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Master of Poisons

By: Andrea Hairston
Narrated by: Cherise Boothe, Larry Herron
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Publisher's summary

Award-winning author Andrea Hairston weaves together African folktales and postcolonial literature into unforgettable fantasy in Master of Poisons

The world is changing. Poison desert eats good farmland. Once-sweet water turns foul. The wind blows sand and sadness across the Empire. To get caught in a storm is death. To live and do nothing is death. There is magic in the world, but good conjure is hard to find.

Djola, righthand man and spymaster of the lord of the Arkhysian Empire, is desperately trying to save his adopted homeland, even in exile.

Awa, a young woman training to be a powerful griot, tests the limits of her knowledge and comes into her own in a world of sorcery, floating cities, kindly beasts, and uncertain men.

Awash in the rhythms of folklore and storytelling and rich with Hairston's characteristic lush prose, Master of Poisons is epic fantasy that will bleed your mind with its turns of phrase and leave you aching for the world it burns into being.

Kirkus Reviews Best Books of the Year - 2020

A Macmillan Audio production from Tor.com

©2020 Andrea Hairston (P)2020 Macmillan Audio
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What listeners say about Master of Poisons

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

overwrought prose

Either the narration or the story itself was too overdone. the language at every moment screams this is important in a bad way. It would have been better if the characters showed who they were through actions and dialogue instead of all the extra descriptiors.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

wow

I loved it. my imagination was going wild trying to see the world being described.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Great ideas; questionable execution

loved the concept but it's WAY too long for what it actually delivers. also, the female reader's performance is unbearably flat and robotic. the male reader, on the other hand, is phenomenal. still worth a listen if you have 12+ hours to kill and a spare audible credit!

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

More landscape than story

A touching landscape of climate grief and hope. More landscape than story, which unfolds over long years of the protagonists' lives. It's world-building of a fantasy West Africa is also a creditable contribution to the genre.

Fans of world-building are highly likely to enjoy the tour. Fans of action should be warned that most conflicts are resolved through drumming and debate.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A Masterclass in World Building

Andrea Hairston tells a story for the sake of storytelling and Larry Herron and Cherise Boothe perform it beautifully. This story engages your mind to imagine worlds that are so fantastical, it pulls you away from wherever you are. The story takes its time, but that's not to say it drags. It's a good listen for those that just want a new experience.

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4 people found this helpful