Listen free for 30 days
-
Winter's Reach
- The Revanche Cycle Volume 1
- Narrated by: Susannah Jones
- Series: Revanche Cycle, Book 1
- Length: 11 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Categories: Science Fiction & Fantasy, Fantasy
Add to basket failed.
Add to wishlist failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Listen with a free trial
Buy Now for £24.19
No valid payment method on file.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
The Instruments of Control
- The Revanche Cycle, Volume 2
- By: Craig Schaefer
- Narrated by: Susannah Jones
- Length: 11 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
To the church, she is a heretic, tried in absentia and sentenced to burn. To her brother, Carlo, she stands as a threat to his corrupt rule and a symbol of resistance. To her new "allies" in the East, she is a pawn to be played and sacrificed as they see fit. They don't hear the whispers that follow her in the streets: whispers of hope and the name of a long-dead saint. When Livia rises up to fight, she will not rise alone.
-
Sworn to the Night
- The Wisdom's Grave Trilogy, Book 1
- By: Craig Schaefer
- Narrated by: Susannah Jones
- Length: 14 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Marie Reinhart is an NYPD detective on the trail of a serial killer. When she sleeps, though, she dreams of other lives; she dreams of being a knight, in strange wars and strange worlds. On the other side of the city, Nessa Roth is a college professor trapped in a loveless marriage, an unwilling prop in a political dynasty. She's also a fledgling witch, weaving poppets and tiny spells behind closed doors. When Marie's case draws her into Nessa's path, sparks fly. What comes next is more than a furtive whirlwind affair; it's the first pebbles of an avalanche.
-
The Censor's Hand
- Book One of the Thrice-Crossed Swords Trilogy
- By: A. M. Steiner
- Narrated by: Michael Troughton
- Length: 14 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Miranda, one of the 100 adopted daughters of the Dowager Duchess, wants nothing more than to become a master of the cunning arts. But never before has a woman been permitted to wield such power. Jonathan faces ruin. The sails of his mill haven't turned since the Company of Cunning diverted the winds of Bromwich to their advantage. How far will he go to protect his family from destitution and the gangsters? If Daniel, his brother, passes the tests to become a censor, maybe he could protect them. He might even get the chance to make amends for what happened to their sister.
-
-
Starts good, gets better, touches greatness.
- By Harry Frost on 30-06-20
-
A Wizard's Forge
- Woern Saga
- By: A.M. Justice
- Narrated by: Leah Casey
- Length: 14 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Victoria believes she'll live a scholar's quiet life until the tyrant Lornk Korng rips away everything she knows and loves. Forging herself into a warrior known as Vic the Blade, she strikes fear into her enemies, but she cannot escape Lornk's obsession. A legendary power may be her only chance to destroy him, if it doesn't kill her first.
-
-
Really Good
- By Missgotty on 16-03-21
-
The Long Way Down
- Daniel Faust, Book 1
- By: Craig Schaefer
- Narrated by: Adam Verner
- Length: 9 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Nobody knows the seedy underbelly of Las Vegas like Daniel Faust, a sorcerer for hire and ex-gangster who uses black magic and bullets to solve his clients' problems. When an old man comes seeking vengeance for his murdered granddaughter, what looks like a simple job quickly spirals out of control. Soon Daniel stands in the crossfire between a murderous porn director; a corrupt cop with a quick trigger finger; and his own former employer, a racket boss who isn't entirely human.
-
-
Worst accents since Dick Van Dyke did Cockney
- By Amazon Customer on 07-11-15
-
Harmony Black
- Harmony Black 1
- By: Craig Schaefer
- Narrated by: Christina Traister
- Length: 10 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Harmony Black is much more than your average FBI special agent. In addition to being a practicing witch, she's also an operative for Vigilant Lock, an off-the-books program created to battle occult threats - by any means necessary. Despite her dedication to fighting the monsters threatening society, Harmony has become deeply conflicted about her job. Her last investigation resulted in a pile of dead bodies, and she suspects the wrong people are being punished for it.
