Becoming a Druid
Protectors of Pretanni, Book 1
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Buy for $24.95
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
James Meunier
-
By:
-
Mike Mollman
About this listen
A Struggle for Survival
Grahme has wanted to be a druid for as long as he can remember. Talented but headstrong, he runs afoul of a despotic, mind-controlling mage during his initiation quest. The price of failure is death. Intrigue and distrust have turned the druids against him. Haggard and hunted, he must make impossible sacrifices or lose everything.
Protectors of Pretanni: Book One
©2021 Mike Mollman (P)2022 Mike MollmanListeners also enjoyed...
-
The Crew
- The God Dust Saga, Book 1
- By: Sadir S. Samir
- Narrated by: Tim Paige
- Length: 11 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Varcade fled to the deserts of Harrah to escape his past as an Educator, a member of an order of zealot warrior-monks that aims to shape the world according to their sacred Teachings by force. Varcade makes his living as a reckless sword-for-hire, caring only about himself, until his self-centered lifestyle is turned on its head when he is contracted to recruit a misfit team of unruly assassins and take out the mighty Bone Lord of Akrab. But the Bone Lord is aware of the plot and sends her band of Dusters to stop them.
-
-
Can I join the Crew??
- By T. A. Bruno on 08-24-23
By: Sadir S. Samir
-
Heliotrope
- By: Palmer Pickering
- Narrated by: George Guidall
- Length: 22 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Teleo is a retired soldier descended from Mages, who were cast out of power generations ago. After years of war and sorrow, he wants nothing more than to live a quiet life on his farm and work his stonemason’s craft.
-
-
Old fashioned high fantasy.
- By Jonathan on 04-17-23
By: Palmer Pickering
-
The Will of the Many
- Hierarchy, Book 1
- By: James Islington
- Narrated by: Euan Morton
- Length: 28 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Catenan Republic—the Hierarchy—may rule the world now, but they do not know everything. I tell them my name is Vis Telimus. I tell them I was orphaned after a tragic accident three years ago, and that good fortune alone has led to my acceptance into their most prestigious school. I tell them that once I graduate, I will gladly join the rest of civilized society in allowing my strength, my drive, and my focus—what they call Will—to be leeched away and added to the power of those above me, as millions already do. As all must eventually do.
-
-
I don’t know what the other reviews are on about
- By Chase on 06-24-23
By: James Islington
-
The Blood of the Spear
- The Eye of Eternity, Book 1
- By: Mark Timmony
- Narrated by: Eric Bryan Moore
- Length: 21 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Kaiel Toranth is overflowing with regret. Absent during his mother’s final days, he is determined to pass the Trials and join the elite Daemon Hunters to build a safer future for himself and his brother, Darien.
-
-
Classic-style fantasy that moves!
- By Derek B. on 12-03-24
By: Mark Timmony
-
Deathless Beast
- Kallattian Saga, Book 1
- By: Andrew D. Meredith
- Narrated by: Andrew D. Meredith
- Length: 14 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Far too many blame their own bad luck on Hanen and Rallia Clouw. When opportunity knocks, they leap to put their past behind them. In the turmoil of a holy order fraught with lies, frustration, and heresy, the paladin Jined Brazstein is called to deeper faith.
-
-
Epic start to the saga
- By Sean on 08-27-24
-
Legacy of the Brightwash
- Tainted Dominion, Book 1
- By: Krystle Matar
- Narrated by: Paul Woodson, Felicity Munroe
- Length: 23 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Tashué’s faith in the law is beginning to crack. Three years ago, he stood by when the Authority condemned Jason to the brutality of the Rift for non-compliance. When Tashué’s son refused to register as tainted, the laws had to be upheld. He’d never doubted his job as a Regulation Officer before, but three years of watching your son wither away can break down even the strongest convictions. Then a dead girl washed up on the bank of the Brightwash, tattooed and mutilated.
-
-
Scandal, tragedy and rumors abound. Does anyone care?
- By Zachary Southworth on 05-03-24
By: Krystle Matar
-
The Crew
- The God Dust Saga, Book 1
- By: Sadir S. Samir
- Narrated by: Tim Paige
- Length: 11 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Varcade fled to the deserts of Harrah to escape his past as an Educator, a member of an order of zealot warrior-monks that aims to shape the world according to their sacred Teachings by force. Varcade makes his living as a reckless sword-for-hire, caring only about himself, until his self-centered lifestyle is turned on its head when he is contracted to recruit a misfit team of unruly assassins and take out the mighty Bone Lord of Akrab. But the Bone Lord is aware of the plot and sends her band of Dusters to stop them.
-
-
Can I join the Crew??
- By T. A. Bruno on 08-24-23
By: Sadir S. Samir
-
Heliotrope
- By: Palmer Pickering
- Narrated by: George Guidall
- Length: 22 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Teleo is a retired soldier descended from Mages, who were cast out of power generations ago. After years of war and sorrow, he wants nothing more than to live a quiet life on his farm and work his stonemason’s craft.
-
-
Old fashioned high fantasy.
- By Jonathan on 04-17-23
By: Palmer Pickering
-
The Will of the Many
- Hierarchy, Book 1
- By: James Islington
- Narrated by: Euan Morton
- Length: 28 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Catenan Republic—the Hierarchy—may rule the world now, but they do not know everything. I tell them my name is Vis Telimus. I tell them I was orphaned after a tragic accident three years ago, and that good fortune alone has led to my acceptance into their most prestigious school. I tell them that once I graduate, I will gladly join the rest of civilized society in allowing my strength, my drive, and my focus—what they call Will—to be leeched away and added to the power of those above me, as millions already do. As all must eventually do.
-
-
I don’t know what the other reviews are on about
- By Chase on 06-24-23
By: James Islington
-
The Blood of the Spear
- The Eye of Eternity, Book 1
- By: Mark Timmony
- Narrated by: Eric Bryan Moore
- Length: 21 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Kaiel Toranth is overflowing with regret. Absent during his mother’s final days, he is determined to pass the Trials and join the elite Daemon Hunters to build a safer future for himself and his brother, Darien.
-
-
Classic-style fantasy that moves!
