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  • The Black Prism

  • Written by: Brent Weeks
  • Narrated by: Simon Vance
  • Length: 21 hrs and 26 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (710 ratings)

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The Black Prism

Written by: Brent Weeks
Narrated by: Simon Vance
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Publisher's Summary

In a world where magic is tightly controlled, the most powerful man in history must choose between his kingdom and his son in the first book in the epic NYT best-selling Lightbringer series.

Guile is the Prism. He is high priest and emperor, a man whose power, wit, and charm are all that preserves a tenuous peace. Yet Prisms never last, and Guile knows exactly how long he has left to live.

When Guile discovers he has a son, born in a far kingdom after the war that put him in power, he must decide how much he's willing to pay to protect a secret that could tear his world apart.

If you loved the action and adventure of the Night Angel trilogy, you will devour this incredible epic fantasy series by Brent Weeks.

©2010 Brent Weeks (P)2016 Hachette Audio

What the critics say

"Brent Weeks is so good it's starting to tick me off." (Peter V. Brett, New York Times best-selling author of The Desert Spear)
"Weeks manages to ring new tunes on...old bells, letting a deep background slowly reveal its secrets and presenting his characters in a realistically flawed and human way." ( Publishers Weekly
" The Blinding Knife is a wonderful work of high fantasy with engaging characters facing the perfect antagonists, set in a creatively-wrought and increasingly chaotic world brimful of imaginative magic and interesting politics. Weeks holds fast to the traditions of his genre while adding a compelling new flavor." ( The Ranting Dragon)

5 Genre-Bending Series That Showcase Fantasy’s Great Diversity

Fantasy is an exciting and creative genre. Explore up and coming titles that will take you to far away lands! Inspire your creative side, discover new titles and spark your imagination. Try a new microgenre! Discover 5 genre-bending series that showcase fantasy's great diversity on our blog, Audible Explore.

What listeners say about The Black Prism

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Loved it.

Narrator Simon Vance made this story come alive... Not usually a fantasy fan, but greatly enjoyed this and am looking forward to the next book in the series...

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Incredible

I was recommended this book by a friend. I went in to it cold not knowing anything.

This book was .. incredible!

I found myself listening to it every waking moment I could, gripped to each scene, character, and twist.
I bought the second book before I finished this audiobook so I could continue the journey!

I love the magic systems, the political intrigue, relatable character struggles and development! So beautifully written!!

I also was surprised to find that the narrator blew me away and had me check out every other project he’s worked on! Easily the best narrator I’ve ever heard, incredible work!

This entire experience is well worth the money - absolutely recommend!

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    5 out of 5 stars
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recommend

has some slight sexual content in the form of being in the mind of a teenage boy but it wasn't grossly prevented.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Interesting Book

I enjoyed listening to this book, good narrator, would recommend this title to anyone who enjoys this type of story.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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A prismatic story of adventure

Brent weeks combines adventure and humour, Simon Vance never disappoints. Fantastic story and performance #Audible1

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    5 out of 5 stars
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great book, skilled narrator

I had a strong feeling I'd enjoy this series; I've read the night angel series first and found it riveting. The narrator is a make it or break it when listening to audio books, in this case the narrator is fantastic! I even found myself dawning the voices he uses for each character when switching back and forth from the audio book to the physical books. I definitely recommend the series and hope to hear the narrator in other audio books

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Writing this review for the whole series

*NO SPOILERS.
These books are something! I feel I can give a good honest review, though of course all art is subjective.

The first book took me a while to get into, but it's worth pushing through even as some things don't make sense. The world begins to build, characters develop and more intricate twists/turns unfold the further into the story you go. These books are well worth a read, and I promise the last book is so rewarding.

My only peeve is that it takes a long time for anything to happen in this series. Slow parts with some repetitive scenes and the author likes to ramble in monologue regarding some of the characters thoughts. I get that this is to show the characters personality, some background, their thought process and wit but in my opinion after 5 books of it, it was a bit overkill and I began accidentally tuning out parts. If two characters are having a conversation, suddenly the next 5 minutes are about Gavin's thoughts and the history of one small aspect of slavery and one slave in particular, that will never come up again... then suddenly the other person speaks and you don't even remember what the conversation was about to begin with. This series could have been finished in 4 books, though I suppose that's just how Brent Weeks writes. Yet at the same time, I also forgive him because he took his time with the ending. Making it into hours of sitting at the edge of your seat waiting for what happens next.

Overall, an amazing world with in depth characters. Bit dragged out in areas but a great series.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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great story and narration!

Absolutely love Brent Weeks writing. entertained at every step of the way. and narrarated extremely well too!

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Great series

This book is a great start to a series worth sticking with. I enjoyed it from start to finish.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Great Fanatasy

Very interesting magic system and characters. Can't wait to continue this series. The reader did a great job aswell.

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