The Voice in All
The Artifex and the Muse (Book One)
by Audrey Auden
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Pub Date Oct 18 2022 | Archive Date Mar 31 2023
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Description
A fast-paced new adult romantic fantasy set in a richly imagined world of myth and mystery ... with a metaphysical twist
Sixteen-year-old thief Ava must set sail tonight to escape the life of servitude that awaits every child who comes of age. All that stands between her and a life of freedom is one last job: stealing the pharmaka to pay for her passage. She’s stolen from the temple priestesses countless times before. What could go wrong?
On the other side of the temple city, sixteen-year-old field hand Dom bids a final farewell to his childhood home. The priestesses say he’ll find purpose in the life of hard labor that lies ahead. He hopes they’re right. What other choice does he have?
When their paths collide in the dark forest, Dom and Ava discover the stolen pharmaka has some unfortunate side effects. Like it or not, they’re stuck with each other now. But what possible future could exist for a girl who’s determined to escape her bondage and a boy who’s never imagined the possibility of freedom?
On the eve of their Calling Day, Dom and Ava’s first meeting sets in motion an adventure of mythic proportions, spanning millennia and bridging worlds.
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The Voice in All is Book One in the fantasy saga The Artifex and the Muse.
A Note From the Publisher
The list of great reads is long, and life is short. Thank you for considering spending some of your precious reading time with my indie book.
I deeply appreciate all my ARC feedback and reviews, whether you choose to share them publicly or privately. I especially appreciate reader reviews posted on Amazon and Goodreads (links below). If possible, please consider sharing your honest review of The Voice in All in those public places to help this book find its audience.
Happy reading,
Audrey Auden
Advance Praise
First Place Winner for Visionary Fiction — Speak Up Talk Radio 2022 Firebird Book Awards
Gold Tier — The Review Curmudgeon Best of 2022 List
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Wow, this book was phenomenal! A five-star read, for sure! ... The main characters, Dom and Ava, are insightful, utterly human, apologetic, and open to change/expanding and exploring differences in worldview. It was so refreshing to read ... The writing was exquisite ... I deeply enjoyed reading its philosophical and theoretical components and engagements with praxis. This book was truly excellent and I commend the author for writing an exceptional book that resists compartmentalization. It was brilliant, show-stopping, and spectacular, as Lady Gaga would say; and it was by far the best book I've read all year. — The N in NYA
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[The Voice in All] invited thought ... was well executed and had the odd moment here and there of reflection that made a point with some depth ... overall I recommend it and look forward to reading a sequel. — The Review Curmudgeon
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The Voice in All is a masterpiece, from the cover to the literary aspect. I started this book on November 1st, 2022 and finished it on November 1st, 2022. I absolutely devoured it in every sense of the word. I was able to read for hours straight without getting distracted or pulled away by the thought of doing something else. That was how strong of a hold this book had on me. — Jade C.
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A fascinating "small" fantasy story without any heros setting out to defeat evil and save the world. The story takes place in a world after an unspecified apocalyptic event in a very much changed society. Not much is explained at first, so it's up to the two main characters Ava, a young girl striving for freedom, and Dom, a boy just a day away from becoming a man, to grab the readers attention for long enough to overcome the initial confusion. Luckily, Ava and Dom and a small cast of supporting characters are so well written - and sharing the reader's handicap of not knowing very much about the world they live in - that it's a delight to follow their story and discover their world together with them. — Herbert E.
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... I really enjoyed Ava and Dom together. They were both vulnerable and damaged characters who needed someone they could rely on. I love how they became bonded together and how that helped their characters grow ... The author did such a great job showing women in power and how fierce yet vulnerable they could be. Overall, I would definitely recommend this story. I could go on and on but this is a book you will want to experience for yourself. I went into this one blind and I think that's the way to do it. Read this one if you want something that will stick with you and will make you think deeper. This book was so good I read it in one sitting! I cannot wait to continue this series because I am so curious to see where these characters go from here. — Rebecca C.
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I love dual POV books and how the characters started out as friends, then felt like they were on opposing sides and eventually became lovers ... There’s also queer representation which I love, I was really invested in the other girls. — Spiri
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I enjoyed the world building and the puzzling connection between our two main characters. Separate and yet inseparable. It was a fun exploration of the bounds of the self and the world, a kind of literal mindfulness. — Amy L.
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A brilliant and beautifully written page turner! The Voice in All tours you through a beautiful and dangerous new world and through the psyche of a young woman coming of age and learning that her world and her role in it are more complicated than she could have dreamed them to be … I loved it! — Sophie S.
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Be prepared for an action-packed climax … Add this book to your Book Club reading list. — Pattie
Marketing Plan
November 12, 2022: Author appearing at IBPA's booth at the BookyCon metaverse book festival - https://www.bookycall.com/bookycon
November 12, 2022: Author appearing at IBPA's booth at the BookyCon metaverse book festival - https://www.bookycall.com/bookycon
Available Editions
| EDITION | Paperback |
| ISBN | 9781937262112 |
| PRICE | $15.99 (USD) |
| PAGES | 321 |
Links
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
Account D, Reviewer
This one was so great and I finished it in one sitting. Great world building and characters that will stay with me for a long time to come. Highly recommend
Katie R, Reviewer
If you love a fast paced book then this is it. The world building and characters are fabulous and made me want to keep reading. Such a great book. Thank you for my eArc.
Reviewer 1056682
I would like to thank the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC.
Wow, this book was phenomenal! A five-star read, for sure! Never in my life have I read anything like this book; it’s truly one-of-a-kind. It’s a riveting sensory experience. It’s am ecosystem of its own. The main characters, Dom and Ava, are insightful, utterly human, apologetic, and open to change/expanding and exploring differences in worldview. It was so refreshing to read.
This book doesn’t fit into a classical mode, it subverts preconceived expectations; it reimagines social constructs and shared consciousness just as often as it asks philosophical questions and meditates on the power of nature and the ability of the environment we live in to contour, shape, influence, define/mold, or otherwise transform our awareness and our processes of seeing, our very cognitive perceptions. Splendidly, it conceptualizes the powers of the mind.
We know that Ava’s mom isn’t exactly the most maternal type, considering she abandoned her and took off for the sea without warning, but the level of sociopathy demonstrated by her towards the end of the book was simply incomprehensible. That dark, cutthroat aspect of her personality literally came out of nowhere. Doesn’t she love her daughter? Geez.
Altogether, this book completely defied my expectations; I thought it was a standard sci-fi/fantasy (SFF) book and it was nothing of the sort; I’m not even sure it fits in one specific genre. The book itself felt experimental. The concept was untraditional. The writing was exquisite; I loved the author’s prose. This book also serves as a kind of poetic meditation on the psychology of mystical sects/cults.
Overall, this book was thoughtful, reflective, and intelligent. I deeply enjoyed reading its philosophical and theoretical components and engagements with praxis. This book was truly excellent and I commend the author for writing an exceptional book that resists compartmentalization. It was brilliant, show-stopping, and spectacular, as Lady Gaga would say; and it was by far the best book I’ve read all year. I’m giving this book a solid 4.5 stars. I can’t wait until the next book!
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Kimberly P, Reviewer
Thank you to NetGalley and Love That Book for the opportunity to read an advanced reader's copy of this book for an honest review. (Published: October 18, 2022)
“The Voice in All” by Audrey Auden is Book One of The Artifex and the Muse saga. This was one of those books I took a chance on because the cover art was so beautiful and intriguing, and I was certainly not disappointed! (The breathtaking, full artwork from the cover and more can be found on the author’s website.)
Action-packed and fast-paced from the beginning, this book immediately grabbed my attention and didn’t let go until the end! The writing was captivating with striking imagery throughout. The story was unlike anything I had ever read before with a mix of various genres.
I loved the duel POV between the main characters Ava and Dom. They’re both 16 years old and were friends when they were younger. However, Ava’s mother became part of the Free People seven years prior to the timeline of this book. During that time, she rescued Ava from the Children’s Temple and explained everything to her. They lived in hiding outside of the city and planned to escape one day to truly live outside of the Voice in All.
On the day Ava and her mother were planning to finally free themselves, Ava accidently experienced a massive overdose to amanitai – a binding pharmaka she was attempting to steal to help pay for their freedom. As fate would have it, when Ava encounters her long-lost friend Dom and touches him, they are suddenly linked together via the amanitai. This creates an interesting situation as they can’t be apart and must be touching at all times or else they experience extreme pain. Ava’s plan to leave is suddenly no longer an option, and she must resume the life she left all those years ago.
I loved the strong female presence in this book. It was refreshing to read about so many women in authoritative positions showing great wisdom, strength, and gentleness. I was also pleasantly surprised by how simple yet complex the story was. One moment everything seemed straightforward and predictable, and then the plot would take an unexpected turn and leave me with some lengthy info and complicated twists.
The “Voice in All” was very mysterious and only made a few brief appearances in this book, but I’m expecting that more will be revealed in the second book.
Many scenes from the story have author-suggested music pairings (available on the author’s website). I found this to be a fun and inspiring addition to the book. I was unfamiliar with about half of the songs from the soundtrack, but I did enjoy most of them and felt they were an enhancement to the reading experience.
Overall, I’m on pins and needles to read the next book in this series to find out more about Ava and Dom! I highly recommend this book to older teens and young adults who love romantic fantasy with a dystopian spin.
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