
The Censor's Hand
Book One of the Thrice-Crossed Swords Trilogy
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Narrated by:
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Michael Troughton
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By:
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A. M. Steiner
About this listen
Magic has transformed the Unity, but at what cost?
Miranda, one of the 100 adopted daughters of the Dowager Duchess, wants nothing more than to become a master of the cunning arts. Only a fool would doubt her genius, 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. He's always been a devout and law-abiding man. How far will he go to protect his family from destitution and the gangsters at his doorstep?
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. But in the real world, justice is elusive, and the damage of the past can rarely be undone.
A fantasy thriller for the adult listener, The Censor's Hand presents a dark and intricate vision of a world transformed by magic.
Reviews:
"I recommend this book." (Ventureadlaxre, Australia)
"A uniquely crafted world of fantasy and magic." (The Joycean Booknerdery, Netherlands)
"Masterfully crafted...I'm hanging on the edge of my seat to read the next installment. By the end of The Censor's Hand, you will be too." (Reader Nature, USA)
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Critic reviews
"An impressive new series." (Starburst Magazine, UK)
"Absolutely fantastic." (The Dyslexic Reader, Ireland)
"I really like this book." (The Weatherwax report, USA)
fantastic start
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"I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review."
Refreshing story...something different
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Nothing about this book really captured my attention. The characters were boring, the plot was boring, and even the fights were boring. I had to reread several sections cause I caught myself zoning out.
Not boring, but not interesting
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I’ve read a lot of books lately, really! Just check out my reviews at Science Fantasy Hub if you don’t believe me. Anyhow, I know The Censor’s Hand is one of those that is such a vivid world, you’ll fall back into recollections of certain scenes from time to time. Especially when real life is boring. Like being stuck on traffic on the stupid bridge. You’d think paying fifteen dollars to get over a river would be a quick thing…
This book made a twilight trip over the George Washington Bridge into Jersey worthwhile! I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review. I’m going to use one of wifey’s monthly Audible credits for the other two books in the series, when she lets me.
I really liked all the freaky guys that practice Cunning with the Honorable Company. Their strategy is to appear “other-worldy” so that magic is attracted to them. A couple characters are very memorable. I don’t want to spoil, so you should just start reading for yourself.
Steampunk, magic, and awesome world building!
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Stats
Plot- Three characters with separate yet interwoven lives and drastically different goals, all directed by unseen hands as a culture heads towards war and disaster. All of these factors serve to produce one of the most intriguing and well-crafted plots I have seen. (5 stars)
Characters - The characters are impelling and complex and truly draw you into the story. (5 stars)
Storytelling - The author's talent is undeniable, while I at first thought the story to be slow I quickly came to enjoy Steiner’s eloquence. Moreover, by the time the book ended I was excited to read more. (5 stars)
World Building - The Censor's Hand is set in a rich industrial world ripe with clockwork and seeped in magic. However, world building is not the author’s primary concern, which does leave room for the world to expand in future books (4 stars)
Magic System- Magic in this world is clearly complex and will likely continue to play a large role it the story, yet it remains, likely purposely, undefined and abstract. (4 stars)
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Morality rating- The Censor's Hand contains some language, violence, and sexuality as well as, an off-screen sex scene and the causal discussion of torture, sex, and homosexuality.
Worth Getting Into
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Others might like it more then I did.
mixed feelings
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In this book I have found an author whose writing style and would building balance and complement each other. You feel as though the people and situations they find themselves in could realistically take place (given the magic system). The characters internal struggles are well captured. The background details and richness of the vocabulary employed are impressive. I can only hope that the author can continue supplying this level of engagement without too long a gap between books.
Magic, Politics, and Social Uprising
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I think the narrator did an excellent job distinguishing the high born from the common folks. All the characters had a unique voice.
I think people who are fans of fantasy and steam punk will enjoy this book.
"This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review."
Unique Fantasy World
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The Censor's Hand
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I don't get why this is considered 'dark' fantasy at all. An existence that isn't all sugar and rainbows doesn't qualify for dark. Nor because some of the bad stuff that occurs or is described isn't an overused trope. IMO, this book is adult epic fantasy, stays in it's lane and can hold its own with books that may be better known. My only complaint is that I wasn't surprised about anything. That's what kept it from being a 5-star book for me. Unless I yell (or think really loudly) "Holy crap!", 4-stars is as high as I can go.
IMO, this series starts off with the same feeling of promise that I felt when I started the Demon Cycle series. I am really looking forward to the next book. I'm putting my money where my mouth is and will purchase the book instead of using my Kindle Unlimited subscription to read it for free.
Anxiously waiting for the next installment
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