The Serpent Sea
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Narrated by:
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Christopher Kipiniak
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By:
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Martha Wells
About this listen
Moon, once a solitary wanderer, has become consort to Jade, sister queen of the Indigo Cloud court. Together, they travel with their people on a pair of flying ships in hopes of finding a new home for their colony. Moon finally feels like he’s found a tribe where he belongs. But when the travelers reach the ancestral home of Indigo Cloud, shrouded within the trunk of a mountain-sized tree, they discover a blight infecting its core. Nearby they find the remains of the invaders who may be responsible, as well as evidence of a devastating theft. This discovery sends Moon and the hunters of Indigo Cloud on a quest for the heartstone of the tree - a quest that will lead them far away, across the Serpent Sea.
In this followup to The Cloud Roads, Martha Wells returns with a world-spanning odyssey, a mystery that only provokes more questions and the adventure of a lifetime.
Also listen to the first book, The Cloud Roads.©2012 Martha Wells (P)2011 Audible, Inc.Listeners also enjoyed...
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Beneath the Ocean of Sky, heroes will rise. Samra Rose is in trouble. Living in a colony floating high above the clouds, she's been far away from anything resembling an adventure, but when aerial raiders carry off her home - with her inside - she gets more excitement than she ever wished for. Her best friend, Kipling, and a Grounder boy with a skyship will take to the air in pursuit, but all three will face dangers they've never imagined.
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boring read and anticlimactic ending..
- By foxonthebarrel on 10-23-17
By: Nathan Van Coops
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Spellwright
- By: Blake Charlton
- Narrated by: Kevin T. Collins
- Length: 17 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
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Nicodemus is a young, gifted wizard with a problem. Magic in his world requires the caster to create spells by writing out the text...but he has always been dyslexic and thus has trouble casting even the simplest of spells. And his misspells could prove dangerous, even deadly, should he make a mistake in an important incantation. Yet he has always felt that he is destined to be something more than a failed wizard.
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it was a good book
- By Grant on 02-13-16
By: Blake Charlton
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The Way into Chaos
- The Great Way, Book 1
- By: Harry Connolly
- Narrated by: Michael Kramer
- Length: 15 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
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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.
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Made me want to buy more credits
- By Daniel Olson on 09-16-16
By: Harry Connolly
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The Vagrant
- By: Peter Newman
- Narrated by: Jot Davies
- Length: 13 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
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The Vagrant is his name. He has no other. Years have passed since humanity's destruction emerged from the Breach. Friendless and alone he walks across a desolate, war-torn landscape. A s each day passes the world tumbles further into depravity, bent and twisted by the new order, corrupted by the Usurper, the enemy, and his infernal horde. His purpose is to reach the Shining City, last bastion of the human race, and deliver the only weapon that may make a difference in the ongoing war.
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It was the concept and the prose that kept me goin
- By Alexandra on 08-18-15
By: Peter Newman
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God of Neverland
- A Defenders of Lore Novel
- By: Gama Ray Martinez
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 9 hrs and 28 mins
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Peter Pan is missing; Neverland is in trouble. For adults, that might not matter all that much, but for children—whose dreams and imagination draw strength from the wild god’s power—the magic we take for granted in the real world is in danger of being lost forever. Such is the life of a now grown-up Michael Darling.
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Fantastic Story!
- By Matthew Bailey Treherne on 04-23-22
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The Spirit Thief
- The Legend of Eli Monpress, Book 1
- By: Rachel Aaron
- Narrated by: Luke Daniels
- Length: 8 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
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He's not just any thief. He’s the greatest thief of the age - and he’s also a wizard. And with the help of his partners - a swordsman with the most powerful magic sword in the world but no magical ability of his own, and a demonseed who can step through shadows and punch through walls - he’s going to put his plan into effect. The first step is to increase the size of the bounty on his head, so he’ll need to steal some big things. But he’ll start with somethingsmall. Something like a king....
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Entertaining light fantasy
- By Kindle Customer on 02-16-12
By: Rachel Aaron
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The Inventor's Secret
- By: Andrea Cremer
- Narrated by: Leslie Bellair
- Length: 7 hrs and 34 mins
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In this world, sixteen-year-old Charlotte and her fellow refugees have scraped out an existence on the edge of Britain’s industrial empire. Though they live by the skin of their teeth, they have their health (at least when they can find enough food and avoid the Imperial Labor Gatherers) and each other. When a new exile with no memory of his escape or even his own name seeks shelter in their camp he brings new dangers with him and secrets about the terrible future that awaits all those who have struggled has to live free of the bonds of the empire’s Machineworks.
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Devolved into a 16 year old girls' love triangle
- By Amazon Customer on 06-17-21
By: Andrea Cremer
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Fated
- Alex Verus Series, Book 1
- By: Benedict Jacka
- Narrated by: Gildart Jackson
- Length: 10 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
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Alex Verus is part of a world hidden in plain sight, running a magic shop in London. And while Alex's own powers aren't as showy as some mages, he does have the advantage of foreseeing the possible future-allowing him to pull off operations that have a million-to-one-chance of success. But when Alex is approached by multiple factions to crack open a relic from a long-ago mage war, he knows that whatever's inside must be beyond powerful.
