Barren audiobook

Tibbet's Brook has embraced the arrival of the fighting wards. The Brook has formed a militia and many of the town's elders have reaped the rewards of magic by growing younger once more. Selia Square, the woman known as Barren, is one such woman. The return of her youth has rekindled many parts of her. Selia seeks love in the arms of a young woman while trying to protect the Brook from the coming demon swarm.Barren was an interesting story that really highlighted the life or Selia. When I first heard that Peter V. Brett was working on this story I didn't imagine it would be as compelling as it was. I hadn't read The Core when I first heard Brett was working on Barren and didn't know what a scandal Selia had been involved in during her youth. Loving a woman in the wrong family in a time and place where such was considered an abomination by many.The story also reinforced one thought I always had regarding Selia Barren, that she does not play around. Selia from a young age was willing to put herself in harm's way to protect a person regardless of if she had to stand up to the Watches or a coreling. Selia will stand for what she believes in and protect everyone she can. It was good to see her get a chance at love even if she was somewhat uncomfortable with what people would say.It was interesting to see what happened to Tibbet's Brook since it didn't really get it's own story conclusion in The Core. The Brook took to fighting demons with similar fervor to Cutters Hollow. It didn't have the wardcraft the Hollow possessed thanks to Arlen and Leesha, but it was innovative in lesser ways. Brett did a good job involving characters many people were likely to have forgotten about such as Brine Broadshoulders.Barren is a good novella that brings closure to the good people of Tibbet's Brook along with a peek into Selia Barren's life.4 out of 5 starsI received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.

I'm very happy to get this novella following the events in The Core. Or rather, I should say it gives this small town the kind of ending it deserved in the tumult that wrecked the land in The Core. Huge things happened there. All towns getting attacked at once, demons pouring up from every corner, close calls, and a trip to the core of the demon realm. Big stuff. So of course, little towns of a thousand souls kinda get forgotten for the sake of pacing. And that's okay.That's why writers invented novellas. :)What sets this aside from all the other novels and side-stories is the repudiation of all the gratuitous uber dark brutalizations. In fact, it focuses on same-sex relations and the still-nasty small-town ugliness that follows those people of a different persuasion. I personally thought these demon novels were partly a commentary on the ugliness of man, anyway. Adding demons to punish them just happens to fit the bill nicely. So the corollary is simple. Successfully fighting off the demons must come, in part, with setting ourselves to right. And this is what we get.Not easily, and not without tragedy, but the fight to make things right is its own reward. Plus gigantic worms crashing through the town square, mind-controlling demon princes, and slavering hoards of monsters adds a little spice. But then, doesn't it always?

I really enjoyed this novella. We get to journey back to Tibet’s Brook and hear more of Selia’s tale and how she never gives up helping the town. I’ve enjoyed all of the novellas that have accompanied the Demon cycle. I personally think this is the best of them. I think it must be difficult writing a book that takes place in a world that doesn’t respect differences, much like our world, but Peat finds a way to do it in a way that works out. Looking forward to the next cycle.

I missed this series. This is a great return.

I love how many well-built characters this series has - never would have thought Selia and Tibbet's Brook would get more focus after what happened with Renna, but I'm so glad it did. I'm just sad that the story is over.

I received a free copy from HarperVoyager in exchange for an honest review.I've loved this world since I first picked up The Desert Spear of all books (made for an interesting experience, going back to read book one) and getting an opportunity like this to dig into the world and the minor characters that make it feel real, that people live in it, was amazing. Set during the messy business of the last couple books of the Demon Cycle, Barren focuses on Arlen Bales' hometown and the trials they face as one of the demon prince's turn their eyes upon them. While half the narrative is focused on these trials, the other half digs into a tragic event some 50 years earlier and the root cause of some major divisions among the humans. The way both narratives are handled and intertwined leads to them flowing along what felt like a single narrative line and not two interweaving. I look forward to whatever stories will be told next in this world.

It is a well-written story that adds depth to most secondary characters from Tibbet's Brook. A fine addition to the main books from the Demon Cycle saga.

One of the problems with epic fantasy series is that as the story progresses and the world gets bigger, often the smaller tales slip through the cracks. In Barren, Brett brings us back into the world of his Demon Cycle and gives us a small glimpse at how the town that was the original home of Arlen Bales has progressed. Its great to return to this world and see look at how these characters have developed. Plus, plenty of demon killing action. Narrator Xe Sands delivers a solid performance. At times the cadence of her delivery seems awkward but sometimes the awkwardness actually plays into the narrative.

Dark, brutal and once again bloody brilliant! Pun intended! One of my all time favourite authors. Superb writing that’s a joy to read.

I disagree with anyone that has said this feels like a cash in. It is a strong story that adds history to a small, but important part of the world. Along with that, it tackles themes of sexuality and prejudice in a way that felt authentic. I would recommend this to anyone who is a fan of the series and has completed the main novels.

