New fantasy audiobook, The Hidden Kingdom, the first adventure in the Legends from Qiledara series by Amy Daniels, available now performed by a full cast
Hello again, dear audiobook friends! Today’s spotlight article is dedicated to The Hidden Kingdom, the first audiobook in the Legends from Qiledara fantasy series written by Amy Daniels and performed by a full cast of talented actors.
The audio production is a little over 13.5 hours in duration and has been published by the author herself. During the summer of 2025 I have reviewed Shadow of the Dragon, the second audiobook in this captivating series and now I am really glad to also get the opportunity to discover where it all started.
Now, let’s take a quick look at the Publisher’s Summary for The Hidden Kingdom, and after that, I will introduce you to our author and a few of the esteemed narrators.
Prince Aaron, with the help of his friend and squire Timothy, sets out to complete trials King Radomir announces for him and his twin brother, Prince Damien. Though by the old law Aaron as the oldest son should inherit the throne, his father King Radomir appears to favor Prince Damien. Thus, Radomir pits his twin sons against one another in the trials.
Aaron’s mentor Gueric has provided Aaron with a solid foundation since childhood and instills values in him that the late queen would have desired to see in her son: true honor and valor. Throughout his journey into adulthood, as he completes the trials, Aaron learns the depth of the corruption in his kingdom. Aaron faces a journey that will force him to face this corruption and determine who he will be in this economy of power in which only Aaron or Damien will emerge as the future king.
The main story is narrated by Phillip Nathaniel Freeman, and below is the rest of the cast:
- Matthew Biddulph as Aaron the Dragonslayer and the murder victim
- Bobby Gaglini as Timothy the Brave
- Robert Cassyleon as Damien
- Cory Barton as Lance
- Zach Brown as old Evrart, Nathaniel, Leonardo, the doctor, and other men
- James Hernandez as Loman
- Brad Grochowski as Malchom, old Graybeard, a Resistance fighter, and the herald
- Ellen Cribbs as Lady Barbara and other women
- Marnie Thomson as Alianora
- Hannah Dere as Elodie
- Scott Fins as Guillemin, Iskander, and Blero
- Ged Cartwright as Thevenin, King Luan, Owen, and the murder victim’s father
- Rob Sharp as Captain Varden and a soldier from the Hidden Kingdom
- Jenny W. Chan as Janine and various women and children
- Louise Porter as the sorceress Lysandra and the mother of the murder victim
- Carolynne Henry as Queen Lysandra and other women
- Amy Daniels as various women
- Kevin Casey as Lord Cedric
- Emily Christine as Brenda
Author Amy Daniels earned a B.A. in Music with an emphasis in vocal performance from the Conservatory of Music at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and went on to complete her M.A. in French (literature) with a graduate minor in Medieval Studies from the University of Minnesota. When she has time, she enjoys singing, composing her own songs, and studying foreign languages. She has enjoyed writing her own stories since childhood. Amy looks forward to completing more stories in the future, with children’s books and science fiction novels, and the fourth book in the series Legends from Qiledara in progress.
Phillip Nathaniel Freeman’s 30,000+ hours of experience in the fields of music and art include Billboard charting singles, top 10 spots on several charts and playlists, and several viral music video hits with tens of millions of views. Freeman is a recognized voice instructor, studio session singer, and sound engineer with over a decade of full-time experience in the entertainment industry, songwriting credits with multi-platinum artists and producers, and high-profile voice acting clients providing an expert-level value to a variety of clients as well as to authors to tell their stories.
Bobby Gaglini is an accomplished voice actor with thousands of voiceovers under his belt. After working in the voiceover industry in Los Angeles for nearly ten years, Bobby and his wife moved to Maine to be closer to family. In addition to “Shadow of the Dragon,” you may have heard Bobby in commercials for Google, State Farm, and Patagonia, as well as in the audiobooks “Dragon Friend” and “Three Days in Ashford.”
Hannah Dere has been a voiceover artist since 2018. Hannah received the Big Book Award for best children’s book narration in 2024. She is currently represented by Big Fish Talent Agency. Her favorite narrations are those that sound completely unscripted, raw, and real. Hannah lives in Raleigh, NC, with her husband and daughters.
Cory Barton is a voice-over artist with a passion for storytelling, with extensive experience in audiobook production as an audio engineer and narrator. Barton previously worked as an on-air personality at Icebreaker Radio and a podcast host for various shows.
I will return as soon as possible with a full review for The Hidden Kingdom, but until then, take care, stay safe, and don’t forget, always listen with your heart.
Victor Dima is an internationally recognized Audiobooks Industry specialist, consultant, insider and reviewer with almost 10,000 helpful votes on Audible. Listened to more than 1,400 audiobooks, have written reviews for almost 400 and rated close to 800 of them. If you want Victor to review your audiobook or if you need help with choosing the right narrator, you can get in touch at reviews@theaudiobookblog.com
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