Listen free for 30 days
-
Ascendant: Book 1
- Narrated by: Tim Gerard Reynolds
- Series: Ascendant, Book 1
- Length: 17 hrs and 23 mins
- Categories: Children's Audiobooks, Literature & Fiction
People who bought this also bought...
-
Columbus Day
- Expeditionary Force, Book 1
- By: Craig Alanson
- Narrated by: R.C. Bray
- Length: 16 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Ruhar hit us on Columbus Day. There we were, innocently drifting along the cosmos on our little blue marble, like the Native Americans in 1492. Over the horizon came ships of a technologically advanced, aggressive culture, and BAM! There went the good old days, when humans got killed only by each other. So, Columbus Day. It fits. When the morning sky twinkled again, this time with Kristang starships jumping in to hammer the Ruhar, we thought we were saved.
-
-
Fun in a can
- By Mr R Tate on 27-04-17
-
Aces
- Book 1
- By: Craig Alanson
- Narrated by: MacLeod Andrews
- Length: 8 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Children are not supposed to rescue their parents, life is supposed to be the other way around. And rescues aren't supposed to be needed on the trip out to the new colony planet Valhalla. Slow, yes. Boring, yes. Dangerous? No, the trip is not supposed to be dangerous, never has been. When thieves attack the transport ship to steal an ancient alien artifact, and young Kaylee and her brother, Manny, are cut off from their parents, they have to stop the thieves from getting what they want.
-
-
Should be a movie
- By ferg on 18-01-18
-
Deathtrap
- Expeditionary Force Mavericks, Book 1
- By: Craig Alanson
- Narrated by: R.C. Bray
- Length: 15 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The human soldiers stranded on the planet Paradise have been recruited into an alien legion to do the dirty jobs that the high-tech species won't do. Their first mission is to kick the enemy off a backwater planet no one cares about. It's a simple assignment, except everyone has a hidden agenda, and the planet could become a deathtrap.
-
-
The Mavericks Have The Stage!
- By Simon on 14-05-19
-
Tin Man: A Galaxy's Edge Prequel
- By: Jason Anspach, Nick Cole
- Narrated by: R.C. Bray
- Length: 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the wilds of a jungle planet, the Legion fights in brutal combat as Republic marines fly their SLICS from one tragedy to the next. H292, a repurposed warbot, shows the heart of a hero as he wades into the battle not to destroy - but to save.
-
-
Just a tool
- By Norma Miles on 12-02-20
-
Ruins of the Galaxy
- Ruins of the Galaxy, Book 1
- By: J.N. Chaney, Christopher Hopper
- Narrated by: R.C. Bray
- Length: 14 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The mission is simple. Escort an emissary to an intergalactic peace summit. Try not to get in the way. Lt. Magnus and his 79th Recon Team have certainly handled worse, after all. But when an explosion rocks the tower and sends everyone into a panic, Magnus and his asset find themselves cut off from the rest of the team. Worse still, a dying alien chieftain gives them a priceless drive of intel, marking them for death. The mission has officially changed. With enemies on all sides, Magnus must do everything in his power to protect the emissary and escape the tower.
-
-
worth reading
- By david on 04-06-20
-
Supercarrier Box Set: The Complete Ixan Prophecies Trilogy
- By: Scott Bartlett
- Narrated by: Mark Boyett
- Length: 26 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Captain Keyes is loved by the public but hated by Command. He captains the UHS Providence, an aging supercarrier and the last human ship not dependent on dark tech - technology humanity has used to rule over the galaxy since barely defeating the Ixa in the First Galactic War. Dominance has come at a cost. Over the decades, old allies have grown resentful, and when dark tech itself fails, Captain Keyes’ predictions start coming true: those old allies are now enemies.
-
-
one dimensional is all aspects
- By Gary on 13-02-20
-
Columbus Day
- Expeditionary Force, Book 1
- By: Craig Alanson
- Narrated by: R.C. Bray
- Length: 16 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Ruhar hit us on Columbus Day. There we were, innocently drifting along the cosmos on our little blue marble, like the Native Americans in 1492. Over the horizon came ships of a technologically advanced, aggressive culture, and BAM! There went the good old days, when humans got killed only by each other. So, Columbus Day. It fits. When the morning sky twinkled again, this time with Kristang starships jumping in to hammer the Ruhar, we thought we were saved.