- By Derek B. on 12-03-24
By: Mark Timmony
-
Deathless Beast
- Kallattian Saga, Book 1
- By: Andrew D. Meredith
- Narrated by: Andrew D. Meredith
- Length: 14 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Far too many blame their own bad luck on Hanen and Rallia Clouw. When opportunity knocks, they leap to put their past behind them. In the turmoil of a holy order fraught with lies, frustration, and heresy, the paladin Jined Brazstein is called to deeper faith.
-
-
Epic start to the saga
- By Sean on 08-27-24
-
Legacy of the Brightwash
- Tainted Dominion, Book 1
- By: Krystle Matar
- Narrated by: Paul Woodson, Felicity Munroe
- Length: 23 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Tashué’s faith in the law is beginning to crack. Three years ago, he stood by when the Authority condemned Jason to the brutality of the Rift for non-compliance. When Tashué’s son refused to register as tainted, the laws had to be upheld. He’d never doubted his job as a Regulation Officer before, but three years of watching your son wither away can break down even the strongest convictions. Then a dead girl washed up on the bank of the Brightwash, tattooed and mutilated.
-
-
Scandal, tragedy and rumors abound. Does anyone care?
- By Zachary Southworth on 05-03-24
By: Krystle Matar
-
Mark of the Crijik: A LitRPG Adventure
- Mark of the Crijik, Book 1
- By: ThinkTwice
- Narrated by: Neil Hellegers
- Length: 10 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Andross Silver has a nice life...until he is pushed off a building and finds himself in a new world. Reborn into a family that wants to kill him, gifted with a System, and armed with determination, Andross must rise to the challenges of a strange new world he suddenly finds himself in. His only blessing is the Mark of the Crijik, a magical gift from a divine being that bestows great powers onto those that possess it. It also kills them at the age of 25. Andross must master magic to help him carve a path to greatness.
-
-
Refreshing Lit RPG without the angst
- By Charles Johnson on 11-02-22
By: ThinkTwice
-
Pile of Bones
- By: Michael J. Sullivan
- Narrated by: Tim Gerard Reynolds
- Length: 1 hr and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When a storm reveals a mysterious cave behind a waterfall, the young mystic’s apprentice and her wolf investigate. Inside, she discovers a secret place containing a pile of human bones and the young girl makes what could be a fatal mistake. In this Legends of the First Empire prequel, we witness the events that helped shape the woman who would one day become Suri the Mystic, the first Rhune Artist, and a hero to a generation
-
-
Good preview, unsatisfying story
- By Samuel Hudnet on 01-11-20
-
The Last Ranger
- Ranger of the Titan Wilds, Book 1
- By: J.D.L. Rosell
- Narrated by: Imogen Church
- Length: 16 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Leiyn “Firebrand” is no stranger to a fight. A brash ranger of the Titan Wilds, she takes up her bow to ward against the colossal spirit creatures known as titans, ever a threat to the colonies she has sworn to protect. But no amount of skill can guard against treachery. When tragedy strikes the rangers’ lodge, Leiyn vows to avenge the fallen. But if she is to succeed, she must embrace a power within her she has long denied. Power to move mountains and rivers. Power over life and death.
-
-
JDL Does it Again!
- By Derrick Smythe on 01-26-23
By: J.D.L. Rosell
-
The Way of Renegades
- The Bards and Dragons Saga, Book 1
- By: Steve D. Wall
- Narrated by: Steven Pacey
- Length: 14 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
An action-packed flintlock fantasy audiobook about guns, mages, bards, and dragons! Ulric, former war hero, has been living a quiet life of exile in the frontier city of Quinport and wants only to continue hiding from the mistakes of his past. But then he discovers the invention of a revolutionary new kind of rifle, and worse, the ruling Coalition discovers his identity.
-
-
Stellar first novel, but is it a debut?
- By Dennis Blake on 08-18-23
By: Steve D. Wall
-
Wistful Ascending
- Hybrid Helix, Book 1
- By: JCM Berne
- Narrated by: Wayne Farrell
- Length: 13 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The il’Drach have conquered half a galaxy behind the civilization-ending powers of their mixed-species children. Half-human Rohan, exhausted by a decade fighting for their Empire, has paid a secret and terrible price for his freedom. Now retired, he strives to live a quiet life towing starships for the space station Wistful. His most pressing problems are finding the perfect cup of coffee and talking to a gorgeous shuttle tech without tripping over his own tongue. A dormant wormhole is opened by a ship of angry refugees, and the many eyes of the Empire focus on Wistful.
-
-
Deep Space 9 meets Dragon Ball Z
- By SurfSraph17 on 06-01-24
By: JCM Berne
-
Gunmetal Gods
- Gunmetal Gods, Book 1
- By: Zamil Akhtar
- Narrated by: Peter Noble
- Length: 17 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Fifty thousand gun-toting paladins march behind him, all baptized in angel blood, thirsty to burn unbelievers. Only the janissaries can stand against them. Their living legend, Kevah, once beheaded a magus amid a hail of ice daggers. But ever since his wife disappeared, he spends his days in a haze of hashish and poetry. To save the kingdom, Kevah must conquer his grief and become the legend he once was. But Micah writes his own legend in blood, and his righteous conquest will stop at nothing. When the gods choose sides, a legend will be etched upon the stars.
-
-
Great Narrator, Great Book
- By KYLE LOCKHAVEN on 10-28-21
By: Zamil Akhtar
-
Ascendant
- A Dragon Rider Fantasy (Songs of Chaos, Book 1)
- By: Michael R. Miller
- Narrated by: Peter Kenny
- Length: 17 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Holt Cook was never meant to be a dragon rider. He has always served the Order Hall of the Crag dutifully, keeping their kitchen pots clean. Until he discovers a dark secret: dragons do not tolerate weakness among their kin, killing the young they deem flawed. Moved by pity, Holt defies the Order, rescues a doomed egg and vows to protect the blind dragon within.
