Grog

By: RW Krpoun

Narrated by: A.T. Chandler

Length: 9 hrs and 20 mins

Publisher's summary

Grog is a brute (half Human, half Ukar) slave raised from birth to fight in the pits for the entertainment of the crowds. He is content with his role in the city, proud of his barracks, and in awe of his owner, the sour Master Horne. Life, by Grog's reckoning, is good. Then an enigmatic churchwoman enters his life, and Grog finds himself swept from the city which has been his entire world, to travel and learn amid as strange a group as he has ever seen. He knows nothing of the group's mission, just that his skills are necessary and the quest is "a good thing." But slowly, on this strange journey of both distance and spirit, Grog learns of the goal his new employer pursues, and its role in a troubled world. More importantly, he learns the value, and price, of freedom, and neither aspect is anything like what he imagined.

A fast-paced fantasy novel by the author of the popular Dream series (and 18 other novels), Grog takes the listener on a journey through an embattled Empire and a world in which things are seldom as simple as one expects.

©2020 Randall Krpoun (P)2020 Tantor

loved Grog

we listened to Grog on a family trip. we all loved Grog. Really enjoyed the readed.

loved the point of view of Grog

Good entertaining story. I loved being introduced to Grogs world through his eyes and world concept. This book left me wanting the sequel.

Unique perspective in the fantasy genre

I’ve really enjoyed this perspective. The brute who accompanies and protects point of view is really refreshing. His simplistic views of things were really well written.

Great story, great performance

Really enjoyed the book, and the audio. I hope the sequel gets done someday. The Ebon Blades give a quality story.

Excellent story

Very well written and the narration was spot on. There are four books in the series, but only one on Audible unfortunately

A Very Pleasant Surpriss

The narrator does a great job on this, providing a voice for the protagonist that carries throughout the whole book in the prose. Grog is an interesting and thought-provoking read, as well. The entire thing is an interpersonal character study with its own living, breathing world to explore.

Top-tier indie novel, and the audiobook makes the whole experience even better.

The perspective writing is refreshing and fun

Im suprised there are not more reviews on this story, its a great fresh perspective for an andventure franchise.

A new hero

Grog was a gladiator slave who lived in Fellhome his whole life. He was very content to die in the ring. One day his master, Master Horn of the Ebon Blades, sales him to Provine Sael. She is on a righteous mission to change the world and she needs bodyguards. For Grog, her mission and the world outside of Fellhome is a wonder and confusion. At the heart of the story is Grog’s pursuit of the meaning of freedom. Among the many rules of being a gladiator was the rule that when you engage Ebon Blades you get quality work. He took pride in his work. Being a member of Ebon Blades, a proper barracks of the old school was a good thing. Now with the prospect of being free he must learn how it will affect his life. Does he even want that life? He has been told that he is stupid. His value in life is the money he wins for his master and the honor he will bring by dying in a good fight. He is not stupid but ignorant because he was never taught. His adventures in academic learning, fighting off bandits, saving slaves, and finding the talisman to unite the people is humorous and entertaining. This is a unique quest adventure story told from Grog’s point of view.

I liked all of the voices except for Grog's.

Grog's voice sounded like it was almost computerized. I enjoyed the audio version, but it would have been better had Grog had a better voice.

A Hidden Gem!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Grog is brute (read half-orc) pit fighter who has been raised as a slave to fight in the arena, until purchased by a cleric to serve in her party on a noble quest. But wait -- if you think you know what this book is about from that description, you'd be so wrong! Grog is proud of serving in his Barracks of the Ebon Blade; and when freedom comes he's not so sure he likes it. While Grog proclaims himself to be "stupid", his simple observations are filled with wisdom and nuance. The book is fun but there's a lot of character development. The descriptions of the fight scenes are amazing, and the pacing of the book is fantastic. I do think that the narration is a little slow and I had to list at 1.2 speed to make it tolerable, but I honestly can't imagine Grog's voice any way other than how AT Chandler portrayed him. I hope that the next audiobook in the series will be out soon!