The Shape of Monsters

The Crossfades, Book 1

De: C L Hellisen

Narrado por: Omari Douglas

Audible Originals are proud to present, The Shape of Monsters by CL Hellisen, narrated by Omari Douglas, star of Black Doves and It's a Sin.

In a world where power is everything, Aleks and Vaira Kercheval have rejected their magical heritage. The lives they have carefully constructed for themselves are torn asunder when they inherit Aubrey House, their family's ancestral home. When the siblings cross the threshold, a long-dormant magic awakens, thrusting them into a world of ancient feuds and twisted powers.

As Vaira embraces her magical heritage, determined to claim her rightful place among the Mage Houses, the powerless Aleks accidentally summons Ilea, a monstrous prince from the Void, thereby binding himself to a creature of immense power and insatiable hunger.

Aleks and Vaira find themselves on either side of a magical divide. But dark forces are at work, threatening to tear apart the fragile peace between the ancient families.

When Vaira's quest for power leads her into the depths of the Void, Aleks must make an impossible choice - betray his sister to save her from corruption, or watch as she becomes something monstrous and inhuman. As the lines between human and monster blur, each must decide how far they'll go to survive in a world where even gods can fall.

The Shape of Monsters is a treasure trove of dark magic and family blood, where the price of power is paid with the ultimate sacrifice.

©2025 C L Hellison (P)2025 Audible Ltd.

Honestly fantastic

Loved the minor use of sounds without being overwhelming
Excellent story
Can’t wait for the second one

The story was just ok.

I found the characters to be a little annoying. The lack of communication between the 2 siblings almost made the story boring. Loved the sound effects and the way the story was presented.

Potential and annoyance

There was an interesting arc for the brother in this story but the sister was grating the whole way through. Still, their dynamic was probably the most interesting part of this book, despite almost nothing happening for the first half to two-thirds of the story. There's some good world building, although the approach to magic seemed a bit haphazard. Some of the... saucier parts were distracting and off-putting (Clive Barker did that kind of thing much better in Imagica). Even so, it was engaging enough, especially at the end, that I'm curious to find out where the story goes in the next book - provided it's free also. The narration was solid.

Not to give away spoilers, but I enjoyed the view on magic.

There had better be a part two! Story instantly drew me in, but it's incomplete.

Blending the Old and Dark

Good all around. Marked everything I look for. Even had me wondering what makes a person. Performance had distinct characters. They even added sound and music when the mood called for it.