Blade of Dream

By: Daniel Abraham

Narrated by: Sean Rohani

From the New York Times bestselling author and co-author of The Expanse comes an "atmospheric and fascinating" novel that unfolds within the walls of a single great city, over the course of one tumultuous year (Joe Abercrombie, author of A Little Hatred).

Kithamar is a center of trade and wealth, an ancient city with a long, bloody history where countless thousands live and their stories endure.

This is Garreth’s.

Garreth Left is heir to one of Kithamar’s most prominent merchant families. The path of his life was paved long before he was born. Learn the family trade, marry to secure wealthy in-laws, and inherit the business when the time is right. But to Garreth, a life chosen for him is no life at all.

In one night, a chance meeting with an enigmatic stranger changes everything. He falls in love with a woman whose name he doesn’t even know, and he will do anything to find her again. His search leads him down corridors and alleys that are best left unexplored, where ancient gods hide in the shadows, and every deal made has a dangerous edge.

The path that Garreth chooses will change the course of not only those he loves, but the entire future of Kithamar’s citizens.

In Kithamar, every story matters ― and the fate of the city is woven from them all.

"Abraham’s patient storytelling pays off, perfectly setting up the trilogy’s finale, and his intricate worldbuilding makes Kithamar a pleasure to explore. Readers will not be disappointed." ― Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Critic reviews

"Abraham’s patient storytelling pays off, perfectly setting up the trilogy’s finale, and his intricate worldbuilding makes Kithamar a pleasure to explore. Readers will not be disappointed."—Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) on Blade of Dream

“An atmospheric and fascinating tapestry, woven with skill and patience.”—Joe Abercrombie, New York Times bestselling author of A Little Hatred on Age of Ash

“[An] outstanding series debut, which instantly hooks readers with dual mysteries . . . Readers will eagerly anticipate the sequel.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review) on Age of Ash

“This new work bears the hallmark of a great Abraham work.”—Kirkus on Age of Ash

“Age of Ash’s Kithamar is a spectacular creation, a city brought to life by dense, intricate worldbuilding and subtle magic. Fans of Scott Lynch or Robert Jackson Bennett will enjoy this one.”—Django Wexler, author of Ashes of the Sun on Age of Ash

“Abraham builds this world with all the confident craftsmanship you’d expect from an author with his pedigree . . . . Kithamar is in the hands of a pro.”—SFX on Age of Ash

Loved both of these books!

The care, love and thought built into this story, into these characters made these books so satisfying! Daniel Abraham just keeps getting better and better!

Fantastic story.

Narration was awkward during descriptive passages, but excellent during dialogue. The change of perspective from book one was excellent. I really enjoyed listening.

Awful narrator

Mispronounced words and an almost monotone performance from the narrator. Should have just read this one.

Unbearable

I loved the first book and I was so excited to start this one but the narrator is just awful, what little inflection there is is put on the wrong words and it's clear that the narrator is reading the book for the first time. I really tried to ignore it and focus on the story but it's bad enough that I'm losing interest. I'm going to have to buy a physical copy. I'm hoping this book will be rereleased with a better narrator, it really deserves a better performance.

Had to return this one

Daniel Abraham's work is some of my favorite. His colorful worlds and relatable characters have left indelible impressions on me.

The fascinating setting of Kithamar is no different, but, unfortunately, Sean Rohani is a mediocre at best, and downright grating at worst, narrator.

He hasn't taken the time to see how proper nouns were pronounced by the previous (also not stellar) narrator. He sounds like he has a cold. He inflects at strange times, he has about four characterizations, and sounds generally disinterested in the story.

It's a damn shame that this series isn't getting treated to better narration, but do yourself a favor and read this trilogy. The first book is tolerably narrated. Blade of Dream is not worth the server space allocated to it.