Where Loyalties Lie
Best Laid Plans, Book 1
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Buy for $24.95
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Matthew Jackson
-
By:
-
Rob J. Hayes
About this listen
Winner of Mark Lawrence's 3rd Self Published Fantasy Blog Off
Finalist in BookNest's 2017 Fantasy Awards
Nominated for a r/Fantasy Best of 2017 Stabby Award
"Feels exactly like a world populated by pirates should; fun and vulgar and more than a little dangerous." (BookNest)
Everyone knows Drake Morrass is only out for himself.
As the fires of a dying city burn on a distant shore, Drake sees an opportunity to unite the other pirate captains under his flag and claim himself a crown.
If he is to succeed he will need allies and credibility. Who better than gentleman pirate, Keelin Stillwater, renowned for taking ships without bloodshed, as well as his skill with a sword.
Enemy ships sail their waters, setting the Pirate Isles ablaze. The sinister Tanner Black threatens to steal the throne before Drake has even sat in it. Now Drake must somehow convince the other pirate captains that his best interests are also theirs.
Dive into this swashbuckling adventure today!
©2017 Rob J. Hayes (P)2019 Rob J. HayesListeners also enjoyed...
-
The Ties That Bind Trilogy
- First Earth Saga
- By: Rob J. Hayes
- Narrated by: Jaret Ross
- Length: 43 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Thanquil Darkheart is a witch hunter for the Inquisition, on a holy crusade to rid the world of heresy. He’s also something else...expendable. When the God Emperor gives Thanquil an impossible task, he knows he has no choice but to venture deep into the Wilds to hunt down a fallen Inquisitor.
-
-
the humor
- By Michael pellersels on 07-12-24
By: Rob J. Hayes
-
The Heroic Age Trilogy
- A Mortal Techniques Box Set
- By: Rob J. Hayes
- Narrated by: Kim Bretton
- Length: 44 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ein is on a mission from God...the God of Death. Time is up for the emperor of Ten Kings, and it falls to Ein, an eight-year-old boy, to render the judgement of the reaper. He can't do it alone, but luckily the world is full of travelling heroes. There's only one catch; in order to serve him, they must first die.
-
-
Amazing narration by Kim Bretton+ incredible story
- By M. Wanchoo on 02-18-22
By: Rob J. Hayes
-
City of Kings
- By: Rob J. Hayes
- Narrated by: Rosa B. Watkinson
- Length: 11 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
War makes monsters and corpses of us all. For generations the blooded have ruled the Wilds, cultivating a lawless frontier and bleeding the good folk dry. The Black Thorn, once the most wanted outlaw the world has ever seen, is set on stopping them, and bringing an end to the great game that oppresses them all.
-
-
An awesome grimdark experience
- By Al on 09-01-19
By: Rob J. Hayes
-
The Heresy Within
- First Earth Saga (The Ties That Bind, Book 1)
- By: Rob J. Hayes
- Narrated by: Jaret Ross
- Length: 17 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Thanquil Darkheart is a witch hunter for the Inquisition, on a holy crusade to rid the world of heresy. He’s also something else...expendable. When the God Emperor gives Thanquil an impossible task, he knows he has no choice but to venture deep into the Wilds to hunt down a fallen Inquisitor. Even the best swordswoman is one bad day away from a corpse. It’s a lesson Blademaster Jezzet Vel’urn isn’t keen to learn. Chased into the Wilds by a vengeful warlord, Jezzet makes it to the free city of Chade. But instead of sanctuary, all she finds are more enemies from her past.
-
-
New fan of Rob J Hayes
- By Pam W on 04-13-23
By: Rob J. Hayes
-
Along the Razor's Edge
- The War Eternal, Book 1
- By: Rob J. Hayes
- Narrated by: Moira Quirk
- Length: 12 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
At just 15, Eskara Helsene fought in the greatest war mankind has ever known - and lost. There is only one place her enemies would send a Sourcerer as powerful as her: the Pit, a prison sunk so deep into the earth the sun is a distant memory. Now, she finds herself stripped of her magic; a young girl surrounded by thieves, murderers, and worse. In order to survive she will need to make new allies, play the inmates against each other, and find a way out. Her enemies will soon find out that Eskara is not so easily broken.
-
-
Old lady rolls her eyes at past self.
- By mat on 12-23-20
By: Rob J. Hayes
-
Titan Hoppers
- Titan Hoppers, Book 1
- By: Rob J. Hayes
- Narrated by: Michael Gallagher
- Length: 14 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Born talentless, Iro has all but resigned himself to a life of drudgery, watching his sister hop across to the massive space titan for supplies. But when the titan explodes and his sister is killed, Iro finds a new determination to take her place. He’s not about to let weakness prevent him. When the fleet encounters a new titan, filled with powerful monsters, deadly traps, and mysterious cloaked figures, Iro is the first to spontaneously manifest a new talent.
-
-
Good one
- By CC on 02-03-23
By: Rob J. Hayes
-
The Ties That Bind Trilogy
- First Earth Saga
- By: Rob J. Hayes
- Narrated by: Jaret Ross
- Length: 43 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Thanquil Darkheart is a witch hunter for the Inquisition, on a holy crusade to rid the world of heresy. He’s also something else...expendable. When the God Emperor gives Thanquil an impossible task, he knows he has no choice but to venture deep into the Wilds to hunt down a fallen Inquisitor.
-
-
the humor
- By Michael pellersels on 07-12-24
By: Rob J. Hayes
-
The Heroic Age Trilogy
- A Mortal Techniques Box Set
- By: Rob J. Hayes
- Narrated by: Kim Bretton
- Length: 44 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ein is on a mission from God...the God of Death. Time is up for the emperor of Ten Kings, and it falls to Ein, an eight-year-old boy, to render the judgement of the reaper. He can't do it alone, but luckily the world is full of travelling heroes. There's only one catch; in order to serve him, they must first die.
-
-
Amazing narration by Kim Bretton+ incredible story
- By M. Wanchoo on 02-18-22
By: Rob J. Hayes
-
City of Kings
- By: Rob J. Hayes
- Narrated by: Rosa B. Watkinson
- Length: 11 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
War makes monsters and corpses of us all. For generations the blooded have ruled the Wilds, cultivating a lawless frontier and bleeding the good folk dry. The Black Thorn, once the most wanted outlaw the world has ever seen, is set on stopping them, and bringing an end to the great game that oppresses them all.
-
-
An awesome grimdark experience
- By Al on 09-01-19
By: Rob J. Hayes
-
The Heresy Within
- First Earth Saga (The Ties That Bind, Book 1)
- By: Rob J. Hayes
- Narrated by: Jaret Ross
- Length: 17 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Thanquil Darkheart is a witch hunter for the Inquisition, on a holy crusade to rid the world of heresy. He’s also something else...expendable. When the God Emperor gives Thanquil an impossible task, he knows he has no choice but to venture deep into the Wilds to hunt down a fallen Inquisitor. Even the best swordswoman is one bad day away from a corpse. It’s a lesson Blademaster Jezzet Vel’urn isn’t keen to learn. Chased into the Wilds by a vengeful warlord, Jezzet makes it to the free city of Chade. But instead of sanctuary, all she finds are more enemies from her past.
