The Book That Wouldn't Burn Audiobook By Mark Lawrence cover art

The Book That Wouldn't Burn

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The Book That Wouldn't Burn

By: Mark Lawrence
Narrated by: Jessica Whittaker
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About this listen

Two strangers find themselves connected by a vast and mysterious library containing many wonders and still more secrets, in this powerfully moving first book in a new series from the international bestselling author of Red Sister and Prince of Thorns.

The boy has lived his whole life trapped within a book-choked chamber older than empires and larger than cities.

The girl has been plucked from the outskirts of civilization to be trained as a librarian, studying the mysteries of the great library at the heart of her kingdom.

They were never supposed to meet. But in the library, they did.

Their stories spiral around each other, across worlds and time. This is a tale of truth and lies and hearts, and the blurring of one into another. A journey on which knowledge erodes certainty and on which, though the pen may be mightier than the sword, blood will be spilled and cities burned.

©2023 Mark Lawrence (P)2023 Penguin Audio
Action & Adventure Epic Epic Fantasy Fantasy Fiction Heartfelt Suspenseful Royalty

Critic reviews

“This tale of knowledge and its cost flies by thanks to the gripping mystery and beautiful worldbuilding...Readers will be desperate for more.”–Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"A fantastic setting, a feisty heroine, and hints of a deeper mystery that calls to mind the depths of Frank Herbert's Dune and its intertwined cultural and religious issues."–Library Journal

"Lush and intricately plotted, this dense fantasy tale of an aspiring librarian from a village in a backwater known as the Dust and a boy who's lived his whole life trapped in a massive and ancient library is full of surprising twists and turns. With a plot that encompasses everything from romance and political intrigue to time travel and philosophy, this first installment in Mark Lawrence's new Library Trilogy is an often devastating story of the price we pay for knowledge."–Paste Magazine

What listeners say about The Book That Wouldn't Burn

Highly rated for:

Unique Storytelling Captivating Plot Twists Outstanding Narration Immersive World-building Thought-provoking Themes
Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Another great ride!

I have loved all of ML stuff and this is another great book.
Leaves us with so many questions,,,, SO MANY!
It’s why I both love and hate him,,, can’t wait to find out the answers.

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4 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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it pays off

broke my wife's brain. iterates on themes Lawrence has been playing with his whole career, but also blows em out of the water

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3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Incredible

A singular work of art. An experience akin to a Christopher Nolan movie (with clearer explanations). Masterfully told, with all the elements to make this a story that will stick with you forever. Wow.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic!

Speculative fiction at its best. Superb performance too. Anything Mark Lawrence writes is gold. This series is different than his others.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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Glad to be done

I found this cleverly manipulative. Ugh. Just ugh. The story has no heart. It drags us this way and that way, and leaves us on a heap of ash. Intelligence without heart. True heart. Ugh.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

unique story but confusing

I'm not really a fan of stories involving time travel, and I l found the library itself to be unbelievable. like the author can't decide if this is a sci-fi or fantasy book. attempts are made to explain it, but they fail and feels almost like a thing of religion rather than science or even fantasy. I enjoyed most of the book.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Amazing performance! Fascinating world, a book lovers, dream

Great narration! Remarkable story. Give it a listen. Wasn’t sure what I was getting into, but it was an amazing performance of a great book lovers with all sorts of elements that make it a stand out can’t wait for the next book.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Not terrible

This book was interesting in that there were times where i really enjoyed it and time where i wanted to stop listening. Often times it was confusing with the timeliness and if find myself rewinding just to see if i could understand it better. Overall, it wasn't terrible but i won't be continuing.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Superb storytelling

The story does start off slow, but stay with it. The author has a lot of foundation to lay. A journey through prejudices and various forms of isolation and togetherness, love, hate, legend and time. Easily one of the most unique tales I've ever enjoyed, and full of surprises.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Unpredictable

This book is brilliant. I found myself constantly surprised. This is also what I didn’t like. It was difficult to follow and confusing, but I found myself enjoying it nevertheless. I also found myself loving the characters. The narration is fabulous. A refreshing read. I am looking forward to the next book despite my discomfort.

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