-
Troubled Waters
- Elemental Blessings, Book 1
- Narrated by: Jennifer Van Dyck
- Length: 13 hrs and 58 mins
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Buy for $21.95
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
Royal Airs
- Elemental Blessings, Book 2
- By: Sharon Shinn
- Narrated by: Jennifer Van Dyck
- Length: 14 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Josetta is a princess of one of the Five Families. But she is far from the throne, so she is free to spend her days working in the poorest sections of the city. Rafe Adova, an outcast since he was born, lives the life of a career gambler in those slums. He has no ambition other than cheating at the card tables - until the night he decides to help a girl named Corene, who looks like she's stumbled into the wrong bar.
-
-
Nice contiune of Troubled Waters
- By Coral on 12-30-13
By: Sharon Shinn
-
Mystic and Rider
- The Twelve Houses, Book 1
- By: Sharon Shinn
- Narrated by: Jennifer Van Dyck, Sharon Shinn
- Length: 15 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The fire mystic Senneth crosses the country of Gillengaria on a mission for the king, trying to discover if noble marlords from the Twelve Houses are planning an uprising. She is accompanied by the soldiers Justin and Tayse, two King's Riders who are unswervingly loyal to the crown. Also on the journey are the shape-changers Kirra and Donnal, and a young mystic named Cammon who can practically read minds.
-
-
Light fantasy, heavy romance
- By Ted on 07-02-09
By: Sharon Shinn
-
Archangel
- Samaria, Book 1
- By: Sharon Shinn
- Narrated by: Tamara Marston
- Length: 17 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A tale of the distant future by the author of The Shape-Changer's Wife brings listeners to a world in which the fate of all life rests on the voice of an angel.
-
-
A great story, narrrated well
- By Amazon Customer on 11-19-11
By: Sharon Shinn
-
Summers at Castle Auburn
- By: Sharon Shinn
- Narrated by: Gabrielle Baker
- Length: 14 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
As a child, Coriel Halsing spent many glorious summers at Castle Auburn with her half-sister - and fell in love with a handsome prince who could never be hers. But now that she is a young woman, she begins to see the dark side of this magical place....
-
-
Fantastic book, disappointing narration.
- By Meredith on 09-16-18
By: Sharon Shinn
-
Echo in Onyx
- Uncommon Echoes, Book 1
- By: Sharon Shinn
- Narrated by: Emily Bauer
- Length: 15 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Brianna loves her new job as maid to Lady Marguerite. Like many high nobles, Marguerite is attended by echoes, silent creatures who look exactly like her and move in perfect synchronicity. News soon comes that Marguerite has been invited to the royal city as a potential bride for the crown prince. Brianna is delighted to accompany Marguerite to the city - and perhaps get a chance to continue her own flirtation with Nico, one of the king’s inquisitors. Then, disaster strikes on the road when they come under attack.
-
-
A Dangerous Masquerade
- By Dhagan on 04-15-19
By: Sharon Shinn
-
Cast in Shadow
- Chronicles of Elantra, Book 1
- By: Michelle Sagara
- Narrated by: Khristine Hvam
- Length: 14 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Seven years ago Kaylin fled the crime-riddled streets of Nightshade, knowing that something was after her. Children were being murdered— and all had the same odd markings that mysteriously appeared on her own skin….Since then, she's learned to read, she's learned to fight and she's become one of the vaunted Hawks who patrol and police the City of Elantra. Alongside the winged Aerians and the immortal Barrani, she's made a place for herself, far from the mean streets of her birth.
-
-
Addicted to the series, but leaves you hanging...
- By Amanda on 04-11-12
By: Michelle Sagara
-
Royal Airs
- Elemental Blessings, Book 2
- By: Sharon Shinn
- Narrated by: Jennifer Van Dyck
- Length: 14 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Josetta is a princess of one of the Five Families. But she is far from the throne, so she is free to spend her days working in the poorest sections of the city. Rafe Adova, an outcast since he was born, lives the life of a career gambler in those slums. He has no ambition other than cheating at the card tables - until the night he decides to help a girl named Corene, who looks like she's stumbled into the wrong bar.
-
-
Nice contiune of Troubled Waters
- By Coral on 12-30-13
By: Sharon Shinn
-
Mystic and Rider
- The Twelve Houses, Book 1
- By: Sharon Shinn
- Narrated by: Jennifer Van Dyck, Sharon Shinn
- Length: 15 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The fire mystic Senneth crosses the country of Gillengaria on a mission for the king, trying to discover if noble marlords from the Twelve Houses are planning an uprising. She is accompanied by the soldiers Justin and Tayse, two King's Riders who are unswervingly loyal to the crown. Also on the journey are the shape-changers Kirra and Donnal, and a young mystic named Cammon who can practically read minds.
