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**See author's note on adult content below.** From the dark depths of the past, comes the tale of the first wizard of Illeniel. Daniel Tennick lived simply, a young shepherd with few troubles and little to occupy his mind, until the warden appeared. Daniel's power awakens, and he finds himself hunted by the servants of the cruel and uncaring forest gods. Trapped by his gift, Daniel will uncover the secrets of the deep woods and those who live there, a civilization created from the grave of an older one.
Mordecai's simple life as the son of a blacksmith is transformed by the discovery of his magical birthright. As he journeys to understand the power within him he is drawn into a dangerous plot to destroy the Duke of Lancaster and undermine the Kingdom of Lothion. Love and treachery combine to embroil him in events he was never prepared to face. What he uncovers will change his understanding of the past, and alter the future of those around him.
They are the fatemarked. Misunderstood. Worshipped. Hated. Murdered at birth. Their time to step into the light has come. An ancient prophecy foretold their coming, the chosen few who will bring peace to a land embroiled in a century of mistrust and war. When kings start dying, that hope and belief swiftly turns to fear. Roan Loren is one of the fatemarked, but has hidden his mark of power his entire life, fearing the damage it might cause to those around him. A great evil is coming. He can't hide anymore.
Mankind has lorded over the land of Illian for a thousand years, enjoying what was left to them by the elves, as if it were their birthright. A thousand years is a long time for an immortal race to see the error of their ways and realize a truth that has remained unsaid for a millennia - elves are superior! They are faster, stronger, and connected to the magical world in a way that man could never grasp. Illian is their birthright. The six kingdoms of man are fractured, unallied and always clawing at each other's doors for more power.
Lusam grew up in the relative safety of the Elveen mountains with his grandmother. She taught him the basics of magic and discovered, quite by accident, that he possessed a unique skill never seen before: the ability to hide his magical aura from the mage-sight of others. Dark secrets surround Lusam's origins, and the dark agents of the Empire will stop at nothing to kill Lusam.
Seventy-five years ago, the dragons fell from the sky. We thought they were just meteorites - six terrifying explosions rang the world like a bell. When the dust settled, we went on with our lives as though nothing had happened. More than a decade later, five of the eggs hatched. The dragons that emerged were small and weak. They kept to the shadows, working in secret to persuade people to do their bidding, offering magic as payment and reward. Years passed...and still we didn't notice the evil growing in our midst.
**See author's note on adult content below.** From the dark depths of the past, comes the tale of the first wizard of Illeniel. Daniel Tennick lived simply, a young shepherd with few troubles and little to occupy his mind, until the warden appeared. Daniel's power awakens, and he finds himself hunted by the servants of the cruel and uncaring forest gods. Trapped by his gift, Daniel will uncover the secrets of the deep woods and those who live there, a civilization created from the grave of an older one.
Mordecai's simple life as the son of a blacksmith is transformed by the discovery of his magical birthright. As he journeys to understand the power within him he is drawn into a dangerous plot to destroy the Duke of Lancaster and undermine the Kingdom of Lothion. Love and treachery combine to embroil him in events he was never prepared to face. What he uncovers will change his understanding of the past, and alter the future of those around him.
They are the fatemarked. Misunderstood. Worshipped. Hated. Murdered at birth. Their time to step into the light has come. An ancient prophecy foretold their coming, the chosen few who will bring peace to a land embroiled in a century of mistrust and war. When kings start dying, that hope and belief swiftly turns to fear. Roan Loren is one of the fatemarked, but has hidden his mark of power his entire life, fearing the damage it might cause to those around him. A great evil is coming. He can't hide anymore.
Mankind has lorded over the land of Illian for a thousand years, enjoying what was left to them by the elves, as if it were their birthright. A thousand years is a long time for an immortal race to see the error of their ways and realize a truth that has remained unsaid for a millennia - elves are superior! They are faster, stronger, and connected to the magical world in a way that man could never grasp. Illian is their birthright. The six kingdoms of man are fractured, unallied and always clawing at each other's doors for more power.
Lusam grew up in the relative safety of the Elveen mountains with his grandmother. She taught him the basics of magic and discovered, quite by accident, that he possessed a unique skill never seen before: the ability to hide his magical aura from the mage-sight of others. Dark secrets surround Lusam's origins, and the dark agents of the Empire will stop at nothing to kill Lusam.