-
-
Fun in a can
- By Mr R Tate on 27-04-17
-
Aces
- Book 1
- By: Craig Alanson
- Narrated by: MacLeod Andrews
- Length: 8 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Children are not supposed to rescue their parents, life is supposed to be the other way around. And rescues aren't supposed to be needed on the trip out to the new colony planet Valhalla. Slow, yes. Boring, yes. Dangerous? No, the trip is not supposed to be dangerous, never has been. When thieves attack the transport ship to steal an ancient alien artifact, and young Kaylee and her brother, Manny, are cut off from their parents, they have to stop the thieves from getting what they want.
-
-
Should be a movie
- By ferg on 18-01-18
-
Deathtrap
- Expeditionary Force Mavericks, Book 1
- By: Craig Alanson
- Narrated by: R.C. Bray
- Length: 15 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The human soldiers stranded on the planet Paradise have been recruited into an alien legion to do the dirty jobs that the high-tech species won't do. Their first mission is to kick the enemy off a backwater planet no one cares about. It's a simple assignment, except everyone has a hidden agenda, and the planet could become a deathtrap.
-
-
The Mavericks Have The Stage!
- By Simon on 14-05-19
-
Tin Man: A Galaxy's Edge Prequel
- By: Jason Anspach, Nick Cole
- Narrated by: R.C. Bray
- Length: 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the wilds of a jungle planet, the Legion fights in brutal combat as Republic marines fly their SLICS from one tragedy to the next. H292, a repurposed warbot, shows the heart of a hero as he wades into the battle not to destroy - but to save.
-
-
Just a tool
- By Norma Miles on 12-02-20
-
Ruins of the Galaxy
- Ruins of the Galaxy, Book 1
- By: J.N. Chaney, Christopher Hopper
- Narrated by: R.C. Bray
- Length: 14 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The mission is simple. Escort an emissary to an intergalactic peace summit. Try not to get in the way. Lt. Magnus and his 79th Recon Team have certainly handled worse, after all. But when an explosion rocks the tower and sends everyone into a panic, Magnus and his asset find themselves cut off from the rest of the team. Worse still, a dying alien chieftain gives them a priceless drive of intel, marking them for death. The mission has officially changed. With enemies on all sides, Magnus must do everything in his power to protect the emissary and escape the tower.
-
-
worth reading
- By david on 04-06-20
-
Supercarrier Box Set: The Complete Ixan Prophecies Trilogy
- By: Scott Bartlett
- Narrated by: Mark Boyett
- Length: 26 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Captain Keyes is loved by the public but hated by Command. He captains the UHS Providence, an aging supercarrier and the last human ship not dependent on dark tech - technology humanity has used to rule over the galaxy since barely defeating the Ixa in the First Galactic War. Dominance has come at a cost. Over the decades, old allies have grown resentful, and when dark tech itself fails, Captain Keyes’ predictions start coming true: those old allies are now enemies.
-
-
one dimensional is all aspects
- By Gary on 13-02-20
-
Dread Uprising
- Ash Angels, Book 1
- By: Brian K. Fuller
- Narrated by: R.C. Bray
- Length: 17 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
By the divine promise of sacrifice, he awakened an Ash Angel with a new body, new powers, and a new war to fight. Cassandra, his temperamental trainer, tries to get him ready to battle Ghostpackers and Dreads, but it might be too little too late: for the first time in history, the Ash Angels are faltering against the fury of an evil more ancient than they are. While he fights to survive run-ins with a Sheid-hunted pop star and a gorgeous but dangerous Dread, Trace realizes his new life cannot erase the trauma of the old.
-
-
Couldn't stop listening
- By Joshua holloway on 05-08-20
-
Spellmonger
- Spellmonger, Book 1
- By: Terry Mancour
- Narrated by: John Lee
- Length: 18 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Minalan gave up a promising career as a professional warmage to live the quiet life of a village spellmonger in the remote mountain valley of Boval. It was a peaceful, beautiful little fief, far from the dangerous feudal petty squabbles of the Five Duchies, on the world of Callidore. There were cows. Lots of cows. And cheese. For six months things went well: He found a quaint little shop, he befriended the local lord, the village folk loved him, he found a sharp young apprentice to help out, and, best yet, he met a comely young widow with the prettiest eyes.
-
-
If only a sixth star was available...
