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City of Last Chances

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City of Last Chances

By: Adrian Tchaikovsky
Narrated by: David Thorpe
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About this listen

Arthur C. Clarke winner and Sunday Times bestseller Adrian Tchaikovsky's triumphant return to fantasy with a darkly inventive portrait of a city under occupation and on the verge of revolution.

There has always been a darkness to Ilmar, but never more so than now. The city chafes under the heavy hand of the Palleseen occupation, the choke-hold of its criminal underworld, the boot of its factory owners, the weight of its wretched poor and the burden of its ancient curse.

What will be the spark that lights the conflagration?

Despite the city's refugees, wanderers, murderers, madmen, fanatics and thieves, the catalyst, as always, will be the Anchorwood–that dark grove of trees, that primeval remnant, that portal, when the moon is full, to strange and distant shores.

Ilmar, some say, is the worst place in the world and the gateway to a thousand worse places.

Ilmar, City of Long Shadows.

City of Bad Decisions.

City of Last Chances.

©2022 Adrian Tchaikovsky (P)2022 Head of Zeus Action & Adventure Epic Epic Fantasy Fantasy Fiction Crime Paranormal
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Authors often start rocky, and then improve in time. Some reach their potential early, then understandably fall into grooves. Tchaikovsky is neither of these types of author - his first book started a fire in me, then has innovated and expanded with every following book he wrote. And City of Last Chances sits atop that pinnacle.

This book, like all his work, is a rare find. An unpredictable, superb story set in a world that’s equally so. The characters both mesh into a truly strange setting and get feel real, with a stellar performance from the VA.

So I’m genuinely jealous of you, currently reading this review - you’ve probably not read this book yet. I wish I could go back and experience for the first time - and you can do that right now.

The best fantasy book I’ve read in a long long time.

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Excellent, even by Adrian Thchaikovsky's extremely high standards. A thoroughly engrossing and engaging story full of rounded, utterly believable characters, in an unforgettable city.

Superb narration by David Thorpe too, lending each character a unique and distinctive tone.

Highly Recommended

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Huge fan of Adrian and after devouring the empire in black and gold series (which is truly epic) I had high hopes for this book. It starts hopeful but I found it hard to follow and was left not quite sure what had actually happened at the end! On reflection I believe it’s due to the disjointed character changes and background histories that are never fully explained. Love this guys work but this was a no no for me so won’t be seeking out the second book

Confusing

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The world created and the back story of the is orrery good. The only issue is the number of characters and side stories and it takes too long for the sorry to start getting anywhere, and when it does I’ve forgotten what happened to a character in their last chapter

Great world, confusing story

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This books seems to run on the saying "Everyone is the hero of their own story" and this book has so many interesting characters.
The world is also just a mad of ideas that could be individual stories just as well. A fantasy city under occupation from a strange Nation that aims to perfect the world by rendering magic down to pure power for their own use, a university of ideal driven students, demon powered factories, gangs of organised crime and underground magic users. And that's just the stuff on the surface, this world has a depth that just unfurls so naturally in your mind, it's a treat to read.

A fantasticly novel take on fantasy

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