The Dragon's Path

The Dagger and the Coin, Book 1

By: Daniel Abraham

Narrated by: Pete Bradbury

Length: 15 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's summary

All paths lead to war....

Marcus' hero days are behind him. He knows too well that even the smallest war still means somebody's death. When his men are impressed into a doomed army, staying out of a battle he wants no part of requires some unorthodox steps.

Cithrin is an orphan, ward of a banking house. Her job is to smuggle a nation's wealth across a war zone, hiding the gold from both sides. She knows the secret life of commerce like a second language, but the strategies of trade will not defend her from swords.

Geder, sole scion of a noble house, has more interest in philosophy than in swordplay. A poor excuse for a soldier, he is a pawn in these games. No one can predict what he will become.

Falling pebbles can start a landslide. A spat between the Free Cities and the Severed Throne is spiraling out of control. A new player rises from the depths of history, fanning the flames that will sweep the entire region onto The Dragon's Path - the path to war.

©2011 Daniel Abraham (P)2018 Hachette Audio

Solid

Easy to follow and good pace. The characters are likeable that are supposed to be and also believable. I look forward to the next book.

Good story - but the reading volume is rough

I really like the story (buying book 2 after I leave this). But the first of the story has so many sound effects that most of the first 10 minutes is nearly impossible to understand. Then, the reader (throughout the book) speaks LOUDLY at the start of a sentence and rapidly falls off as it goes on - leaving you with the choice of being deafened at the first of each sentence or missing 30% of what is said at the end.

Phenomenal Audiobook and Excellent Beginning!

I've loved this series in print and am now enjoying it again in audio form. Excellent narrator brings the phenomenal story to exhilarating life. I cannot recommend this enough. A fantasy masterpiece with some of the most delightful characters and most brilliantly crafted world building.

Questionable choice in characters

The majority of characters are just unlikable with no redeemable qualities. One is a fifteen year old girl who thinks she's smarter than adults. She freely gives her body to almost any man who shows interest in her, but it's ok because she doesn't charge. Another is a nobleman who thinks commoners are dogs and less than human, but it's ok because he cares deeply about his wife. Another an overweight nobleman who is put in charge of a city, ruins the city with heavy taxes, then burns down said city with people in it. Book even details how he had his men kill babies, but it's ok because the experience haunts him and he feels slightly bad about it. The girl and the overweight nobleman just baffle me in terms of intelligence, and the choices they make. If these seem like characters you want to read about, by all means. I stopped with three hours left lol. It was the result of one the girl's choices that just sent me over the edge, don't think I'll try to finish or buy the next book.

Ok story,...(Edited Review) It gets better!...

I love complex stories and the longer the better. However, this was just really hard to get into and follow. I do appreciate the attempt at the development and depth of the story. There were multiple storylines, but in the end, I just didn't care about the players except for maybe Marcus although his continued involvement as a protector got thin. You can tell that the storylines are gonna be coming together in subsequent books, but as a standalone book I can't recommend to enjoy fully. For now, I think I'm done with this series. The narration did not help at all. I frequently zoned out.

Edits:
Okay, So my previous review stands if you are not intending to fnish the series. I actually finished it because I caught a sale on a later book, so thought "why not?". Now that I've listened to all 5 books if you can commit to the series, you will not be disappointed. I found the first 2 books to be a slow set up, but the last 3 books had me hooked. Please see my review of book 5 for a bit more details without giving away anything to what happens in between. I will say that this series is for seasoned Sci-Fi Fantasy readers/listeners who like to be immersed in complex stories.

attention grabber

better than when I read it the first time excited to listen to the rest

A Dizzying and Captivating Introduction

It's not uncommon to encounter political machinations and glimpses of the underlying bureaucratic structure of the world in fantasy novels. Along with the history of the realms and people in question, understanding something of the politics of those fictional worlds is an important element in making them feel like real places. Daniel Abraham has taken this world-building further than most authors by focusing a great deal of his storytelling attention on the facets of finance and trade within the world of The Dragon's Path. What's superbly surprising about Abraham's novel is how interesting he manages to make the details of this commerce.
Of course, it isn't all banking and trade relations. Abraham has packed this first novel of The Dagger and the Coin series with conflict (both small and large scale), gods and myth, political intrigue, and plenty of witty dialogue.
Cithrin is a half-breed orphan raised as a ward of the Medean banking house of Vanai, and she carefully studied under the tutelage of Magister Imaniel. As the armies of Antea approach the city walls, the only way to keep the resources of the bank safe from plunder is to send them away from the city. Cithrin is tasked with escorting the bank's property to safety as part of a caravan headed by the tragic hero, Marcus Wester.
As it happens, Cithrin isn't the only member of Wester's party who isn't who they seem. Marcus has replaced some of his complement with a troupe of actors led by Master Kit, the performers playing the role of soldiers and guards. But Master Kit is more than he seems as well. A past he'd thought he escaped will come back to haunt him again before the tale concludes.
In the middle of everything is Sir Geder Palliako, a bookish and weak man who finds himself tossed about by fate and the machinations of those above him in the royal court of Antea. Struggling against forces he only barely recognizes as nudging him along, Geder becomes the key to leading the world down a path from which there will be no turning back.
Abrahamson packs this novel with a diverse cast of characters, both sympathetic and flawed in equal measure, and he sends them on a series of adventures as captivating as they are well-thought-out. It would be virtually impossible to reach the end of The Dragon's Path without wanting to see where this tale will take us.
Pete Bradbury's narration spectacularly breathes life into the vast cast of characters populating this story, setting them apart from one another without any apparent difficulty. His voice propels the listener through the circuitous web of the narrative, leading us to the end far more quickly than we want to arrive.

Great Story

Loved the narration! Great book. First time listening to audible books. Didnt think I'd enjoy it but was very pleased. Looking forward to next book in this series.

Complex

I like complex fantasy with detailed descriptions and this book did not disappoint! The characters are rich and complex with multiple PoV. I decided to pick this book up after becoming obsessed with the Expanse (both the series and the novels) andI am so glad I did! SF is my favorite bit I'm also a fan of fantasy when it is adult oriented (like Witcher and GoT). I'm looking forward to the next book in this series.

slow

tedious, maybe it gets better, wife loved them and read them all but I just feel like Im being strung along.