The Time of the Dark Audiobook By Barbara Hambly cover art

The Time of the Dark

Darwath, Book 1

 Preview
LIMITED TIME OFFER

3 months free
Try for $0.00
Offer ends July 31, 2025 at 11:59PM PT.
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 3 months. Cancel anytime.

The Time of the Dark

By: Barbara Hambly
Narrated by: Sharon Freedman
Try for $0.00

$0.00/mo. after 3 months. Offer ends July 31, 2025 at 11:59PM PT. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $21.49

Buy for $21.49

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

A whirlwind fantasy classic set in the richest world imaginable, with unforgettable characters and the highest stakes—The Time of the Dark is the first book in Barbara Hambly's epic Darwath Trilogy.

Gil Patterson is a woman familiar with dark stories.

As a student of medieval history, she knows the Crusades, the Black Death, and the horrors of life in the Middle Ages. But it is another kind of darkness has begun to stalk her dreams: when she falls asleep she sees forces of evil assaulting a beleaguered kingdom, whose kind people are on the brink of annihilation, and awakes each morning in a cold sweat.

Gil dismisses the dreams until a wizard appears in her apartment. He has crossed into her dimension, passing through the fraying fabric of the universe, to ask her help. For mankind to survive he must protect an infant prince, whom he plans to hide in Gil's world. The student of history is about to get much closer to evil than she ever imagined.

©1982 Barbara Hambly (P)2023 Tantor Fantasy Fiction Historical Middle Ages Royalty
All stars
Most relevant  
I discovered this series as used books, covers dated and barely still on. I was hesitant about a portal fantasy because it's just not something I am usually into. Yet here, two of the protagonists are from one world transported to a magical medieval inspired one and it actually makes sense. Hambly's descriptive prose is here, even from the first book. I really feel like I am there, hiding, hunted by The Dark. I am intrigued by the mystery of what they are and what they want with the wizard Ingold. It took awhile to get into the reader as she deepens her voice for male characters and makes them sound all alike. luckily, Hambly writes each character with their own personality and traits I was able to figure it out

Classic Portal Fantasy Mixed with Chilling Horror

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This is probably one of my more favorite books to reread. I like how the author draws you in to the story and leaves just enough to keep you going for the next book. Thank you, Miss Hadley.

Old favorite

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I’ve waited a long time for this series and the wait was well worth it

Great reads

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I've read this book many times over the years, and it never gets old. It's a rich tapestry with lots of fascinating characters and unusual twists. Barbara Hambly is a master, and this is one of her classics.
I was very disappointed by the reader, who gives each character a distinct voice... which doesn't fit them at all. The florid way she narrates doesn't match the tone of the setting. I find myself distracted by thoughts of how I'd read it better. So I'm enjoying the book, but it's in spite of the narrator.

Great fantasy horror story, mediocre performance

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
fun revisiting this years later as an audible novel. Great narration. Atmospheric, Dark and mysterious. The dark is creepy. Great start to series.

Read this in 80s - Creepy

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This is my all time favorite series. Unfortunately the narrator isn’t that good. Pacing is off and she gets really soft and you have to raise and lower the volume all the time

My favorite series

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