-
-
Great Fantasy Coming of Age Story
- By ZC on 11-20-20
-
Demon's Reign
- The Bloodwood Saga, Book 1
- By: David Estes, Ben Galley
- Narrated by: Tim Gerard Reynolds
- Length: 22 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Tarkosi Terelta is a nobody. A nobody who will save his world from demons and the hellfire they bring. The third-born of a shamed family, Tarkosi's lot in life is to spend his days as a worker, feeding temperamental lancewings under a harsh master. His days in the bloodwood city of Shal Gara are full of drudgery, tedium, and pain, his own ambitions cast aside in the name of order.
-
-
Amazing world with Amazing story!
- By Anonymous User on 12-07-22
By: David Estes, and others
-
All the Skills: A Deck-Building LitRPG
- All the Skills, Book 1
- By: Honour Rae
- Narrated by: Luke Daniels
- Length: 13 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Arthur lives with his father, a fallen but proud former noble, in Border Village #49, along with the other good folks condemned to toil in service to the Baron. But Arthur has an edge: a stolen heart card that secretly fell into his possession, thanks to a dragon. It’s a priceless source of power for the Baron and the tyrant will kill to get it back. Invaluable, too, to a young man of spellcasting ambitions.
-
-
Has a lot of issues... But also has potential.
- By Heather L. Lynch on 02-06-23
By: Honour Rae
-
A Warrior's Path
- The Castes and the OutCastes Book 1
- By: Davis Ashura
- Narrated by: Nick Podehl
- Length: 17 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Sweeping from the majestic city of Ashoka to the perilous Wildness beyond her borders, enter a world where Caste determines mystical Talents, the purity of Jivatma expresses worth, and dharma may be based on a lie.Rukh Shektan has always understood duty. As a member of Caste Kumma, the warrior Caste, nothing else is acceptable. He is expected to take part in the deadly Trials, to journey the Wildness and protect the caravans linking Humanity's far-flung cities. Though the mission is dangerous, Rukh's hope and optimism are undaunted. Karma, however, is a fickle fiend.
-
-
Very Bad... why all the good reviews?
- By clifford on 09-15-16
By: Davis Ashura
-
A Dream of Wings & Flame
- A LitRPG Adventure
- By: Cale Plamann
- Narrated by: Neil Hellegers
- Length: 10 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Kobolds cower at the bottom of the food chain, forced to eke out a meager existence in the most wretched of caves. Most have made peace with their lot in life; one of eating scraps and carrion. They hide and run from predators, delaying the inevitable day when they aren't fast or sneaky enough to make their escape. But not Samazzar. Sam is different from other Kobold pups.
-
-
Authors, take notes!
- By Client d'Amazon on 11-06-22
By: Cale Plamann
-
A World Without Heroes
- By: Brandon Mull
- Narrated by: Jeremy Bobb
- Length: 14 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jason Walker has often wished his life could be a bit less predictable--until a routine day at the zoo ends with Jason suddenly transporting from the hippo tank to a place unlike anything he's ever seen. In the past, the people of Lyrian welcomed visitors from the Beyond, but attitudes have changed since the wizard emperor Maldor rose to power. The brave resistors who opposed the emperor have been bought off or broken, leaving a realm where fear and suspicion prevail.
-
-
Great for kids and adults
- By Tango on 05-13-13
By: Brandon Mull
Related to this topic
-
Ascension
- The Trysmoon Saga, Book 1
- By: Brian K. Fuller
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 11 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Gen was a bard's apprentice, his nimble hands meant for the lute and his voice for a song. Then the half-mad and completely bored Shadan Khairn invaded Gen's village to winter there and start a war. He shoved a sword in Gen's hands and tormented his body, shaping a bard into a warrior to be killed for sport. As the days of torture pile up like the snow, Gen searches for death. But the day is at hand when the shattered shards of the world will knit together again, and the world's slain god will be reborn.
-
-
Fantastic Epic Fantasy
- By Andrew Stone on 05-14-15
By: Brian K. Fuller
-
Altdorf
- The Forest Knights, Book 1
- By: J.K. Swift
- Narrated by: Brad Wills
- Length: 8 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A wild land too mountainous to be tamed by plows…A Duke of the Holy Roman Empire, his cunning overshadowed only by his ambition…A young Priestess of the Old Religion, together with a charismatic outlaw, sparking a rebellion from deep within the forests…And an ex-Hospitaller caught between them all. At the end of the thirteenth century, five hundred orphans and second sons are rounded up from villages in the Alpine countryside and sold to the Hospitaller Knights of St John. Trained to serve as Soldiers of Christ, they fight in eastern lands they know nothing about, for a cause they do not understand.
-
-
Life's Trials.
- By Gary Carter on 04-05-18
By: J.K. Swift
-
Sea of Shadows
- Age of Legends, Book 1
- By: Kelley Armstrong
- Narrated by: Jennifer Ikeda
- Length: 12 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the Forest of the Dead, where the empire’s worst criminals are exiled, twin sisters Moria and Ashyn are charged with a dangerous task. For they are the Keeper and the Seeker, and each year they must quiet the enraged souls of the damned. Only this year, the souls will not be quieted. Ambushed and separated by an ancient evil, the sisters’ journey to find each other sends them far from the only home they’ve ever known.
-
-
What happened???
- By Beth on 05-09-14
By: Kelley Armstrong
-
New Spring
- The Wheel of Time Prequel
- By: Robert Jordan
- Narrated by: Kate Reading, Michael Kramer
- Length: 12 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For three days battle has raged in the snow around the great city of Tar Valon. In the city, a foretelling of the future is uttered. On the slopes of Dragonmount, the immense mountain that looms over the city, a child is born, an infant prophesied to change the world. That child must be found before he can be killed by the forces of the Shadow.
-
-
Read it after reading others in the series
- By Stacy Fair on 12-13-07
By: Robert Jordan
-
The Way into Chaos
- The Great Way, Book 1
- By: Harry Connolly
- Narrated by: Michael Kramer
- Length: 15 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The city of Peradain is the heart of an empire built with steel, spears, and a monopoly on magic...until in a single day it falls, overthrown by a swarm of supernatural creatures of incredible power and ferocity. Neither soldier nor spell caster can stand against them. The empire's armies are crushed, its people scattered, its king and queen killed. Freed for the first time in generations, city-states scramble to seize neighboring territories and capture imperial spell casters.
