The Metal Wood

The Metalwood Saga, Book 1

By: Jeremy Thomas Fuller

Narrated by: Lesley Isles

Her crew betrayed her. Her magic broke her. Her city isn’t ready for her return.

In the flying city of Newfris, where the elite soar above the clouds and the forgotten toil beneath the streets, Phoenix is more than just a killer—she’s a survivor. As a killgirl for Her Majesty’s Navy, she’s mastered the deadly art of forcefinding, creating powerful energy bubbles that can trap—or obliterate—anyone in her way. But when a mission goes horribly wrong, Phoenix finds herself cast out, hunted by enemies, and betrayed by those she trusted most.

Now, with only a ragtag crew of misfits by her side, Phoenix must navigate a treacherous underworld of magic, machines, and buried secrets. As she faces off against the ruthless Planners, deadly assassins, and the demons of her past, Phoenix will discover the true cost of power—and what it really means to be free.

Get ready for a pulse-pounding ride through the skies and shadows of Newfris, where loyalty is a lie, love is a weapon, and survival is the only rule that matters.

If you love the brutal, magic-fueled underworlds of Red Rising and the electric, high-speed anarchy of Akudama Drive, this sci-fantasy thriller will have you racing through the story.

©2025 Starmist Entertainment (P)2025 Northern Lake Audio

Fast paced action

Kept me on the edge of my seat. I recommend for anyone looking for their next series.

Magic, violence, & betrayal for a teen girl in dystopic floating city

I usually stay away from dystopic books because they are not my thing, but I took a chance on this one. By the second half of the book, the scenes and the main character won me over, and I want to listen to the second book. Megan, AKA Phoenix, is a flawed but loveable teen girl who struggles with traumatic anxiety. She is struggling to survive in a gang literally underground in future floating city with an authoritarian government. Megan has a harsh life trying to be an assassin killing sexual predators, and she has been terribly misguided by her gang leader. Megan battles strong adversity, both internal and external, and she grows as a person. She happens to be bisexual and has a girlfriend.

The action scenes were very good, and the second half is wonderfully action-packed, with magic and cars. There is some sexual content, but the few love scenes are closed-door style, about PG-13. However, the whip room scene at the beginning is really dark and graphic, and I don’t think it is appropriate for people under 16 years old. There are some cool twists in the plot. All of the characters are interesting, especially Megan’s friends. The single narrator, Lesley Isles, did a really good job with the emotions, action, and everything. Occasionally I couldn’t discern which character was talking, but she almost always made the characters sound distinctive. I like that Megan herself is not very angsty. I suppose that fans of the Hunger Games would love this book.

A few things bothered me about this YA action fantasy. First, I thought that the level of violence was a little over the top, especially for teen readers. Teen assassins stabbing sexual predators? And sometimes there is a lot of gore with crowds tearing bodies apart. Readers squeamish about dripping blood should stay away. Second, there is a little too much grossness when Megan has to work with sewage. Third, the magic system makes no sense, or at least less sense than that of Harry Potter. Finally, the method that keeps the city floating really makes no practical sense at all, even with the existence of magic.

I requested and received a free audiobook copy from the publisher, and I voluntarily wrote this honest review. #TheFlockVIPReviewTeam #NorthernLakeAudio

Thoughts From the Trenches

I picked up the audiobook of The Metal Wood by Jeremy Thomas Fuller on a whim, mostly because I was in the mood for something loud, fast, and unapologetically intense. And honestly? That’s precisely what it delivered.

This is not a “sip tea and gently ponder the prose” kind of book. This is a strap-in, things are exploding, the city is flying, and everyone is a little unhinged kind of book.

The world hooked me first. A floating city. A brutal class divide. Magic that feels more like volatile energy than sparkly wish fulfillment. I love when a story drops you into the middle of chaos and expects you to keep up, and The Metal Wood absolutely does that. At times, I felt disoriented—but in a way that made sense for the world and its characters.

Phoenix, the main character, is… a lot. She’s sharp-edged, angry, reckless, and clearly carrying way more damage than she knows what to do with. I didn’t always like her, but I was almost always interested in her, which honestly matters more to me. She feels dangerous to herself, and everyone around her, and that tension kept pulling me forward.

Audiobook-wise, the narration really sells the intensity. The emotional moments land harder when you hear them out loud, and the action scenes move fast without feeling muddy. This is the kind of audiobook that makes chores go by too quickly because suddenly you’re standing in your kitchen thinking, wait—what just happened??

That said, the pacing is relentless. Sometimes I wanted the story to… breathe for a second. Some moments could’ve hit deeper with a little more space, and a few character beats that felt rushed past in favor of the next big move. Also, some descriptive choices pulled me out of the story now and then—not enough to stop listening, but enough to notice.

Still, when I look back on the experience as a whole, what sticks with me is the energy. The ambition. The feeling that this world is dangerous and messy, and not trying to be tidy for the reader. It feels like the opening act to something much bigger, and I finished the audiobook feeling wired instead of tired, which, for me, is usually a good sign.

Would I recommend it? Yeah—especially if you like gritty sci-fi fantasy, morally gray leads, and stories that don’t slow down to hold your hand. If you want subtle, quiet character studies, this probably isn’t your book. But if you want momentum, tension, and a world that feels like it might crack apart at any moment? Hit play.

Drawn out. FMC very whiney

I decided to finish this book but to not continue the series. There was at least an hour of nonstop whining near the end. She continues to revisit the same traumatic event from her past and makes zero effort to move past it

Final boss fight also makes zero sense considering the rest of the fights with them

And, several places the recording skipped. Like a scratched CD. Nothing fixed these skips and there were 4-5 of them.

Interesting

This is the first book I've read/listened to written by Jeremy Thomas Fuller. It's not my usual genre so it took a few tries to get started. I ended up totally invested and not wanting to pause it. The twist and turns were great and I cannot wait for the next book. I'm going to mention that this is a series and it was a cliffhanger of sorts. But not a cliffhanger that leaves you completely hanging. I could stop at this book, satisfied, but I really want to know what happens next.

The narrator was great! She was new to me and I look forward to hearing more from her. She brought this audiobook to life with an emotional performance that had it rolling like a movie in my head.

#TheFlockonTour #NorthernLakeAudio