-
-
Light fantasy, heavy romance
- By Ted on 07-02-09
By: Sharon Shinn
-
Archangel
- Samaria, Book 1
- By: Sharon Shinn
- Narrated by: Tamara Marston
- Length: 17 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A tale of the distant future by the author of The Shape-Changer's Wife brings listeners to a world in which the fate of all life rests on the voice of an angel.
-
-
A great story, narrrated well
- By Amazon Customer on 11-19-11
By: Sharon Shinn
-
Summers at Castle Auburn
- By: Sharon Shinn
- Narrated by: Gabrielle Baker
- Length: 14 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
As a child, Coriel Halsing spent many glorious summers at Castle Auburn with her half-sister - and fell in love with a handsome prince who could never be hers. But now that she is a young woman, she begins to see the dark side of this magical place....
-
-
Fantastic book, disappointing narration.
- By Meredith on 09-16-18
By: Sharon Shinn
-
Echo in Onyx
- Uncommon Echoes, Book 1
- By: Sharon Shinn
- Narrated by: Emily Bauer
- Length: 15 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Brianna loves her new job as maid to Lady Marguerite. Like many high nobles, Marguerite is attended by echoes, silent creatures who look exactly like her and move in perfect synchronicity. News soon comes that Marguerite has been invited to the royal city as a potential bride for the crown prince. Brianna is delighted to accompany Marguerite to the city - and perhaps get a chance to continue her own flirtation with Nico, one of the king’s inquisitors. Then, disaster strikes on the road when they come under attack.
-
-
A Dangerous Masquerade
- By Dhagan on 04-15-19
By: Sharon Shinn
-
Cast in Shadow
- Chronicles of Elantra, Book 1
- By: Michelle Sagara
- Narrated by: Khristine Hvam
- Length: 14 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Seven years ago Kaylin fled the crime-riddled streets of Nightshade, knowing that something was after her. Children were being murdered— and all had the same odd markings that mysteriously appeared on her own skin….Since then, she's learned to read, she's learned to fight and she's become one of the vaunted Hawks who patrol and police the City of Elantra. Alongside the winged Aerians and the immortal Barrani, she's made a place for herself, far from the mean streets of her birth.
-
-
Addicted to the series, but leaves you hanging...
- By Amanda on 04-11-12
By: Michelle Sagara
-
Dreamer's Pool
- Blackthorn & Grim, Book 1
- By: Juliet Marillier
- Narrated by: Scott Aiello, Natalie Gold, Nick Sullivan
- Length: 17 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In exchange for help escaping her long and wrongful imprisonment, embittered magical healer Blackthorn has vowed to set aside her bid for vengeance against the man who destroyed all that she once held dear. Followed by a former prison mate, a silent hulk of a man named Grim, she travels north to Dalriada. There she'll live on the fringe of a mysterious forest, duty bound for seven years to assist anyone who asks for her help. Oran, crown prince of Dalriada, has waited anxiously for the arrival of his future bride, Lady Flidais.
-
-
Beautiful story, pretty solid narration
- By Anya on 11-19-14
By: Juliet Marillier
-
The Bone Doll's Twin
- Tamir Triad, Book 1
- By: Lynn Flewelling
- Narrated by: Victor Bevine, Lynn Flewelling
- Length: 16 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
As people start to recall the Oracle's prophecy, Erius begins to quietly kill off his female relatives who pose the only threat to his monarchy. Constantly in fear for her life, Princess Ariani the King's sister, gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl. But Ariani is married to Lord Rhius, the patron of the powerful wizard Iya, and Iya has sinister plans for the babes.
-
-
Read After First Three Books in Nightrunner Series
- By John on 07-30-11
By: Lynn Flewelling
-
The Emperor's Wolves
- The Wolves of Elantra, Book 1
- By: Michelle Sagara
- Narrated by: Khristine Hvam
- Length: 17 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Multiple races carefully navigate the City of Elantra under the Dragon Emperor’s wing. His Imperial Wolves are executioners, the smallest group to serve in the Halls of Law. The populace calls them assassins. Every wolf candidate must consent to a full examination by the Tha’alani, one of the most feared and distrusted races in Elantra for their ability to read minds. Most candidates don’t finish their job interviews.
