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  • Spider's Bite

  • Elemental Assassin, Book 1
  • By: Jennifer Estep
  • Narrated by: Lauren Fortgang
  • Length: 11 hrs and 59 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (271 ratings)
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Spider's Bite cover art

Spider's Bite

By: Jennifer Estep
Narrated by: Lauren Fortgang
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Editor reviews

The first installment in Jennifer Estep's new Elemental Assassin series, Spider's Bite introduces us to Ashland, a southern city in the Appalachians where you're as likely to run across a good barbeque joint as you are a vampire hooker on the corner. It's a gritty film noir-ish world with lots of back alleys, hit squads, and corrupt cops behind most every badge. The main character is Gin Blanco, or Gin to her friends, but in some circles she's known only as Spider the assassin. However, in the secretive world of Ashland, she and her cohorts seem to be just as trustworthy and honorable as the next guy — but are they? Everyone in this town has an angle, a history — and it seems most have blood on their hands.

Actress Lauren Fortgang does a fascinating balancing act voicing Gin. There's ample southern lilt and sly naughty charm to bring the material to life, and there is considerable music and imagery to be mined here in the writing. Yet her voice has enough bite and gravel to ground our no-nonsense morally ambiguous anti-heroine. The challenge for any good book in the urban fantasy genre is the paradox of making wildly fantastical worlds believable. Estep manages to take Ashland — this world of troubled souls, dwarfs, giants, and vampires, as well as human elementals who can tap into the very forces of nature — and make it all seem part of the everyday grind. With Spider's Bite you feel as if you could really walk these streets, but you'd also immediately feel the dirt on your skin and the hairs rising on the back of your neck as you hear noises in the shadows. Fortgang completes the task, making Gin a very believable character, somehow part embittered hard-ass, part loyal friend, and vulnerable lost soul on occasion.

The book takes a cue from its main character. It is patient, carefully spinning a web of atmospheric settings and carefully observed characters — then like a spider it jumps into action from the dark. Ashland is a tricky place and you can never judge anyone by appearances, especially Gin, and it seems there's a long line of those who have died underestimating her. One should be wary, though, of any sexy southern charmer who can not only summon razor-sharp ice daggers from thin air, but also control the very bricks in walls, rocks, and stones, and the very ground beneath her. —Cleo Creech

Summary

They call me the Spider. I'm the most feared assassin in the South -- when I'm not busy at the Pork Pit cooking up the best barbecue in Ashland. As a Stone elemental, I can hear everything from the whispers of the gravel beneath my feet to the vibrations of the soaring Appalachian Mountains above me. My Ice magic also comes in handy for making the occasional knife. But I don't use my powers on the job unless I absolutely have to. Call it professional pride.

Now that a ruthless Air elemental has double-crossed me and killed my handler, I'm out for revenge. And I'll exterminate anyone who gets in my way -- good or bad. I may look hot, but I'm still one of the bad guys. Which is why I'm in trouble, since irresistibly rugged Detective Donovan Caine has agreed to help me. The last thing this coldhearted killer needs when I'm battling a magic more powerful than my own is a sexy distraction... especially when Donovan wants me dead just as much as the enemy.

©2010 Jennifer Estep (P)2010 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Fortgang’s captivating drawl sketches Finn’s flirty, genteel arrogance and Caine’s horrified disapproval of her. Fortgang portrays Gin’s well-hidden emotions as well as her habitual analysis of combat probabilities. The capable narration ensures that Gin comes across as an intriguing mix of battle-weary assassin, sorceress, and affectionate homebody. Fortgang also delivers the book’s wry humor with subtle elegance." ( AudioFile)

What listeners say about Spider's Bite

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Good But Not Fabulous

If you could sum up Spider's Bite in three words, what would they be?

Interesting - a world where humans, elementals, giants and dwarves all live in reasonable harmony
Predicable - I am an Urban Fantasy reader and so found the end very predicable, especially the final ten minutes where she set-up the next book
Unusual - different lead character as she is an assassin.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I liked Gin but I loved the way Donovan stood by his principles.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No - could have but I was not so enthralled that I needed to listen all the time.

Any additional comments?

I will keep by eyes open for her next book but I wont be devastated if I don't read it immediately.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

WHAT A BOOK!!!

So I've just finished listening to this book; Spider's Bite: Elemental Assassin, Book 1, by Jennifer Estep.

And I've got to say... WHAT LISTEN/READ! Each assassination is more graphical than the last, the character development is really well illustrated and the narration is spot on!! Hats off to Lauren Fortgang, who really brought these mesmerizing characters to life, and very well done to Jennifer Estep for creating such an awesome city/world / novel!

This is a world of vampires and mages (elementals) and rogue assassins. The spine-chilling conclusion to this fantastic novel has definately left me eager to spend my next credit chip on the sequel.

DEFINATELY WORTH LISTENING TO!!

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars

Standard fantasy novel

Standard revenge plot, no great twists or surprises, all set in a world where supernatural is a normal part of life. The protagonist is always right, better than everyone, smug and cheap. I had to force myself several times to finish listening to this trash.

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4 people found this helpful

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

worth persisting with

Took a bit to get into but glad i am persevered as I enjoyed it in the end.

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3 people found this helpful

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

This book didn't quite Bite

The book started off well but didn't quite have me on the characters side. Gin has a back story to why she became an assassin however you feel nothing for her and her sob story. Even with her carer/ handler dying you don't feel her pain. There is no connection with the character and her romantic interest "Detective " is so not believable.

Going to give book 2 the benefit of the doubt.

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3 people found this helpful

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

An intresting world with gripping characters

Any additional comments?

An interesting world with vivid and in depth characters that you become attached too very quickly as you get pulled into there lives full of assassins, elemental mages and intrigue. The city of Ashland makes sin city seem like a vacation spot, all in all well worth a listen for anyone who likes the modern fantasy genre.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • N
  • 23-12-12

Spider'sBite

I was originally sceptical and was doubtful about the narrator, but i have to say it grew on me, the action and storyline moved on at a great pace - i have now listened to the next 3 books - The stories have a good link maintained through the books and you find yourself cheering for the Heroine -



A thumbs up and my advice order it up

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3 people found this helpful

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

No meek heroine here!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Definitely recommended.

What did you like best about this story?

I loved this book, the story, the heroine and the narrator. This is no meek heroine waiting for either her enemies or her friends to take any steps. She is happy to initiate anything she wants which is such a refreshing change. No doubts or internal double guessing on her part. The side characters are all really well developed as well and I loved them as much as I loved the heroine.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

Not really elemental, but not a bad story.

I quite enjoyed this one, but there were just a few things which irked.

First, Gin is the "elemental assassin" of the series title, but does very little elemental anything. I was kind of sold on the opening, where Gin kills a target with skill and ingenuity; that seems to head off down hill pretty quickly.

The potential attraction to a handsome, straight-laced detective made me cringe. So stereotypical it hurt. Seriously, pick a less obvious bad romance target.

I did get kind of grabbed by the potential back plot reveal at the end, though if it was meant to be a surprise, no sorry.

Not bad. I may try another.

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2 people found this helpful

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

Just brilliant

I thought it was a little slow when I first started listening but, boy, did it finish strong.... and with the promise of more. Don’t want to spoil the story by telling you what happens, you can read the blurb, but I highly recommend it. Bit what I thought it was going to be but we’ll worth it. Bring on the next one.

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1 person found this helpful