Mordew

By: Alex Pheby

Narrated by: Kobna Holdbrook-Smith

Alex Pheby's Mordew launches an astonishingly inventive epic fantasy trilogy.

God is dead, his corpse hidden in the catacombs beneath Mordew.

In the slums of the sea-battered city, a young boy called Nathan Treeves lives with his parents, eking out a meagre existence by picking treasures from the Living Mud and the half-formed, short-lived creatures it spawns. Until one day his desperate mother sells him to the mysterious Master of Mordew.

The Master derives his magical power from feeding on the corpse of God. But Nathan, despite his fear and lowly station, has his own strength - and it is greater than the Master has ever known. Great enough to destroy everything the Master has built. If only Nathan can discover how to use it.

So it is that the Master begins to scheme against him - and Nathan has to fight his way through the betrayals, secrets, and vendettas of the city where God was murdered, and darkness reigns.

Propulsive, compulsively readable, full of unforgettable characters and a talking dog who wants to be a philosopher, Mordew is an epic fantasy strange, new, and terrifyingly alive.

A Macmillan Audio production from Tor Books

©2021 Alex Pheby (P)2021 Macmillan Audio

Really special

The narration is truly spectacular. And this book is something to be sought out. Definitely worth the credit.

A very unique fantasy realm that feels so rich and flushed out you get a vivid sense that under the surface are countless secrets to be uncovered. My only qualm is that this book falls into the same protagonist trap that many fantasy books suffer from: a boy with powers he doesn't understand is guided through the story often without agency. If you can get past that, this is a world you will lose yourself in.

what did I just read?

the author made an interesting world, but refuses to answer any of the questions you will naturally have about it.
Story is slow and plodding for the first 75% of the book, then suddenly hits breakneck pace as it desperately tries to tie up all the loose ends into a fringed knot with more loose ends than it started out trying to tie.
The cover summary literally starts with mention of a dead deity whose corpse twists the world, but said God is NEVER even mentioned or alluded to until chapter 80-something!

narrative is hard to understand

tough narrator man dude bro full review in title bro its what I bro. bad audio

Gripping and Atmospheric

This setting is dark and fresh. I couldn't put this down. Strange magic tugs at every narrative string, and a beautiful balance is struck between horror and the wonders of boyhood.

The voice actor was well-fitted for the title. I'm immediately picking up the second novel in the series.

Tragedy (spoiler?)

To waste such a talented performer on such an arduous text. Although, the real difficulty was in maintaining interest. Yawn. I stuck with it to the end, constantly hoping that the story would pick up, but the end was as disappointing as the rest. I did love the characterization of the talking dog, who seemed to have a better understanding of the land of Mordew than the main character did.