Author: Trudie Skies

Narrator: RJ Bayley

Length: 19 hours and 22 minutes

Series: The Cruel Gods, Book 1

Producer: Audiobook Empire

Publisher: Trudie Skies

Released: May 16, 2022

Genre: Gaslamp Fantasy

WHEN THE SAINTS FAIL, THE SINNERS STEP UP.

Cruel gods rule the steam-powered city of Chime, demanding worship and tribute from their mortal subjects. Kayl lost her faith in them long ago, and now seeks to protect vulnerable and downtrodden mortals from their gods’ whims. But when Kayl discovers powers that she didn’t know she had—and destroys a mortal’s soul by accident—she becomes Chime’s most wanted.

Quen’s job was to pursue sinners, until the visions started. Haunted by foreboding images of his beloved city’s destruction, Quen hunts soul-sucking creatures made of aether who prey on its citizens—and Kayl is his number one target.

To ensure Chime’s future, Kayl and Quen must discover the truth of Kayl’s divine abilities before the gods take matters into their own hands.

For a city that bows to cruel gods, it’ll take godless heathens to save it.

The Thirteenth Hour is the first book in The Cruel Gods series—a gaslamp fantasy featuring magical portals, gothic cosmic deities, quaint Britishisms, and steampunk vibes. This is an adult book containing strong language and mature themes that some listeners may find disturbing. For a full list of content warnings, visit Trudie Skies’s website.

Trudie Skies has been living inside fantasy worlds ever since she discovered that reality doesn’t quite live up to the hype. Through the magic of books, she wishes to share these worlds of hope and heroes with other weary souls. Living in North East England, Trudie spends most of her free time daydreaming about clouds, devouring whatever fantasy books or video games she can get her hands on, and chasing after her troublesome dogs, who would like to reassure you they are very good boys.

Her debut YA fantasy series, Sand Dancer, was published through Uproar Books. Trudie is now writing adult gaslamp fantasy with her new series, The Cruel Gods.

An accomplished full-time voice actor and audiobook narrator with 4 years of experience.

RJ’s voice has been described by peers as a ‘well-weighted baritone, balanced & deep at the same time.’

Natually he’s got a mild Yorkshire lilt that’s trustworthy and relatable. He’s extremely adaptable however and capable of many convincing accents, or anything you throw at him really.

RJ’s broadcast quality studio consists of a fully acoustically treated room, RØDE NT-1A microphone, Reaper digital audio workstation and Izotope RX7 for clean-up and mastering for that high end sound.

So far he’s narrated over 30 audiobooks with more currently in production. As a VO he’s been the voice of brands such as Nickelodeon, Johnson and Johnson, Network Rail, Aegon, Accord and more.

He’s friendly, reliable, professional, takes direction well and always makes sure you’re happy with your narration.

He maintains he’s not trying to ruin his own career by deafening himself with heavy metal on his dog walks.

At Audiobook Empire, audio reigns supreme, narrators are hailed as heroes, and headphones are worn with pride.

Marrying pomp and circumstance with quality you can count on, Audiobook Empire is a full-service production house that produces and promotes audiobooks with gusto.

Give your audiobook the imperial treatment by producing it with Audiobook Empire.

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Overall: 5 out of 5
Story: 5 out of 5
Narration: 5 out of 5

Overall: I loved this – story, narration, all of it. If you’re ready to dive into the world of audiobooks, then this is the perfect one to start with!

Story: I loved Kayl from the start – she’s rebellious and determined, even in a world where that could easily get her killed. I love the combination of twelve gods sharing a world, each with their own mortals they’ve created to rule over. The world and all that inhabit it are well-developed, and it’s easy to imagine that such a place really exists. Perfect for fantasy and steampunk lovers looking for something less sci-fi to read alike!

Narration: Wow, I can’t believe this book only had one narrator! Bayley did a great job differentiating between the narrator and all the surrounding characters. I thought the attitudes of each character really carried through, and there’s such a dynamic range to the narration that you get caught up in the story and action. I was thoroughly impressed with the performance, and really enjoyed listening from start to finish.

I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Audiobook Empire. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.

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