The Storyteller (The Reader Trilogy Series #3)

by Traci Chee Narrated by Kim Mai Guest

Overview

The thrilling conclusion to the epic adventure that began with New York Times bestselling The Reader, "a series fantasy lovers will want to sink their teeth into." - Booklist, starred review

Sefia is determined to keep Archer out of the Guard's clutches and their plans for war between the Five Kingdoms. The Book, the ancient, infinite codex of the past, present and future, tells of a prophecy that will plunge Kelanna in that bloody war, but it requires a boy--Archer--and Sefia will stop at nothing to ensure his safety. The Guard has already stolen her mother, her father, and her Aunt Nin. Sefia would sooner die than let them take anymore from her--especially the boy she loves.
**** But escaping the Guard and the Book's prophecy is no easy task. After all, what is written always comes to pass. As Sefia and Archer watch Kelanna start to crumble to the Guard's will, they will have to choose between their love and joining a war that just might tear them apart. Full of magic, suspense, and mystery, Traci Chee brings her trilogy to a close in this spellbinding final installment.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Praise for The Storyteller:

★ “With an assurance that equals her sorcerer protagonist's, Chee constantly interrogates her central question: "who controls the story." At one point hers reaches the high-fantasy equivalent of The Monster at the End of This Book (though with significantly more elegance)… Thoroughly immersive, thoroughly satisfying.”—Kirkus, starred review

★ “In this richly realized novel, Chee has masterfully converged all of her characters into one final confrontation…as Chee pulls out all the stops to beautifully obliterate her readers' hearts.”—Booklist, starred review

★ “This is a fast-paced adventure with fully developed characters that explores memory and the power of the written word…[A] beautiful love story at its core.”—School Library Journal, starred review 


Praise for The Speaker:

★ "Filled with even more magic and intrigue than its predecessor, this is a gripping follow-upthat will leave readers speculating and wanting more."—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

★ "Strategically written with elements from the previous volume, this entry is rich with twists and turns that will leave readers in constant shock while reminding them that there are no coincidences in this narrative."—School Library Journal, starred review 

"Fans will be knocking down the door to read this exciting sequel."—Booklist 

“Chee has once again created an unforgettable story. Filled with secrets and surprises, this fast-paced storyline draws readers in and keeps them on their toes.”—VOYA


Praise for The Reader:

A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year – 2016
Finalist for the 2016 Kirkus Prize
A Kirkus Best Book of the Year – 2016 
An NPR Best Book of the Year – 2016 

“I was spellbound from the first page. An utterly transportive tale of swashbucklers and sharpshooters, masterfully written. Traci Chee has penned a beautiful novel about the power of story, complete with a fantastic cast of characters and an expertly rendered fantasy landscape. This is a book you will not soon forget.”—Renée Ahdieh, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Wrath and the Dawn

★ “Deftly rendered in beautiful prose, narrated through three shifting time lines woven into an interconnected history of duty, honor, and magic. . . . This is a must-have for all those who value a good read with genuine character growth, mystery, unique world-building, adventure, unyielding bonds of loyalty, and pirates. . . . A fresh, diverse fantasy; highly recommended for fans of Cornelia Funke’s Inkheart and female-powered adventures.”—School Library Journal, starred review

★ “Commanding storytelling and vivid details, particularly of the magical process of reading, bring the story to life… the first of what promises to be an enchanting series.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

★ “Chee’s debut is an intricate, multilayered reading experience… An exploration of self-determination and the magic of the written word, Sefia’s story is an absorbing introduction to the Sea of Ink and Gold series.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review 

★ “With evocative language, fascinating world building, multifaceted characters, and a compelling plot, this is a series fantasy lovers will want to sink their teeth into.”—Booklist, starred review

“Most world-building shies away from tackling the question of literacy within fantasy cultures, but here it serves as the beating meta-heart.”—NPR

School Library Journal

★ 11/01/2018

Gr 7 Up—In this final installment of the trilogy, Sefia and Archer have formed a plan to elude the Red War and save Archer's life. Soon after, Sefia realizes she must change course and reluctantly relies on the Book for guidance. She ultimately decides that the Book is not to be trusted. After several failed strategies to stop the Red War from spreading, the heroine uses a complicated form of magic that will allow her to take control of the story by rewriting the past. This series ender finds a determined Sefia working hard to change her destiny, even if she must lie and betray friends. Readers will feel her desperation and her sorrow through Chee's immersive writing. The author even provides teens the opportunity to impact the narrative and the protagonists' fates. This is a fast-paced adventure with fully developed characters that explores memory and the power of the written word. Readers will also be pulled in by the beautiful love story at its core. VERDICT Highly recommended for all collections.—Dawn Abron, Zion-Benton Public Library, IL

Kirkus Reviews

★ 2018-07-30

"What is written comes to pass"—or does it?

In this trilogy closer, Sefia struggles to help Archer escape his destiny, written in the Book that records Kelanna's history, past and future. Archer has been severely traumatized by his time as a candidate, when he was shaped by the secretive Guard into a human killing machine who would lead their unstoppable army to victory in the Red War, so it's Sefia who doggedly works to "rewrit[e] the future." Their doomed—maybe—love story plays out: against the backdrop of the Red War, as the Alliance engineered by the Guard grows ever closer to its goal; in tandem with outlaw Capt. Reed's quest for immortality; alongside Eduoar's escape from his former life as Lonely King of Deliene. Chee (The Speaker, 2017, etc.) keeps all her stories in balance, adding additional characters as they all converge toward a bloody, heartbreaking end. With an assurance that equals her sorcerer protagonist's, Chee constantly interrogates her central question: "who controls the story." At one point hers reaches the high-fantasy equivalent of The Monster at the End of This Book (though with significantly more elegance). Kelanna has racial diversity, but it is not racialized. Race is as unremarkable and nonlimiting as gender and sexuality, with brown, trans, nonbinary, queer, and cis female characters enjoying equal access to power and capacity for violence.

Thoroughly immersive, thoroughly satisfying. (map) (Fantasy. 12-adult)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940169065893
Publisher:	Penguin Random House
Publication date:	11/13/2018
Series:	Reader Trilogy Series , #3
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	13 - 17 Years

Read an Excerpt

Chapter One
(Continues…)

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Excerpted from "The Storyteller"
by .
Copyright © 2018 Traci Chee.
Excerpted by permission of Penguin Young Readers Group.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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