A Darker Shade of Magic (The Darker Shade of Magic Series)

Product Description <br/>MP3 CD Format Kell is one of the last Travelers—magicians with a rare, coveted ability to travel between parallel universes—as such, he can choose where he lands. There's Grey London, dirty and boring, without any magic, ruled by a mad King George. Then there's Red London, where life and magic are revered, and the Maresh Dynasty presides over a flourishing empire. There's White London, ruled by whoever has murdered their way to the throne. And once upon a time, there was Black London . . . but no one speaks of that now. Officially, Kell is the Red Traveler, personal ambassador and adopted Prince of Red London, carrying the monthly correspondences between the royals of each London. Unofficially, Kell is a smuggler, servicing people willing to pay for even the smallest glimpses of a world they'll never see—a dangerous hobby, and one that has set him up for accidental treason. Fleeing into Grey London, Kell runs afoul of Delilah Bard, a cutpurse with lofty aspirations. She first robs him, then saves him from a dangerous enemy, and then forces him to spirit her to another world for a proper adventure.<br/> Review <br/>"A Darker Shade of Magic feels like a priceless object, brought from another, better world of fantasy books."-- "io9"<br/><br/><br/>"A Darker Shade of Magic is smart, funny and sexy...Schwab keeps the excitement coming with roller-coaster plot twists."-- "Independent (London)"<br/><br/><br/>"Compulsively readable...her characters make the book."-- "NPR"<br/><br/><br/>"Fantasy fans will love this fast-paced adventure, with its complex magic system, thoughtful hero, and bold heroine."-- "Kirkus Reviews"<br/><br/><br/>"Narrator Steven Crossley uses pace to good advantage in this swashbuckling tale...As narrator, Crossley is presented with a cast of interesting characters, and he rises to the challenge. He seems to have fun with the interplay between Kell and Lila, a pickpocket from Gray London who causes Kell trouble and then saves his life, sparking an intriguing relationship."-- "AudioFile"<br/><br/><br/>"Schwab creates an ingenious set of nesting alternate Londons in this imaginative, well-crafted fantasy. Confident prose and marvelous touches--a chameleon coat, a scarlet river of magic, a piratical antiheroine--bring exuberant life to an exhilarating adventure among the worlds. "-- "Publishers Weekly (starred review)"<br/><br/><br/>"With more depth and substance than a gimmicky concept, this inventive adventure and its colorful eccentric characters provide the perfect summer escape."-- "Library Journal"<br/><br/>There is much more to explore in this amazing world from the acclaimed author of Vicious.-- "Library Journal Starred Review"<br/> About the Author <br/>V. E. Schwab is the author of several books, including the New York Times bestselling Vengeful and A Conjuring of Light. Her young-adult book The Near Witch was named by Entertainment Weekly as one of the best YA books of the decade.