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Warden #2
Lure Of The Lamia
Part lawman, part tracker and part magician, the Wardens are monster-hunters - tasked with protecting the people from the various, nightmarish creatures that have invaded the world of men.
Despite his personal dislike for the job, Errol Magnus has faithfully carried out the daunting (and singularly dangerous) duties of Warden for their region in place of his missing brother Tom. Truth be told, despite his reluctance in accepting the role, there is no one better suited for it in terms of knowledge, training and skill.
Arriving home after an extended sojourn in the Badlands, where monsters are as common as blades of grass, Errol longs for just a single day to pass that doesn’t require him to put his life in danger. His desire for a respite, however, is complicated by two things: the arrival of a mysterious troupe of performers - and the appearance of a bloodthirsty creature that kills its victims in a horribly gruesome fashion.
Now Errol must determine what connection - if any - exists between the troupe and the killings, as well as find a way to stop the monster before the body count goes any higher.
Despite his personal dislike for the job, Errol Magnus has faithfully carried out the daunting (and singularly dangerous) duties of Warden for their region in place of his missing brother Tom. Truth be told, despite his reluctance in accepting the role, there is no one better suited for it in terms of knowledge, training and skill.
Arriving home after an extended sojourn in the Badlands, where monsters are as common as blades of grass, Errol longs for just a single day to pass that doesn’t require him to put his life in danger. His desire for a respite, however, is complicated by two things: the arrival of a mysterious troupe of performers - and the appearance of a bloodthirsty creature that kills its victims in a horribly gruesome fashion.
Now Errol must determine what connection - if any - exists between the troupe and the killings, as well as find a way to stop the monster before the body count goes any higher.
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First published April 27, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
May 26, 2019
Lure of the Lamia by Kevin Hardman and narrated by Mikael Naramore is an audible book I requested and the review is voluntary. I loved the first book and this one is just as exciting! Our young warden has to deal with all new harrowing experiences, new creatures, and find out who/what is killing people in town. Great fantasy, mysteries, exciting adventure, great plot, strange creatures (my favorite is Berry), and a touch of romance is creeping in the story too! It's a short book but powered up with plenty of entertainment! Can't wait for the next book!
July 13, 2018
Kevin Hardman created an interesting world, and we're now getting another short story from it. Timeline of this story is set after the events of
Wendigo Fever
.
Tom returned home from his monster-chasing adventure in Badlands, and just wished for a short break. Travelling artists are arriving to the shire, and things are finally looking up.
Well, not for long.
A monster appeared shortly after the artisans set up shop and appeared to be hunting for everyone who strays too far in the dark.
No rest for Tom, who is still not any closer to finding his brother than before. Or, is he?
Wendigo Fever got 4* solely because of the length of it. It was way too short for something that interesting. In hindsight, I might have been too harsh to rate it 4*. So I'm fixing it here. Additionally, Lure Of The Lamia is an hour longer. Yay!
Michael Naramore got 5* then and gets 5* now. Really good narrator. If I recall correctly, I didn't much care for his voice when I first heard him. But he did grow on me very quickly. Hope I'm recalling this correctly, although it wouldn't make much of a difference anyway. He is very pleasant to listen to.
My 5* club may be too wide, meaning I put mortal narrators in the same basket with people like Ray Porter, R.C. Bray, and Marc Thompson - the Gods of Narration. It would simply be unfair to rate other people any less just because other ones have an active 5* subscription.
I'm also known for my leniency, which I've tried to stomp on a few times by now - unsuccessfully. 5* rating simply means I've really enjoyed the book. Well written? Well narrated? Hell yeah, take this 5* home and thank you for all the fun.
But then again, I get most of my books for free... so I'm not sure if I'm giving authors/narrators a proper run for their money. I may need to address that, too.
Anyway, no doubt about this 5*. 4 hours of fun is an upgrade from 3 with Wendigo Fever, and Hardman continued with the same type of humor. I liked. Also, I'm such a sucker for sequels... :-)
Cheerios! And remember - don't hug the Lamia!