-
-
Loved it! Supernatural meets True Dectective
- By Eboracum on 11-04-16
-
The Instruments of Control
- The Revanche Cycle, Volume 2
- By: Craig Schaefer
- Narrated by: Susannah Jones
- Length: 11 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
To the church, she is a heretic, tried in absentia and sentenced to burn. To her brother, Carlo, she stands as a threat to his corrupt rule and a symbol of resistance. To her new "allies" in the East, she is a pawn to be played and sacrificed as they see fit. They don't hear the whispers that follow her in the streets: whispers of hope and the name of a long-dead saint. When Livia rises up to fight, she will not rise alone.
-
Sworn to the Night
- The Wisdom's Grave Trilogy, Book 1
- By: Craig Schaefer
- Narrated by: Susannah Jones
- Length: 14 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Marie Reinhart is an NYPD detective on the trail of a serial killer. When she sleeps, though, she dreams of other lives; she dreams of being a knight, in strange wars and strange worlds. On the other side of the city, Nessa Roth is a college professor trapped in a loveless marriage, an unwilling prop in a political dynasty. She's also a fledgling witch, weaving poppets and tiny spells behind closed doors. When Marie's case draws her into Nessa's path, sparks fly. What comes next is more than a furtive whirlwind affair; it's the first pebbles of an avalanche.
-
The Censor's Hand
- Book One of the Thrice-Crossed Swords Trilogy
- By: A. M. Steiner
- Narrated by: Michael Troughton
- Length: 14 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Miranda, one of the 100 adopted daughters of the Dowager Duchess, wants nothing more than to become a master of the cunning arts. But never before has a woman been permitted to wield such power. Jonathan faces ruin. The sails of his mill haven't turned since the Company of Cunning diverted the winds of Bromwich to their advantage. How far will he go to protect his family from destitution and the gangsters? If Daniel, his brother, passes the tests to become a censor, maybe he could protect them. He might even get the chance to make amends for what happened to their sister.
-
-
Starts good, gets better, touches greatness.
- By Harry Frost on 30-06-20
-
A Wizard's Forge
- Woern Saga
- By: A.M. Justice
- Narrated by: Leah Casey
- Length: 14 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Victoria believes she'll live a scholar's quiet life until the tyrant Lornk Korng rips away everything she knows and loves. Forging herself into a warrior known as Vic the Blade, she strikes fear into her enemies, but she cannot escape Lornk's obsession. A legendary power may be her only chance to destroy him, if it doesn't kill her first.
-
-
Really Good
- By Missgotty on 16-03-21
-
The Long Way Down
- Daniel Faust, Book 1
- By: Craig Schaefer
- Narrated by: Adam Verner
- Length: 9 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Nobody knows the seedy underbelly of Las Vegas like Daniel Faust, a sorcerer for hire and ex-gangster who uses black magic and bullets to solve his clients' problems. When an old man comes seeking vengeance for his murdered granddaughter, what looks like a simple job quickly spirals out of control. Soon Daniel stands in the crossfire between a murderous porn director; a corrupt cop with a quick trigger finger; and his own former employer, a racket boss who isn't entirely human.
-
-
Worst accents since Dick Van Dyke did Cockney
- By Amazon Customer on 07-11-15
-
Harmony Black
- Harmony Black 1
- By: Craig Schaefer
- Narrated by: Christina Traister
- Length: 10 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Harmony Black is much more than your average FBI special agent. In addition to being a practicing witch, she's also an operative for Vigilant Lock, an off-the-books program created to battle occult threats - by any means necessary. Despite her dedication to fighting the monsters threatening society, Harmony has become deeply conflicted about her job. Her last investigation resulted in a pile of dead bodies, and she suspects the wrong people are being punished for it.
-
-
Loved it! Supernatural meets True Dectective
- By Eboracum on 11-04-16
-
The Kinshield Legacy
- The Kinshield Saga, Book 1
- By: K.C. May
- Narrated by: Lee Alan
- Length: 14 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
All warrant knight Gavin Kinshield really wants is a letter written 200 years ago by his ancestor, champion to King Arek, confessing the truth of how the king perished - a letter he must earn by tracking down a common thief. But when Gavin saves a woman's life, what should have been a simple task draws him face-to-face with his nightmarish past... and the shocking truth of King Arek's demise.