Seventy-five years ago, the dragons fell from the sky. We thought they were just meteorites - six terrifying explosions rang the world like a bell. When the dust settled, we went on with our lives as though nothing had happened. More than a decade later, five of the eggs hatched. The dragons that emerged were small and weak. They kept to the shadows, working in secret to persuade people to do their bidding, offering magic as payment and reward. Years passed...and still we didn't notice the evil growing in our midst.
Pentamuria, the world of five kingdoms, is in a time of change. The power of the nobles and mages is threatened. War is upon them, although they do not know yet when or with whom. Thus, the mages are gathering in their capital, Ringwall, to prepare together against any possible enemy. At this time, the orphan boy Nill is found by the Druids. He possesses considerable magical skills. So he is taken to Ringwall, where he is to be trained in the magical arts alongside his fellow students. Nill, an outsider, shows no respect for the traditions of the magical world.
A chance encounter with an ancient and mysterious object awakens a latent gift, and Wulfric's life changes course. Against a backdrop of war, tragedy, and an enemy whose hatred for him knows no bounds, Wulfric will be forged from a young boy into the Wolf of the North. This is his tale.
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.
DeathWizards have been the scourge of Talohna for over 5000 years; they are executed at birth or hunted to the death. There are no exceptions. Pulled by magic and blood sacrifice into a world he can't possibly begin to understand, Kael Symes soon finds himself the focus of a Talohna-wide manhunt. Desperate and trying to stay ahead of ArchWizard Giddeon Zirakus's execution squad, Kael soon discovers that Talohna's ArchWizard may be the least of his worries.
Raised and trained in seclusion at a secret fortress on the edge of the northern wilds of the Kingdom of Ashai, a young warrior called Rezkin is unexpectedly thrust into the outworld when a terrible battle destroys all that he knows. With no understanding of his life’s purpose and armed with masterful weapons mysteriously bestowed upon him by a dead king, Rezkin must travel across Ashai to find the one man who may hold the clues to his very existence.
The world is falling to the burning shadow of the Possessed and only the power of a battle mage can save it. But the ancient bond with dragonkind is failing. Of those that answer a summoning too many are black. Black dragons are the enemy of humankind. Black dragons are mad. Falco Dante is a weakling in a world of warriors, but worse than this, he is the son of a madman. Driven by grief, Falco makes a decision that will drive him to the brink of despair. As he tries to come to terms with his actions Falco follows his friends to the Academy of War.
The Thieves Guild is renowned for their ability to steal anything. Its elite members have robbed nobles of wealth, reputation, and even their honor. The Guildmaster rules them with brutality and fear, yet his name and past are a mystery. From the depths of the Evermist swamp, he seeks a master thief, one who can help him reclaim his lost power. Young and brash, Jack Myst has drawn the Guildmaster's attention. His feats mark his potential, but his audacity and cunning make him dangerous.
Forged for combat, the rock trolls have no equal. They train from birth, endure brutal conditioning, and mark their skin with every kill. They have become the very flesh of war, but their history of honor has been forgotten. Now a bounty has been issued, one which calls for the extermination of their race. To survive they must awaken to what they have lost, before their enemies begin to gather. Born in the midst of a bloody conflict, Tryton bears a heart of peace. His talent will command respect, but his nature is the true weapon.
Rsiran is a disappointment to his family, gifted with the ability to Slide. It is a dark magic, one where he can transport himself wherever he wants, but using it will only turn him into the thief his father fears. Forbidden from Sliding, he's apprenticed under his father as a blacksmith where lorcith, a rare, precious metal with arcane properties, calls to him, seducing him into forming forbidden blades. When discovered, he's banished, sentenced indefinitely to the mines of Ilphaesn Mountain.
The young world of Onneron has known peace for years. But now unease has spread across the land as disagreements between factions threaten each other's way of life. The Brothers of the Onneron College dedicate themselves to higher learning and to mastering Paths of magic. They wish to remain independent, but the Onneron Church feels threatened by their ability to heal and vies to take control of their order. Treace, bullied and belittled, is unaware of the plan his deceased father has for him.
Aaron Jace had a normal life until they came for him. Now he's being hunted. Assassins will stop at nothing to find him. Aaron is from Earth; his family is not. He is the last scion of an ancient and powerful family. Thrust into another world, Aaron must find his way to the one man who can help him survive. The Safanarion Order includes the first three stories in the captivating epic fantasy series listeners describe as compelling and full of suspense.
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.