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Harry Dresden meets the Temple of Doom
- By Jessica on 05-15-14
By: Benedict Jacka
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The Deathless
- The Deathless Trilogy, Book 1
- By: Peter Newman
- Narrated by: Emma Newman
- Length: 14 hrs and 17 mins
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In the endless forests of the Wild, humanity scratches a living by the side of the great Godroads, paths of crystal that provide safe passage and hold back the infernal tide. Creatures lurk within the trees, watching, and plucking those who stray too far from safety. In crystal castles held aloft on magical currents, seven timeless royal families reign, protecting humanity from the spread of the Wild and its demons. Born and reborn into flawless bodies, the Deathless are as immortal as the precious stones from which they take their names. For generations a fragile balance has held.
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Not my thing but not bad for what it is
- By Nora on 10-26-20
By: Peter Newman
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Worldship: Udo the Digger
- Worldship, Book 1
- By: Joshua Gayou
- Narrated by: R.C. Bray
- Length: 14 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
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Udo's biggest problem isn't being a digger (that's low class), or staying drunk (that's damn expensive), or avoiding the Dwergaz (they're monsters), or even pissing off the supposed Gods. It's that his reality...well, it isn't what he thought. And now, he can't even afford to drink because his so-called friend Nicz is cutting into his business, digging up tin, iron, and copper. So Udo forms a new plan: clay. After all, clay jars are used to store everything: meat, herbs, and, his personal favorite, ale.
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I am confused.
- By Ahkia on 06-02-20
By: Joshua Gayou
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Updraft
- Bone Universe, Book 1
- By: Fran Wilde
- Narrated by: Khristine Hvam
- Length: 12 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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Welcome to a world of wind and bone, songs and silence, betrayal and courage. Kirit Densira cannot wait to pass her wingtest and begin flying as a trader by her mother's side, being in service to her beloved home tower and exploring the skies beyond. When Kirit inadvertently breaks Tower Law, the city's secretive governing body, the Singers, demand that she become one of them instead. In an attempt to save her family from greater censure, Kirit must give up her dreams to throw herself into the dangerous training at the Spire.
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Wait for it
- By G. Parish on 06-06-16
By: Fran Wilde
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The half-mad Prince Boleso has been slain by a noblewoman he had intended to defile. It falls to Lord Ingrey kin Wilfcliff to transport the prince to his burial place and to bring the accused killer, Lady Ijada, to judgment. The road he travels with his burden and his prisoner is fraught with danger. But in the midst of political chaos, magic has the fiercer hold on Ingrey's destiny, and Ijada herself may turn out to be the only one he dares trust.
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Extremely disappointing
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What listeners say about The Serpent Sea
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Corax
- 05-12-18
Fun book, disappointing narrator
Like the previous book in the series, The Serpent Sea delivers a lush, imaginative fantasy world and fast-paced story. However, also like its predecessor, the narrator overacts when voicing characters, and overemphasizes the pauses associated with commas. It's nitpicky, I know, but it bugged me. Otherwise, the narrator has a pleasant voice and speaks clearly.
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- Rebecca
- 09-20-20
Mooning
Love the depth and detail of the world and characters. Love the twists that keep the storyline fresh. Engaging. l love Moon.
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- Areader
- 08-10-14
A great second book
This story rejoins our characters a few days after the end of book one.
Once again Moon, is found trying to findhis place within Raksura society as the troubled colony of Indigo Cloud moves to it's new home, also it's old home, in the reaches. Once again Moon, and the Indigo Cloud Colony find that things are not going to be easy.
Another great story as Moon tries to work out what it means to be a Consort as well as a Raksura. The narrator does a good job of keeping the diverse characters straight and the wit of the characters comes through well.
Second books are often a disappointment. This one wasn't. Martha Wells builds on book one, deepening our understanding of the world and the characters, along with a great adventure and exploration tale in a world still full of wonders.
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- CassHudson
- 09-02-19
Love It!
Downloading the next one now! I wasn't sure about the narrator's style but he's great!
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- E.VanHoutte
- 04-17-12
So Brilliant - We are left breathless
What did you love best about The Serpent Sea?
The characters - real, earthy, detailed, ironic, a culture come alive
What did you like best about this story?
Everything has consequence. You could feel the impact on a culture with a different physiology.
Have you listened to any of Christopher Kipiniak’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
This was a stunning performance by someone who truly understood the author's intent. He "got it."
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
The whole family inhaled the book.
Any additional comments?
Give us more!!!