Tom returned home from his monster-chasing adventure in Badlands, and just wished for a short break. Travelling artists are arriving to the shire, and things are finally looking up.
Well, not for long.
A monster appeared shortly after the artisans set up shop and appeared to be hunting for everyone who strays too far in the dark.
No rest for Tom, who is still not any closer to finding his brother than before. Or, is he?
Wendigo Fever got 4* solely because of the length of it. It was way too short for something that interesting. In hindsight, I might have been too harsh to rate it 4*. So I'm fixing it here. Additionally, Lure Of The Lamia is an hour longer. Yay!
Michael Naramore got 5* then and gets 5* now. Really good narrator. If I recall correctly, I didn't much care for his voice when I first heard him. But he did grow on me very quickly. Hope I'm recalling this correctly, although it wouldn't make much of a difference anyway. He is very pleasant to listen to.
My 5* club may be too wide, meaning I put mortal narrators in the same basket with people like Ray Porter, R.C. Bray, and Marc Thompson - the Gods of Narration. It would simply be unfair to rate other people any less just because other ones have an active 5* subscription.
I'm also known for my leniency, which I've tried to stomp on a few times by now - unsuccessfully. 5* rating simply means I've really enjoyed the book. Well written? Well narrated? Hell yeah, take this 5* home and thank you for all the fun.
But then again, I get most of my books for free... so I'm not sure if I'm giving authors/narrators a proper run for their money. I may need to address that, too.
Anyway, no doubt about this 5*. 4 hours of fun is an upgrade from 3 with Wendigo Fever, and Hardman continued with the same type of humor. I liked. Also, I'm such a sucker for sequels... :-)
Cheerios! And remember - don't hug the Lamia!
January 6, 2022
Title: Lure of the Lamia
Author: Kevin Hardman
Release Date: October 8th, 2013
Page Count: 146
Start Date: January 3rd, 2022
Finish Date: January 3rd, 2022
Review:
Story: Errol's brother still has not returned. It has now been three months. He has taken more and more warden responsibilities as time passes. His personal dislike for the job is slowly becoming more and more distant. Especially since he realizes he's started to grow feelings for a girl. One he thought he would never like in any way at all.
Characters: I read the blurb to remember the main character's name. I still don't remember his love interest's name. She was the one in the first book. Both of them have had major personality changes in this one. It seems like maybe their feelings for each other has calmed them a bit. Then again, growing older and more mature could have been doing that as well. Either way, they have become characters I could root for.
Critiques: The references of the brother. There are maybe a couple of paragraphs at the beginning and nothing else. I feel like the conflict should be brought up a little more. Maybe this is just a personal preference.
Narration: The narration was as wonderful in this book as it was in the first.
Final Thoughts: I really enjoyed this book quite a bit. I enjoyed seeing the main characters of the book grow and become a little less of a pain. I stated that despite their flaws, I liked them in the first book. I liked them even more in this one. I wish all of these were longer. I get why though. They are targeted for children and middle-grade audiences.
Author: Kevin Hardman
Release Date: October 8th, 2013
Page Count: 146
Start Date: January 3rd, 2022
Finish Date: January 3rd, 2022
Review:
Story: Errol's brother still has not returned. It has now been three months. He has taken more and more warden responsibilities as time passes. His personal dislike for the job is slowly becoming more and more distant. Especially since he realizes he's started to grow feelings for a girl. One he thought he would never like in any way at all.
Characters: I read the blurb to remember the main character's name. I still don't remember his love interest's name. She was the one in the first book. Both of them have had major personality changes in this one. It seems like maybe their feelings for each other has calmed them a bit. Then again, growing older and more mature could have been doing that as well. Either way, they have become characters I could root for.
Critiques: The references of the brother. There are maybe a couple of paragraphs at the beginning and nothing else. I feel like the conflict should be brought up a little more. Maybe this is just a personal preference.
Narration: The narration was as wonderful in this book as it was in the first.