Gram lives in the long shadow cast by his father, the latehero, Dorian Thornbear. Struggling to find his place in a world where politics and wizardry appear to have replaced the need for men of might and main, he must make his own mark. Trapped within the seemingly safe confines of Castle Cameron, Gram faces both love and tragedy. His choices will define not only himself, but serve to remind others of his family's legacy, and the reason only a fool threatens those a Thornbear protects.
A brilliant listen from beginning to end. well written and brilliantly performed by Derek Perkins, may just have to buy some credits so I can listen to the next book straight away.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
I wasn't sure of it to begin with but it turned out to be a good book, although I only found out half way through that this is a continuation of a different series which I may now have to listen to. (mage born for those who like me didn't know)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Really enjoyed this next stage and looking forward to book 2
Thank you for a great story
What made the experience of listening to Thornbear the most enjoyable?
Having already read the book I was at first a little unsure of the narrator of the book. I found the American pronunciation of some words a little strange (myself coming from England). However the story is so rich which such colourful characters that I soon lost myself into the unfolding tale.
What did you like best about this story?
The story has a more 'earthy' approach to the characters to many other novels in this genre. This makes for a more realistic read and to a degree and easier path to identify with the characters.
Which scene was your favorite?
I'm not sure I can identify a single scene as a favourite. There are several sections that would qualify. From Gram's awakening sexuality to his first realisation of his prowess in battle. His training with Cyhan to his friendship with Grace.
Any additional comments?
Mr Michael G. Manning is fast beoming one of my favourite authors.
15 of 15 people found this review helpful
I've been reading this author's novels since 2011 with "The blacksmith's son" and I did not expect such a treat in this format and from my phone?? Honestly, I'm glad I used audible to "re-read" Thornbear , because Michael Manning's style translated to audio has kept up beautifully with his written works (not to mention keeping me from going to sleep yet again)
14 of 14 people found this review helpful
Would you consider the audio edition of Thornbear to be better than the print version?
Yes, it gives the reader/listener the opportunity to appreciate more the personalities of each of the characters in the book
Who was your favorite character and why?
Grace was my favorite character since she was more insightful than other characters in the book.
Which character – as performed by Derek Perkins – was your favorite?
Gram
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
Yes
Any additional comments?
When I first read Michael's book of the Blacksmith Son, I believed then that I was reading the first book of a great writer. As always, there were some things that as a new Author he needed to work on. I made the decision to stick to his stories and bought all his books. I just finished reading Thornbear and I can see now how the maturity of his writing is coming together.
Thornbear is a great book, easy to read and has a good story. He lets you feel through his writing the complex emotions young Gram is going through and the consequences of his decisions. Like his previous series "Mageborn", I can see the beginning of a great story. I read the book and then purchased the audio edition and so far I'm on my third listening/read.
I highly recommend you to read the book. Although the audio book is close to twelve hours, I wish the story was longer since you want to know what would happen next. I hope that the next book in the series comes soon.
10 of 10 people found this review helpful
It's been a really long time since I have been pulled into a novel like I was puled into this one. It get you early on and simply will not let you go. The characters are all well written and the environments are familiar but with their own flavor. This novel it outstanding in every way do yourself a favor and pick it up.
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
If you could sum up Thornbear in three words, what would they be?
Epic heroic win!
What other book might you compare Thornbear to and why?
Fellowship of the Ring, or the Dragonlance novels. RA Salvatore's earlier works.
What does Derek Perkins bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
Perkins' narration brings interesting detail to the story, though he could have differentiated the characters' voices a bit. Many of the pronunciations and accents were completely different from the narrator of the Mageborn books, which occasionally confused me. For someone who hasn't read the Mageborn books (Don't be that person--read or listen to them!) the performance is excellent.
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
The end, when we find out Grace's fate, but I won't spoil that. :)
8 of 9 people found this review helpful
Where does Thornbear rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
TOP 10. liked this story alot
Any additional comments?
Great first story. It pulls you right in. That to me is always cool. All the characters had depth. I Will definitely be checking out the next story.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
The story starts off a bit slow and then takes a turn for the better
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
I have been listening to fantasy for years and this probably one of my favorite books by this author. I can't wait for the next one !!! Don't pass this by!
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
Great continuation of the story. Can't wait for the rest of the trilogy to come out.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
The last books were narrated by someone different and this guy didn't take the time to learn how to pronounce names in sync with the last guy. So it took me a chapter or two to figure out who he was talking about with some of the characters.
2 of 3 people found this review helpful