
Three of Swords
Empire Asunder, Book 1
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Narrated by:
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Matthew Jackson
About this listen
Character-rich epic fantasy in the tradition of A Song of Ice and Fire and The Demon Cycle.
From humble beginnings is greatness born....
With one fateful decision, the Empire of Twelve Kingdoms drifts from tenuous peace to limitless conflict. Emperor Eberhart's unexpected abdication creates an absence of power just as the land most needs leadership. Kinship, unity, and hope give way to ambition, conspiracy, and tragedy. Royal families, once allied, now fight for the throne, heedless of a rising threat from abroad. All the while, an ancient, sinister presence looms in forgotten corners, awaiting the opportunity to reclaim a world it once enslaved....
Yet some stars shine brightest on the darkest nights. An unheralded prince places honor and conviction above privilege and prestige. A quiet soldier's unwitnessed heroism has the potential to save a kingdom. A common servant boldly confronts the face of unnatural evil. And the unlikeliest of love blossoms in the midst of hatred and violence.
Three of Swords is the irresistible first act of the Empire Asunder medieval fantasy saga, featuring political intrigue, turbulent warfare, and star-crossed romance.
©2017 Michael Jason Brandt (P)2019 Michael Jason BrandtListeners also enjoyed...
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Listener received this title free
I received this book in exchange for my honest review. Glad I gave this author and series a try!
Great high fantasy series!
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This excellent, fast paced story of a tranquil and stable empire which suddenly finds itself unraveling into separate warring kingdoms really shines in the audible version. The narrator has a great voice for this type of story and the characters develop just as nicely to the ear as they do to the eye in the print version.
If you are a fan of audiobooks, you won't be disappointed by giving the first book in this series a listen.
Excellent Audiobook version
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Listener received this title free
Jackson is amazing in the way he narrates. I truly believe that he will be the next great fantasy narrator. However, because he is so good, I had to give a four star in the performance because I feel that he is at such a high level yet missing a key piece of the storytellers skill. I think that if there had been more voice acting of not only the dialogue but in the exposition between it would have been a perfect narration. There was no tempo change nor voice inflection change between scenes of sadness or action. Yet Jackson's read held such tremendous gravitas. Matthew if you read this I don't give the four lightly. I hope to listen to many more books from you.
If you like a more realistic medieval fantasy adventure then I recommend this book to you.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review
Sword fights and Demons
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Great Book, Great Narrator
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Listener received this title free
I would say this is somewhat Game of Thrones esque as there are tons of characters, power struggles, politics, intrigue, betrayal etc. I don't know if it is as grand but we will see how future installments progress. The narration by Matthew Jackson was great and fits the story and style very well. I would definitely recommend this book and I can't wait to read the next book to see how the story progresses and how the characters will evolve.
"Please note I was given this free review copy audio book at my request and have voluntarily left this review."
Solid start to a fantasy series.
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Listener received this title free
This is the first book I’ve listened to by this narrator ( Matthew Jackson ). He does a wonderful job narrating. He makes excellent use of accents and tones. His female voices are as good as the male.
There are no explicit sex scenes, or excessively gory violence. I don’t recall any swearing.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and voluntarily left this unbiased review.
Please feel free to comment on whether you found my review helpful.
Wow, where is this going?
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Brandt created so many interesting characters and intriguing friendships in this book. I quite enjoyed this aspect of the book more than any in recent years. I relish when a book introduces me to ordinary people who surprise me and do extraordinary things, all while being believable with an enjoyable pace. It was refreshing.
I was concerned about the different kingdoms and their struggles, so much that despair washed over me during some of the battles. I adore when I can see no hope and then am surprised, completely surprised by an unexpected rescue. There are some very satisfying twists in this book, satisfying and heartwarming.
I would read or listen to another book written by Michael Jason Brandt, especially the next one in this series.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request, and have
voluntarily left this review.
Awesome Book!
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Listener received this title free
The Empire of the Twelve Kingdoms is in trouble. The emperor has abdicated and it seems everyone is vying for power in his wake. But that is not the only problem. With everyone’s eyes pointed inwards, an ancient threat is raising an army on the outskirts, taking advantage of the confusion to stake its claim. All is not lost though. In trying times, heroes rise in the strangest of places, but can they rally the Empire in time to face the real threat?
Here’s a series of random observations about the book:
It’s an audiobook, and the narrator does a good job with a range of characters/voices
There’s not a lot going on in this book for those who like lots of action in their fantasy. There’s an attack early on, a battle we hear about more than see, then a pretty exciting attack at the end. But this book isn’t really about the action. It’s laying the battle lines for the rest of the series, and it does a nice job of it
It’s medieval European based fantasy. If this is not your thing, and I know Euro-med fantasy is anathema to a lot of people, then this is not for you. If you, like me, will read any fantasy as long as it’s good, then read on
Most of the characters are a bit ho-hum at first. The Empire’s falling apart and all they can think of at times is their current romantic entanglement, which can be annoying at times. Also the initial plotlines are a bit run-of-the-mill initially, but there are signs of life for the rest of the series
Johan and Jenna (I think that was their names, I’ve on my fourth book since I finished this a few days ago) are easily the most interesting people to date, or at least their plot line is. Stranded after their unit is decimated, they have to fight off all manner of critters and the weather to bring news of their attack back to base. They manage with Jenna badly injured for most of the time
The attack at the end was great, very tense and exciting, and hopefully this what we can expect over the next couple of books. Also, this is where it jumps into proper fantasy, as opposed to seemingly historical fiction, And the bad guys are pretty cool
Finally, the historical fiction aspect is apt, as much if this appears very realistic. There are no glittering swords or magic armour, Weapons have a shelf-life and varying quality, armour has vulnerabilities, and wounds become infected. Your allies don’t send you 15,000 crack troops when you need help, they send you 39, and it can make a difference. Battles are small, but no less ferocious and plot-altering. Well done on this side of things, MJB.
So, a book with a lot of good things, and a series with a lot of potential - 3½ out of 5 stars. Roll on book two.
The start of a series that shows potential
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Listener received this title free
Slightly Boring
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Listener received this title free
It took me a little while to get used to the narrator because sometimes he felt a little… I don’t know, not flat… I just feel he could have done more. I even felt at moments like I heard hints of that potential, but it never came out fully. Still a solid performance. Not really a complaint, more an observation. It didn't pull me out of the story or anything.
The world was the unexpected part. It was a lot grittier than I thought it would be, but I mean that in a good way. It makes me realize that something has been missing from many other similarly set books.
It’s the first book in a series, so I can’t expect everything to be tied up in ribbons, but the author did a good job of bringing us through a satisfying arc while leaving good potential and interest for the next installment.
Not what I expected, but not disappointed.
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