Final Thoughts: I really enjoyed this book quite a bit. I enjoyed seeing the main characters of the book grow and become a little less of a pain. I stated that despite their flaws, I liked them in the first book. I liked them even more in this one. I wish all of these were longer. I get why though. They are targeted for children and middle-grade audiences.
June 25, 2019
This is the second book in this series and while it could be read as a standalone, it works better if you have read the first instalment before this one.
This book begins a few months after the first one with Errol still carrying out the duties of a warden due to the continuing absence of his brother Tom, but now he has to find the creature responsible for a number of violent deaths and do so before it kills again. This book builds on the first quite well, shifting the focus away from the surrounding badlands to the town that our reluctant hero is responsible for protecting, adding more depth to characters we have previously met and expanding the cast still further.
The narrator does a good job of enhancing this book, a clear and distinctive narration helping to bring the book to life.
Overall, a strong follow-up to an enjoyable first book which makes me more interested in any subsequent ones too.
[Note - I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.]
This book begins a few months after the first one with Errol still carrying out the duties of a warden due to the continuing absence of his brother Tom, but now he has to find the creature responsible for a number of violent deaths and do so before it kills again. This book builds on the first quite well, shifting the focus away from the surrounding badlands to the town that our reluctant hero is responsible for protecting, adding more depth to characters we have previously met and expanding the cast still further.
The narrator does a good job of enhancing this book, a clear and distinctive narration helping to bring the book to life.
Overall, a strong follow-up to an enjoyable first book which makes me more interested in any subsequent ones too.
[Note - I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.]
April 28, 2019
This is book two in the series and I really enjoyed book one so as soon as finished it I started this one. I found it be another great book full of action, mystery and surprises. Just what you expect from a Kevin Hardman book.
Errol no closer to finding his missing brother is still acting warden and after two deadly missions and a usual visit with the white widow the last thing he wants to do is chaperone a traveling carnival. Reluctantly he can't find any reason to move them along, that is until opening night when a young boy's body is found. After the second night and a second body the last thing he can do is move them on, until he has found a killer.
Michael Naramore is the narrator and like a Kevin Hardman book being excellent you wouldn't expect Michael being anything else. In other words both book and narrator are brilliant and I would recommend them both.
Errol no closer to finding his missing brother is still acting warden and after two deadly missions and a usual visit with the white widow the last thing he wants to do is chaperone a traveling carnival. Reluctantly he can't find any reason to move them along, that is until opening night when a young boy's body is found. After the second night and a second body the last thing he can do is move them on, until he has found a killer.
Michael Naramore is the narrator and like a Kevin Hardman book being excellent you wouldn't expect Michael being anything else. In other words both book and narrator are brilliant and I would recommend them both.
June 23, 2019
If, like the woman in the old song, you "don't like spiders and snakes", this might not be the book for you, but this collection of stories about the monsters of folklore cleverly framed as the recollections from a Warden's log book is a delightfully adventure among the creatures of the super natural.
When his brother Tom disappears, Errol Magnus steps in to fill his shoes as the local "warden", a kind of sheriff/bounty hunter who patrols the local area, tracking down the monsters and protecting the villagers. It's an adventure, horror, fantasy story of the sort you might find on the reference shelves of the Winchesters or in your local Grimm's secret trailer.
I loved this one. It's scary enough to make a great campfire tale but not quite bloody or violent enough to make the "I won't sleep for a week" scale.
When his brother Tom disappears, Errol Magnus steps in to fill his shoes as the local "warden", a kind of sheriff/bounty hunter who patrols the local area, tracking down the monsters and protecting the villagers. It's an adventure, horror, fantasy story of the sort you might find on the reference shelves of the Winchesters or in your local Grimm's secret trailer.
I loved this one. It's scary enough to make a great campfire tale but not quite bloody or violent enough to make the "I won't sleep for a week" scale.
November 25, 2021
This was really good. The first book i lived for the character development, in this book, this is the result of his maturing.
