
Age of Ash
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Narrated by:
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Soneela Nankani
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By:
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Daniel Abraham
About this listen
From a Hugo award-winning New York Times bestselling author comes a "fascinating" epic fantasy trilogy that unfolds within the walls of a single great city where every story matters (Joe Abercrombie)—and the fate of the city is woven from them all.
Kithamar is a center of trade and wealth, an ancient city with a long, bloody history where countless thousands live and their stories unfold.
This is Alys's.
When her brother is murdered, a petty thief from the slums of Longhill sets out to discover who killed him and why. But the more she discovers about him, the more she learns about herself, and the truths she finds are more dangerous than knives.
Swept up in an intrigue as deep as the roots of Kithamar, where the secrets of the lowest born can sometimes topple thrones, the story Alys chooses will have the power to change everything.
“An atmospheric and fascinating tapestry, woven with skill and patience.” –Joe Abercrombie, New York Times bestselling author of A Little Hatred
For more from Daniel Abraham, check out:
The Dagger and the Coin
The Dragon's Path
The King's Blood
The Tyrant's Law
The Widow's House
The Spider's War
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Critic reviews
“An atmospheric and fascinating tapestry, woven with skill and patience.” (Joe Abercrombie, New York Times best-selling author of A Little Hatred)
“[An] outstanding series debut, which instantly hooks readers with dual mysteries.... Readers will eagerly anticipate the sequel.” (Publishers Weekly, starred review)
“Age of Ash’s Kithamar is a spectacular creation, a city brought to life by dense, intricate worldbuilding and subtle magic. Fans of Scott Lynch or Robert Jackson Bennett will enjoy this one.” (Django Wexler, author of Ashes of the Sun)
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Two thousand years ago, the Born Queen defeated the Skasloi lords, freeing humans from the bitter yoke of slavery. But now monstrous creatures roam the land and destinies become inextricably entangled in a drama of power and seduction. The kings woodsman, a rebellious girl, a young priest, a roguish adventurer, and a young man made suddenly into a knight all face malevolent forces that shake the foundations of the kingdom, even as the Briar King, legendary harbinger of death, awakens from his slumber.
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Good stuff
- By Jake on 06-10-10
By: Greg Keyes
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The Bladed Faith
- By: David Dalglish
- Narrated by: Devante Johnson, Imani Parks
- Length: 18 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
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Cyrus was only twelve years old when his gods were slain, his country invaded, and his parents—the king and queen—beheaded in front of him. Held prisoner in the invader's court for years, Cyrus is suddenly given a chance to escape and claim his revenge when a mysterious group of revolutionaries comes looking for a figurehead. They need a hero to strike fear into the hearts of the imperial and to inspire and unite the people. They need someone to take up the skull mask and swords and to become the legendary "Vagrant"—an unparalleled hero and assassin of otherworldly skill.
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lackluster narration
- By Anonymous User on 04-20-22
By: David Dalglish
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Web of Eyes
- By: Rhett C. Bruno, Jaime Castle
- Narrated by: Luke Daniels
- Length: 11 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
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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.
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A Fantasy Version of 48 Hours
- By John Kang on 12-24-18
By: Rhett C. Bruno, and others
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Fall of Radiance
- The Complete Series (An Epic Fantasy Boxed Set: Books 1-5)
- By: Blake Arthur Peel
- Narrated by: Michael Kramer, Kate Reading
- Length: 50 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
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Get the Fall of Radiance boxed set, featuring all five action-packed books in the best-selling epic fantasy series - including adventure, magic, war, and a bond between warriors that can't be broken.
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Disappointed by the narrators
- By Shantul Nigam on 03-20-21
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The Judging Eye
- The Aspect-Emperor, Book 1
- By: R. Scott Bakker
- Narrated by: Kevin Orton
- Length: 19 hrs
- Unabridged
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A luminary in the fantasy genre firmament, R. Scott Bakker returns fans to his acclaimed Prince of Nothing universe with The Judging Eye. Aspect-Emperor Kellhus is waging a terrifying war, subjugating all nations in his path. There are those willing to stand together against him, but these rebellious souls must act quickly and decisively to thwart his mad schemes of power and domination.
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Terrible narrator
- By TRT on 05-25-19
By: R. Scott Bakker
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Engines of Empire
- By: R. S. Ford
- Narrated by: Alison Campbell, Ciaran Saward, Phoebe McIntosh, and others
- Length: 22 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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The nation of Torwyn is run on the power of industry, and industry is run by the Guilds. Chief among them are the Hawkspurs, whose responsibility it is to keep the gears of the empire turning. That’s exactly why matriarch Rosomon Hawkspur sends each of her heirs to the far reaches of the nation. Conall, the eldest son, is sent to the distant frontier to earn his stripes in the military. It is here that he faces a threat he could have never seen coming: the first rumblings of revolution.