-
-
New fan of Rob J Hayes
- By Pam W on 04-13-23
By: Rob J. Hayes
-
Along the Razor's Edge
- The War Eternal, Book 1
- By: Rob J. Hayes
- Narrated by: Moira Quirk
- Length: 12 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
At just 15, Eskara Helsene fought in the greatest war mankind has ever known - and lost. There is only one place her enemies would send a Sourcerer as powerful as her: the Pit, a prison sunk so deep into the earth the sun is a distant memory. Now, she finds herself stripped of her magic; a young girl surrounded by thieves, murderers, and worse. In order to survive she will need to make new allies, play the inmates against each other, and find a way out. Her enemies will soon find out that Eskara is not so easily broken.
-
-
Old lady rolls her eyes at past self.
- By mat on 12-23-20
By: Rob J. Hayes
-
Titan Hoppers
- Titan Hoppers, Book 1
- By: Rob J. Hayes
- Narrated by: Michael Gallagher
- Length: 14 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Born talentless, Iro has all but resigned himself to a life of drudgery, watching his sister hop across to the massive space titan for supplies. But when the titan explodes and his sister is killed, Iro finds a new determination to take her place. He’s not about to let weakness prevent him. When the fleet encounters a new titan, filled with powerful monsters, deadly traps, and mysterious cloaked figures, Iro is the first to spontaneously manifest a new talent.
-
-
Good one
- By CC on 02-03-23
By: Rob J. Hayes
-
On Stranger Tides
- By: Tim Powers
- Narrated by: Bronson Pinchot
- Length: 12 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On Stranger Tides follows the exploits of John Chandagnac, who travels to the new world after the death of his puppeteer father to confront his uncle, who has apparently made off with the family fortune. During the voyage, he befriends Beth Hurwood and her father, Benjamin Hurwood, an Oxford professor. Before they arrive at their destination, their ship is waylaid by Blackbeard and his band of pirates.
-
-
I have waited for this audiobook for years!
- By Derek B. on 07-23-10
By: Tim Powers
-
The Will of the Many
- Hierarchy, Book 1
- By: James Islington
- Narrated by: Euan Morton
- Length: 28 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Catenan Republic—the Hierarchy—may rule the world now, but they do not know everything. I tell them my name is Vis Telimus. I tell them I was orphaned after a tragic accident three years ago, and that good fortune alone has led to my acceptance into their most prestigious school. I tell them that once I graduate, I will gladly join the rest of civilized society in allowing my strength, my drive, and my focus—what they call Will—to be leeched away and added to the power of those above me, as millions already do. As all must eventually do.
-
-
I don’t know what the other reviews are on about
- By Chase on 06-24-23
By: James Islington
-
Kings of Paradise
- Ash and Sand, Book 1
- By: Richard Nell
- Narrated by: Ralph Lister
- Length: 25 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ruka, called a demon at birth, is a genius. Born malformed and ugly into the snow-covered wasteland of the Ascom, he was spared from death by his mother's love. Now he is an outcast, consumed with hate for those who've wronged him. But to take his vengeance, he must first survive. Across a vast sea in the white-sand island paradise of Sri Kon, Kale is fourth and youngest son of the Sorcerer King. As the first prince ever forced to serve with low-born marines, Kale must prove himself and become a man, or else lose all chance of a worthy future, and any hope to win the love of his life.
-
-
Grimdark at its finest
- By C.T. on 10-09-18
By: Richard Nell
-
The Sword of Kaigen: A Theonite War Story
- By: M. L. Wang
- Narrated by: Andrew Tell
- Length: 24 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On a mountainside at the edge of the Kaigenese Empire live the most powerful warriors in the world, superhumans capable of raising the sea and wielding blades of ice. For hundreds of years, the fighters of the Kusanagi Peninsula have held the Empire's enemies at bay, earning their frozen spit of land the name "The Sword of Kaigen". Born into Kusanagi's legendary Matsuda family, f14-year-old Mamoru has always known his purpose: To master his family's fighting techniques and defend his homeland.
-
-
OH. MY. GODS! Holy emotional epicness!
- By Kevin Potter on 09-03-20
By: M. L. Wang
-
The Dragon's Path
- The Dagger and the Coin, Book 1
- By: Daniel Abraham
- Narrated by: Pete Bradbury
- Length: 15 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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.
-
-
glad I didn't listen to reviews
- By Juan acosta on 02-01-20
By: Daniel Abraham
-
Of Blood and Fire
- The Bound and the Broken, Book 1
- By: Ryan Cahill
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 16 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Epheria is a land divided by war and mistrust. The High Lords of the South squabble and fight, only kept in check by the Dragonguard, traitors of a time long past, who serve the empire of the North. In the remote villages of Southern Epheria, still reeling from the tragic loss of his brother, Calen Bryer prepares for The Proving - a test of courage and skill that not all survive. But when three strangers arrive in the village of Milltown, with a secret they are willing to die for, Calen’s world is ripped from under him and he is thrust headfirst into a war.
-
-
Didn’t expect a “grow up power fantasy”
- By Mike Thomas on 07-23-22
By: Ryan Cahill
-
Gunmetal Gods
- Gunmetal Gods, Book 1
- By: Zamil Akhtar
- Narrated by: Peter Noble
- Length: 17 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Fifty thousand gun-toting paladins march behind him, all baptized in angel blood, thirsty to burn unbelievers. Only the janissaries can stand against them. Their living legend, Kevah, once beheaded a magus amid a hail of ice daggers. But ever since his wife disappeared, he spends his days in a haze of hashish and poetry. To save the kingdom, Kevah must conquer his grief and become the legend he once was. But Micah writes his own legend in blood, and his righteous conquest will stop at nothing. When the gods choose sides, a legend will be etched upon the stars.
-
-
Great Narrator, Great Book
- By KYLE LOCKHAVEN on 10-28-21
By: Zamil Akhtar
-
The Lies of Locke Lamora
- Gentleman Bastard, Book 1
- By: Scott Lynch
- Narrated by: Michael Page
- Length: 22 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
An orphan’s life is harsh - and often short - in the mysterious island city of Camorr. But young Locke Lamora dodges death and slavery, becoming a thief under the tutelage of a gifted con artist. As leader of the band of light-fingered brothers known as the Gentleman Bastards, Locke is soon infamous, fooling even the underworld’s most feared ruler. But in the shadows lurks someone still more ambitious and deadly. Faced with a bloody coup that threatens to destroy everyone and everything that holds meaning in his mercenary life, Locke vows to beat the enemy at his own brutal game.
-
-
Narrator is a bit too much
- By Brandon Yapel on 03-02-20
By: Scott Lynch
-
Son of the Black Sword
- Saga of the Forgotten Warrior, Book 1
- By: Larry Correia
- Narrated by: Tim Gerard Reynolds
- Length: 16 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After the War of the Gods, the demons were cast out and fell to the world. Mankind was nearly eradicated by the seemingly unstoppable beasts until the gods sent the great hero, Ramrowan, to save them. He united the tribes, gave them magic, and drove the demons into the sea. Ever since, the land has belonged to man, and the oceans have remained an uncrossable hell, leaving the continent of Lok isolated.
