The Patient

Beyond the Veil, Book 1

By: Linda Thackeray

Narrated by: Fred Wolinsky

Four hundred years ago, the elven realm lost their greatest magician to the modern world. Now, they are returning to avenge the forces that took him.

When the world was known as Avalyne, humans and magical beings lived in harmony. But over time, the elves retreated behind the Veil that separates the modern world from the magical realm.

In present day New York, psychiatrist Doctor Dan Ellis finds himself treating an elderly homeless man, brought in for vandalizing the imposing Malcolm Industries building. The old man insists on calling Dan "War Dragon", but can recall nothing of his own past or identity.

Dan is not the only one interested in the old man’s treatment. Malcolm Industries are keen for Doctor Ellis to hand the petty criminal over to them, for reasons unexplained.

Meanwhile, three elven brothers slip from behind the Veil to search the world for the evil that befell their greatest protector. But all is not as it appears, and it seems their allies are every bit as concealed as their foes.

As Dan struggles to reinstate his patient’s memory, he discovers a secret that threatens not only his life, but the lives of those around him.

Can magic triumph over an invisible evil that has ruled the planet for centuries?

©2020 Linda Thackeray (P)2021 Linda Thackeray

Nice pacing, engaging story, not predictable

I liked this story a lot. It went places I did not expect and the ending was good. I liked the characters too. The disorientation of people who do not speak the same language was a little under-drawn. There would have been more stress about that for both the elves and the humans - instead it seemed like the elves were just along for the ride - even if they didn't really understand anything that was going on... but overall - it was an engaging story.
The reader was alright. He attempts to add a dramatic flair to his voicing which is sometimes distracting - but his characterizations are stable and when you get used to the cadence its easier to follow.
Overall - I enjoyed this book enough to want to read the next one when it comes out... looking forward to the next series of adventures.

A modern-day continuation of King Arthur tale

It was OK. Part of it was well written and interesting and part of it was pretty steeped in standard fantasy tropes. The opening intrigued me with the mystery man who is brought in suffering from perhaps a mental disorder. Dr. Dan dubs him Moses for now as they can’t ID the man. And Moses, in turn, calls Dr. Dan ‘War Dragon’, which sounds very badass and cool. However, as the story evolved, I really didn’t find that Dan lived up to this petname and perhaps it should have been bestowed on another (like the lady copy whose name I can’t recall).

The elves were fun though much of the jokes surrounding them were pretty predictable. I did like how they were glued to the TV and quickly became enchanted with chocolate. Outside of the bad guys, the cop had the most exciting character but her role quickly gets relegated to Main Romantic Interest (sigh….). Speaking of those bad guys, they had deep, dark plans for this world. Alas, they were defeated. I never once worried for the fate of our heroes. I always knew they would triumph and be unscathed (tho Dan might need some therapy after that thing with Moses).

I both loved and hated the tie to the old Arthurian legend. On one hand, I grew up enjoying these kinds of tales (plus the original tales and movies, etc.) so I was primed to enjoy this fantasy trope here. However, I found myself looking for a little unique twist and with there being few female characters and those not getting the spotlight, I didn’t get what I was looking for. In one instance, the elves venturing into our world were surprised to see women among the ‘warriors’ (coast guard) and this felt really odd to me. The elves themselves seem used to gender equality and while they haven’t visited the human world for a thousand years or more, female human warriors aren’t a new invention.

Anyhoo, the pace is good with the story moving along at a decent clip. There are a few times it does slow down a bit (like trying to train up the War Dragon, who seems completely lost) but it usually picks right back up again. The bad guys could have been worse and that would have made the story more interesting. Overall, it was cute. 3/5 stars.

The Narration: Fred Wolinsky did a decent job. His voice for Dan was spot on and totally matched how I pictured him (a man comfortable within his chosen career but a fish-out-of-water otherwise). Wolinsky’s female voices could use a touch more femininity. Sometimes they did sound a little overdone but each was unique and easily identifiable. He gave the humor a good delivery (even when I thought the humor was a little worn). I did notice that like every third sentence ended in kind of an uplift, as if that sentence was a portent of big things to come. I can see using this for a good campfire story but for a full audiobook, it gave the story a little odd cadence. There were no tech issues with this recording. 4/5 stars.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are 100% my own.

Fun fantasy romance

This is a fun and unique fantasy romance with a lot of surprises and twists and turns. I love that the author brought the fantasy characters into our world rather than going into a fantasy world. It is well-written and fast moving, with relatable characters. Great storytelling! The narrator did an excellent job at capturing the mood, delineating the characters, and bringing the story to life with a smooth clear delivery.

The narrator that ruined it

I have never listen to Fred Wolinsky before, but this guy should never narrate a book again. Was by far the worst narrator I have ever listen to.