Fun, light fantasy

Throne of the Crescent Moon is a pretty good debut novel. I thought the characters were great, the plot fun, and the world a nice change from medieval Europe. The magic is the weakest part of the book, because it seems to be used too easy by the characters, with little or no cost involved. The plot is straight forward and predictable, but entertaining.

The gem in this book is the narrator. I've never listened to a Phil Gigante performance, but I can say he is among the top narrators available on Audible.

If you enjoy sword and sorcery fantasy Throne will be worth your credit. I only gave it 3 stars because I felt it was a bit empty when all was said and done. I like my fantasy with a little more meat to it, but I'll be listening to book 2 when it comes out.

7 people found this helpful

torture trays

I love fiction. I don't do fiction that manipulates the enjoyer with a heavy reliance on torture scenes. So nope for me. You may enjoy fantasy and you may enjoy fiction but if you're not into torture description you may not be able to begin this book. I wasn't. And I was bummed.

6 people found this helpful

fabulous voices!

Would you listen to Throne of the Crescent Moon again? Why?

The voice acting of Throne of the Crescent Moon by Gigante is superb. I listen to a lot of audios and this one is one of the best out there. This isn't just a recitation of a paper product, this is stage acting.

One of the strongest points of this book is Ahmed's the phenomenal characterization. These are real people with real motivations and concerns that I really care about. Gigante's acting is illustrative of the depth of personalities that Ahmed has written.

I love that you can hear Adoulla's tired old bones and Raseed's righteous indignation. You can hear the busyness of the Dhamsawaat streets.

And it sounds to me like things are pronounced correctly, which is so critical to making an audio version being immersive, as Throne of the Crescent Moon is.

The first time I heard Mouw Awa? yeah, my hair stood on end. It's *that* good.

5 people found this helpful

A welcome new voice in fantasy, read with aplomb

Ahmed???s debut is a welcome new voice in fantasy. Beginning with a short, dark prologue of torture which introduces us to a powerful, evil raiser of ghuls known as ???the gaunt man??? and his jackal-faced assistant, we are then introduced to our atypical hero, Dr. Adoulla, ghulhunter: set in a teahouse rather than an inn; set with cardamon tea and a book of poetry rather than stew and a tankard of ale; set with a 60-year old, portly, tired protagonist who longs for retirement rather a group of young adventurers longing for fame and treasure. Haunted by a lingering dream of his beloved city run through by a river of blood ??? a vision introduced in more sinister detail in the prologue ??? Adoulla nonetheless finds the strength to??? stand up from his tea and face the day. In terms of the narration, Gigante???s characterizations really are something here, from the voices of demonic jackal-ghuls to the somewhat pompous and sarcastic Adoulla, to a far-flung cast of characters from cross-eyed restaurateurs to the regal Falcon Prince, beggars, on and on. The principal narration is performed in a tone which fits both the dark and yet somehow also, in its way, playful content, as Ahmed???s abiding love for fantasy and D&D as source material are evident. I'm looking forward to more in this series.

12 people found this helpful

Fun adventure story, but the narrator is too hammy

I have a feeling I'd take this novel more seriously if it were read by someone who didn't feel compelled to overact. Phil Gigante seems popular, but I found him often nearly painful to listen to. His conceptions of the characters are cartoonish -- each one has only one mood as far as he's concerned. Since the Bedouin girl is initially angry and snappish, she always sounds angry and snappish, even when she's supposed to be talking about tender feelings. I might try another Saladin Ahmed novel in the future. I like the Middle Eastern context, and I have hopes he'll get past the modified superhero storyline, but I'll stay away from Gigante narrations from now on.

6 people found this helpful

Great (non European!) Fantasy

What other book might you compare Throne of the Crescent Moon to and why?

I bought this book after reading the Hundred Thousand Kingdoms trilogy and was looking for another fantasy novel with persons of color. This fit the bill perfectly!

What does Phil Gigante bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I really enjoy listening to fantasy audiobooks because I can hear how different words are pronounced. Gigante also does creepy voices really well which makes the villains come alive.

Any additional comments?

The story is a little predictable and I felt the ending was a little rushed, but I would definitely read/listen to another book by Ahmed.

2 people found this helpful

A ghulish tale

If you could sum up Throne of the Crescent Moon in three words, what would they be?

Good against evil

What was one of the most memorable moments of Throne of the Crescent Moon?

While the book seemingly focuses on the fight of good against evil, really it is a book about introspection. The key characters in the book are all reassessing their lives during their struggle. Their inner struggles trump the outer struggles in my mind. Looking forward to their future adventures.

Which character – as performed by Phil Gigante – was your favorite?

Cannot pick one

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I never want to listen in one sitting

1 person found this helpful

Sword and sorcery in the Levant

Throne of the Crescent Moon by Saladin Ahmed is a well-executed sword and sorcery tale that take place in the Levant. Comprising an exclusive Arab-type cast with a pseudo-Islamic type religious orientation, evil ghuls exist that kill humans with specialized individuals with magical skills that fight them. The main character is an aging ghul hunter looking for one last adventure before retirement and stumbles across what appears to be a powerful ghul sorcerer. Aided with an ensemble cast including a dervish warrior, a husband / wife mage / alchemist team, and a nomadic lion shifting young girl, the battle is on. At the same time, in the city, a Robin Hood type character is trying to bring down the powerful caliphate head which adds to the confusion.

Ahmed crafts an engaging and fast-moving tale that blends actions and deduction effortlessly. The ensemble nature of the various band of intrepid ghul hunters work together smoothly. At the same time, the corruption of big city politics is on full display. The Robin Hood character was an interesting diversion that comes in handy later in the tale. Perhaps the only is the naïve notion that with a vague and ill-defined threat to the city, trying to convince the top dog is not the best course of action when no one else sees the dangers ahead.

The narration is great with solid character distinction. Pacing is smooth throughout.

Amazing narration but story left me unsatisfied

Unbelievably great narration, really what makes it worth listening to. The author does a good job of description-the cities, the characters, the ghouls—all painted beautifully but the story itself was sluggish and the ending too quick and easy.

Stellar Narrator, Decent Enough Story

Listen to this for the absolutely outstanding narrator's performance. The story is alright at best, leaving a bit too soon, setting up for a sequel that doesn't seem to be forthcoming.