-
-
Woo'd & Won
- By Toriangirl on 11-06-15
By: Larry Correia
-
Postmortem
- A Scarpetta Novel
- By: Patricia Cornwell
- Narrated by: C. J. Critt
- Length: 11 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Four young women have been found murdered—tortured and strangled in their own beds—all victims of the same brilliant monster. Using a skilled hand and the latest technology in forensic medicine, Kay Scarpetta begins the process of gathering the microscopic clues the latest battered body has to give.
-
-
Forgot how much I loved the old Scarpetta novels
- By Janie on 03-29-12
-
Web of Eyes
- By: Rhett C. Bruno, Jaime Castle
- Narrated by: Luke Daniels
- Length: 11 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When a piece of the crown prince's soul is stolen by a traitorous warlock, disgraced knight Torsten Unger makes it his sworn duty to get it back and save the last hope for the kingdom. But he can't do it alone. Self-proclaimed "World's Greatest Thief" Whitney Fierstown sits in the castle dungeon, destined for the gallows until Torsten offers this choice: rot and die in a dank cell or join him on a dangerous expedition to put his skills to good use and earn his freedom.
-
-
A Fantasy Version of 48 Hours
- By John Kang on 12-24-18
By: Rhett C. Bruno, and others
-
Garden of Beasts
- A Novel of Berlin 1936
- By: Jeffery Deaver
- Narrated by: Jefferson Mays
- Length: 13 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Paul Schumann, a German American living in New York City in 1936, is a mobster hitman known as much for his brilliant tactics as for taking only "righteous" assignments. But then Paul gets caught. And the arresting officer offers him a stark choice: prison or covert government service. Paul is asked to pose as a journalist covering the summer Olympics taking place in Berlin. He's to hunt down and kill Reinhard Ernst - the ruthless architect of Hitler's clandestine rearmament.
-
-
One of my favs
- By nicholas on 11-02-17
By: Jeffery Deaver
Related to this topic
-
The Sword-Edged Blonde
- By: Alex Bledsoe
- Narrated by: Stefan Rudnicki
- Length: 8 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It should have been a case like any other: a missing princess, a king willing to pay in gold for her return. But before he realizes it, private investigator Eddie LaCrosse, a slightly shopworn sword jockey with a talent for discretion and detection, is swept up in a web of mystery and deceit involving a brutally murdered royal heir, a queen accused of an unspeakable crime, and the tragic past he thought he'd left behind.
-
-
No Redeeming Qualities
- By MightyMite68 on 09-27-20
By: Alex Bledsoe
-
Orcs
- By: Stan Nicholls
- Narrated by: John Lee
- Length: 24 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
"There is fear and hatred in your eyes. To you I am a monster, a skulker in the shadows, a fiend to scare your children with. A creature to be hunted down and slaughtered llike a beast in the fields. It is time you pay heed to the beast. And see the beast in yourself. I have your fear. But I have earned your respect. Hear my story. Feel the flow of blood and be thankful. Thankful that it was me, not you, who bore the sword. Thankful to the Orcs: born to fight, destined to win peace for all."
-
-
Overlooked but enjoyable series
- By Daniel on 07-23-13
By: Stan Nicholls
-
Flint & Silver
- A Prequel to Treasure Island
- By: John Drake
- Narrated by: Tim Gregory
- Length: 11 hrs and 49 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A swashbuckling triumph of storytelling, Flint and Silver provides a thrilling ride back to the rich and wondrous world of Long John Silver and his fiendish nemesis Joseph Flint in this prequel to the beloved classic Treasure Island.
-
-
where are the other two books in the series??
- By Scott Pruitt on 05-31-18
By: John Drake
-
The Grim Company
- By: Luke Scull
- Narrated by: Gerard Doyle
- Length: 15 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Gods are dead. The Magelord Salazar and his magically enhanced troops, the Augmentors, crush any dissent they find in the minds of the populace. On the other side of the Broken Sea, the White Lady plots the liberation of Dorminia, with her spymistresses, the Pale Women. Demons and abominations plague the Highlands. The world is desperately in need of heroes. But what they get instead are a ragtag band of old warriors, a crippled Halfmage, two orphans and an oddly capable manservant: the Grim Company.
-
-
Pretty bad, but not actively terrible
- By Travis Lamkin on 09-13-15
By: Luke Scull
-
Witches Be Crazy
- By: Logan J. Hunder
- Narrated by: James Patrick Cronin
- Length: 10 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The beloved King Ik is dead, and there was barely time to check his pulse before the royal throne was supporting the suspiciously shapely backside of an impostor pretending to be Ik's beautiful, long-lost daughter. With the land's heroic hunks busy drooling all over themselves, there's only one man left who can save the kingdom of Jenair. His name is Dungar Loloth, a rural blacksmith turned innkeeper, a surly hermit, and an all-around nobody oozing toward middle age, compensating for a lack of height, looks, charm, and tact with guts and an attitude.
-
-
perfect nonsense
- By Jen on 09-04-20
By: Logan J. Hunder
-
Pathfinder Tales: Beyond the Pool of Stars
- By: Howard Andrew Jones
- Narrated by: Steve West
- Length: 11 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Mirian Raas comes from a long line of salvagers, adventurers who use magic to dive for sunken ships off the coast of tropical Sargava. When her father dies, Mirian has to take over his last job: a dangerous expedition into deep jungle pools, helping a tribe of lizardfolk reclaim the lost treasures of their people.
-
-
Wonderful!
- By Andrew J Fix on 03-05-23
-
The Sword-Edged Blonde
- By: Alex Bledsoe
- Narrated by: Stefan Rudnicki
- Length: 8 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It should have been a case like any other: a missing princess, a king willing to pay in gold for her return. But before he realizes it, private investigator Eddie LaCrosse, a slightly shopworn sword jockey with a talent for discretion and detection, is swept up in a web of mystery and deceit involving a brutally murdered royal heir, a queen accused of an unspeakable crime, and the tragic past he thought he'd left behind.
-
-
No Redeeming Qualities
- By MightyMite68 on 09-27-20
By: Alex Bledsoe
-
Orcs
- By: Stan Nicholls
- Narrated by: John Lee
- Length: 24 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
"There is fear and hatred in your eyes. To you I am a monster, a skulker in the shadows, a fiend to scare your children with. A creature to be hunted down and slaughtered llike a beast in the fields. It is time you pay heed to the beast. And see the beast in yourself. I have your fear. But I have earned your respect. Hear my story. Feel the flow of blood and be thankful. Thankful that it was me, not you, who bore the sword. Thankful to the Orcs: born to fight, destined to win peace for all."
-
-
Overlooked but enjoyable series
- By Daniel on 07-23-13
By: Stan Nicholls
-
Flint & Silver
- A Prequel to Treasure Island
- By: John Drake
- Narrated by: Tim Gregory
- Length: 11 hrs and 49 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A swashbuckling triumph of storytelling, Flint and Silver provides a thrilling ride back to the rich and wondrous world of Long John Silver and his fiendish nemesis Joseph Flint in this prequel to the beloved classic Treasure Island.
-
-
where are the other two books in the series??