Short, but a lovely companion to the demon cycle, and answered a few questions I had as well as some I hadn't thought of

The stories of the Demon Cycle series continue with the novella Barren. The book focuses on Tibbet’s Brook and speaker Selia Square. It’s a different look at the factions and politics of the Brook, as well as a much deeper look at Selia, the Town Speaker. The story covers the events leading up to the big battle as the mind demon’s rise to the surface and bring war to the humans. It also touches on some areas of the past as it explores Selia’s young adulthood before she ever became Town Speaker.For fans of the series, this is a good story to check out. It’s a softcover that’s a 135 pages in length (there’s also a hardcover and audiobook version), about two evenings depending on how you spread it out. All of the focus is on Selia, and she turns out to be an interesting character. The novella deals with her romantic relationship with Lesa, the ghosts of her past, and her struggle to lead the Brook through the battle to come despite misgivings with its other leaders. Arlen and Renna don’t show up in the story, though the characters reference them every now and then. However, Arlen’s father Jeph plays a part. But those elements never overshadow the focus. Peter V. Brett stays on track and keeps this adventure solely on Selia, whether it’s in the present or the past.Without spoiling anything, anyone who is a fan of the series will want to check this one out. It’s a good read. And if you’ve never read the series, this might be a good way to try it out and see if you like it. Since the book focuses on Selia, it’s fairly self-contained. There’s no need to know everything else that’s gone on as whatever you need to know is in there. Anything else that might be mysterious would help spark that desire to read on and check out the other books. Either way, I give this one a four out of five. It’s a good read and a quick one, helping to explore a bit more of the world and its characters.

While attending the When Words Collide writers conference in Calgary this past weekend (August 10 - 12) I got the chance to meet one of my favorite authors: Peter V. Brett. He is the author of the Demon Cycle series - a high fantasy series that I would say is one of the best out there. If you haven’t read it, you really need to.Because I follow him on Twitter, I knew that he was giving away copies of Barren - a short story set in the Demon Cycle world that wasn’t part of the core story. I decided to take a chance and ask if I could get a copy. As you can see, I did. Peter was very gracious and even personalized it for me.Barren is a wonderfully written book who’s story reminds us of one thing: never, ever be ashamed of who you are. Others might look down on you for it, but you are exactly as you are meant to be. Embrace that, celebrate that. As one who suffers from social anxiety/general anxiety/OCD (that last being more a symptom of the first two) it really spoke to me as a reminder that I am perfectly imperfect and am exactly who I am meant to be.Barren isn’t available to the public yet (it releases on September 25th), but it is one I highly recommend everyone should read. And if you haven’t read the Demon Cycle yet, be sure to pick up The Warded Man, The Desert Spear, The Daylight War, The Skull Throne and The Core (all 5 books are now available in mass market paperback, so its the perfect time to do some binge reading). I can promise you won’t be disappointed!(I’ve linked to Peter’s official site in the source line below if you’d like more information on Peter or his books.)Source: peterVbrett.com

Some things first: I haven't read the Demon Cycle. This book is a novella, short and mostly a character study of someone I don't know is important to the greater saga. But those things really don't matter. For my first entry into this world, I found a well built world that actually made sense. I don't know how this world came to be. That it has parasites, called demons, is a fact. The people have been fighting these things for a long time. Other than these demons, people live as they have in small communities. People being people, there are petty arguments, grudges, hard feeling. Selia, a leader for many years, is different from other women in that she loves women. Some members of the town of Tibbet's Brook don't like that. Even though she married a man, she still has to deal with people who want her gone, and they don't care who they hurt in the process.The demons are getting ready to expand their territory. Tibbet's Brook seems to them to be prime real estate. They will use every tool at their disposal, including the negative thoughts of the people they plan to prey on. Selia has to find the story that will defeat the demons this time.I liked the story. The author kept to the story he wanted to tell. The world-building is done. Now we move in the world as it is. I may read other books in the demon cycle. I believe I will enjoy them.

I read the first two books in the Warded Man series back in 2011. I really enjoyed them, but somehow lost track of the rest of the books. Barren has been a good re-introduction to the world of the core demons and how wardings work, but you don't really need to have read any of the other books in the series to appreciate this novella.Barren is Speaker Selia's story, with two main threads. One set in the present as the town faces new threats from core demons, and one set 50 years earlier with Selia as a young woman. The two stories parallel each other, with grudges born out of the past still reverberating in the small rural community Selia leads. Whilst the demons are very present in this story, it's problems with her fellow villagers, and how their social and religious beliefs inform their attitudes that are central to Selia's tale.

Barren by Peter V. BrettThis is a novella which surprisingly does not mean a small nova. If you have read any of my reviews you have to be aware that my sense of humor is an acquired taste. The book takes place as part of the Demon Cycle that is Brett’s bread and butter. Selia, the town speaker, is forced to defend both her body and her reputation as the demons demonstrate new threats. The author attacks preconceived notions on sexuality. He does a very good job on showing why prejudice is short sighted. In the book, prejudice isn’t short sighted but dangerous to boot. I am not familiar with Brett’s universe but this novella impressed me with both its willingness to address societal issues and the vibrant color of its setting. I recommend the book.