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Song of the Beast #1
Song of the Beast
The winner of the Colorado Book Award is "a fantasy I didn't want to put down" (SF Revu)
Brutal imprisonment has broken Aidan McAllister. His voice is silent, his hands ruined, his music that once offered beauty and hope to war-torn Elyria destroyed. The god who nurtured his talent since boyhood has abandoned him. But no one ever told him his crime. To discover the truth, he must risk his hard-bought freedom to unlock the mind of his god and the heart of his enemy.
Brutal imprisonment has broken Aidan McAllister. His voice is silent, his hands ruined, his music that once offered beauty and hope to war-torn Elyria destroyed. The god who nurtured his talent since boyhood has abandoned him. But no one ever told him his crime. To discover the truth, he must risk his hard-bought freedom to unlock the mind of his god and the heart of his enemy.
378 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2003
50 people are currently reading
4449 people want to read
About the author
Carol Berg
33 books1,125 followersCarol Berg is the author of the epic fantasy
The Books of the Rai-kirah, The Bridge of D'Arnath Quartet, the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award winning Lighthouse Duet - Flesh and Spirit and Breath and Bone - the standalone novel Song of the Beast , and the three novels of the Collegia Magica.
Berg holds a degree in mathematics from Rice University, and a degree in computer science from the University of Colorado. Before writing full-time, she worked as a software engineer. She lives in Colorado at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, and is the mother of three mostly grown sons.
The Books of the Rai-kirah, The Bridge of D'Arnath Quartet, the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award winning Lighthouse Duet - Flesh and Spirit and Breath and Bone - the standalone novel Song of the Beast , and the three novels of the Collegia Magica.
Berg holds a degree in mathematics from Rice University, and a degree in computer science from the University of Colorado. Before writing full-time, she worked as a software engineer. She lives in Colorado at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, and is the mother of three mostly grown sons.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 202 reviews
July 27, 2020
This book and its author are a stonking discovery. I’m a fan of Janny Wurts (The Wars of Light and Shadow is my favorite epic fantasy series ever) and Carol Berg was recommended to me as a not-to-be-missed quality fantasy author with a gift for prose, well-rounded stories and characterization. I decided to start with this book since it’s a standalone and the summary, with the element of music as part of the plot and a mature protagonist, intrigued me.
It also sounded like traditional fantasy, with Dragons, Bards, Chosen Ones and Evil Kings; fine by me, originality is not of paramount importance as long as the story is entertaining and the characters interesting to read about, meaning ambivalence, spontaneity and unpredictability. This book truly exceeded my expectations, the traditional fantasy tropes are skilfully rendered and its main strength is Berg’s narrative technique: the story never flounders, I was emotionally involved and I couldn’t really put the book down, even if it’s neither a pacy romp with break-neck battles nor a complex character-driven play of oblique intricacy.
There is a single plot line and a linear progression, with depth and emphasis on the protagonist’s development which I liked very much; truly all the characters are not banal, even the stereotyped ones merge beautifully in the tale because all the motivations are complex, entwining, entrenched and changing. There were some details that puzzled me a little, but the story moves forward so sinuously, there’s both action and introspection, it feels very fresh and immersive.
Actually, this simplicity is truly deceptive, there are several plot twists and the structure of the work is consistent and engaging, to say nothing of the rhythm which is carefully researched throughout: the intensity never wavers, it builds steadily and increases when the story reaches its peak. When I was reading I noticed none of that, I artlessly savored the tale and let myself go with the flow, it came so natural. Now that I am thinking about it, two Berg’s books strong (already read Transformation for good measure), I see the pattern is deliberate, and effective. The narrative is in first-person, mainly told from Aidan viewpoint, but a few other characters share the lead and the shifts are handled ingeniously, also seeing certain scenes from other vantages enhanced my experience and never caused confusion.
The introduction grabbed me at once; the protagonist and the background are disclosed very gradually, enough to pique my curiosity but not too much at once as to mar the harmony of the reading progression. The description of Aidan, of his trauma and inner dilemma are very poignant and I promptly sympathized with the bard and his terrible imprisonment. Seventeen years before he had everything. Cousin to a king, a skilled musician the like of which has not been seen for years, beloved of the gods, “he had been twenty-one, impossibly healthy, and filled with the unutterable joy of spending his life doing what he loved most”.
He is a standard fantasy good guy with a twist, because he’s strong-willed, he clings to life but he has lost any purpose, he is so scarred inside and out that even the simplest things escape his grasp. Filled with the dread of not knowing why he was so harshly silenced, and why he was so suddenly released only to be chased again, his gift lost, he slowly reinvents, embarking in a difficult journey “to unravel the puzzle of his life and find a path that was not solely the way of vengeance”. But how can a man who cannot undo the past and cannot see a future find something to live for, make a sense of his longings, all the while preventing those who help him from dying?
The perspective starts to widen as Aidan learns to be human again, and rises above the most basic instincts. Other characters enter the stage and the mystery behind –and around- the fallen bard grows along with the conflicting interests of the various parties. In the eye of the storm the most powerful weapons in the realm’s arsenal: the dragons and their eerie, enigmatic calls.
To sum up my impressions: the world building is delicate, enough to flesh out the action but it never gets overly detailed. The tale is exquisitely narrated, classic fantasy with some turns which I didn't anticipate for the most part, on the contrary, I was eager to know what was going to happen next, and how. Thinking about it, the tale is simple, yet irresistible. The ending was satisfying and the building of tension to delivery impeccable, the last chapters have a gradual and neat tying up of the plot. The characterization is the forte of the novel, the various sides are not so clear-cut and it was really engaging to read about the clash of cultural heritages and personal interests. The romance subplot is nice, the theme of love has an intriguing take here; the element of music and the ethereal descriptions of the dragons’ mysteries have a strong emotional impact, too.
