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Medair #2
Voice of the Lost
Medair an Rynstar wants only to leave. Five hundred years after the Empire she served fell to the Ibisian invaders, Medair has betrayed her Emperor's memory by helping the descendants of the invaders. She knows she will be reviled, that to thousands she is hero-become-villain. Her one goal is to return to the hidden cave where she slept out of time, and hope that she wakes in a world where the name Medair an Rynstar has been forgotten. Assassins, armies, and desperate magic complicate Medair's plan of escape, leading her inexorably to face the very people her choice has cost the most. She has learned that you can never return to your past, or run from the consequences of your actions, but can she find a way to live in defeat?
182 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2011
13 people are currently reading
338 people want to read
About the author
Andrea K. Höst
24 books818 followersBorn in Sweden and raised in Australia, Andrea K Höst currently lives in Sydney. She writes fantasy, but wanders occasionally into science fantasy.
Her novel "The Silence of Medair" was a finalist for the 2010 Aurealis Award for best fantasy novel. Her novella "Forfeit" won the 2016 Aurealis Award for Best Fantasy Novella.
She also occasionally publishes romance under the name Karan K Anders.
Her novel "The Silence of Medair" was a finalist for the 2010 Aurealis Award for best fantasy novel. Her novella "Forfeit" won the 2016 Aurealis Award for Best Fantasy Novella.
She also occasionally publishes romance under the name Karan K Anders.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
October 11, 2013
I gave a decent rating to the first book, but I cannot give this book anything besides one star. I close this book feeling utterly annoyed.
This is the romance book, straight up. It's what all the romance lovers wanted from book one where Illukar and Medair declare their love for each other and get together. Oh yes, there's some vague plot in the background, but not really. It's mostly about these two. Who could have possibly guessed that a convenient fog would leave these two together on their own, all primed and ready to spill some emotional words. Someone must have spilled the pheromones in this book.
And I am so pissed off about the vague plot! I think it's completely frustrating that the author keeps dropping us in different timelines randomly at will. It's disorienting and it doesn't do a freaking single thing for the book. It's like the book has no direction at all except for the romance slant. Oh, nothing is happening? I guess we'll just change the timeline/dimension! No problem. Infuriating because it just strings the reader along thinking that something is actually going to happen.
The ending sucked. Majorly. What the freaking heck? I don't buy it for a second. How in the world does she end up loving someone she hates in the span of 40 pages? Nuh uh. It doesn't work that way. And what a stupid way of resolving a character death. If you're going to build up the emotions for someone dying, I want you to follow through with it. Please, thank you.
But even beyond the ridiculous two-in-one package deal Medair gets to play with, for goodness sakes, even her romance with original pretty-boy ice perfect was fake enough. The only reasons we knew they liked each other was because we were explicitly told through our ability to know the character's thoughts. Nothing in their actions or dialogue would suggest their interest in each other. And the author's reasoning for when they "fell in love"? Bull crap.
One star. It does nothing for the "series", if you can call it that. This is pure fan service, in my opinion, where she just gives the romance lovers from the first book something to squeal over.
And if I really wanted to break down what I thought about Medair... ah, that would probably get me in another rage. I thought she was a strong character from book one (besides the suicidal idiocy for a few stupid moments -not deriding those who actually struggle with suicidal tendencies, but this stupid character who does it even though it's not in her already established nature and has so many more options), but then basing romance as her reason for living and how she continues on afterwards? Excuuuse me. Ridiculous.
I didn't give a crap for any of the characters by the end of this. Or the plot, because really, what plot?
And the world? Haha, which world? There was no world because it was always arbitrarily changed. So in the end, what's left of this book? A wish-fulfillment romance.
One star. No more.
Not recommended for anyone. Unless you read the first book and are longing to see the two main characters hook up.
This is the romance book, straight up. It's what all the romance lovers wanted from book one where Illukar and Medair declare their love for each other and get together. Oh yes, there's some vague plot in the background, but not really. It's mostly about these two. Who could have possibly guessed that a convenient fog would leave these two together on their own, all primed and ready to spill some emotional words. Someone must have spilled the pheromones in this book.
And I am so pissed off about the vague plot! I think it's completely frustrating that the author keeps dropping us in different timelines randomly at will. It's disorienting and it doesn't do a freaking single thing for the book. It's like the book has no direction at all except for the romance slant. Oh, nothing is happening? I guess we'll just change the timeline/dimension! No problem. Infuriating because it just strings the reader along thinking that something is actually going to happen.
The ending sucked. Majorly. What the freaking heck? I don't buy it for a second. How in the world does she end up loving someone she hates in the span of 40 pages? Nuh uh. It doesn't work that way. And what a stupid way of resolving a character death. If you're going to build up the emotions for someone dying, I want you to follow through with it. Please, thank you.
But even beyond the ridiculous two-in-one package deal Medair gets to play with, for goodness sakes, even her romance with original pretty-boy ice perfect was fake enough. The only reasons we knew they liked each other was because we were explicitly told through our ability to know the character's thoughts. Nothing in their actions or dialogue would suggest their interest in each other. And the author's reasoning for when they "fell in love"? Bull crap.
One star. It does nothing for the "series", if you can call it that. This is pure fan service, in my opinion, where she just gives the romance lovers from the first book something to squeal over.
