Listen free for 30 days

  • Dark Rise

  • Dark Rise, Book 1
  • Written by: C. S. Pacat
  • Narrated by: Christian Coulson
  • Length: 15 hrs and 16 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (38 ratings)

Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo + applicable taxes after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
Dark Rise cover art

Dark Rise

Written by: C. S. Pacat
Narrated by: Christian Coulson
Try for $0.00

$14.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $45.74

Buy Now for $45.74

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Tax where applicable.

Publisher's Summary

Instant New York Times Best Seller
Indie Best Seller

In this stunning new fantasy novel from international best-selling author C. S. Pacat, heroes and villains of a long-forgotten war are reborn and begin to draw new battle lines. This epic fantasy with high-stakes romance will sit perfectly on shelves next to beloved fantasy novels like the Infernal Devices series, the Shadow and Bone trilogy, and the Red Queen series.

Sixteen-year-old dock boy Will is on the run, pursued by the men who killed his mother. Then an old servant tells him of his destiny to fight beside the Stewards, who have sworn to protect humanity if the Dark King ever returns. Will is thrust into a world of magic, where he starts training for a vital role in the oncoming battle against the Dark.

As London is threatened and old enmities are awakened, Will must stand with the last heroes of the Light to prevent the fate that destroyed their world from returning to destroy his own.

Like V.E. Schwab’s A Darker Shade of Magic and Shelby Mahurin’s Serpent & Dove, Dark Rise is more than just high intrigue fantasy - it’s fast-paced, action-packed, and completely surprising. Listeners will love exploring the rich setting of 19th-century London. This thrilling story of friendship, deception, loyalty, and betrayal is sure to find a passionate audience of listeners.

©2021 C. S. Pacat (P)2021 HarperCollins Publishers

More from the same

What listeners say about Dark Rise

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    30
  • 4 Stars
    5
  • 3 Stars
    2
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    31
  • 4 Stars
    4
  • 3 Stars
    1
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    26
  • 4 Stars
    6
  • 3 Stars
    3
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Gripping and non-predictable

There are so many hero stories out there that the genre can become predictable, a well used formula. This book does not do that! I thought I knew where it was going and I was completely wrong. The story takes a while to get where it’s going because the world the author creates takes time to explain. I also expected the main plot for the book series to end in an unsatisfying way to setup the sequel. Again the book is not predictive and the ending leaves me wondering where it will go next. By the end I wanted to listen again more carefully to see if there were clues I missed earlier on.

There is a gay love subplot but it doesn’t have the chance to blossom the way I would have wanted in this novel.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Pacat outdoes herself with this slow burner

Just finished the book in time to read the second one and I'm excited to get started!

As a fan of Pacat's other work, I have to say I think the Dark Rise series might be my favourite so far. It's rich with lore and likeable characters and, like with Pacat's other work, you can never be too confident about who is going to make it out alive.

Readers coming from the Captive Prince series might find themselves discouraged by the lack of obvious m/m romance elements in the majority of the book, and it's true that this first book isn't a romance, but the ending leaves you with the implication that the rest of the series will have a strong focus on two romantic leads. Basically if you liked CaPri and you're willing to be a little patient, I think you'll like this too.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Ancient world, magic and romance

The whole listening experience was amazing, book 2 is coming soon, I am so excited about it!!

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Great twist but still something to be desired

I liked the overall story, the world building I found great and enjoyable but the simplistic nature in some of the conflicts where people just either accept or "it just makes sense" solutions was rather irksome at times.

I do look forward to the next book, to see where we go though.

If you're looking for romance, there is barely a whisper of romance until the end, for which the pairing I live for but I wish there was a little more interaction between at times.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

C. S. Pacat did it again!

This book has amazing world building and kept me guessing at every turn, and despite that it still did not prepare me for the reveal at the end of the cliffhanger it left us on. Can’t wait for the 2nd book!!

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

I could not put it down 🖤

This book is slow to start but so is every good fantasy book there are so many things to introduce!

The author keeps u on the edge of ur seat wondering along with the characters if u have figured it all out. Tip: u have not 😂. Loved it and can’t wait for the next one!

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!