Tales of Erana: The Warrior's Curse

By: Alexandra Butcher

Narrated by: Rob Goll

In a land of forbidden magic, a mysterious cave holds both riches and danger for three adventurers who discover a mighty treasure and a terrible secret.

A short fantasy tale set in the world of Erana - the world of The Light Beyond the Storm Chronicles.

©2014 A.L Butcher (P)2015 A.L Butcher

gritty magic

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I will be recommending this to friends I know will enjoy it.

What did you like best about this story?

This story moved somewhere beyond traditional myths without leaving that wonder behind.

What does Rob Goll bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Rob Goll used his vocal talents to draw me into this tale. He seemed true to the magic and respected the story.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I listened to this story in one sitting...actually I have listened to it several times and felt the story differently each time. That is one of the marks of a good story in my opinion.

Any additional comments?

I look forward to listening to other tales by this author.

Compelling read

Would you listen to Tales of Erana: The Warrior's Curse again? Why?

It is the first Alexandra Butcher's book I read. I enjoyed this spooky 'story within a story' that takes you on a journey with lots of trouble ahead and a final surprising turn.

What other book might you compare Tales of Erana: The Warrior's Curse to and why?

It's a powerful, classic tale with subtle touches of Beowulf but an original story. I enjoy a variety of genres, including fantasy so yes!, I will be reading/listening to about Ms. Butcher's monsters, magic and myths with gusto in the future.

Have you listened to any of Rob Goll’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Definitively one feels the books could not possibly have been read by anybody else. Rob Goll's melodic reading is a fitting combination of voice and style. Butcher's characters play to Goll's strengths, and he uses various tones in dialogue. His distinctive voice confidently guides listeners through the story.

I've listened to all of Mr. Goll's work and everytime he surprises me with his originality, dramatising unusual characters with clarity and deliver natural-sounding dialogue.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Alexandra Butcher shows us how decisions taken in the past can become the beast that comes around to destroy those in the present.

Any additional comments?

Team Butcher-Goll creates an atmosphere that draws the listener into this compelling tale.

Lively and Engaging Fantasy - Brilliantly narrated

In The Warrior's Curse, a lively and interesting tale is woven with the help of Rob Goll's rich, perfectly nuanced, and well-paced narration. A good narrator sets the tone for an Audiobook and should sweep you into the story from the get-go. This novella, with its descriptive imagery, compelling plot and distinctive characters doesn't disappoint. I spent a satisfying hour caught up in the myths of Erana and enjoyed each minute of the adventure.

Great story and well-narrarated

Great fantasy short, well-written and performed. Very strong narrarator. I enjoyed it and recommend it.

The Warrior's Curse: your ticket to adult fantasy

What did you love best about Tales of Erana: The Warrior's Curse?

I have long loved Alexandra Butcher's Erana Tales: they are smart, sometimes sexy, and always transcend the everyday. The new "Tales of Erana: The Warrior's Curse" shows us Butcher at full power, teamed with exactly the right narrator for her tale, one Rob Goll. Through their efforts, Erana's world of elves and prejudice and love and human foible becomes so real you can reach out and touch it.

What other book might you compare Tales of Erana: The Warrior's Curse to and why?

I'm not sure this book has a comparison to anything done today. Those who loved Tolkien will love this, but the action is much closer to hand, more visceral, not only a tale of war and love but of eroticism: everything you treasured about Lord of the Rings and nothing you didn't like. Those who loved Canticle for Leibowitz will also love The Warrior's Curse, by reason of its arch social commentary and fully realized world view. If you like your fantasy laced with thoughtful allegories that lay bare the human condition, yet never are preachy, you'll want to own this book -- both the audiobook and the ebook; having both ebook and audiobook enhances each. I got both: the audiobook companion to the e-book, and now I can switch back and forth from reading to listening without missing a beat or a word.

What about Rob Goll’s performance did you like?

Rob Goll brings to the audiobook of The Warrior's Curse an elegant, perfectly executed style, a great relief after too many hyper-active comic-book readings. Goll always delivers the story, never makes the story merely a commercial for himself. He sounds exactly the way the narrator for a fantasy of such refined taste SHOULD sound. Give a listen, and you'll want to hear more. He delivers story with easy and grace, always applying just the right amount of emphasis to lines and phrases to make me forget everything else. Bravo, Mr. Goll!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I did, but I can't. So I had the joy of pleasures deferred until I finished listening. My husband is listening to Goll read Butcher now, and then I'll listen again. If you ARE able to gobble up an entire audiobook in one sitting, I recommend this one highly: it keeps you immersed until the very last word.

Any additional comments?

I loved this. Butcher's world is truly a world that readers from new adults to the most experienced will want to revisit time and again. In a time of such blunted sensibilities and crass blood thirst, it's a joy to find a story that gives you every story value in proper proportion, narrated by a voice you'll never forget.

A Tale To Be Told By The Fireside

Tales of Erana, The Warrior's Curse is a perfect blend o a great story and wonderful storytelling. As the words wrapped around me, I felt this tale could be told by the fireside of a warm cottage on a stormy night. Butcher's tale, reminiscent of the Anglo Saxon Beowulf, adds an original twist with a seductress witch. Rob Goll's reading is worthy of a sennachie of old, weaving a magical web with his skilled narrative pacing and ability to "play" the characters. An engaging listen both the story and the performance.