-
-
Made me want to buy more credits
- By Daniel Olson on 09-16-16
By: Harry Connolly
-
Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne
- By: David Gaider
- Narrated by: Stephen Hoye
- Length: 13 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After his mother, the beloved Rebel Queen, is betrayed and murdered by her own faithless lords, young Maric becomes the leader of a rebel army attempting to free his nation from the control of a foreign tyrant. His countrymen live in fear; his commanders consider him untested; and his only allies are Loghain, a brash young outlaw who saved his life, and Rowan, the beautiful warrior maiden promised to him since birth.
-
-
Fantastic Read
- By Brandon on 01-30-11
By: David Gaider
-
Ascension
- The Trysmoon Saga, Book 1
- By: Brian K. Fuller
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 11 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Gen was a bard's apprentice, his nimble hands meant for the lute and his voice for a song. Then the half-mad and completely bored Shadan Khairn invaded Gen's village to winter there and start a war. He shoved a sword in Gen's hands and tormented his body, shaping a bard into a warrior to be killed for sport. As the days of torture pile up like the snow, Gen searches for death. But the day is at hand when the shattered shards of the world will knit together again, and the world's slain god will be reborn.
-
-
Fantastic Epic Fantasy
- By Andrew Stone on 05-14-15
By: Brian K. Fuller
-
Altdorf
- The Forest Knights, Book 1
- By: J.K. Swift
- Narrated by: Brad Wills
- Length: 8 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A wild land too mountainous to be tamed by plows…A Duke of the Holy Roman Empire, his cunning overshadowed only by his ambition…A young Priestess of the Old Religion, together with a charismatic outlaw, sparking a rebellion from deep within the forests…And an ex-Hospitaller caught between them all. At the end of the thirteenth century, five hundred orphans and second sons are rounded up from villages in the Alpine countryside and sold to the Hospitaller Knights of St John. Trained to serve as Soldiers of Christ, they fight in eastern lands they know nothing about, for a cause they do not understand.
-
-
Life's Trials.
- By Gary Carter on 04-05-18
By: J.K. Swift
-
Sea of Shadows
- Age of Legends, Book 1
- By: Kelley Armstrong
- Narrated by: Jennifer Ikeda
- Length: 12 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the Forest of the Dead, where the empire’s worst criminals are exiled, twin sisters Moria and Ashyn are charged with a dangerous task. For they are the Keeper and the Seeker, and each year they must quiet the enraged souls of the damned. Only this year, the souls will not be quieted. Ambushed and separated by an ancient evil, the sisters’ journey to find each other sends them far from the only home they’ve ever known.
-
-
What happened???
- By Beth on 05-09-14
By: Kelley Armstrong
-
New Spring
- The Wheel of Time Prequel
- By: Robert Jordan
- Narrated by: Kate Reading, Michael Kramer
- Length: 12 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For three days battle has raged in the snow around the great city of Tar Valon. In the city, a foretelling of the future is uttered. On the slopes of Dragonmount, the immense mountain that looms over the city, a child is born, an infant prophesied to change the world. That child must be found before he can be killed by the forces of the Shadow.
-
-
Read it after reading others in the series
- By Stacy Fair on 12-13-07
By: Robert Jordan
-
The Way into Chaos
- The Great Way, Book 1
- By: Harry Connolly
- Narrated by: Michael Kramer
- Length: 15 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The city of Peradain is the heart of an empire built with steel, spears, and a monopoly on magic...until in a single day it falls, overthrown by a swarm of supernatural creatures of incredible power and ferocity. Neither soldier nor spell caster can stand against them. The empire's armies are crushed, its people scattered, its king and queen killed. Freed for the first time in generations, city-states scramble to seize neighboring territories and capture imperial spell casters.
-
-
Made me want to buy more credits
- By Daniel Olson on 09-16-16
By: Harry Connolly
-
Dragon Age: The Stolen Throne
- By: David Gaider
- Narrated by: Stephen Hoye
- Length: 13 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After his mother, the beloved Rebel Queen, is betrayed and murdered by her own faithless lords, young Maric becomes the leader of a rebel army attempting to free his nation from the control of a foreign tyrant. His countrymen live in fear; his commanders consider him untested; and his only allies are Loghain, a brash young outlaw who saved his life, and Rowan, the beautiful warrior maiden promised to him since birth.
-
-
Fantastic Read
- By Brandon on 01-30-11
By: David Gaider
-
Sir Kendrick and the Castle of Bel Lione
- The Knights of Arrethtrae
- By: Chuck Black
- Narrated by: Andy Turvey, Dawn Marshall
- Length: 5 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
As the Knights of the Prince await His triumphant return, they are steadfast in their mission to take His story into the kingdom and recruit as many as are willing. But when a new and dangerous threat is revealed, their mission is jeopardized. Sir Kendrick and his young charge, the impetuous Sir Duncan, are sent on a mission to discover the identity and origin of a secretive new order known as the Conquistero Knights.
-
-
I'm shocked by the high reviews
- By auroragb on 07-15-14
By: Chuck Black
-
Amber Magic
- Haven Series, Book 1
- By: B. V. Larson
- Narrated by: Mark Boyett
- Length: 5 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The humans have no magic and are hunted for sport, but that is about to change. War is coming.... The Sun Dragon spawned nine lesser dragons which devoured their parent for the power the elder possessed. These young dragons fought for choice bits of the Sun Dragon, but each only managed to eat a portion, thus giving them specific powers. Over time, these foul dragons were hunted down and slain by heroes of old.
-
-
Not Undying Mercenaries Thats for sure
- By John on 10-21-15
By: B. V. Larson
-
Song of the Dragon
- The Annals of Drakis: Book One
- By: Tracy Hickman
- Narrated by: Phil Gigante
- Length: 15 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Once Humans had a magical alliance with Dragons. Now they and the other races have been enslaved by the Rhonas Empire – the elves – and can’t even remember the world the way it used to be. But thanks to the intervention of one determined dwarf and the human slave warrior known as Drakis, all of that is about to change.