-
Epic
- By: Conor Kostick
- Narrated by: Samuel E. Hoke
- Length: 10 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Welcome to a society governed through computer games! On New Earth, society is governed and conflicts are resolved in the arena of a fantasy computer game, Epic. If you win, you have the chance to fulfill your dreams; if you lose, your life both in and out of the game is worth nothing. When teenage Erik dares to subvert the rules of Epic, he and his friends must face the Committee. If Erik and his friends win, they may have the key to destroying the Committee's tyranny. But if they lose....
-
-
My first role-play book I really enjoyed
- By jim.a on 25-06-19
-
The Shadow Rises
- Witch-Hunter, Book 1
- By: K.S. Marsden
- Narrated by: Jonathan Ip
- Length: 5 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the face of dark magic and evil witches, a secret witch-hunting society works tirelessly to keep them at bay. The Malleus Maleficarum Council has strict rules and practises for eradicating magic. Due to their work, witches have been almost forgotten, relegated to myth - but rumours are starting to emerge of a new power that will throw the world into chaos. As the only seventh generation witch-hunter, Hunter Astley is the best the MMC has to offer. With the help of his colleagues, it’s a race to track down this new threat and stop it...in any way he can.
-
-
Witch Hunter
- By JEYCEE on 02-07-18
-
The Impostor Prince
- By: David Debord, Ryan A. Span
- Narrated by: Steve Barnes
- Length: 14 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Killing a man in the heat of the moment, violating a sacred peace among the criminals of Ralon's Bend, a young thief called Joren sets off a chain of events he could never have imagined. He gets banished from his home, caught up in the political intrigue of nations, and wanders the world with his friend, Mattal, the only witness to Joren's crime, trying to fix the mess he caused.
-
-
Wonderful book
- By Helen on 25-04-20
-
What Remains of Heroes
- A Requiem for Heroes Volume 1
- By: David Benem
- Narrated by: Andrew Tell
- Length: 13 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Lannick deVeers used to be somebody. A hero, even. Then, he ran afoul of the kingdom's most powerful general and the cost he paid was nearly too much to bear. In the years that followed, his grief turned him into a shadow of his former self, and he spent his days drowning his regrets in tankards of ale. But now an unexpected encounter casts Lannick upon an unlikely path to revenge. If he can just find the strength to overcome the many mistakes of his past, he can seize the chance to become a hero once more.
-
-
Brutal, gritty and powerful fantasy.
- By JPA on 30-07-16
-
Steal the Sky
- The Scorched Continent, Book 1
- By: Megan E. O'Keefe
- Narrated by: Jim Frangione
- Length: 12 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Detan Honding, a wanted con man of noble birth and ignoble tongue, has found himself in the oasis city of Aransa. He and his trusted companion, Tibs, may have pulled off one too many cons against the city's elite and need to make a quick escape. They set their sights on their biggest heist yet - the gorgeous airship of the exiled commodore Thratia. But in the middle of his scheme, a face changer known as a doppel starts murdering key members of Aransa's government.
-
Lords of Asylum
- A Grimdark Fantasy
- By: Kevin Wright
- Narrated by: Paul Jenkins
- Length: 15 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Plague howls across Europe, the Hundred Years' War rages across the land, and the city of Asylum is consumed by a brutal civil war. Amidst this threefold maelstrom of havoc, enter Sir Luther Slythe Krait: a knight long bled dry of chivalry and shorn of heroism. A man whose lone desire is to slink through the backwaters and alleyways of civilization. But Sir Luther is a man who gets what he deserves, not what he desires. Thrust into a deadly game of cat-and-mouse amidst Asylum's power-mad lords, can Sir Luther play one off against another long enough to accomplish his task?
-
-
Medievally Grimdark.
- By Alan on 04-07-22
-
All Systems Red
- By: Martha Wells
- Narrated by: Kevin R. Free
- Length: 3 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
All Systems Red is the tense first science fiction adventure novella in Martha Wells' series The Murderbot Diaries. For fans of Westworld, Ex Machina, Ann Leckie's Imperial Raadch series, or Iain M. Banks' Culture novels. The main character is a deadly security droid that has bucked its restrictive programming and is balanced between contemplative self-discovery and an idle instinct to kill all humans.
