The Queen of the Tearling

A Novel

By: Erika Johansen

Narrated by: Katherine Kellgren

Magic, adventure, mystery, and romance combine in this epic debut in which a young princess must reclaim her dead mother’s throne, learn to be a ruler - and defeat the Red Queen, a powerful and malevolent sorceress determined to destroy her.

On her 19th birthday, Princess Kelsea Raleigh Glynn, raised in exile, sets out on a perilous journey back to the castle of her birth to ascend her rightful throne. Plain and serious, a girl who loves books and learning, Kelsea bears little resemblance to her mother, the vain and frivolous Queen Elyssa. But though she may be inexperienced and sheltered, Kelsea is not defenseless: Around her neck hangs the Tearling sapphire, a jewel of immense magical power; and accompanying her is the Queen’s Guard, a cadre of brave knights led by the enigmatic and dedicated Lazarus. Kelsea will need them all to survive a cabal of enemies who will use every weapon - from crimson-caped assassins to the darkest blood magic - to prevent her from wearing the crown.

Despite her royal blood, Kelsea feels like nothing so much as an insecure girl, a child called upon to lead a people and a kingdom about which she knows almost nothing. But what she discovers in the capital will change everything, confronting her with horrors she never imagined. An act of singular daring will throw Kelsea’s kingdom into tumult, unleashing the vengeance of the tyrannical ruler of neighboring Mortmesne: the Red Queen, a sorceress possessed of the darkest magic. Now Kelsea will begin to discover whom among the servants, aristocracy, and her own guard she can trust.

But the quest to save her kingdom and meet her destiny has only just begun - a wondrous journey of self-discovery and a trial by fire that will make her a legend...if she can survive.

©2014 Erika Johansen (P)2014 HarperCollinsPublishers

Slow beginning, excellent payoff

Where does The Queen of the Tearling rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It's up there. It definitely starts out slow--I have seen super mixed reviews about this book, and in most cases people cite the slow beginning as a negative. Don't stop there! It picks up once she arrives in Tearling.

What does Katherine Kellgren bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Kellgren's performance is excellent. At first her accent was too much for me, but by the end of the book, I wanted to listen to more of her narration. Her voices bring the characters to life. I was pretty impressed with her range.

Loved the story and the narrator

What did you love best about The Queen of the Tearling?

All the characters, but particularly the growth of the young Queen.

What does Katherine Kellgren bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I love Katherine Kellgren as a narrator. Her pace is perfect and I thought the character voices were all excellent, especially for the Queens' guard. I will say she was a little piercing in the beginning, but she calmed down as the story went. And in defense of the narrator, the main character struggles with being quick (and often) to anger. So there is that to consider.

Reader beware

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I do not know anyone personally that I would recommend this book to. I think many Christian readers would find several parts of it repulsive.

Would you be willing to try another book from Erika Johansen? Why or why not?

I bought the the first and second e-books of the trilogy thinking my teenagers would enjoy the story. I somehow got it into my head that it was appropriate for teens. I don't know where I got that idea from. Now that I've listened to the first book, I will not be letting my children read or listen to either. I guess I can't answer the question of whether I would try another of Johansen's books until I have read the second book. I do not plan on buying the third at this time. If I had not missed the deadline of returning the Audible book by a few days, I would have returned The Queen of the Tearling for a refund.

What about Katherine Kellgren’s performance did you like?

Her voice is very smooth and pleasing to listen to. I like both her women's and men's voices. She is a talented narrator, and I wouldn't hesitate to listen to other books she's recorded if the subject matter interested me.

Could you see The Queen of the Tearling being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

Yes, if some of it could be toned down. I can't think of a round-faced, plain actress that could play Kelsea, maybe Lena Dunham. I kept thinking of a face like Olivia Munn while listening to the story, even though I knew Kelsea is supposed to be plain. It's hard to think of a plain face while listening to Katherine Kellgren's beautiful voice.

Any additional comments?

I listen to many genres. I do not listen solely to Christian books or books that are appropriate for children. (For example, I loved The Road by Cormac McCarthy and Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry.) Despite it's excellent writing and interesting plot and characters, I thought several times while reading this book that Chelsea Clinton or Lena Dunham are more the target audience. I never like to read a review of a Christian romance in which an atheist complains, "They talk about God all the time, and they never progress beyond kissing!" Therefore, I will try to be objective in this review and give you a list of some of the subject matter. Forgive me if I fail at this. With that said, medical technology is not advanced in this land of the future, but birth control and abortions are common. The Tear was meant to be a socialist, utopian government. People who think homosexuality is wrong are portrayed as evil, with the government creating "anti-sodomy squads." The religion of the Tear is a mix of Protestantism and Catholicism, leaning more toward Catholicism, with "greedy priests, venal priests, even priests tormented by hidden, twisted sexual desires..." The only priest who is a genuine believer in the story is a worldly one who loves books rather that serving people in the name of God. The main character, Kelsea, the Queen of the Tearling, was raised by an atheist foster mother, and her atheist beliefs are mentioned several times. There is a sprinkling of commentary about the death penalty, the meat packing industry, domestic violence, prostitution and the sex trade, human trafficking, the way women are expected to act... Sometimes I thought the author just threw in topics for the sake of not leaving anything out that feminists or liberals might want to read about. There are a few instances where sex acts or sexual responses are detailed.That being said, the author has talent. I do think there is an audience out there for this series. Fans of Bernard Cornwell or Ken Follett would probably love this book, with its many mentions of rape and perversion and the epic story line. Fantasy fans who like a strong female heroine would like it if they don't have a problem with the sexual details. I mean really, why do we need to hear what happens to a woman when she's cold or excited? There's one woman who randomly starts panting at a table while her companion is conducting business, and he has to tell her to calm down. (It goes beyond When Harry Met Sally.) An evil sorceress has to undress in order to speak with some kind of magical being. Why? If you like your fantasy on the clean side, beware.

SPECTACULAR!

I'm positively blown away by the quality of writing and narration from this audiobook.
The story is rich, very engaging, brutal (sometimes violent), and charming, all culminating into a perfect blend of storytelling. The characters are effortless to connect with, and my god...the narration is the best performance I've heard on Audible by far. The narrator does a tremendous job of voicing many different characters with quite a range of accents, styles, and subtle nuance. I can't wait to read the rest of this series, and I can't recommend this installment highly enough. If well-written fantasy and intrigue is what you seek, you won't be disappointed here. I've adding Erika Johansen to my list of favorite authors.
I hope you enjoy this as much as I have!

more please!

I was completely enthralled by this book I can't wait to read the rest! more please!

love this book!

loved reading this book and love listening to it as well. Fantastic narrator, storyline moves and flows well, and it feels natural when you read it. nothing is contrived

A Fetching Tale

Katherine's performance was extremely compelling especially during moments of high tension and action! The Queen of the Tearling takes on a unique narration style documented from various sources (poems, essays, etc) which is a bit strange and gives a tad too much future insight at times; however the novel is a thrilling tale with many events that are not for the faint of heart

Kept my interest, good book!

Good book! Not a *great* book, but I'm very interested to continue reading about these characters. Good reading performance, though a little inconsistent in volume and a few errors throughout. Despite a few flaws, definitely worth the credit!

Could not stop listening !

This story has captivated me. I got it to listen to on a long drive but had to finish once I got home. Now on to the next book. I hope this gets made into a movie.

Secrets, lies, betrayal all behind the crown !!

i couldnt put this down the story kept me asking for more and wanting to discover about the secrets behind the crown jewels and its power!