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  • Year One

  • Chronicles of The One, Book 1
  • By: Nora Roberts
  • Narrated by: Julia Whelan
  • Length: 12 hrs and 20 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (889 ratings)

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Year One

By: Nora Roberts
Narrated by: Julia Whelan
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Editorial reviews

Editors Select, December 2017

Best-selling author Nora Roberts' new postapocalyptic dystopian fantasy novel is a departure from the romance fiction for which she's known (or the suspense of her alter ego, J. D. Robb), but it showcases the masterful storytelling that fans know and love while embracing the kind of world-building called for in this genre. Julia Whelan's nuanced narration captures Roberts' wide swath of characters and their authentic relationships. When the earth succumbs to a new plague, otherworldly powers manifest, and humans traits come in both life-affirming and monstrous ways in the first of a promising series. —Abby, Audible Editor

Publisher's Summary

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER (December 2017)

A stunning novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts - Year One is an epic of hope and horror, chaos and magick, and a journey that will unite a desperate group of people to fight the battle of their lives...

It began on New Year’s Eve.

The sickness came on suddenly, and spread quickly. The fear spread even faster. Within weeks, everything people counted on began to fail them. The electrical grid sputtered; law and government collapsed - and more than half of the world’s population was decimated.

Where there had been order, there was now chaos. And as the power of science and technology receded, magick rose up in its place. Some of it is good, like the witchcraft worked by Lana Bingham, practicing in the loft apartment she shares with her lover, Max. Some of it is unimaginably evil, and it can lurk anywhere, around a corner, in fetid tunnels beneath the river - or in the ones you know and love the most.

As word spreads that neither the immune nor the gifted are safe from the authorities who patrol the ravaged streets, and with nothing left to count on but each other, Lana and Max make their way out of a wrecked New York City. At the same time, other travelers are heading west too, into a new frontier. Chuck, a tech genius trying to hack his way through a world gone offline. Arlys, a journalist who has lost her audience but uses pen and paper to record the truth. Fred, her young colleague, possessed of burgeoning abilities and an optimism that seems out of place in this bleak landscape. And Rachel and Jonah, a resourceful doctor and a paramedic who fend off despair with their determination to keep a young mother and three infants in their care alive.

In a world of survivors where every stranger encountered could be either a savage or a savior, none of them knows exactly where they are heading, or why. But a purpose awaits them that will shape their lives and the lives of all those who remain.

The end has come. The beginning comes next.

©2017 Nora Roberts (P)2017 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

What listeners say about Year One

Average Customer Ratings
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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

If you're looking for a good fantasy novel.

This was a tough one to get through. I was enamored with the synopsis! A mix of Stephen Kings - The Stand coupled with classic fantasy but It fell short. I found the dialog between characters cringe worthy, bordering on cliche. The conflict between Max and Eric and the subsequent conclusion of it was utterly boring.
The start of the book was pretty good if I'm honest but it went downhill so quickly. It became a young adults story. I say this because the dialog was incredibly cheesy. Even a MODERN fantasy novel can have characters that aren't speaking as if in a play. This is not a story i would recommend. It may be that I am a man and this is targeted towards the female audience. Still get some real fantasy folks.

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17 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Not a dull moment

Loved this from start to finish, nothing like anything of he rs I have read in the past.

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

I guess if you enjoy dumb things

The beginning seemed promising with an interesting setting and a cool apocalyptic disease. Then it goes downhill from there. Everyone is either nightmarishly Evil (capital E) or nauseatingly Good. One of the protagonists annoyed me so much I couldn't finish the last two chapters that seemed to focus on her. Each time the plot shows promise of picking up or handling something interesting it devolves into sentimentality. Look if you enjoy... I don't know... relationshippy family novels and very black and white morality then maybe this is a way to dip into post-apocalyptic fantasy. I mainly picked it up hoping a female author would avoid the rape gangs trope in post-apocalyptic novels, but no such luck.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great book

This would have to rate as one of the best Nora Roberts books I have read.

Engaging characters and interesting story, with a twist on the end of the world story line.

I can't wait for the next one.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
  • Lee
  • 05-02-2018

Awesome start to a new trilogy. ... can't wait for

Awesome start to a new trilogy. .... cant wait for the next book. makes one think.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great story, well written

I could not stop listening to this. Great narration and story telling.
Can not wait till book 2

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4 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Awesome

I Loved this book by Nora Roberts. It was very Interesting till the very end..

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Disappointed

Reminded me of the walking dead but without the zombies. Don't think I will continue with following books

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great story well told

Every now and then Nora Roberts writes a great story and this is one of them. Something a little different and most entertaining. Thoroughly enjoy both book one and two and eagerly await the third part.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Worrh a read but little depth or subtlety

I picked this book because I enjoy post-apocalyptic story-lines. This sets up an interesting premise based on magic but the characters are a little stereotyped and the plot somewhat predictable.

I may read the second book in this series if I have a strong desire for an undemanding tale.

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