-
-
Well written & narrated, but short for 1 credit
- By D. Marsh on 14-05-18
-
The Unspoken Name
- The Serpent Gates, Book 1
- By: A. K. Larkwood
- Narrated by: Avita Jay
- Length: 18 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Csorwe was raised by a death cult steeped in old magic. And on her 14th birthday, she’ll be sacrificed to their god. But as she waits for the end, she’s offered a chance to escape her fate. A sorcerer wants her as his assistant, sword-hand and assassin. As this involves her not dying that day, she accepts. Csorwe spends years living on a knife-edge, helping her master hunt an artifact which could change many worlds. Then comes the day she's been dreading....
-
-
Enjoyable
- By Isolde on 24-05-20
-
A Game of Thrones
- Book 1 of A Song of Ice and Fire
- By: George R.R. Martin
- Narrated by: Roy Dotrice
- Length: 33 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Summers span decades. Winter can last a lifetime. And the struggle for the Iron Throne has begun. As Warden of the north, Lord Eddard Stark counts it a curse when King Robert bestows on him the office of the Hand. His honour weighs him down at court where a true man does what he will, not what he must...and a dead enemy is a thing of beauty. The old gods have no power in the south, Stark’s family is split and there is treachery at court. Worse, the vengeance-mad heir of the deposed Dragon King has grown to maturity in exile in the Free Cities. He claims the Iron Throne.
-
-
An enthralling story
- By Sally on 08-01-12
-
The Way of Kings
- The Stormlight Archive, Book 1
- By: Brandon Sanderson
- Narrated by: Michael Kramer, Kate Reading
- Length: 45 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
According to mythology, mankind used to live in 'The Tranquiline Halls': heaven. But then the Voidbringers assaulted and captured heaven, casting out God and men. Men took root on Roshar, the world of storms, but the Voidbringers followed. The Almighty gave men powerful suits of armor and mystical weapons, the Shardblades. Led by 10 angelic Heralds and 10 orders of knights known as Radiants, mankind finally won (or so the legends say).
-
-
Brill
- By John on 19-11-11
-
The Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger
- By: Stephen King
- Narrated by: George Guidall
- Length: 7 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Stephen King's epic fantasy series, The Dark Tower, is being made into a major movie starring Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey. Due in cinemas February 17, 2017 USA. In this first novel in his epic fantasy masterpiece, Stephen King introduces listeners to one of his most enigmatic heroes, Roland of Gilead, the Last Gunslinger. He is a haunting figure, a loner, on a spellbinding journey into good and evil, in a desolate world which frighteningly echoes our own.
-
-
Very atmospheric
- By Solaire on 27-12-12
Summary
Pope Benignus is dying, and the man who takes his throne will hold the reins of an empire.
Conspiracies swirl like shadows around Livia, the pope's daughter, who refuses to be anyone's pawn: chasing the whispers of a deadly coup, she vows to expose the truth and save her church from disaster. Livia has secrets of her own, though, and one wrong move could cost her life and her soul.
Felix is the scion of a dying merchant house, a man with just one chance to save his family and the woman he loves. His last hope lies in the snowbound hell of Winter's Reach, a former prison colony turned "free city" under a brutal tyrant's reign.
Livia and Felix have never crossed paths, but they've both been snared in a far greater web than they can imagine. They - along with a pair of veteran bounty hunters, an exiled politician, and a sadistic coven of witches - are cogs in one man's apocalyptic plan for revenge. A plan that, if it succeeds, will leave an entire nation in flames.
More from the same
What listeners say about Winter's Reach
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Karen R.
- 13-08-15
A solid story
What about Susannah Jones’s performance did you like?
Her voice was pleasant to listen to and was a backdrop the story, which is good as it makes the experience more about the story than about the narrator.
Any additional comments?
Note: This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBlast dot com.
This book has a fairly large cast of characters, which makes it slightly difficult to listen to as an audiobook versus reading in print. Although I enjoy listening to audiobooks, I am very much a visual learner, so it took me a while before I was able to fully place each of the characters and remember from scene to scene who was who and how their stories were interconnected. (I probably should listed to the beginning again just to get the clarification once I got to know all the characters.) Therefore, I found that I really needed to concentrate on listening to the book to keep everything straight and follow along with the story, so you might want to keep that in mind depending on your own audiobook preferences (this obviously will matter less if you are reading the book in print--I don't think it's very confusing, so keeping the characters and details straight shouldn't be too much of a challenge).
