These books are 5 star books. I know because I've read them in the 1980's. Unfortunately, Scott Brick, the narrator of these fantastic books, manages to thoroughly destroy them with his over-dramatizing, sermon-like, sing-song formulaic narration. I truly and utterly hate this narrator and can't for the life of me understand why he is allowed to narrate so many excellent books and apparently even won awards for it. Horridly and dreadfully emphasizing...every...single...adjective and noun. Building tension in every single sentence when it's not called for by being invocative all the time. Reading words in stead of sentences, not caring about the story itself but trying to display his (poor) acting skills. What a shame! I was so looking forward to listening to the books that got me into fantasy some 40 years ago. Who in their right mind hears him narrate and thinks: "Yes! He's the one we need!"? I am not even kidding: this man should be forbidden to be a narrator.

I don't have the right words to explain how much I disliked this. The MC is the worst I've had to follow. I read dark fiction, evil characters, despicable actions but this guy is the worst. I don't mind characters being evil but don't spend the whole book in limbo while trying to win my sympathy. He does the most vile things and then pities himself. Half the time he doesn't even acknowledge his actions, but just throws a pity party.