The Novices

Last Reaches, Book 1

By: David Goldfarb

Narrated by: Travis Baldree

Length: 5 hrs and 55 mins

Publisher's summary

Sure, dragonslaying is heroic business. But some poor bastards have to handle the dirty work of cleaning up the god-awful mess the heroes leave behind. Gwill, the grizzled second-in-command of the fabled Iron Line, saw things go a little sideways at the end of their last adventure. After a successful dragonslaying, they, uh, might have forgotten to burn the dragon's body. Now maybe it was her fault and maybe it wasn't, but she's on the hook for it regardless. Now Gwill needs a few warm bodies to take care of it. They don't need to be smart or talented or much of anything, really. All they have to do is burn the body of the dragon and all's well that ends well. This is where the Novices come in....

©2017 David Goldfarb (P)2017 Travis Baldree

Real world problems in the land of fantasy.

The dragon has been slain, now the triumphant crew marches back to the town with the head to claim their victory. However, they did not read their contract fully and there is still one more thing they need to do to fulfill its terms. With no time and little patience Gwill decides the best way to handle this situation is to hire some just starting out adventurers. How hard could it be? Turns out quite hard. Gwill is over her head with this adventure, and with her own personal business. Her secret from the past is starting to come back around and bite her.

David Goldfarb paints an interesting picture of a world which is growing past the age of dragons and into one with contracts and responsibilities. Not only are the heroes held to the letter of their contract in this world their actions do have consequences. What will a team of adventurers think when they find out what this new life is truly like? This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.

A fun new fantasy series

I was given this free review copy audio book at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

This book was surprisingly good. It is epic fantasy, but not your typical hero tale. The main characters are quite literally novices. The story has a lot of action and wit. The narrator too, was really good. I'll definitely look for more in this series.

Comical Incompetent Adventurers Will Win You Over

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

This book begins when a dragon has been killed but the "heroes" who killed the dragon failed to read the small print of their contract because they failed to burn the dragon's body. They will not get paid until this is done so a decision is made to hire this job out. Enter The Novices. They have no experience in being adventurers and are completely clueless on how to proceed but off they go.

There is some really good humor in this book -- both out of the situations The Novices get into and by witty retorts. I really liked how The Novices were really true to their name. They made poor decisions, attempted things that common sense might dictate to do otherwise and were frequently just plain incompetent. They never developed magical powers or any heroic traits -- they just muscled on with whatever innate prowess they possessed.

The narrator, Travis Baldree is so perfect for this book. This is the second book I have listened to which was narrated by Travis and I have become a big fan. He does voices which truly complement the character and the story. His narrative pace and tone throughout the story really enhance the enjoyment of the story.

I am looking forward to enjoying the next book in this series.

An excellent comedic fantasy with dark elements.

This is one of those titles I had in my Audible account for a while and for whatever reason, had just not gotten to. Well, gladly, as is searched through for something to listen to this week, this caught my eye. I had recently finished another book done by this narrator, and thought the story sounded fun. Six hours later, I can happily and whole heartedly recommend this book.

The famed mercenary company, the Iron Line, is about to retire and disband after many years of top flight adventuring, and they are going out on a lucrative high note, having slain the last dragon in a quest set out by a rural duke. Unfortunately, they missed the fine print in the contract where they were responsible for cleanup and destruction of the dragons body, or no pay, and possible damages if the carcass drew other predators to the area. Needing to get the dragons head back to town, the band finds that they can hire locals to go do the cleanup, and they find a group of 3 new adventurers to accomplish the task. How hard can the cleanup be, if they provide Eelfire oil to destroy it? It turns out, much more complicated than anyone could expect!

It turns out Gwill, the Second in command of the Line, who wields the death dagger Tomb, has been keeping some secrets from her band, like how she came to get the dagger, and who she made the deal with to get it. To pa back for the dagger, she has to ensure to be paid in 24 hours for the dragon kill. Unfortunately, the group they hired to get rid of the body are, ah, clueless. A warrior, bard and priest with one spell, healing, are probably not best suited for the task. In addition, well, it turns out the last dragon was the next to last dragon. The last dragon is this dragon's ancient, super powerful mother, asleep under a mountain these last 300 years, and does she wake up pissed when her baby dies. Pissing off a dragon that can breath both ice and fire is never a good idea. Lets just say that what follows is both a comedy of errors and dragon wreckage on an epic scale, all leading to a climactic battle where the stakes are huge, and not everyone will make it to the other side.

The narration is handled by Travis Baldree. I have been a huge fan of his since I read his work on Charles Grant's horror book, Jackals. He is definitely in my list of top 10 narrators working today. He has an excellent narrative pace, and has an excellent command of accent, pitch and tone to convey the differences in various characters. He never drops into a monotone, and seems to be really interested in the story as he reads it, adding to the quality. Definitely something to check out.

All told, this is definitely a worthy book in a crowded field. Is it perfect? No. The world it takes place in seems a bit underdeveloped, but then again, the characters really didn't go anywhere, so that will probably be rectified in the next book. The characters are fun, and worth reading about. Gwill especially is an interesting character, and her motivations are actually very realistic and thoughtful. All in all, though, I hope more people discover this book, because it would be a shame if more in the series weren't written. Any fans of comedic fantasy should definitely give this one a shot. It's worth the read/listen.

A Wonderfully different dragon book

What made the experience of listening to The Novices the most enjoyable?