Though, I gotta say I almost put the book down at the Widow. It was frustrating to see him disregard his teaching (even if it was really cool scene), but the scene was hard for me to read too. Other than that, I liked everything else, the relationship with Gale evolving and see Errol new confidence and self-assured attitude. I also enjoyed seeing the town's people. I was really happy no silly drama of them blaming the warden for anything. They don't use him as an escape goat or to through blame and fault on when something goes wrong. It was refreshing.
I did actual figure out what was going on for the most part, but the ending was surprising pleasant and different from what I expected.
Though, I gotta say I almost put the book down at the Widow. It was frustrating to see him disregard his teaching (even if it was really cool scene), but the scene was hard for me to read too. Other than that, I liked everything else, the relationship with Gale evolving and see Errol new confidence and self-assured attitude. I also enjoyed seeing the town's people. I was really happy no silly drama of them blaming the warden for anything. They don't use him as an escape goat or to through blame and fault on when something goes wrong. It was refreshing.
I did actual figure out what was going on for the most part, but the ending was surprising pleasant and different from what I expected.
November 3, 2017
After the events of Book 1 it seems our new warden( reluctantly) is attempting to recover however the life of a warden barely pauses Errol finds and so the learning experience continues. As he hopes to find out more about his brother Tom still missing he finds out about the other side of the monsters where sometimes it isn't as cut and dry a problem as you would think.
great pace of action, mystery and even a nice dose of humanity rounds this book up well.
Narration as you would expect from Narramore is excellent and comes across well especially in the human moments.
Looking forward to the next in series.
I was gifted this audio and choose to leave a review and as such is my own honest opinion
great pace of action, mystery and even a nice dose of humanity rounds this book up well.
Narration as you would expect from Narramore is excellent and comes across well especially in the human moments.
Looking forward to the next in series.
I was gifted this audio and choose to leave a review and as such is my own honest opinion
November 18, 2017
My review is based on the audiobook. Book 2 continues from where book 1 stopped and leads the reader/listener on another exciting mission with Errol who is reluctantly doing the duties of Warden since his brother Tom is still missing. This book introduces us to a troup of odd performers as well as some new creatures for Errol to battle. The story is fast paced and the characters and world building are on point. The narrator does a wonderful job at bringing the story to life. I enjoy this Author's descriptive writing that makes me feel as if i can see the story playing out right in front of me. I look forward to more in this series and from this Author & narrator.
June 13, 2019
Lure of the Lamia, the second book in the Warden series, is a cool fantasy adventure and mystery with unusual characters including some bizarre and twisted monsters. While this book works better as a follow up to the original, it should stand fine on its own as well. The book is suitable for teens and adults. Younger kids may find it to scary or gory, though it depends on the kids.
The narrator of the book is engaging and does a good job bringing the story to life.
I received a complimentary copy of this audio book. This is my honest and voluntary review.
The narrator of the book is engaging and does a good job bringing the story to life.
I received a complimentary copy of this audio book. This is my honest and voluntary review.
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March 13, 2020Lure Of The Lamia (Warden, #2), my fIFteenth read from author Kevin Hardman. Well-written fantasy, with well-developed characters and story-line. With each book Hardman writes the story-line gets more enticing, drawing the reader deeper & deeper. Owning both the Audible & Kindle editions I was able to follow along while being read to. Narrator Mikael Naramore’s talented narration again adds greatly to the book’s enjoyment. I was given an Audible copy of this book & am voluntarily reviewing it. I’ll be reading more in this series. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).
June 10, 2019
I have posted this review after listening to the audiobook of this title.
Again we encounter fantastic characters that are death to those that cross their paths. Thankfully, Errol Magnus, although reluctant to the task, is standing between those wicked creatures and the people of the ward.
This story is enhanced by the narrator's ability to bring the various characters vocalizations to life for us.
Overall, a great read/listening experience for all ages.
Again we encounter fantastic characters that are death to those that cross their paths. Thankfully, Errol Magnus, although reluctant to the task, is standing between those wicked creatures and the people of the ward.
