Audio Book Review: Darklands

Darklands

By:  M.L. Spencer

Publish Date:  June 22,2017, Audiobook Release February 22, 2019

Format:  Audiobook - 11 hrs 30 mins
Narrated By:  Simon Wright

Genre:  Fantasy

Series:  2nd in The Rhenwars Saga series; 1st Book ~ Darkmage, Prequel ~ Darkstorm

Impression:  Return to the Rhen, with a different view of the "enemy."

Synopsis:
Compelled to obey the dark god he pledged his soul to, Darien finds himself tasked with delivering the people of the Black Lands from under the curse of darkness which shrouds the skies. With the enemy mage Azár, Darien sets out across a barren darkscape to assume his place as the leader of a people who despise him.
As he journeys deeper into the shadowed waste, Darien is confronted with difficult truths that force him to question every loyalty he has ever held. For there, in the brutal proving grounds of the north, Darien will be inexorably forged into the most dangerous adversary the Rhen has ever faced.

First Sentence:
The old man wandered the dark corridor toward his death, the girl trailing after him.

Purchase At:
Amazon  /  Barnes & Nobles 

Audible

My Thoughts and Summary:

*I was given this free review copy of this audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Simon returns to voice the second book. Yes! I've found he fit Darien and the other characters for me in voice and accent. I do enjoy listening to him vocalize the story here.

Two years since the Well of Tears was opened and closed. And the Well is opened again, to help a people raise to the place they should be.

We get the story from a few different POV's, which is great as there are things happening around The Rhen at the same time. We see all the actions and events unfold. One of the characters we get to spend time in their head is Meiran. Hmm. I liked her. Wanted to like her more. But she shows a prejudice that rubs me wrong. She doesn't want to believe what Darien or Quinlan have to say, because they are demons. She doesn't want to be open to what could be possible with a nation of people either. She feels as though she is a hypocrite in what her power focus is and what she won't do, heal. I like that she's written this way. She has seen different things than Darien has seen, and that affects her differently.

We get a view of a different part of the world compared to the first book. And of the people that were seen as the enemy in the first book. There is more to the world and story than what people believe or know. We get to see that.

We see how the actions taken in the first book leave relationships and the consequences that need to be faced. It's interesting seeing the Well of Tears opened for what was thought to be the enemy in the first book. This "enemy" has been suffering for a thousand years with the curse created in the prologue story.

I was surprised to see Darien and a few others return in this book after the ending of the first book. I was thrilled to see Darien back though. There are moments in the book that I wasn't 100% sure as to why something was happening. This could be because it's audio and I missed it, or maybe not clarified yet. I'm not sure which one.

We learn of why the Well of Tears was created in the first place. There is a new danger for all things made of magic, and that includes the mages. Darien also gets placed with the people he saw as an enemy due to the way he was raised. Darien sees how the others live, and has to defend and help them.

I'm ready to journey with our characters to see what the outcome is with the magic and the people in the darklands.



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Audio Book Review: Darkmage

Darkmage

By:  M.L. Spencer

Publish Date:  January 6, 2016, Audiobook Release September 18, 2018

Format:  Audiobook - 18 hrs 26 mins
Narrated By:  Simon Wright

Genre:  Fantasy

Series:  1st in The Rhenwars Saga series; Prequel ~ Darkstorm

Impression:  Things aren't easy, but they are how things are lived.

Synopsis:
The hope of the world rests in the hands of a Darkmage.

The Well of Tears is open and the terror of the night has been unleashed. Now, the last Sentinel left alive with the power to defend his world against the minions of the Netherworld is a man destined to be corrupted into the image of what he hates. In the name of duty, Darien Lauchlin will see oaths forsaken, crowns toppled, friends sacrificed and the land he loves desecrated. For there is a very thin line between duty… and brutal inhumanity.

First Sentence:
Thunder ripped the sky, amplified to a throbbing din by the stone walls that rimmed the square beneath the Hall of the Watchers.

Purchase At:
Amazon  /  Barnes & Nobles 

Audible

My Thoughts and Summary:

*I was given this free review copy of this audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.


I'm taken with Simon's narration. His accent and feeling in his voice fits the characters and world created here. He's a perfect match for the story. The narration is clean and clear throughout the book. Simon feels as though he's the story, which lets me focus on what's happening with ease. A wonderful match in voice for the story.

M.L. Spencer catches my attention with the story she's crafted, and her word choices. Wow. She's accomplished a huge thing in fantasy reads with her descriptions that give more than simply showing the scene. She draws me in with the words as it creates a vision in my mind that projects a feeling as well. Wonderful!

After listening to the story for a while, I got the feel for the growth of the characters Kyel and Traver. They find themselves on the front, in the midst of battle against a dark enemy. Their fall and evolution reminds me of a few of Raymond Feist's characters. The way they find their way at the front feels quick but I like where we go with these characters. They feel to have a strong future in the books.

I'm drawn into the lives of Kyel, Traver, Darien, and others as they battle to survive. We do get the story told from different POV's as the characters cross paths and carry on in different directions. This is great as it keeps us up to date with what each character is experiencing, seeing, and learning. These three are our main three but there are a few others who's eyes we see through.

We have a few battles to fight here. There are internal battles for all the characters, whether it be loss of loved ones or freedom, but we also have two battle fronts that collide. There's the war at the front that's trying to keep the enemy from taking all the land. Then there's a new battle we see come to life at the center of the mage system. When the Well of Tears is opened this creates a new, strong foe for all to battle.

I did listen to the prequel before listening to this book, but you don't have to in order to understand the story. The prequel gave a background, which you can read or listen to at any time.

I am totally looking forward to continuing with the series!



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Audio Book Review: Darkstorm

Darkstorm

By:  M.L. Spencer

Publish Date:  January 19, 2017, Audiobook Release January 22, 2018

Format:  Audiobook - 9 hrs 5 mins
Narrated By:  Simon Wright

Genre:  Fantasy

Series:  1st in The Rhenwars Saga series

Impression:  A fight to save the world as they know it.

Synopsis:
Darkstorm is the prequel to the dark epic fantasy series The Rhenwars Saga.

Faced with an imminent cataclysm that will destroy the magical heritage of their people, a secret conspiracy of mages has resorted to harnessing the powers of Hell to save their legacy. The only mages who can oppose them are Braden and Quin Reis: two brothers with a turbulent past and a caustic relationship. But both Braden and Quin are compromised, harboring terrible and tragic secrets.

Will Braden and Quin be able to prevent the unsealing of the Well of Tears? Or will they fall victim to the darkmages’ sinister manipulations and join their conspiracy?

First Sentence:
"Braden Reis."
He didn't look up at the sound of his own name being spoken from the doorway.

Purchase At:
Amazon

Audible 

My Thoughts and Summary:

*I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

I found Simon's accent attractive for the book. Very nice. He has great control of words and puts emotion with the words. One small thing I noticed is at times it sounds like a hard stop to the stillness around him. It's only happened once in a while, like maybe where recording ended and new started. Very minor thing. His cadence and emotion flowing with the words and events our characters live through.

We start with a prologue. It tells the situation that Braden Reis finds himself in, at this very moment. Then chapter one goes back three weeks prior, telling the story of events that got Braden in his predicament. We do get back to this moment close to the end of the book, and see a conclusion to where he's at. This prologue shows there are interesting things in this world and magic. These things we will learn about as the story is told. And it also makes me curious what Braden did to be brought to this sentencing.

The book is told through a few different point of views. Those POV's are Merris, Sephana, Braden, and Quin through book. These four people are very important in the actions to save the world as they know it.

When we first meet Merris, I found I got a feel for the world she lives in. Her actions and feelings give quick descriptions of things around her. This helps build the world from the beginning for us.

I was impressed with how fast we get to the troubles in the story along with getting to know the characters and world. M.L. weaved together the details, characters, and story line together in a way that it felt to be fast to get to the big troubles and what could be coming, I don't think I realized all I learned quickly because I was enjoying the details and characters along with the troubles that we saw and were learning were coming. Well done at drawing everything together in a great image!

With the story moving forward with events and details, you'll want to pay attention so you don't miss anything on the systems here. There is a lot of details given of the mage that I feel will come up later in the story, like what they can do and the magic system they have.

Aerysius is open to woman being strong and individuals. However, Caladorn has a different view on women. Women seem to be seen as a lower status and need to work hard to grow in status in Caladorn. But they can excel here as well. Caladorn does see sex more openly. This opens the story up to a touch of romance. We do not get the detailed scenes, but you know what is lead into.

I would have liked more of a time base in the sections, so I know how much time has passed. I think this would have helped with what felt like a quick relationship for Merris and Quin. I struggle with quick loves. This relationship escalated quick, though, I do think there is more than meets the eye with these two. It feels as Merris is drawn to Quin's power after she gets a taste of it. This brings me to wonder if Merris is using Quin. But seeing things through Quin's eyes at times through the book brings me to feeling for him as I think he's starting to really like Merris. When I came to a part of the book where I learned more about this, I was so proud of myself for catching it AND of M.L. for writing it! I TOTALLY got the right feel leading me to where the author went with it in the book. I love when this happens!

I know Braden thinks himself a bad person, but I found I really like him. He's more humble and learned to care for people. He seems to have a soul purpose and drive to stop a bad thing that's to correct another terrible event. Two bads do not make a right. But many others think it will. Braden has Sephana at his side to help. Sephana has a strong mind that works well with balancing Braden's strong power.

Throughout the book I found myself drawn into the world and the magic here. I enjoyed the characters. Even when I was getting a bad vibe from a character or two because this is a sign of them being written very well for me to get the right feel off their actions and emotions. The end happened fast because we were moved from one character to another to get the whole view as it was happening, which pulled me back some, but that's the movement of everything happening.



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