Not your average YA teen witch story!

I haven't actually finished this yet, but am enjoying it so much that I felt the need to review it. This is partly due to the excellent narration by Carl Prekopp. It's an article of faith with me that I'd rather listen to a bad book with a great narrator than a good book with a poor one.

It starts right inside Nathan's mind in a shockingly brutal scene and takes up the story in flashback. The picture of the magical world is naturalistic and convincing. Things are only revealed gradually via the protagonist's experience so there's no long exposition about witch society.

It's traditional in these reviews of compare books to other books, isn't it? So let's go with Harry Potter crossed with Kes.

If you enjoy supernatural young adult fiction set in Britain and also like Carl Prekopp's narration, I highly recommend you check out the Mercian trilogy: Blood, Alchemy and Death.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

31 people found this helpful

slightly dull

struggled to finish this 1 narrator quite dull didn't enjoy and wouldn't recommend sorry writer not very original

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

My favourite Audiobook so far

I bought this book series a few years ago in whsmiths and couldn't put them down. When I found them on audable I had to buy the series.
Carl prekopp hands down is my favourite voice actor, he brought this book to life with the voices and the way he reads every word. I found my self just walking and walking or pulled up in the car out side my house till I got to a part I could pick it up later on.
After this I've bought all carl prekopps audio work.
This book and series is a must for the YA audience

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Entertaining story

Great book, was slightly apprehensive being a book obviously inspired from Harry Potter but was gripped and enjoyed it totally. Will be waiting patiently for the next. A must read for anyone who enjoyed Potter!

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Different but definitely worth reading

Well this is my first time coming across this author . I must say I’m impressed. The story is told in a first person way that was different from what I’m used to but I found it worked perfectly for the story . It’s fast paced and the story is told in an entertaining and captivating way . The characters are well thought out and it’s easy to find yourself liking or disliking them as the author has wanted you to . The narration is top notch and works perfectly with the story . I’ll certainly finish the series and will be keeping an eye out for any other work by this author .

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

A magical adventure

I am writing this review as a combination of all 3 books in the Half Bad series as I listened to them in sequence because I could not stop after the first!
First of all I have to say how much I adore Carl Prekopp's narration, he brought Nathan and all the other characters to life wonderfully. The only negative for me was the addition of 'static' sound effects during book 2 & 3, personally I find is really distracting and doesn't enhance the performance in any way - luckily they were minimal but I do wish there were the option to listen without. It lost one star due to this. That said this didn't stop me absolutely loving this series, wonderful characters and fast paced story.

If you enjoyed The Binding, you will enjoy this series and vice versa

Small spoilier...
The ending I was not expecting and I have to say tore my heart out, but it was the perfect ending all the same.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Wowee

Checked it out because I loved the Netflix adaptation. This version is fantastic, but narratively very different and more dark than the show. If you like dark fantasy I’m sure this will be a good listen.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Thrilling book with great voice acting

Modern timeframe
This story evolves in modern times, so it sometimes mixes elements of magic and some modern technology. Smartphones, computers are very little present , but you’re not getting a medieval environment/setting/clothes or timeframe. At least not in the first book, Most of the normal bad guys have guns, and, or knives. Some use powerful magic, but not until later in the book.

Story
You get to follow Nathan from young boy,and until almost late teen years. Nathan, an outcast, treated bad, physically and psychologically, from almost everyone, and especially the leading roles of society. All because his absent father, is a bloodwitch, and everyone else where he lives is “good” witches, even his half siblings, though most of his small family treat him very well. Nathan’s father is infamous, and have killed a lot of these “good” witches. He can even “steal” powers from them. Nathan is often treated worse than an animal, because, he one day might turn in to a monster.
He struggles just to survive and find some glimpses of happiness. There are a few different plots and, the book builds up, with you getting to
Learn to know Nathan, and him trying to find out what he will become, what his father is, have done and so on.
In the later part of the book, it gets more and more intense, he really must achieve a few goals before it’s to Late, and time is not on his side.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

An intriguing start to a trilogy

What made the experience of listening to Half Bad the most enjoyable?

The performance and voice acting was excellent, and really transported the story to its various settings.

What other book might you compare Half Bad to, and why?

This is ultimately a coming of age story, so would compare to other books with that in mind. The addition of magic and witches makes the story all the more interesting.

Which character – as performed by Carl Prekopp – was your favourite?

Mary, the elderly witch, was an excellent performance.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Definitely - and in fact I did listen to the whole thing in one go.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

Awesome

really good read, can't wait to find out what happens next. hope it won't be too long

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!