Beautiful. I can see why a fellow fan of Janny Wurts should not miss this author - and the other way around, too: Berg writes adult fantasy featuring solid plots with great prose, no absolutes and focus on characterization. I've liked her short story in the BLACKGUARDS: Tales of Assassins, Mercenaries, and Rogues anthology, I've read with delight this novel and Transformation, now I think it's high time for more of her skill and imagination, possibly in a multi-POV book.
"I, too, was becoming something new. Something unknown."
It also sounded like traditional fantasy, with Dragons, Bards, Chosen Ones and Evil Kings; fine by me, originality is not of paramount importance as long as the story is entertaining and the characters interesting to read about, meaning ambivalence, spontaneity and unpredictability. This book truly exceeded my expectations, the traditional fantasy tropes are skilfully rendered and its main strength is Berg’s narrative technique: the story never flounders, I was emotionally involved and I couldn’t really put the book down, even if it’s neither a pacy romp with break-neck battles nor a complex character-driven play of oblique intricacy.
There is a single plot line and a linear progression, with depth and emphasis on the protagonist’s development which I liked very much; truly all the characters are not banal, even the stereotyped ones merge beautifully in the tale because all the motivations are complex, entwining, entrenched and changing. There were some details that puzzled me a little, but the story moves forward so sinuously, there’s both action and introspection, it feels very fresh and immersive.
Actually, this simplicity is truly deceptive, there are several plot twists and the structure of the work is consistent and engaging, to say nothing of the rhythm which is carefully researched throughout: the intensity never wavers, it builds steadily and increases when the story reaches its peak. When I was reading I noticed none of that, I artlessly savored the tale and let myself go with the flow, it came so natural. Now that I am thinking about it, two Berg’s books strong (already read Transformation for good measure), I see the pattern is deliberate, and effective. The narrative is in first-person, mainly told from Aidan viewpoint, but a few other characters share the lead and the shifts are handled ingeniously, also seeing certain scenes from other vantages enhanced my experience and never caused confusion.
The introduction grabbed me at once; the protagonist and the background are disclosed very gradually, enough to pique my curiosity but not too much at once as to mar the harmony of the reading progression. The description of Aidan, of his trauma and inner dilemma are very poignant and I promptly sympathized with the bard and his terrible imprisonment. Seventeen years before he had everything. Cousin to a king, a skilled musician the like of which has not been seen for years, beloved of the gods, “he had been twenty-one, impossibly healthy, and filled with the unutterable joy of spending his life doing what he loved most”.
He is a standard fantasy good guy with a twist, because he’s strong-willed, he clings to life but he has lost any purpose, he is so scarred inside and out that even the simplest things escape his grasp. Filled with the dread of not knowing why he was so harshly silenced, and why he was so suddenly released only to be chased again, his gift lost, he slowly reinvents, embarking in a difficult journey “to unravel the puzzle of his life and find a path that was not solely the way of vengeance”. But how can a man who cannot undo the past and cannot see a future find something to live for, make a sense of his longings, all the while preventing those who help him from dying?
The perspective starts to widen as Aidan learns to be human again, and rises above the most basic instincts. Other characters enter the stage and the mystery behind –and around- the fallen bard grows along with the conflicting interests of the various parties. In the eye of the storm the most powerful weapons in the realm’s arsenal: the dragons and their eerie, enigmatic calls.
To sum up my impressions: the world building is delicate, enough to flesh out the action but it never gets overly detailed. The tale is exquisitely narrated, classic fantasy with some turns which I didn't anticipate for the most part, on the contrary, I was eager to know what was going to happen next, and how. Thinking about it, the tale is simple, yet irresistible. The ending was satisfying and the building of tension to delivery impeccable, the last chapters have a gradual and neat tying up of the plot. The characterization is the forte of the novel, the various sides are not so clear-cut and it was really engaging to read about the clash of cultural heritages and personal interests. The romance subplot is nice, the theme of love has an intriguing take here; the element of music and the ethereal descriptions of the dragons’ mysteries have a strong emotional impact, too.
Beautiful. I can see why a fellow fan of Janny Wurts should not miss this author - and the other way around, too: Berg writes adult fantasy featuring solid plots with great prose, no absolutes and focus on characterization. I've liked her short story in the BLACKGUARDS: Tales of Assassins, Mercenaries, and Rogues anthology, I've read with delight this novel and Transformation, now I think it's high time for more of her skill and imagination, possibly in a multi-POV book.
"I, too, was becoming something new. Something unknown."
December 27, 2015
Final rating: oscillating 4.5~4.75/5 stars
It is so rare to see a great stand alone fantasy - the one with proper beginning, middle and end, never to bore. It's easier for authors to write series - more books equals character development, extended story, more world building... But some authors can manage all of that in 1 book only, given the right amount of pages. And some authors, sadly, but true, fail miserably while writing series. The point? Well done book with amazing characters, a storyline which exceeds expectations and a very good world building with the creatures i love the most - DRAGONS!
And not only dragons are here, we also have sexless race - very interesting one and their culture and history was very interesting to read about.
We also have kingdoms, dragon riders and gods.
I met Carol Berg's work through Rai-Kirah series and ever since I read first book, I knew I loved her style of writing and I WANTED, NEEDED to read more of her works. As soon as possible. And what I love the most? I love stand alone books that move me (emotional level, yes).
I felt so many emotions while reading this book. There are murders, betrayals so vicious I felt so sad, angry and hurt while reading it. But there is also that feeling of hope, of feeling happy when the character is happy, and it was worth it.
With Berg's works, one could say their endings are realistic. This is what makes me adore her works. Rai-Kirah is one of the series I enjoyed reading, and this one is similar in terms of hardships the main characters endure. If I am to compare whose life was worse, I could not decide between Seyonne from Rai or Aidan from Song. Both of them are forced into inhuman situations no one should ever live through - and are broken, so broken both of them struggle to heal and be normal again. Neither of these two are moved by revenge - they only want to heal and live. But that's that when it comes to the similarities these two share.