This story is enhanced by the narrator's ability to bring the various characters vocalizations to life for us.
Overall, a great read/listening experience for all ages.
June 15, 2019
I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, and found it very entertaining. Errol was trained for a job he never expected he'd have to do. Nor did he want too, then his brother disappeared. All he wants is a simple, and safe life. He gets anything but, when a carnival troupe shows up and people start to die. Interesting characters fill this fast pace tale that has suspense, action and humour. Very enjoyable and worth listening to.
October 21, 2017
More Science Fiction..
This book picks up pretty soon after the first book ends.
We have more of the wendigo, more strife, and more action.
Overall, another good read with interesting characters.
Mikael Naramore did well with the narration as usual.
Note:
"This audio book was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review."
May 27, 2019
Fast paced adventure with a pleasantly unique story
I really enjoyed this as the 2nd book of this series. A very unique story, though I think I liked the 1st book a little better, but still this one did not disappoint! Creative and fun, a fast paced adventure with a pleasantly unique story line. I look forward to the next adventure our unlikely hero takes.
I really enjoyed this as the 2nd book of this series. A very unique story, though I think I liked the 1st book a little better, but still this one did not disappoint! Creative and fun, a fast paced adventure with a pleasantly unique story line. I look forward to the next adventure our unlikely hero takes.
June 26, 2019
I enjoyed this 2nd book in the Warden series - pleasant and interesting! In a way this a series of short stories woven together. Errol has returned from his unsuccessful quest to find his brother and takes his place as the local warden. He encounters a series of weird, dangerous creatures and demonstrates his growing skills and knowledge.
November 24, 2018
Richer and Longer
The second book shines as a stronger story, giving us better views of the characters and the world they live in. This is a good series, and I hope for many more books. Recommended!
The second book shines as a stronger story, giving us better views of the characters and the world they live in. This is a good series, and I hope for many more books. Recommended!
September 14, 2019
A group of performers arriving in town coincides with multiple brutal murders. Errol has to find the connection, if there is one, to stop the killings. But with his brother still missing, he has to do it alone.
December 13, 2019
Wardens, person who protects human beings from monsters. This Warden is as far as he is concerned a temporary Warden until his brother is back. Now he finds out Monsters are sometimes Monsters and other times just average beings wishing just to live peacefully.
I recommend this Story!!
I recommend this Story!!
July 30, 2019
A wonderful addition to the story line. The characters continue to grown. The story moves along at a steady pace.
June 22, 2019
Wardens are magicians, trackers, the law, and monster hunters, for their respective territories and charged with protecting all the people in that area. With Errol's brother Tom missing he has stepped up and filled his boots, very reluctantly, but he has done it since and he is the best they have at the moment. In this sequel to Warden: Book 1 Wendigo Fever Errol is out to find where his brother Tom has disappeared too as well as do the job, as best he can, of warden. Even if it means rooting out a blood sucking something that might be from a gypsy troop that has come to town.
This book is so good it has just the right amount of impending doom to keep you on the edge of your seat, but then the action starts and your holding your breath waiting to see what happens. Author Kevin Hardman is a master of this type a mystery and you won't be able to guess who it is until the end. And if you are lucky to have this book as a audio, narrated by the very talented Mikael Naramore than you are in for a treat, as he can do all the voices so you feel as though you are there with all of these different people, it is so wonderful you won't want to turn it off. So if your are looking for a different type of fantasy book here is one for you.
This book is so good it has just the right amount of impending doom to keep you on the edge of your seat, but then the action starts and your holding your breath waiting to see what happens. Author Kevin Hardman is a master of this type a mystery and you won't be able to guess who it is until the end. And if you are lucky to have this book as a audio, narrated by the very talented Mikael Naramore than you are in for a treat, as he can do all the voices so you feel as though you are there with all of these different people, it is so wonderful you won't want to turn it off. So if your are looking for a different type of fantasy book here is one for you.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews