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The Bloodbaths by Steve Libbey
Fantasy
Click the arrow below to listen to the first episode of this free audio book:
The Bloodbaths is the first book of Steve Libbey's new Aqua Pura Trilogy, a sword and sandal fantasy featuring a plumber on an epic quest to win back his beloved. Mercedes Lackey says: "Steve Libbey gives the 'sword-and-sandal' epic a kick in the tunic and propels it into the gestalt of the 21st century, with an everyman hero whose brains triumph over brawn."
Crixus Oraan is a water artesan, an engineer who builds aqueducts and piping for bathhouses and mansions in the empire of Rond (which bears a resemblance to our own Roman Empire). His guild has entrusted him with a large sum of gold to establish a branch in the up-and-coming coastal town of Restia. In a misguided effort to win enough gold to buy a lavish house for his new fiancé Kharrina, he loses the guild's gold in a card game.
A shady sea captain present at the game—and possibly responsible for fleecing him—offers to sneak him off to the wild and mysterious continent of Minq. Afraid to lose his status in society for his crime, he agrees, hoping to gain back the gold he lost and compensate the guild back in Rond.
In this first volume in the bold new Aqua Pura Trilogy, Crixus finds employment with the Lamiae of Nistru, a cruel society where those at the top bathe in the lifeblood of those on the bottom. Will his conscience allow him to finish the job?
By turns dark, comedic, erotic and thrilling, The Bloodbaths is a book that transcends genre to stand on its own.
This podcast is read by SWC's own Veronica Giguere.
This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works- 3.0 United States License.
Audio Quality: 
Out of 28 ratings
Narration Quality:
Out of 29 ratings
Writing Quality:
Out of 29 ratings
Overall Rating:
Out of 29 ratings
By: Cherry
It was a little slow getting into it, but about halfway in, I finally really connected with the story. I was about ready to give up on it, but I decided to really give it a try. I'm glad I did,By: Aboozar Zamani
please put e-book of this podcast on your website since I cannot understand most dialogues.By: Nobilis
There's a minor error (a repeated line) at about 7:30 in the last chapter.
Chapters
| Title | Description | Date Created |
| Chapter 1: Water (16.68 MB) | In the seaside town of Restia, Crixus clashes with a dowser who is interfering with his trade. | Nov 4, 2007 |
| Chapter 2: The Future (28.64 MB) | Kharrina and Crixus spend a night on the town. | Nov 4, 2007 |
| Chapter 3: Ser Cadmis (18.25 MB) | A nobleman presents Crixus with an unexpected proposition. | Nov 4, 2007 |
| Chapter 4: Gold (35.99 MB) | The mercenary Madraig escorts Crixus and the Guild's gold along the newly cut road to Restia. | Nov 4, 2007 |
| Chapter 5: Restia (19.19 MB) | Flush with success, Crixus has a surprise for Kharrina. | Nov 4, 2007 |
| Chapter 6: Exploration (14.02 MB) | A casual game of Pathii leads to an invitation to a high stakes game -- and the possibility of buying the house of his dreams. | Nov 9, 2007 |
| Chapter 7: Stakes (20.83 MB) | Crixus gambles with the Guild's money against Captain Chyorth and his friends. | Nov 9, 2007 |
| Chapter 8: Lies (13.25 MB) | Chyorth helps Crixus flee the city after his crime. | Nov 9, 2007 |
| Chapter 9: Sea (18.69 MB) | Life on *The Fancy* proves to be difficult. | Nov 9, 2007 |
| Chapter 10: Orazio (29.72 MB) | Crixus makes an ally on *The Fancy* and a friend in the port city of Ambiri. | Nov 9, 2007 |