This book is written in first person point of view, but it had more POVs than one. And it was done wonderfully. Change in perspective is always appreciated and it gives us more - much more - when it comes to condemning or forgiving the actions of certain people. Overall, I loved the characters - Aidan is the most important as he is our narrator, but side ones are important as well, and some of them have their own POVs.
There were some plot holes which is why my rating is oscillating. I may have missed the answers I was seeking, but it did not feel that way. Anyway, everything important was explained, but some things remained a mystery. But we have more answers than questions, which is great.
Elyria is the most powerful of all kingdoms, with strong allies. They keep strong hold over their allies and enemies because of their force of dragon riders. Their rulling caste is Senai class - tall, dark haired people of Elyria... there are also Udema, blond haired middle caste and others... one of them being a genderless race of Elhim, whose members look alike each other too much, with gray eyes and paleness, who are not welcomed by Senai nor Udema, not even by foreigners.
Dragons are thought to be mindless, cruel, vicious and capable of eating and killing anything that moves. But the bloodstones and dragonsbane herb jenica keep them under the control of riders. One group of riders, called Ridemark/Twelve families, are the best and strongest force of dragon riders in the world.
Aidan McAllister, our primary narrator, a Senai nobleman and a musician, was the most famous singer in all the Kingdoms. Wherever he went, he was welcomed, his voice soothing the hurt, sadness, inspiring awe, happiness, joy. Aidan was content with the way he lived: he was singing, playing music, helping people's souls, doing the work he loved most in the world. Cousin to the King Devlin, he was never interested in power and only ever interested in music, his own god Roelan and... dragons. Roelan, god of music, is the one who gave most of the support to Aidan, and he sang for Roelan - inspired by Roelan's voice, his music, his love for Aidan.
But when he was 21, in his best years and when he was the happiest - he was arrested, thrown into prison by his own kingdom, tortured daily - and his torturer asked himself: what is the best way to silence a musician? Break his fingers too many times so he can never play instrument again, break his body and mind in order to silence him for 7 years straight. Seven years and he would go free. But Aidan couldn't stay silent for long 10 years, and when he stopped hearing the voice of his god, he broke and was forced into silence for the next 7 years (in total, 17 years of absolute misery). What Aidan didn't know was the reason for this cruelty - was it something he sang about, something he said, something he did? He never found out during his captivity, he never knew why he had to be silenced.
Until one day (the actual beginning of the book), he was released from the prison... But was it a mistake? Did they honor their 7 years punishment by finally freeing him, or did someone break him out? This is a story of Aidan, who is trying to find out why he had to be silenced... and the reason why one of the conditions for his freedom states that he must never be near a dragon again?
The story is quite complex and this is only a small part of the story with many events, great world building and wonderfully written and realistic characters.
The story is told from multiply POVs. But the most important one is Aidan. He is confused, scared, broken - and he wants nothing more than to be left to heal and to be able to live his own life normally. But how can he, when his dreams are shattered, his voice lost, his hands broken, never to play again? He does not pursue revenge - but he wants to know why he had to go through all of this... What did he do to earn half of his life spent in madness, darkness, and finally, feeling dead?
Other key players in this story are Narim (an Elhim) who helped Aidan during his recovery, thoughtful, very intelligent and dangerous; and Lara, a woman from dragon rider clans who wanted to ride a dragon and ended up scorched, who is quick to judge, harsh, strict, hard hearted, but also thoughtful and sympathetic when needed to be.
There are others too, but a reader meets other key players during the story and writing about them would be a) waste of my time ( i could be reading another book by then, and also, it's sometimes better to know less); b) spoilerish; c) not recommended. But I loved their complexity.
Wonderfully written, strong, emotional, with great plot, interesting characters with motivations and desires and who are complex, compelling writing, and dragons. And great worldbuilding. Carol Berg twisted tropes and I loved it. Betrayals, love, realistic ending... everything was so well done. Honestly, out of everything in the book, I was satisfied with the end.
LIKED:
☑ Wonderful writing
☑ Fantastic characterization
☑ Multiply POVs
☑ Dragons
☑ Elhim race
☑ Aidan and some other people
☑ Roelan
☑ World building
☑ Story
DISLIKED:
☒ Minor plot holes.
OTHER IMPORTANT INFO:
⚠ Standalone: YES.
⚠ Point of View: First POV, multiply characters.
⚠ Cliffhanger: Nonexistent.
⚠ Triggers:
⚠ Love triangle: NO. THANK GOD.
⚠ Angst: Of course. But not always.
⚠ Supernatural: Yes. Dragons and a sexless race called Elhim.
⚠ Explicit content: No.
⚠ Ending type:
Sing to me.
Ease the grieving of my heart.
Transform me into that which I have been.
Beloved, soothe my uttermost sorrows.
Transform me.
Make me remember.
It is so rare to see a great stand alone fantasy - the one with proper beginning, middle and end, never to bore. It's easier for authors to write series - more books equals character development, extended story, more world building... But some authors can manage all of that in 1 book only, given the right amount of pages. And some authors, sadly, but true, fail miserably while writing series. The point? Well done book with amazing characters, a storyline which exceeds expectations and a very good world building with the creatures i love the most - DRAGONS!
And not only dragons are here, we also have sexless race - very interesting one and their culture and history was very interesting to read about.
We also have kingdoms, dragon riders and gods.
I met Carol Berg's work through Rai-Kirah series and ever since I read first book, I knew I loved her style of writing and I WANTED, NEEDED to read more of her works. As soon as possible. And what I love the most? I love stand alone books that move me (emotional level, yes).
I felt so many emotions while reading this book. There are murders, betrayals so vicious I felt so sad, angry and hurt while reading it. But there is also that feeling of hope, of feeling happy when the character is happy, and it was worth it.
