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The Library of the Unwritten

A Novel from Hell's Library, Book 1

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The Library of the Unwritten

Written by: A. J. Hackwith
Narrated by: Lisa Flanagan
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About this listen

In the first book in a brilliant new fantasy series, books that aren't finished by their authors reside in the Library of the Unwritten in Hell, and it is up to the Librarian to track down any restless characters who emerge from those unfinished stories.

Many years ago, Claire was named Head Librarian of the Unwritten Wing - a neutral space in Hell where all the stories unfinished by their authors reside. Her job consists mainly of repairing and organizing books, but also of keeping an eye on restless stories that risk materializing as characters and escaping the library. When a Hero escapes from his book and goes in search of his author, Claire must track and capture him with the help of former muse and current assistant Brevity and nervous demon courier Leto.

But what should have been a simple retrieval goes horrifyingly wrong when the terrifyingly angelic Ramiel attacks them, convinced that they hold the Devil's Bible. The text of the Devil's Bible is a powerful weapon in the power struggle between Heaven and Hell, so it falls to the librarians to find a book with the power to reshape the boundaries between Heaven, Hell...and Earth.

©2019 A. J. Hackwith (P)2019 Penguin Audio
Action & Adventure Classics Fantasy Fiction Humorous City Comedy
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What the critics say

"It's like The Good Place meets Law & Order: Bibliophile Crime Unit. Highly recommended. This book is so much fun, and you should be reading it. Trust me. Stories about story are some of my favorite kinds. This book definitely makes the list. I am so glad I read this." (Seanan McGuire, author of In an Absent Dream)

“Clever, charming, full of intricate worldbuilding and delightful characters, The Library of the Unwritten is the first book in your new favorite series.” (Christina Henry, author of The Girl in Red)

“The Library of the Unwritten is a tiered dark chocolate cake of a book. The read is rich and robust, the prose has layers upon layers, and the characters melt like ganache upon the tongue.” (Meg Elison, Philip K. Dick Award Winner)

What listeners say about The Library of the Unwritten

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Great story!

The characters and story are wonderfully written and the narrator's voice is easy to listen to. I absolutely recommend this book!

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Good book, but it took a while to get into it

It took me a while to connect with the characters, but once I did, I didn't want to put this book down. The world and premise is so expansive and fascinating. I enjoyed the layers of past and morality and the decisions suspended between the two. The more layers I peeled away by reading, the more I came to appreciate what the author was trying to do. Now I'm eager to read the next book!

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A very unique fantasy story

I have a thing for books about books, stories and libraries, so this was perfect for me. I loved listening to this book. Very imaginative world, with fun characters and a good pace. Can't wait to listen to the next book in the series

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Brilliant

What a great story. The plot thickened. The characters developed. I read feeling a responsibility to the history of storytelling, of charactors and of dreams. Im left with a quote from the book about how at the end of a good book your left suspended between reality and the story.

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Perfect For Book Lovers!

An original, thrilling idea, THE LIBRARY OF THE UNWRITTEN is one of the most fun books I’ve experienced. Packed with quirky characters, literary magic, and an inventive world, I’m fully invested and looking forward to continuing the series.

Claire, Head Librarian of Hell’s Library, has her world turned upside down when returning a book to its rightful place leads to an attack from dangerous angel. Chaos ensues, and it isn’t long before Claire must lead her friends in an adventure that could save the world itself.

I instantly loved the characters. They were all such a mess of quirks and behaviours that it’s impossible to know who I enjoyed the most. Claire’s no nonsense and biting wit made her an excellent leader, Brevity was sweet as could be, Hero is not at all what he appears, and poor Leto is just doing his best to get by. Then there is Ramiel, whose job is not so cut and dry as it appears.

The world offers a fresh take on Hell and the people who reside or rule it, as well as the denizens of Heaven and the complications they have with their enemies. It was so much fun to see the different aspects of magic and culture without coming off as preachy.

Most of the plot is solid, though I was having far too much fun with the characters and the world to nitpick. There is plenty left to be explored by these characters, with the ending providing just enough of a cliffhanger to make me happy that I have the rest of the series on my shelf.

Highly recommended for any book lovers, writers, and fans of urban fantasy!

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