- By Scott Pruitt on 05-31-18
By: John Drake
-
The Grim Company
- By: Luke Scull
- Narrated by: Gerard Doyle
- Length: 15 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Gods are dead. The Magelord Salazar and his magically enhanced troops, the Augmentors, crush any dissent they find in the minds of the populace. On the other side of the Broken Sea, the White Lady plots the liberation of Dorminia, with her spymistresses, the Pale Women. Demons and abominations plague the Highlands. The world is desperately in need of heroes. But what they get instead are a ragtag band of old warriors, a crippled Halfmage, two orphans and an oddly capable manservant: the Grim Company.
-
-
Pretty bad, but not actively terrible
- By Travis Lamkin on 09-13-15
By: Luke Scull
-
Witches Be Crazy
- By: Logan J. Hunder
- Narrated by: James Patrick Cronin
- Length: 10 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The beloved King Ik is dead, and there was barely time to check his pulse before the royal throne was supporting the suspiciously shapely backside of an impostor pretending to be Ik's beautiful, long-lost daughter. With the land's heroic hunks busy drooling all over themselves, there's only one man left who can save the kingdom of Jenair. His name is Dungar Loloth, a rural blacksmith turned innkeeper, a surly hermit, and an all-around nobody oozing toward middle age, compensating for a lack of height, looks, charm, and tact with guts and an attitude.
-
-
perfect nonsense
- By Jen on 09-04-20
By: Logan J. Hunder
-
Pathfinder Tales: Beyond the Pool of Stars
- By: Howard Andrew Jones
- Narrated by: Steve West
- Length: 11 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Mirian Raas comes from a long line of salvagers, adventurers who use magic to dive for sunken ships off the coast of tropical Sargava. When her father dies, Mirian has to take over his last job: a dangerous expedition into deep jungle pools, helping a tribe of lizardfolk reclaim the lost treasures of their people.
-
-
Wonderful!
- By Andrew J Fix on 03-05-23
-
The Red Wolf Conspiracy
- By: Robert V. S. Redick
- Narrated by: Michael Page
- Length: 19 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Imperial Merchant Ship Chathrand is the last of her kind. Six hundred years old, the secrets of her construction long forgotten, the massive vessel dwarfs every other sailing craft in the world. It is a palace with sails, a floating outpost of the Empire of Arqual. And it is on its most vital mission yet: to deliver a young woman whose marriage will seal the peace between Arqual and its mortal enemy, the secretive Mzithrin Empire.
-
-
Not Bad, not great.
- By Aerindel on 10-15-09
-
Cry Havoc
- Jack Frey, Book 1
- By: Mike Morris
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 9 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
They say when the demons come, you either fight or you die.The Black Dogs know this all too well. For three hundred years, the warrior priests have sacrificed their lives to keep the island nation of Abios safe from the flesh-eating Nostros, while the rest of the world fell under the demons' savagery. However, an armada now stands poised to invade mankind's last bastion.
-
-
truly evil enemies
- By VJG on 02-01-18
By: Mike Morris
-
Peter and the Starcatchers
- The Starcatchers, Book 1
- By: Dave Barry, Ridley Pearson
- Narrated by: Jim Dale
- Length: 8 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In an evocative and fast-paced adventure on the high seas and on a faraway island an orphan boy named Peter and his mysterious new friend, Molly, overcome bands of pirates and thieves in their quest to keep a fantastical secret safe and save the world from evil.
-
-
A fast paced frolic on the high seas!
- By Deborah on 12-19-08
By: Dave Barry, and others
-
Ship of Magic
- The Liveship Traders, Book 1
- By: Robin Hobb
- Narrated by: Anne Flosnik
- Length: 35 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Bingtown is a hub of exotic trade and home to a merchant nobility famed for its liveships---rare vessels carved from wizardwood, which ripens magically into sentient awareness. The fortunes of one of Bingtown's oldest families rest on the newly awakened liveship Vivacia. For Althea Vestrit, the ship is her rightful legacy unjustly denied her---a legacy she will risk anything to reclaim.
-
-
Horrible Narrator
- By CP on 10-07-10
By: Robin Hobb
-
Bury the Living
- The Revolutionary Series, Book 1
- By: Jodi McIsaac
- Narrated by: Alana Kerr Collins
- Length: 10 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Rebellion has always been in the O'Reilly family's blood. So when faced with the tragic death of her brother during Northern Ireland's infamous Troubles, a teenage Nora joined the IRA to fight for her country's freedom. Now, more than a decade later, Nora is haunted by both her past and vivid dreams of a man she has never met. When she is given a relic belonging to Brigid of Kildare, patron saint of Ireland, the mystical artifact transports her back eighty years - to the height of Ireland's brutal civil war.
-
-
Great Narrator
- By Sandra on 09-29-22
By: Jodi McIsaac
-
The Gates of Athens
- By: Conn Iggulden
- Narrated by: George Blagden
- Length: 14 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Evoking two of the most famous battles of the Ancient World - the Battle of Marathon and the Last Stand at Thermopylae - The Gates of Athens is a bravura piece of storytelling by a well acclaimed master of the historical adventure novel.
-
-
One of Iggulden’s best ever!
- By Bud R on 01-15-21
By: Conn Iggulden
-
Ice Forged
- Ascendant Kingdoms Saga, Book 1
- By: Gail Z. Martin
- Narrated by: Tim Gerard Reynolds
- Length: 19 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Condemned as a murderer for killing the man who dishonored his sister, Blaine "Mick" McFadden has spent the last six years in Velant, a penal colony in the frigid northern wastelands. Harsh military discipline and the oppressive magic keep a fragile peace as colonists struggle against a hostile environment. But the supply ships from Dondareth have stopped coming, boding ill for the kingdom that banished the colonists. Now, as the world's magic runs wild, McFadden and the people of Velant must fight to survive and decide their fate....
-
-
Vampires, Mages and Gods are discussed.
- By Jim "The Impatient" on 04-07-16
By: Gail Z. Martin
-
Dragonvein, Book One
- By: Brian D. Anderson
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 11 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Carentan, France, 1944 - Ethan Martin, a soldier in the 101st Airborne, is fighting for his life. But soon he will learn what peril truly is when he is ripped from his world and transported to a land of magic, swords, and dragons. And though the Nazis are now far, far away, danger is closer than ever.
-
-
Interesting Story but very light on in details.
- By Kindle Customer on 07-16-15
-
Stone of Tymora
- By: R. A. Salvatore, Geno Salvatore
- Narrated by: Ramon De Ocampo
- Length: 16 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Meet Maimun - an orphan who couldn’t imagine how unfortunate it would be to discover a stone that makes him forever lucky. Fleeing a powerful demon named Asbeel, Maimun stows away aboard the ship Sea Sprite, where he encounters a cast of characters well-known to Salvatore fans: Captain Deudermont, Drizzt Do’Urden, Wulfgar, Catti-brie, and the dwarf Bruenor. Drizzt becomes a mentor to Maimun and aboard Deudermont’s ship, they sail the treacherous seas of the Forgotten Realms.
-
-
Was worth waiting in the drive to finsh a chapter!
