The Fall of the Kings
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The Fall of the Kings
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About this listen
Audie Award Finalist, Multi-Voiced Performance, 2014
Audie Award Finalist, Audio Drama, 2014
Award-winning author, narrator, and screenwriter Neil Gaiman personally selected this book, and, using the tools of the Audiobook Creation Exchange (ACX), produced this work for his audiobook label, Neil Gaiman Presents.
A few words from Neil on The Fall of the Kings: "In the Riverside chronology of events, The Fall of the Kings takes place a generation after Swordspoint. If you are new to the world of Riverside, I hope the richness of this book will surprise and delight you, with multi-voiced scenes set like jewels in the gold of Ellen Kushner's narration…."
In this stunning follow-up to Kushner's The Privilege of the Sword and the Audie-award winning Swordspoint, co-author Delia Sherman (The Freedom Maze) joins Ellen to return to that world of labyrinthine intrigue, where sharp swords and even sharper wits rule. This time, they explore the city's University, where a troubled young nobleman and his scholar lover find themselves playing out an ancient drama destined to explode their society's smug view of itself.
In a city grown decadent, myth and magic begin to seep through the ancient stones. Generations ago the last king fell. But the blood of kings runs deep in the land - and the key may be Theron Campion of Tremontaine, a louche beauty of questionable morals seeking to escape his family heritage in the University lecture halls. When he and renegade scholar Basil St. Cloud come together, they discover that the price of uncovering ancient history may be to be forced to repeat it....
Sue Zizza of SueMedia Productions creates some truly stunning sound elements, including a full score of original music by composer Nathanael Tronerud commissioned for this series... with a full supporting cast who bring to life the rich tapestry of passionate University scholars, noblemen in brothels and Riverside lowlifes, in the sophisticated urban setting that Kushner's many fans have come to love.
©2003 Ellen Kushner & Delia Sherman (P)2013 SueMedia ProductionsListeners also enjoyed...
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What listeners say about The Fall of the Kings
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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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Alex
- 30-06-15
The third and in my view weakest of the series
Although the three books in this Riverside series do follow on one from another, they are somewhat separated in time, and the characters with major roles in the previous episodes are minor in or absent from this one (or are dead). The writing style, unsurprisingly, stays the same, but t there is an element of mysticism and even magic that pervades 'the Fall of the Kings' not present in the other books. I don't find that it fits well with the context as previously created in the earlier books. The mystical themes arise out of what appears to be the author's near obsession with the power of gay sex. Heterosexual sex in this book tends to be associated with brothels and marriages for dynastic purposes; the descriptions are brief or non-existent. There are by contrast numerous, and seemingly endless gushing descriptions of gay encounters, based on love, or power, or manipulation or several at once; these encounters and/or relationships are in many cases life- or even world-changing whereas in others they are as inconsequential as a handshake. There are also one or two gay orgies in the woods or bars, in some cases associated with rituals and emotions that overpower otherwise sensible people. These passages are not at all pornographic, or even graphic in any way, but many feel over-romanticized, or between extremely unlikely partners, or in some cases just ludicrous.
I generally enjoyed this audiobook. However, with the story slowing on occasion to a near standstill, and the same doubt I expressed in earlier reviews about the main reader, I cannot give a particularly good score.
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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
- Beccameriel
- 30-10-14
Intriguing and witty return to Riverside
Gosh I love these books. Having established an unusual fantasy world without magic in the previous two books, the magic of the old kingdom may be making a comeback here. Make sure you read them in the right order or your will be subject to much confusion and spoilers galore. I think the soundscape and partial dramatization of these books really adds to the atmosphere. There's a splendid and apt cameo from Neil Gaiman who is like a god to my people. Ellen Kushner does another good job of reading her own work especially with the more wicked men (Most of the men are very wicked indeed!) If you don't enjoy hearing about hot men getting it on with each other you will not have a good time with this book. If you do enjoy the eroticization of the male body then this book does that very well without being graphic or sleazy about it. It was nice to meet Catherine again as a grown woman as I had become so fond of her as a teenage swords(wo)man in Privilege of the Sword.
Now I want a book about Jessica, please.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- N S
- 02-04-17
Buggy audio
About half way through part one, the audio becomes fuzzy and unclear. Disappointing as I enjoy the story very much.
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