew is hostile, or if she sees half-formed ghouls haunting the hallways.
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Gothic Done Right, in Form and Content!!!
- By Helena H. on 06-27-22
- Gallant
- By: V.E. Schwab
- Narrated by: Julian Rhind-Tutt
Drew me in completely (not easy to do)
Reviewed: 09-01-24
I kept thinking of bits and pieces of other stories - I really enjoy that. A cross between the uplifting Secret Garden (Frances Hodgson Burnett) and the gothic darkness of Elizabeth Gaskell. And Catherine Fisher's Incarceron series; in fact all Fisher's works. Thankfully Schwab did not dwell on the meanness of the orphanage staff, or I might have had to deduct a star. Too many stories like that.
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All the Crooked Saints
- By: Maggie Stiefvater
- Length: 9 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
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From best-selling author Maggie Stiefvater, a gripping tale of darkness, miracles, and family. At the heart of Bicho Raro, Colorado you will find the Soria family, who all have the ability to perform unusual miracles.
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Not For Me.
- By B.A. Wilson on 10-14-17
Liked it better than Raven Cycle
Reviewed: 08-28-24
With Raven Cycle, I had to keep going away and coming back. This one is much more pleasant. Just like a shorter version of Charles de Lint's Forests of the Heart. But the zingers kept reminding me of Terry Pratchett. I loved how environmental features are personified. Like, you go to the mountain to see the beautiful sunset and once your intentions are clear, the mountain is so happy to see you.
For a Boomer like me, the sprinkling of 1950 60s pop culture added meaningful spice. Not sure how a Gen X or millennial would respond, except as maybe I felt in reading Rudyard Kipling, Edith Nesbit, or PL Travers.
Feel more inclined to press on to other Stiefvater works.
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