-
-
Narrator is outstanding
- By Youngstafel on 09-02-11
By: Tracy Hickman
-
Coming of the Storm
- By: W. Michael Gear, Kathleen O'Neal Gear
- Narrated by: Kevin Orton
- Length: 13 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Of best-selling husband-and-wife writing team W. Michael and Kathleen O’Neal Gear, Booklist proclaims that “nobody does Native Americana better than the Gears.” Coming of the Storm launches a series featuring Black Shell, a Chicazaclan trader, and his struggles with Hernando de Soto, an invader intent on spreading Catholicism at the point of his sword.
-
-
Creates a story line from history
- By Mark on 05-24-13
By: W. Michael Gear, and others
-
Tales of the Great Beasts (Spirit Animals: Special Edition)
- By: Brandon Mull
- Narrated by: Nicola Barber
- Length: 5 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Long before they were spirit animals, the four were still legends - Great Beasts, the most powerful beings to roam the wilds of Erdas. Aided by a brave resistance of humans and animals, they gave their lives to protect the world from a threat more dangerous than any it had seen before: their own kind. Wise and cunning, gentle and ruthless, these are tales of the true heroes and villains in the war that started it all.
-
-
review from 9 y/o daughter
- By Ellie on 01-08-17
By: Brandon Mull
-
God's Hammer
- Hakon's Saga, Book 1
- By: Eric Schumacher
- Narrated by: Shaun Grindell
- Length: 12 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It is 935 A.D., and the North is in turmoil. King Harald Fairhair has died, leaving the High Seat of the realm to his murderous son, Erik Bloodaxe. To solidify his claim, Erik ruthlessly disposes of all claimants to his throne, save one: his youngest brother Hakon. Erik's surviving enemies send a ship to Wessex, where the Christian King Athelstan is raising Hakon. Unable to avoid his fate, he returns to the Viking North to face his brother and claim his birthright, only to discover that victory will demand sacrifices beyond his wildest nightmares.
-
-
A story of the Vikings and the Christians
- By Carolynn on 11-14-18
By: Eric Schumacher
-
Altered Destiny
- By: Shawna Thomas
- Narrated by: Uma Incrocci
- Length: 10 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Selia has run her family's tavern since she was 15 and can hunt and fight as the equal of any male. When she rescues a badly wounded man and nurses him back to health, she has no idea she's about to change not only her life, but also the destinies of two peoples….
-
-
Wow! It was perfect!
- By Racheal on 10-13-11
By: Shawna Thomas
-
Moonburner
- By: Claire Luana
- Narrated by: Emma Lysy
- Length: 9 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When 17-year-old Kai is exposed as a female sorceress, a moonburner, she knows the punishment is death. Despite the odds against her, Kai escapes her fate and undertakes a harrowing journey to a land where moonburners are revered and trained as warriors. But the moonburner citadel is not the place of refuge and learning that Kai imagined.
-
-
Excellent!!
- By Natalie @ ABookLoversLife on 11-07-16
By: Claire Luana
-
The LonTobyn Chronicle, Books 1-3
- By: David B. Coe
- Narrated by: Pete Cross
- Length: 64 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This bundle includes Children of Amarid, The Outlanders, and Eagle-Sage.
-
-
The complete characters, made you think !
- By Darla Renn on 06-27-24
By: David B. Coe
-
Altar of Influence: The Orsarian War
- A Prelude to the Dying Lands Chronicle
- By: Jacob Cooper
- Narrated by: Michael Kramer
- Length: 11 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Sacrifice. The single act capable of bringing both death and life simultaneously. Thannuel Kerr is handsome, young, and brash, fumbling through childhood toward his inevitable inheritance: the next Lord of the Western Province. He struggles to accept his arranged marriage and to grow into the man he must become. The journey toward that end, however, is fraught with more peril than he could possibly imagine.
-
-
A Compelling Read!
- By Voracious Reader on 10-17-16
By: Jacob Cooper
-
Keeper of the Grail
- The Youngest Templar Trilogy, Book 1
- By: Michael P. Spradlin
- Narrated by: Paul Boehmer
- Length: 7 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Washed up on a foreign shore, Tristan is lucky to be alive. As before, it seems to be a miracle - the Holy Grail the young Templar squire is protecting has saved his life yet again. But now he is lost in a strange land, and he doesn’t know if his friends, the fiery archer Robard Hode and the Saracen assassin maid Maryam, still survive. Tristan’s knack for getting into trouble is alive and well, though, and he quickly finds himself drawn into a conflict between a heretical band of Cathars and the oppressive King of France.
-
-
AMAZING
- By Anonymous User on 09-16-23
-
Fatemarked
- The Fatemarked Epic, Book 1
- By: David Estes
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 19 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
They are the fatemarked. Misunderstood. Worshipped. Hated. Murdered at birth. Their time to step into the light has come. An ancient prophecy foretold their coming, the chosen few who will bring peace to a land embroiled in a century of mistrust and war. When kings start dying, that hope and belief swiftly turns to fear. Roan Loren is one of the fatemarked, but has hidden his mark of power his entire life, fearing the damage it might cause to those around him. A great evil is coming. He can't hide anymore.
-
-
Written to fit an ideology, not the story it tells
- By znidarsic.blaz on 04-30-18
By: David Estes
People who viewed this also viewed...
-
A Rumor of Kings
- Kingdom of Ghosts, Book 1
- By: Victor Gischler
- Narrated by: John Lee
- Length: 13 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Greymond, the Scattered Kingdom, has been without a king for hundreds of years, a place ruled by squabbling barons and dukes. Occasionally, rumors arise: a king of the old blood has returned to claim his throne. These days, such claims are met with groans and eye-rolls. Pretenders abound . . . and are generally ignored. But scheming powers are plotting, machinations that have been in the works for years. This time . . . enter Merrik Niles.
-
-
Not for me
- By Joseph on 05-18-22
By: Victor Gischler
-
Shadebound
- The Last King, Book 1
- By: David Estes, G.D. Penman
- Narrated by: Tim Gerard Reynolds
- Length: 19 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Artemio Volpe must contend with more than simple intrigue. The embers of war burn bright beyond the horizon of the northern steppes, his already estranged family has been hounded by the assassinations, and the shades of the dead pervade his body and mind, granting him their power at a terrible price.
