Dream of Empty Crowns

Chosen King, Book 1

By: M. J. Sewall

Narrated by: Christopher James Mayer

Length: 9 hrs and 30 mins

Publisher's summary

A new leader....

In need of a new king, the choosing tower fills with names, and Gordon is relieved he has no chance at the crown. He hopes his sweetblood illness takes him out of the running; making it all the more shocking when he's chosen. The beginning of a nightmare that forces Gordon to flee his own kingdom.

A new enemy....

In Gordon's new world of danger and betrayal, true authority over the kingdom lies with one whose pursuit of absolute power stretches beyond his own borders. Someone intent on wresting control from the new boy king by any means.

A new courage....

Pursued by the airships, and the very soldiers sworn to protect him, forced to align with great warriors and face even greater enemies, Gordon's fate lies in finding strength enough to save not only his land...but the entire world.

©2015 M J Sewall (P)2016 M J Sewall

Pretty good story. Good narration!

Overall I thought this was a pretty good story. Set in a time where Kings are chosen, but the choosing is an illusion while those in power retain their power through deceit.

Gordon was thrust into an unimaginable set of circumstances at the early age of thirteen. But he along with his companions find ways to deal with the chaos as Gordon leans on the teachings of his uncle to help get him through and attempt to prevail over widespread corruption and steer clear of those hunting him.

Lots of plotting, scheming and betrayal, but also lots of redeeming qualities are found in this book as well.

I received a free copy of this audio book for an honest review.

Amazing book!

What did you like best about this story?

I loved the characters and the pacing of the story. It seemed a bit fast paced at first but mellowed out to a very well developed story.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Things are not always what they seem.

Any additional comments?

This audiobook was given by the author, narrator or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review.

This book was fantastic. It's the story of a kingdom that chooses it's kings through a random drawing of all the 13 year old in the kingdom every few years. When the new king is chosen things start to happen and it leads into a spiral of deception and all kinds of different things. All in all the book was amazing. The narrator was great. The only problem I noticed with him is that towards the end of the book you can hear him taking his breaths at certain points and they are very noticeable. Other than that the book is amazing and I highly recommend this audiobook.

Fascinating

This is the story of a boy who won a lottery to be king and how he is hunted by his own kingdom. I enjoyed listening to this book and was able to in exchange for a review

Book 1

What made the experience of listening to Dream of Empty Crowns the most enjoyable?

The different kingdoms were fun to learn and I how they were each was described differently. I really loved Asa's character and really felt for him in this book.

Amazing book

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, I'd recommend it, it was well done.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Gordon, He finds himself on a self discovering journey.

Have you listened to any of Christopher J Mayer’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I haven't. It was well narrated with varying voice interpretation

Any additional comments?

This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBoom dot com

Fantastic read, quick paced & unique story.

If you could sum up Dream of Empty Crowns in three words, what would they be?

Protagonist is one-of-a-kind.

What did you like best about this story?

It's the kind of story you could listen to as told by a grandpa, or a story teller at bedtime. It's not bogged down with so much detail that it becomes tedious. The story is simple and flows nicely.

Which scene was your favorite?

When you find out they can fly. And by they I don't mean the humans. It's scary! When you listen to the book you'll know exactly what I mean. I couldn't believe it!

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I empathize with the protagonist. He is on a grand adventure with a genetic illness that he must deal with on top of everything else. He does so admirably. It is inspiring.

Any additional comments?

Worth the listen. Not only is the book really good but the gentleman who reads it has a voice made of silk and a tongue made of silver. According to Audible I have listened to 1 month and 26 days worth of time in books (I think I am at almost 60 books in my audio library). He is one of the best voices I have listened to. No joke. He is defiantly playing on a fantastic talent. I look forward to more.

Can't wait for Book 2!

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this book! It holds your interest, and you want to know what happens next. Very fun!

Solid First Book in a new Middle Grade Fantasy!

Would you listen to Dream of Empty Crowns again? Why?

Yes! The story is interesting, but moves at a nice pace for listening to while driving, walking or doing chores.

