Crucible of Chaos

Court of Shadows, Book 0.5

By: Sebastien de Castell

Narrated by: Joe Jameson

Length: 12 hrs and 32 mins

Publisher's summary

A mortally wounded magistrate faces his deadliest trial inside an ancient abbey where the monks are going mad and the gods themselves may be to blame!

Estevar Borros, one of the legendary sword-fighting magistrates known as the Greatcoats and the king's personal investigator of the supernatural, is no stranger to tales of ghosts and demons. When the fractious monks of the abbey rumoured to be the birthplace of the gods begin warring over claims of a new pantheon arising, the frantic abbot summons him to settle the dispute.

But Estevar has his own problems: a near-fatal sword wound from his last judicial duel, a sworn knight who claims he has proof the monks are consorting with demons, a diabolical inquisitor with no love for the Greatcoats, and a mysterious young woman claiming to be Estevar's ally but who may well be his deadliest enemy.

Armed only with his famed investigative talents, his faltering skill with a blade and Imperious, his ornery mule, Estevar must root out the source of the madness lurking inside the once-sacred walls of Isola Sombra before its chaos spreads to the country he's sworn to protect.

Investigate alongside Estevar and the most heroic mule ever to appear in a book in this thrilling swashbuckling fantasy mystery by Sebastien de Castell, author of the Internationally acclaimed Greatcoats and Spellslinger series!

Crucible of Chaos may be listened to as a stand-alone fantasy novel and as a prelude to Play of Shadows, the first official novel in the Court of Shadows series!

©2023 Sebastien de Castell (P)2023 Quercus Editions Limited

im my Top 5 fantasy series on audible

I love the combination of Joe Jameson and this author. I have pretty much every legit adult fanatsy series and this one is one of my favorites.

Fun Story In The World Of The Greatcoats

Sebastien de Castell's Greatcoats series is among my favorites. It is a fun and humorous swashbuckler of a tale, and I am excited to listen to the next series The Court of Shadows. Crucible of Chaos is a prequel to that series, and it is just as fun as the books before it. Joe Jameson's narration as always is perfect for this series,

Overall, another great addition to the Greatcoats world. Well with the credit.

Masterful and dark

Sebastien de Castell creates the best characters. They have depth and heart and come alive when narrated by Joe Jameson. This story was much darker with more occult elements than the Greatcoats series, but no less enjoyable. And Estevar has quickly become one of my all-time favorite Greatcoats, after this and a short story de Castell wrote of him. If you merely miss Falcio and the other Greatcoats, this may not be the best story to satiate that longing. But if you miss the storytelling and narration that only de Castell and Jameson can deliver, this book is exactly what is missing in your life.

Imperious rules!

This is a wonderful book about a wounded Greatcoat and his bodyguard mule named Imperious. They are investigating the murder of a high priest at the holiest of islands. Prior to the murder all the gods worshipped at the island have been killed and chaos has broken out among the monks inhabiting the monastery. The book takes place over only three days and has only one POV so there are no complicating side plots.
Although there is almost constant action, the discussion of splintering of faith into factions and the chaos that erupts when this happens and the felt need to quickly create new gods even when this causes pain and disaster makes for thoughtful reflection.
Regardless, theology and philosophy aside, the best part of the book is the mule.

More Greatcoats!!

What a good story! I admit the story started really slow, but like all good stories, you have to stick with it and watch it build. Estervar Boros is no Falcio Val Mond. Thank goodness he is not, he is his own Greatcoat! I hope Sebastian De Castle will continue with more stories of the Greatcoat’s!!

one of the best narrators out there

Thank you for being the voice of the great coats. A wonderful performance of a fantastic world.