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The Unspoken Name
- The Serpent Gates, Book 1
- Narrated by: Avita Jay
- Series: The Serpent Gates Series, Book 1
- Length: 18 hrs and 37 mins
- Categories: Science Fiction & Fantasy, Fantasy
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Publisher's Summary
"Narrator Avita Jay manages a large cast of characters in this fantasy.... Jay captures the growing affection and trust between Csorwe and those she enlists to help her. Most importantly, Jay's narration captures Csorwe's manner and personality as she transforms from a meek priestess to a formidable character." (AudioFile Magazine)
A. K. Larkwood's The Unspoken Name is a stunning debut fantasy about a young priestess sentenced to die, who at the last minute escapes her fate; only to become an assassin for the wizard who saved her.
What if you knew how and when you will die?
Csorwe does - she will climb the mountain, enter the Shrine of the Unspoken, and gain the most honored title: sacrifice.
But on the day of her foretold death, a powerful mage offers her a new fate. Leave with him, and live. Turn away from her destiny and her god to become a thief, a spy, an assassin - the wizard's loyal sword. Topple an empire, and help him reclaim his seat of power.
But Csorwe will soon learn - gods remember, and if you live long enough, all debts come due.
A Macmillan Audio production from Tor Books
"In the vein of Le Guin's magnificent Tombs of Atuan - if Arha the Eaten One got to grow up to be a swordswoman mercenary in thrall to her dubious wizard mentor. I love this book so much." (Arkady Martine, author of A Memory Called Empire)
"Hooked me in from the first page and never let go. Fabulous, in every meaning of the word." (Jenn Lyons, author of Ruin of Kings)
What the critics say
"An unexpected and new take on classic orcs 'n' swords fantasy. Stylish, classy, and timeless - but with racing stripes and an inbuilt camera. I cannot recommend it enough." (Tamsyn Muir, author of Gideon the Ninth)
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What listeners say about The Unspoken Name
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Anonymous User
- 2021-02-12
Feels incomplete
Great concept with poor execution. It's like I'm reading a draft of the characters personalities. Their thoughts and experiences have no depth. The author skims over a significant amount of character development to get to the story, but that leave the experience quite hollow.
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- Lindsay B.
- 2020-03-29
First in a very promising series!
This book is a masterpiece of world building. Every setting was so rich and intriguing that I want to read an entire book set there! Add to that a fast-paced plot and complex, morally-grey characters, and I was hooked from beginning to end. I cannot wait to read what this author brings next!
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- Alpha20
- 2020-02-14
DNF
Couldn't finish, boring. I went back to it several times but it was going no where fast.
5 people found this helpful
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- Nathan
- 2020-02-12
Dry and Boring
DNF- (Might finish later)
Stopped at about 5 hrs into this 18 hrs audiobook. And it is so boring, unexciting that I had to stop. I don't care about the world, I don't care about the characters, and the magic system is no where to be seen. There is a point where the main character is being torture and I almost start to yawn. This is one of the worst epic fantasy that I've picked up. Dull and lazy writing with tons of dry exposition. I normally finish most books I pick up, but this one is making work for it. If I have nothing else to read I might slug though the rest, but at this point I'm burned out on this book.
4 people found this helpful
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- OlliespotSFFBookReviews
- 2020-03-11
Awesome fantasy feast! A.K. Larkwood nailed it!
I don’t think there was a book, that had a more memorable marketing and social media campaign last year, than The Unspoken Name. The buzz was more like an earthquake. In the months leading up to release date, The cover…yes, that cover, was popping up with no title, or author. Just a bad ass orc tooth, with gold bands, and some amazing quotes from some very well-known authors. It took til just now for me to “get it”, no title, no author, I guess it could be said it was “Unspoken.” Genious marketing.
The best part is that it was well deserved. The story was engaging, unexpected, dark, and an all-around fantasy treasure chest of reading. With well crafted, and touching characters, in a fantasy world built around portals that allow travellers to travel from world to world on a hypnotic and almost psychedelic “maze road.” Some worlds in major decay, some still thriving. We see an assortment of high functioning city/kingdoms, hub outposts for the airships in travel built on the side of a canyon, and a few small, out of the way villages, one serving as home for a God/Goddess.
Csorwe, the main character is young, smart, quiet, humble, and on a path to be willingly sacrificed to satisfy the Unnamed Goddess, the Shrine of the Unspoken Name, living in the mountain next to the village she grew up in. I absolutely loved her, and how she grows and gets on in the world, as the story takes place over a good half dozen or so years.
The main storyline follows Csorwe and Belthandros Sethennai – (yes, I agree, that is one doozy of a great name)on a mission to find an ancient artifact, one that will somehow help the wise, and fatherly Belthandros regain his place of power in the world. As likeable as he is at times, it’s hard to not feel like his motives for this magical relic are not as wholesome and straightforward as thought to be.
There follows exciting magical confrontations along the way, another character Csorwe loves to hate, and a deeper part of the story comes into play upon Csorwe’s meeting of Qanwa Shuthmili, referred to as just Shuthmili. Shuthmili has a lot of things in common with Csorwe, she is also living her life for a bigger purpose, and will give her life to help protect the city and people she was born unto. They are great together, and their interactions add a human layer to a very fantastical world, they are the all important cheese to a delicious seven layer dip..(ok, horrible metaphor. But you get it.)
There are twists, and things wrap up very well and in a way that satisfies, yet, it still makes book two a certainty, and something to really look forward to. It is such a masterful, and well thought out magical world, and it’s clear the A.K. Larkwood has poured out her incredible talents and imagination into these pages and I freakin’ loved it.
Also, I had the audiobook and was in love with narrator Avita Jay. Well done and fantastic work, which added to the story all the way.
4.75 out of 5 stars and Highly recommend.
3 people found this helpful
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- Lucas
- 2020-07-05
Inventive, refreshing, and quite damn good
I loved this book. The character writing is wonderful, and I'm so glad to have such good representative fiction.
2 people found this helpful
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- Robert
- 2020-05-09
Meh
At time of writing, I was unable to finish this book.
I listened to roughly 2hrs of it and I really had to struggle to get that far. This is a book that really would benefit from a full cast (at least one female and male member min) cause I hate when they have a person try to do a voice of the opposite sex; worse when the only voices that person can do are Cockney British accents. The Author made the main character very sheltered and ignorant of the world as a way to excuse constant Exposition. the main character is a young "Ork" girl, who was meant to be sacrificed to a God. She ofcourse has doubts (who wouldn't? ), and conveniently a dashing wizard happens to be there and convinces her to leave with him and become his personal assassin, spy, etc.
1 person found this helpful
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- Mike F.
- 2020-03-15
Terrible
Honestly lost interest early on because the names are so long and hard to understand that following characters is more trouble than it is worth.
1 person found this helpful
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- Mr Mellowguy
- 2021-01-07
excellent!
I loved this book! the characters and world are unique and intriguing, and it seems to tackle themes that I have never seen addressed before. a must read.
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- Kindle Customer
- 2020-03-07
Oh. My. God.
This was... perfect. I had little expectations going in, but this absolutely changed the game. I can't reccomend it enough.
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- Michael
- 2020-02-25
Excellent!
Fantastic. Original premise.. great characters. Engaging story.. fans of fantasy are obligated to read this!