Locklands

I’ll be honest: *Locklands* is the kind of audiobook that demands your full attention—or it will punish you. As someone who adored *Foundryside*’s heist energy, I was prepared for a high-stakes conclusion, but Bennett swerves hard into metaphysical warfare and existential dread. The first act is a slog of political maneuvering and lore dumps, made tolerable only by Tara Sands’ knack for voice work. She gives Clef (the sentient, sarcastic key) a delightfully unhinged cadence, and her Sancia sounds like a woman two seconds from snapping—which, given the plot, is perfect. But the middle act? That’s where the audiobook *sings*. A heist gone wrong, a godlike entity waking up, and a sequence involving a sentient ship that’s equal parts terrifying and darkly funny. My biggest critique? The pacing is *uneven*. Bennett’s worldbuilding is brilliant, but he spends too long on abstract debates about scriving’s ethics while frontloading exposition. And the finale—while ambitious—feels rushed, like he hit a word count and called it a day. The production itself is flawless (no awkward edits or volume jumps), but the story’s reliance on prior books makes this a tough sell for audio-only listeners. If you’re already invested, Sands’ performance elevates the material. If you’re not? Start with *Foundryside*—or brace for 21 hours of catching up mid-sentence.