The narration was perfect for this book!

What about Travis Baldree’s performance did you like?

SPOT ON!!!

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

The subtle undertones of what makes a 'hero' is in there, it is subtle...

Any additional comments?

The Novices (Last Reaches, #1) by David Goldfarb, Joakim Hellstedt (Illustrator), narrated by Travis Baldree is an audible book I requested and the review is voluntary. This is not your ordinary dragon tale for sure. The 'heroes' are forgetful and lacking morals and need to send someone out to finish the work they should have finished. They pick three of the least of the lowest of low and send them out to burn the corpse of the dragon they slew, which the "heroes'" forgot to do. But things get very complicated and the 'low' may not have money but have more than the highborn in many ways. It is a fun, action packed, creature filled, adventure book with humor and heart. Great book. The narration is perfect for this story! Spot on!!! I enjoyed the clever wit and fun dialogue, the crazy plot and antics and the subtle undertones of who the heroes really were.

The Like able Unlikely Heroes

Would you listen to The Novices again? Why?

I've listen to it at least twice - it was so quirky and I thought I missed something from laughing so hard at times, and reminiscing about previous scenes at other times!

What did you like best about this story?

I LOVED how these novices were true novices. They weren't destined to save the world. They didn't come into hidden powers. They didn't emerge as heroics, able bodied or mentally articulate gods by the end of the story. Too many authors fall into the cookie cutter 'average Joe' who turned into an immaculate, handsome, savvy character before the quest ends. These characters are incompetent with a finesse and use little to common sense or logic, wich made them endearing and clearly stamps this book in my fave top 10%

Have you listened to any of Travis Baldree’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I am not familiar with Travis Baldree. But I have added several of the books he has narrated to my Wish List. He did an excellent job with this book and I'm looking forward to him reading to me again!

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

This book moved me to laughter many times over. The Novices was a comic relief that liberated the stress of a work day and kept me company as I cleaned the house. I went out and bought speakers to add to my amusement and entertainment!

Any additional comments?

Anyone who wants a fun adventure with deep characters who have dense and simpleton thoughts would enjoy this. Dragons were real dragons. No one is trying to train, ride, or shift into them. The characters don't make the best decisions. Heck, they don't even make good decisions! They fly -or run - by the seat of their pants, without thinking ahead five minutes. Each stay true to character and don't strive to be more. They are who they are - and they're adorable! Think about those sweet kids who you just smile and shake your heads at, because they try to make or do something, but alway come up a deck short ... As a southerner would say, "Bless their hearts!" "I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review."Thank you for allowing me the pleasure!

The end of a storied company and the beginning of a new

We fantasy lovers relish reading about our favorite band of adventurers. What happens when they get old? What happens when they retire? Who takes their place? How does the old group end? The new one form? Welcome to "The Novices" all this and more will be revealed through a hilarious madcap adventure that twists and turns and will leave you amazed. Really enjoyed this one. Highly recommend. I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.

Great fantasy

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

Yes! It's funny, has plenty of action, and is entertaining.

What about Travis Baldree’s performance did you like?

He gave each character a unique voice and captured the emotions expressed.

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

I was frequently laughing while listening to this.

Any additional comments?

I received a free review copy of this audiobook at my request and I have voluntarily left this review.

A Fresh Look!

The Novices takes a fresh approach to fantasy heroics, starting with the characters being, well, Novices. Goldfarb doesn't take the easy approach of making them fated or the best of the bunch. It's just a group of people starting from the very beginning and looking for an opportunity. On their journey, they'll have to figure out how to get along, how to make better choices and how to do what's best for the party.

Goldfarb does an admirable job keeping it exciting and heroic when dealing with characters who are not yet and might never survive to be heroes. The ending left me wondering what will happen next.

The narration on this fits in very well and keeps the story smooth.

This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review

3.5* - good introduction to series

Any additional comments?

As the favourable reviews from others indicate, this story is a good introduction to a series about dragon hunters. The characters were well-described and the story ended with pieces in place to carry forward to the next installment. I wouldn't call it a stand-alone book, since we were left with unanswered questions and a band of companions that haven't yet become cohesive.

There were two main reasons why I didn't give the story a higher rating. First, I found that the first third of the book dragged action-wise. I understand that in a multi-part series, the author has latitude to provide rich context and character development. However, part of me kept wondering who the 'novices' were and when we'd be introduced to them - so I was starting to get restless as the book progressed. Second, I didn't particularly like or empathize with any of the characters in the story. Well, I started to like them but then they'd do something or say something that would make them less likeable to me. By the end of the book, I didn't like the heroine at all. I wouldn't be surprised if this is the beginning of a longer character-development arc that spans the entire series, though. By the time the series ends, I'll become quite attached to the characters (the ones who are still alive, anyway!). The likeability of characters is purely a subjective thing, however. The other reviewers seemed to like the characters just fine, and I can understand why - Goldfarb writes great dialogue and all of the characters have good points as well as flaws. I'd certainly be willing and interested to read the next books in the series, so I can find out what happens to them!

This is the first time I've heard Travis Baldree narrate and I think he did a great job! I generally didn't have any difficulties distinguishing the characters as the story progressed and I think that his pacing and many of his voice characterizations were particularly excellent. I'm always appreciative of male narrators who don't exaggerate falsetto voices for female characters, so I'm glad that Travis didn't do this.

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