I purchased the first three books of this series at the start of the Will Wight sale that Audible had. The first book is good, but a little on the slow side. But it really is setting the foundation for the rest of the series. After this book, I immediately listened to the second book. After the second book, I was hooked and bought the rest of the books in the series. That is really all I need to say. The characters are interesting, the world is fascinating, and the magic system is on par with the type that Brandon Sanderson schemes up. In some ways, the progression of these books remind me of Jim Butcher’s Codex Alera. They have a much different feel to them, but each book builds on the last in a very satisfying way.
For as much as I am enjoying the story, the narrator brings these books to life in a way my own imagination never could. I’d rate the narration of the Cradle series just below The First Law trilogy and The King Killer Chronicles – and in my opinion that is high praise. Honestly, I’m not sure if reading these books alone would have caught my attention the way that the audio books have.
If you are looking for a new fantasy series to try, this one gets my highest recommendation.