• Black Dog Blues

  • The Kai Gracen Series, Book 1
  • By: Rhys Ford
  • Narrated by: Greg Tremblay
  • Series: Kai Gracen, Book 1
  • Length: 8 hrs and 50 mins
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Release date: 05-18-15
  • Language: English
  • Publisher: DSP Publications
  • 4 out of 5 stars 4.1 (584 ratings)

Regular price: $19.95

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Publisher's Summary

Ever since being part of the pot in a high-stakes poker game, elfin outcast Kai Gracen figures he used up his good karma when Dempsey, a human Stalker, won the hand and took him in. Following the violent merge of Earth and Underhill, the human and elfin races are left with a messy, monster-ridden world, and Stalkers are the only cavalry willing to ride to someone's rescue when something shadowy appears.
It's a hard life but one Kai likes - filled with bounty and a few friends and, most importantly, no other elfin around to remind him of his past. And killing monsters is easy. Especially since he's one himself.
But when a sidhe lord named Ryder arrives in San Diego, Kai is conscripted to do a job for Ryder's fledgling Dawn Court. It's supposed to be a simple run up the coast during dragon-mating season to retrieve a pregnant human woman seeking sanctuary. Easy, quick, and, best of all, profitable. But Kai ends up in the middle of a deadly bloodline feud he has no hope of escaping.
No one ever got rich being a Stalker. But then few of them got old, either, and it doesn't look like Kai will be the exception.
©2015 Rhys Ford (P)2015 DSP Publications
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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful
5 out of 5 stars
By JP-NH on 05-22-15

Wonderful narration paired with terrific adventure

I first read Black Dog Blues about two years ago and I really enjoyed this dark story. The narration makes the story even better. It is set in an alternative San Diego and Rhys Ford created an amazing and interesting world. The story is a bit different than other books by the author. This is a very fast paced adventure story with a lot of snark, violence, elfin, monsters and great characters.

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7 of 7 people found this review helpful

4 out of 5 stars
By Belen on 07-30-16

Tremblay's narration is perfect for this story!

Any additional comments?

Now this was some damn interesting world building. Wow. Throw in the always excellent narration by Greg Tremblay and I was one happy reader.

It behooves me to note this isn't a romance. It's more along the lines of Rhys's Ink and Shadows, and has hints of possible romance to happen in the series, but it's first and foremost about Kai and the world building.

Based in an alternate universe where Kai Gracen is an elfin outcast and a Stalker (which is kind of like a bounty hunter, but much, much cooler) just trying to eke out a living in a world where humans and elfin races are at odds, monsters abound, and violence is the norm.

Kai is prickly, bitter, sometimes harsh and wants nothing to do with race politics or the dark and light Sidhe courts, but when he's forced into helping Ryder, a sidhe lord, into making a run through dragon territory into the light court to pick up a pregnant human everything unravels and his life will never be the same.

I really enjoyed this, though I'll admit that has a lot to do with Greg Tremblay's narration because it is absolutely perfect for this story. Kai has a sort of gravelly slight-Irish accent that really suits the character and helps make listening a real pleasure.

For fans of fantasy and audio this should definitely make it on your list!

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3 of 3 people found this review helpful

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful
5 out of 5 stars
By BevS on 07-24-16

Rhys Ford does it again.....

Great world building from Rhys, although I have to admit it was slow going to begin with...but that's what you get from a great storyteller, an info dump right at the start of the series. 4.5 stars from me.

Obviously, I'm glad I didn't get caught up in the Human/Sidhe war, and as for the Unsidhe and their type of Hellhounds, forget it but Greg Tremblay could take me anywhere with that warm and enticing voice he has. ;)

Kai...well, an horrific upbringing doesn't even begin to cover it, but you'd have to read/listen to the story to understand what he's gone through, why he trusts so few people and that there's maybe more stuff we haven't learned about him yet **shudders**. As far as Ryder, Alexa and the rest of the Sidhe are concerned?? Well I'm fence sitting at the mo but that complete bitch of a grandmother deserves all the nasty stuff that can be wished down upon her...with bells on!! Looking forward to the next instalment Mad Lizard Mambo, which is out in September in e-book form. Me?? I'll wait for Mr Tremblay's version. :D

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1 of 1 people found this review helpful

4 out of 5 stars
By kanundra on 03-04-16

Took me a little while to get in, but loved it!

Would you listen to Black Dog Blues again? Why?

I was not asked to review this book, as it was a gifted copy. But felt that I should because I enjoyed it so much.
So in answer to this question...
Yes, yes and yes! there were several things that I did love about this story, ( a couple of things that I didn't.)
Kai, as a character is moody, sometimes just darned right nasty, but his past made him who he was, and as the MC you just can't help but get swept away in all that befalls him. The joy of his BFF and the love that he really, wants. Even if he fights him all the way. Kai makes you feel sorry for him, and you want him to have something good in his life happen, it really doesn't seem like it will, but there are some... you have to hold onto those.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I would say Kai, but I really enjoyed Carrie and Ryder to.

Have you listened to any of Greg Tremblay’s other performances? How does this one compare?

I have, because I've now hired him for mine. But I wanted to tell just the one off point I had with it. There were some parts where a passage of time happened, and I felt that the 'cut' wasn't right, sometimes they almost read as if a follow on sentence. Some time between cuts is defo essential.

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Script writing is my thing, but no... not being put on the spot for this. If you (the writer) really want me to work on one, then you can email me. I'd be happy to sort out a fantastic tag or logline with my contacts :)

Any additional comments?

I am fairly new to audio books, and have been expanding my lists over the last few weeks. I even bought 24 credits, lol the fact that Greg and a few others are introducing me to new stories and writers. I've been very humbled. I drive for a living and this new 'joy' of being immersed in these worlds is just fantastic.

More please. :) 'goes off to search if there's a second book by DSP' :)

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1 of 1 people found this review helpful

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful
4 out of 5 stars
By Natasha on 11-07-16

Fun, fast paced and well written

This was a really rich and enjoyable read. The world is surprisingly detailed well constructed. The characters are extremely human with vices and flaws. The plot was fast paced and the twists weren't predictable. My favourite thing is the fact that there's a whole race that smell like various types of tea.

I don't know why everyone had slightly Irish accents but I deffinitely enjoyed the narrators performance as well.

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