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Locklands

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Locklands

By: Robert Jackson Bennett
Narrated by: Tara Sands
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About this listen

Once, Sancia Grado was just a thief with a grudge and a rare talent. Then she learned how to use that talent, and beat the great merchant houses of Tevanne at their own game. With Clef and Berenice, she even saw off an immortal hierophant—but the war they're fighting now is one they know they can't win.

This time, they're not facing robber-baron elites or an immortal hierophant, but an entity whose intelligence is spread over half the globe: a ghost in the machine using the magic of scriving to possess and control not just objects but human minds.

Despite all their efforts, their enemy marches on, implacable, unstoppable—and it's closing in on its true prize: an ancient doorway that leads to the centre of creation itself.

Sancia and her friends glimpse a last desperate opportunity to stop this unbeatable foe—but to do so, they'll have to unlock the centuries-old mystery of scriving's origins and pull off the most daring heist they've ever attempted.

And as if that weren't enough, their adversary might just have a spy in their ranks—and a last trick up its sleeve....

©2022 Robert Jackson Bennett (P)2022 Penguin Audio Action & Adventure Epic Epic Fantasy Fantasy Fiction Paranormal

Critic reviews

"One of the best fantasy writers on the scene today." (Kirkus Reviews)
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Ok not my cup of tea Trilogy began with interesting characters and seemed to have promise as a steampunk type adventure. For me the characters disappeared in the plot which rapidly introduced big ideas overpowered enemies time jumps reality altering magic etc never felt like the story ever grounded itself again the author has a good imagination but the trilogy didn't live up to promise of first book for me some liked it however

unique world building full of promise

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RJB has written something really special here. The last time I enjoyed a fantasy trilogy as much as I did this one was when I read Mistborn. The only downside of this whole series is the swearing, it some how feels disingenuine to the world the story takes place. In this awe-inspiring world filled with fantastical elements, with its own lore and different types of people in it. Whenever the MC gets emotional, all of a sudden she transform into a classical American teenager.

4.5 Stars

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The author lands the ending of this trilogy with this satisfying conclusion to the series. Sancia is a tragic figure in this rather than the frustratingly stupid protagonist of the previous books. Some great action scenes and a lovely ending.

Narration was good.

Book 3 - Sancia stops making dumb decisions

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I got this title because I am a fan of the Leviathan series. However, this is nothing like it. It's a story of rebellion and a warning against changing the nature of the world we live in, including human alterations. it presents technology as a force for good until it's misused, which causes great suffering instead of bringing enlightenment and progress.
I enjoyed the first book, but then the story loses it's momentum and slows down unbearably, which is particularly so thanks to the narration. The overly melodramatic performance with long pauses and drawn-out words made me feel the narrator was paid by the minute and wanted to squeeze every drop out of it. In the end, I had to speed up to be able to listen again. Before that decision, I stopped listening twice and switched to other books, one of which was book 2 in the Leviathan series, which was fantastic.
To sum up, listening to this series doesn't do it justice. Choose an alternative method of reading this series as I feel my experience is affected by the quality of narration.

interesting concepts

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I was a little on the fence with if I was going to finish this series. I’m glad I did since the world was so unique. And I kept listening to it. By the end though I was a little tired of the narration.

What an end

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