And if I really wanted to break down what I thought about Medair... ah, that would probably get me in another rage. I thought she was a strong character from book one (besides the suicidal idiocy for a few stupid moments -not deriding those who actually struggle with suicidal tendencies, but this stupid character who does it even though it's not in her already established nature and has so many more options), but then basing romance as her reason for living and how she continues on afterwards? Excuuuse me. Ridiculous.
I didn't give a crap for any of the characters by the end of this. Or the plot, because really, what plot?
And the world? Haha, which world? There was no world because it was always arbitrarily changed. So in the end, what's left of this book? A wish-fulfillment romance.
One star. No more.
Not recommended for anyone. Unless you read the first book and are longing to see the two main characters hook up.
January 4, 2012
This is the second part of the duology begun in 'The Silence of Medair'. It demonstrates the greatest strength of self-publishing, in that it allows the author the freedom to break away from the tired old tropes and traditions, and create something stunningly different. This is a wonderful, character-driven story with great depth.
The plot is too complicated to summarise briefly - suffice it to say that 'wild magic' has been let loose on the world, with strange and unpredictable consequences. This allows a number of dramatic twists - or rather, abrupt shifts of direction, which are in places hard to keep up with. I was repeatedly taken by surprise at these shifts, never seeing any of them coming, although they were all logical within the constructs of the story. Medair's capable self-reliance in the first book is no use in this wild-magic-driven world, and she becomes not much more than baggage for the skilled mages (adepts) at points, and dangerously close to the helpless female needing to be rescued. This is less disappointing than it might be, since the adepts are almost as helpless - even the most skilled are lost in the new world order, struggling to make the right decisions and find a way back to some kind of stability.
It has to be said that, although the events in the book are very dramatic, it's not really an action book. The main focus is Medair herself, her struggles with her own feelings and her constant rationalisations. There is a lot of angst here. Having failed in her original quest to defend her country against invasion, she has now accepted that the invaders are the establishment and has joined forces with them to defeat the new invaders, who are trying to restore the old order of five centuries ago. But naturally she feels all the guilt of her decisions, and this is where the book raises all the interesting questions: can you ever stop hating? where does hate end and love begin, and can you love and hate at the same time? when does an invading army become part of the invaded country? how do you live with your choices even when they were the best (or perhaps least worst) at the time? how do you know you made the right choice? can you make the right choice for the wrong reasons? And then there are the questions of race: are the small number of remaining 'pure blood' Ibisians less a part of their new home country than those of mixed blood? And is someone more (or less) Ibisian or Palladian because of the way they look? And the author cleverly addresses the issues without ever pulling out cultural or racial clichés. This is very elegantly done.
The characters themselves are well-drawn enough that we can understand and sympathise with their dilemmas. The focus in this book is almost entirely on Medair and Illukar, with the rest more in the background, but even so they all have their own problems to address - Ileaha in particular. I was disappointed that we saw so little of Avahn, however, since he was so easy to like, being more outgoing than most Ibisians. Fortunately Illukar opens up a lot in this book. I was a little surprised that some of the Decians became important characters here, since, although they were always important to the plot, the characters themselves seemed to be very much on the periphery in the first book (but on reflection, all the clues were there, I just wasn't paying attention - I was too focused on the Ibisians). And I was again delighted to see so many women in important roles - rulers, warriors, mages and not a whore in sight.
I have the same issues with the magic here as in the first book - it seems, at times, just too convenient, too powerful, and wild magic, in particular, seems to obey no real rules. This makes it possible for almost anything to happen at any moment, and the ending, as far as I could see, just came out of nowhere. I like magic to conform to some kind of system, so that when it's used you can see exactly how it might happen (so you say 'oh, of course' rather than 'wait, what?'). But on the other hand, it was a very fitting end for the story, totally appropriate for the characters, so it made complete sense in that way.
This is not a book for everyone. Those who prefer lots of action, big battle scenes and the like, will be disappointed at the introspective nature of the book. It's not that there is NO action, there is in fact plenty happening and very dramatic it is too, but it's mostly the salad garnish to the main dish of Medair reflecting on her decisions, her feelings and her guilt. I can't imagine what a mainstream publisher would do to a book like this, but personally I'm very glad that the author eventually managed to self-publish and put it out into the world as it was meant to be - quirky, original, intelligent and thought-provoking. I don't often give out five stars, and never before to a self-published work, but this deserves it.
The plot is too complicated to summarise briefly - suffice it to say that 'wild magic' has been let loose on the world, with strange and unpredictable consequences. This allows a number of dramatic twists - or rather, abrupt shifts of direction, which are in places hard to keep up with. I was repeatedly taken by surprise at these shifts, never seeing any of them coming, although they were all logical within the constructs of the story. Medair's capable self-reliance in the first book is no use in this wild-magic-driven world, and she becomes not much more than baggage for the skilled mages (adepts) at points, and dangerously close to the helpless female needing to be rescued. This is less disappointing than it might be, since the adepts are almost as helpless - even the most skilled are lost in the new world order, struggling to make the right decisions and find a way back to some kind of stability.