- By Hobbs on 05-20-14
By: R. A. Salvatore, and others
-
Madrenga
- By: Alan Dean Foster
- Narrated by: Tim Gerard Reynolds
- Length: 11 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
He is plainly too young and too inexperienced for the mission, but on the advice of her aged adviser Natoum, and with her husband off at war, the queen reluctantly assigns the task of delivery to...Madrenga. Accompanied only by a runt of a pony and a scrap of a pup, he sets off to transport the royal message to its destination. No matter what it might take. But things are not always what they seem. Heroes are sometimes made of the strangest stuff, and love is to be found in the most unexpected places...if one doesn’t die while treading the lethal path.
-
-
Unique and captivating!
- By Julie Moran on 02-05-21
By: Alan Dean Foster
-
The Sleeping Dragon
- Guardians of the Flame, Book 1
- By: Joel Rosenberg
- Narrated by: Keith Silverstein
- Length: 8 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It began as just another evening of fantasy gaming with James, Karl, Andrea, and the rest ready to assume their various roles as wizard, cleric, warrior, or thief. But sorcerous gamemaster Professor Deighton had something else planned for this unsuspecting group of college students. And the "game" soon became a matter of life and death as the seven adventurers found themselves transported to an alternate world and into the bodies of the actual characters they had been pretending to be....
-
-
A Self Image Cast in Stone Could Shatter
- By Jim "The Impatient" on 10-19-13
By: Joel Rosenberg
-
The Bright and Breaking Sea
- Kit Brightling Series, Book 1
- By: Chloe Neill
- Narrated by: Danielle Cohen
- Length: 10 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Kit Brightling, rescued as a foundling and raised in a home for talented girls, has worked hard to rise through the ranks of the Isles' Crown Command and become one of the few female captains in Queen Charlotte's fleet. Her ship is small, but she's fast - in part because of Kit's magical affinity to the sea. But the waters become perilous when the queen sends Kit on a special mission with a partner she never asked for. Rian Grant, Viscount Queenscliffe, may be a veteran of the Continental war, but Kit doesn't know him or his motives....
-
-
It's really good, but not quite great
- By Mariya Joldzic on 11-29-20
By: Chloe Neill
People who viewed this also viewed...
-
The Heresy Within
- First Earth Saga (The Ties That Bind, Book 1)
- By: Rob J. Hayes
- Narrated by: Jaret Ross
- Length: 17 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Thanquil Darkheart is a witch hunter for the Inquisition, on a holy crusade to rid the world of heresy. He’s also something else...expendable. When the God Emperor gives Thanquil an impossible task, he knows he has no choice but to venture deep into the Wilds to hunt down a fallen Inquisitor. Even the best swordswoman is one bad day away from a corpse. It’s a lesson Blademaster Jezzet Vel’urn isn’t keen to learn. Chased into the Wilds by a vengeful warlord, Jezzet makes it to the free city of Chade. But instead of sanctuary, all she finds are more enemies from her past.
-
-
New fan of Rob J Hayes
- By Pam W on 04-13-23
By: Rob J. Hayes
-
The Ties That Bind Trilogy
- First Earth Saga
- By: Rob J. Hayes
- Narrated by: Jaret Ross
- Length: 43 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Thanquil Darkheart is a witch hunter for the Inquisition, on a holy crusade to rid the world of heresy. He’s also something else...expendable. When the God Emperor gives Thanquil an impossible task, he knows he has no choice but to venture deep into the Wilds to hunt down a fallen Inquisitor.
-
-
the humor
- By Michael pellersels on 07-12-24
By: Rob J. Hayes
-
Titan Hoppers
- Titan Hoppers, Book 1
- By: Rob J. Hayes
- Narrated by: Michael Gallagher
- Length: 14 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Born talentless, Iro has all but resigned himself to a life of drudgery, watching his sister hop across to the massive space titan for supplies. But when the titan explodes and his sister is killed, Iro finds a new determination to take her place. He’s not about to let weakness prevent him. When the fleet encounters a new titan, filled with powerful monsters, deadly traps, and mysterious cloaked figures, Iro is the first to spontaneously manifest a new talent.
-
-
Good one
- By CC on 02-03-23
By: Rob J. Hayes
-
The Heroic Age Trilogy
- A Mortal Techniques Box Set
- By: Rob J. Hayes
- Narrated by: Kim Bretton
- Length: 44 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ein is on a mission from God...the God of Death. Time is up for the emperor of Ten Kings, and it falls to Ein, an eight-year-old boy, to render the judgement of the reaper. He can't do it alone, but luckily the world is full of travelling heroes. There's only one catch; in order to serve him, they must first die.
-
-
Amazing narration by Kim Bretton+ incredible story
- By M. Wanchoo on 02-18-22
By: Rob J. Hayes
-
The Obsidian Path: Omnibus
- By: Michael R. Fletcher
- Narrated by: Kyle Adams
- Length: 40 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A broken man, Khraen awakens alone and lost. His stone heart has been shattered, littered across the world. With each piece, he regains some small shard of the man he once was. He follows the trail, fragment by fragment, remembering his terrible past.
-
-
Amazing story
- By Surelda Heard on 01-09-23
-
Along the Razor's Edge
- The War Eternal, Book 1
- By: Rob J. Hayes
- Narrated by: Moira Quirk
- Length: 12 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
At just 15, Eskara Helsene fought in the greatest war mankind has ever known - and lost. There is only one place her enemies would send a Sourcerer as powerful as her: the Pit, a prison sunk so deep into the earth the sun is a distant memory. Now, she finds herself stripped of her magic; a young girl surrounded by thieves, murderers, and worse. In order to survive she will need to make new allies, play the inmates against each other, and find a way out. Her enemies will soon find out that Eskara is not so easily broken.
-
-
Old lady rolls her eyes at past self.
- By mat on 12-23-20
By: Rob J. Hayes
-
The Heresy Within
- First Earth Saga (The Ties That Bind, Book 1)
- By: Rob J. Hayes
- Narrated by: Jaret Ross
- Length: 17 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Thanquil Darkheart is a witch hunter for the Inquisition, on a holy crusade to rid the world of heresy. He’s also something else...expendable. When the God Emperor gives Thanquil an impossible task, he knows he has no choice but to venture deep into the Wilds to hunt down a fallen Inquisitor. Even the best swordswoman is one bad day away from a corpse. It’s a lesson Blademaster Jezzet Vel’urn isn’t keen to learn. Chased into the Wilds by a vengeful warlord, Jezzet makes it to the free city of Chade. But instead of sanctuary, all she finds are more enemies from her past.
-
-
New fan of Rob J Hayes
- By Pam W on 04-13-23
By: Rob J. Hayes
-
The Ties That Bind Trilogy
- First Earth Saga
- By: Rob J. Hayes
- Narrated by: Jaret Ross
- Length: 43 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Thanquil Darkheart is a witch hunter for the Inquisition, on a holy crusade to rid the world of heresy. He’s also something else...expendable. When the God Emperor gives Thanquil an impossible task, he knows he has no choice but to venture deep into the Wilds to hunt down a fallen Inquisitor.
-
-
the humor
- By Michael pellersels on 07-12-24
By: Rob J. Hayes
-
Titan Hoppers
- Titan Hoppers, Book 1
- By: Rob J. Hayes
- Narrated by: Michael Gallagher
- Length: 14 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Born talentless, Iro has all but resigned himself to a life of drudgery, watching his sister hop across to the massive space titan for supplies. But when the titan explodes and his sister is killed, Iro finds a new determination to take her place. He’s not about to let weakness prevent him. When the fleet encounters a new titan, filled with powerful monsters, deadly traps, and mysterious cloaked figures, Iro is the first to spontaneously manifest a new talent.
