Foundryside cover art

Foundryside

the heart-pounding first book in the Founders Trilogy

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Foundryside

By: Robert Jackson Bennett
Narrated by: Tara Sands
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About this listen

 'The exciting beginning of a promising new epic fantasy series. Prepare for ancient mysteries, innovative magic, and heart-pounding heists' Brandon Sanderson, New York Times bestselling author of Oathbringer

She thought it was just another job. But her discovery could bring the city to its knees . . .

The city of Tevanne runs on scrivings, industrialised magical inscriptions that make inanimate objects sentient; they power everything, from walls to wheels to weapons. Scrivings have brought enormous progress and enormous wealth - but only to the four merchant Houses who control them. Everyone else is a servant or slave, or they eke a precarious living in the hellhole called the Commons.

There's not much in the way of work for an escaped slave like Sancia Grado, but she has an unnatural talent that makes her one of the best thieves in the city. When she's offered a lucrative job to steal an ancient artefact from a heavily guarded warehouse, Sancia agrees, dreaming of leaving the Commons - but instead, she finds herself the target of a murderous conspiracy. Someone powerful in Tevanne wants the artefact, and Sancia dead - and whoever it is already wields power beyond imagining.

Sancia will need every ally, and every ounce of wits at her disposal, if she is to survive - because if her enemy gets the artefact and unlocks its secrets, thousands will die, and, even worse, it will allow ancient evils back into the world and turn their city into a devastated battleground.

'Robert Jackson Bennett deserves a huge audience' Brent Weeks

'An altogether terrific read' Sebastien de Castell

'Intricate worldbuilding, fascinating magic, and engaging characters. More please!' Felicia Day

'Inventive, immersive, and thrilling . . . Do yourself a favor and pick this up!' Kevin Hearne©2018 Robert Jackson Bennett Epic Epic Fantasy Fantasy Fiction Paranormal

Critic Reviews

The exciting beginning of a promising new epic fantasy series. Prepare for ancient mysteries, innovative magic, and heart-pounding heists
In Foundryside, scriving magic is the cheat code to reality, and Bennett is a master gamer. A refreshing look at magic - featuring a heroine every reader will root for - from one of the smartest writers I know
Complex characters, magic that is tech and vice versa, a world bound by warring trade dynasties: Bennett will leave you in awe once you remember to breathe!
A compelling treatise on power and its misuse (Eric Brown)
An absolutely riveting secondary world fantasy that grounds its magic in industrialized processes, heavy machinery and capitalist dystopia . . . When I say I couldn't put "Foundryside" down, what I mean is this: I felt fully, utterly engaged by the ideas, actually in love with the core characters for their differences and the immensely generative friction between them, and in awe of Bennett's craft. I went to bed late reading it and woke up early to finish it . . . A magnificent, mind-blowing start to a series I'm hungry for (Amal El-Mohtar)
Funny, exciting, pacy and gory, this terrific debut promises greater things to come
Inventive, immersive, and thrilling, Foundryside is a fascinating look at how our best intentions can be corrupted - and how wickedly awesome and terrifying gravity belts can be. Do yourself a favor and pick this up
Robert Jackson Bennett deserves a huge audience
An absolutely riveting secondary world fantasy . . . I felt fully, utterly engaged by the ideas, actually in love with the core characters for their differences and the immensely generative friction between them, and in awe of Bennett's craft . . . A magnificent, mind-blowing start to a series I'm hungry for (Amar El-Mohtar)
Intricate worldbuilding, fascinating magic, and engaging characters. More please!
Foundryside will not disappoint. It's a world like no other, a concept like no other and a read like no other
An irresistible, fast-paced adventure that welcomes even non-fantasy fans into its pages, unveiling a remarkable and sophisticated world of magic and intrigue. With non-stop twists, a compelling cast of characters, and an innovative magic system, Foundryside is an altogether terrific read
Fast-paced, intelligent, and fun with a fantastically cool magic system. I can't wait to read the next one
The best epic fantasy of the year is also the best cyberpunk of the year. How often do you get to say that?
Foundryside pulls you in with fast-paced heists, then knocks you down with its innovative magic system. Fun, thoughtful, and thrilling from cover to cover, it's sword-and-sorcery meets computer programming - a must for fans of Scott Lynch and Brandon Sanderson
All stars
Most relevant
I loved the character and world building. The story kept me coming back for more ASAP.

A strong beginning to a new series

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I had not heard of Bennett prior to this audiobook. it popped upon my recommended feed and the sample had me hooked (as did Brandon Sanderson's glowing review!)
intriguing stories and concepts and characters, great ending leading in to the sequel, which I am starting immediately.
excellent narration, too. I often tolerate but don't love a narrator but Tara Sands is absolutely excellent. 10/10 all round for sure.

what a fantastic find I stumbled upon

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An exciting story following our heroine in a world with a great magic system. Robert does a great job of slowly introducing the complex magic and politics of the world without being overwhelming. The narrator is really engaging and does a wonderful job with the characters.

Loved this book and can’t wait for the next. Was definitely a binge listen

An exciting start to the foundry side world

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It took awhile for me to get into it, since I’d just come out of another series. But the world building, the characters, the whole story… if the following books are as good, it will be one of my favourites.

A-mazing

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Might be a good book, I don’t know. I couldn’t get past the second chapter because of the narrator. I’m sure some listeners love this style but it is not for me, to put it mildly. I recommend listening to the sample before buying. Very strong American accent and cartoonish character voices, like listening to a US kids cartoon.

Returned title because of narration

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