With Berg's works, one could say their endings are realistic. This is what makes me adore her works. Rai-Kirah is one of the series I enjoyed reading, and this one is similar in terms of hardships the main characters endure. If I am to compare whose life was worse, I could not decide between Seyonne from Rai or Aidan from Song. Both of them are forced into inhuman situations no one should ever live through - and are broken, so broken both of them struggle to heal and be normal again. Neither of these two are moved by revenge - they only want to heal and live. But that's that when it comes to the similarities these two share.
This book is written in first person point of view, but it had more POVs than one. And it was done wonderfully. Change in perspective is always appreciated and it gives us more - much more - when it comes to condemning or forgiving the actions of certain people. Overall, I loved the characters - Aidan is the most important as he is our narrator, but side ones are important as well, and some of them have their own POVs.
There were some plot holes which is why my rating is oscillating. I may have missed the answers I was seeking, but it did not feel that way. Anyway, everything important was explained, but some things remained a mystery. But we have more answers than questions, which is great.
► WORLDBUILDING:
Elyria is the most powerful of all kingdoms, with strong allies. They keep strong hold over their allies and enemies because of their force of dragon riders. Their rulling caste is Senai class - tall, dark haired people of Elyria... there are also Udema, blond haired middle caste and others... one of them being a genderless race of Elhim, whose members look alike each other too much, with gray eyes and paleness, who are not welcomed by Senai nor Udema, not even by foreigners.
Dragons are thought to be mindless, cruel, vicious and capable of eating and killing anything that moves. But the bloodstones and dragonsbane herb jenica keep them under the control of riders. One group of riders, called Ridemark/Twelve families, are the best and strongest force of dragon riders in the world.
► STORY:
Aidan McAllister, our primary narrator, a Senai nobleman and a musician, was the most famous singer in all the Kingdoms. Wherever he went, he was welcomed, his voice soothing the hurt, sadness, inspiring awe, happiness, joy. Aidan was content with the way he lived: he was singing, playing music, helping people's souls, doing the work he loved most in the world. Cousin to the King Devlin, he was never interested in power and only ever interested in music, his own god Roelan and... dragons. Roelan, god of music, is the one who gave most of the support to Aidan, and he sang for Roelan - inspired by Roelan's voice, his music, his love for Aidan.
For seven years I traveled the length and breadth of all known lands, my life an unending celebration of beauty and mystery and joy. I refused no invitation, shunned no venue as too remote or too dangerous or unworthy, and I took no payment save food and shelter, for there was nothing that could match the gift of my life. I was the voice of a god, and I carried his joy into noble houses and into lepers’ dens, into palaces and the poorest quarters of great cities. I sang before the king, and I sang for his soldiers in the field of battle, and I sang for the stunned and starving victims of war in their squalid tenements.
But when he was 21, in his best years and when he was the happiest - he was arrested, thrown into prison by his own kingdom, tortured daily - and his torturer asked himself: what is the best way to silence a musician? Break his fingers too many times so he can never play instrument again, break his body and mind in order to silence him for 7 years straight. Seven years and he would go free. But Aidan couldn't stay silent for long 10 years, and when he stopped hearing the voice of his god, he broke and was forced into silence for the next 7 years (in total, 17 years of absolute misery). What Aidan didn't know was the reason for this cruelty - was it something he sang about, something he said, something he did? He never found out during his captivity, he never knew why he had to be silenced.
Until one day (the actual beginning of the book), he was released from the prison... But was it a mistake? Did they honor their 7 years punishment by finally freeing him, or did someone break him out? This is a story of Aidan, who is trying to find out why he had to be silenced... and the reason why one of the conditions for his freedom states that he must never be near a dragon again?
The story is quite complex and this is only a small part of the story with many events, great world building and wonderfully written and realistic characters.
► CHARACTERS:
The story is told from multiply POVs. But the most important one is Aidan. He is confused, scared, broken - and he wants nothing more than to be left to heal and to be able to live his own life normally. But how can he, when his dreams are shattered, his voice lost, his hands broken, never to play again? He does not pursue revenge - but he wants to know why he had to go through all of this... What did he do to earn half of his life spent in madness, darkness, and finally, feeling dead?
“Bollocks! No one leaves Mazadine alive.”
Foolish girl. She couldn’t see that I was really dead.
Other key players in this story are Narim (an Elhim) who helped Aidan during his recovery, thoughtful, very intelligent and dangerous; and Lara, a woman from dragon rider clans who wanted to ride a dragon and ended up scorched, who is quick to judge, harsh, strict, hard hearted, but also thoughtful and sympathetic when needed to be.
There are others too, but a reader meets other key players during the story and writing about them would be a) waste of my time ( i could be reading another book by then, and also, it's sometimes better to know less); b) spoilerish; c) not recommended. But I loved their complexity.
► OVERALL:
Wonderfully written, strong, emotional, with great plot, interesting characters with motivations and desires and who are complex, compelling writing, and dragons. And great worldbuilding. Carol Berg twisted tropes and I loved it. Betrayals, love, realistic ending... everything was so well done. Honestly, out of everything in the book, I was satisfied with the end.
LIKED:
☑ Wonderful writing
☑ Fantastic characterization
☑ Multiply POVs
☑ Dragons
☑ Elhim race
☑ Aidan and some other people
☑ Roelan
☑ World building
☑ Story
DISLIKED:
☒ Minor plot holes.
OTHER IMPORTANT INFO:
⚠ Standalone: YES.
⚠ Point of View: First POV, multiply characters.
⚠ Cliffhanger: Nonexistent.
⚠ Triggers:
⚠ Love triangle: NO. THANK GOD.
⚠ Angst: Of course. But not always.
⚠ Supernatural: Yes. Dragons and a sexless race called Elhim.
⚠ Explicit content: No.