-
-
Intriguing
- By David on 10-31-22
By: David Estes, and others
-
Waterspell: The Complete Series: Boxed Set, Books 1-4
- By: Deborah J. Lightfoot
- Narrated by: Simon de Deney
- Length: 51 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Making a place for yourself in a world where you don’t belong takes courage. So does moving in with a warlock. Especially one who is a cauldron of seething anger on his worst days…half-mad on his best…who is thinking, perhaps, of killing you. Waterspell tells the story of the lost traveler, Carin, who is drawn into the schemes of a hot-tempered, emotionally damaged wizard. Does he view her as nothing more than an expendable weapon in his fight to save his world from lethal alien plagues? Or will Lord Verek find himself wavering when it comes time to dispose of his water-sylph?
-
-
be warned
- By Nate on 07-18-22
-
Eli
- The Eli Chronicles, Book 1
- By: Marc Alan Edelheit
- Narrated by: Steven Brand
- Length: 9 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When elven rangers Eli’Far and Mae’Cara are dispatched to hunt down the dangerous criminal Mik’Las, the mission seems simple enough. Mik’Las has committed the unthinkable crimes of murder and kidnapping, and though he’s a former ranger and skilled in the deadly arts, Eli is confident they will bring him to justice.
-
-
Book 7 - Not a Stand Alone Novel
- By Lawly on 05-16-22
-
The Berserker Trilogy
- The Complete 3-Book Epic Fantasy Boxed Set
- By: J. W. Webb
- Narrated by: George Ellington
- Length: 42 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jaran Saerk lets vengeful wrath guide his blade. As scarred in youth by his dad’s murder as he is by battle now, the much-feared Northman berserker has grown into a master of meting out death. But, his latest victim spills more than his dying guts when he reveals clues to the deadly sorceress Jaran vowed to make pay. Blind to the location of the mist-veiled island housing the treacherous spellcaster, the swordsman allies with both a fire-tongued escaped slave and a cunning thief.
-
-
In love!
- By Amazon Customer on 08-25-22
By: J. W. Webb
-
Unbound
- Unbound, Book 1
- By: Shawn Speakman
- Narrated by: Dick Hill, Tim Gerard Reynolds, Nick Podehl, and others
- Length: 20 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Not bound as a book. Free. Like Unfettered before it, the contributing writers of Unbound were allowed to submit the tales they wished fans of genre to hear - without the constraints of a shackling theme. The result is magical. Twenty-three all-original stories are sure to captivate you - some will move you to tears while others will keep you listening long into the night. The power of Unbound lies in its variety of tales and the voices behind them. If you are a fan of discovering new writers or hearing the works of beloved authors, Unbound is for you.
-
-
There are some gems in this one
- By Gyula Mészáros on 04-16-18
By: Shawn Speakman
-
A Rumor of Kings
- Kingdom of Ghosts, Book 1
- By: Victor Gischler
- Narrated by: John Lee
- Length: 13 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Greymond, the Scattered Kingdom, has been without a king for hundreds of years, a place ruled by squabbling barons and dukes. Occasionally, rumors arise: a king of the old blood has returned to claim his throne. These days, such claims are met with groans and eye-rolls. Pretenders abound . . . and are generally ignored. But scheming powers are plotting, machinations that have been in the works for years. This time . . . enter Merrik Niles.
-
-
Not for me
- By Joseph on 05-18-22
By: Victor Gischler
-
Shadebound
- The Last King, Book 1
- By: David Estes, G.D. Penman
- Narrated by: Tim Gerard Reynolds
- Length: 19 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Artemio Volpe must contend with more than simple intrigue. The embers of war burn bright beyond the horizon of the northern steppes, his already estranged family has been hounded by the assassinations, and the shades of the dead pervade his body and mind, granting him their power at a terrible price.
-
-
Intriguing
- By David on 10-31-22
By: David Estes, and others
-
Waterspell: The Complete Series: Boxed Set, Books 1-4
- By: Deborah J. Lightfoot
- Narrated by: Simon de Deney
- Length: 51 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Making a place for yourself in a world where you don’t belong takes courage. So does moving in with a warlock. Especially one who is a cauldron of seething anger on his worst days…half-mad on his best…who is thinking, perhaps, of killing you. Waterspell tells the story of the lost traveler, Carin, who is drawn into the schemes of a hot-tempered, emotionally damaged wizard. Does he view her as nothing more than an expendable weapon in his fight to save his world from lethal alien plagues? Or will Lord Verek find himself wavering when it comes time to dispose of his water-sylph?
-
-
be warned
- By Nate on 07-18-22
-
Eli
- The Eli Chronicles, Book 1
- By: Marc Alan Edelheit
- Narrated by: Steven Brand
- Length: 9 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When elven rangers Eli’Far and Mae’Cara are dispatched to hunt down the dangerous criminal Mik’Las, the mission seems simple enough. Mik’Las has committed the unthinkable crimes of murder and kidnapping, and though he’s a former ranger and skilled in the deadly arts, Eli is confident they will bring him to justice.
-
-
Book 7 - Not a Stand Alone Novel
- By Lawly on 05-16-22
-
The Berserker Trilogy
- The Complete 3-Book Epic Fantasy Boxed Set
- By: J. W. Webb
- Narrated by: George Ellington
- Length: 42 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jaran Saerk lets vengeful wrath guide his blade. As scarred in youth by his dad’s murder as he is by battle now, the much-feared Northman berserker has grown into a master of meting out death. But, his latest victim spills more than his dying guts when he reveals clues to the deadly sorceress Jaran vowed to make pay. Blind to the location of the mist-veiled island housing the treacherous spellcaster, the swordsman allies with both a fire-tongued escaped slave and a cunning thief.
-
-
In love!
- By Amazon Customer on 08-25-22
By: J. W. Webb
-
Unbound
- Unbound, Book 1
- By: Shawn Speakman
- Narrated by: Dick Hill, Tim Gerard Reynolds, Nick Podehl, and others
- Length: 20 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Not bound as a book. Free. Like Unfettered before it, the contributing writers of Unbound were allowed to submit the tales they wished fans of genre to hear - without the constraints of a shackling theme. The result is magical. Twenty-three all-original stories are sure to captivate you - some will move you to tears while others will keep you listening long into the night. The power of Unbound lies in its variety of tales and the voices behind them. If you are a fan of discovering new writers or hearing the works of beloved authors, Unbound is for you.