-
-
Good one
- By CC on 02-03-23
By: Rob J. Hayes
-
The Heroic Age Trilogy
- A Mortal Techniques Box Set
- By: Rob J. Hayes
- Narrated by: Kim Bretton
- Length: 44 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ein is on a mission from God...the God of Death. Time is up for the emperor of Ten Kings, and it falls to Ein, an eight-year-old boy, to render the judgement of the reaper. He can't do it alone, but luckily the world is full of travelling heroes. There's only one catch; in order to serve him, they must first die.
-
-
Amazing narration by Kim Bretton+ incredible story
- By M. Wanchoo on 02-18-22
By: Rob J. Hayes
-
The Obsidian Path: Omnibus
- By: Michael R. Fletcher
- Narrated by: Kyle Adams
- Length: 40 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A broken man, Khraen awakens alone and lost. His stone heart has been shattered, littered across the world. With each piece, he regains some small shard of the man he once was. He follows the trail, fragment by fragment, remembering his terrible past.
-
-
Amazing story
- By Surelda Heard on 01-09-23
-
Along the Razor's Edge
- The War Eternal, Book 1
- By: Rob J. Hayes
- Narrated by: Moira Quirk
- Length: 12 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
At just 15, Eskara Helsene fought in the greatest war mankind has ever known - and lost. There is only one place her enemies would send a Sourcerer as powerful as her: the Pit, a prison sunk so deep into the earth the sun is a distant memory. Now, she finds herself stripped of her magic; a young girl surrounded by thieves, murderers, and worse. In order to survive she will need to make new allies, play the inmates against each other, and find a way out. Her enemies will soon find out that Eskara is not so easily broken.
-
-
Old lady rolls her eyes at past self.
- By mat on 12-23-20
By: Rob J. Hayes
-
Deathless
- Annals of the God Eater, Book 1 (The God Eater Saga)
- By: Rob J. Hayes
- Narrated by: Connor Brannigan
- Length: 6 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Seven were the Godless Kings who took their war to Heaven. King Ertide Hostain was once known as the Crimson Prince. He fought side by side with angels and pegasi and defended the Sant Dien Empire against monsters. But his pact with Heaven has become strained. He has grown old, his body rots, and he has yet to choose which squabbling prince will be his heir. The Hostain dynasty has ruled over the empire for millennia, but when Ertide finds cryptic notes from his dead father, he realises not all is as it seems. Has history been rewritten? And if so, what is heaven hiding?
By: Rob J. Hayes
-
The Justice of Kings
- By: Richard Swan
- Narrated by: Lucy Paterson
- Length: 13 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Empire of the Wolf simmers with unrest. Rebels, heretics, and powerful patricians all challenge the power of the Imperial throne. Only the Order of Justices stands in the way of chaos. Sir Konrad Vonvalt is the most feared Justice of all, upholding the law by way of his sharp mind, arcane powers, and skill as a swordsman. At his side stands Helena Sedanka, his talented protégé, orphaned by the wars that forged the Empire.
-
-
Give it a try. Doubtful you'll regret it.
- By Taylor Ascher on 03-13-22
By: Richard Swan
-
The Sword of Kaigen: A Theonite War Story
- By: M. L. Wang
- Narrated by: Andrew Tell
- Length: 24 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On a mountainside at the edge of the Kaigenese Empire live the most powerful warriors in the world, superhumans capable of raising the sea and wielding blades of ice. For hundreds of years, the fighters of the Kusanagi Peninsula have held the Empire's enemies at bay, earning their frozen spit of land the name "The Sword of Kaigen". Born into Kusanagi's legendary Matsuda family, f14-year-old Mamoru has always known his purpose: To master his family's fighting techniques and defend his homeland.
-
-
OH. MY. GODS! Holy emotional epicness!
- By Kevin Potter on 09-03-20
By: M. L. Wang
-
Theft of Swords
- Riyria Revelations, Volume 1
- By: Michael J. Sullivan
- Narrated by: Tim Gerard Reynolds
- Length: 22 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Acclaimed author Michael J. Sullivan created instant best sellers with his spellbinding Riyria Revelations series. This first volume introduces Royce Melborn and Hadrian Blackwater, two enterprising thieves who end up running for their lives when they’re framed for the death of the king. Trapped in a conspiracy bigger than they can imagine, their only hope is unraveling an ancient mystery - before it’s too late.
-
-
Two books in one - keep listening!!
- By Magpie on 08-21-12
-
Blood over Bright Haven
- A Novel
- By: M. L. Wang
- Narrated by: Moira Quirk
- Length: 15 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For twenty years, Sciona has devoted every waking moment to the study of magic, fueled by a mad desire to achieve the impossible: to be the first woman ever admitted to the High Magistry at the University of Magics and Industry. When Sciona finally achieves her ambition and becomes a Highmage, she finds her challenges have just begun. Her new colleagues are determined to make her feel unwelcome—and instead of a qualified lab assistant they give her a janitor.
-
-
It's aight
- By Jason on 12-10-24
By: M. L. Wang
-
The Lies of Locke Lamora
- Gentleman Bastard, Book 1
- By: Scott Lynch
- Narrated by: Michael Page
- Length: 22 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
An orphan’s life is harsh - and often short - in the mysterious island city of Camorr. But young Locke Lamora dodges death and slavery, becoming a thief under the tutelage of a gifted con artist. As leader of the band of light-fingered brothers known as the Gentleman Bastards, Locke is soon infamous, fooling even the underworld’s most feared ruler. But in the shadows lurks someone still more ambitious and deadly. Faced with a bloody coup that threatens to destroy everyone and everything that holds meaning in his mercenary life, Locke vows to beat the enemy at his own brutal game.
-
-
Narrator is a bit too much
- By Brandon Yapel on 03-02-20
By: Scott Lynch
-
The Blacktongue Thief
- By: Christopher Buehlman
- Narrated by: Christopher Buehlman
- Length: 12 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Kinch Na Shannack owes the Takers Guild a small fortune for his education as a thief, which includes (but is not limited to) lock-picking, knife-fighting, wall-scaling, fall-breaking, lie-weaving, trap-making, plus a few small magics. His debt has driven him to lie in wait by the old forest road, planning to rob the next traveler that crosses his path. But today, Kinch Na Shannack has picked the wrong mark.
-
-
Outstanding
- By Anne Vaughan on 05-28-21
-
Orconomics: A Satire
- The Dark Profit Saga, Book 1
- By: J. Zachary Pike
- Narrated by: Doug Tisdale Jr.
- Length: 11 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The adventuring industry drives the economy of Arth, a world much like our own but with more magic and fewer vowels. Monsters' hoards are claimed, bought by corporate interests, and sold off to plunder funds long before the Heroes' Guild actually kills the beasts. Of course, that's a terrible arrangement for the Shadowkin; orcs, goblins, kobolds, and their ilk must apply for to become Noncombatant Paper Carriers (or NPCs) to avoid being killed and looted by heroes.
-
-
High Fantasy meets Economics- hilarity ensues
- By James Caulfield on 01-02-17
By: J. Zachary Pike
-
The Way of Kings
- The Stormlight Archive, Book 1
- By: Brandon Sanderson
- Narrated by: Kate Reading, Michael Kramer
- Length: 45 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Roshar is a world of stone and storms. Uncanny tempests of incredible power sweep across the rocky terrain so frequently that they have shaped ecology and civilization alike. Animals hide in shells, trees pull in branches, and grass retracts into the soilless ground. Cities are built only where the topography offers shelter. It has been centuries since the fall of the 10 consecrated orders known as the Knights Radiant, but their Shardblades and Shardplate remain: mystical swords and suits of armor.
-
-
It doesn't get any better than this!
- By Robert on 10-26-12
-
Between Two Fires
- By: Christopher Buehlman
- Narrated by: Steve West
- Length: 14 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The year is 1348. Thomas, a disgraced knight, has found a young girl alone in a dead Norman village. An orphan of the Black Death, and an almost unnerving picture of innocence, she tells Thomas that plague is only part of a larger cataclysm - that the fallen angels under Lucifer are rising in a second war on heaven, and that the world of men has fallen behind the lines of conflict. Is it delirium or is it faith? She believes she has seen the angels of God. She believes the righteous dead speak to her in dreams. And now she has convinced the faithless Thomas to shepherd her across a depraved landscape to Avignon.
-
-
Mesmerizing Knight Errant Tale
- By Tango on 05-01-13
-
Ascendant
- A Dragon Rider Fantasy (Songs of Chaos, Book 1)
- By: Michael R. Miller
- Narrated by: Peter Kenny
- Length: 17 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Holt Cook was never meant to be a dragon rider. He has always served the Order Hall of the Crag dutifully, keeping their kitchen pots clean. Until he discovers a dark secret: dragons do not tolerate weakness among their kin, killing the young they deem flawed. Moved by pity, Holt defies the Order, rescues a doomed egg and vows to protect the blind dragon within.
-
-
Great Fantasy Coming of Age Story
- By ZC on 11-20-20
-
Piranesi
- By: Susanna Clarke
- Narrated by: Chiwetel Ejiofor
- Length: 6 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Piranesi lives in the House. Perhaps he always has. In his notebooks, day after day, he makes a clear and careful record of its wonders: the labyrinth of halls, the thousands upon thousands of statues, the tides that thunder up staircases, the clouds that move in slow procession through the upper halls. On Tuesdays and Fridays Piranesi sees his friend, the Other. At other times he brings tributes of food to the Dead. But mostly, he is alone.
-
-
Fascinating Social Study
- By Henry V on 02-26-21
By: Susanna Clarke
What listeners say about Where Loyalties Lie
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- C.T.
- 08-16-19
Some of the best fantasy of the past decade
WHERE LOYALTIES LIE by Rob Hayes is technically part of the larger First Earth universe and a sequel to the Ties That Bind trilogy. It is, however, an individual work which functions on its own and the first novel in the Best Laid Plans duology. Got all that? Me neither. However, for the sake of this review, this is a great grimdark pirate novel with bloodshed and booty!
The premise is Drake Morass, professional conman and pirate, has decided he's getting along in his years so it's time to think about retirement. Retirement plans for a man who was lovers with the Dragon Empress and who has literally sold his own mother into slavery are a bit more grandiose than for most, though. Drake Morass wishes to be a king and not just a king but one who rules over a nation of pirates in the setting's Carribean equivalent. There's just one problem: everyone who knows Drake Morass knows he's a scheming piece of garbage. A man's word may not mean much among scurvy seadogs but his means less than anyone's.
To this end, Drake Morass recruits gentleman pirate Keelin. Keelin is something of a stereotype even in-universe as he's a former nobleman who went on the high seas to get revenge on his enemies. He's a man of his word and a man who tries to maintain civil standards above being a murderous bandit. In other words, he's the perfect patsy to make it look like Drake is out for anyone other than himself. Keelin is also, notably, lovers with Elaina Black--the world's most famous she-pirate and daughter of Tanner Black. Tanner is the man who actually IS close to being the pirate's king and knows better than to try something as stupid as Drake is planning.
Where Loyalties Lie is clearly inspired by the Pirates of the Caribbean movies but it also draws a great deal from the historical attempt at creating a pirate nation in Nassau. For those unfamiliar with it (or Assassins Creed: Black Flag), that was where the pirates of the age took over the island and attempted to create their own Republic. Unlike the Disney movies, this is a book clearly written for adults with language, sex, and visceral violence. There's also a short rape scene in the book which, while plot relevant, made my stomach turn and is the only reason this book isn't a 5 out of 5.
While I don't think fantasy is overclocked with Medieval European settings, I do like when the genre branches out and pirates are an underdone setting for stories about magic as well as monsters. They should go together like peanut butter and jelly with this novel making excellent use of his fantasy world as well as it's politics to create a dynamic interesting plot. The fact Drake's plan to create his own kingdom is entirely selfish and the book makes no attempt to soften its sociopathic antihero also means I didn't know who would win out. I was as much rooting for the people opposed to Drake Morass as the people he'd duped into following him.
The characters are dynamic, the situations interesting, and the writing crisp. There's never a dull moment in the novel and there's numerous twists I didn't expect. Also, much to my surprise, I really enjoyed the book's love triangle between Keelin, Elaina, and Aimi. Keelin desperately wants to become a respectable gentleman again and that leads him to question his relationship with Captain Black. Unfortunately, Aimi wants to break away from the very respectability he craves. In a story about king-making, piracy, politics, and murder--this is a surprisingly engrossing story.
In conclusion, I strongly recommend readers who like their fantasy a bit more on the gritty side to check this work out. It's not for the faint of heart but that's part of why it's so enjoyable and why I intend to pick up the next volume. I strongly recommend the audiobook edition of this title as narrated by Matthew Jackson as it is extremely well done with a consistent dramatic read.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
4 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Paul Vasquez
- 09-03-19
To Retire as a Pirate King!
This was an impressive listen about Pirates and one old Pirate who wants to sit a Thrown in his retirement. I was impressed with the story and the amount of action. The fight scenes are well told and really get you into the life and death of a Pirate. The Narrator has a very silky voice but he does a very good job of getting the listener into the story.
Really enjoyed the story. I received this Audiobook for free in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks.
Well worth a credit!!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- michael martins
- 10-22-19
Quest to become King of the Pirates
Where Loyalties Lie is a great fantasy novel about Pirates. It's world is fleshed out quite well and this is a stand alone series that is built upon a previous series which I had never read but as I said this stands on its own and you don't need to have read the previous books but you might get a better appreciation or better understanding of some of the characters. The characters are what truly make this book, there are a lot of them and they are definitely interesting. There are some characters who are 'good guys' but that is a relative term because even they can do some questionable, callous or brutal things.
The story mainly follows Captain Drake Morass(get it?) and Captain Keelin Stillwater but there are a lot of other characters that also play prominent roles. The story takes place in the pirate Isles a region of the seas with islands populated mostly by Pirates and people who want to be free from the rule of other countries. These other countries have sent out ships recently to eradicate the pirate problem and Drake Morass believes all the pirates must band together to survive and set up there own kingdom, of course he wants to set himself up as the King, The only problem is that another rival the very brutal and evil Captain Black will never join forces with him and has his own designs.
