Listen free for 30 days

  • Mark of the Fool

  • A Progression Fantasy Epic
  • Written by: J.M. Clarke
  • Narrated by: Travis Baldree
  • Length: 19 hrs
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (124 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.
Mark of the Fool cover art

Mark of the Fool

Written by: J.M. Clarke
Narrated by: Travis Baldree
Try for $0.00

$14.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $31.27

Buy Now for $31.27

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

The gods chose him. He said no.

After his parents died, Alex Roth had one desire: become a wizard. Through hard work, he was accepted into the University of Generasi, the world’s greatest academy of wizardry....

Fate, however, had another plan.

On his 18th birthday, he is Marked by prophecy as one of his kingdom’s five Heroes, chosen to fight the Ravener, his land’s great enemy. But his brand is "The Fool". Worst of the marks.

Rather than die or serve other Heroes like past Fools, he takes a stand, rejects divine decree...and leaves. With his little sister, his childhood friend, and her cerberus, Alex flees for the university, hoping to research the mystery of the Ravener. He’ll make lifelong friends, learn magic from mad wizards, practice alchemy, fight mana vampires, and try to pay tuition.

There’s one small problem. The Mark insists on preventing the Fool from learning and casting spells, while enhancing skills outside of divinity, combat, and spellcraft...that is, unless he learns to exploit the hell out of it.

Explore a coming-of-age magic academy fantasy with a weak-to-strong progression into power, a setting inspired by D&D, detailed world building, and magical science, action, comedy, slice-of-life, and GameLit elements.

With nearly 10 million views on Royal Road, this popular web serial has been completely revised and relaunched into this definitive version now coming to Audible, narrated by Travis Baldree!

©2022 Aethon Books (P)2022 Aethon Audio

What listeners say about Mark of the Fool

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    100
  • 4 Stars
    17
  • 3 Stars
    3
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    1
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    73
  • 4 Stars
    7
  • 3 Stars
    1
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    65
  • 4 Stars
    11
  • 3 Stars
    3
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    1

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

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

Frustrating

I wanted to like this. The narration is good, but that's no surprise if you've listened to other books with Travis Baldree. However, the story just frustrated me to no end. I tried for three books and for three books nothing happens. Nothing ever goes wrong for the protagonist. There is no struggle. It sets it up constantly and beautifully for something major to happen, something that will challenge the lead character and give him something to struggle against, to overcome, and then it is instantly resolved with no lasting consequences. Everything goes so smoothly for him and all his friends, who are all amazing. There are just no stakes and there is so much potential there that just falls apart leaving me frustrated.

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

setup

it's a book that mainly deals in set up but the world is exciting enough I didn't matter. I will be getting and continuing this series for sure.

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

Solid adventure

it's half a Dungeons and dragons adventure, half Hogwarts and entertainingly straddles both fairly well. performer tended to get noticeably louder when raising pitch for female speakers which made listening to sleep to difficult at times. solid adventure and entertaining dialogue. some of the magic of this high magic world is lost by making magic too scientific.

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
    4 out of 5 stars

A chosen one who prefers to go to wizard school

I really enjoyed this. It's a great twist on the trope of the chosen one.
In this case, the chosen one doesn't want to throw his life away. He's given a role that usually doesn't save the day, but where the death of that chosen one motivates the others. You understand why he walks away, and it doesn't come across as cowardice. Just enlightened self interest.
After a harrowing journey full of adventure, Alex reaches wizard university. Which is for adults. And the story shifts into him learning to use his magic.
The chosen one trope remains in place, but in a reduced role. He hasn't turned away entirely, which again re-inforces self-interest vs. cowardice.
The book is obviously book 1 in a series. Up to book 4 is available on Audible. I think this series is still being written. It ends at a satisfying place, but leaves the story somewhere to go. 

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
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Wes
  • 2023-11-14

Travis is great as always, story is pretty good

It's not my favourite book, but I like the setup and enjoy the setting. There's things I'd nitpick like at times it feels like it jumps from place to place in the story a bit more jarring then other enjoyable books I've read, as well as moments where for me personally it lulled a bit and didn't fully capture my attention as I read through.

But Travis is fantastic as always.

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

Good pacing and narrator

Overall very solid book. I really liked the author writing style and story. Travis, the narrator, is well suited to the cast of character also!

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

A New Favourite!

Loved it!! This is the first book I’ve completed since I burnt myself out in high school. 😅 Loveable characters, great plot, and AMAZING voice actor. I can’t wait to read the second! Darn cliff-hangers… (Love ‘em.)

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

Loved this 1st Book

I have never been one to randomly chose Aurthors ingrown to me. So glad I didn't bypass this one. Love to proceed to Book 2. I enjoyed this narration was very easy listening. Give it a try, you just may get hooked on the Seriies, like me. 👍 👌 😉

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

A fun story despite a rather anticlimactic ending

I loved this book and I can't wait for book two. I'm surprised I feel that way given the lack of climax after over 20 hours of listening, but I think that speaks volumes to the engaging characters and the fascinating world building.

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

Enthralling!

Loved it! I was hooked what an exciting and creative story I MUST listen to the rest!

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!