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City of Last Chances

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City of Last Chances

By: Adrian Tchaikovsky
Narrated by: David Thorpe
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Arthur C. Clarke winner and Sunday Times bestseller Adrian Tchaikovsky's triumphant return to fantasy with a darkly inventive portrait of a city under occupation and on the verge of revolution.

There has always been a darkness to Ilmar, but never more so than now. The city chafes under the heavy hand of the Palleseen occupation, the choke-hold of its criminal underworld, the boot of its factory owners, the weight of its wretched poor and the burden of its ancient curse.

What will be the spark that lights the conflagration?

Despite the city's refugees, wanderers, murderers, madmen, fanatics and thieves, the catalyst, as always, will be the Anchorwood – that dark grove of trees, that primeval remnant, that portal, when the moon is full, to strange and distant shores.

Ilmar, some say, is the worst place in the world and the gateway to a thousand worse places.

Ilmar, City of Long Shadows.

City of Bad Decisions.

City of Last Chances.©2022 Adrian Tchaikovsky (P)2022 Head of Zeus Action & Adventure Epic Epic Fantasy Fantasy Fiction Crime Paranormal
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I loved the theme and the main characters, but there was just too many points of view with needless descriptions. It felt like trying to set up a larger series by getting everything explained all at once. It resulted in quite disjointed narrative and by half way I couldn’t wait for it to be finished. It does pick up at the end but the whole second third of the book could be abbreviated.
The voice acting was very good and consistent though

A slog

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I absolutely loved this book, it was dark but hopeful, grim but humourous. I hardly knew what was going to happen next and even when I did I was still somehow surprised by it! The narrator also did an excellent job and was a true pleasure to listen to, a good range of voices and great intonation. I want more books like this!

An amazing book!

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This novel starts like a collection of short stories. It takes many hours to draw the various bits together, and by the time the Plot sort of comes together I had forgotten what happened in the earlier parts which were somehow supposed to inform what was then happening... It took a very long time to go anywhere and then seemingly a very long time to wrap up. Or rather not wrap up.
Also why are most of the characters Scottish? This was a confusing choice, a little more vocal differentiation would have been enjoyable. Lots of characters and factions but lots of.the same voice... perhaps it would be more enjoyable to read rather than listen to.
There also seem to be some issues with production which make for a clunky listen.
This is the second book from this author I've listened to and I can't say I'll be rushing to read any more!

Could have been shorter...

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Loved this book. Wonderful characters in a thoroughly believable world. I'll be reading this again some day soon. Hope there's a follow-up.

Marvellous

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Having read a few of Adrian Tchaikovsky's books (or, rather, listened to them) - this is my absolute favourite by a country mile. It is so rich in characters and place - and endlessly fascinating. The story jumps around quite a lot - and at first it's quite hard to put characters and places together. But go together they do - brilliantly. I don't think I've ever listened to - or read - anything quite like it - though that may be down to my limited reading more than anything else.

I hope there will be more like this by Tchaikovsky - though i don't really see how there can be (but ghen again I'm not an imaginative author...)

Finally - the narration by David Thorpe - to coin a cliche (well two I guess) is the icing on the cake. He does a great job of bringing it all to life and adds even more the pleasure of the experience. I'm sad it's over.

Just... fantastic

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