- Title:
- Fires That Forge
- Author:
- R.J. Hanson
- Release:
- March 22, 2021
- Format:
- Audiobook
- Narrator:
- Terry F. Self
- Series:
- Lords of Order and Chaos #1
- Bloodlines Reforged Saga
This is a re-review for me. Book IV, Stalking Shadows is set to release next month, so I felt I was due for a refresher. I originally received this audiobook as a review copy, though I now consider it a personal copy for this review. To say I enjoy this book, series, saga is an understatement. I’m an admin on the official Facebook Group and I run the official wiki.
Much like the first time I listened to this book, the first thing that stands out is the incredible amount of world-building and detail. There are references to characters from other books, locations, history, ranks, titles, etc. There are characters I noticed being mentioned who I know are important later in the series and the saga as a whole. It’s a treat to be able to listen to this book again with context and spot all of these references I didn’t hear on my last re-listen.
While I think it can be a bit overwhelming at times, with so much lore being dumped. It’s the whole reason I made the wiki. I wanted a way to keep track of the lore. Even if you’re not a lore nerd like me, I think the story holds up on its own, and if you’re a lore nerd, you’d in for a real treat.
As it’s a murder mystery and I know who did it this time, I’m amazed at how obvious it is who actually did it, as well as how it’s not entirely clear-cut who did it. The guilty party(ies) do an excellent job of covering their tracks and leaving you guessing. On top of the murder mystery are secondary side plots being casually built that pique my interest, even as a fan of this series for over a year.
The audio narration is excellent. Terry F. Self is one of my flavorite narrators because of this saga. I do have a new phone and I’ve had it close to me as I listen this time. I’m noticing a subtle, ever-present background hissing though. That can be a bit distracting during quiet moments.