Hard Magic

Book I of the Grimnoir Chronicles

By: Larry Correia

Narrated by: Bronson Pinchot

Length: 16 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's summary

Audie Award, Paranormal, 2012

Jake Sullivan is a licensed private eye with a seriously hardboiled attitude. He also possesses raw magical talent and the ability to make objects in his vicinity light as a feather or as heavy as depleted uranium, all with a magical thought. It's no wonder the G-men turn to Jake when they need someone to go after a suspected killer who has been knocking off banks in a magic-enhanced crime spree.

Problems arise when Jake discovers the bad girl behind the robberies is an old friend, and he happens to know her magic is just as powerful as his. And the Feds have plunged Jake into a secret battle between powerful cartels of magic-users - a cartel whose ruthless leaders have decided that Jake is far too dangerous to live.

©2011 Larry Correia (P)2011 Audible, Inc.

Yes, it's as good as they say.

Thoroughly enjoyable and complete engaging. Correia's pacing is perfect, not breakneck but never sagging. His plotting is sufficiently complex to keep surprising you but it never becomes ponderous convoluted or overloaded with back story.

I am more than a little zombie averse, and I am a pretty hard sell for modern urban fantasy so it took a lot of convincing raves from excellent reviewers for me to take a chance on this one. I'm very glad I did. This is a fantasy genre writer at the top of his game read by a superb narrator who never missed an inflection, mangled a pronunciation or botched a meaning with a misread sentence. It is rare that genre writing breaks through and transcends its genre to become deeply satisfying literature (Ray Bradbury, would be a prime example). That does not happen here, so four and a half stars, but I had such a great time listening to Hard Magic, that I feel a little miserly withholding that final half star.

So unless you are unalterably opposed to very high quality cheap thrills, this is a ride you might want to get on.

Thrilling Diesel-punk Alt-history!

Bronson Pinchot's narration brings Larry Correia's thrilling tale of magic in the nineteen thirties to vivid life.

A world where WWI was fought with magic. Massive airships rule the skies.
And Imperial Japan threatens war!

Not what I thought it would be

Larry Correia knows how to spin a story, Bronson Pinchot did a wonderful job at narration. I never heard him narrate anything, Pinchot is excellent at voices and expressions. The story was a bit confusing to me the first 15 minuets, But once I figured out the premise, the action NEVER STOPPED. This says Book 1, I do hope that Audible will be getting book 2 when it is available. It was truly an enjoyable surprise.

Brilliant Premise

Any additional comments?

The idea behind this amazing novel is that of an alternate reality set during the 1930's in which patches of mankind has developed magical abilities. Aside from the story, the author examines all of the problems that present themselves with what amounts to a wonderful new form of technology.

I must also mention that out of all the hundred-some audio books that I have purchased, this book's narrator ranks among the best I have EVER heard. He manages to create a new, unique voice for every single one of the characters, almost up to the point that it feels like you are listening to a radio drama. Amazing work.

I have yet to listen to the 2nd and 3rd novels in this series but have already spent my credits on them and look forward to 2 more mind-bending experiences.

9.6 / 10

Pinchot and Correia are a dynamite combo!

What made the experience of listening to Hard Magic the most enjoyable?

I love it and respect when a single narrator can portray a different voice for each character, male and female, several nationalities, and keep it straight throughout the book. Every time Mr Pinchot reads dialogue, you can identify who's doing the talking, and he really brings the characters to life in my head. If you've ever listened to Correia before you know he loves describing all the firearms with passion of a real shooter and he brings that to this series as well but to a lesser degree, which to me is a nice change of pace and allows room for the brand of magic involved as well as how the magic affects the martial arts in this book. I feel this puts this series on a leval above monster hunters intl, which I was a fan of and led me to give this a try.
The story,plot,setting, and characters are improved over MHI, but my hat's off to Mr. Pinchot for stealing the show.

What did you like best about this story?

The villian, The Chairman. I love it when things aren't black and white. By defeating the unbeatable villian you risk running into a worse villian, then wishing you had the help of your defeated foe!?

Which character – as performed by Bronson Pinchot – was your favorite?

Tie between Faye and Sullivan

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Sullivan bring new meaning to "heavy duty"

Any additional comments?

Great, original book, with a good follow up with the second book. Like no story that's come before it.

I loved it!

This book is interesting, fun, imaginative, and held my attention throughout. There were NO dull parts. It was a complete surprise! Bronson Pinchot amazed me because he did all of the characters extremely well. This story has heros, villians, humor and sadness. 5 stars!

Surprisingly Good

This is the first book I've picked up by Larry Correia. I enjoyed the fast pace and the well-defined characters. If this were a paper book, I wouldn't have been able to put it down.

The description for this book makes it sound a lot like Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden novels, but it is far from that sort of book. The characters, plot, and feel are more akin to X Men. Set in the early 20th Century, there is a noir setting for the events.

Bronson Pinchot's reading is good, although, as with any reader, his interpretation sometimes doesn't match the description or the action. As a whole, his reading didn't bother me and shouldn't get in the way of enjoying a good story.

FUN

This book is fantastic. I enjoyed Larry's Monster Hunter International books quite a bit, but this is better and more fun. Bronson Pinchot does an excellent job in his reading.

A Great Intro to Dieselpunk

I have to say that this is a great book. It posits an alternative history in which magic begins to slowly appear in the mid 19th century, though the people who are born with magical abilities seem more like superheroes with there being different classes of magical ability based on what those abilities do.

It really does make for a fascinating read (or listen), the book takes place in the 1930's during the depths of the Great Depression and feels extensively researched. The dialogue has that distinct flair to it which is only furthered by Bronson Pinchot wonderful reading. Having only been exposed to Mr. Pinchot's work on Perfect Strangers when I was a kid, I was hesitant initially but he blew be away with not only the various accents that he affected but also the different speaking styles that he gave the characters.

I really can not say enough good things about this book and this production of it.

Good vs evil but who is who, surprise

Sci-Fi with a sense of reality. The lines of good and evil blurred, things were no always as they seemed, who was good and who was evil. Rolls reverse, the road to hell is paved with good intentions, from both sides. Correia does a masterful job of taking you on a journey, set in post WW1 where magic exists in the world and people, governments and businesses seek to understand what magic is, how to use and abuse it, some for personal gain, others for a perceived greater good. The story twists and not all goo is good or evil is evil.