Book of Names

Casters of Syndrial, Book 1

By: Rain Oxford

Narrated by: J. Scott Bennett

Nathan, who has been plagued with a strange and dangerous curse since he can remember, just wants a normal life. His brother, Luca, wants nothing to do with normal. When they fall through a portal and end up on a foreign world with magic, monsters, and gods, Nathan realizes that normal is relative.

In a world where names are power, a book has been stolen that can destroy more than just Syndrial. Being safe from the book puts him in the path of two powerful forces, both of which have no problem using his brother against him. To protect Luca and get home alive, Nathan will have to master magic, find the Book of Names, and defeat a devastating enemy.

©2017 Rain Oxford (P)2017 Rain Oxford

What is your true name?

Nathanial, and his brother., Luca, are transported to the alternate world filled with Magic, mythical creatures, and gods. What I found interesting is how Earth’s Egyptian gods play a major role in this “new” world “. When the brothers land in a sacred temple, they are not welcomed immediately. Without some godly intervention, they would have been in a precarious position. Why were the gods interested in Nathaniel and Luca?

At times, the story may seem long, but it is packed with details that help explain what’s going on, provides some motivations, and creates new questions before providing answers. There are numerous surprises along the way... at least twice my jaw literally dropped! I don’t get caught unsuspecting very often.

If you enjoy a great story wrapped in Magic, mythology, intrigue, suspense, this is one that will capture your imagination. I fully recommend it.

Through Audiobook Boom, I was given this book by the author in exchange for an honest review. This I have done.

Good start of a series

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

All things considered, I thought this was an enjoyable experience. The book is well written. The characters have depth, and there is even some plot twists. The narrator was good, but not great. His voices for different characters were not very different. That being said, he has an interesting voice and kept the story interesting. I would definitely be open to more from this series.

Brothers Battle for a world not their own

This is a story about two brothers we get transported to a world where magic is real and they might fight to save it. While this might be a typical story in fantasy nowadays, you are right. You've probably read a dozen fantasy books about people from Earth sucked away to a mystical land. BUT, you've never seen a world like this.

The magic system here is pretty cool, and while true names have always been a thing in fantasy, the way that real and secret names are used is pretty cool. Also, unlike most fantasy styled books this has an Egyptian flair. that helps to make it tonally different from standard fantasy tales.

The book sucks you in quickly, and keeps your attention with a series of twists and turns that you don't see coming. The main character has to make a lot of hard choices, and his last decision is a killer.

The narration is solid, performed well, and does not detract from the story at all. I've gotten some older audiobooks, and there the important thing was to just enunciate clearly. Bennett does the story and characters justice. I will certainly look for other things he has done.

I actually got this book after I had gotten the second in the series. I haven't listened to that yet, but will start it soon. That said, if I hadn't known there was a sequel I would have been very satisfied with how the book ended. It could have been a solo stand alone novel and worked just as well. In other words, in spite of knowing there would be a sequel, Oxford tied up his story lines, and I appreciate that a great deal. I hate books that leave a lot unclosed, but takes years for the next book to come out.

Get this book, you will be happy with everything, and once you are sucked in you will want the next book in the series.

Book of Names

I have to admit that at the beginning I was comparing this book to the author's previous series The Sorcerer's Saga. As the story progressed, I was able to separate the two and enjoyed this book on its own merit. I was not disappointed in J. Scott's performance. I really do enjoy his work. I received this audiobook for free through Audiobook Boom for my unbiased review.

Oxford is good with different

I've listened to several of Rain Oxford books and they are always different. Some of the plot was easy to see coming, but, with good characters, the story was still enjoyable.

“I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.”