The narration by Matthew Jackson is spot on and he does some great pirate voices without going over the top. I like how there is a lot going on between each faction and Captain and how there is a lot of politics even in the Pirate World. This is definitely an adult book and there is a small rape scene in the book which can definitely be off putting to a lot of people as it is pretty brutal, it is plot driven and is there to show how messed up a certain character is and why another certain character has been through and it goes to explain why she is the way she is.
I would definitely recommend this book and am interested in reading the next in the series and am very curious about the previous series of novels.
"Please note I was given this free review copy audio book at my request and have voluntarily left this review."
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Brian M
- 09-24-19
Gritty Pirate Yarn
As political as it is violent, this is a tale of intrigue among pirates wherein one Drake Morass sees a empty place upon a throne and beings the machinations to become the pirate king and take that throne. To that end he enlists the help of a former noble man Keelin, whose involved in a relationship with the daughter of the man w ho would most likely be called pirate king if the story ended at the beginning. Instead it's a tale of him and his allies attempting to bring the rest of the pirates onto his side and convince them that their best interest is in having him lead. One might surmise from this that this character is not a great individual and they would be right, the author is great at writing characters who occupy the side of the morality scale between antihero and straight up villain. Regardless of what side they're on in this story they are still pirates and still out for themselves. That's part of what makes the characters, who are well developed, interesting as well as the story as a whole. The political angle is even more interesting when you realize that no one can trust one another and they're jockeying for a position that will probably be anything but sturdy.
The narrator was alright, but there were a couple of issues with repetition and I'm not sure he was the best to do this kind of story. But I listened through til the end and still very much enjoyed myself regardless so YMMV.
I received the review code for this audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this honest review.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Matt F.
- 10-15-19
Set Sail, for my new favorite series!
Gritty, badass, dry and hilarious, action packed, complex characters, and a plot that twists and turns.
You know that feeling where you finish reading/watching something and need to consume everything you can about the subject? "Where Loyalties Lie" will be that. As soon as I finished, I immediately went to Audible to find the second book. Knowing this is a book series is even more exciting.
I've always wished for more "pirates" in the fiction genre, but Scott Lynch's "Red Seas Under Red Skies" (which I also loved) was one of the few I could find. Then, this book rocked my world.
Being a giant fan of "grimdark" and reading Mark Lawrence's review of this book, I was very excited to get a chance to read it. I have a very busy schedule, so audiobooks are the way to go for me and this was just released through Audible. The narrator, Matthew Jackson, is the perfect fit and I can't wait until the rest of the series is released. I am hoping he continues to narrate.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
My new favorite world that I cannot wait to escape back in to. Thank you, Rob!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Tami
- 10-12-24
Loved this
Loved this. A real pirate book. Could use more female characters who aren’t related to sex or sexual objects but I really enjoyed it.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Josh R
- 09-05-19
Grimdark Pirate Fantasy
Even though this is a fantasy book, the author depicts the pirates as they were in real life. The most “moral” pirate of the bunch tries to take ships without killing everyone, but he is still a remorseless thief that will kill if necessary. Overall, it was an interesting story, albeit more of a slow-burner. This is a spin-off from another series, which I haven’t read, but I still got what was going on for the most part. There were a few references to other events that I wish would have been expanded upon, but that’s to be expected in a spin-off. My biggest problem with this book is the narration. I haven’t seen any other complaints in the reviews, so perhaps I had a corrupted download from Audible, but the narrator repeated sentences many times in the novel, and I found that quite distracting. The narration would be four stars otherwise, and if I listen to this book again in the future and find that that’s been corrected, I will update my review.
I was given this audiobook for free at my request and I provided this review voluntarily.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- B0b
- 09-05-19
Gritty Swash Buckling with a few drops of magic
I was given a copy of this audiobook for free for an honest review.
Pros: Exciting story with gripping (and grasping!!!!) characters. The sea is salty, the battles are brash and bashing. The characters are conflicted. The sex is part of the plot, not merely gratuitous.The actions moves from plans to battles and negotiations. The protagonist Drake is mixed in his actions, yet he is following a prophecy that was passed along by his brother. His brother also sends a woman with magical powers to watch his back. Keelin Stillwater didn't really want to follow Drake, but the circumstances seem to give him no other choice. So he does. They are pirates, so they both do exciting piratical deeds, but they both try to live with themselves. So like many a contemporary situation, "it's complicated"--which is definitely good.
Cons: I'm not really over-joyed at the Narrator. Matthew Jackson's voice keeps taking me out of the story into noticing his accents and projecting volume. There is graphic sex. I think it manages to stay outside porn, but it's close. Imagine scenes from the movie Flesh and Blood with Rutger Hauer and Jennifer Jason Leigh, except fewer minutes in the acts themselves. This will be off-putting for some listeners, and a feature for some listeners. The last negative to mention is that this is book one of a two book series. It ends with two and possibly three cliff hangers. While the book is very good, it is not stand alone. Not even a little bit.
Still, this reader / listener will be getting book two to continue the story.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Private
- 09-22-19
Fun Pirate Tale... Action Packed
"I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review."
I enjoyed this tale about pirates with a little magic thrown in. Characters were well developed and interesting. After the first several chapters during which the world was established, it was fast paced and action packed. The author did a good job describing the scenes, and with the dialogue. There was some NSFW activity, but aside from one instance which I will discuss next, it wasn’t over the top from my perspective. The one exception was an instance of sexual violence, which was brief but graphic (easily skipped). This scene was establishing a complex interaction.
Narration was good, but some additional editing may have helped. There were a number of lines repeated throughout the book, not enough to be a distraction, but it was noticeable.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- A Bookworm
- 09-03-19
3.5 stars
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left my review.
This copy was obtained free through Audiobook Boom in exchange for an unbiased review. Perhaps I was expecting a little too much when I imagined this book as sort of an epic grimdark fantasy treatment of David Cordingly's wonderfully fascinating nonfiction book 'Under the Black Flag: The Romance and the Reality of Life Among the Pirates'.
It isn't quite that, and the book focuses instead on the tribulations of an ambitious, social-climbing sociopathic pirate rather than on pirate life in general. The characters in the book were interesting enough, though I kept hoping that gentleman pirate Keelin Stillwater would turn out to be as compelling an anti-hero as the charismatic, mostly successful real-life gentleman pirate Captain Bartholomew Roberts instead of the rather disappointingly bland patsy of the aptly named Captain Drake Morass.
The narrator has a pleasant voice and he reads quite well, though would, in my opinion, be better suited to reading nonfiction or classic fiction - I kept envisioning the pirates as civilized gentlemen sniping waspishly at each other over genteel cups of Earl Grey rather than as violent, largely ill-educated, desperate men, which was disconcerting and took awhile to get used to. I would happily listen to more of his work, though perhaps not in this particular genre.
Despite all these issues though, this book is still quite entertaining, and well worth the listen. Also, if you do decide to give this book a try and like it well enough, be prepared to read book 2 - this is only the first book of a duology, after all.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!