The Very First Damned Thing Audiobook By Jodi Taylor cover art

The Very First Damned Thing

An Author-Read Audio Exclusive

 Preview

$0.00 for first 30 days

Try for $0.00
Access a growing selection of included Audible Originals, audiobooks, and podcasts.
You will get an email reminder before your trial ends.
Audible Plus auto-renews for $7.95/mo after 30 days. Upgrade or cancel anytime.

The Very First Damned Thing

By: Jodi Taylor
Narrated by: Jodi Taylor
Try for $0.00

$7.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $2.17

Buy for $2.17

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

Audible is delighted to bring you an exclusive, author-read production of The Very First Damned Thing. Hear it here first, months ahead of the EBook publication.

Jodi Taylor reads the long-awaited prequel in her Chronicles of St Mary’s series, as Dr Bairstow struggles to set up St Mary’s as we know it in a world still scarred by the ravages of civil war.

Ever wondered how it all began? It’s two years since the final victory at the Battersea Barricades. The fighting might be finished, but for Dr Bairstow, just now setting up St Mary's, the struggle is only beginning.

How will he assemble his team? From where will his funding come? How can he overcome the massed ranks of the Society for the Protection of Historical Buildings? How do stolen furniture, a practical demonstration at the Stirrup Charge at Waterloo, students’ alcohol-ridden urine, a widowed urban guerrilla, a young man wearing exciting knitwear and four naked security guards all combine to become the St Mary’s of the future?

©2015 Jodi Taylor (P)2015 Audible Ltd. Fantasy Fiction Funny Witty Scary Psychological Horror

Featured Article: The 25 Best Time Travel Listens to Take You on an Unforgettable Journey


Time travel is one of science fiction's most popular subgenres. Fans are drawn to its infinite possibilities, offering a glimpse into past cultures, societies, and pivotal events while exploring big what if? questions. What if you knew what would happen next in your life? What if you could go back and change history? What if you did change history? With this guide, you're sure to find an exciting audiobook to transport you to the perfect place in another time.

Featured Article The 25 Best Time Travel Listens to Take You on an Unforgettable Journey
Engaging Time Travel • Witty Humor • Pleasant Voice • Memorable Characters • Historical Elements • Entertaining Prequel
Highly rated for:
All stars
Most relevant  
I think this is a prequel that would have had more impact if I had read it after the first few books in the series. I picked this up for free on Audible and, while it was well-written, I was mostly confused by what was happening.

I listened to this on audiobook and the author reads it. Taylor did a good job reading it and I would recommend if you enjoy audiobooks.

This book follows a character named Dr Bairstow as he gathers funding and people for his time-traveling historical society that is being house in St. Mary's.

A lot of characters are introduced rapidly. The book is broken into very short vignettes that show how each of these characters comes to join Dr. Bairstow's group. Unfortunately, I haven't read any other books in the series and don't have any reference for all these characters, so this didn't have a lot of impact for me and was mostly just confusing.

Overall this was okay but a bit hard to follow and choppy for me. I might have to come back and reread this after I read some of the series itself. I guess I would recommend this to fans of the series who want some more background. However, it doesn’t seem to be a good starting point if you are just starting to read the series.

Not a great way to start this series...

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I've read all the books in this series on Kindle, and will now listen to them on audible. This "time travel" series is smart, funny and engaging. And, I was shocked to find out after listening to this prequel, so ably read, that the author is narrating this one. Usually, that is the death knell for any audible selection. What a talented author. Even if this is not your genre (it wasn't mine), give the series a try (book one is "Just One Damned Thing After Another").

I love this series!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Narrator speaks well but doesn’t vary her voices. Book is a snooze fest, maybe good for those looking for something slow?

Zzzzzzz

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I think I might have liked it more if I had read the books in the series because it felt like it was covering things that I should know something about.

Beginner

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

If you could sum up The Very First Damned Thing in three words, what would they be?

Time travel politics

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Very First Damned Thing?

Newcomers wonder at traveling at the first

What about Jodi Taylor’s performance did you like?

Pronunciation and crisp tones

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Maybe a smile or two

Great intro to the series

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This is the prequel to the Chronicles of St Mary’s series. It is a quick introduction to the primary characters and how the time traveling troupe of St Mary’s began. Dr. Bairstow, the founder and head of the Institute of Historical Research, first has to convince his benefactors to provide the funding… such as it is. Perhaps giving them a demonstration in time travel observation is the best method to win them over? Next Dr. Bairstow has to recruit his staff, from security to cook to crazy scientists.

Once he is awarded the old campus of St Mary’s to house the organization, he has to manage to work around the Society for the Protection of Historical Buildings so that he can remodel the buildings for labs and travel base with all the necessary security and precautions. Since funds are scarce, the staff find an interesting source for furniture to help make the place a home.

I enjoyed the humor especially as Bairstow found just the right team and brought them together one by one. If you have read (or listened) to any of the series, you will get to find out how the Institute came to exist and how the staff came to join St Mary’s. If you have not yet experienced the fun of meeting the characters then this is a quick, enjoyable way to do it. I also enjoyed the bit of history that comes along with the story.

I recommend this as a quick, fun way to get a feel for the series. It is lovely that this is a free audiobook.

Audio Notes: I enjoyed the audio presentation by the author, Jodi Taylor. Her voice suited the tale and it was interesting to get her personal inflection on the characters as they were rounded together. Although I imagine the reading would be good too, I was glad to get to listen to this short beginning.

Quick Fun Listen - Introduces the Series Nicely!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I haven’t listened to any of the Chronicles of St. Mary adventures yet. I consider myself lucky this short introduction is available, so I could listen and know the background before diving into the series. I have already purchased the first book in the series. As there are more than 8 books I decided it might be more frugal to buy the books that are $11, and use credits for the books that are more money.
I am a huge fan of time travel and historical fiction (Outlander series; A Time Traveler’s Wife; Narnia) and historical fiction (anything by Ken Follett). This introduction sets a promising foundation for an intriguing series. I also love the British accents! I plan to begin book 1 right away.

Leaves you wanting more...

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

What did you love best about The Very First Damned Thing?

Funny. Jodi Taylor read her own book as no one else could, with all the dry humor intact. Totally enjoyed this short story, a fine piece of entertainment.

Any additional comments?

As soon as I finish this review I'll be searching to make sure I haven't missed reading any of Jodi Taylor's books. What fun her writing is, enjoy.

Author Narration Perfect

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
It was enjoyable, as I love all the Chronicles of St. Mary's books. I was not a fan of the author narrating it. I am more partial to Zara Ramm

author read prequel

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Absolutely loved it. Storyline is intriguing and captivating. Reader is excellent. Will check out the whole series. Thank yo for writing this.

Took a chance on this one.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews