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Soulbrand
- Weapons and Wielders, Book 3
- Narrated by: Nick Podehl
- Length: 26 hrs and 13 mins
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Soulbrand
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Summary
The Tournament of the Sacred Sword sounded like exactly the type of thing Keras would enjoy: a series of challenges for thousands of contestants seeking a chance to fight for the Sacred Sword of Earth.
He knew there would be challenges. It wouldn’t be a high-stakes tournament without a few high-profile assassinations and mysterious murders, after all. But Keras wasn’t ready to run into someone from his homeland, and he certainly wasn’t prepared for the revelations that came from their confrontation.
Still reeling from the strange revelations of their meeting, Keras plunges back into the fight, preparing for the battle royale - a massive free-for-all contest outside of the scope of the standard tournament rounds. When the consequences of that match tear at the bonds between his allies, he’ll have to face new challenges alone.
Satoshi Muramasa, the strange swordsman from the distant kingdom of Artinia. Crown Princess Edria Song, the Wielder of Diamantine. Ishyeal Dawnsglow, the Wielder of Soulbrand.
When their blades clash, the heart of the world will tremble.
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What listeners say about Soulbrand
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Chris
- 30-12-21
A bit anticlimactic
Didn't really go anywhere. This is starting to be an issue with Andrew Rowe. I like his stories but the structure of his writing style is such that I'm 9 books in now and no story thread has had any resolution. This is often the sign of an unexperienced author with a lot of ideas but no real focus. At the end of all 3 of his 'trilogies' he's kicked answers to the internal stories down the road along with the over arching story archs. There's a limit to how often you can do this before the lack of any gratification makes purchase of the next installment unlikely.
1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Dylan Boyd
- 27-12-22
A contest most exciting
A compelling novel with a lot of fantastic worldbuilding!
Andrew's unique analytical style presents a world of puzzles and magic, but most importantly, characters who are interested in engaging with the world, even if that is often with bizarre shows of violence.
Genuinely relatable characters, LGBT+ rep and great depictions of neurodiversity in a high fantasy world that you just want to get Iseki'd into.
A departure from the other series, the charismatic if somewhat repressed swordsman from afar let's us see the world with new eyes. Brash and bold, but deeply respectful of life, our hero brings such a warm feeling to the world. The trope of himbo overpowered swordsman falls apart to a treatise on what it means to fight and take lives, in a genre that often has hero's display unimaginable violence and not lose sleep after it.
The contest presented has so much excitement and intrigue building up, cleverly thought out challenges leave you pausing the book to consider just how would you make it through, while maximising treasure gain?
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- MISS A KALINAUSKAITE
- 30-11-22
It's getting really hard
I was hoping to find out how the story ends and it still hasn't. There were some resolutions, but not enough. I think I will soon be listening just for Nick Podehl's reading, as that is super enjoyable, but I do hope the next book leads to resolutions within it, rather than more questions for the next book.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 15-06-22
Another phenomenal one
Brilliant story. can't wait for the next one. different than his other series and I love them all equally for how they vary. going back to listening to the sufficiently advanced magic series now that i've got the back story from this and the first trilogy. A massive thanks to Andrew Rowe and Nick Podehl. brilliant yet again
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Alexander
- 29-05-22
Best yet! Excellent narration.
This series keeps getting better. I can't wait for the next book. Binged through in three days.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Trev
- 10-05-22
loved every bit
loved it. dawn had me chuckling throughout. I love carys and Rey. I need more more more.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jonathan Blackwell
- 31-12-21
Lighthearted fun and very addictive.
Fun fun fun. A very easy listen. Perfect for my commute. Please keep writing them.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- S. Putwain
- 18-12-21
Masterclass
I'm loving this whole saga, can't wait for the next book just wish it wasn't so long to wait but I can see why it is absolute marvel at all the books and journeys taken over the years. Even though I've listens to all the books written so far I think it's time to start again. So we'll written with a Stella performance by Nick even if he did have a cold towards the end.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Scott Barnes
- 17-12-21
Best Book Yet!
This is my favourite book of all not only in this series, but all in this universe. Andrew did a fantastic job of bringing it all in this one and making an unforgettable experience for the reader/listener. Wonderful work and no I eagerly await the next release!
Nick Podehl, he’s one of the best narrators I’ve ever listened to and never fails to disappoint.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Dave
- 16-12-21
Utterly Fantastic!
What a fantastically written story, i love the way this series is placed right in the middle of the Arcane Ascension series and told as a story, I also love all the characters and the artistry in how amazing and well depicted all the action scenes are, they are always so vivid in my minds eye that I can almost see the world and adventure unfolding before me. I’m riveted to my seat now waiting for the next tail from Keras!
Nick Podehl is undoubtably one of the best narrators around and really brings all the characters to life, each with their very own voice that perfectly matches their characters, so much so I can mostly tell which character is talking just from the first word they speak! He captures the authors vision of the characters so perfectly that he manages to have me in stitches just with their mannerisms alone!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Misty J.
- 29-11-21
Rowe & Podehl both get ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️’s here👍🏽
Andrew Rowe & Nick Podehl great combo. I love this series. It’s fun, characters keep developing. It will be nice to get back to our favorite friends from the war of broken mirrors / academy kids & others, but I appreciate new answers & new questions.
I probably couldn’t finish the series without Nick Podehl. So glad he is our voice on this journey:) Five stars for him as always⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Andrew Rowe is growing as an author & it’s so great to benefit from his sufficiently advanced confidence as an author. It feels similar to experiencing Jim Butcher come into his own via Dresden Files. (Sadly we stalled out there -lost Jim to the challenge of the Furries series🙄- hopefully we’ll get him back soon) ➡️waiting on Dresden I discovered War of Broken Mirrors & Rowe, so I really can’t complain:) I’ve also enjoyed the other books by Rowe outside this series. There
arent many on audible, but worth the credit.