- By Alan R on 10-03-17
-
We Are Legion (We Are Bob)
- Bobiverse, Book 1
- By: Dennis E. Taylor
- Narrated by: Ray Porter
- Length: 9 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There's a reason We Are Legion was named Audible's Best Science Fiction Book of 2016: Its irresistibly irreverent wit! Bob Johansson has just sold his software company for a small fortune and is looking forward to a life of leisure. The first item on his to-do list: Spending his newfound windfall. On an urge to splurge, he signs up to have his head cryogenically preserved in case of death. Then he gets himself killed crossing the street. Waking up 117 years later, Bob discovers his mind has been uploaded into a sentient space probe with the ability to replicate itself.
-
-
An unexpected gem
- By Andrew on 29-01-17
-
Fear the Sky
- The Fear Saga, Book 1
- By: Stephen Moss
- Narrated by: R.C. Bray
- Length: 20 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the Audie-nominated narrator of The Martian. In eleven years time, a million members of an alien race will arrive at Earth. Years before they enter orbit, their approach will be announced by the flare of a thousand flames in the sky, their ships' huge engines burning hard to slow them from the vast speeds needed to cross interstellar space. These foreboding lights will shine in our night sky like new stars, getting ever brighter until they outshine even the sun, casting ominous shadows and banishing the night until they suddenly blink out.
-
-
Solid, straightforward Sci Fi
- By Jonathan on 24-05-15
-
Invasion
- Forgotten Vengeance, Book 1
- By: M.R. Forbes
- Narrated by: R.C. Bray
- Length: 9 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Two hundred years ago, aliens invaded Earth. A violent war followed. The enemy won. Some of us escaped, most of us didn’t. On Proxima they flourished - the invasion forgotten. On Earth we floundered - the horror began. Their world is advanced, peaceful, and secure. Our world is broken, savage, and overrun. A new invasion is coming. A hunger that has swallowed half the universe. They don’t care which planet we live on. They want to end us all. But where there is life, there is hope. And where there is hope, there are heroes. This time, vengeance will be ours.
-
-
M. R. Forbes is a genius!
- By Jonathan M Copley on 12-08-20
-
The Forever
- The Forever, Books 1-2
- By: Craig Robertson
- Narrated by: Scott Aiello
- Length: 17 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jon Ryan is irreverent, cocky, funny, and walks with a swagger. The cocky fighter pilot turned astronaut is also Earth's only chance for survival. The planet Jupiter, thrown off orbit, will destroy Earth in less than a century. Jon volunteers for the most ambitious, desperate mission ever conceived: His consciousness must be transferred into an experimental android host, where he'll live an immortal - and lonely - life. Jon's only companion on his 50-year voyage is his ship's irritable AI.
-
-
Scott Aiellos performance saved the day!
- By Harvey on 11-10-18
-
The Last Hunter: Collected Edition
- By: Jeremy Robinson
- Narrated by: R.C. Bray
- Length: 33 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This collected edition of the Antarktos Saga includes all five books in the series - Descent, Pursuit, Ascent, Lament, and Onslaught.
-
-
Epic in every sense of the word!
- By I. Burke on 07-01-21
-
Wayward Galaxy
- By: Jason Anspach, JN Chaney
- Narrated by: R.C. Bray
- Length: 12 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A company of Army Rangers is sent on an interstellar colony ship to secure a foothold on a dangerous, alien planet through violence of action. Leaving behind a warring Earth flung headfirst into a conflict of mutual assured destruction, the Rangers and the accompanying crew of first colonists are guided on a 40-year journey by an unprecedented artificial intelligence. But when they emerge from the frigid embrace of cryosleep, they awake to a nightmare, finding themselves greeted by the same ruthless enemy that brought about the ruin of Earth.
-
-
I enjoyed this, but....
- By Stephen Bond on 14-10-20
-
Galaxy on Fire: Publisher's Pack
- By: Craig Robertson
- Narrated by: Scott Aiello
- Length: 13 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jon Ryan was supposed to be dead. He wanted to be dead. But Jon wakes up in the far future with an alien burrowing in his chest for salvage. Someone was going to pay for this. Check that. Lots of people were going to pay for this. Jon was the first astronaut to download to an android host to find the population of doomed Earth a new home. But that was so long time ago. He is now literally lost in time.
