The Mercenary Code cover art

The Mercenary Code

The Shattering of Kingdoms, Book 1

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The Mercenary Code

By: Emmet Moss
Narrated by: Simon Vance
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About this listen

Winner of the 2020 Society of Voice Arts Award for Audiobook Narration - Fantasy.

Break the Code. Shatter the World.

Centuries ago, the murder of a beloved king tore apart the Kingdom of Caledun. The land was plunged into chaos and thousands perished in the aftermath. A new order was established in an attempt to return Caledun to its former glory. It failed, but in its place rose the beginnings of the Code.

During this same period, the mystical caretakers of the Great Wood retreated from the world of Kal Maran, their disappearance an ominous harbinger of the suffering that was to follow. The Great Wood now grows out of control. Cities, towns, and villages have fallen before the relentless march of the forest. Without the former guardians to keep her tame, the wood has become a place of peril, and dark creatures of legend now hunt beneath its leaves.

The summer season is now a time of armed conflict. The fall of the old monarchy has brought about a ceaseless cycle of combat. Grievances are settled by the strict tenets of a binding Mercenary Code and the men who would die to preserve its honour.

However, change is in the air. Political rivalries have escalated, and dire rumblings of a revolution abound. Thrust to the forefront of the shattered land's politics, a mercenary fights for more than just riches. In the north, a borderland soldier wrestles with his own demons and looks to find his true purpose. And in the shadow of the Great Wood, a young man's chance encounter with a strange visitor gives hope to a land divided.

©2019 Emmet Moss (P)2020 Podium Audio
Action & Adventure Epic Epic Fantasy Fantasy Fiction Royalty Sword & Sorcery King

What listeners say about The Mercenary Code

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    4 out of 5 stars

Entertaining story.

Whilst nothing new or ground breaking, I found it a very enjoyable story full of likeable characters and was well written, enough so that I have now gone through the whole series. If you have nothing better to do or you're waiting for one of your favourite fantasy authors to drop their next book, I recommend give this a listen, you wont be blown a away but unless you're a book snob you will be entertained. Simon Vance's narration was amazing, as always!

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Coded message

Interesting story great character development but a bit of a fizzle to the end but

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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It was a bit boring

I struggled to focus on this story. I'm not a fan of this narrator, either.

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    1 out of 5 stars

okay story bad storytelling good narration

It was an okay story for the first book of a trilogy but the storytelling was poor. Too many POV bouncing around did not cause confusion but was unnecessary. Most dialogue did not flow and characterisation needed work. I recall wanting to know more about captain Gavin but that’s it. This had echoes of another book I read about a mercenary co, their captain, the wilds. I nearly did not finish the book- went away came back and rushed to the end to get it done but won’t read the other books - don’t care.

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