⚠ Ending type:
December 22, 2023
So What’s It About?
Brutal imprisonment has broken Aidan McAllister. Once the most famous musician of his generation, celebrated as a man beloved of the gods, his voice is now silent, his hands ruined, his music that offered beauty and hope to war-torn Elyria destroyed. Even the god who nurtured his talent since boyhood has abandoned him. But no one ever told him his crime. To discover the truth, he must risk his hard-bought freedom to unlock the mind of his god and the heart of his enemy.
What I Thought
This had a few things going for it, but overall I didn’t really dig it. The protagonist, Aidan, is definitely my favorite thing about the book. He approaches his new life after imprisonment and the impairment of his hands with an attitude of kindness, determination, and humor that make him really likable. In some ways, he reminds me of Robin Hobb’s Fitz and Lois McMaster Bujold’s Cazaril. Unfortunately, nothing else about this book compares to Hobb or Bujold’s work.
The biggest problem for me is Aidan’s love interest, Lara. She is a fairly miserable character in every sense of the word, and the way she treats Aidan is kind of disgusting. She constantly calls him a cripple and a weakling; she insults and rebuffs and bullies him and he just kind of passively takes it all throughout the book. We switch from Aidan’s perspective to her perspective in the second half of the book and see that she is full of self-loathing because of how she is a woman, how she has been disfigured from a severe burn, how she is outcast from her clan and how she plays a role in Aidan’s betrayal. So she has stuff going on that explains why she is so horrible, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that I want to spend time in her head or see her end up with Aidan, especially when none of this is ever really changed or addressed meaningfully.
The actual “romantic” content is either incredibly off-putting because most of the time, Lara is psychologically tormenting Aidan or they are being forced to do cringey fake-dating scenarios that feel extremely out of place in a high fantasy novel. At one point they have to pretend to be a couple at a party and then go off to the woods to mime having sex, and I can’t remember the last time I was so embarrassed reading something.
Generally speaking, the treatment of women in the book isn’t great. Lara is the only significant female character and I’ve already shared my thoughts about her. Otherwise, there is a sex worker with a heart of gold who nurses Aidan back to health, propositions him, and talks briefly about her childhood sexual abuse before promptly being brutally murdered. At one point Lara briefly mentions that girls in her clan become “available” at age eleven and she has bad memories because of this, and then it is literally never brought up again. It all feels a bit random to me.
I am always a fan of secretly wise, gentle dragons, and I did enjoy the general plot of Aidan discovering the secret of the “gods” and working to free the dragons. The race of the Elhim (basically like genderless Hobbits) and their history with the dragons are interesting, too. Overall, though, I can definitely tell that this was Berg’s first book. The only other thing by her I’ve read is Flesh and Spirit, and that is definitely a much better book that captures some of the strengths I mentioned here without a lot of the negative aspects.
Brutal imprisonment has broken Aidan McAllister. Once the most famous musician of his generation, celebrated as a man beloved of the gods, his voice is now silent, his hands ruined, his music that offered beauty and hope to war-torn Elyria destroyed. Even the god who nurtured his talent since boyhood has abandoned him. But no one ever told him his crime. To discover the truth, he must risk his hard-bought freedom to unlock the mind of his god and the heart of his enemy.
What I Thought
This had a few things going for it, but overall I didn’t really dig it. The protagonist, Aidan, is definitely my favorite thing about the book. He approaches his new life after imprisonment and the impairment of his hands with an attitude of kindness, determination, and humor that make him really likable. In some ways, he reminds me of Robin Hobb’s Fitz and Lois McMaster Bujold’s Cazaril. Unfortunately, nothing else about this book compares to Hobb or Bujold’s work.
The biggest problem for me is Aidan’s love interest, Lara. She is a fairly miserable character in every sense of the word, and the way she treats Aidan is kind of disgusting. She constantly calls him a cripple and a weakling; she insults and rebuffs and bullies him and he just kind of passively takes it all throughout the book. We switch from Aidan’s perspective to her perspective in the second half of the book and see that she is full of self-loathing because of how she is a woman, how she has been disfigured from a severe burn, how she is outcast from her clan and how she plays a role in Aidan’s betrayal. So she has stuff going on that explains why she is so horrible, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that I want to spend time in her head or see her end up with Aidan, especially when none of this is ever really changed or addressed meaningfully.
The actual “romantic” content is either incredibly off-putting because most of the time, Lara is psychologically tormenting Aidan or they are being forced to do cringey fake-dating scenarios that feel extremely out of place in a high fantasy novel. At one point they have to pretend to be a couple at a party and then go off to the woods to mime having sex, and I can’t remember the last time I was so embarrassed reading something.
Generally speaking, the treatment of women in the book isn’t great. Lara is the only significant female character and I’ve already shared my thoughts about her. Otherwise, there is a sex worker with a heart of gold who nurses Aidan back to health, propositions him, and talks briefly about her childhood sexual abuse before promptly being brutally murdered. At one point Lara briefly mentions that girls in her clan become “available” at age eleven and she has bad memories because of this, and then it is literally never brought up again. It all feels a bit random to me.
I am always a fan of secretly wise, gentle dragons, and I did enjoy the general plot of Aidan discovering the secret of the “gods” and working to free the dragons. The race of the Elhim (basically like genderless Hobbits) and their history with the dragons are interesting, too. Overall, though, I can definitely tell that this was Berg’s first book. The only other thing by her I’ve read is Flesh and Spirit, and that is definitely a much better book that captures some of the strengths I mentioned here without a lot of the negative aspects.
September 2, 2012
A bump up from three and a half stars. Written like a traditional epic fantasy, plotting still went in a few unexpected directions in romance and manipulation. At heart is a mystery why the lead was imprisioned, and part of him is reluctant to find out. He meets a person or two to boot him on his way. I enjoyed the mixup of races and clans. A few times, I was completely unsurprised by the direction the plot took, but nonetheless, it was an enjoyable ride there.