-
-
Amazing, worth waiting 2 billion years for
- By Martyn on 23-05-19
-
Students of the Order
- The Order, Book 1
- By: Edward W. Robertson, Sam Lang
- Narrated by: Michael Kramer
- Length: 22 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the realm of Isodoro, just two things stand between Alliance lands and the spears and muskets of the orcish hordes: the wizards of the Order and constant infighting amongst the orcs themselves. In the Alliance capital, young Wit has just been promoted from apprentice to full wizard - and saddled with the very unglamorous task of traveling to a distant iron mine to inspect it for fraud. Worse yet, he's partnered with Wa'llach, a drunken dwarven prisoner who's killed more people than most plagues. Yet those skills are about to become very handy.
-
-
Loved the exciting new world of possibilities
- By Rob on 09-01-21
-
Rise of the Ancient Gods: Publisher's Pack
- Rise of the Ancient Gods, Books 1 & 2
- By: Craig Robertson
- Narrated by: Scott Aiello
- Length: 14 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
If it's peace you want don't ever be Jon Ryan. He's lived two billion years in the android host he transferred to when asked to save humankind. Darn thing won't wear out. Since successfully ensuring the survival of the population of doomed Earth, Jon wanted to die. He was switched off with the promise of never being powered up again. Yeah, Jon's never been that kind of lucky. He was forced to fight and win a war with the most powerful enemy he'd ever faced, the Berrillians. Then he longed for rest.
-
-
What a sad state...
- By Hugo Venter on 09-07-20
-
The Forgotten: The Complete Trilogy
- By: M. R. Forbes
- Narrated by: Jonathan Davis
- Length: 29 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Contains books 1-3 of The Forgotten. Sheriff Hayden Duke was born on the Pilgrim, and he expects to die on the Pilgrim, like his father, and his father before him. That's the way things are on a generation starship centuries from home. He's never questioned it. Access points to the ship's controls are sealed, the systems that guide her automated and out of reach. Until a malfunction forces his engineer wife to the edge of the habitable zone to inspect the damage. Until she contacts him, breathless, to tell him she found a body, and it doesn't belong to anyone on board.
-
-
A great beginning to an extended series
- By Paul Lloyd on 31-10-20
Summary
The Wizard's Council of Tarador was supposed to tell young Koren Bladewell that he is a wizard. They were supposed to tell everyone that he is not a jinx, that all the bad things that happen around him are because he can't control the power inside him, power he doesn't know about. The people of his village, even his parents, are afraid of him, afraid he is cursed. That he is a dangerous, evil jinx. The Wizard's Council didn't tell young Koren, because they know what is best for him. Even after their silent deception destroys his life.
Crown Princess Ariana Trehayme will become queen of Tarador on her 16th birthday, if her weak, indecisive mother the Regent hasn't allowed their ancient enemy to conquer Tarador before then. Ariana wants her royal army to strike at the enemy, but her mother knows what is best for her, and the realm.Together, Ariana and Koren can save Tarador, if the adults, who know best, will get out of their way.
What listeners say about Ascendant: Book 1
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Mike
- 18-01-18
Really good
The story was interesting but straight forward hence 4 out of 5 stars but kept me listening. Finished the booked in a few days. Well written and performed. Hope book 2 progresses the characters on alot more, although to be fair this book only covers events over a year.
6 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- ben
- 10-07-18
Forgettable and deeply boaring!
It a cheap knock off over ever fantasy novel, (Lord of rings etc) but nothing happen. Book spends hour set in i tower with nothing happening. Slow. I t,he characters are cheap and have no depth. Ok if he about 7.
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Paul J.
- 16-12-17
I liked the authors other book series
Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?
No, the story around the main character didn't progress and each time another character made a decision in 'his best interest' or to 'keep him safe' it was like those poor horror films where the scantily dress teenage girl answers the door just past midnight. You know what is going to happen, in fact there was very little mystery.
Would you recommend Ascendant: Book 1 to your friends? Why or why not?
Please see above.
What didn’t you like about Tim Gerard Reynolds’s performance?
Slow and I felt I was listening to someone trying to make the story sound interesting. First time I accelerated the reading just to get through the book. Also maybe I got spoilt by other readers who are so flexible with their voices, you forget it is a single person reading the book.
Did Ascendant: Book 1 inspire you to do anything?
No
Any additional comments?
The story had hooks and I am interested in progressing with the next one, but I expect to play it at x2 or 3 just to get through faster. There are such big hints about dangers, the enemy, powerful wizards etc. all the stuff I like, but nothing really happened in this book. Just got book 2, wish me luck.