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Soooooo bad
- By Amazon Customer on 02-13-24
By: R. S. Ford
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Kings of Paradise
- Ash and Sand, Book 1
- By: Richard Nell
- Narrated by: Ralph Lister
- Length: 25 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
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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.
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Grimdark at its finest
- By C.T. on 10-09-18
By: Richard Nell
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Scorpica
- The Five Queendoms
- By: G.R. Macallister
- Narrated by: Shiromi Arserio
- Length: 14 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
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Five hundred years of peace between queendoms shatters when girls inexplicably stop being born. As the Drought of Girls stretches across a generation, it sets off a cascade of political and personal consequences across all five queendoms of the known world, throwing long-standing alliances into disarray as each queendom begins to turn on each other - and new threats to each nation rise from within.
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Feminist fantasy
- By GR on 12-30-22
By: G.R. Macallister
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Beyond Redemption
- Manifest Delusions, Book 1
- By: Michael R. Fletcher
- Narrated by: Paul Woodson
- Length: 15 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
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Common knowledge isn't an axiom, it's a force of nature. What the masses believe is. But insanity is a weapon; conviction a shield. Delusions give birth to foul new gods. Violent and dark, the world is filled with the Geisteskranken - men and women whose delusions manifest, twisting reality. High Priest Konig seeks to create order from chaos. He defines the beliefs of his followers, leading their faith to one end: a young boy, Morgen, must Ascend to become a god. A god they can control. But there are many who would see this would-be-god in their thrall....
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Extraordinarily dark and disturbing
- By Amazon Customer on 04-28-21
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King of Ashes
- The Firemane Saga, Book One
- By: Raymond E. Feist
- Narrated by: David Thorpe
- Length: 18 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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For centuries, the five greatest kingdoms of North and South Tembria, twin continents on the world of Garn, have coexisted in peace. But the balance of power is destroyed when four of the kingdoms violate an ancient covenant and betray the fifth: Ithrace, the Kingdom of Flames, ruled by Steveren Langene, known as "the Firemane" for his brilliant red hair. As war engulfs the world, Ithrace is destroyed, and the Greater Realms of Tembria are thrust into a dangerous struggle for supremacy.
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Feist takes his writing to the next level
- By Kyle on 05-19-18
By: Raymond E. Feist
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Sons of Darkness
- The Raag of Rta, Book 1
- By: Gourav Mohanty
- Narrated by: Homer Todiwala
- Length: 24 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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Bled dry by violent confrontations with the Magadhan Empire, the Mathuran Republic simmers on the brink of oblivion. Senator Krishna and his third wife Satyabhama have put their plans in motion, both within and beyond the Republic’s blood-soaked borders, to protect it from total annihilation. But they are soon to discover that neither gold nor alliances last forever – and that they are not the only players on the board.
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Nice book. flawed narration
- By Reader of a lost Art on 11-03-23
By: Gourav Mohanty
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The Black Company
- Chronicles of The Black Company, Book 1
- By: Glen Cook
- Narrated by: Marc Vietor
- Length: 10 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
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Some feel the Lady, newly risen from centuries in thrall, stands between humankind and evil. Some feel she is evil itself. The hardbitten men of the Black Company take their pay and do what they must, burying their doubts with their dead - until the prophesy: The White Rose has been reborn, somewhere, to embody good once more. There must be a way for the Black Company to find her....
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Hard Boiled Morally Ambiguous Epic Fantasy
- By Jefferson on 03-18-11
By: Glen Cook
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Grave Empire
- By: Richard Swan
- Narrated by: Nathaniel Priestley, Zoe Mills
- Length: 16 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
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A new age of exploration and innovation has dawned, and the Empire of the Wolf stands to take its place as the foremost power in the known world. Glory and riches await. But dark days are coming. A mysterious plague has broken out in the pagan kingdoms to the north, while in the south, the Empire’s proxy war in the lands of the wolfmen is weeks away from total collapse. Worse still is the message brought to the Empress by two heretic monks, who claim to have lost contact with the spirits of the afterlife.
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Brilliant!
- By Kindle Customer on 02-12-25
By: Richard Swan
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The Emperor's Blades
- Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne, Book 1
- By: Brian Staveley
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 19 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
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The emperor of Annur is dead, slain by enemies unknown. His daughter and two sons, scattered across the world, do what they must to stay alive and unmask the assassins. But each of them also has a life-path on which their father set them, destinies entangled with both ancient enemies and inscrutable gods.