-
-
There are some gems in this one
- By Gyula Mészáros on 04-16-18
By: Shawn Speakman
What listeners say about Becoming a Druid
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Amazon Customer
- 05-12-23
Excellent book at every turn!
Highly recommended! The start is a bit sluggish(as expected) but picks up quickly! One can not help but feel bad and happy for Grahme as he whisps away on a journey to chase his dreams. The real conflicts ensue when his principles are challenged. The next think you know he is running for his life, treated like a slave, and... well I wont ruin the book! Go listen for yourself! I loved it. I have listened to hundreds of books and must say I very much enjoyed visualizing the magic! I can't wait to listen to them all! I am not just saying this because I met the writer either that was just a bonus!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Emeraldragonlady
- 07-29-23
Excellent Read
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
This was an amazing fantasy book about a boy who becomes a druid. We learned that he is given a quest in order to become a druid. There are three things that he needs to do two of them can be done fairly easily of course the other one he struggles to get the item he needs to his master, barely in time for the end of the quest , the obsidian Lord is constantly in his way and searching for the same item. He takes over anyone that he can, and is a play upon Pretanni. Even though he goes through so many trials to obtain the item, and then return the item to his master, he is victorious in the end, of course, but to what end?
A really good fantasy series. I’m really enjoying it and looking forward to reading the second book I recommend to fantasy and D&D lovers, or for anyone who would like a very good adventure.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- DrStrangepork
- 12-17-24
If you zone out, you won't miss much
The story line was pretty decent, but the characters were very childish. I would expect a bunch of druids, even young ones, to be a bit more grounded. After a while, the barrage of temper tantrums and arrogant blunders gets annoying. The reader has a good voice, but he paces the story with pauses every couple of beats. The tempo is like a bedtime story for a child.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- sherry Christenson
- 09-07-22
Wonderfully Entertaining
5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Review!
Grahme quest to become a Druid was so entertaining. I loved his ability to change in to animals, especially when he turns into an owl. It’s a wonderful adventure with plenty of and excitement, tension and suspense. James Meinier was perfection. The story and narration are the perfect match.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- cory
- 09-10-22
good story and great narration.
This is is pretty great story with out droning on with exposition while still doing a great job at world building and explaining the magic system.
the story has a great progression and still plays through the world building without making me want to skip forward.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Noah M
- 10-30-22
An enjoyable but difficult book to review
if you enjoy reading low-reviewed novels, as I do, this one does all the right things. I'd recommend it to friends who were looking for a decent book to listen to as they drove or did the chores.
It's well written, the plot moves quickly, the characters were well written and acted logically, and at no point was I pulled from the story in irritation. It delivers on what it promises to be. In addition, the narrator is fantastic. For that I give it 5 stars.
if you want to read a good book without worrying about whether it is worth your time, this book is that in all the ways it needs to be.
The difficult part to review is somewhat complicated, and I can't entirely figure out why. At certain times, things happen and aren't satisfying. or maybe they aren't as impactful as they aught to be. this may be a style preference on my part or it may be the author didn't dig into what they meant early enough to allow those events to really flourish and drive the book emotionally. finally, I generally like soft magic, rather than hard magic. this book is sort of middle magic. The main character's magic is fairly well explained, but the villain seems to be able to do only what he minamally needs to do in order to allow the main character to take his next action, which is slightly irritating, but generally not a really significant problem for me. this means it's not always clear why or when the villain is able to do something.
Despite these misgivings, I still recommend the book.
note: the only reason I give four stars on written reviews like this is that I know I generally skip to the first non 5 star review to determine If the book is actually worth reading.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Ben Kahn
- 07-10-23
Refreshing historical fantasy!
What a solid book 1 for a refreshingly unique feeling historical fantasy series! I didn't know going in if it was going to lean more hist fic or fantasy, but on the first page we have our protagonist doing lots of fun animal transformations, so in this world Druid magic is very real (and so cool!). The setting of Britain around 300 BC well before the Romans ever came is very new to me, and with the prominent magic and overarching storyline of needing to overcome a dark mage who employs mind control magic, the overall feel is very much epic fantasy.
Maybe it was the title and the cover art combined with some discussion I'd heard about it that led me to believe it was going to be much lighter in tone than my usual dramatic sff reads, but while the single POV Grahme does have something of a sardonic internal monologue, the setting is brutal and unforgiving, and the plotting is extremely high stakes with plenty of dark and gritty events throughout the book. So on the whole, it's not a palate cleanser type light read but really something you can turn to if you're looking for dramatic adult epic fantasy with some wit to it.
The premise is that a slightly older than usual Druid apprentice (since he did not get along with his first two mentors) is sent on his Druid quest (by his much wiser third mentor) to retrieve a certain object in order to become a full Druid. The quest seems dangerous and tied to the Obsidian Mage who has been gaining power in the land recently and who the Druids are trying to oppose. As with most book 1s it took me a bit of time to feel totally immersed in the setting and hooked into the POV character, but around halfway through this slim-ish novel I was completely engaged and invested in the plot and the main character along with many of the side characters we meet along the way during the quest. Grahme is a fun kind of protagonist since he's extremely good-hearted and competent, but a bit dense when it comes to dealing with people and dangerous situations. He can be endearingly frustrating, but he was easy for me to relate to and root for.
One of the joys of the book was experiencing the Druid worldview, and I loved spending time with their insular quirky culture and sub-cultures, where religious devotion to their pantheon and being honor-bound to their oaths and protecting nature and communing with animals are all so important. There is also some tremendously dramatic action in the book, and even though it didn't make up a large proportion of the read, Mollman wrote some absolutely top-tier small-scale battles and fights full of tension and stakes.
