Book description
Dark Rise: A Symphony of Swordplay and Snark
Let's get one thing straight: C.S. Pacat didn't just write a fantasy novel-she reverse-engineered every tired trope in the genre and gave it a much-needed personality transplant.
Meet Will, your average dock boy who discovers he's destined for greatness just in time to inherit a world where the magic department has been closed for renovations. It's like finding out you're the chosen one right after the prophecy expired. The Stewards, those overly dramatic guardians of ancient secrets, have been twiddling their thumbs for centuries waiting for the Dark King's comeback tour. Talk about job security.
What sets this apart from the usual "farm boy saves the world" playlist is Pacat's gleeful subversion of expectations. The ancient heroes aren't noble legends-they're complicated relics with relationship drama that would make your therapist weep. Old flames aren't just metaphorical here; they're actual plot devices that ignite more chaos than a dragon with heartburn.
The audiobook format really shines with narrator Elliot Hill's performance, which manages to make ancient prophecies sound like casual gossip and world-ending battles feel surprisingly intimate. When Will gets thrust into this magical mess, you're right there with him, probably more confused than he is but having twice the fun.
Pacat, educated at Melbourne University and clearly harboring a grudge against every fantasy clichΓ© ever written, crafts a world where the Light versus Dark conflict feels refreshingly human. These aren't black-and-white morality plays- they're family feuds with better special effects.
The real magic trick here is how Pacat makes us care about whether London gets swallowed by darkness while we're still laughing at the absurdity of it all. It's fantasy with a wink, swordplay with style, and exactly the kind of adventure that makes you grateful your biggest problem is remembering to feed the cat.
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Playing a wide variety of audio formats
Works on all devices with iOS 13 and newer
Huge amount of features for a small price
Frequent updates to add new features and improve existing ones
Advanced playback controls
Live sound processing
Changing the timbre of the reader's voice and noise reduction
Translated into more than 20 languages
If you love listening to fiction audiobooks, ListenBook has features to make the process easier.
Edit book data: title, author, cover
Use equalizer to make the sound comfortable for you
Adjust the playback speed
Enjoy dark and light app themes
Supported formats: MP3, M4B, AWB, FLAC, OGG audio files and many more (must be DRM free)
Auto-Bookmarks make it easy to find your place
AirPlay support allows redirection of audio output.
VoiceOver support
Dark mode for night owls
Convenient bookmarking system helps you mark the most important places.
Unlimited bookmarks for each audiobook
Put your own cover on the wager
Share your audiobook with friends
Lock-screen control
Customise app with extensive options
Sleep timer with shake to reset, set custom notification sounds, and a few unique options
Auto rewind depending on paused time, customize rewind times to your liking
Removing background noise from recordings made in classrooms and meetings
Changing the timbre of the reader's voice for a better listening experience