Preview
  • Shadow War of the Night Dragons, Book One: The Dead City: Prologue

  • A Tor.com Original
  • By: John Scalzi
  • Narrated by: James MacKenzie
  • Length: 21 mins
  • 4.0 out of 5 stars (142 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Shadow War of the Night Dragons, Book One: The Dead City: Prologue

By: John Scalzi
Narrated by: James MacKenzie
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $1.49

Buy for $1.49

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

Here is Old Man's War author John Scalzi's sendup of the heroic fantasy genre, now a finalist for the Hugo Award for Best Short Story.

©2012 John Scalzi (P)2012 Macmillan Audio
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

What listeners say about Shadow War of the Night Dragons, Book One: The Dead City: Prologue

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    74
  • 4 Stars
    26
  • 3 Stars
    21
  • 2 Stars
    15
  • 1 Stars
    6
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    76
  • 4 Stars
    36
  • 3 Stars
    13
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    65
  • 4 Stars
    22
  • 3 Stars
    22
  • 2 Stars
    12
  • 1 Stars
    5

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Want the rest!

Considering the tongue twisting names in this, the narrator did an amazing job! More!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Sadly there is no actual series. :(

After some quick research, pparently this was done as an April fool's joke a few years ago. Which is a bit of a shame, as what small bit is there, is quite fun, and I would gladly read a Scalzi novel or trilogy based on it. I think his take on fantasy, particularly a quite silly take, would actually be quite fun. Alas. This is a fun little 20 minute listen, but feels almost like it's in bad taste, as it leaves you actually wanting more of something that sadly doesn't exist and has no plans to be written. Bit of a shame. One of those April fool's jokes that aren't quite funny because you actually hope they would be true.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Like they said, just a prologue

Everyone that actually paid for this should be entitled to a free book. Come on, this chapter is just atmosphere; the story doesn't even get started. This teaser appears to be written to interest a publisher. Really not fair to expect readers to pay for what turns out to be a brief writing exercise.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

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

Wait, what, that's it?

I really like John Scalzi's books, so I got this one. Is it worth $4 or a credit? For 21 minutes, no. I may as well have sought out the text and read it. The narration is good and the story, what little of it that was there, was a fun listen and I wanted more. There is a good wanting more and there is a bad wanting more, this is the bad wanting more, because there isn't.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great introduction.

I really hope there is more to come. I found John Scalzi by accident when I first joined audible and have continued to love his work at every turn. While this is a short piece of work it is extremely entertaining in its own right. Feels like a tribute by Scalzi to Terry Pratchett.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent Prologue, not short story

I guess the book for this prologue has not been published yet. It was great and I really want to read the series now. It was very intelligent, lots of funny parts and fun.

I fail to see though how it is considered a short story. There really didn't seem to be much of a plot, yet it is up for a Hugo?

I got this for free, so I have no complaints, but I can not see why you would spend money on it, since it is really not a complete story.

It looks like Sclazi is going to Master the Fantasy market as well as he has mastered the Science Fiction Market.

Narrator and production are excellent.

As much as I love John Sclazi, I would say what till the book comes out, surely this will be part of the book.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

22 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

I wish this were a real series!

This may be an April Fool's Day prank, but after listening to what should be the first chapter of a novel, I was eager for more. It's fantasy with a heavy dose of humor. Classic Scalzi style. It's quite entertaining to listen to and sets the stage for the beginning of an epic tale. The impression I get listening to it is definitely not "this is ridiculous and over the top. Scalzi must be crazy... oh, it's a prank" but rather "ha ha, this is a great start! Where's the rest of it?"

But seriously - a 21 minute audiobook? And Audible wants us to PAY for it? Especially when the full text is available for free at https://www.tor.com/2011/04/01/the-shadow-war-of-the-night-dragons-book-one-the-dead-city-excerpt/ ?

It's definitely worth reading, but I'd be hesitant to pay $5 for 20 minutes of story.

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
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

More....

This was a great story. Now we need the sequels. Why does Amazon insist on reviews being so many words? The punish us introverts who are economical with our words.

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
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Not keen on these new chapter things

Disappointed to realize this was another one of those chapter serials. Give me the whole book or don’t do any of it. :-/

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
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

If you like nothing so much as wordplay

Probably my least favorite of Scalzi's writing. Felt too much like trying to be clever. Clearly riffing on Hamlet, but not well.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!