Kevin Pierce remains #1 of my top 5 reader-narrators ever. I think if Kevin and Scott Brick ever collaborated on any book, Audible’s stock would rocket into the stratosphere.
As to the story, the world building of Marcus Battle could easily rival and overshoot any other fictional book written. That’s saying a lot from me. As a child I averaged three 300pg novels a day. As an adult I worked for Borders Books and a couple smaller stores just so I could have greater access to new books across genres after reading through several libraries. Battle and Lou are two exceptional characters. However, I can’t stand Norma!! I get it that some people just need someone close to blame for the ills of their world, but that also leaves those being blamed treated mercilessly. Norma demands everyone around her show less heart towards Battle, while totalling ignoring Battle’s pain. In that light, Lou’s visit to Battle’s old homestead was especially fantastic!! In the book of Job, Norma is Eliphaz the Temanite. Eliphaz was Esau’s son, the 1 who assaulted Jacob on the road and the father of Amalek (Gen36:12). Norma’s character is old enough to have acquired at least “some” wisdom regarding the damage done by them to someone who hasn’t harmed, or even better, has helped them like Battle has done for Norma. Ungrateful humanity is ugly…hopefully in the next book Norma gets her own visit to the Wizard long enough to get a brain or maybe a piece of a heart. Glad the “I, Marcus” series has been written. Starting “Harbor” now.