The plot has a lot of politics involved, with different families plotting to gain power for their families or themselves as individuals. The church is also very much involved within the political scheme. A couple of characters do stand out from this plotting: Felix, whose actions are shaped by him wanting to save his family from downfall yet at the same time wanting to be with the woman he loves (and of whom his family does not approve); Amadeo, who serves the pope and seems to make choices that are much less self-serving than others--he truly seems to be the only really religious person in the mix; and Livia, the pope's daughter who finds a book that offers possibilities and danger.
The story is gritty. If you're looking for something happy and light, this is not the book for you. With the multiple points of view and the very real stakes the characters are playing for (not all of them make it out alive or unscathed), in many ways it resembles the Game of Thrones series. With lots of twists and turns, and especially toward the end as the many plot threads started to come together, it is a gripping story that keeps you on the edge of your seat. But if you find yourself fully invested in the story, you'd better have the next book (The Instruments of Control) available because all of the characters have been set up, ready for their action in the next book; very few story arcs are resolved (which is typical of this genre).
As for me, I enjoyed the book and am glad that I gave it a chance. And I will probably move forward with the series at some point, but for now I have a few other books that are calling to me that I'd like to read first. So since I am able to put this story and these characters aside for a while, as much as I liked the book, that means I'll give it 4/5 stars.
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- 1-Click Junkie
- 17-09-15
Fabulous!
Narration - Susannah Jones - Fabulous!
Really an exceptional job of narrating a really artistically complicated book. Tons of characters - Terrific male voices, Terrific variety of female voices. Just really an exceptional storyteller and wonderful to listen to.
The Story? Loved it! I wasn't initially captivated by this book. The book is a little complicated. In fact, I really started getting into it, and then went back and started the book over after listening to three chapters because by then, I'd realized I wasn't paying enough attention and I knew I'd missed some things. When I re-listened to those beginning chapters, I enjoyed them more because by then I realized there was more than one story going on here.
I really enjoy books that have parallel story lines and you're wondering what's going on until suddenly it all comes clear how all these different stories are related. Well, this one is different. it's almost like you're reading three different books. There are ties, but they are complicated. So, with that said, this is the kind of book that you have to pay attention to. There is a lot going on and a lot of characters but it's a really interesting story. Parts made me angry and sad - it's got a little romance, some magic, a lot of mystery and a lot of struggle. And, I think I have a bit of a book hangover now.
Can't wait for the next one to come out in audio, and I'll definitely listen to this one again!
I received a copy of this audiobook free of charge from audiobookblast in exchange for an unbiased review.
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Brian M
- 04-09-15
Introduction to Interesting Fantasy World
Would you listen to Winter's Reach again? Why?
I would, if I didn't have so many audiobooks to listen to as it is. It was entertaining and high tension and opens a wealth of characters and areas for the author to revisit.
What did you like best about this story?
I liked the breadth of the story with all the characters and the parts they play, and how eventually stuff ends up in the right situation.
What does Susannah Jones bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
She gave the characters voices and emotion that go beyond the page.
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
No, but there were a few moments when I felt the tension raise, which is about as much as I can expect. I know this is the beginning of a series so it's hard to expect any catharsis as much as raising action. It's why I'd consider returning to this fantasy world.
Any additional comments?
I received this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- MelHay
- 20-08-15
Everyone has an enemy, or one desiring their items
If you could sum up Winter's Reach in three words, what would they be?
conspiracies, dangerous, desires
What did you like best about this story?
The writing draws the visual world in a magnificent poetry, this caught my attention at the opening of the book. This is echoed throughout the book, usually at the beginning of a chapter.
Everyone has an enemy, or one desiring what another has. There is always someone after another or another's material possessions. The different plots in the city by different people start to cross paths and collide as each person works for their own results. It seems the strongest of will and cunning will survive.
As in epic fantasy fashion, I'm left anxious for what's to come. Craig has drawn the world and characters to bring them all to this moment. Some are in precarious places and don't know it. Others are heading into a wind storm and don't know it. Some are expecting to create the wind storm. Oh I want to hear more of this world to see what happens with them all! Will the make it?
Would you listen to another book narrated by Susannah Jones?