Here's the problem: I enjoyed it, but I started reading it in New York, continued on a car trip with a ten year old and a six year old, and finished when I got home. Shall we say, less than ideal conditions? Thus, I feel both my reading and review suffers, so it's back on the 'to-be-re-read' shelf so I can do both justice.
Here's the problem: I enjoyed it, but I started reading it in New York, continued on a car trip with a ten year old and a six year old, and finished when I got home. Shall we say, less than ideal conditions? Thus, I feel both my reading and review suffers, so it's back on the 'to-be-re-read' shelf so I can do both justice.
September 16, 2020
'I scorned him for huddling by the fire, and he offered to share his tea. I reviled him for his cowardice at the kai’s lair, and he made me soup. I ridiculed his noble ancestry, and he laughed at himself and cleaned my hearth. I drove him unmercifully in his schooling, and he devoured it as if I’d gifted him with jewels.'
'But I found steel beneath his soft-spoken manner. I could not break him. Despite his struggles with the tasks I set him, he lived with everything of gentleness and grace.'
This book kept me up till half past stupid in the night because I couldn't set it down until I turned the last page. Even when it was a re-read and I knew how the tale will unfold, I found myself caught up in the misery and struggles of Aidan McAllister.
Once the most famous musician of his generation, celebrated as a man beloved of the gods, Aidan was imprisoned at the peak of his career. With no explanation given of what he did wrong, apart from an order to be silent, he is thrown in a dungeon and tortured in the worst possible ways, day after day, for years. It takes a long time for Aidan to break, despite the countless broken bones and misery he faces. And when he breaks, he does so completely.
“Bollocks! No one leaves Mazadine alive.”
Foolish girl. She couldn’t see that I was really dead.
Out of his prison, after years of horrible abuse, Aidan is but an empty shell of the man he had once been. Confused, scared and completely broken, he wants nothing more than to be left alone.
His voice is now silent, his hands ruined, his music that offered beauty and hope to war-torn Elyria destroyed. Even the god who nurtured his talent since boyhood has abandoned him. He is a bard who can never play again. And the only thing he wants to know is WHY?!
What did he do to earn 17 full years of cruel imprisonment and torture?
But to discover the truth, Aidan must risk his hard-bought freedom to unlock the mind of his god and the heart of his enemy.
Sing to me.
Ease the grieving of my heart.
Transform me into that which I have been.
Beloved, soothe my uttermost sorrows.
Transform me.
Make me remember.
This book has grabbed me from the very first paragraph and wouldn't let me set it down until the end.
The plot is deceptively simple and takes several unexpected twists and turns, while the intensity never wavers steadily building at a faster and faster pace. And it is beautifully interwoven with an in depth emphasis on character development.
Motivations, introspection, inner dilemmas, as well as the long-lasting effect of prolonged trauma are masterfully portrayed.
Aidan has to practically reinvent himself and learn to be human again. But how can a man with no future in sight find the will to live again? Especially when those who dare to help him may die because of him.
All the characters are complex and well drawn but Aidan is downright memorable. My heart broke for him!!
Song of the Beast is an exquisite classic fantasy that delivers a profound emotional impact.
Delicate wordbuilding and a deceptively simple, absolutely engrossing plot, are beautifully complemented by masterfully drawn characters any reader is bound to feel for!
Add in intriguing cultures, a beautiful romance, lovely music and dragons and there you go - the perfect recipe for an unputdownable read!
Hands down, one of the best books I've ever read.
'But I found steel beneath his soft-spoken manner. I could not break him. Despite his struggles with the tasks I set him, he lived with everything of gentleness and grace.'
This book kept me up till half past stupid in the night because I couldn't set it down until I turned the last page. Even when it was a re-read and I knew how the tale will unfold, I found myself caught up in the misery and struggles of Aidan McAllister.
Once the most famous musician of his generation, celebrated as a man beloved of the gods, Aidan was imprisoned at the peak of his career. With no explanation given of what he did wrong, apart from an order to be silent, he is thrown in a dungeon and tortured in the worst possible ways, day after day, for years. It takes a long time for Aidan to break, despite the countless broken bones and misery he faces. And when he breaks, he does so completely.
“Bollocks! No one leaves Mazadine alive.”
Foolish girl. She couldn’t see that I was really dead.
Out of his prison, after years of horrible abuse, Aidan is but an empty shell of the man he had once been. Confused, scared and completely broken, he wants nothing more than to be left alone.
His voice is now silent, his hands ruined, his music that offered beauty and hope to war-torn Elyria destroyed. Even the god who nurtured his talent since boyhood has abandoned him. He is a bard who can never play again. And the only thing he wants to know is WHY?!
What did he do to earn 17 full years of cruel imprisonment and torture?
But to discover the truth, Aidan must risk his hard-bought freedom to unlock the mind of his god and the heart of his enemy.
Sing to me.
Ease the grieving of my heart.
Transform me into that which I have been.
Beloved, soothe my uttermost sorrows.
Transform me.
Make me remember.
This book has grabbed me from the very first paragraph and wouldn't let me set it down until the end.
The plot is deceptively simple and takes several unexpected twists and turns, while the intensity never wavers steadily building at a faster and faster pace. And it is beautifully interwoven with an in depth emphasis on character development.
Motivations, introspection, inner dilemmas, as well as the long-lasting effect of prolonged trauma are masterfully portrayed.
Aidan has to practically reinvent himself and learn to be human again. But how can a man with no future in sight find the will to live again? Especially when those who dare to help him may die because of him.
All the characters are complex and well drawn but Aidan is downright memorable. My heart broke for him!!
Song of the Beast is an exquisite classic fantasy that delivers a profound emotional impact.
Delicate wordbuilding and a deceptively simple, absolutely engrossing plot, are beautifully complemented by masterfully drawn characters any reader is bound to feel for!