-
-
Excellent and long waited for
- By Wendy on 10-16-20
By: Michelle Sagara
-
Penric’s Demon
- A Fantasy Novella in the World of the Five Gods
- By: Lois McMaster Bujold
- Narrated by: Grover Gardner
- Length: 4 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
On his way to his betrothal, young Lord Penric comes upon a riding accident with an elderly lady on the ground, her maidservant and guardsmen distraught. As he approaches to help, he discovers that the lady is a Temple divine, servant to the five gods of this world. Her avowed god is the Bastard, "master of all disasters out of season", and with her dying breath she bequeaths her mysterious powers to Penric.
-
-
A Kinder, Gentler Demon
- By Carol on 01-10-16
-
The First Sister
- The First Sister Trilogy, Book 1
- By: Linden Lewis
- Narrated by: Neo Cihi, Gary Tiedemann, Emily Woo Zeller
- Length: 12 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
First Sister has no name and no voice. As a priestess of the Sisterhood, she travels the stars alongside the soldiers of Earth and Mars - the same ones who own the rights to her body and soul. When her former captain abandons her, First Sister’s hopes for freedom are dashed when she is forced to stay on her ship with no friends, no power, and a new captain - Saito Ren - whom she knows nothing about. She is commanded to spy on Captain Ren by the Sisterhood, but soon discovers that working for the war effort is much harder when you’re falling in love.
-
-
Fresh bold story with a jaw dropping twist
- By Erica Paulk on 09-01-20
By: Linden Lewis
-
Dragon's Reach
- The Keeper Origins, Book 1
- By: JA Andrews
- Narrated by: Kate Reading
- Length: 22 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The truth is neither plain nor simple. Sable, a reluctant thief from the slums, can feel truth when people speak. For years she’s been using that skill to try to break free from the vicious gang boss to whom she's indebted. Escape comes in the form of an odd set of companions: a dwarf running from the past, an actor with a magical, glowing tree, a too-helpful kobold, a playwright with a knack for getting stories out of people, and a man and woman with suspicious, magical powers. But Sable’s freedom is short lived.
-
-
More Keepers please!
- By Bigt983 on 01-28-21
By: JA Andrews
-
Joust
- Dragon Jousters, Book 1
- By: Mercedes Lackey
- Narrated by: Ryan Burke
- Length: 12 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The first audiobook in this thrilling new series introduces us to a young slave who dreams of becoming a jouster - one of the few warriors who can actually ride a flying dragon. And so, in secret, he begins to raise his own dragon....
-
-
Fantastic
- By Krystalline on 03-22-19
By: Mercedes Lackey
-
Daughter of the Forest
- Sevenwaters, Book 1
- By: Juliet Marillier
- Narrated by: Terry Donnelly
- Length: 26 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Lovely Sorcha is the seventh child and only daughter of Lord Colum of Sevenwaters. Bereft of a mother, she is comforted by her six brothers who love and protect her. Sorcha is the light in their lives and they are determined that she know only contentment. But Sorcha's joy is shattered when her father is bewitched by his new wife, an evil enchantress who binds her brothers with a terrible spell, a spell which only Sorcha can lift - by staying silent.
-
-
Ridiculous and depressing, even for fantasty
- By B. Smith on 08-21-20
By: Juliet Marillier
-
The Harp of Kings
- By: Juliet Marillier
- Narrated by: Moira Quirk, Alex Wyndham, Frazer Douglas
- Length: 15 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Eighteen-year-old Liobhan is a powerful singer and an expert whistle player. Her brother has a voice to melt the hardest heart, and is a rare talent on the harp. But Liobhan's burning ambition is to join the elite warrior band on Swan Island. She and her brother train there to compete for places, and find themselves joining a mission while still candidates. Their unusual blend of skills makes them ideal for this particular job, which requires going undercover as traveling minstrels. For Swan Island trains both warriors and spies.
-
-
THIS IS BLACKTHORN & GRIM'S CHILDREN
- By Rinogirl on 10-23-19
By: Juliet Marillier
-
Dragonhaven
- By: Robin McKinley
- Narrated by: Noah Galvin
- Length: 13 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Dragons are extinct in the wild, but the Makepeace Institute of Integrated Dragon Studies in Smokehill National Park is home to about two hundred of the world's remaining creatures. Until Jake discovers a dying dragon that has given birth - and one of the babies is still alive.