I would. Susannah is a gentle voice to listen to. She's done a lovely job with voicing the emotional rise and falls of the characters in the book and telling the tale of this world beaming with conspiracies. She doesn't do different voices for the many characters present, but she does pose different attitudes for each one. But she has told the story with heart. By the end of the book I felt I was sitting around a fire listening to an old tale, and wanting to hear more.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
I would have loved to have been able to do this, but the 11 hours is hard to do. There are many details to the world and characters I would have loved to focus a whole day to hearing and noting.
Any additional comments?
All of these families are dangerous. They have desires and needs that they will do anything to get or keep in their favor. The lives of different groups of people heading in the same direction, though for different reasons. The political pull in the world is evident. Those with enough money and connections can make anything go their way. Everyone has their own motivators for their goals - love, guilt, lose - all the emotions pushing people to do more. The world not only has the evils of mans desires but also dangerous creatures and weather.
I did find myself curious about the Empire here. We didn't get much in way of past details of coming to power, nor the relationship the throne of the church has with the Empire's king. I'm hoping this history and current feel will come to light in future books.
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Frode
- 15-08-15
Winter's Book
Winter's Reach: The Revanche Cycle Volume 1 by Craig Schaefer is a good beginning of a series that kind of get's me thinking Game of thrones! Saying that is never something bad! it is still not a perfect fantasy, but gosh this get's close! With many twists and turns, and especially when we come to the end. The many plot threads comes together, but the cliffhanger again keeps it from getting full score!
Susannah Jones makes a good book, good with her narration! She can sometimes make you think you skipped something, because she does not really change her voice during the book. But all 11 hrs and 24 mins feels safe when you are with her, and i think she does a good job, just maybe a bit plain. Still, 4,2 out of 5 is not bad in my book!
I was provided this audiobook at no charge by the author, publisher and/or narrator in exchange for an unbiased review via AudiobookBlast dot com
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- littlebear
- 10-08-15
Good, but...where have I read this before?
I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would- I didn't know what I was getting into at first. (Reviewer copy, so I just download and jump in without reading the summary again to refresh my memory.)
This is listed as 'epic' fantasy. I think historical paranormal fiction is more apt. It is fantasy, but when I hear 'high' or 'epic' fantasy, I expect a little more than a scary monster or two with some witchcraft thrown in. The witchcraft feels very contrived in some places, as the author just got lazy rather than finding a feasible way to have have a character accomplish something or gain knowledge.
There are some major similarities between this book and a lot of other historical fiction (and in some cases, non-fiction) that I've read. I think that it's a nice homage when there is just a 'touch' of the feeling of another book...but this feels like they ripped entire sections from other books and changed all names and locations.
Something I did like- the characters themselves. I It takes a bit of time to learn who's who, but worthwhile.
With all of this being said, if you can look past the similarities between this and other books as well as the use of devices to ease transition, I would highly recommend it. It's a fun book and I look forward to the next one in the series.
I was provided this audiobook at no charge by the author, publisher and/or narrator in exchange for an unbiased review.
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Lost in The Sandbox
- 24-01-21
Absolutely Enthralling
I thought I knew what a good story was, this has permanently raised the bar for me.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Kindle Customer
- 29-08-16
Maybe better than Faust!
What did you love best about Winter's Reach?
The intensity and humanity of the characters.
What did you like best about this story?
It manages to strike an excellent balance between complexity and comprehensibilty. That's not an easy thing to do.
Which character – as performed by Susannah Jones – was your favorite?
Mari Renault or Livia Serafini maybe? Hard to say.
If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?
Winter is here.
Any additional comments?
Schafer has a reputation as an urban fantasy author and I was introduced to his work through the Daniel Faust books, but I think this series may actually be better. I should have gotten around to reading them sooner.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Deborah
- 11-08-15
Great new series
This was an exciting read, full of intrigue, espionage and betrayal. It covers nearly everything a person will and will not do for love, power or revenge. The narrator did an excellent job bringing all the characters to life. Can't wait to listen to the next book in the series.
"This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBlast dot com."
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- The Kindly One
- 01-05-17
its... ok.
the book reads as wanting to be machaveillian, but is kind of a slaugh. everybody is a horrible bastard, and betrays everybody in someway. it gets rather tired quickly.