Blood of the Mantis

Shadows of the Apt, Book 3

By: Adrian Tchaikovsky

Narrated by: Ben Allen

Blood of the Mantis is the third novel in Adrian Tchaikovsky's richly imagined Shadows of the Apt series, following Dragonfly Falling. Stenwold must rally his allies for battle against the Empire, even as it seeks a dangerous artifact of enormous power.

A dread ritual casts a deadly shadow....

Achaeos the seer has finally tracked down the stolen Shadow Box. But he has only days before this magical artefact will be lost to him forever. Meanwhile, the Empire's dread forces are mustering for their next great offensive. Stenwold and his followers have only a short time to gather allies, before the enemy's soldiers march again – to conquer everything in their path. If Stenwold cannot hold them back, the hated black and gold flag will fly over every city in the Lowlands before the year's end.

Yet a more insidious threat awaits. Should the Shadow Box fall into the hands of the power-mad Emperor, nothing will save the world from his relentless ambition.

Blood of the Mantis is followed by Salute the Dark, the fourth book in the Shadows of the Apt series.

©2009 Adrian Tchaikovsky (P)2021 Macmillan Publishers International Limited

So captivating!

The stories are so fascinating and captivating that I look forward to listening every day and actually look for private time to do so😊

This series just gets better and better

This series just gets better and better. Such a fascinating world, and such wholly believable, completely fleshed out, complex characters! It's so rare to get BOTH of those things right. Often in sci fi and fantasy you get great characters in silly plots, or cardboard cutouts but great world-building. This author seems to be a master of it all. Really, really well done.

third of 4

This book continues to grow the characters as the story unfolds. One is drawn into a magical and ancient world.

keeps getting better

I just all around love this book, and everything by this author. The pacing is solid, the combat is skillful, the dialogue clicks (and the narrators voices are wonderful and add such color to the story!). I've never been good at writing combat, and am extremely jealous of the author's ability, and am trying to learn from his style in that regard.

My only regret of listening via audiobook and not having a physical copy is that I feel this story almost requires a map of the world for reference. I'm beginning to realize a need to look one up online.

solid

Great series. They all read like a seamless story and the performances minus 1 voice for me is great as well.

awesome story teller. Adrian is one of the best at

Adrian is one of best story teller around. Paint a vivid description of his worlds.

another good one

another win for the series I still want to continue reading the books and story

Great series, in spite of Stenwold

This is a pretty interesting series. Top notch. All around - story, narrators, characters, etc.

However, I absolutely despise the character Stenwold. This guy is the exact opposite of what a “spymaster” is. He thinks like a little girl. At best like a weak diplomat. I like all the bad characters far more than this character.

A weak, delusional good guy is a far greater liability than any evil character.

The story progresses in spite of this guy’s inexplicable naïveté and failure to grasp the obvious. This guy is literally the anti-“spymaster”. If this guy is your spymaster, you almost have a duty to betray him, or make him go away.

In a way though, that adds to the story. I really hope this guy doesn’t survive much longer.

Regardless, it’s a great series.

Great series, great narrator

Story is progressing nicely. Narrator does a good job with all of the characters involved.

Breath holding suspense filled with imaginative and vivid world building.

I absolutely love this series. I think the thought behind the world construction is unique and well executed and the plot thickens nicely throughout the series. Specific blood of the mantis has amazing suspense mixed with witty dialogue. NO SPOILERS but the climactic ending was well done! All around a great addition to a great series.