Empire of Ashes

The Augmented, Book 1

By: Ben Hale

Narrated by: Eric Michael Summerer, Jay Snyder, Reba Buhr

Across thousands of planets in the Krey Empire, all humans have a single title...Slave.

Born into oppression, Siena is an ordinary young woman, until an act of defiance leaves her scarred and marked as a rebel. She's sold to Ero, a fallen Krey with a desperate plan to redeem his once-powerful family. He intends to enhance slaves by altering their genetic code, increasing their value through an illegal experiment.

Reklin, a bone-armored soldier, hunts them both. His orders come from a mysterious source, but his loyalty to the Empire has no limits. Noble, soldier, and slave, they are about to discover a dangerous truth - that humans can be augmented. But none can predict the abilities they'll unlock, or the rebellion they'll unleash.

Experience this start to an epic space-opera saga from number-one Amazon best-selling author Ben Hale.

©2021 Aethon Books (P)2021 Podium Audio

Absolutely fascinating!

First off, I love Ben Hale’s imagination and beautiful way he writes!
Second, I love how it’s bringing in the back story of Aero and Scorn because I hated them in Jack of Thieves trilogy lol it’s given me a different perspective of the pair and I can’t wait for the next book!!

Ben has gotten better

Look massive improvement as a writer. Good listen albeit a tad corny sometimes. Good listen for me

Better than expected

First of all I am a Ben Hale fan. This is a great start to a series that has promise. I could not wait to go to the next book and I can tell you now I have already pre-purchased the third one. If you enjoy Ben Hale you will enjoy this series. This will be a series that I will purchase as soon as available. So if Ben is listening... keep it going and take my money.

Overall it's a good story...

Initially I had trouble finding my balance listening to the book... it felt flat and very info dumpy, right from the start. Perhaps that's what made it impossible for me to suspend my disbelief, and if you can't manage to do that, it doesn't bode  well for the book...
So, I put the book down for a while. When I picked the book up for a second time, somewhat later, I had an epiphany! It wasn't the writer's fault at all. I realized I didn't care for Jay Snyder's performance, his voice is pleasant enough, but I found his delivery rather flat, and that's what had bugged me! The other two narrators were great, btw, and once I figured out what my issue was, I found myself able to sit down and enjoy the story! (Yes, even Jay Snyder's part, after a bit ...)

Over-all I'll give the story ⭐⭐⭐⭐ because I want to follow the action of Sienna, Ero, and Rekin as they face unknown danger!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reba Buhr
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Eric Michael Summerer
⭐⭐⭐ Jay Snyder

more!

it's hard to find a space opera that grabs your attention. this did not dissapoint.