54 thoughts on “Hard Magic makes #19 on the Audible Essentials list”

  1. But you’re obviously still not a real author. You need to write about poor transgendered polar bears being murdered by an evil Dick Cheney type character for that. Being having a bunch of bestsellers and being in the top 20 list of must reads on Audible means nothing.

    1. Close Austin but not quite. You forgot to throw in the race card. Of course Larry is a White Hispanic so it’s physically impossible for him to write fiction involving POC(polarbears of color) without being racist(speceist?). Maybe if he apologizes for all of his Privilege they will let it slide.

      1. The main difference between Larry and the other guys is Larry could actually afford to pay reparations while the rest blow their $3.50 a month in royalties on overpriced Starbucks coffee.

  2. Ah, but if only you apologized for being a white male racist Hater McHatey, you’d probably be #1! Or at least #5. The wages of sin is career death, after all.
    P.S. Long time fan of your work.

  3. And look at the books just above yours! You are in VERY good company, Larry.

    Of course, I have to wonder how much of this popularity is due to the writing, and how much is due to the awesomeness of the voice narration.

    1. Both. The awesome narrator has to have awesome material to work with. Can’t make chicken salad out of chicken shite.

      I really need to pick this up and start listening on my lunch breaks. Only reason I haven’t before now is that I’m usually reading on my phone’s Kindle app with music on my MP3 player.

  4. Well done! I’m just about to start listening to the Grimnoir series audiobooks (I’ve read them already) once I finish listening to MHI.

    1. Vindication! That is really fabulous company to be numbered in.

      I read all the Hard Magic books, the MHI books, and the Dead Six books. Then I vacationed at the beach and figured that listening would be easier than reading in the sun. Ordered up Hard Magic, and was hooked again.

      Both Bronson Pinchot (Hard Magic/Dead Six) and Oliver Wyman (MHI) are stellar voice performers. If you haven’t listened to all of them, you need to.

      I’m amazed that more of Mr. Correia’s audio books aren’t on the list.

  5. I would have expected MHI rather than Hard Magic. Personally, I think that series has the better narrator.

    1. I can see why Hard Magic would edge out MHI. Hard Magic has that film noir vibe that will appeal to people outside of fantasy fandom, while MHI is more straight up fantasy.

      Now, Larry, about those Grimnoir challenge coins…

    1. Now that quotes and context are coming out alongside these witchhunts, every time someone like Walter does a hit it boosts sales for the hit upon and beats up sales for his PC pals. They can’t ban and delete everything. Believe it or not I ran by a conversation where a few of the PC were lamenting their outspokeness and were talking about using pseudonyms. One of them is already using one. But the internet is a perfect recording mechanism and those quotes will haunt them. They can’t delete them without looking even worse, although one author has heavily edited and deleted at least two posts on her blog as a result of being called out, and hoping no one will notice. The PC love yapping but it’s plain to see the tide is turning and the PC are being marginalized bit by bit. They’re on the run, boys.

      1. So they’re coming into our world?

        When I learned of the animosity directed toward conservatives and libertarians in SFF, I started using my initials because I’d spent years as a political blogger. My name is unique enough that it wouldn’t be hard to figure out my political views with a simple Google search.

        It’s good to see that such vocally PC schmucks are tasting that as well.

        Unfortunately for them, they tend to put their worldview into everything they write, so it’s kind of useless.

  6. Fantastic! Congratulations are due, and parties. You should definitely throw yourself a party!

    1. Bah! Commercial success only means he’s a filthy capitalist, catering to the great Unwashed masses. The True Elites of the literary world know that greatness is not measured by actual, you know, success, but by the accolades of their small (very small) circle of co-elites. In fact, if you’re really good, even they don’t have to read it. After all, they know your heart is pure (Just don’t ask “Pure what?”).

  7. I agree whole heartedly! And as an Audible member for many years, this series still ranks #1 in narration for me.

    1. A Hugo would certainly be a financial help. The current fanbase doesn’t pay the Hugos much attention, and it never actually *hurts* to say “Hugo Award Winning” on the cover.

      On the other hand, the essentials list includes Mark Twain, Douglas Adams, Frank Herbert, Tolkein, EB White, Bram Stoker, George Orwell, Nabokov, Stephen King, Ernest Hemmingway, Dashiell Hammet, Neil Gaiman, Ian Fleming, Scott Card, Truman Capote, L. Frank Baum…

      I’m certain a *real* author would be more proud of sharing a list with Huck Finn, Dracula, The Maltese Falcon, 1984, Ender’s Game, The Wizard of Oz, and Ender’s Game. The alternative is bragging rights to winning a popularity contest against a bunch of screaming infants.

      No contest.