11 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 22-04-19
Fantasy without imagination
A mostly generic fantasy story. After listening to both Ascendant and Transcendent I will not continue this story, there must be more interesting stories out there. The lack of anything unique in this story is its biggest flaw. The story is cast from the same mold and many of the modern fantasy classics (D. Eddings, R. E. Feist, Robert Jordan, ) of the young wizard and a kingdom on the brink of war. Alanson does not however add anything unique or interesting to the story, the characters or the world but just copies the basic formula making this a watered down work at best. Feels like this series was was written just to write a fantasy story, not because the author had a story to tell.
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Kenneth Flint
- 26-07-18
Way too slow and too much repetition
The story moves forward at a frustratingly slow pace and I found it hard to believe the outstanding gullible niaevity of the main character. The repetition is also annoying. Finally the over enunciation by the narrator is cringeworthy. could be a good story with a lot of editing.
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Amazon Customer
- 26-03-18
Even Tim Gerard Reynolds narration can't save it
I did not like the storytelling of the author. The language was simplistic and the characters two-dimensional. Felt like a children's book.
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- MK
- 17-02-20
Needs some motivations in the characters
Endless misunderstandings between various people does not a plot make. Really having someone motivated to do stuff would really be a huge improvement instead it's just misunderstandings untill book 3 where the mc defeats the big villian in a way he could have done in this book. Tldr: dont bother reading/listening to this
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Stanley Hughes
- 16-10-18
Anticlimax
If I had to describe the trilogy in one word it would be 'anticlimax'. I felt the first two books and much of the third were constructing an interesting story, and nearing the end of the 3rd book I was wondering what the next book would bring. But then, in a few chapters, the story suddenly came to an end in an utterly disappointing way, almost as if the author couldn't be bothered to continue the story. I read other reviews on the first and second book and saw some people described them (especially the second one) as page fillers. At the time, however, I thought the author was creating an extensive world and story. I was wrong. When I finished the final book, I realised most of the first and third book as well as the entire second book, are completely irrelevant to the overall story arch. I endured what I thought to be minor imperfections in the first and second book (mistakes, needless repetition, slow pace, derivative naming of places and characters) because I felt the story had potential, instead I should have realised they where symptoms of something more problematic, an author who only half heartedly threw together a fantasy story. *SPOILERS* It takes two books for Koren to realise he is a wizard and he receives no training at all during the third book, and then suddenly it comes to an end in a way that also could have happened exactly the same way at the end of book 1.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Brian
- 09-07-18
Dreadful story with poor narration
There was the potential for a good story in this book but as it lumbered on it was clear a one book story was going to be stretched into a series. This author over explains insignificant details to expand his narrative and drags out everything to the point of tedium. The language is childlike with the constant use of "evil", foul and vile making an appearance in every chapter. Tim Gerard Reynolds reads it like he was speaking to a child. Not the book it could have been if the author had chosen substance over the chance to create 3 books. You could skip a chapter here and there and still follow the story without missing the main narrative. Not worth the time it took to listen to it!
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Amazon Customer
- 28-06-20
all three books are great but
the ascendant series is a very good fantasy series with a few minor things that let it down. like lack of imagination in place names and the end of the story is wrapped up really quickly there could have or should have been another book if time was spent properly but as I assume he was writing these along side with the ex-force series (WITCH IS AWESOME) he may not have had time to finish as well as we would all like but overall I thoroughly enjoyed these books and would recommend to anyone who loves fantasy
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Matthew M Ferguson
- 26-07-19
If you love being angry - this book is for you!
This book is a lesson in frustration. I listened until the last hour and I had to drop it - I don't think my car could handle the shouting (from me yelling at the characters). I love a good intrigue book where characters are hiding information from one another - but they have the worst possible reasons in this one. It's particularly frustrating because the narrator is awesome, the characters are so likable, and the writing is actually really good. I listened to all of the EF novels and so I picked this up hoping for a good listen. Most of the book is fun to listen to with a really weird plot line where everyone decides to lie and withhold information from the main character for poorly thought out reasons. The world isn't anything special - pretty standard for the genre - and so the only thing the book has going for it is the characters and the writing. Overall, if you like listening to fantasies, you like the farm-boy-turned-hero story, and you don't get bothered by characters doing really stupid things for really stupid reasons, then this book is for you. However, if you do get attached to characters and it really gets to you when they make idiotic choices, then avoid this one. I will not be reading books 2 and 3 - but I would like to know what happens. I suppose I will look up a wiki - because I can't take the stress of listening to it.