It has to be said that, although the events in the book are very dramatic, it's not really an action book. The main focus is Medair herself, her struggles with her own feelings and her constant rationalisations. There is a lot of angst here. Having failed in her original quest to defend her country against invasion, she has now accepted that the invaders are the establishment and has joined forces with them to defeat the new invaders, who are trying to restore the old order of five centuries ago. But naturally she feels all the guilt of her decisions, and this is where the book raises all the interesting questions: can you ever stop hating? where does hate end and love begin, and can you love and hate at the same time? when does an invading army become part of the invaded country? how do you live with your choices even when they were the best (or perhaps least worst) at the time? how do you know you made the right choice? can you make the right choice for the wrong reasons? And then there are the questions of race: are the small number of remaining 'pure blood' Ibisians less a part of their new home country than those of mixed blood? And is someone more (or less) Ibisian or Palladian because of the way they look? And the author cleverly addresses the issues without ever pulling out cultural or racial clichés. This is very elegantly done.
The characters themselves are well-drawn enough that we can understand and sympathise with their dilemmas. The focus in this book is almost entirely on Medair and Illukar, with the rest more in the background, but even so they all have their own problems to address - Ileaha in particular. I was disappointed that we saw so little of Avahn, however, since he was so easy to like, being more outgoing than most Ibisians. Fortunately Illukar opens up a lot in this book. I was a little surprised that some of the Decians became important characters here, since, although they were always important to the plot, the characters themselves seemed to be very much on the periphery in the first book (but on reflection, all the clues were there, I just wasn't paying attention - I was too focused on the Ibisians). And I was again delighted to see so many women in important roles - rulers, warriors, mages and not a whore in sight.
I have the same issues with the magic here as in the first book - it seems, at times, just too convenient, too powerful, and wild magic, in particular, seems to obey no real rules. This makes it possible for almost anything to happen at any moment, and the ending, as far as I could see, just came out of nowhere. I like magic to conform to some kind of system, so that when it's used you can see exactly how it might happen (so you say 'oh, of course' rather than 'wait, what?'). But on the other hand, it was a very fitting end for the story, totally appropriate for the characters, so it made complete sense in that way.
This is not a book for everyone. Those who prefer lots of action, big battle scenes and the like, will be disappointed at the introspective nature of the book. It's not that there is NO action, there is in fact plenty happening and very dramatic it is too, but it's mostly the salad garnish to the main dish of Medair reflecting on her decisions, her feelings and her guilt. I can't imagine what a mainstream publisher would do to a book like this, but personally I'm very glad that the author eventually managed to self-publish and put it out into the world as it was meant to be - quirky, original, intelligent and thought-provoking. I don't often give out five stars, and never before to a self-published work, but this deserves it.
May 14, 2022
Sequel to The Silence of Medair which I liked enough to pickthis up, but it is such a mess. But then does something original and interesting some 20 pages from the ending, people talk about it and the end. And I do not quite buy that solution, that things really are resolved there, but I could have been better persuaded to believe it.
It is very oddly structured, up to say mark 70% it seems like a random side quest, and just filler so that Medair and her love interest can you know, kiss and talk about their feelings and get a HEA resolution, and then the last 30% of book is incredibly more important in everyway and followed with much less attention to blow by blow account of each step and movement. And then some talk, unbelievably momentous things happening off screen (so to speak) within a couple pages, wow, an interesting original romantic element, which apparently is all processed within a single conversation. Whatever. (I am actually giving this one extra star due to the fact that there is something original and surprising, even if it is not really seen through well).
Side character relationships are just dropped in the rush to the ending. The names situation is even direr (though this now includes a glossary at the end) than in the first book. Antagonist is named Estarion, Estarion, Estarion. All of a sudden people are talking of Xarus, Xarus, Xarus in confusing contexts as if he was the same person. By chapter 16, it seems he was called Xarus Estarion. Oh, come on, this is just making the reader more and more lost, without any real point to it.
It is very oddly structured, up to say mark 70% it seems like a random side quest, and just filler so that Medair and her love interest can you know, kiss and talk about their feelings and get a HEA resolution, and then the last 30% of book is incredibly more important in everyway and followed with much less attention to blow by blow account of each step and movement. And then some talk, unbelievably momentous things happening off screen (so to speak) within a couple pages, wow, an interesting original romantic element, which apparently is all processed within a single conversation. Whatever. (I am actually giving this one extra star due to the fact that there is something original and surprising, even if it is not really seen through well).
Side character relationships are just dropped in the rush to the ending. The names situation is even direr (though this now includes a glossary at the end) than in the first book. Antagonist is named Estarion, Estarion, Estarion. All of a sudden people are talking of Xarus, Xarus, Xarus in confusing contexts as if he was the same person. By chapter 16, it seems he was called Xarus Estarion. Oh, come on, this is just making the reader more and more lost, without any real point to it.
January 6, 2016
The first book is brilliant, the sequel is a mess.
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May 22, 2020
On the reread, I bumped up book 1 to 4 stars. This one is actually getting bumped down. The worldbuilding is very confusing in hindsight and there are too many loose ends left hanging.
ONE LINE SUMMARY
Wonderful resolution - this has got to be the one of the most unique endings to a love triangle I've ever seen.