-
-
The best audio performance I’ve ever heard
- By doorkeepr on 09-27-18
By: Robin McKinley
-
Swordheart
- By: T. Kingfisher
- Narrated by: Jesse Vilinsky
- Length: 14 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Halla is a housekeeper who has suddenly inherited her great-uncle's estate...and, unfortunately, his relatives. Sarkis is an immortal swordsman trapped in a prison of enchanted steel. When Halla draws the sword that imprisons him, Sarkis finds himself attempting to defend his new wielder against everything from bandits and roving inquisitors to her own in-laws...and the sword itself may prove to be the greatest threat of all.
-
-
refreshing
- By Ijw on 04-14-21
By: T. Kingfisher
-
The Golem and the Jinni
- A Novel
- By: Helene Wecker
- Narrated by: George Guidall
- Length: 19 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Helene Wecker's dazzling debut novel tells the story of two supernatural creatures who appear mysteriously in 1899 New York. Chava is a golem, a creature made of clay, brought to life by a strange man who dabbles in dark Kabbalistic magic. When her master dies at sea on the voyage from Poland, she is unmoored and adrift as the ship arrives in New York Harbor. Ahmad is a jinni, a being of fire, born in the ancient Syrian Desert. Trapped in an old copper flask by a Bedouin wizard centuries ago, he is released accidentally by a tinsmith in a Lower Manhattan shop.
-
-
What does it mean to be human?
- By Janice on 08-05-13
By: Helene Wecker
Publisher's Summary
The author of the Twelve Hours series welcomes readers to a new fantasy world, where the elements rule.
Zoe Ardelay receives astonishing and unwelcome news: she has been chosen to become the king's fifth wife. Forced to go to the royal city, she manages to slip away and hide on the shores of the mighty river.
It's there that Zoe realizes she is a coru prime, ruled by the elemental sign of water. She must return to the palace, not as an unwilling bride for the king, but a woman with power in her own right. But as Zoe unlocks more of the mysteries of her blood - and the secrets of the royal family - she must decide how to use her great power to rise above the deceptions and intrigue of the royal court.
Critic Reviews
More from the same
Author
Narrator
What listeners say about Troubled Waters
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Kindle Customer
- 07-11-12
Magical Fantasy
This is a good solid fantasy with some romance in it. This book reminded me of an Anne McAffrey book with no dragons, but magical powers displayed instead. It is a mild adventure with a sweet romance that doesn't contain an explicit scene at all. Thank you Sharan Shinn! It is mostly character driven and I, at least, really enjoyed the characters. I feel the world was very well-drawn and the characters, magic and plot were interesting. The story has an ending where there are a few loose ends, but the main plot and romance do get tied up. The main character starts out with a will about the consistency of milk toast -- very vulnerable, and ends up with a backbone of steel with immense power and capabilities. I thought it was solidly written. It isn't an action packed adventure, but it is a good story. Anyway, I'm glad to have found this author and I will check out some of her other books. If you like character-driven stories and lovely, sweet romances, you will enjoy this story. I have no complaints with the narrator other than a minor character accent problem. No other problems, otherwise it was very well narrated.
20 people found this helpful
-
Overall
- Dr Dionne P Joseph
- 04-02-11
lovely, lovely, lovely!
i just love sharon shinn's writing. this one is rather slower paced than most and it took me a while to get into. in fact, i nearly gave up after part 1 but decided to stick with it. the pace really picks up at the beginning of part 2.
i thoroughly enjoyed this book. the characters are interesting, the reading excellent and the world-view created is beautifully thought through. i was really sorry to get to the end and frantically searched audible for more of sharon's work. i had a thoroughly enjoyable 10 hours or so listening. am so looking forward for the rest of the series. one of my most enjoyable listens on audible. more sharon shinn. please!
11 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Jenny
- 05-21-13
Fun, nice ideas, and not too challenging
What I liked about this story
The fully fleshed culture. Sharon Shinn really knows how to create a culture with a fully realized set of beliefs, and traditions. And she carries this through very well, explaining celebrations, as well as daily rituals and interactions. It feels like a real place that I would love to go to and study, it's full bodied! I also enjoyed how we really move around the whole world, following our character through a nice variety of living situations. We really get a sense of how everyone lives, and how this world sustains itself. I belive this storys strengths are in these day to day reactions and lives. The window into each little world contained within the larger whole. It's the over arching connection that is a little weak.