36 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Adam S. Walter
- 03-05-19
Lazy Repetitive Writing
For context, I love expeditionary force and Alanson changed my mind about military style sci-fi. I also love fantasy. Outside of "new moon" and book 10 of wheel of time...I have loved everything I have read on a variety of scales. So when I say lazy writing, it isn't because the characters lacked depth or the story wasn't there but I am almost done with the book and he keeps re-asserting the back story. He keeps coming up with new ways to beat the main character down and through the book there has been 0 character development of any kind. The only other time I have seen a main character this abused in a series is Robin Hobbs "Assassin's apprentice" series. At least there was character development in those books. They cant tell the main character he is important because he is too important, Yet the princess gets the exact opposite treatment? She is a figurehead, easily assassinated by the enemy but is paraded around with very little guards but our intrepid hero cant get 1 ounce of recognition because he is too important? Laaaaaaazzzzzzzyyyyyy. Repetitive: It is almost like extra words were required by the editor so every few chapters Alanson made sure to re-iterate the back story. 13 hours so far of the same story...over and over...with no plot development, character development or anything. The only thing that keeps me going is that there is no way a book can be written this poorly. There has to be a punchline somewhere I imagine some big reveal will happen at the end. Because right now every adult character is so shallow I am detached from them. Decisions are completely unbelievable. Hey I have an idea...lets steal all credit from a teenager, give him 0 recognition or a future just so he doesn't know he is useful. For extra measure throw him to the politics and ensure taht no matter what he does, he gets it ingrained that he is worthless. Do you know what this kind of parenting makes? Sociopaths. Improvement to story. Compare and contrast the princess and wizard storyline. What happens to the two as they grow, wizard who has nothing and has everything taken from him while princess has everything given to her and moves forward. How do the two develop? You can do better than read this book. Like go stare at some grass, maybe feed a duck.
52 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- David M
- 22-11-17
A skeptic entertained
Honestly, I am not a passionate fan of the sword and sorcery fantasy genre. I am a huge fan of the Expeditionary Force series and RC Bray's narrating. So it was with quite some hesitation that I purchased this book after listening to what I felt was a lackluster uninteresting preview. I wasn't convinced the story or narrator would be a worthy investment of my time and money. I preface this review with my doubts not to troll the author or the narrator but to give context for my review. First, after having completed this book I can't imagine a better suited narrator for this story. The narrator quickly dissolves away into the story and there are only a wide variety of characters and adept accents left. Production value was very good. There were no noticiable splicing of vocals, popping, lisping crackling "ssss", or sharp audible inhalations from the narrator that are still far too commonplace in audio production these days. The story is a well tested, well worn one but the relateable and developed characters make it easy for the listener to be absorbed into the environment as an observer. I am pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this story and can't wait to listen to book two.
517 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- James Morris
- 23-07-19
Oh! It’s a misunderstanding!
I love the characters and would probably love the book but I had to quit listening. I lost count of “misunderstandings” and misconceptions and oh hell its just one unfortunate and unbelievable coincidence after another. Just made me irritable. Sadly other than that it has everything I love in a book and as always Tim was great. I might give it another go and skip past the very predictable unfortunate misunderstandings. So..... I did go back! I’m glad I did, it was frustrating at first, it was hard to get past the blatant use of coincidence. However, after finishing book two I was quite excited for book 3! I will further update my review after I think on it a bit.
32 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- T. A. Widman
- 26-08-19
Frustrating in the extreme
I started this book with the desire and wish to find a new series and author that I could continue listening to across many books. I end relieved for it to be over. In truth there are three reason I managed to finish this book: 1. I kept hoping it would turn a corner and improve. 2. As an audio book it was much easier to continue rather than pick another. 3. There's a quality to it akin to rubbernecking. This book is absolutely infuriating, as its primary theme is miscommunication, misinformation, and assumption making. It is a common trope to have someone overhear a conversation and hear only the most damaging piece and thereby leap to the worst possible conclusion. In this book, for Koren Bladewell, this is an everyday occurrence and is the main driver of the plot. Because of this need to ensure that Koren believes he is a jinx and persecuted by all others, characters are constantly reacting in the worst possible way to all plot points...even when this completely contradicts elements of their character. This is seen particularly in the characters of the Regent and Lord Salva. The book becomes constant telling, as each character assumes Koren's a jinx, or too young to bear the truth, or a coward, or traitor, or assassin...the list is endless and ever more surreal. These assumptions break the story, as it so often shows that the characters (besides perhaps Koren and Ariana alone) are little more than echo chambers for Koren's persecution complex. The narrator is generally OK for this book, however there are many cases throughout wherein he pauses awkwardly where it does not make sense...even mid-sentence. Overall the general story follows your typical stereotypical fantasy fare, with a couple of ideas which were genuinely interesting. There is potential in the story. The writing does not live up to it.
