DNF’d at 71%.
Unfortunately I found this too confusing and hard to follow. I understand that it’s a book where you’re supposed to be thrown in at the deep end and learn the world as the characters experience it, but I found I just didn’t have enough to build an understanding on.

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.

Gogmagog is a fantasy book about a journey of a vessel, with its crew of misfits (a robot, an elderly lady, a child, a young adult and other things), along the ghost Faynr in the river Nysis. All the characters are so cool, I liked all of them even when I was angry with them I understood their motives. All of them have their own missions and challenges. The world is so well done, so different from the standard fantasy world expected. It combines pieces of different eras, its a little medieval in some places and in other more like current times, It has magic and robots, gods and science. I do not know how to define it and I dont need to. I loved for what it is, and its differences brought me so much joy. About the audiobook, I loved the style of narration, the different voices for each of the characters, the emotion that the narrator brought to life. It was really well made and it elevated the story for me.

Thank You Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for this advanced copy audiobook. I opinions here are my own and given freely.

Okay, this is a weird one. An elderly ferry captain takes a possibly god-touched girl and her animatronic butler down a dangerous river that is basically inside a read dragon. The story was fascinating and I loved all the different types of people they meet along the way... but the biggest thing I want to talk about it the main character! Cady Meade is a heavy-drinking old woman with a foul mouth and even worse temper. She's not particularly likable, but she's fascinating! The audiobook narrator does a great job portraying this cantankerous woman. If you like weird books, I highly recommend the audio of this one, because I think it adds a lot to the story.

I both listened to the audible version and read the ebook. The narration was very good. The characters came to life easily in my mind. The story itself felt a little disjointed at times, but overall was good.

This book was beautiful narrated. The story feels like a classic fantasy adventure but from a point of view not often found in fantasy books.

An immersive and engrossing experience! This book felt like a twisted creation of the classic Jim Henson films mixed with Guillermo Del Toro. Readers are transported into an incredibly strange world where ‘people’ are not people but ‘other’ things. Mythic lore and magic runs rampant throughout and all the while you’re seeing it through the lens of a bitter ‘old lady’ who had journeyed many time and doesn’t take any crap from anyone.

The world is the highlight here. There’s not much to keep you grounded in reality, so if you truly want to escape into a strange universe Gogmagog is the way to go.

I really did enjoy it and the audiobook narration was also exceptional.

Definitely for the fans of Gaiman, VanderMeer, and even a touch of Tolkien for the depth of the lore.

“Gogmagog: The First Chronicle of Ludwich” by Jeff Noon and Steve Beard embarks readers on an epic journey through the sixty-mile-long ghost of a dragon. Travel unfolds by boat—a rickety steam launch captained by veteran taxi pilot Cady Meade—on the river Nysis. In her prime, Cady ferried people and goods from thriving seaports into Ludwich, the capital city. Now, holed up in a rundown seaside resort, she spins bawdy tales for shots of rum. But change is afoot when two strangers seek her out: a young girl in grave danger and an artificial being with secrets hidden inside his crystal skull. Thus begins the voyage of the Juniper, where mysteries unravel at each port of call. The Nysis, unlike any other river, conceals whirlpools, sandbanks, and ravenous creatures beneath its surface. Cady’s spectral navigation powers may be her final hope for this perilous journey.

TL;DR: Phantasmal world and mysterious characters. The strongest elements are the world building and main character, weakest are plot and all the character things overall. Not a perfect book for me, but I can see it blowing someone’s socks off.

ARC REVIEW
I received an audio ARC from NetGalley. Thank you NetGalley and publisher. These thoughts and opinions are my own. I did switch to purchased e-book after release at about 60%. I reread the first 5% and selected chapters, then continued either doing a blended read, e-read or audio read.

WHO THIS COULD APPEAL TO
If you prefer rich world building, this book has it. Set in an unusual world with its own uniquely constructed history and lore, the characters are as mysterious as the world phantasmal. If eldritch meets swashbuckling sounds appealing to you or you like single-POV stories, then I recommend.