Add in intriguing cultures, a beautiful romance, lovely music and dragons and there you go - the perfect recipe for an unputdownable read!
Hands down, one of the best books I've ever read.
February 10, 2023
So far, 2023 has been the year of the backlog, finally getting around to many of the books that have been on my radar for years. I suspected I’d like it purely due to Berg’s reputation for writing broken protagonists (I quite enjoyed
Transformation
) and the first half was great. Unfortunately though, what could have been a fairly enjoyable standard dragon story started to drag on in the second half instead. And the romance subplot being unpleasant and annoying to read certainly didn’t help.
Aidan MacAllister, once the most famous musician in the land and the king’s cousin, has been broken in both body and spirit by his long, brutal imprisonment. When he finally makes it out, he might be free, but everyone who can be found helping him is condemned to death if discovered. He also happens to have a special connection to dragons that might be the root of his problems…
My favourite kind of books are those where the protagonist has been through some sort of unimaginable horrors just before the start…and then people are kind. And the protagonist starts off being utterly baffled by this, but slowly, slowly begins to heal. The Curse of Chalion, Seven Summer Nights …it gets me every time. Song of the Beast, to my delight, started off like that too and I really rather enjoyed the first half. I also liked the compassionate take on dragons. It’s not really a unique concept, but it’s nice.
That is, until the love interest appeared. Throughout the book she’s utterly horrible to him, calling him unmanly and a coward and treating him like garbage because he is, despite everything, a fundamentally kind and gentle person. Now, sure, she comes from a fairly toxic culture and is clearly in the wrong about many things, but…love? I could not see it. She’d make an interesting character, if not for the fact she was set up to be the love interest. It was so deeply unpleasant to read. I’m all about badass women and soft, compassionate men, I like gender role reversals, but I hate any romance subplot where one person is needlessly cruel to the other with a passion. The fact that we get her POV and see her self-loathing did not make it better, especially when she’s so obviously objectively wrong about literally everything. It just rubs me the wrong way how the author used her.
It really doesn’t help that she’s about the only noteworthy female character in the book either. Early on there is a kind sex worker who helps Aidan get back on his feet, but she is killed so early that she barely counts. It’s not even fridging since her death doesn’t motivate the protagonist. She’s simply disposable.
In addition to that, the general plot also falls apart somewhere in the second half. The disadvantage of finishing 3/4 done reviews weeks after you read the book is that I don’t remember why precisely anymore, but I think the plot and character decisions made increasingly less sense and it got a little lost in itself.
Either way, between this, the romance subplot, and the book suddenly switching from first person single-POV to first person multi-POV halfway through…it’s not a book I could wholeheartedly recommend. Maybe if you really really love dragons.
Enjoyment: 3/5
Execution: 3/5
Recommended to: dragon fans, those looking for standalone classic epic fantasy
Not recommended to: those who hate it when love interests treat the MC like shit, anyone looking for books with prominent female characters
Content warning: descriptions of torture and consequences thereof
More reviews on my blog, To Other Worlds.
Aidan MacAllister, once the most famous musician in the land and the king’s cousin, has been broken in both body and spirit by his long, brutal imprisonment. When he finally makes it out, he might be free, but everyone who can be found helping him is condemned to death if discovered. He also happens to have a special connection to dragons that might be the root of his problems…
My favourite kind of books are those where the protagonist has been through some sort of unimaginable horrors just before the start…and then people are kind. And the protagonist starts off being utterly baffled by this, but slowly, slowly begins to heal. The Curse of Chalion, Seven Summer Nights …it gets me every time. Song of the Beast, to my delight, started off like that too and I really rather enjoyed the first half. I also liked the compassionate take on dragons. It’s not really a unique concept, but it’s nice.
That is, until the love interest appeared. Throughout the book she’s utterly horrible to him, calling him unmanly and a coward and treating him like garbage because he is, despite everything, a fundamentally kind and gentle person. Now, sure, she comes from a fairly toxic culture and is clearly in the wrong about many things, but…love? I could not see it. She’d make an interesting character, if not for the fact she was set up to be the love interest. It was so deeply unpleasant to read. I’m all about badass women and soft, compassionate men, I like gender role reversals, but I hate any romance subplot where one person is needlessly cruel to the other with a passion. The fact that we get her POV and see her self-loathing did not make it better, especially when she’s so obviously objectively wrong about literally everything. It just rubs me the wrong way how the author used her.
It really doesn’t help that she’s about the only noteworthy female character in the book either. Early on there is a kind sex worker who helps Aidan get back on his feet, but she is killed so early that she barely counts. It’s not even fridging since her death doesn’t motivate the protagonist. She’s simply disposable.
In addition to that, the general plot also falls apart somewhere in the second half. The disadvantage of finishing 3/4 done reviews weeks after you read the book is that I don’t remember why precisely anymore, but I think the plot and character decisions made increasingly less sense and it got a little lost in itself.
Either way, between this, the romance subplot, and the book suddenly switching from first person single-POV to first person multi-POV halfway through…it’s not a book I could wholeheartedly recommend. Maybe if you really really love dragons.
Enjoyment: 3/5
Execution: 3/5
Recommended to: dragon fans, those looking for standalone classic epic fantasy
Not recommended to: those who hate it when love interests treat the MC like shit, anyone looking for books with prominent female characters
Content warning: descriptions of torture and consequences thereof
More reviews on my blog, To Other Worlds.
September 21, 2009
It’s been a really long time since I’ve read a fantasy book that I enjoyed as much as this one. It’s definitely a fantasy novel, but it has a lot of really delightful aberrations from standard fantasy tropes. For example, rather than being a young handsome farmboy thrust into the middle of a great struggle, the main character is 38, is of noble descent, has been imprisoned for 17 years for reasons unknown to him, and is horribly disfigured from his stay in prison. Before his imprisonment, he was the greatest musician there had ever been, widely believed to have been blessed by the gods, but his hands were destroyed in prison and his voice silenced. Rather than being hellbent on revenge, he’s mostly confused and conflicted over the whole situation, and he struggles with what is the proper way to feel. The plot focuses around discovering why he had been imprisoned in the first place and his path to finding meaning in his life again without the ability to play music.