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4 Primary Crimes Committed By The Author
- By Captain Spanky Of Nazareth on 05-09-16
By: Brian Staveley
There are just 3 long sections and you have to listen for a break in the story to stop. You have no idea if the next break will be in 5 minutes or 25.
I liked the book, but the format was frustrating.
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It’s not not bad. It’s just not great, and fails in comparison with other fantasy novels about cities.
The narration is…well, it’s professional-grade, but the characters are, frankly, unnecessarily morose and whiny. In part because of how they are written, but more because of how the narrator portrays them.
World building is a bit thin
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This was…ok. It wasn’t bad. But, neither was it amazing.
Others have said it was, perhaps, a bit boring and I’d have to echo that. I’m pretty patient when it comes to audiobooks, and even I found this to be pretty slow moving. I can’t point to any one thing that really stood out for me in the book. Which is not what you’d want. It simply wasn’t memorable. At all.
Just ok. Not quite what I’d hoped for
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Aside from that, this is a great story about 2 young women dealing with grief in their own ways as they unknowingly get caught in of more powerful groups with grand machinations for the city they live in. Fewer point of view characters than I expected after coming off of The Expanse but the tempo and pacing is well done. Knocked* out the audiobook in about 2 days (which is great considering the printed book's sat unopened on my night stand for a few years).
*I have about 30min of the 1st book left but have already purchased the sequel.
Chapter Readers/Listeners Beware!
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Finally, this story will keep you guessing as to how it’s unfolding. Often I feel like some plots are fairly predictable but this one had enough twists to keep me wondering what would happen next.
It is a very tight story and the character building is great!
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Narration a bit awkward
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I didn’t realize this was a trilogy, as this story could be a stand-alone, but I’m excited about the next one. Daniel Abraham is slowly becoming one of my favorite authors.
Not the book I was expecting- but the one I needed.
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I once read somewhere that Fantasy relies on magic to drive the story, while Magical Realism treats magic more as a backdrop, an accent to human stories. By this definition, I'd say Daniel Abraham rides the line between the two. His magic is quiet, yet insistent; not flashy explosions and comic-esque superpowers but something more creeping, fundamental, unfathomable. And his worlds push back against the base warlike culture of Us vs Them, Hero vs Villain. He doesn’t write morally absolute characters, but people. Real living breathing people whose feelings, habits, flaws, struggles, and growth are so believable they leap from the page. When I revisit Abraham's stories (and I routinely do) it’s for the humans within them.
If you like what I said above then you will love this book. I will say that if you’re after a more standard epic fantasy, start with Dagger & Coin, though it’s still far from standard in my opinion; if you want something more profoundly human and utterly unique, go for Age of Ash or for Long Price Quartet. For what it’s worth, Age of Ash is my favorite Daniel Abraham book to date, and it reads more like a full story unto itself rather than the beginning of a series. Kithamar 2 and 3 are meant to follow the same year from different perspectives, so I don't think reading the first book necessarily locks you into the whole series (though I definitely plan to read the books that follow.)
Regarding the narrator: I often listen at a 1.15-1.25 speed but I had to dial it back to standard for Nankani and pay closer attention at first, mainly because I was unaccustomed to her voice (which, when I reflect on how many male narrators dominate this genre, might just mean my ear has some programmed bias to root out.) That said, Nankani has a very clean and even voice, though it can sometimes feel a little too clean/even, without as many tonal ups and downs as some readers. And, while I needed time to warm up to her, I also got the sense that she herself needed time to warm up to the material. Somewhere after the first couple hours I felt like she finally had the thread, and l grew to really appreciate her by the end of the book.
Another Great Read From An Author Who Defies Genre
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What I did NOT enjoy was the reader. At best she does enunciate clearly, but she varies her voice patterns more of her own preference than in response to the content of the book itself. It’s like she had a deck of cards labeled with moods, and she drew them randomly as she read. And at her worst she opted for this nasally, annoyed inflection that was fine for moments where, say, Alys was disgusted by something, but this same disgusted tone was often just slipped into in the middle of a descriptive passage. I was often confused by her choices.
So while I think I’ll grow to love this book more after books 2 & 3 help me better appreciate the foreshadowing that is surely all over the place, I also dread the idea that I’ll have to sit through this mediocre reader again.
Enjoyable — Looking Forward to the Rest
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It was kind of boring. Neither main character was very interesting or had useful insight
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