WHAT’S IT ABOUT?
Cady, a long-retired boat captain, reluctantly takes on a dangerous ferrying job across the river Nysis, home of Feyner, ghost of the fallen dragon Haakenur whose skeleton lines the entirety of the river. A threat is looming that none on the journey foresee.

CHARACTERS
We follow Cady as the single-POV character. I found Cady to be enjoyable to follow and fully realized. There are other characters on this river voyage, none human, and everyone is shrouded in mystery. While we have many different non-human characters, there are two main side characters who I couldn’t distinguish from humans aside from their physical characterics.

The character development here lacks for me quite a bit. Perhaps this is the nature of single POV stories, but still I wanted more from the side characters. More importantly for me in my reading preferences is character connection or complicated character dynamics. It’s not that books need to have this, but I get the sense that Noon and Beard were aiming for this, at least the former. Cady is sweet and caring (and no-nonsense, tough and critical) and there *are* sweet moments between characters, but I never really *felt* it. Specifically, I felt Cady’s care to others but I never felt it genuinely reciprocated. An example is an adoptive mother and son relationship in the book. They clearly like each other, maybe love, but I never got the warmth or sparkle I would expect (and want as a reader) from a child-parent relationship that is a positive one. The son was my least favorite character, purely because I was uninterested.

WORLD BUILDING
This is the best part of the book and was the most gripping. The primary lore revolves around a dragon, a starship, a magic sword and a ghost. It’s weird, it’s its own, it’s vivid — and I adored these aspects of it. In the same breath, I was thrown at times with the choice to add a war with fighter planes and factories in this very otherworldly setting that to me was unnecessary to the plot. My favorite components of the world are the critters, creatures, magical and unearthly beings, and even the plants. My favorite scenes are the ones where Cady or the crew interact with them, from pffting never-nevers to dancing xilliths or from slimy syqod to monstrous voor.

PLOT
The book of course is ultimately about a river voyage, to bring its passengers to the city of Ludwich. Like any such quest story there are unforeseen obstacles along the way. It could have been great or fine, but there are chapter transitions and character actions that were abrupt to me. For example, something about the substantial threat that is revealed felt sudden. Another example is when a side character randomly kisses someone and I was baffled by that part. The beginning chapters and climax were the strongest, but the middle too clunky. The closing was rushed with more focus on set up for the next book. It was another example of abruptness for me and ruined any possible satisfying conclusion to the book’s arc.

MY SUMMARIZED THOUGHTS
This is one of those books I didn’t love, but respect. My ideal book has a balance of excellent world building, an engaging and satisfying plot, character development and character connection. It clearly checked only on box entirely. I can adore a book that lacks one or more of these elements, but I really have to be blown away by everything else. Despite the parts I liked, I wasn’t satisfied enough by the story as a whole. I became disconnected by the aforementioned war mentions, somewhat choppy plot, and by abrupt character actions and scenes. I will recommend this book in the future, but I do not plan to continue on with the duology.

NOTE ON AUDIOBOOK
If you are considering purchasing the audiobook, I suggest sampling first. I personally do not recommend the audiobook, particularly because there is a huge volume discrepancy between the narration and character voices, which are often whispered, though parts of the narrators voice are whispered too. Most of the time I couldn’t hear when the narration was perfect the characters were too soft, or too painful when the characters were perfect the narration was too loud. The only way to listen comfortably was with my headphones when there was absolutely no sound around me. I’m noting this because this was a rare experience for me as an avid audiobook listener.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

This book has me kind of stumped. The title, the synopsis, the cover: this was all for me. It sounded slightly ridiculous and over the top, so I was sold immediately.
And then I started listening to the book, and for the life of me, I could not get into it at all.
I found myself not remembering what was just said, not grasping the story, feeling like a fish out of water.
The set-up was great, but I did not feel invested in the story at all, sadly enough.
It did make me laugh here and there, some good jokes were made.

Cady Meade, an old retired ship's captain with an intimate knowledge of the enigmatic river Nysis, finds herself drawn into an unexpected adventure when approached by Bryn Halsinger, a young girl, and her AI Leck companion, seeking passage. Initially hesitant, Cady eventually agrees to the journey, joined by her steadfast friend Yanish. Together, they navigate the treacherous waters of the Nysis aboard their boat, using ancient maps to guide them on their quest to escort Bryn to Ludwich and ensure her safety.