      Larry, you should print out that list in color, with archival quality supplies, frame it, and hang it in your living room.

      1. ” The current fanbase doesn’t pay the Hugos much attention, and it never actually *hurts* to say “Hugo Award Winning” on the cover.”

        I hope that true. After two years of reading what comes from the Sad Puppies campaign packet, I have developed a distinct “ah crap, it won a Hugo, maybe it isn’t all that good” philosophy when shopping recommendations on Amazon.

        Of course, Amazon very rarely offers me any recommendations that won a Hugo. Smart Amazon.

  8. Congratulations Larry. You have achieved something to be very proud of. You’re in some fine company.

    All those ‘immortals’ on the list? They are, or were, writers just like you, hammering away at deadlines, worrying about what would sell and how to keep the pantry stocked. And that doesn’t diminish their accomplishments by one tiny bit.

    The ‘fashionables’ on the list? Well, do you *really* have to wonder if you’re just a fashionable darling of the chattering classes?

    Outstanding accomplishment. You deserve it.

  9. That list seems to suggest people read literature for fun, entertainment and artistry rather than being slapped upside the head and mugged. A stunning claim.

  10. Sincere congratulations, Larry.

    While the presence of Margaret Atwood on the list makes me wrinkle my nose and think de gustibus non est disputandum, I’d be proud to be on ANY list that contained Adams, Austen, Baum, Butcher, Capote, Card, etc.

    Not to nitpick, but the way the titles are arranged makes me think this list is Alphabetical by Author, rather than a ranking….Capote, Card, Collins, Correia? Fitzgerald, Fleming, Follett?

    Again, congratulations!

  11. Nice Larry! Not listed is the best audio “book” I ever listened to, The Lord of the Rings on a 12 or 14 (been so long I have forgotten) cassette set done by some London acting outfit. Now THAT was an audiobook!

  12. I’ve enjoyed all your books. Entertaining, complete stories, with characters I’m happy to root for. However, I think the combination of writer and narrator in the Grimnoir series really bumps things up to the next level. I hope the popularity of the series earns more work for the both of you.

  13. Some of the books on the list I, personally, would consider to be a bit overrated e.g. “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.” Others I, surprisingly, haven’t read e.g. “Huckleberry Finn” and other s I haven’t even heard of “Go the fuck to sleep.” (Even if it is pretty solid advice). However being 19 on a list of a 100 where ‘The Hitchikers Guide . . . ‘ is number one. Well I consider that to be pretty darn cool.

  14. Larry McHater is only on the list because he writes dumb fiction for stupid white guys. I’m surprised they can figure out how to turn on their smart phones or tablets or whatever the heck they use nowadays.

    Oh, and racism.

  15. Tangential question. Is the subscription to Audible worth it? I’m not much into audio books, mostly because the ones I tend to be able to afford are the crime thrillers or the romances, neither of which I find appealing. The site actually seems to have a decent selection., but I would like opinions of users. (sorry if this is off topic)

    1. Yes. I use audiobooks instead of radio on my commute. The Audible app on iPhone and Android is easy to use.

    2. The basic subscription works out to basically 1 audiobook per month at approximately 1/2 the list price ($15 for the credit, rather than $30 for the full price listing on a new, “premium” offering). Additionally, you get a discount on anything else you buy, periodic specials (that are usually stuff I’m not interested in, but sometimes have gems in them) and relatively frequent 3 / $35 specials on credits. I wasn’t sure it would be worth it, but figured that it would let me pick up a few aBooks I wanted, and then I’d kill it. This was about 4 years ago. These days my usual problem is running out of credits. For example, Larry has 2 items hitting next month, and this year’s “Fun with Hugos” has brought several “new” writers to my attention. This burned my backlog (never very deep), three extra credits, and a short story in no time flat.

      If you are much of a reader at all, and want to be able to go “eyes free” part of the time, it is more than worth it.

      1. Definitely sounds interesting. I do a great deal of data entry and prep work for analysis, and I’ve discovered music only goes so far for maintaining focus for 8 hours. I think I’ll give it a try. Thank you.

      2. “Mindless” data entry, or standard chores = New Audiobook
        Anything that requires actual concentration = book I’ve listened to / read already.

        And NEVER try to listen to a new, good aBook at bedtime. It’s every bit as bad as trying to read “just one more chapter”…

  16. most interesting thing on here is how much SF/F is on it. The genre usually doesn’t get that much love. I happy for you that 50 Shades of Grey didn’t make it also or people would be giving you a hard time for years… (that is meant as a joke)

    Gratz. Got the voter packet for the hugos. Going to be readng that one since its in the packet and not audioing it.

Leave a Reply to Expendable Henchman Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *