Islands in the Mist

By: J.M. Hofer

Narrated by: John Keating

Islands in the Mist breathes new life into ancient Welsh mythology, masterfully weaving its characters into a rich tapestry of heroism and sacrifice.

The great warrior Bran has been called home from the battlefield to his mother's deathbed, where he vows to solve the strange mystery surrounding what fatally attacked her in the night. He travels to the Crossroads, seeking the wise counsel of Talhaiarn, high priest and advisor to his clan, where he learns similar attacks have been reported by clans to the north and east - horrors that Talhaiarn determines are the dark handiwork of the powerful Cerridwen, a rogue priestess of the sisterhood that dwells on an island surrounded by the misty waters of Lake Tegid.

On his journey Bran encounters the fiery, red-haired Lucia, widow to a Roman centurion, and her strangely gifted stable boy, Gwion, an enigmatic child graced with understanding far beyond his years. Lucia possesses "the Sight", an ability that has plagued her from the time she was a small girl, tormenting her with visions of terrible things that invariably come to pass. Fate leads Lucia to discover that many of her maternal ancestors were masterful women gifted with psychic abilities, and some of them have been watching her from the shadows for years.

Upon returning to his village, Bran finds himself at odds with the hot-tempered Aelhaearn, who is determined to become their clan's next chieftain. Much to Aelhaearn's disappointment, Bran's sister, now priestess in her mother's place, convinces the clan to choose Bran for the honor instead.

In the aftermath of their conflict, Bran learns something shocking about his rival. Slowly all are pulled into the seductive maelstrom of Cerridwen's power, and though many will fight bravely, only one is able to make the sacrifice required to defeat her.

©2013 J.M. Hofer (P)2015 Audible Inc.

Fantastic story, left us wanting more.

My husband and I listened to this story on a road trip from Alaska to Utah. We enjoyed each chapter more than the last. The characters are unique and likable. The writing is brilliant and the reading performance is great. The end had me in tears. We can't wait for the next book!!!

Magical Storytelling

Listening to Islands in the Mist was my first experience with an audio book.

What came to mind as I listened to Mr. Keating was the fact that long before people were writing stories, they were telling them--around the fire, in pubs, in royal courts, and on voyages and journeys to pass the time. The clan bard was something of a demi-god.

There is something magical about listening to someone tell you a story. A talented storyteller pulls you into it, and makes you feel as if you're right there with the characters. That is what Mr. Keating has done with Islands in the Mist. Listening to him bring my story to life was nothing short of magical. Thank you, John!

Fabulous tale!

This was such a pleasure to listen to! Great story, kept me interested the whole time. Narrator brought it to life and was very enjoyable. Can't wait for the sequel!

AdventurOus and entertainiNg

The was a wonderful story of battles, gods, ghosts and far away lands and fairy tails. It was very well written and read.

Simplistic but enjoyable

The writing style is a little simplistic but an enjoyable narrative well performed by the narrator.

A captivating and entertaining read.

A captivating and entertaining read. Very enjoyable and I'm already downloading book two in the series.

I loved listening to this tale

Islands in the Mist was a captivating tale, told beautifully in the Audible version. The narrator (John Keating) was able to put the listener in the middle of the action, perfectly capturing the landscape and the of spirit the characters, a seamless bridge to the story.

The story itself was engaging, and ultimately, surprising. Any preconceived notions about the genre flew out the window, making it tale worthy of your time. Definitely worth a listen or a read.

Not Bad but not the best.

I think my major issue with this book isn't the story, which if fact is pretty good, but with the narration. I have no earthly idea what accent he is trying to imitate but it certainly isn't Welsh or any other accent from the British Isles. He makes the protagonist sound like an idiot. I think this would have been a much much better listen if He hadn't ruined it for me. The brief references to ancient stories and myths are too short and not complete. It isn't a short story but it felt like someone tried to take a short story and turn it into a novel. I know it is supposed to be a series but I'd like to know a little more of the immediate fates of the characters. Sorry but I have to return this one.

disappointing

Would you try another book from J.M. Hofer and/or John Keating?

This book had great reviews and seemed to have a lot of promise. Sadly, the story just doesn't flow. The dialog is heavy on speeches, some relationships just don't make sense and worst of all, the lead female character, Lucia, too often chooses drama over common sense.

Would you listen to another book narrated by John Keating?

Yes

Was Islands in the Mist worth the listening time?

Not really

Not great

What disappointed you about Islands in the Mist?

Everything. I love fantasy and myth so I thought this would be right up my alley. But sadly, it wasn't.

What was most disappointing about J.M. Hofer’s story?

The story was not cohesive and it felt like some parts of the story were just forced in as filler.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of John Keating?

Anyone who could have made Bran sound like he was at least somewhat intellegent! After hearing the narrator say "What?" (pronounced Whooat!) 50 times I gave up and returned the book!

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

I appreciated some of the mythical references.