While I thoroughly enjoyed the adventurous spirit of this tale and found Cady to be a compelling character, I couldn't help but wish for more depth in the portrayal of the supporting characters and the world they inhabit. Detailed descriptions of both would enrich the narrative, elevating the overall storytelling experience. Nonetheless, I did enjoy the book and will be on the lookout for the next instalment of this fun fantasy with a steampunk twist and a hint of Terry Pratchett's style.

The narrator did a fantastic job with a great voice tone and wonderfully animated character voicing. I recognized him from some James Brogden audio books and he does an excellent job on those as well.

3.5 rounded up

. This was a nice story. It was funny but with depth. There was a story within the funny bits, it wasn’t funny or weird just for the sake of being funny and it was also quite witty in its humour. It is at the same time a quite normal quest fantasy with a journeying element with a diverse group of adventurers trying to get from point a to point b.

It was enjoyable to listen to.

Audio narration was very dramatised which made me to losse focus and concentrate on the story. Felt more like a children book than a fantasy novel.
I tried thrice to sail through the book but had to stop reading after few chapters due to unclear narration. An opportunity lost.

Before I begin this review, I want to thank Net Galley and Dreamscape Media for allowing me to access Gogmagog: The First Chronicle of Ludwich before publication. Check out this audiobook now!

This book was weird but in a good way. Cady Meade is an older woman who has long but retired from captaining boats out on the water. That is until she is dragged back in to complete her most daring task yet: crossing the perilous river Nysis to the city of Ludwig. On board is an exciting array of characters, and of course, who can forget the ghost of a long-deceased dragon?

This book was fun to listen to! There is adventure, as well as a good cast of characters! From the little girl, Brynn, who demonstrates remarkable magical abilities, to her robotic butler, who is very matter-of-fact at times, all the way to Kady's bad attitude, it was fun seeing these characters interact with one another and witness their growing attachments.

All of the characters were easily disguisable from one another. The narrator did a great job at giving each individual their own distinct voice, and the writers made sure to make their words and actions easily match the characters.

Kady is strong-willed and a fascinating character. Not only does she fall outside the type of characters we typically see in adventure books, but she also has an exciting past and personality. Kady may be a grumpy, old woman on the outside, but she indeed does have a heart of gold on the inside, despite her best efforts not to.

Brynn and her robotic butler were also interesting characters, each with their own intriguing backstories. It was fun to see each of these characters interact and get on each other nerves!

The premise promised adventure and, boy, did it deliver! Not only was this story chaotically fun, but there were some twists, turns, and revelations about each character that made me stop doing what I was doing so that I could listen intently.

Cady, a 70-year-old something woman, goes out of retirement to cross dangerous seas for two strangers. Soon, Cady discovers that she and the girl are more connected than previously thought through one word: Gogmagog. Everything was tailored with action, adventure, and a strong plot that leaves readers wanting more.

This book had a lot of worldbuilding. Cady is part plant and human and can regenerate back to youth every so often. However, despite her incredibility, her species has decreased in population after a deadly blight, leaving her alone.

The butler is a part of his own bionic race, one with a bad reputation after they all started killing innocent people in a seconds-long frenzy. The little girl is special, with magical powers that put a major target on her back. Everything about this world seems to tie together nicely, adding layers to both the plot and the characters.

Both the authors and the narrator brought this story to life. The narrator did a great job, generating tension and making each character immediately disguisable by the sound of their voice and even accents. The writers did a fantastic job weaving together a hilarious, whimsical tale of adventure and friendship.

I recommend this book to anyone who loves adventures with a splash of humor and in-depth worldbuilding! The narrator was great to listen to, and there was just so much to learn about each character!

This is a very weird and atmospheric book. I think it's one you either really love or just cannot get into, and I just personally could not get into it. I think this would have been easier to read on the page than through audio because of the weird-ness? I may try it again later.