- not necessary but a very cool side note- Andrew Rowe is a great example of excellent masculinity. That said I’m gonna mess up that compliment by trying to explain. The thing about Rowe is the great dialogue his male characters have- internally & with others. I absolutely cheer when a simple exchange gives examples of respect -especially for feminine style characters. I appreciate the feminine characters having thoughts & feelings & boundaries. I don’t require this in the books & series I consume -but I very much appreciate male / masculine characters that give good language/ examples to navigating interpersonal boundaries with others even at a cost to themselves. It’s not a big deal but it is such a big deal. Thanks Andrew.
For Soulbrand -Five stars Andrew ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ thanks looking forward to the next one 👍🏽🙏🏽
8 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Rebecca
- 04-12-21
The Best Book So Far
This is my favorite one of Andrew Rowe’s books so far! He masterfully weaves clues and secrets into his stories, some of which are revealed in this book while others are kept hidden. The characters are complex and deep, as are their relationships with one another. The plot is filled with action-packed combat, heart-wrenching tragedies, and clever banter. Nick Podehl does an amazing job as narrator. He gives each character a distinct voice, and sometimes I forget that it’s the same person reading! Soulbrand is a joy to read and listen to and I eagerly await the next book.
5 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- cornellius
- 21-12-21
Finally Some Details!
I am so glad that we are back from the detour of a detour. Although this book is still not about the main Academy students. I personally like hearing about Kerris's background and the new enticing piece of the puzzle we got of who or what Kerris is. I enjoy the story and was on the edge of my seat for the entire story. I was deeply saddened when it was over. This book took me through a gambit of emotions and I found myself reaching for Dawn when the tale was over. Great story.
3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- jessica goldman
- 17-12-21
Incredible
Nick Podehl is the best narrator in the world. This book was amazing. I need more!
3 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Lucas Maxwell
- 24-11-21
Another Amazing Book by Andrew Rowe!
Another Amazing story in the weapons and wielders series! I still think my favorite Rowe books are his first ones with the cadence's, Corrin and Sarah. I love how these books take place in the present day as Sufficiently Advanced Magic!
3 people found this helpful
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Jonny Bamberg
- 17-07-22
The adventures of Keras and his toxic friends
Like many, I have listened to the entirety of Rowe’s extended universe, and I’m becoming more and more sure that he has never met a real person before.
I enjoy these books, otherwise I wouldn’t have made it this far, but after 9 books total, I’m just getting annoyed at the extremely unrealistic look at human emotions.
If you can look past the fact that this series has taken 2 entire books to cover a tournament that shouldn’t have taken a whole one, you are then faced with the issue that the only major challenge Keras faces is his “friends”. I mean, Keras is basically perfect, he fights for what’s right, puts his friends first, and would sacrifice his spirit for his talking sword (which he demonstrates) but he has people around him who are so entirely self centered that the slightest action he makes on his own behalf or at his own volition is a violation of trust, and they act as if their lives are ruined. Okay, fine, there’s some petty drama, you can get over that right? Except that’s the main conflict of the whole freaking book.
Truthfully, the character flaws are not limited to this book, they span the entirety of Andrew Rowe’s work.
Sigh… end rant.
2 people found this helpful
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- Jason
- 02-02-22
Disappointing to say the least....
Let me just say that Nick Podehl, as usual, is fantastic. Nothing on his part reflects on my rather negative review of this book.
I enjoyed the first 2 books in this series enough to grab this one. The story, for me at least, was just super slow, kinda boring, and very hard to follow. Dawn is a sword, right...and kind of a 'person' I guess. Well, she is also super whiny, and her little tiff with Keras (sp?) lasted most of the book. That was probably one of the dumbest parts of this whole thing TBH.
The magic, attunements, and other various fighting and defensive techniques are super hard to keep track of. He is constantly putting together things to make other things, and sucking magic out of xyz....it just gets a little mundane. Part of me wishes there was just more traditional fighting and swordplay happening, with a bit of magic maybe helping out (but not like 100 phantom slices flowing through the air being magnetically drawn to his body of iron blah blah blah....)
I dunno...just didnt like it I guess...I listened to it, but it will probably be the last one.
2 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Aleksey Belotserkovskiy
- 08-01-22
Blah blah blah
Very weak story. Super repetitive and clearly the author was just trying to get to certain number of pages. Your can skip full chapters and not miss much
2 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Kevin Dobler
- 22-12-21
A lull in the series
This and the Sufficiently Advanced Magic series are usually fun, slightly funny adventures. This one dragged for me though.
Not sure if it was the fact that the whole book centered on the contest, but I just didn’t enjoy it as much. The characters don’t really learn or grow despite all the agonizing over their decisions and philosophizing.
The narration is fantastic as usual, and what kept me going.
As a side note: the use of “instantly”and”in an instant” has become ridiculous in this book.
2 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- Matthew Dellsite
- 17-12-21
There was almost a story....
There was almost a story in the 25 hours of audiobook. If you call a dragon and sword being angry at a person for no reason a story. Half the characters in the book eventually get mad at Caras for him not doing everything for everyone despite his best efforts. The idiocy of people being mad at him for their friends/family getting killed by others is only topped by the stupidity of a Dawn being upset that Caras didn't share his life altering news with strangers an hour after hearing it himself.
Seems like his series sequels suffer from him constantly jumping between them. The Arcane Ascension series is now the only descent one.
2 people found this helpful