A Darker Shade of Magic cover

A Darker Shade of Magic

Shades of Magic • Book 1

4.02 ABR Score (435.0K ratings)
★ 4.03 Goodreads (435.0K) ★ 4.28 Audible (40)
11h 16m Released 2025 Fantasy

Why Listen to This Audiobook?

Kate Reading and Michael Kramer built their reputation on Wheel of Time — hearing them reunite for a lean, propulsive 11-hour fantasy is like watching marathon runners do a sprint.

  • Great if you want: parallel-world fantasy with a thief's energy and real stakes
  • Listening experience: brisk and cinematic — easy to binge across a weekend
  • Narration: Reading and Kramer split perspectives cleanly; their chemistry is earned
  • Skip if: you need a self-contained ending — this is pure series setup

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About This Audiobook

In a multiverse where four parallel Londons exist across dimensional boundaries, only a rare few possess the magical ability to travel between worlds. Kell serves as an official ambassador between the thriving Red London and the magic-starved Grey London of King George III, but his secret smuggling operation puts him in mortal danger when he acquires a forbidden artifact. When he flees to Grey London, he encounters Delilah Bard, a cunning thief who forces her way into his mission to prevent a catastrophic magical threat from consuming all the worlds.

Kate Reading and Michael Kramer deliver masterful dual narration that brings Schwab's intricate world-building to vivid life. Reading captures Delilah's sharp wit and fierce determination with perfect timing, while Kramer embodies Kell's conflicted nature and magical gravitas. Their seamless alternating chapters create distinct voices for each protagonist while maintaining narrative momentum across the complex multi-dimensional plot. The fantasy elements translate beautifully to audio, with both narrators skillfully handling the magical terminology and varied accents that distinguish each London, making the listening experience feel like stepping through portals alongside the characters.