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  • A Crucible of Souls

  • The Sorcery Ascendant Sequence, Book 1
  • By: Mitchell Hogan
  • Narrated by: Oliver Wyman
  • Length: 18 hrs and 44 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (734 ratings)
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A Crucible of Souls cover art

A Crucible of Souls

By: Mitchell Hogan
Narrated by: Oliver Wyman
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Summary

When Caldan’s parents are brutally slain, he is raised by monks and taught the arcane mysteries of sorcery. Vowing to discover for himself who his parents really were, and what led to their violent end, he is thrust into the unfamiliar chaos of city life. With nothing to his name but a pair of mysterious heirlooms and a handful of coins, he must prove his talent to earn an apprenticeship with a guild of sorcerers.

But he soon learns the world outside the monastery is a darker place than he ever imagined, and his treasured sorcery has disturbing depths.

As a shadowed evil manipulates the unwary and forbidden powers are unleashed, Caldan is plunged into an age-old conflict that brings the world to the edge of destruction.

This is an updated recording from the original 2014 edition, also performed by Oliver Wyman, which matches the current reissue of the print book.

©2013 Mitchell Hogan (P)2014 Audible Inc.

Critic reviews

  • Winner of Best Fantasy Novel, 2013 Aurealis Awards
"For a debut novel this is more than a little impressive. Characters are vividly drawn, multi-layered, and in one or two cases, compelling. Hogan joins with the new wave of fantasy authors in his use of morally ambivalent characters, distinct and tight points of view, believable world building, an intelligible magic system, and some edgy, gritty content." (D.P. Prior, author of The Nameless Dwarf)

What listeners say about A Crucible of Souls

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Another story about Pug

What other book might you compare A Crucible of Souls to, and why?

Similar to the Magician. Orphan meets wizards discovers he is special.

Any additional comments?

Orphan discovers he is special... again. Good enough that I bought book 2.

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24 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

A good start to an interesting story

Would you try another book written by Mitchell Hogan or narrated by Oliver Wyman?

I already have listened to the next book. so Yes :-)

Would you be willing to try another book from Mitchell Hogan? Why or why not?

same as above

What does Oliver Wyman bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

Oliver Wyman has a great voice and can really get you feeling the mood and story much better than many other narrators

Did A Crucible of Souls inspire you to do anything?

Listen to the next book. this is an odd question

Any additional comments?

This is the first book in the series and is a good first effort. basically its a young lad with magic powers cast out in to the world to find his way on life. facing all the issues such who is he, how can he get better at magic and who killed his parents. while I enjoyed this story to a level the main character is going from one crisis to the next, this is all very well and good but because he is so Super duper amazing he hardly seems to try to get out of them. also he lacks depths no whit or anger only much remorse and shame, this detracts and his character is too plain no quirks or flaws to draw you in. he acts to dully there are very few twists or turns in this book. As a frame work this story could of been better but hey its ok.

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18 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars
  • J
  • 13-05-15

Good book, well performed.

Where does A Crucible of Souls rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It's very good. One of the best.

What does Oliver Wyman bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

Wyman has a simple, no nonsense style that is easy to follow even when you turn the speed up. Sometimes readers affect certain styles that only serve to distract - Wyman does not. He is exactly right.

Any additional comments?

The characterisation was very well done. Also the world building. So much detail and great characters. Sometimes the detail meant that the story moved quite slowly, but it's involving enough that you don't really mind that. Great book.

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14 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

A Very Satisfying Start

It has struck me recently just how incredibly well-served fans of epic fantasy really are. As well as the established authors there seems to be a steady stream of newer writers bringing quality new series to print. Mitchell Hogan is another one and with “A Crucible of Souls” he has made his own very credible entry into the genre. It’s certainly good enough that I intend to complete the series and there are some things that I think really stand out about it.

The magic system is intriguing and the attempt to introduce a small level of “science” to it with the details about “crafting” works very well for me. The description of how runes, materials and the magical forces interact is never over done but offers a real substance to the way that magic is done in this world. It’s also of course a good story, maybe not the fastest moving but it felt like it developed at a reasonable pace with a decent balance of plot, character and world-building.

The narration by Oliver Wyman is of genuine quality and he is very pleasant to listen to with a good range of character voices. If I was to criticise I’d say it’s that for all his talents things do often seem to come a bit too quickly to our hero Caldan and he does at times seem to be a bit of a wet lettuce. Possibly this is where Wyman’s matter of fact narration doesn’t help as much as it could do.

Overall though a quality start to a series which draws you in from the excellent prologue into a pleasing story which I expect to follow to its conclusion.

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11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

An excellent approach and cracking characters

Would you listen to A Crucible of Souls again? Why?

The plot and character development are intertwined and intricate enough to to allow a retread.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The protagonist with his humble nature unaware of the power and potential within.

Which scene did you most enjoy?

Chaldeans first test duel with the protector master and discovering respect through performance.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

if only there were enough hours to listen in a day.

Any additional comments?

It was an entertaining read throughout.

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10 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Epic!

Loved this book! Cannot wait to get the next installment!
Oliver does a great job of narrating.

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Compelling, addictive, wonderful character development

This was an easy listen. I have been having a hard time finding something thats enjoyable and as descriptive as to what i am used to.

The magic was a steady development and the more he developed the more interesting the concept of magic became and some of the mysteries it entailed.

Really like the development of the character and would recommend if you are waiting for books such Patrick Rothfusses or sandersons this is a good book that will keep you passionate about fantasy.

Its a story that has enough to make you look forward to what may happen next.

I obviously have high standards from reading and listening to the way of kinds and the name of the wind game of thrones etc but honesty feel this is a great start to a fantasy in which i look forward to jumping into and exploring.

Why not give it a go and see for yourself

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Good concept, but ...

What did you like best about A Crucible of Souls? What did you like least?

The magic and the background world-building is interesting and intriguing. But the characters is a bit bland. I have a hard time to feel really interested in the persons and their fate.

Would you recommend A Crucible of Souls to your friends? Why or why not?

Perhaps, possibly to someone who is just advancing from really vanilla authors like Eddings.

What does Oliver Wyman bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

The narrator is really good, almost every time he succeed in giving all involved their own voice, it is one or two dialogues it is hard to know which line belongs to which woman, but that is probably as much the authors fault as the narrator.

Did A Crucible of Souls inspire you to do anything?

Not especially, sometimes I hardly felt the need to turn on to continue listening.

Any additional comments?

Perhaps it deepens and engage more when the author get some more experience and there is more revelation about the world.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Pretty decent.

This was no Patrick Rothfuss or Brent Weeks. more akin to Terry Goodkind.
That still means good. Not excellent, but well worth the read/listen.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Well executed

Similar to other stories in the same genre, like name of the wind. I'm thinking about it and I'm not sure if this is actually better than name of the wind, I can't decide. For me that's just about as glowing a review as Ican give.


Narration was good as well, although I would like to hear a change in pace as action hots up. But again it worked and it worked well.

Thumbs up.

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6 people found this helpful