Break the Chains [Dramatized Adaptation]

The Scorched Continent, Book 2

By: Megan E. O'Keefe

Narrated by: full cast, Terence Aselford, Chris Genebach, Alyssa Wilmoth, David Jourdan, Colleen Delany, Christopher Walker, Bradley Smith, Tia Shearer, Scott McCormick, Kimberly Gilbert, Ren Kasey

As the city that produces the most selium - that precious gas that elevates airships and powers strange magic - Hond Steading is a jewel worth stealing. To shore up the city's defenses, Detan promises his aunt that he'll recover Nouli, the infamous engineer who built the century gates that protect the imperial capital of Valathea. But Nouli is imprisoned on the Remnant Isles, an impervious island prison run by the empire, and it's Detan's fault.

Detan doesn't dare approach Nouli himself, so his companions volunteer to get themselves locked up to make contact with Nouli and convince him to help. Now Detan has to break them all out of prison, and he's going to need the help of a half-mad doppel to do it.

Performed by Terence Aselford, Chris Genebach, Alyssa Wilmoth, David Jourdan, Colleen Delany, Christopher Walker, Bradley Smith, Tia Shearer, Scott McCormick, Kimberly Gilbert, Ren Kasey, Richard Rohan, Michael John Casey, Deidra Starnes, Tracy Olivera, Lynette Rathnam, Todd Scofield, Nanette Savard, Ken Jackson, Carolyn Kashner, Lolita Horne, Matthew Keenan, Amanda Forstrom, Thomas Keegan, Zeke Alton, Jacob Yeh, Laura C Harris, Rose Elizabeth Supan, Mort Shelby, Eric Messner, Dylan Lynch, Christopher Scheeren, Michael Glenn.

©2016 Megan E. O'Keefe (P)2017 Graphic Audio, LLC

An Empire Strikes Back middle

“You wouldn’t like me when I’m angry.”
Okay, no, that’s not a quote from this book, but I kept hearing the Hulk every time Detan lost control of his temper and released his selium fueled powers. Much like the first book, there’s not enough flesh on these bones to truly get invested in the characters. I’m particularly starved for deeper backstories. For instance, we’re two books into the trilogy and all I know about Detan’s past is that he’s part of a royal family (or sorts) and he holds himself apart ala Hulk’s need to protect people from his rage-created danger.

The graphic audio format shortens the book length by using sound effects in place of scene descriptions. That works great for the sounds of ships creaking and swords clashing, but I would have loved more descriptions of what the people, things (especially the ships), and world looked like, There’s a lot of exaggerated maniacal laughter and extended, overacted death scenes by redshirts in unsuccessful attempts to add gravitas. Finally, the occasional F bombs took me out of the fantasy setting.

This middle book doesn’t standalone. You need to have heard book 1 because you’re dropped back into the world without recaps. This book then provides a sort of jail break-heist story, putting characters on separate arcs for the majority of the book, bringing them together for a skirmish, and then separating them in the final scene. Yes, book 2 sets up book 3. If you enjoyed book 1 enough to move on, I’d recommend getting books 2 and 3 together.