What I didn't like
The love story is a bit weak, a long the lines of "And they were soul mates, Ta-da!" The main character is almost a little too powerful, and a little too unchecked. Answers were sometimes a little to ready at hand. Evil characters are too easily an embodiment of all ills.
Overall, I enjoyed a lot of the elements of this book, and it's a nice light-hearted listen. I will probably listen to this again in a casual manner if I'm doing housework or the like.
7 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Kjersti
- 06-06-12
Easy entertainment
Would you consider the audio edition of Troubled Waters to be better than the print version?
I haven't read the printed version, so it's hard to say. But the performance is fine, and allows us to engage in the story, so it works great as an audio book.
What did you like best about this story?
This story is an easy read (or listen), with an engaging story, likable characters and enough court intrigue to make things interesting. Although you can guess where the romantic interest will be rather early on, as "brain candy" this story is the perfect entertainment when you don't want to think too hard afterwards. At the same time, it's not so fluffy and light that your teeth will ache (as per the candy reference).
Sharon Shinn has created a very interesting world in this novel, and I'd love to read more stories from it.
Which character – as performed by Jennifer Van Dyck – was your favorite?
I liked the heroine, but over all I thought most of the characters were well thought out and performed. Sometimes Van Dyck couldn't keep the accents straight, but it wasn't much of a problem.
Any additional comments?
Go listen to this! :)
6 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Katherine
- 01-13-11
Really pleasant
Zoe Ardelay and her father, once the king???s closest advisor, have been in exile for ten years. After her father dies, the king???s new advisor, Darien Serlast, shows up in Zoe???s village to escort her back to court because she???s been chosen to be the king???s fifth wife. At first Zoe is numb with grief and shock, but by the time they reach the capital city her ???water??? personality asserts itself and she begins to flow around the obstacles in her way ??? obstacles such as Darien himself, a man of ???wood??? who???s strong, stubborn, and immovable.
Filled with vivid characters, beautiful scenery, sweet friendships, surprising destinies, political intrigue, mystery, a slow satisfying romance, and an interesting take on personality types, Troubled Waters by Sharon Shinn is a book that just feels good. I listened to the audio version produced by Audible Frontiers and read by Jennifer Van Dyck. It was 14 hours long, but I enjoyed it so much that I finished it over a weekend, which kind of annoyed my family. I even considered trying to extract myself from a couple of social engagements so I could spend time with Zoe instead.
Troubled Waters is definitely a romance ??? and some of the verbal sparring felt a bit contrived, as if set up just to create that tension ??? yet mostly the romance brews in the background as Zoe navigates her way through her changed world. Some readers won???t believe in the romance, and others might feel that things work out too easily for Zoe, but I enjoyed this low-stress novel. It features a strong and likable heroine, a love-interest who???s my kind of guy, a diverse supporting cast, a leisurely pace, and it focuses on a variety of human relationships. It is likely to appeal mostly to women.
Troubled Waters can be read as a satisfying stand-alone story, but there may be more books to come. If so, I???ll definitely be picking them up. Meanwhile, I???ll be trying out some more novels by Sharon Shinn.
27 people found this helpful
-
Overall
- Yuriko
- 07-31-11
Really nice coming of the age story
This book is a coming of the age story of a woman who lost her father and finds her that she inherited family magic. I really liked the story and the voice/style of the narrator.
The story flows from a humble beginning of Zoe to her becoming a formidable power fairly smoothly. I really liked the main character Zoe, although she seemed too good and straight-laced some time. So it was a surprise when she got so upset at the end she causes such havoc. She just didn't seem the "type." I think that was too sudden, though I do understand her surprise and panic.
I find the premise of this kingdom interesting and I hope there is a next book. It seems to me that Zoe's adventure and her self discovery just got started. Looking forward to reading more.
10 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Vira
- 03-20-13
Romance with an intriguing sub-theme
Romantic fiction is not my favourite genre, and I usually avoid it. However, this is a romance with a difference, and one i found both interesting and enjoyable. The main reason for this is its layered structure, and elemental references.
Beneath the obvious storyline, runs a current of Medieval and Renaissance thought, wherein the traditional four elements form the basis for a theory of medicine and psychology known as the 'four humours'. These correspond with particular physical and mental characteristics of personality types.
In medical and also magical thought, health and harmonious living can only exist when the elements are in balance. The novel illustrates the chaos which ensues when one element dominates over the others, or goes out of control. In addition, it makes interesting references to the inter-personal relationships between people of the different personality types - e.g. wood, water, fire, and air. Also, fate has a hand in events, as evidenced by the random selection of "blessings".