What other book might you compare Dream of Empty Crowns to and why?

I was first reminded of Garth Nix's 'The Seventh Tower' because of the way the new kings are chosen at the beginning. I also found the author's use of the sweet blood illness similar to the way Rick Riordan incorporated dyslexia into his Percy Jackson series.

Which scene was your favorite?

I don't know if I had a favorite scene, but I enjoyed seeing Asa, Gordon's friend, prove his merit by standing up to Trunculin.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No. I was happy taking breaks in between chapters and scenes.

Any additional comments?

M J Sewall has done a wonderful job of setting the foundations for what I feel will be a great fantasy series for readers of all ages. Although geared toward a younger reading crowd (I would say ages twelve and older), this story will also appeal to the child in all of us. There is a charming cast of characters on both sides of what is considered good and evil, and we get some insight in to each of them. I found Gordon’s sweet blood illness a very unique twist as well (another challenge our young hero must overcome in his epic journey) and I especially liked Aline. Every Middle Grade/YA book should have both strong male and female characters and Aline definitely fulfills my personal requirements for a strong female character. Battle-trained and fearless, Aline valiantly protects her friends as they encounter one challenge after the another.

The light use of steampunk elements (the airships and some of the weapons) and the interesting creatures (the Jhalgon that attack the ships) also added depth to the world Sewall has created. My only complaint is I would have liked to learn more about each character and what drives them, but their stories do begin to unfold toward the end of the novel and I expect to learn even more in books two and three. Overall, a tale well told!

Dream of Empty Crowns: Chosen King, Book 1

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

This seemed to be more aimed at young adults. A steampunk, fantasy, adventure hybrid. I'd recommend it, it was well done. Not sure if to anyone I know since I'm a 63 year old.

What other book might you compare Dream of Empty Crowns to and why?

A little bit like Hunger games series. Much less dystopian though.

Have you listened to any of Christopher J Mayer’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I haven't. It was well narrated with varying voice interpretation though. I would like to hear other works by this narrator.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

I hate this question.

Any additional comments?

This was a light fantasy with adventure for young people.

Thank you for giving me an opportunity to hear it.


This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBoom dot com.

Can teenage boys be good kings?...

The idea that a randomly chosen 13-year-old boy is a perfect candidate to become a king sounded a bit crazy, I thought at first. But then the reasons behind it are very logically explained right at the beginning of the story, so much so that I readily accepted the whole concept - and I think it should definitely appeal to all young people who are the real target of the book:)

The storyline develops at a steady pace and keeps the reader's/listener's attention, partly thanks to the chapters being rather short. Gordon's journey begins at the steps of the Choosing Tower but soon turns into a set of adventures, some of which may have serious consequences... To add flavour to the already intriguing story, he has to struggle not only with his enemies but also with his illness...
There are many things that I like a lot about the book; here are the three most important ones:
1. Gordon has sweetblood illness - as diabetes is one of the illnesses more and more kids have to struggle with nowadays it's a good idea to have a protagonist who has to deal with the same problems those teenagers have; it shows them that an illness, whatever it is, should not and does not stop you from being great and achieving your goals;
2. the book proves that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, especially when it comes to people - appearances can be misleading and you should appreciate people for who they really are; the characters of Asa and Aline are the best examples, one being small for his age so seemingly week and easily influenced, the other being "just a girl"- and girls are so often underestimated, even in our times...
3. the story is a good introduction for young people to the world of politics - there are a lot of machinations, negotiations, plottings going on... Gordon and Asa have to learn to meander through them, and probably younger readers would learn along with them how to survive in that cruel world of alliances and treaties...

There is really only one thing I didn't like about the book - the cliffhanger ending. It really does stop at such a point that you feel like shouting "Why now?!" - so I'm happy I have number two already and can listen on:)

As for the narration by Mr Mayer, it's really good. I like the pace of his reading and the voicing of individual characters. I think his best is the voice of Trunculin - he really does sound mischievous and vicious:)

DISCLAIMER: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.