The Library of the Unwritten Audiobook By A. J. Hackwith cover art

The Library of the Unwritten

A Novel from Hell's Library, Book 1

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The Library of the Unwritten

By: A. J. Hackwith
Narrated by: Lisa Flanagan
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In the first book in a brilliant new fantasy series, books that aren't finished by their authors reside in the Library of the Unwritten in Hell, and it is up to the Librarian to track down any restless characters who emerge from those unfinished stories.

Many years ago, Claire was named Head Librarian of the Unwritten Wing - a neutral space in Hell where all the stories unfinished by their authors reside. Her job consists mainly of repairing and organizing books, but also of keeping an eye on restless stories that risk materializing as characters and escaping the library. When a Hero escapes from his book and goes in search of his author, Claire must track and capture him with the help of former muse and current assistant Brevity and nervous demon courier Leto.

But what should have been a simple retrieval goes horrifyingly wrong when the terrifyingly angelic Ramiel attacks them, convinced that they hold the Devil's Bible. The text of the Devil's Bible is a powerful weapon in the power struggle between Heaven and Hell, so it falls to the librarians to find a book with the power to reshape the boundaries between Heaven, Hell...and Earth.

©2019 A. J. Hackwith (P)2019 Penguin Audio Action & Adventure Classics Contemporary Fantasy Fiction Humorous Paranormal & Urban Funny Comedy

Critic reviews

"It's like The Good Place meets Law & Order: Bibliophile Crime Unit. Highly recommended. This book is so much fun, and you should be reading it. Trust me. Stories about story are some of my favorite kinds. This book definitely makes the list. I am so glad I read this." (Seanan McGuire, author of In an Absent Dream)

“Clever, charming, full of intricate worldbuilding and delightful characters, The Library of the Unwritten is the first book in your new favorite series.” (Christina Henry, author of The Girl in Red)

“The Library of the Unwritten is a tiered dark chocolate cake of a book. The read is rich and robust, the prose has layers upon layers, and the characters melt like ganache upon the tongue.” (Meg Elison, Philip K. Dick Award Winner)
Unique Concept • Intriguing Worldbuilding • Excellent Narration • Imaginative Fantasy • Unpredictable Plot
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I really tried to get into it, but just couldn't. I didn't even finish it.

not for me

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the author could have taken out the Heaven and Hell aspects of the story and still come to the same climax and ending so I'm not sure it added anything to the story. Hero is definitely an interesting character. I like him much better than I can relate to Claire. For her to be the main character she was rather 1 dimensional, while the characters had more depth and likability.

not sold on the premise of Good and Evil

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This could have been a great book. The actual storyline is great. I didn't feel a connection to any of the characters and found that I had to force myself to listed to the last 4 hours.

Could Have Been Better

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A really great read! The audio performance I thoroughly enjoyed! I highly recommend this book.

A great listen!!!!

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Imaginative and well written, the author created eclectic characters with inclusive backgrounds and a plot that kept me hooked. I just finished the book and am now starting the sequel, I hope it doesn't disappoint!
The narrator also did a fine job in providing different voices to each of the characters and expressing the appropriate emotions to the story and words :)

Captivating

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So, nothing from Rothfrus. Abercrombie is a year out. Butcher...still waiting. Sullivan, Mancour, Hobb,, Taylor, Gaiman- I was running out of all my favorite series and couldn’t face my dreary paperwork without a new alternate world. So I went looking & couldn’t pass this irreverent gem by. The title alone made me smile. I was pleased with .the transitions between Book 1 & 2, it made for a solid foundation. I loved the pace the concept & the characters. I am waiting for this series to grow. I am ready for the next adventure. A.J. Hackwith has a new fan. 👍🏿

Intelligently entertaining SF! Nicely Done ✅

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I enjoyed this story very much with all of its twists and turns. You must listen closely at times or you'll end up rewinding cause you missed something.

mind tingling

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Really interesting take on hell, diverse characters, and strong protagonist. Looking forward to the sequel.

Enjoyed it

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This was a suggestion on BookTok for if you were in a slump. I am so happy I took them up on the recommendation. The build-up was slow at first, but when it got going. I was sucked into the characters and the original concept of the storyline. It's rare to find that today. I had to stay up just to finish it.

Book Slump Buster

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The story is very good. It is a lot more fantasy than urban. While there are mentions of cell phones, wi-fi, etc. and part of the story dips into Seattle - the story is far more into fantasy, magic, and otherworldly realms. It's interesting what an author's imagination can come up with. This story is unique to me. That made it even more enjoyable. The narration is good too.

Good storytelling

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