[Blog] - [Bookstagram]
ONE LINE SUMMARY
Wonderful resolution - this has got to be the one of the most unique endings to a love triangle I've ever seen.
[Blog] - [Bookstagram]
September 9, 2020
Hmm. I liked the meandering structure of this book, but I can't help wishing that this had been a story about either waking up in a world long after the war or a world swept with change by wild magic and not both, because while the latter made for a surprising plot twist I never really felt there was room for the consequences of the sweeping change to breathe, especially since they didn't seem to significantly affect Medair herself. I liked the romance, but I have mixed feelings about the ending, and I wish the minor characters had been fleshed out more. Some of them, like Vorclase, seemed to be foreshadowed to have a much greater role in things than they ultimately did, and so did the treasures from the hoard. I think it shows that this is an earlier work by the author than some of the other works of hers I've read, but I liked it enough that I will probably reread it in the future.
December 30, 2014
I didn't like this quite as much as The Silence of Medair because I thought there was an excessive amount of rehashing the same topics. I get that learning to let go of the past and try and forgive is a difficult and long drawn out process, but in a story there is only so much of that I can take before I want to yell "I know! I get it! Can you stop beating me over the head with it now?" However, I did like the ending. It wasn't really a Disney "Love Conquers All" type conclusion, which I think was fitting, but I do think it was at least along the lines of "love makes everything that much more bearable".
I would recommend this duology (I believe that there is a version rolled in to one simply called "Medair") to those who enjoy the fantasy genre. You really should go in to it knowing that it is quite a dense read though and that the focus is far more on the characters than on action even if the basic premise revolves around the consequences of invasion and war.
I would recommend this duology (I believe that there is a version rolled in to one simply called "Medair") to those who enjoy the fantasy genre. You really should go in to it knowing that it is quite a dense read though and that the focus is far more on the characters than on action even if the basic premise revolves around the consequences of invasion and war.
June 14, 2015
A fast-paced conclusion to the Medair duology, with more than a couple plot-twists that surprised me. I love these two books for the premise, the issues, and the world-building. The pacing suffered a bit in the first book from the need for extensive flashbacks; not so this second book. Definitely a recommended read.
April 12, 2013
See my review of The Silence of Medair for full review.
October 4, 2023
2.5* Voice of the Lost didn't enamour me like the previous book did. It opens with the big battle that The Silence of Medair had been building up to and culminates in the important decision that had formed the core of Medair's story. With this, Medair's character arc felt complete. If this battle was part of the first book and ended there, it would have made for a truly satisfying ending.
However, the story carries on, and everything that happened after this point felt tacked on, or something of an afterthought. The author didn't seem to know what to do with Medair, and so the focus shifts to a romance plot while re-treading existing issues.
I'm wondering if the book's problems are with its structure. Starting with the story's biggest and most meaningful moment always meant that whatever followed would struggle to keep up that momentum. Regardless, after how much I enjoyed the first book, Voice of the Lost was something of a let down.
However, the story carries on, and everything that happened after this point felt tacked on, or something of an afterthought. The author didn't seem to know what to do with Medair, and so the focus shifts to a romance plot while re-treading existing issues.
I'm wondering if the book's problems are with its structure. Starting with the story's biggest and most meaningful moment always meant that whatever followed would struggle to keep up that momentum. Regardless, after how much I enjoyed the first book, Voice of the Lost was something of a let down.
July 25, 2019
Such a pity the second book is this weak. In writing, in plot and finishing. I had high hopes from the first book but this was a total disappointment.
January 25, 2018
First off, I want to say that the attack on Medair in the first chapter I fully expected to happen in the first book. I was more or less predicting the person would strike out against her, for the reasons that Medair concludes (much later in the book) and was only marginally surprised by it. Well mostly that it was so sloppily handled considering the source, I really expected more from an assassination attempt orchestrated by that person.
I think that I enjoyed the book a bit less than the first one. Maybe because I read them back to back in rapid succession, a lot of the fears, doubts and insecurities Medair felt seemed to be the same as in the first book. Medair didn't really GROW in the first book--not as a person at least. She still held onto to the same fears, the same prejudices and same reactions when she didn't want to face the truth.
And quite frankly she spends a decent portion of the second book repeating those mistakes, even as she's rationalizing how ridiculous her arguments seem in the light of day. The book however had Princess Sendel and she was freaking awesome. She was a good counterpoise to some of the other characters--her life was pretty rotten by the time we meet her, but she doesn't let that steamroll her. She quickly understands the situation, the best route of action, and how to make it all happen as quickly as feasible to save the most lives. I really was hoping Medair was taking notes on how to react in a crisis situation from her because she really could have used that wisdom earlier.
Things go from bad to really bad emotionally and otherwise for Medair and her new (reluctant as she is to call them as such) friends. Wild Magic flares up again with...interesting results. Now not only Medair is stuck in a world she doesn't really fit in, but an entire city and the effects are not particularly encouraging at first. I wanted this to be explored a little more--the subtle shifts that turned a lot of people's lives inside out because of one man's insane wish. Even though its frequently referred back to and examined, its not really explained. What exactly changed that made the 'new' reality so different yet very similar? Why were some memories tweaked just a little, while others were shifted a lot?
