Book Information
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This podiobook is complete
Chasing the Bard by Philippa Ballantine
Fantasy
Click the arrow below to listen to the first episode of this free audio book:
Born into the human world with a gift; a gift that brings him to the attention of powers both dark and light from the World of the Fey, it is his burden to defend all the world.
Sive, the goddess of battle, hopes that he may be able to change the fate of her people.The Fey are dying, killed by something beyond the boundaries of worlds, and Sive will do anything to save them. So she enlists the help of her trickster cousin Puck to guard the child, and watch him grow into his gift. But a dark power imprisoned by human and Fey, plots to destroy both worlds, and unmake all that they have created.
Can one boy stop the destruction, even if he is William Shakespeare?
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Audio Quality: 
Out of 30 ratings
Narration Quality:
Out of 30 ratings
Writing Quality:
Out of 30 ratings
Overall Rating:
Out of 30 ratings
By: Shannon
I enjoy reading Shakespeare and fantasy. Chasing the Bard perfectly combines the two into a wild adventure spanning the life and times of one of the most, if not the most, famous authors in history. Ballantine has a wonderful take on magic - Art as she calls it - and its relation to humans and the mythical Fey. The two races have a long history, expertly hinted at throughout Chasing the Bard. I found this was expertly woven together a tale of battle, heroism, love, honor, magic, and humanity for a wonderful story that pulls the listener into the world and keeps them begging for more.By: Philippa Ballantine
Thanks for Hannelore- I did try to be gentle with history, so hopefully with was more a gentle kiss than a full on rape. =) As for the warning, I find it better to err on the side of caution especially with people from different countries listening. Certainly if this was just a New Zealand audience I wouldn't have bothered with the warning except on the sex scene. I do try not to fall into the cultural gap- though recently I have unexpectedly plunged into it. Glad you enjoyed the podiobook and thanks for the feedback.By: Hannelore
I do like this book, despite the liberties Mr Ballantine is taking with history. But of course, one can only quote Dumas the Elder. When he was accused of "raping history", he agreed and added that he did make "some fine bastards" nonetheless. What does annoy is the warning of strong language in front of every chapter. I despise being patronised. I haven't found anything unfit for children, either. A metaphor is something a child should understand before reading anything beyond "run, Spot, run", so the single(!) sex scene doesn't warrant a warning. And the rest is about as violent as any Disney film - and less explicit. The audio itself is a veritable HowTo. The narration is easy to understand (even for a German like me), the music doesn't overwhelm the listener and the voice talents add the certain something. Thank you, Ms Ballantine :-)
Chapters
| Title | Description | Date Created |
| Chapter One (40.42 MB) | The Trickster Puck finds something frightening in the human world, while his cousin the Dark Goddess Sive finds herself engaged and unhappy about it. | May 22, 2008 |
| Chapter Two (28.13 MB) | We meet Mordant and discover he has changes in mind for the Fey. Sive enters the human realm for the first time in many mortal generations to find the child and ponders how to protect him. | May 22, 2008 |
| Chapter Three (29.13 MB) | Welcome to Sive’s wedding- the groom at least is happy. Will Shakespeare gets himself into a spot of bother and we find out if Puck was a good choice of guardian. | May 22, 2008 |
| Chapter Four (25.58 MB) | We get to see another side of Puck and Sive finds something unwholesome about her husband. | May 22, 2008 |
| Chapter Five (26.61 MB) | Young Will escapes the torment of working for his father for a bit of peace by the Avon, but women and Fey won’t let him be. Puck riles Sive with his concern for the young Shakespeare. | May 22, 2008 |
| Chapter Six (36.15 MB) | Brigit, left all alone, sets out on a dangerous path and Puck is forced to pick up the pieces. | May 22, 2008 |
| Chapter Seven (39.19 MB) | Puck and Sive have to deal with the consequences of the Trickster’s actions. | May 22, 2008 |
| Chapter Eight (36.4 MB) | Mordant returns home and Will has to make a choice. | May 22, 2008 |
| Chapter Nine (32.07 MB) | Life for the Bard and the dark goddess in the mortal realm is not what either wants. However the return of the Trickster brings the wind of change. | May 25, 2008 |
| Chapter Ten (36.5 MB) | Will goes looking for Puck and three lives collide with danger once more. | Jun 1, 2008 |
| Chapter Eleven (29.34 MB) | Will sets out on his own path and Sive learns some truths about herself. | Jun 9, 2008 |
| Chapter Twelve (25.31 MB) | Sive makes her way to the Court of a mortal Queen to find her bard. | Jun 15, 2008 |
| Chapter Thirteen (15.65 MB) | Sive and Will finally give into their desires | Jun 20, 2008 |
| Chapter Fourteen (37.88 MB) | Auberon and his Court face consequences, while Will returns to the theatre. | Jun 25, 2008 |
| Chapter Fifteen (31.49 MB) | Sive wakes to captivity in the Tower of London, and Auberon finally meets Will. | Jul 1, 2008 |
| Chapter Sixteen (28.88 MB) | The unlikely allies enter the Tower of London. | Jul 7, 2008 |
| Chapter Seventeen (25 MB) | Will wakes up in the Fey. | Jul 13, 2008 |
| Chapter Eighteen (40.95 MB) | Sive and Puck take up the sword against the Unmaker and Will sets out looking for revenge. | Jul 21, 2008 |
| Chapter Nineteen (44.95 MB) | Will, Sive, Auberon, Brigit and Puck face the Unmaker. | Jul 28, 2008 |
| Chapter Twenty (12.66 MB) | Puck and Will set out on uncertain journeys and Sive learns to cry. | Aug 6, 2008 |
| Chapter 21 (28.77 MB) | A taste of the future Fey. A new age but a few Fey still linger in the mortal realm. We catch up with a familiar friend and find the changes wrought on him by so long away from his home. We meet a writer hiding in an English village, a village full of people all with their own secrets and pain. | Sep 14, 2008 |