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Long Live Evil

Time of Iron, Book 1

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Long Live Evil

By: Sarah Rees Brennan
Narrated by: Moira Quirk
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About this listen

*****THE NO. 1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER*****

'The fantasy novel that every fantasy reader has been waiting for'
Jay Kristoff

'Long Live Evil is a glorious, swoon-worthy villain romance. What a delicious read'
Tasha Suri

A TALE FOR ANYONE WHO'S EVER FALLEN FOR THE VILLAIN...

When her whole life collapsed, Rae still had books. Dying, she seizes a second chance at living: a magical bargain that lets her enter the world of her favourite fantasy series.

She wakes in a castle on the edge of a hellish chasm, in a kingdom on the brink of war. Home to dangerous monsters, scheming courtiers and her favourite fictional character: the Once and Forever Emperor. He's impossibly alluring, as only fiction can be. And in this fantasy world, she discovers she's not the heroine, but the villainess in the Emperor's tale.

So be it. The wicked are better dressed, with better one-liners, even if they're doomed to bad ends. She assembles the wildly disparate villains of the story under her evil leadership, plotting to change their fate. But as the body count rises and the Emperor's fury increases, it seems Rae and her allies may not survive to see the final page.

This adult epic fantasy debut from Sarah Rees Brennan puts the reader in the villain's shoes, for an adventure that is both 'brilliant' (Holly Black) and 'supremely satisfying' (Leigh Bardugo).

Expect a rogue's gallery of villains including an axe wielding maid, a shining knight with dark moods, a charmingly homicidal bodyguard, and a playboy spymaster with a golden heart and a filthy reputation.

*****

'Audacious, and supremely satisfying, Long Live Evil is the chosen one we've been waiting for. It succeeds as both a brilliant meditation on the pleasures and perils of fiction, and a sweeping, romantic adventure in its own right. Get ready to laugh out loud, cry in public, and cheer on the villains as Brennan smashes through tropes with witty, wild glee in this delicious, subversive treat of a book'
Leigh Bardugo

'The compulsion Brennan casts over her readers is unholy. Not only could I not put Long Live Evil down, I barely remembered to blink. It was so immersive that when I finished I put my face in my pillow and screamed in actual devastation at being kicked out of the story. Utterly magical'
Shelley Parker-Chan

'Sarah Rees Brennan's charms are unmatched. Her books makes you feel as if you're in on the joke and always invited on the most fantastic and romantic adventure'
Rainbow Rowell

'Long Live Evil is the huge-hearted and whip-smart epic fantasy of my dreams. I went in laughing and came out crying, and so will you. I'm obsessed'
Alix E. Harrow

'Brennan's brilliant Long Live Evil harnesses clever banter, delightful turns of phrase, and epic worldbuilding in the service of exploring the nature of stories and the freedom that comes with embracing being named a villain - and maybe actually becoming one. Most of all, it introduces us to Rae, who uses her quick-thinking, loyalty, and ferocity to sidestep (and do the occasional musical number around) doom'
Holly Black

'Utterly brilliant. I can't stop thinking about Long Live Evil, which has rocketed to the top of my list of all time favourite fantasy novels. Pick this up immediately, Brennan will take everything you think you know about fantasy and turn it on its head'
C.S. Pacat

'A wild joyride . . . surprisingly poignant but also made me laugh until people looked at me on the train'
Everina Maxwell

'Brennan is one of the sharpest fantasy authors writing today, and Long Live Evil layers laugh-out-loud comedy and swoony romance over an emotional core of powerful anger and loss. I loved it'
Emily Tesh

'Laugh out loud, heartfelt and searing in the same breath. Simultaneously a send-up and a tribute to the tropes, fandom and power of fantasy, Long Live Evil is a romp that leaves you asking: are we all the villains in someone else's narrative?'
Eliza Chan

*A No. 1 Sunday Times bestseller, as reported in the hardback fiction charts on Sunday 25th August 2024.

©2024 Sarah Rees Brennan (P)2024 Hachette Audio UK
Epic Fantasy Fiction Funny Heartfelt Witty
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What listeners say about Long Live Evil

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Everything I could want in a book

This was my most anticipated read of the year and it did not disappoint! The delivery was perfect, the reader did voices that didn’t feel false but rather natural and they gave character to every and anyone who spoke in the book. The story? Flawless, genuinely flawless. I sincerely understand sports fans now, this was my Super Bowl, I yelled, I cried and I bargained with any and all gods, I even had to call out for ice cream at one point. It was a pleasure to read and my only criticism is that I have to wait nearly a whole year for the sequel

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    5 out of 5 stars
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utterly brilliant

gripping, exciting and heartbreaking in some chapters. I hope the follow up will come out soon. I need to know what happens next

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

So many twists and turns I loved it!

Great narration with lots of voices to cover which takes a bit of getting used to, however has been done really well.

Enjoyed the concept of the story and how it’s woven between fiction and the FMCs real life. My heart broke a few times and I’m not completely ok with it 🙈
Almost felt like a butterfly effect was happening at times so you didn’t know where it was going and neither did the characters, I’ve not read/listened to anything quite like it! Villians really do have more fun!

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Loved it!

I really did love this story! It’s very much not the sort of thing I would have ordinarily picked up, but it’s stunning.
Loved the world building, loved the characters, loved the story.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Deliciously Evil!

I loved this! It's not perfect, the pacing is a little off and the story is a little predictable. But I loved every second of this. The characters are great and the booktravel plot is fantastic. I loved the humour sprinkled in there with hints from our own world. It was very entertaining reading a book where "evil" triumphs and the heroes are useless idiots.

The narration was great, but I had to speed it up quite a bit.

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BL💘💘DY LOVED IT!*?!*?!*?!*

*submitted a review by accident and hadn't finished it....trying to work out how to delete it! The narration was 10 out of 5 and I'm mortified that it says 3/5 !?!?....Moira Quirk is amazing!

I hadn't read anything about the book before I started it. Jay Kristoff recommend it and that was good enough for me! 😉

I really enjoyed Sarah's humour throughout, I've never written so many virtual tabs/ notes before.

Loved the world, the characters and the narration. I'll definitely be awaiting book 2. I've listened to about 845 books since I joined Audible in Dec.2019 and this stands out for me 🥰

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Fantastic

Gosh, this book is such fun, entertaining read/listen! If you’ve ever dreamed you’ve ended up into your favourite fantasy book, and some how managed to change the plot so that everything goes wildly wrong with hilarious/horrifying results, this is for you!

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Amazing, reminiscent of Terry Pratchett

This story is so fun and witty but you will quickly feel invested in the characters and the world. I loved it, you will too.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Fun and clever

I mostly enjoyed the many voices of the narrator but also the references to pop culture. The story of Lord Ross and Lady Rachel. A horse named Google Maps. Can’t wait for the next instalment.

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