The City cover art

The City

A spellbinding and captivating epic fantasy that will keep you on the edge of your seat

 Preview

Get 30 days of Standard free

£5.99/mo after trial. Cancel monthly.
Try for £0.00
More purchase options

The City

By: Stella Graham
Narrated by: Simon Shepherd
Try for £0.00

£5.99 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for £8.62

Buy Now for £8.62

LIMITED TIME OFFER

£0.99/mo for the first 3 months. Terms apply.

Perfect for fans of Game of Thrones, Joe Abercrombie and Robin Hobb, a stunningly imagined and thrilling epic fantasy from bestselling author Stella Gemmell.

"One of the best fantasy novels I've read in a long time - and I read a lot...utterly compelling...an awesome example of the genre." -- sf book reviews
"An astonishing book... Easily the best fantasy novel I've read in the last decade." - James Barclay
"Vast, immersive and accomplished." -- INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY
"Well-defined, superbly executed...I found myself absolutely hooked." -- Eloquent page
"Grips you from the first page..." -- ***** Reader review
"This ticked all the boxes for me." -- ***** Reader review
"It was such a great read, she has very much her own style of writing and I loved it. " -- ***** Reader review.

************************************

THEIR HOPES REST ON ONE MAN...BELIEVED TO BE DEAD.

The City, ancient and vast, has been waging almost constant war for centuries.

At its heart resides the Emperor. Few have ever seen him. Those who have remember a man in his prime - who yet should be very old. Is he no longer human? Indeed was he truly ever?

A group of rebels have come to a desperate conclusion: the only way to halt the Emperor's thirst for war is to end his unnaturally long life.

From the crumbling catacombs beneath the City where the poor struggle to stay alive to the blood-soaked fields of battle where so few heroes survive, these rebels emerge.

Their hopes rest on one man. A man who was once the Emperor's foremost general - betrayed, imprisoned, tortured and now believed to be dead...

The story continues in The Immortal Throne...

 Action & Adventure Adventure Dystopian Epic Fantasy Political Science Fiction Spies & Politics Thriller & Suspense
adbl_web_anon_alc_button_suppression_t1

Critic reviews

The most satisfying, intelligent and enthralling epic fantasy I’ve read in many a year. (JULIET McKENNA)
An astonishing book . . . combines extraordinary scope with first class characterization, devastating and visceral battles, a multi-layered plot and a tightly-focused narrative . . . The City is easily the best fantasy novel I’ve read in the last decade. (JAMES BARCLAY)
One of the best fantasy novels I've read in a long time . . . utterly compelling fiction, an awesome example of the genre . . . brilliant.
Vast, immersive and accomplished.
A brutally visual world . . . vivid, motivated characters each with a heartbreaking history . . . thrilling and devastating . . . a true epic.
Gemmell's volcanic imagination . . . erupts into pyrotechnics of description and unstoppable lava flows of intrigue, sweeping us along to the white-hot conclusion. (Tom Holt)
A plethora of well-defined, superbly-executed characters . . . I found myself absolutely hooked . . . there is an ever-growing sense of tension. Even before the final, inevitable, showdown you get the feeling that things are going to get bloody and not everyone is going to make it out of this alive . . .this is engrossing stuff that's expertly executed.

Demands your complete and total attention . . . pulls together at the end in a gripping climax and wonderful multi dimensional characters . . . a new and very powerful voice in the world of fantasy.
Highly Recommended.
A sweeping novel of great power.
This is an astonishing book and all the more amazing given that it is Stella Gemmell’s debut. It combines extraordinary scope with first class characterization, devastating and visceral battles, a multi-layered plot and a tightly-focused narrative that keeps you reading, eager for the next page. The City is easily the best fantasy novel I’ve read in the last decade.
All stars
Most relevant
Enjoyable story and characters I'm intrigued about what's going on and can't wait to read the next book.

Good narrator

Great start to a series

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

What made the experience of listening to The City - Volume 1 the most enjoyable?

Different and intriguing. I've no idea where it's going

Who was your favorite character and why?

The guy who went back for the girl's ?scarf? taken from her. Mad fool!

What about Simon Shepherd’s performance did you like?

Gave a very subtle edge to each different character so you got the feeling he was presenting them to you

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

No! Way too long - my bum would have gone to sleep!

Any additional comments?

Different to the great and sadly missed David Gemmell (where is he in Audible? Shame on you!) but has the same undercurrent of special characters who subtly engage your interest and investment

Gotta have a Gemmell in my library!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I enjoyed the book once I got into it. Had a good plot with interesting characters and characterisation. Good stuff!

A good start!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
So convoluted, confused and rambling I just couldn't finish. I hate wasting money and stuck with it well beyond its due but was defeated in the end. Hours and hours of build up and attempts at drama and action. Some good and interesting characters but not enough so sustain a plot that tries to be too clever and loses any dramatic intrigue.
Gemmell it is not.

Such a disappointment

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