I did this one mostly immersively since the audio narration is really solid, and the naked hardcover also felt great to read from (and looks fantastic). I'm so happy I gave this one a try and can't wait to continue on in the series!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Brooks West
- 09-14-22
Wonderful story with captivating narration
This was a wonderful first book for the protectors of pretanni series. I liked the world that was built up, it was complex and interesting without being too overwhelming which is important for me personally in fantasy books. The narration was EXCELLENT. Highly recommend as an audiobook.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Derek B.
- 02-28-23
Tell no one of this quest...
Thanks to the author for gifting me a code for the audio edition of this book! I greatly appreciate it, but that does not affect the honesty of this rating/review.
While the sort of classical adventure quest narrative isn't always my thing, I have to say that I had quite a nice time with this, even if I wasn't entirely invested in every aspect of the story.
CHARACTERS
Grahme serves as our main character for this story. As the title implies, he is in the process of becoming a Druid, but he's had a rough track record with his mentors and his future within the Druid ranks is very much in question when one of the nine Druid lords takes him under his wing. At first, I can't say that I found Grahme all that likeable. He is petulant and frequently disobeys direct orders from his superiors. He also had a bad temper. This dislike made it a little hard for me to feel too invested in the stakes that he was up against in the early parts of the quest that he is assigned to in order to prove himself worthy of being a full druid. Over the course of his journey, Grahme meets a variety of other characters from his family, other Druid clans, thieves, a mysterious merchant and people from a dark kingdom that is infamous for being home to people born with mind-control magic. Some of these were definitely more memorable and likeable than others, but my favorite side character definitely has to be Grahme's nephew who accompanies him for a decently long stretch of time. Even though it would not have made sense for the boy to have continued on the journey, I was sad when he was written out of the adventure since having him around made Grahme a lot more likeable for me. Grahme also has a romantic interest who comes in at a later part of the story and while the dynamics that created were interesting, I wasn't particularly bought into this subplot at all and actually felt like the story might have been stronger without it. One thing that works a lot to the story's benefit is that Grahme seems to mature quite a bit by the end of the story, thanks in no small part to the losses he's suffered and the trials he's endured. Seeing him grow into a much more serious and responsible person was something I found to be appropriately rewarding.
SETTING/WORLD
As the title indicates this is a story about Druids. While this type of mage isn't necessarily rare, it's also not often that Druid magic is given the spotlight in this way. The "animorphing" is handled brilliantly and I think this lesser-seen kind of magic will be a big draw for many. I also appreciated that there were other types of magic that the book explored. There is a dark mind-control magic that a number of both friendly and antagonistic characters have as well as weather and elemental magic. I wouldn't say that there are any "magic systems" in play here, but I think for a story like this, it was much better that the magic was "soft" (A.K.A. not defined to the point where it almost feels like a science).
Grahme doesn't stay in any one place for too long, but he also rarely passes through somewhere without there being some kind of episode that gives us a chance to explore it a little. While this type of storytelling where the narrative hops from one place to the next isn't always my cup of tea, I did feel like each location had a distinct vibe to it and offered interesting characters and/or environments. I definitely appreciated the variety of moving from calm woodland zones to bustling cities, dingy prisons, and dark caverns. No one place ever overstayed its welcome and the near-constant motion helped things from getting stale, though it did also keep me from developing attachments to any particular locations.
PLOT/TONE
As you might have guessed, this is sort of a classical, "go fetch a magical item of great power and return" type of setup. Due to this adventure-quest being the main narrative anchor, the story had sort of a nostalgic feel to it in the way that reading classic fantasy might. That said, the way action and magic is depicted had a much more modern vibe. It's an interesting mix that I though worked pretty well and made this feel rather special. The morality in this story was also interesting to me because on on hand, there are some characters who are very clearly "the bad guys," but then there are the Druids who aren't always the purest of the pure either. Throughout the story, we get a lot of insight into Druid politics. The "Nine Lords" are a somewhat dysfunctional bunch with infighting, deception, and general distrust. If there wasn't an "evil empire" type of threat looming over them, I am actually not sure if I would have found myself really routing for the Druid groups as much. I'd be interested to know if their moral grayness is expanded upon in future books since that might be a cool concept to play with going forward.
I had a nice time with the story overall and found the questing to be a fairly relaxing aspect of it. Unfortunately, I don't think the stakes ever felt as intense as I think they were meant to outside of a gripping heist sequence that occurs somewhat early on in the story. A lot of this is probably due to the fact that I didn't get too invested in many of the characters rather than any actual issues with the prose or pacing.
THE AUDIOBOOK
I rather liked this narrator, particularly because his voice/accent sometimes reminded me of Sam from THE LORD OF THE RINGS films. That said, I did feel like a lot of the characters sounded kind of the same. Some may also want to know that you will frequently hear him inhaling. This audible breathing is more pronounced in some chapters than others and it didn't really bother me too much, but I imagine in might drive some people crazy, so just be aware that this is a thing. On a more positive note, I have to give this guy some serious credit for performing an entire song in the middle of the book. I don't know if I've ever heard this done before, but he nailed it.
CONCLUSION
BECOMING A DRUID will be a great read for anyone who enjoys modern renditions of classical fantasy storytelling as well as those who just like druids. I found this to be a satisfying read and this world has enough potential with unexplored places and unmet peoples that I imagine the next books in the series will be just as good.
(+) Lots of awesome Druid magic with several different types of magic detailed
(+) Action and adventure throughout
(+) Some memorable characters
(+) Detailed lore pertaining to the old gods and various mystical peoples
(+) An ending that ties everything together while leaving the door open for what's next
(+) Grahme develops from an irritatingly petulant apprentice into a battle-hardened Druid
(-) A romance that didn't really do anything for me
(-) I found my attention drifting at certain parts of the story
(/) Highs and lows with the narration that will likely draw different reactions from different people
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Patrick Ryan
- 07-07-23
Good story, but could use more work
I liked the premise of the story and really enjoyed changing up the typical coming of age trope to be of a Druid. However, I felt the pacing was off for much of the book. At times it felt more like jumping from one thing to the next instead of a flowing story. I also did not connect with the main character. He came off as arrogant and overpowered and repeatedly going beyond what he can safely handle with no real consequences takes all the suspense out of the story.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!