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  • The Kinsmen Universe

  • Written by: Ilona Andrews
  • Narrated by: Samantha Cook
  • Length: 7 hrs and 15 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (45 ratings)

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The Kinsmen Universe

Written by: Ilona Andrews
Narrated by: Samantha Cook
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Publisher's Summary

This is an anthology edition of the Kinsmen Universe, which includes Silent Blade and Silver Shark, plus a new short story.

Family is everything. Talent is power. And revenge is sweet.

In a distant, future world Kinsmen - small powerful groups of genetically and technologically advanced families - control vast financial empires. They are their own country, their own rulers, and their only limits are other Kinsmen. The struggle for power is a bloody, full-contact sport: in business, on the battlefield...and sometimes in the bedroom.

Silent Blade
Old hatreds die hard. Old love dies harder. 

On the planet Rada, Meli Galdes' family is of minor rank, and were relying on her marriage to Celino, the razor-smart, ruthless leader of the powerful Carvanna empire. When he abruptly breaks their engagement, he ruins her family and guarantees that Meli will never marry, as no suitor will oppose the rich and influential Carvannas. 

But Meli has a rare, secret, lethal - and valuable - talent. As a melder of energy, she's capable of severing anything in her path. So she "leaves" her family and trains to become one of the best and most lethal of assassins, all the while covertly guarding her family's interests. Now she's ready to quit; but she has one more assignment. 

To kill the man who ruined her life. 

Silver Shark
Claire Shannon is a killer...and her weapon is her mind. 

Born on a planet torn by war for over 300 years, Claire is a soldier: a psycher, with the ability to read, control, and destroy the minds of enemy psychers and to infiltrate the biological network where they battle to death. 

When Claire's faction loses the war, she barely escapes extermination from both sides, as her talent brands her as too dangerous to society. By so-deeply burying her ability that she avoids detection, Claire is instead deported to Rada as a refugee, where she must find work to remain. She finds a job as personal assistant to Venturo Escana, a premiere kinsman; one of Rada's most wealthy entrepreneurs - and most powerful psychers. 

She thought she had left war behind, but now she must hide her skills and her growing feelings from Venturo...and this battle might just cost her everything....

"A Mere Formality"
The leader of the fierce Reigh people expires during an intergalactic summit, putting 30 million colonists' lives and livelihoods in jeopardy. When the new heir to the Reigh throne, Lord Nagrad, demands restitution, the phrase "'a life for a life" turns the intergalactic calamity into an arranged marriage contract between Lord Nagrad and sharply intelligent diplomatic analyst Deirdre Lebed...and the negotiation of terms becomes anything but formal!

©2018 Iona Andrews (P)2019 Ilona Andrews

What listeners say about The Kinsmen Universe

Average Customer Ratings
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Fantastic read!

As the story goes it's fantastic. I like the characters and the skills, also I think it's very detailed. The only reason I gave it 4 stars was that I want more to read about the universe.

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2 people found this helpful

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    1 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

a teenage boy trying to write female perspective

I couldn't finish it, I thought it would be good to read more female perspective sci-fi only to be ambushed by overwrought writing with anime like hormonal undertones. I realized after that this is a pseudonym for a husband and wife team, but there is plenty of male perspective that comes through the light veneer of feminism.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

not as good as other series by these authors

The Kinsmen Unavers, the total of the latest book by Ilona Andrew that I have listed to recently. 


I do very much enjoy this writing team's works. Thus later book has it moments. Sadly it feel like they are focusing on retelling the same story again. Just using different characters. Don't get me wrong I enjoy people fining a connection. However there is more then just meeting someone. There is the life lived together. 


I am a fan of the Kate Daniels series and absolutely in love with the sweeper series and I hope that they continue those wounderful book and not get distracted Wright new world telling the same story.


The narrative was OK, I guess I miss Renée amazing performances. 


Understand that there are some interesting characters and a few good moments making this book an ok read. Sadly it's just not captivating me as much as the others series.


Yours David Evil Midknight 😈 

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  • 🔵🔷🔹Kaly🔹🔷🔵
  • 2019-03-09

SURPRISING TREAT!

I won a copy of Silver Shark a few years ago, and fell in love with the Kinsmen Universe. Imagine my surprise when I was checking for "New Releases" in Audible today, and found this anthology!

This audiobook is worth the credit and your time. Highly recommended stories.

THANK YOU for releasing this audio version of the Kinsmen Universe!

