The Empire's Ghost

A Novel

By: Isabelle Steiger

Narrated by: Jeremy Arthur

This program includes a bonus interview with the author and her editor. Isabelle Steiger has crafted a powerful and masterful debut with The Empire's Ghost, the first audiobook in a haunting new epic fantasy series.

The empire of Elesthene once spanned a continent, but its rise heralded the death of magic. It tore itself apart from within, leaving behind a patchwork of kingdoms struggling to rebuild. But when a new dictator, the ambitious and enigmatic Imperator Elgar, seizes power in the old capital and seeks to recreate the lost empire anew, the other kingdoms have little hope of stopping him. Prince Kelken of Reglay finds himself at odds with his father at his country's darkest hour; the marquise of Esthrades is unmatched in politics and strategy, but she sits at a staggering military disadvantage. And Issamira, the most powerful of the free countries, has shut itself off from the conflict, thrown into confusion by the disappearance of its crown prince and the ensuing struggle for succession.

Everything seems aligned in Elgar's favor, but when he presses a band of insignificant but skilled alley dwellers into his service for a mission of greatest secrecy, they find an unexpected opportunity to alter the balance of power in the war. Through their actions and those of the remaining royals, they may uncover not just a way to defeat Elgar but also a deeper truth about their world's lost history.

©2017 Isabelle Steiger (P)2017 Macmillan Audio

Best Fantasy Series in Recent Years

At first it seemed overly complicated with too many characters to get to know in depth. However, it became one of my favorite series of all time. Many of the characters are my most beloved in all literature. The narrator brought life to all of the various characters. Totally 5 stars in every category!

Hard cover a great read; audible made me appreciate the author even more

It seems odd to say that hearing the book made me appreciate the writing more. Doesn't reading already do that? But knowing the various plots and characters helped me focus more on the "how" of the wording and development. Truly extraordinary and so enjoyable. Sad to be done because now waiting for the second book can't be short enough!

So…audible will no longer let me return books

Sometimes it’s hard to know whether a book is “listenable” by hearing a 5 minute clip. When a narrator continually mispronounces words it drive me a bit nuts as do weird cadences and bad accent attempts that are only evident after listening for some time. Are these recordings not edited? Anyway… maybe the story is good. I may never know. I’ve enjoyed this narrator reading other books and enjoy fantasy writing, which is why I tried this one. I’m not sure I’ll be able to continue listening and now I’m stuck with it.