If i had read the book purely for the story, I would probably have been disappointed. But it seems that Sharon Shinn wove a narrative in support of her main theme, which then in fact became the sub-theme, to make it more palatable to modern readers, and which culminated in a thoroughly enjoyable read.
I appreciated the depth of this book, whilst on the surface seeming to be a simple romance. If any listeners know of more books like it, I'd love to hear about them.
Well done to both Sharon Shinn, and the narrator Jennifer van Dyck.
4 people found this helpful
-
Overall
- R. O'Hare
- 10-22-10
More fun from Sharon Shinn
After enjoying the Twelve Houses series, I was delighted to see a new Sharon Shinn book! This one is fun, and leaves lots of potential for more books in a series.
8 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Alexis
- 11-08-13
Gentle, easy fantasy
Sharon Shinn is a lovely writer, and I’ve been fond of Jennifer Van Dyck’s narrations since I first heard her read. Buying this book was an easy decision!
The world-building was excellent, and I especially liked the magical elements. Each person has a special affiliation to a magical element, as well as three magical “random blessing” tokens given at birth. It gave a unique flavor to a storyline where several strong families have a lot of political pull along with the king. Fans of the author might see this as a nod to the Twelve Houses series taken in an entirely new direction.
The first half of the book had a lot of traveling around, learning all there is to learn about a new place, and then moving along and starting over. I find that can get dull, so I was glad when Zoe finally found her real place in the story about midway through and the plot picked up. The move from vagabond to high court was a big plus.
There’s a strong young adult feeling to this storyline even though Zoe is one of the few young adults. It’s not so much the characters themselves, but more the way big life changes and magical powers occasionally bloom forth and are accepted by everyone. There are a lot of nice, gentle people who look out for one another. Horrible things are more likely to happen in faraway places. Magic can save the day.
The book ends very solidly, but it looks like a follow-up book has just been published. Ah, now all that world-building makes more sense! But this could easily be read as a stand-alone book if you don’t want to commit to a series. I was very surprised to see one reviewer call this book a cliff-hanger. All the main conflicts get resolved, so don’t be worried if series aren’t your thing.
Overall this was a relaxing, easy listen, nicely written and well narrated. Not Shinn’s best, but a pleasing little fantasy story (once it got going), and I’ll be getting the follow-up book. But then, series are my thing. ;)
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Sarah
- 06-03-13
A great author - narrator combination
What does Jennifer Van Dyck bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
Sharon Shinn's gift for developing interesting stories brought me to Troubled Waters. Jennifer Van Dyck adds a fantastic performance to a well written story. I have enjoyed listening to this book several times.
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Helen
- 05-12-17
Meh
So very underwhelmed and disappointed with this. It's like Shinn created this beautiful world with a different and interesting magic system and forgot to add interesting characters and a plot. Without giving too much away, it starts off as a "discover yourself" YA kind of plot, then moves into a poorly excited political intrigue (*I* spotted the "twists") with some blatant power abuse. Urgh. I almost believed the romance until the last chapter - really, he "fell in love" with the girly then?
2 stars for the potential.
Audio comments: the narrator didn't really do the book any favours either. The accents of the Cobbler family in particular were jaring and irritating
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Amazon Customer
- 03-24-17
Very enjoyable
Plenty of action, full of intrigue and a little slow building romance, what more could you ask for?
As a non American I found it a little weird that Zoe was pronounced Zoh instead of Zoey and Darien pronounced Derien but I learned to ignore it:)
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Amazon Customer
- 11-09-16
Good calm listen
Zoe Ardelay lives in a little quiet village with her father who at the start of this story has just died. We learn that they were in hiding as her father had been banished from his position as advisor to the King. A couple of days after her fathers funeral when Zoe is mired in grief a powerful man named Darien Serlast turns up and tells her she is to become the king's 5th wife and must leave immediately.
The story line takes Zoe though her decision not to marry the king and her life as she slips away and becomes a drifter living and sleeping on the river side. You watch her slowly grow and gain a backbone, managing the political environment in which she finds herself.
Sharon Shinn has developed a detailed believable world with a religion and life style. The story gains momentum slowly and is not action packed. It has a slowly developing romance which can been seen coming early on.
The narrator is of a fair standard although, she doesn't have a wide rang of accents or tones.
Overall a good listen, definitely not action packed, in my view.