5 AWESOME STARS!!!

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25 people found this helpful

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    1 out of 5 stars
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  • SweetStacy
  • 2019-04-23

Not a good audio at all

Ive tried repeatedly to listen to this and I just cant, Ive slowed it down sped back up etc. The reader sounds like shes delivering a political speech or reading the news/weather but they know how to read without sounding completely off balance. Im sorry but had to say something for others.

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24 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars
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  • opiffle
  • 2019-04-07

Narration is very important.

When I read these stories, I enjoyed them very much rating all three of them at 4 stars. Unfortunately the narrator, Samantha Cook, ends every sentence in a way that was a complete detraction for me. I will not listen to another book that she reads.

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19 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars
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  • Mermaid Cynthia
  • 2019-06-10

Meh

It was hard to follow or listen to the story line but I did listen until the end because I used my credit. It seems like a compilation of stories that the author made up pre-college days or beginners writing days.
I assume they are looking for new narrators for the last few books, because there are several different narrators being tested out, this one was not my favorite, I was struggling with listening. and in the other books it has also been tough listening ... but at least the story lines held up for me to tolerate the narrating, I'm sorry to say... not this time.
I'm sorry Rene Raudman about whatever the drama is, but its obvious, either they need new narrators or you have moved on. I'm not happy about it but that's life.
Believe it or not I am a big fan of Ilona Andrews writings although, this was not my favorite from the authors.

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14 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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  • Mae
  • 2019-03-15

Love this world

I read the first two books a while ago and was very happy to see them in audio form. Ilona Andrews is (are?) the only author that I can say that I love everything she (they) have written. Many authors will put out several good books and then one or two that aren't as good but this team only produces high quality books. Every one is excellent. And I've read them all, and bought every audio book.

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12 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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  • Elizabeth F
  • 2019-06-06

DNF Due to Flat Narrator

I’m usually pretty forgiving of differences in narrators and styles and can get accustomed to them pretty quickly. Not for this one. There just was no emotion whatsoever. Everything seemed so flat and factual — NOT the tone for this story. I only got through one of the short stories, and it wasn’t enjoyable. Thankfully I have the Kindle version too so I can read the rest instead.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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  • Tracy
  • 2019-03-27

Finally!

If Silent Blade wasn't the very first eBook I've bought, it was among the first five. The story thoroughly enthralled me those decades ago. Since my disability, I have recently searched and searched for a way to have it TTS.

Finally, I found The Kinsmen Universe, prompted by a favorable mention of Ilona Andrews. Of course that kicked Silent Blade to the forefront of my mind--yet again. So I did a search on audible to see what other books, if any, were available. The first title, apparently the most recent posted, was The Kinsmen Universe. That sounded really familiar, and when I read the publisher notes, lo and behold, there Was Silent Blade--as and audiobook! Along with another novella and a short story.

I listened to the Kinsmen Universe twice, back to back. The voice performance was excellent, and the two other stories, which were new to me, were just as enjoyable as Silent Blade.

I'd really, really love to hear a full blown novel set in this universe!

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5 people found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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  • IreneMBBT
  • 2019-03-31

early short stories with promise

An interesting collection of Andrews’ early short stories that show promise of the talent they would grow into. They are set in space, in the city of New Delphi, on the planet Rada, an Earth colony, but don’t come across as really Sci-Fi. Mostly romance; with a touch of suspense and adventure.
Ch2-6: Silent Blade - ok, but disconnect between family issue targeting Carvanno and Meli’s actions
Ch7-15: Silver Shark - good, but disconnect at the Major decommissioning Claire’s team.
Ch16-17: A Mere Formality - good. I felt a touch of Sweep of the Blade in this one. Hope Andrews can publish SOTB this year- it was simply wonderful to follow the installments on the author’s web page/blog in 2018.
Cook’s voice as narrator didn’t add to the story for me. She was hit and miss on voices - Meli and computer ok, Agostino No.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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  • Mary Miracle
  • 2019-03-25

Loved some and hated some

I loved the new sci fantasy plot and hi tech intrigue. Narrator was a bit to mechanical with her voice. Would’ve been better with a narrator sliding words instead of plunking them verbally down.
Hope I can find full books with less emphasis on sex and more into character builds and plot extension. People sex isn’t everything, sometimes less is more!

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4 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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  • Kindle Customer
  • 2019-06-02

Great story terrible narration

I love Ilona Andrews books, always read them first when I have a bunch of books available. The narration on this one was just horrible to the point where it made me want to delete the book off my phone several times. Only the storyline kept me listening. Other Ilona Andrews books have great narration, don't know what happened here.

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3 people found this helpful

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