The Black Fortress

The Gryphon Chronicles, Book 6

By: E.G. Foley

Narrated by: Jake Benson

NY Times Bestselling Author E.G. Foley brews up a magical potion for fantasy fans of all ages!

Take a dash of Harry Potter and a splash of Oliver Twist, add a pinch of steampunk and a sprinkle of Victorian fairy lore, and what do you get? The Gryphon Chronicles! A rollicking fantasy adventure series that's as much fun for grownups as it is for kids.

Behind the iron gates of The Black Fortress, evil gathers its forces, preparing to strike...

Three months ago, the horrible news that the Dark Druids captured his beloved pet Gryphon sent thirteen-year-old Jake Everton reeling—especially since he knows he's the one the warlock brotherhood really wants. It's a trap, and poor Red is just the bait. Well aware of the threat, the Elders have forbidden the daring boy hero from taking any action to rescue his faithful companion. Instead, Jake and his friends must cool their heels at the Order's palace headquarters, where they'll be "safe."

But treachery stalks the hallowed corridors of Merlin Hall. Palace intrigues abound as a traitor makes a secret pact with the enemy. And when a terrifying prophecy emerges with Jake at the center of it all, the full-scale magical war between good and evil that the Order has long dreaded only needs one spark to explode...

With Red in enemy hands and whispers of destiny calling his loyalties into question, Jake is torn between light and shadow. The war is coming—and the battle for his future has already begun.

©2019 E.G. Foley (P)2024 E.G. Foley

Enthralling tale

This chapter of the chronicles is a nail biting addition to the saga. The narrator sucks you in immediately with his pleasant voice as the story takes you for a wild ride. Mr. Benson gives unique life to each character, bringing the action to life.

Hooked again!

At over 65, I am not the target audience for this series, but as a grandmother and a middle school teacher, my curiosity led me to this series, and I finished the first five books years ago. When prompted, I hesitated to come back because I worried it might be more work than I wanted to do to re-acquaint myself with the many characters and all their motives and machinations. However, the lure of a new book and new narrator was too much for me, so I plunged back in. Within just a few hours, all my worries that I would need to re-read the first books again to know what was happening just fell away, I was completely back in the swing of the story, invested in the conflict, rooting for my favorite characters, chewing my nails over the audacity of the villains. Foley does a wonderful job of making each book a potential stand-alone, interweaving synopsis effortlessly.

Jake Benson's facile voice work with so many varied characters puts me in awe like I haven't felt since I experienced Jim Dale's feat with the 200+ characters in the Harry Potter series. He flows effortlessly from the bass growl of a demon to the prim falsetto of an elder witch, to comic voices to cocky teens, from tenderness to swagger. His international accents are entertaining and credible. How does he keep up with all those identities? Wow!

As to the plot, it's epic and engaging, and I don't want to spoil it by revealing too much. The publisher's blurb of the series gives enough detail to tell you the overall context, but treachery dominated the storyline in this book, keeping me on the edge of my seat and invested in far more than the fate of the primary character, Jake Everton, who is maturing in a satisfying manner.

I actually finished this book a few days ago, but couldn't immediately get to my review because I just had to start the next volume immediately and get some resolution on the cliffhanger ending of The Black Fortress. I'm having a great time back in the world of Lightriders and Dark Druids!

Looking forward to the next one!

The story I building beautifully. Very descriptive scenes of battle. I enjoyed listening to the new Narrator.

Through a Mirror, Darkly

If you've been following the Gryphon Chronicles from the beginning (and I would hope you're not trying to start a series with Book SIX!), then you already know that E.G. Foley have done an astounding job of creating a world full of magic, mystery, and intrigue while also allowing we the readers to truly believe that this could be the past of our own timeline. You already know that Jake and his friends are a well-created and eclectic group of friends who are going to do whatever they have to in order to save the day. You already know that the Lightriders and the Dark Druids are going to pull out all the stops and that we are headed into a much deeper, darker dive into the war between Good and Evil. And boy, is Wyvern evil!

But what really makes this segment of the Gryphon Chronicles worthy of your attention is just how much the plot grabs you and flies you along with the kids - and occasionally with the bad guys - to really immerse yourself in the whole story. And, beyond that, how expertly the new narrator - Jake Benson - takes over the telling of these tales with a truly wonderful grasp on what makes the characters tick. They seem to jump out of your headphones or speakers and run amok over your productivity for the day. Benson does a great job of making you feel the motivations of all the characters with recognizable voice changes and clear emotional pitches. When the characters were angry, or sad, or frustrated, you can't help but fell that way, too, and that is all on the narrator. He really gets these characters and allows the reader to forget that they're being read the story and really fall into the plot on their own.

Run, don't walk, to find your headphones and give this a listen as soon as you do!

Best book so far.

Great story advancements & superb narration. On to next book! Will be sad to reach end of series.