11 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Or
- 25-07-18
Hard to believe the same person created Joe Bishop
I am writing this review for the trilogy. No spoilers. I have to say that I am shocked that the same author who created Expeditionary Force, which I thought were very good and well written, created this really bad trilogy. I don't usually write reviews, especially negative ones, but I feel compelled to warn people not to buy this particular trilogy. The story is entirely predictable, uninteresting and has no point to it. It's as if the author decided he wanted to write a book about wizards and then just made an outline and and wrote several chapters combining silly fairy tale concepts with characters who he calls wizards. Nothing interesting happens in the entire series. The characters are constantly expecting to meet their deaths or some other bad outcome and, lo and behold, everything works out great. Save your money/credits. Hopefully this horrible writing does not affect the next Expeditionary Force book.
10 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Brett
- 13-11-17
A great coming of age fantasy tale
I have to say this isn't like Craig's other books. Instead of aliens this is a deep rooted world of magic, wars and outlaws. I guess it just goes to show the imagination of the author is quite wide. The book is entertaining and I found it enjoyable. However it could due with a bit more humor. But then again i'm a Skippy fan.
AUDIBLE 20 REVIEW SWEEPSTAKES ENTRY
173 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Christopher
- 02-11-17
Loved it with one constant reservation
This was a really well written first book in a series. It's definitely at the high end of the quality spectrum from the writing and story-telling angle.
My reservation... I have read or listened to quite a few books whose major plot points are repeatedly driven by misunderstandings, characters accidentally over-hearing the exact wrong information at the exact wrong time, and characters inexplicably not revealing pertinent information that otherwise would bring resolution instead of conflict. In other books this usually happens "because reasons" or with no explanation whatsoever. With a book where this happens over and over, I usually make it about 4 hours in and then return it with prejudice. It's almost always lazy story-telling and so frustrating that I find myself wanting to choke the author for wasting what would otherwise be a good book.
In the case of Ascendant, the author manages to make it work (most of the time). These coincidence fails are overtly portrayed and mostly adequately explained. As a result I was able to enjoy the book and was only really in a choking mood a couple times... That said, if the inexplicable repetition of unfortunate coincidences continues through book 2 as the only device to move the plot then I'm pretty sure I won't be able to hang in for book 3.
My fingers are crossed because I really did enjoy this book.
138 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Scott O'Bryan
- 28-05-19
Frustrating book
This book was entertaining and the reader did a great job, but it suffers from some of the issues I have with Craig Alanson as an author. In an effort to sell more books he has a tenancy to not complete a story and to leave the story mid-stride for his next book. This whole book seemed like it was a set up for the next book. Additionally Craig Alanson has the tenancy to stick with a single theme. While the interaction of Bishop and Skippy in Expeditionary Force is entertaining, the theme of misunderstanding in this book got annoying and burdensome. We all know that a simple misunderstanding can lead to some epic things, but this book contained so many that the misunderstandings became predictable. Craig is great with the written word. His characters are believable, but sometimes his plot or theme seems flat and his ending a book mid-story is annoying. I’m really struggling with whether I can endure book 2 in order to see what happens or if I should cut my losses.
31 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- John Hammon
- 04-05-19
Had to try it a second time.
The narrator took a little getting used to. I actually returned this book once. I bought it based on the Craig Alanson ExForce series. Anyway, when I tried it the second time I really got into it. I"m giving it 5 stars because it really pulled me in. The perspective and detail of the story really gave me a unique experience on the adventure. I was constantly amazed at how the author gave me some detail that was surprising but interesting and relative.l Anyway, I really liked this series. Seems like a simple 3 and done series, but still really cool.
10 people found this helpful