Dark Covenant

I binge-listened to *Dark Covenant* over a single weekend, and I’m still not sure if I’m more impressed by the story or the narration. Richard Brock’s performance is a masterclass in gruff authority—his portrayal of the grizzled commander Jareth Vey is so vivid I could hear the grit in his voice between sentences. Raya Kane, meanwhile, steals every scene she’s in as the enigmatic spy Lyria, her delivery laced with venomous charm and quiet devastation. Together, they make Hawke’s sprawling cast feel like real people, not just chess pieces in a galactic game. That said, the story’s third act drags a *little*—Hawke packs in so many twists that the final confrontation feels rushed, like the last five minutes of a Marvel movie. And while the world-building is impressive, a few factions felt underdeveloped, leaving me wishing for deeper lore on some cultures. But these are minor quibbles. The emotional gut-punches land hard (that final betrayal? Brutal.), the action sequences are kinetic, and the chemistry between the leads is electric. If you love your fantasy with a side of political knife-fighting and a dash of heartbreak, this audiobook will ruin you—in the best way.