The Wickwire Watch Audiobook By Jacquelyn Hagen cover art

The Wickwire Watch

The Riverfall Chronicles, Book 1

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The Wickwire Watch

By: Jacquelyn Hagen
Narrated by: Wayne Farrell
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Winner of the 2023 Realm Award for Best Debut Novel

SPFBO 9 finalist

Awarded the Indie B.R.A.G. Medallion

Trust no one.

It's the first and greatest rule Inkwell Featherfield ever learned. It's also the only way he knows how to survive—besides picking pockets, dodging the law, and using every ounce of his plucky charm. But none of this will be enough to save him now.

If only he'd never snooped around a dead man's house. If only he'd never found that pocket watch full of strange magic. If only he'd known the old man had snuffed it at the hands of the ghostly Spektors, or that such dark spirits even existed, because now they're after him.

When Ink is approached by an enigmatic group offering to keep him safe, he accepts—only to discover his rescuers are a band of infamous fugitives. Who knew they had a flair for winemaking? Or a penchant for sing-a-longs?

Thrust into a world of arcane horrors, powerful politicians, and dangers on every side, the boy has no choice but to finally break his rule and decide who to trust. But with all the secrets, magic, and mystery thickening around him—and the stakes so much higher than he ever imagined—it might just be downright impossible.

The Wickwire Watch is the first book of the epic fantasy series The Riverfall Chronicles. For more information, visit jacquelynhagen.com.

©2022 Jacquelyn Hagen (P)2023 Jacquelyn Hagen Epic Fantasy
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My friend read this book and loved it. I love audio books so when I found out that it had an audio book I had to get it. The story is kind of a timepiece mystery fantasy. I go through on average at least one audio book a week and can say this was a lot more enjoyable than many. I found this to be one that could keep my attention to the point that I just finished it at 2 AM. The narrator also did a great job bringing the story to life! About the only complaint I have about the book is it ended with a cliffhanger. Guess I better wait until tomorrow to start the next book!

Great book, Just grabbed the second one!

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This book grabs you from the first sentence:

“Had Mr. Bash known this was the night he was going to die, he would have stayed at home.”

This book just keeps getting better from there. We are given an inconspicuous introduction to the main character in the second chapter with the world and the plot being steadily revealed as the story progresses. The pacing is excellent with several action scenes followed by downtime in between to explore and deepen the characters along with the world. I don’t want to spoil any of the story. Do yourself a favor and at least listen to the sample. Jacquelyn Hagen is a wonderful new author and Wayne Farrell does an excellent job as the narrator. Give Jacquelyn Hagen the chance to envelop you in her world. You won’t be sorry.

Wonderful new world and characters

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The Wickwire Watch was recommended to me so I expected to like it but I didn’t anticipate absolutely loving it. These characters immediately jump out of the story. They are nuanced and I know there is still much to be revealed. The plot never lets up though it is confusing at first. That’s alright. Allow yourself to be confused and just keep going. The payoff is all the better for it. This is a traditional fantasy in all the best ways but benefits from modern pacing just enough. The setting is also a standout even though it is only sketched in lightly outside the village. I was entirely enchanted by The Wickwire Watch and immediately jumped into The Spider Key. Highly recommended!

WOW! This was a surprise!

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this was a fun read. I especially enjoyed the mystery that is slowly revealed as the book goes on, leaving you with more questions at every turn.
there were a couple of times I tuned out during an important conversation and had to go back. this isn't one where you can skip and still know what's going on.

mystery

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I really enjoyed the creativity that went into this story. It was a mashup of many concepts that left me intrigued by where we were going. Ink is a wonderful character with a distinct voice, but I did find his motive reveal slightly out of nowhere. Likewise, the last few chapters made me question many of the things I read in the beginning and wondered if it was worth it. I am still curious to see where this goes in the second book.

The narrator was fantastic and breathed life into all of the characters and made the author's words leap off the page.

Variations on interesting concepts

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Good book, but it had a few downsides for me.

Overall, I liked the story. It has an interesting enough mystery at its heart. What the heck is the Wickwire Watch? And what purpose does it serve? What is up with the Colonists and the magic using Entrians? What's the deal with enigmatic Caradoc?

Unfortunately, the mystery behind the watch and the many of these other questions are, for most of the book, ignored for a much less interesting story about an OBNOXIOUS main character doing boring chores. The middle section of this book was itself a chore to get through. I don't need a detailed recounting of someone going through the day to day where the only thing interesting about it is that it's on a flying island.

The saving grace is that it gets good again at the end once we get back to the main plot, and some of these questions are answered while more are raised.

If 100 pages were cut out of the middle of this book it would be an easy 5 stars, but as is, it's a 4 for me.

As for the audio...
Not great. Nothing particularly bad about the narration, but the mix isn't good. I had to turn up the volume considerably more than any other book I've listened to in order to hear it properly, and the sound is a bit tinny. Not terrible, but nothing to write home about.

Begins well, ends well, suffers in the middle.

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I can't express enough how much I enjoyed this book! The writing is so clear and the narration just matches the story perfectly! Jacquelyn's storytelling is absolutely superb and I look forward to the Spider Key!
I hope future readers will fall in love with Ink and his spunky personality as I did <3

Your next adventure awaits

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But who do you trust!?! This was a fun and intriguing start to a story with characters you just wanna meet in person. The world building is clever and deftly woven into the story where, as in life, villain and hero are matters of perspective and competing values. I’m looking forward to book two!

The truth is out there…

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