Medair and Ilukar reach something close to an understanding after a lot of trial, error and earnestness. On the one hand I could understand why Medair was so reluctant to admit to anything--Ilukar is the closest she'd get to the 'White Snakes' of her time (being purebred) yet she spends an equal amount of time justifying that they are not the same. Even after a surprising visit while hanging around tombs, Medair finds it hard to have the two warring emotions co-exist within her.
The eventual resolution was...okay. I guess form Ilukar's perspective it is what it is, and he's fairly pragmatic about most things, but despite her confessions and why she ran from Isekar to hunt the Horn, I found it hard to reconcile that it would all work out. I wasn't convinced that Medair had moved past the anxiety and guilt she constantly felt. I would have liked that portion of the story to have a bit more time to grow, instead of the last chapter or so of the book.
I think that I enjoyed the book a bit less than the first one. Maybe because I read them back to back in rapid succession, a lot of the fears, doubts and insecurities Medair felt seemed to be the same as in the first book. Medair didn't really GROW in the first book--not as a person at least. She still held onto to the same fears, the same prejudices and same reactions when she didn't want to face the truth.
And quite frankly she spends a decent portion of the second book repeating those mistakes, even as she's rationalizing how ridiculous her arguments seem in the light of day. The book however had Princess Sendel and she was freaking awesome. She was a good counterpoise to some of the other characters--her life was pretty rotten by the time we meet her, but she doesn't let that steamroll her. She quickly understands the situation, the best route of action, and how to make it all happen as quickly as feasible to save the most lives. I really was hoping Medair was taking notes on how to react in a crisis situation from her because she really could have used that wisdom earlier.
Things go from bad to really bad emotionally and otherwise for Medair and her new (reluctant as she is to call them as such) friends. Wild Magic flares up again with...interesting results. Now not only Medair is stuck in a world she doesn't really fit in, but an entire city and the effects are not particularly encouraging at first. I wanted this to be explored a little more--the subtle shifts that turned a lot of people's lives inside out because of one man's insane wish. Even though its frequently referred back to and examined, its not really explained. What exactly changed that made the 'new' reality so different yet very similar? Why were some memories tweaked just a little, while others were shifted a lot?
Medair and Ilukar reach something close to an understanding after a lot of trial, error and earnestness. On the one hand I could understand why Medair was so reluctant to admit to anything--Ilukar is the closest she'd get to the 'White Snakes' of her time (being purebred) yet she spends an equal amount of time justifying that they are not the same. Even after a surprising visit while hanging around tombs, Medair finds it hard to have the two warring emotions co-exist within her.
The eventual resolution was...okay. I guess form Ilukar's perspective it is what it is, and he's fairly pragmatic about most things, but despite her confessions and why she ran from Isekar to hunt the Horn, I found it hard to reconcile that it would all work out. I wasn't convinced that Medair had moved past the anxiety and guilt she constantly felt. I would have liked that portion of the story to have a bit more time to grow, instead of the last chapter or so of the book.
December 6, 2017
5.5 strs. Combined review for The Silence of Medair and Voice of the Lost.
It was very nice start for the reading year. The story was unique and intriguing, with good solid world-building. It’s hard to believe it took 10 years for the author to publish this little gem.
The Romance part was delightfully adorable. I saw that lots of reviewers on Goodreads, who loved the 1st part for the magic and adventures, disliked the 2nd part that was centered on romance, and vice versa. While I too think the story were better told in one volume, I loved the both parts equally. Each part for its own merits.
I fall in love with the main character from the very first pages. I loved her voice, her raw inner-struggle, her doubts and the quite courage with which she was able to accept the world as it is.
In overall the story is not about magic or quests, it about personal emotional journey from pure hate and racism to acceptance, friendship and love.
I loved all the side characters, which were full of life and depth; and told their own stories in such a charming way.
I loved the melancholic tone of the book, which absolutely didn’t turn the book into slow paced. Quite the opposite actually.
I loved the Wild Magic in the book. It gave the book some crazy, mind-blowing twist that only made the narrative even more unique and exciting.
I loved author’s ability to leave the narrative threads unfinished, without making the book fell incomplete. In overall it gives the reader sensation that this world continues even after the last page is read and the book is closed. It leaves the reader with desire to imagine how the thing might go and what can happen in the Future. Thought if Andrea K. Höst would ever write the sequel I will be more than happy to read it.
I always dig the romantic sub-plots ant the romance in Voice of the Lost was amazing, straight into my top 10 favorite. Love grumpy, serious love interests. I love gorgeous anime-looking men as well. The resolve for the romance was unconventional, but so perfect for Medair. I really think they will be truly very happy. I some way it reminded me the ending of Howl's Moving Castle, and later I read that it is one of the Andrea K. Höst’s inspiration.
Well, it was great duology that I will gladly recommend to any Romantic Fantasy lover.
It was very nice start for the reading year. The story was unique and intriguing, with good solid world-building. It’s hard to believe it took 10 years for the author to publish this little gem.
The Romance part was delightfully adorable. I saw that lots of reviewers on Goodreads, who loved the 1st part for the magic and adventures, disliked the 2nd part that was centered on romance, and vice versa. While I too think the story were better told in one volume, I loved the both parts equally. Each part for its own merits.
