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The Steel Remains

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The Steel Remains

By: Richard Morgan
Narrated by: Simon Vance
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About this listen

Ringil, the hero of the bloody slaughter at Gallows Gap, is a legend to all who don't know him and a twisted degenerate to those that do. A veteran of the wars against the lizards, he makes a living from telling credulous travellers of his exploits. Until one day he is pulled away from his life and into the depths of the Empire's slave trade. There, he will discover a secret infinitely more frightening than the trade in lives.

Archeth - pragmatist, cynic and engineer, the last of her race - is called from her work at the whim of the most powerful man in the Empire and sent to its farthest reaches to investigate a demonic incursion against the Empire's borders.

Egar Dragonbane, steppe-nomad and one-time fighter for the Empire, finds himself entangled in a small-town battle between common sense and religious fervour. But out in the wider world, there is something on the move far more alien than any of his tribe's petty gods.

Anti-social, anti-heroic, and decidedly irritated, all three of them are about to be sent unwillingly forth into a vicious, vigorous, and thoroughly unsuspecting fantasy world.

©2009 Richard Morgan (P)2011 Orion Publishing Group Limited Fantasy Fiction
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I liked the complex characters but not really sure the story went anywhere. fight scenes were great - just enough detail without a blow by blow description. what was with the British and contrived Russian/eastern European accents? it's great to distinguish the character but this almost set the story in a Tolkien middle earth.

Light but Heavy

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It’s an amazing, no holds barred, brutal story. Great deeply flawed characters, thoroughly unlikeable, and yet awesome. Loved every graphic minute.

Amazing, brutal story

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Good gritty adult fantasy novel with well developed characters however the detour into erotica was unexpected and completely unnecessary. Would have preferred if they explored psychological journey through The Grey in more depth.

Good story but...

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Although there is a lot of rape which very uncomfortable, the story is great and had great characters. Very dark and merciless.

Trigger warning, a lot of detailed rape.

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It just keeps getting better. Love the story, love the characters, on to the next story in the series.

Third time for this novel, first time via Audible

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Modern fantasy at its best. Great writing, great characters. One of the best original fantasy series I have ever experienced. Read it or lose out on a fantastic dark and twisty experience. Highly recommended.

Exceptional writing.

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Slightly unsatisfied with the ending. Left with the need to buy the next book for closure on the story. I was really starting to get into the characters. Just be aware that it is not really a story in itself. It's part of a story.

Not a complete story - Just part one

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Most books will have some qualities your after but this one really scratched that itch. The characters are all great and are unique. The story is unpredictable and refreshing. 10/10

Fantastic

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It’s a good story with some good characters. Simon Vance killed it as per usual. Written in the same vein as McClellan, Abercrombie etc. but not quite up to Joe’s standard. Definitely worth a listen and I finished the series and enjoyed it the whole way.

Pretty good, definitely worth a listen.

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There are books you read that change you, impress you, or leave you wanting more. This isn't one of them.

The world building is competent but not particularly engaging, the characters shallow but serviceable. There are times that the edginess and try-hard nature gets a little cringey (a dialogue with on side character as he fingers a slave girl, for one).

I'd rate it lower, but it gets points for representation.

Resoundingly average, okay, and a time passer

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