By a Silver Thread

DFZ Changeling, Book 1

By: Rachel Aaron

Narrated by: Naomi Rose-Mock

A new DFZ series from the author of Nice Dragons Finish Last and Minimum Wage Magic!

In the world’s most magical metropolis where spirits run noodle shops and cash-strapped dragons stage photo-ops for tourists, people still think fairies are nothing but stories, and that’s exactly how the fairies like it. It’s a lot easier to feast on humanity’s dreams when no one believes you exist. But while this arrangement works splendidly for most fair folk, Lola isn’t one of the lucky ones.

She’s a changeling, a fairy monster made just human enough to dupe unsuspecting parents while fairies steal their real child. The magic that sustains her was never meant to last past the initial theft, leaving Lola without a future. But thanks to Victor Conrath, a very powerful—and very illegal—blood mage, she was given the means to cheat death.

For a price.

Now the only changeling ever to make it to adulthood, Lola has served the blood mage faithfully, if reluctantly, for 20 years. Her unique ability to slip through wards and change her shape to look like anyone has helped make Victor a legend in the DFZ’s illegal-magic underground. It’s not a great life, but at least the work is stable, until her master vanishes without a trace.

With only a handful left of the pills that keep her human, Lola must find Victor before she turns back into the fairy monster she was always meant to be. But with a whole SWAT team of federal paladins hunting her as a blood-mage accomplice, an urban legend on a silent black motorcycle who won’t leave her alone, and a mysterious fairy king with the power to make the entire city dream, Lola’s chances of getting out of this alive are as slender as a silver thread.

©2023 Rachel Aaron (P)2023 Rachel Aaron

Great story as always, so-so performance

Story is great as always, buy for that reason alone and to support the author's work 😁

It seems like audible didn't option this one for production, or the author wanted a bigger cut. I definitely don't begrudge her that as she is entitled to everything she creates.

That said, I have to critique the performance. The audio is inconsistent, ranging from reasonable to full potato, and in desperate need of de-essing. Narrator needs some noise insulating foam, a good quality mic boom and pop filter, and something to avoid smacking the mic.

Note for other listeners: the audio sounds significantly better with the bass turned up and audio configured to mono. This will normalize a lot of the less enjoyable mouth sounds.

Podium, Soundbooth theater, anyone please option the DFZ books! They're excellent and your audience would love them.

Wasn’t sure at first

When I read Ms. Aaron’s bio, it indicated that she was an author of YA literature, but in my mind none of the DFZ series is YA. The only reason why it might be classified YA is that there’s not any real erotica. Maybe some of her other literature would fall under that classification. When I started to listen to this series, I wasn’t too sure. The heroine came across as being weak and a victim of her master. But throughout the book she develops, her courage, her willpower, and her direction in life. It seems that both the good guys and the bad guys try to portray her. Yet she overcomes and keeps overcoming. I also wasn’t too sure about Ms. Rose-Mock’s performance. To me, it started out shaky but she, too, became better and better as I listened. I was a little prejudiced by the previous DFZ narrator.

Great new series!

I really enjoyed this book. I was able to guess where the story was going, but the ending was a nice surprise for me. Can’t wait for the next one.

Enjoyed the story. Need book 2 :)

If you have read other books about the DFZ by R. Aaron, this one is a bit different. It didn’t connect with me quite the same way some of the others did, but I still really enjoyed it!
It’s a journey of self discovery, strength, and resilience for Lola (the changeling main character). From the depths abandonment and abuse, Lola is still able to be the best she can be. She is caring, tries to help others, and spends much of her life sacrificing for her sister (the human with whom she was switched at birth).
I think in some ways it also parallels some mental health and social issues. The feeling that you’ll never be capable of living up to more than what everyone around you expects from you. Or finding out the you were actually the person who was in your way.

Now I just need the second book! :)

a good book

miss Aaron I hope you read this this was a good book and the fairy's are great but by adding new world building you seem to have left ohers. I do like the plot but their no way it would happen using mass media to push an idea to make a god is a great plan except it the exact same plan the lady of lake did so the Merlin's would have seen it coming not to mention the seers felicity has been a seer for 10 years at least and lets not forget the black reach they were not a problem in part time magic because the story was very small scale but now you are introducing planer powers why weren't the Merlin's dog pilling fenrir with gods Merlin tower is in the city fenrir beating up some dragons and the dfz is small potatoes compared to the them. going forward the fairy's are going to need to be super scary witch should be easy more people more fear more power.all that being said this book had some fantastic parts the fairy's are amazing also look at you getting spicy was not expecting that.the nice dragon is my favorite book series of altime I have re read it probably 5 times and part time was great to for grounding the series at a more street level you are my favorite author so please keep writing this series I think it can just as great

Mixed feelings, overall-good

I found Rachel Aaron through her DFZ Trilogy, which I really loved. Comparatively, this book was not as good.

Part of the issue with this one is definitely the narration. The narrator was almost monotone through most of the narration and spoke a little too fast/mumbled through much of it.

The pacing of the story was a little off, too, though. I liked Lola. She was, by far, the most developed character in the book. The others were mainly props and had little development of their own, although certain characters had the potential to be more... they just weren't. Honestly, most of the characters were pale copies of characters from the dfz Trilogy. Simon=Peter, Black Rider=Nick, Victor=Gamemaster

I didn't hate it, but it fell flat. I did like the plot and storyline, but execution left a lot to be desired.

Good save the narration

As usual, I love Rachel Aaron's work. The story was interesting, the magic cool, and the characters relatable.

However, this narrator is just not working in my opinion. She has inconsistent, odd pauses and pacing in her speaking that make it hard to feel the full impact of things, and I keep hearing her taking breaths and flipping pages or moving in the background. I don't know if this is simply due to the narrator or the recording studio, but it's off-putting either way.

Unusual and interesting, glad I read it.

These stories have an underlying wisdom so important to our times.
I think the DFZ books should be modern classics. I hope there will be more.

Another great book in this world <3

Rachel Aaron nailed it once again with another compelling story that had me blazing through the book at every chance i could. Naomi did a great job narrating and granted their own personal touch to the series.

I love the variation on attention to multiple creatures in the world an not only focusing on the dragons... despite how much I may love them. There are so many options in the world Rachel has built that I want to see what else is out there. Chef Kiss.

excellent!

give this one a listen it was great. a little slow to start but takes off like a rocket after a bit.