I fall in love with the main character from the very first pages. I loved her voice, her raw inner-struggle, her doubts and the quite courage with which she was able to accept the world as it is.
In overall the story is not about magic or quests, it about personal emotional journey from pure hate and racism to acceptance, friendship and love.
I loved all the side characters, which were full of life and depth; and told their own stories in such a charming way.
I loved the melancholic tone of the book, which absolutely didn’t turn the book into slow paced. Quite the opposite actually.
I loved the Wild Magic in the book. It gave the book some crazy, mind-blowing twist that only made the narrative even more unique and exciting.
I loved author’s ability to leave the narrative threads unfinished, without making the book fell incomplete. In overall it gives the reader sensation that this world continues even after the last page is read and the book is closed. It leaves the reader with desire to imagine how the thing might go and what can happen in the Future. Thought if Andrea K. Höst would ever write the sequel I will be more than happy to read it.
I always dig the romantic sub-plots ant the romance in Voice of the Lost was amazing, straight into my top 10 favorite. Love grumpy, serious love interests. I love gorgeous anime-looking men as well. The resolve for the romance was unconventional, but so perfect for Medair. I really think they will be truly very happy. I some way it reminded me the ending of Howl's Moving Castle, and later I read that it is one of the Andrea K. Höst’s inspiration.
Well, it was great duology that I will gladly recommend to any Romantic Fantasy lover.
January 14, 2018
I love Andrea K Host's work, so a while ago I bought the "Medair" duology for my Kindle. Out of stuff to read while on a just-finished trip, I went back to re-read--I thought--the duology. Found I couldn't remember anything beyond the arrival at the capital (Athere) and thought I must have broken off the first reading due to something more pressing. Then I got to the end of "Voice of the Lost" and realised why I had blanked out so much of the narrative.
Spoiler alert
Doesn't anyone else have problems with the way Host resolves the problem of Medair loving both Ieskar and Illukar? How could Illukar bear sharing his body with his rival? Knowing Medair was making love to Ieskar through him? (To those readers who thought her passion for Ieskar came out of the blue: you didn't notice how she focussed on the fact that Ieskar was dying the whole time she knew him, the whole time he made the decision to wage war on her people? If one reads romance as much as fantasy, her passion for Ieskar was clear from the beginning.) In "And All the Stars", Host creates a similar conundrum with two love-objects inhabiting the same body, but I found the resolution there less disturbing because one of the love-objects (Theoden) dies before the two survivors unite. The ending of the "Medair" duology just seems grotesque to me, and it's weird, after all the empathetic discussion of mingling of races, mingling of conflicting histories, that Host could envisage the mingling of two consciousnesses in one body as being unproblematic.
Spoiler alert
Doesn't anyone else have problems with the way Host resolves the problem of Medair loving both Ieskar and Illukar? How could Illukar bear sharing his body with his rival? Knowing Medair was making love to Ieskar through him? (To those readers who thought her passion for Ieskar came out of the blue: you didn't notice how she focussed on the fact that Ieskar was dying the whole time she knew him, the whole time he made the decision to wage war on her people? If one reads romance as much as fantasy, her passion for Ieskar was clear from the beginning.) In "And All the Stars", Host creates a similar conundrum with two love-objects inhabiting the same body, but I found the resolution there less disturbing because one of the love-objects (Theoden) dies before the two survivors unite. The ending of the "Medair" duology just seems grotesque to me, and it's weird, after all the empathetic discussion of mingling of races, mingling of conflicting histories, that Host could envisage the mingling of two consciousnesses in one body as being unproblematic.
June 17, 2018
4 1\2 stars
self-published
I enjoyed the book slightly less than the first one. Maybe because I read them back to back one after the other, but the fears, doubts and insecurities Medair felt were the same and kept repeating. Mind you, given the choices and the actions she made, is perfectly understandable. I might not want to read about them, but they rang true, real.
Compared to the Silence of Medair, this story centres on romance, but the political is still very much centre-stage. The book is difficult, but only because it forces the readers to face themselves and their beliefs. How easier to hate, to ignore, to rage rather than love, confront, be an adult. No, not an easy way out, but totally worth reading. I was on the verge of tears, when sacrifices had to be made.
Here the themes of racism, wars, etc are even more pronounced, because we are left with their consequences. How easier (again) to refuse to see the White Snakes' point of view! (I so wanted to, it was in no way easy to understand). But the author never let her heroine (and the readers) chose the fast lane.
Please, give this duology a try. ;)
self-published
I enjoyed the book slightly less than the first one. Maybe because I read them back to back one after the other, but the fears, doubts and insecurities Medair felt were the same and kept repeating. Mind you, given the choices and the actions she made, is perfectly understandable. I might not want to read about them, but they rang true, real.
Compared to the Silence of Medair, this story centres on romance, but the political is still very much centre-stage. The book is difficult, but only because it forces the readers to face themselves and their beliefs. How easier to hate, to ignore, to rage rather than love, confront, be an adult. No, not an easy way out, but totally worth reading. I was on the verge of tears, when sacrifices had to be made.
Here the themes of racism, wars, etc are even more pronounced, because we are left with their consequences. How easier (again) to refuse to see the White Snakes' point of view! (I so wanted to, it was in no way easy to understand). But the author never let her heroine (and the readers) chose the fast lane.
Please, give this duology a try. ;)
January 10, 2016
How am I meant to go on with my life after finishing this series? No, seriously—how?
Full disclosure: this book is WEIRD. If you hated the plot twist at the end of the last book (I wasn't a huge fan but my love for everything else outstripped it) you will feel some annoyance with the random magical happenstance in this book. But honestly, all I can think is "who cares?" Every turn in the road led to cool situations and weird moral quandaries and I was in it for the long haul. Plus, it's been a long time since a romance has hit me like this one did—butterflies and squirming and everything. My reading pace slowed to a crawl many times as I tried to savour each interaction.
Anyway, if you're up for a weird ride, I recommend this duet (duology?). I'll be devouring more of Höst's books shortly—though I'll try to savour them too, and space them out in my fictional diet.
[add] In my haste to shout about this book I forgot to mention how much I love the theme of "getting what you want but not how you wanted it"—there's a lot of bittersweet feelings in here and I'm drowning in them. Pleasantly.
Full disclosure: this book is WEIRD. If you hated the plot twist at the end of the last book (I wasn't a huge fan but my love for everything else outstripped it) you will feel some annoyance with the random magical happenstance in this book. But honestly, all I can think is "who cares?" Every turn in the road led to cool situations and weird moral quandaries and I was in it for the long haul. Plus, it's been a long time since a romance has hit me like this one did—butterflies and squirming and everything. My reading pace slowed to a crawl many times as I tried to savour each interaction.
Anyway, if you're up for a weird ride, I recommend this duet (duology?). I'll be devouring more of Höst's books shortly—though I'll try to savour them too, and space them out in my fictional diet.
[add] In my haste to shout about this book I forgot to mention how much I love the theme of "getting what you want but not how you wanted it"—there's a lot of bittersweet feelings in here and I'm drowning in them. Pleasantly.
February 15, 2014
I loved this duology. High fantasy, but very much a romance at heart. If romance is not your cup of tea, then run, do not walk, away from this duo. Think the Curse of Chalion, and Paladin of Souls and embrace the total joy of "ok there is no logical way this can end well for anyone" and yet it works. With care to avoid spoilers, I feel there was enough foreshadowing and ambiguity in the way Medair and the invaders had interacted to explain why she was able to come to a pretty unique place of troubled and self-doubting forgiveness.
I could read more about this world, not least the story of Ileath. I will draw a line to another author I adore, Barbara Hambly, in that this author's heroes have recurring similarities. Aristides and Kaoren Ruuel and Illudar are all similar in being very private, very powerful, and Darcy-like.
Swoon.
And every time I try to correct my misspelling of Ileaha this is refusing to save
I could read more about this world, not least the story of Ileath. I will draw a line to another author I adore, Barbara Hambly, in that this author's heroes have recurring similarities. Aristides and Kaoren Ruuel and Illudar are all similar in being very private, very powerful, and Darcy-like.
Swoon.
And every time I try to correct my misspelling of Ileaha this is refusing to save
August 26, 2018
Well, since giving the first half of this story three stars, I revise my opinion and upgrade to four on the conclusion. The pacing on the first half of Voice of the Lost suffered much the same lethargy that the last part of The Silence. I skimmed much of it. But towards the end, Höst addressed more comprehensively many of the issues I felt were dealt with in a disappointingly facile manner in the first book. Questions of colonization and race (though this one maybe not enough) and loyalty and forgiveness were probed to a degree that—as several other reviewers have noted—is rarely seen in fantasy. I commend Höst for broaching these subjects, and for self-publishing when conventional channels would not accept these tangled themes.
Also, the twist at the end was delightful and unexpected indeed. I still wish the manuscript had been overall better edited, but all told, I enjoyed this, and will likely reread at least portions.
Also, the twist at the end was delightful and unexpected indeed. I still wish the manuscript had been overall better edited, but all told, I enjoyed this, and will likely reread at least portions.
March 8, 2015
I won't pretend that I have really understood the process of the time shifts and their consequences (like having memories of 2 different lives and a physical appearance slightly changed) and the workings of wild magic. And I am not sure I agree with the Illukar-Leskar weird thing and how Medair dealt with it.
But it was a good read. One that even brought a big lump in my throat at some decisive point of the story.
Very different from the Touchstone series even if the main characters (Cassandra and Medair) face a similar ordeal : that of being "displaced" elsewhere. Another planet for Cassandra. 500 years in the future for Medair.
I'll definitely be reading Höst's other books because I like the way she tells a tale.
But it was a good read. One that even brought a big lump in my throat at some decisive point of the story.
Very different from the Touchstone series even if the main characters (Cassandra and Medair) face a similar ordeal : that of being "displaced" elsewhere. Another planet for Cassandra. 500 years in the future for Medair.
I'll definitely be reading Höst's other books because I like the way she tells a tale.
January 26, 2020
If you enjoyed the first book, you should definitely still read this one. I still enjoyed it but I thought the plot was a bit convoluted --not as well thought-out as the first. The real reason for the low rating is that I just didn't like the ending.
This is more my problem than anything, so I still recommend others to read this! I will keep reading this author as I enjoy her books a lot, particularly the characters.
