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The Ember Blade

A breathtaking fantasy adventure

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The Ember Blade

By: Chris Wooding BA BA
Narrated by: Simon Bubb
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Summary

 'The Ember Blade is hands down the best fantasy novel I've ever read' Grimdark Magazine

A land under occupation. A legendary sword. A young man's journey to find his destiny.

Aren has lived by the rules all his life. He's never questioned it; that's just the way things are. But then his father is executed for treason, and he and his best friend Cade are thrown into a prison mine, doomed to work until they drop. Unless they can somehow break free . . .

But what lies beyond the prison walls is more terrifying still. Rescued by a man who hates him yet is oath-bound to protect him, pursued by inhuman forces, Aren slowly accepts that everything he knew about his world was a lie. The rules are not there to protect him, or his people, but to enslave them. A revolution is brewing, and Aren is being drawn into it, whether he likes it or not.

The key to the revolution is the Ember Blade. The sword of kings, the Excalibur of his people. Only with the Ember Blade in hand can their people be inspired to rise up . . . but it's locked in an impenetrable vault in the most heavily guarded fortress in the land.

All they have to do now is steal it . . .

Read by Simon Bubb
(p) Orion Publishing Group 2018 Action & Adventure Epic Epic Fantasy Fantasy Fiction Science Fiction & Fantasy

Continue the series
The Shadow Casket cover art
The Shadow Casket By: Chris Wooding BA

Critic reviews

The Ember Blade is everything I could possibly want in an epic fantasy novel, and so much more. Buy this book as soon as it is available.
If you like Brandon Sanderson you'll love this. The best epic fantasy for years.
It's like David Eddings, Margaret Weis, Tracey Hickman and Terry Brooks had a brainstorming session over a power lunch... then Wooding stole their notes, drank their beer and set about skewing everything. ...great fun, a classic epic fantasy.
A well-written tale of revolution, dark magic, and a quest for an ancient game-changing artifact set in a well-built and well-realised epic fantasy world.
From the excellent characterizations to the relentless chase, from breathtaking set pieces to the intricate world-building, everything was written with finesse. It seriously doesn't matter whether you're a fan of classic, epic, or grimdark fantasy (even better if all three), there's a place for you here. The Ember Blade is a book every fantasy fan will feel right at home with, and yet will find new adventures in it. It's a book that fantasy readers will love to revisit and inhabit longer and longer with every visit.
The Ember Blade is hands down the best fantasy novel I've ever read.
All stars
Most relevant
This was a fantastic listen, I loved the characters Grub being my favourite. Great world building and looking forward to the next instalment. The narrator was brilliant!

My favourite audio book of the year so far

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This is the first book in a trilogy and is a world building book to lay the ground for what is to come, Although this is slow moving, do not be put off as it is well worth the journey.

It is a story about Ossia, a country which has been occupied by the Krodans for some 30 years. Aren, a young Ossian sees his father executed for treason by a Watchman in the Iron Hand. When he tries to interfere he is arrested; his friend Cade tries to help Aren and is then taken prisoner with Aren. They both end up in the prison mines. Aren had always been a proponent of Krodan justice. However, he now starts to doubt whether all he has been taught is true.

They eventually escape with the assistance of Grub, a Skarl thief, a prison bully who is hated by all. Once outside the walls of the prison, Garric (the Hollow Man), last of the Dawn Wardens, saves them from recapture with his small band of rebels, but the cost is high as half of Garric's men pay with their lives.

More characters will join the rebels on their quest - Vika Who-Walks-the-Barrows, a Druidess and her companion dog, Ruck; Mara, a Teacher and Inventor, Orika, Musician and her companion, Harrold, a Knight, a diverse group of people who are willing to fight for Ossia; to recover the Ember Blade, a symbol of their country, a symbol of freedom. Some will fall along the way, but a new day is dawning with the return of the Dawn Wardens.

This is a fantasy thats starts out young and sees the characters grow in maturity.

A Little Treasure

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Amazingly well written story and performance. Would recommend this to any fan of fantasy. Can’t wait to read the next one.

Amazing

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I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It is one of the best opening books to a new epic fantasy that I've had the pleasure of listening to in ages. Simon Bubb's performance rivals that of Steven Pacey reading the First Law books by Joe Abercrombie.
Sorry wise it contains one of the best secondary characters in a fantasy novel thanks to Grub. His back story of heroics and then shame along with humour makes him an easy to like character.
The Ember Blade also features the most relentless and scary foes for Aaron and his friends since the black riders first rode to find Frodo Baggins. They are the Deathknights and they are epic.

Absolutely fantastic

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first time for Chris Wooding & Simon Bubb and they did not disappoint, the Emer Blade is a classic in the making, well written and well performed I can't wait for the next installment

Excellent

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