Listen free for 30 days

Listen with offer

  • The Gift

  • The First Book of Pellinor
  • By: Alison Croggon
  • Narrated by: Eloise Oxer
  • Length: 19 hrs and 37 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (93 ratings)
Offer ends May 1st, 2024 11:59PM GMT. Terms and conditions apply.
£7.99/month after 3 months. Renews automatically.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
The Gift cover art

The Gift

By: Alison Croggon
Narrated by: Eloise Oxer
Get this deal Try for £0.00

Pay £99p/month. After 3 months pay £7.99/month. Renews automatically. See terms for eligibility.

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £20.99

Buy Now for £20.99

Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.

Listeners also enjoyed...

Sabriel cover art
The Magician's Guild cover art
Fourth Wing cover art
Into the Wilderness cover art
The Silmarillion cover art
Magyk cover art
Five Enchanted Roses: A Collection of Beauty and the Beast Stories cover art
Daughter of the Forest cover art
The Riddle-Master of Hed cover art
The Accidental Empress cover art
The Summer Tree cover art
New Spring cover art
Tigana cover art
Wicked cover art
Many Are the Dead cover art
First King of Shannara cover art

Summary

Maerad is a slave in a desperate and unforgiving settlement, taken there as a child when her family is destroyed in war. She is unaware that she possesses a powerful gift, a gift that marks her as a member of the School of Pellinor. It is only when she is discovered by Cadvan, one of the great Bards of Lirigon, that her true heritage and extraordinary destiny unfolds. Now she and her teacher, Cadvan, must survive a punishing and uncertain journey through a time and place where the dark forces they battle with stem from the deepest recesses of other-worldly terror.

©2002 Alison Croggon (P)2011 Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd

Critic reviews

A compelling world of fantasy and conflict, beauty and bedevilment with a wonderfully drawn heroine in the fearless Maerad."A ripping read... fantasytastic!" ( Herald Sun)
"Rich and passionate, supremely satisfying." ( Kirkus Starred Review)

What listeners say about The Gift

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    60
  • 4 Stars
    17
  • 3 Stars
    10
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    5
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    40
  • 4 Stars
    12
  • 3 Stars
    4
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    3
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    47
  • 4 Stars
    9
  • 3 Stars
    3
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    2

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars
  • L
  • 21-02-19

Strange narration

I really like this book and I actually bought the paperback when it was originally published, so when I saw it was available on Audible I was very pleased. Unfortunately it doesn't live up to the printed version. The narrator has a nice voice until she starts voicing the characters, then it becomes grating and annoying. The voices often don't even match the characters that are speaking and for me it just distracts from the story. I also don't see the point in the weird musical interlude between the books. Think I will stick to the written versions instead.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Great story

Great story with good, well thought out characters. However, something about the audio book made the story drag. When I originally read the story I couldn't put the book down. However, the audio book version dragged a little.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Predicable fantasy & shocking singing.

Would loved to of scene the author really show us something with more depth. I took a gamble on this, specially as the sample on here is of the authors thank you notes and not the actual book so it was a leap in the dark!

This is very standard fantasy, you will know where its going and how it will end and there are no surprises to keep you listening.

The narrator cant sing which takes something away from the story since there voice is suppose to be there magic. Not sure why they didnt hire a singer as its such a major part! takes so much credibility away.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Slow in places

This is the first book. While the description are lengthy it makes the book slow. If you like fantasy and other world battles this might be ok .☺

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

How many years i waited

for this book to come out on audio. I read this for the first time in my early teens and i am now in my early twenties and still think this series is great. Cadvan is a great character and you will fall in love with him as he and Maerad fight for their lives. Read if you like books with magic and adventure also it reminded me of the lord of the rings and the hobbit.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

The Gift? Not for me

The summary of this book sounded promising but I found the narration very dificult to listen to. I tried several times but found myself getting no further into the story the voice was so annoying that I gave up

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Tolkien meets canavan

What did you like most about The Gift?

Detailed world that was easy to visualise, characters with depth, a quest and no main love story the characters have more important and interesting things to do.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Gift?

The first battle

Which character – as performed by Eloise Oxer – was your favourite?

Cadvan

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

Yes I got attached even to minor characters and was sad when inevitably some died

Any additional comments?

This book is a similar type to Lord of the rings only there are female characters with real purpose I loved it I wish this author had written more series

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!