This is more my problem than anything, so I still recommend others to read this! I will keep reading this author as I enjoy her books a lot, particularly the characters.
August 31, 2024
3.5 maybe? This book was ... odd compared to the first.
Spoilers
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The whole world changes. Really? This totally came out of nowhere, and after getting to know and like the world in the last book, I still don't know how to feel about. Because I like the author, I was willing to trust where she was going, but I don't completely know if that was warranted.
And the combination of Illukar and Ieskar at the end was.... I mean, Illukar survived so that was good, but really? This was certainly thought provoking, but I needed more time as a reader to deal with it, not just to have it as the very end.
Spoilers
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The whole world changes. Really? This totally came out of nowhere, and after getting to know and like the world in the last book, I still don't know how to feel about. Because I like the author, I was willing to trust where she was going, but I don't completely know if that was warranted.
And the combination of Illukar and Ieskar at the end was.... I mean, Illukar survived so that was good, but really? This was certainly thought provoking, but I needed more time as a reader to deal with it, not just to have it as the very end.
September 20, 2013
I don't quite get it. What an amazing blend of poorly explained sequences. And what? Ieskar? I don't know..
January 15, 2019
My initial reaction to this book was:
OH MY GOD. What? I can't even... I have to read it again RIGHT NOW.
A day later... yup. Still my reaction.
OH MY GOD. What? I can't even... I have to read it again RIGHT NOW.
A day later... yup. Still my reaction.
June 14, 2018
It sucks to write this review because I really enjoyed the first book of this series. But it was almost as if the author had compressed an entire series of several books building up into a finale into this one sequel novel.
There were multiple (!!!) time jumps and scene changes, things that should happen book-by-book because they are so jarring. Having them lumped together made it actually impossible to follow the plot.
The MC also seem to have gone... backward in terms of character development? It's interesting to explore the idea of a character who gets less strong instead of stronger over time, but this was a little overdone. She was difficult to sympathize with because she was suddenly so indecisive.
And don't get me started on the romance. The entire first book set up a great scenario of the MC standing up for herself in an unequal-power scenario with a boss, despite rumors, and the book also set up a slow burn romance with a different character. This book decided to smoosh those two together (literally, so, so, literally) in ways that boggle my mind and really wrecked a good build in my opinion.
There was a lot of great material here, as evidenced by the first book. I really feel like a good script doctor could have ironed this book out into 3-4 more and make a gradual, sprawling fantasy world that would have been a delight. As it stands now, I can't give more than 2 stars for this.
There were multiple (!!!) time jumps and scene changes, things that should happen book-by-book because they are so jarring. Having them lumped together made it actually impossible to follow the plot.
The MC also seem to have gone... backward in terms of character development? It's interesting to explore the idea of a character who gets less strong instead of stronger over time, but this was a little overdone. She was difficult to sympathize with because she was suddenly so indecisive.
And don't get me started on the romance. The entire first book set up a great scenario of the MC standing up for herself in an unequal-power scenario with a boss, despite rumors, and the book also set up a slow burn romance with a different character. This book decided to smoosh those two together (literally, so, so, literally) in ways that boggle my mind and really wrecked a good build in my opinion.
There was a lot of great material here, as evidenced by the first book. I really feel like a good script doctor could have ironed this book out into 3-4 more and make a gradual, sprawling fantasy world that would have been a delight. As it stands now, I can't give more than 2 stars for this.
October 18, 2022
https://wordnerdy.blogspot.com/2022/1...
So I was pretty lukewarm on this sequel. Interesting magic stuff/action stuff, and I love all the secondary characters (who needed more screen time), but at a certain point the plot becomes ONLY about a romance that I wasn’t invested in, and drops all the other plotlines, and that was just not an interesting ending to me. B.
So I was pretty lukewarm on this sequel. Interesting magic stuff/action stuff, and I love all the secondary characters (who needed more screen time), but at a certain point the plot becomes ONLY about a romance that I wasn’t invested in, and drops all the other plotlines, and that was just not an interesting ending to me. B.
July 24, 2017
I liked parts of it but I had a hard time remembering who all the characters were and felt like I was missing something frequently. The author is giving me way too much credit for how much I would remember about her side characters from the 1st book.
January 6, 2019
I really liked The Silence of Medair (4 stars). Unfortunately, Voice of the Lost didn't appeal to me nearly as much.
See this review for details on both books
See this review for details on both books
February 28, 2020
So so good!
Honestly anything this woman writes I devour. This duo was so epically amazing and I can’t tell you how much I was pleased with the ending. A fantastic book and a fantastic way to end.
Honestly anything this woman writes I devour. This duo was so epically amazing and I can’t tell you how much I was pleased with the ending. A fantastic book and a fantastic way to end.
April 25, 2020
I’m a little bummed because this book is just a much less compelling read; while I finished Voice of the Lost in 2 days, this took me over a week because I just wasn’t so in to it. It’s FINE. And if you read the first, you kind of have to read the second, so go for it!
January 6, 2026
Ah!!! I got to the end and what the what? This is one of the first times that I want to reread a book from the beginning to see what I missed. Seems the foreshadowing was missing from the first book, but perhaps I just missed it.
Love this woman’s world building.
Love this woman’s world building.
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