Review copy was received from Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Red Winter Omnibus by Annette Marie Narrator: Emily Woo Zeller
Published by Tantor Audio on July 9, 2024
Genres: Urban Fantasy
Length: 36 hours, 40 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Publisher
Goodreads
Amazon, Audible, Libro.fm
If Emi is sure of anything, it's that kami—the gods—are good, and yokai—the earth spirits—are evil. But when she saves the life of a fox shapeshifter, the truths of her world start to crumble. And the treachery of the gods runs deep.
Red Winter: The Complete Trilogy includes three breathtaking novels that follow Emi as she grows from an uncertain shrine maiden to a divine warrior who must choose whether to bow to duty or fight for her life.
The entire Red Winter trilogy all in one great audiobook. This trilogy is steeped in Japanese culture and lore. It follows a young girl, Emi who has always known she would be a vessel for a goddess Amaterasu on earth one day and the sneaky fox she saved who has tricks up his sleeve and secrets in his body and soul. This is a solid Romantasy with a mystery to be unraveled and a forbidden love that just cannot be.
For those of us who are not very familiar with Japanese mythology and lore, this is a great introduction for readers to learn about various types of characters in the mythos and their roles in the supernatural world. From Kami and Yoki to the gods that inhabit vessels on the mortal plain. But most of all the Kitsune, who found a little Miko in the forest and protected her, kicking off the wildest of adventures and eventual love stories.
“Actions change our course, influence our futures, but intentions define us, empower us. Without intent, we are nothing.”
Emi, only has until the solstice before one of the gods ascends and takes her body. She has been sheltered her entire life living with monks and others who keep her safe until that ascension. Meeting Shiro was unexpected and when she asks him for a boon it kicks off an adventure Emi will never be the same after. As they travel to help Emi discover what becomes of her after the ascension of Amaterasu, they pick up probably the crankiest crow Tengu, Lord of Crow and Prince of Shadows to assist with the journey. Shiro has a mystery of his own to solve. Bound by some kind of magic, he has no memories of his previously life. Each layer that Emi is able to remove reveals his past and the creature he was before the curse.
Emi will transform throughout this story from the sheltered girl who is just a vessel for someone else, into a strong fighter and protector tasked with finding and saving the Earthly Gods that have all disappeared. She will need so many new friends from the supernatural world to help in this endeavor and Shiro might play the biggest role or be the key to being able to free them. Both will transform as we learn all the secrets of the kitsune, clever and patient that may just steal Emi’s heart and a god’s vessel along the way.
There are incredible fights and action. Betrayals and twists. And so many other things that happen throughout this story. Sacrifices and transformations will be made and a woman will lead an army to stop a deity from breaking the world.
This story is for anyone who loves a good longing romance and a great epic journey to save the world. It is a really soft and thorough introduction to Japanese lore for those of us that are newer to the mythos. I was able to understand the fantasy world created and all the players in it. I would say that anyone who is interested into expanding their knowledge base of this culture and the lore of it would find a good read in this story.
“I would have kept you forever, little miko.” His words were soft, almost soundless. “I would have taken you with me wherever the tides of time carried us, and I would have loved you until the very end.”
Narration:
Emily Woo Zeller is a narrator I have listened to numerous times. She brings a great performance to every narration I have listened to and you can tell she is seasoned in the art of narration. All the voices are clear, I appreciated her diction on words that are not common in the English language and I think it made the story overall easier for me to understand. Especially when Emi cast spells in Japanese. Really a great choice to help carry the story. I was able to listen to this at my usual 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip: HERE
About Emily Woo Zeller
Audie award-winning actor, voiceover artist, dancer, and singer Emily Woo Zeller (member SAG-AFTRA) is based in Los Angeles, though her work has been seen and heard internationally. Her wide range of work has included theater and extensive dubbing for film and television in Southeast Asia. Emily’s lifelong theater and dance work includes performance with Ellis Wood Dance, Dutch Kills Theater, FACT/SF, Facing East Dance and Music, Oracle Theater, and physical theater collective Lampazo Group.
Audiofile Magazine named Emily as one of the “Best Voices of 2015” in Nonfiction and Culture for her work on THE LIFE-CHANGING MAGIC OF TIDYING UP by Marie Kondo and “Best Voices of 2013” in Nonfiction and Culture for her work on GULP by Mary Roach. Awards include 2018 Audie for FIRE ROAD by Kim Phuc Phan Thi, Ashley Wiersma; 2015 SOVAS VOICE ARTS AWARD for THE LIFE-CHANGING MAGIC OF TIDYING UP by Marie Kondo; 2015 Audie Nomination for her work on THE BEAM: SEASON 1 by Sean Platt and Johnny B. Truant; Audiofile Magazine Earphones Awards for narrations of THE POPPY WAR by R. F. Kuang; FIRE ROAD by Kim Phuc Phan Thi, Ashley Wiersma, AFTER THE ECLIPSE by Sarah Perry, KITCHEN CHINESE by Ann Mah, UNDER A PAINTED SKY by Stacey Lee, THE LIFE-CHANGING MAGIC OF TIDYING UP by Marie Kondo, GULP by Mary Roach, and TIES THAT BIND, TIES THAT BREAK by Leslie Namioka; the 2009 Tristen Award for Best Actress as Sally Bowles in CABARET; and the 2006 Roselyn E. Schneider Prize for Creative Achievement.
Emily holds a degree from the University of California, Berkeley in Dance and Performance Studies, with a minor in Nutritional Sciences. She is a certified yoga teacher.
About Annette Marie
Annette Marie is the author of YA urban fantasy series Steel & Stone, its prequel trilogy Spell Weaver, and romantic fantasy trilogy Red Winter. Her first love is fantasy, but fast-paced urban fantasy, bold heroines, and tantalizing forbidden romances are her guilty pleasures. She proudly admits she has a thing for dragons, and her editor has politely inquired as to whether she intends to include them in every single book.
Annette lives in the frozen winter wasteland of Alberta, Canada (okay, it’s not quite that bad). She shares her life with her remarkably patient, comparatively sensible husband and their furry minion of darkness—sorry, cat—Caesar. When not writing, she can be found elbow-deep in one art project or another while blissfully ignoring all adult responsibilities.
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Huh! I feel like a read something a long time ago with a fox shapeshifting god of sorts. But I’m curious!!
I think this was my first foray into a full Japanese based lore series. I did read the Dark Swan series by Rachel Mead and it had a Kitsune in it but definitely not the Japanese lore.
Did you listen to the whole thing at once? It’s long! I guess it is all three books though, so it makes sense. Love the cover and I’ve enjoyed some books and tv shows with this type of theme. Great review!
About 36 hours…total or 12 hours per book. I read a lot of epic fantasy and those are about the same length. I took a small bread between the first and second story but for the most part I listened to it straight through.