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4 people found this helpful
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- Lore
- 12-31-15
A solid follow up with more character development
This is the second book of the series and if you haven't read the first book, Cloud Roads, you should start there. Without that context and background you will find this book much less enjoyable. In this book, Indigo Cloud must face the fact that all is not right with their new (old) Mountain Tree home and they head out on an expedition to find a solution. Their quest takes them to the court of a rival Raksuran clan and Martha Wells uses this opportunity to further flesh out her Raksuran society in more original ways. This is the real hook of this series and she builds nicely upon the foundation that she built in book one.
All of the main characters return and are developed throughout this story. With the possible exception of Stone I didn't find any of the characters all that compelling in the first book, but as a group they are growing on me over time. Indigo Cloud takes its dysfunctional family on the road and must interact with groundlings regularly which gives Moon plenty of opportunity to leverage his past as an asset to help his new colony. The main group of characters feels like old friends by the time the end of this one rolls around and it leaves you wanting to move on to book 3 to spend more time with them.
Just as he did in Cloud Roads, Christopher Kipiniak does an excellent job on the narration of this one. Overall I would say I liked it more than the first book. The Serpent Sea successfully builds upon all that was good with Cloud Roads and the character development helps round this out into an enjoyable listen.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 05-20-17
Excellent Series
Inventive and original from beginning to end, I have never heard another story like this series.
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- T. L. Walker
- 02-25-16
Still Completely Enthralled With This World
Readers are introduced to the Raksura in The Cloud Roads, a shapeshifting race that possess both a draconic form and a groundling form. They are a matriarchal race of people with complex court laws. In this story, we meet Moon, a Raksura who's spent most of his years living among groundlings after the destruction of his court when he was a young child. Because of Moon's ignorance of much of the Raksuran mores, following him through this book is perfect. The readers experience the world as Moon experiences it, learning as he learns, which means that nothing feels like filler.
Book 2 picks up almost immediately after The Cloud Roads. After an attack on the colony, the Cloud Indigo court moves back to the place where their lineage started, a mountain-tree nestled in the forest. Upon arriving there, they soon find out that the tree is dying because its heartseed has been stolen. This leads them to seek out the assistance of another Raksuran court. The neighboring court is unable to provide them with another seed. However, they are able to help the colony scry for their missing seed which leads Moon on a dash to retrieve it.
I am still charmed by this story of the Raksura and the world they live in. Wells introduces new and fascinating races such as the waterlings in this installment, continuing this flair that feels fresh and original. Raksuran politics continue to be a complex weave of laws. While in-fighting was common in the last book, in this book, they have to contend with another court, which sheds even more light on how Raksura are expected to behave with one another. Readers learn how tenuous the ties between various courts can be and how the smallest things can be perceived as insults and power plays to force a rival's hand.
I appreciate that Moon is still learning and still wary, even though he is now the consort to the sister-queen of Cloud Indigo. Readers are allowed to continue this journey with Moon as he shares his uncertainties, triumphs, and losses. There are always new things for him to learn. He doesn't automatically want to know everything about Raksuran politics. In fact, much of the culture makes him uncomfortable. He concedes that he should be learning things about the court, but he continues to live outside their societal norms for a consort. It doesn't help that the mentor-like person who brought him to the court is allowed the freedom to do as he pleases due to his age, which Moon is emulating in his own way. Moon becomes very aware of how he differs from other consorts when visiting the neighboring court. Where Moon is quick to protect what is his, he finds that other consorts are little more than arm decoration. Moon has never lived a pampered, spoiled life, and he doesn't intend to start living one (but he does give a little when it really counts).
Wells also introduced more magic into this world. There are tastes of it in the first book via the mentor-caste in the Raksuran court who can heal, have visions, and perform augury (more like divination/scrying than reading omens due to birds' flight patterns). In this book, groundling magic is introduced, especially as one character struggles with the fact that he's no longer a mentor but is starting to exhibit strange powers more like groundling magic. However, the magic in this world is subtle and downplayed, and it never detracts from the Raksura who are the heart of this story.
Chris Kipiniak continues to narrate this series, and I don't think there's anything that I can say about his narration that I haven't said in my review of The Cloud Roads. His characterization of Stone and Moon continues to be two of my favorite voices in the series.
I enjoyed this book maybe only slightly less than the first. There's a bigger spot in my heart for the first one. Maybe because of the way it completely enthralled me with this new setting and characters, but this book is a fitting continuation of the story that balances politics, action, and story in the world the Raksura inhabit. A part of me wishes I'd read these books sooner, but another part of me is glad that I started later, as there is plenty more for me to read and I don't have to anxiously await a next book.
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- Justin
- 02-16-16
a great follow up to the cloud roads!
the continuation of the adventures of moon and jade pulls the listener into a magical dangerous and sometimes humorous world rich with unique cultures and history. moon continues his understanding of the raksura ways as his relationship deepens with jade.
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- Michelle
- 01-02-13
Okay, but nothing great
Where does The Serpent Sea rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
Definitely in the middle
How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?
More depth into the world and characters.
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
No
Any additional comments?
It was entertaining, just nothing I would exclaim over.
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1 person found this helpful