| Chapter 11: Cove (14.34 MB) | Assassins menace Crixus and Sheirra. | Nov 9, 2007 |
| Chapter 12: Farewell (21.8 MB) | After their ordeal, Crixus finds solace in Sheirra's arms. | Nov 9, 2007 |
| Chapter 13: The Fancy (21.71 MB) | As Minq draws near, Crixus and Orazio must figure out how to trick Chyorth out of the remainder of the Guild's gold. | Nov 9, 2007 |
| Chapter 14: Izhmir (21.71 MB) | Frustrated by his efforts to sell his services to the rich of Minq, Crixus finds new, enigmatic clients. | Nov 9, 2007 |
| Chapter 15: Departure (19.08 MB) | Crixus hits the road with the Red Legionnaires and learns more about the Lamiae. | Nov 9, 2007 |
| Chapter 16: Harvest (21.06 MB) | The Red Legionnaires stop by Basrat to pick up tribute for their masters Ð in the form of three young women. | Nov 9, 2007 |
| Chapter 17: The Road to Nistru (18.13 MB) | Not everyone in Basrat is happy to see the Legionnaires take their bounty and go. | Nov 19, 2007 |
| Chapter 18: Barida (13.72 MB) | On the way to Nistru, the girl Barida casts herself on Crixus' mercy. | Nov 19, 2007 |
| Chapter 19: The Mountains of Nistru (18.9 MB) | Crixus gets his first view of Nistru. | Nov 19, 2007 |
| Chapter 20: Doors (19.95 MB) | Having gained entrance to Castle Nistru, Crixus waits to be summoned. | Nov 19, 2007 |
| Chapter 21: Audience (20.46 MB) | And waits. And waits. And waits. | Nov 19, 2007 |
| Chapter 22: Lord Staal (9.41 MB) | At last, Crixus stands - or rather, crawls - before Lord Staal. | Nov 19, 2007 |
| Chapter 23: The Doctor (14.61 MB) | Dr. Sempri helps Crixus recover from his first audience with a Lamia lord. | Nov 19, 2007 |
| Chapter 24: Charts (17.16 MB) | Lord Staal welcomes Crixus as a friend and gives him Barida for a chambermaid. | Nov 19, 2007 |
| Chapter 25: Prisoners (13.81 MB) | Crixus and Barida assess their situation. | Nov 19, 2007 |
| Chapter 26: Promenade (32.21 MB) | At the Emperor's Ball, Crixus makes a mess in the bathroom. | Nov 19, 2007 |
| Chapter 27: Promises (11.73 MB) | Hired by the Emperor to restore the plumbing, Crixus must now set Barida's expectations. | Nov 19, 2007 |
| Chapter 28: Lady Beryyal (20.62 MB) | Crixus visits Lady Beryyal in the course of repairing the castle's bloodbaths. | Nov 19, 2007 |
| Chapter 29: Nistru (14.52 MB) | Crixus takes his assistants out to survey the old aqueduct. | Nov 19, 2007 |
| Chapter 30: Underground (22.12 MB) | Death awaits in the tunnels of the old aqueduct. | Nov 19, 2007 |
| Chapter 31: Swordplay (13.28 MB) | Staal gives Crixus fencing lessons, but the real lesson is far bloodier. | Nov 19, 2007 |
| Chapter 32: Maps (14.69 MB) | Crixus' apprehensions mount as he completes work on the castle. | Nov 19, 2007 |
| Chapter 33: Dice (14.42 MB) | The leaders of the peasant rebellion appeal to Crixus' guilty conscience for help. | Nov 19, 2007 |
| Chapter 34: Poison (20.54 MB) | As the Emperor unveils the restored Imperial fountain, the rebels make their move. | Nov 19, 2007 |
| Chapter 35: Rebellion (11.49 MB) | Crixus and Pahhim escape execution through the ancient caverns beneath the castle as the uprising begins. | Nov 23, 2007 |
| Chapter 36: Quarry (20.58 MB) | Crixus and Pahhim are saved from the ghosts of the Lamiae by an old friend... or enemy. | Nov 23, 2007 |
| Chapter 37: Possessions (16.13 MB) | Crixus and Madraig confront Lord Staal to rescue Barida. | Nov 23, 2007 |
| Chapter 38: Rescue (10.92 MB) | His rescue attempt a failure, Crixus, Madraig and Sheirra flee Nistru as the peasant rebellion is cruelly suppressed. | Nov 23, 2007 |