Matthew Lloyd Davies is an amazing audiobook narrator. He makes this epic Fantasy/Sci-fi hybrid come to life in a way I’m not sure could happen if I eye read this book. The voices are impeccable, and the words are read in a cinematic/dramatic way… now the story… Gogmagog is part one (of I don’t know how many) of an epic-quest fantasy by Jeff Noon and Steve Beard. The story follows 80-year-old Cady Meade as she pilots her way down the river Nysis, which happens to be a sixty-mile-long ghost of a dragon. Cady has spent her entire life navigating the river but at the start of the book she is living out her retirement drunk in a seaside resort telling tales to all who will listen. When a young girl and a robot approach Cady with the request to pilot them down river she initially turns them down, but a vision and the word Gogmagog change her mind. As the group travel down river, we learn more about each of the characters’ lives while they all face danger at every turn. Although it has been years since the “great” war and the robot “frenzy” there is a darkness that is building in the world that someone will have to stop. It is believed that the young girl that they are transporting might be the chosen one that is so commonly found in the genre, which is why this trip is of the upmost importance. With dark wizards, dragons, sentient plants, robots and ghosts; there is never a dull moment. What I appreciate about this book is that it takes common genre tropes and flips the script. We have your basic fantasy epic-quest/ chosen one story, but hold on, there are science fiction elements too? I enjoyed the fact that the main character was not only female, but she also happened to be well past middle age. I enjoyed the fact that the story and setting felt NEW. Most fantasy has a world feel; Eurocentric, steam-punk, gas-lamp, east Asian, folkloric, etc. But this book just mixed it all together into this amazingly wonderful made-up place. I got lost in the words and found myself loving my time on the river with Cady. My only complaint is that the book ends with you wanting more. I eagerly await book 2.

This was weird and enchanting. I loved crotchety old Cady from the moment I met her, and I enjoyed the quirky, unique storytelling and world.

As a plot-driven reader, there's just not enough here to hold my attention and make me want to finish. DNF @ 41%

The Writing:
This style of writing is very old school. It's primarily told through Katy's POV as 3rd person limited. I think that there's supposed to be an inherent humor in having an old lady cussing like a sailor, but it didn't seem that funny or interesting for me personally. Ymmv.

The Characters:
The characters feel very distant from the reader, and there aren't a lot of moments to see them shine either through distinct dialogue or the narration noting what they're doing. They're very flat and lifeless aside from maybe the main character.

The Plot:
This is a journey type of novel where the characters have to go on a quest together to get to a location. The book is being very precious in metering out the why's or even notable events to happen along the way, so I have no sense of why I should care. I feel like I've been reading for an eon but nothing is happening.

Audiobook Notes:
While I appreciate the narrator's use of various voices to be the different characters, I do find the main 2 (Katy and the mechanical man-- him in particular) to be quite grating. However the writing is rather dry, so having the audiobook definitely helps to get through it.

i really did not want to do this but i had to DNF this audiobook! i am so sorry because i hate DNFing arcs, but i just couldn't do it. the narration was really hard to follow for me. the book itself is interesting and i will definitely be continuing it, but just not with the audiobook.

please note that this is a simple preference issue because the narrator has a great voice and their voice acting with the different intonations and accents are really good, but some accents were hard for me to understand (my own fault) and i had to constantly go back to try and understand it.

If I had to describe this in a single sentence, I'd probably say it's an adventure novel about a cantankerous old lady ferrying a rich girl through the giant ghost of a dead dragon to reach the city on the other side, but honestly, this book is so much more than that. I think fans of The BlackTongue Thief will like this a lot.
The characters are so charming. Cady is the pilot of a little boat called the Juniper. She's 78, foul-mouth, vulgar, gross, and also half-plant. She's a really memorable and unique character.
The world-building is incredible, but it's oddly both the book's greatest strength and its weakness. This is an amazingly rich world so unlike our own. The level of detail in every single aspect blows my mind. And while some explanations are given, many aren't and we just need to accept that this is a thing that exists in this world, I don't know wtf it is, but it exists.
The writing is fantastic. The dialogue is snappy and the descriptions lush, and I appreciated the lick of British humour.
This is the kind of novel that may leave you scratching your head a bit, but also smiling from ear to ear.