I’ve just made this sound horribly dull and navel gazing, but there are also dragons and fighting and dragons and unlikely love and dragons – did I mention the dragons? The dragons are pretty cool, actually, though I’m not sure how much they deviate from the way dragons are usually portrayed in fantasy, because I usually avoid books about dragons at all costs. They sure as hell aren’t Pern dragons, though.
This is Berg’s first book, and it shows a little. There are parts that I would have liked to have better developed or more spelled out for me. I sometimes felt that as a reader, I really had to work to figure out what was going on with the way the narrator referenced something. It is told in first-person from different narrators, though, so I’m not sure if that issue was part of that character’s nature or a fault in the writing. I never felt that the first-person narration was done hokily – there aren’t any instances of the narrator explaining something that another character should have known for the benefit of the reader or the narrator info-dumping for the narrator’s benefit. But some of the sentences are very oblique, very glancing, so you have to think about what is really meant by them.
Anyway, yes! I enjoyed this! Pleasant surprise, really.
I’ve just made this sound horribly dull and navel gazing, but there are also dragons and fighting and dragons and unlikely love and dragons – did I mention the dragons? The dragons are pretty cool, actually, though I’m not sure how much they deviate from the way dragons are usually portrayed in fantasy, because I usually avoid books about dragons at all costs. They sure as hell aren’t Pern dragons, though.
This is Berg’s first book, and it shows a little. There are parts that I would have liked to have better developed or more spelled out for me. I sometimes felt that as a reader, I really had to work to figure out what was going on with the way the narrator referenced something. It is told in first-person from different narrators, though, so I’m not sure if that issue was part of that character’s nature or a fault in the writing. I never felt that the first-person narration was done hokily – there aren’t any instances of the narrator explaining something that another character should have known for the benefit of the reader or the narrator info-dumping for the narrator’s benefit. But some of the sentences are very oblique, very glancing, so you have to think about what is really meant by them.
Anyway, yes! I enjoyed this! Pleasant surprise, really.
May 23, 2020
Song of the Beast is a standalone fantasy novel set on a fictional world with dragons. I haven’t read tons of fantasy books with dragons, but I have read several and this book wasn’t like any of the ones I’ve read, at least not in any significant way. The story opens up with a character named Aidan as he’s being released after 17 years of imprisonment. He’s a mess, his fingers were broken repeatedly for years, he’s afraid to talk, and he doesn’t even know why he was imprisoned nor why he was released. He doesn’t get much of a chance to lick his wounds before his life is in danger again.
One thing I like about Carol Berg’s writing is that she starts off with what seems like a simple story, and I think I can see where things are going, but she keeps revealing new layers and I keep realizing that there was just a little more to what was going on than I had suspected. Her stories may not be super complex, but neither are they ever quite as straight-forward as they first appear, and I never find myself comparing them to other books because they aren’t full of tropes, or at least she doesn’t take them in a common direction.
Another thing I like about Carol Berg’s writing is that she can tell a full, satisfying story in a relatively short span of pages. This book was a little under 500 pages and is not part of a series. I’ve also read two very satisfying duologies that she’s written, and one very satisfying trilogy. I enjoy a long, epic fantasy series as much as the next epic fantasy fan, with characters who become my second family for months, but they’re a huge time commitment and they limit my ability to get to other books I’m also interested in. It’s great to be able to satisfy that craving in a smaller dose.
This book was a little more romancey than her other books that I’ve read, and that part was maybe a little tropey and angsty, but I didn’t feel like it overshadowed the story. I bought into it well enough and never felt annoyed by it. I liked the main characters, especially Aidan. I preferred reading from his POV, although I liked the other main POV well enough. I just had a little bit of trouble adjusting after I’d been reading from the first person of Aidan for most of the first 250 pages, and it switched to the first-person POV of a different character. Sometimes I forgot I was reading from a different POV when I first picked the book up after not having read it for a few hours. This wasn’t a big problem for me, just an occasional annoyance, and there were advantages to telling parts of the story from the POV of different characters.
This is the 8th book I’ve read by the author and I consider her to be one of my favorites. I enjoyed this book a lot, and it reminded me that I really need to fit her into my reading schedule more often. However, I did like the other 7 better. This one held my interest and I was always happy to pick it back up when I had the time, but I never quite reached that point where nothing short of a catastrophe could make me put the book down like what I’ve experienced with her other books. I’m giving it 4.5 stars, but rounding down to 4 on Goodreads.
One thing I like about Carol Berg’s writing is that she starts off with what seems like a simple story, and I think I can see where things are going, but she keeps revealing new layers and I keep realizing that there was just a little more to what was going on than I had suspected. Her stories may not be super complex, but neither are they ever quite as straight-forward as they first appear, and I never find myself comparing them to other books because they aren’t full of tropes, or at least she doesn’t take them in a common direction.
Another thing I like about Carol Berg’s writing is that she can tell a full, satisfying story in a relatively short span of pages. This book was a little under 500 pages and is not part of a series. I’ve also read two very satisfying duologies that she’s written, and one very satisfying trilogy. I enjoy a long, epic fantasy series as much as the next epic fantasy fan, with characters who become my second family for months, but they’re a huge time commitment and they limit my ability to get to other books I’m also interested in. It’s great to be able to satisfy that craving in a smaller dose.
This book was a little more romancey than her other books that I’ve read, and that part was maybe a little tropey and angsty, but I didn’t feel like it overshadowed the story. I bought into it well enough and never felt annoyed by it. I liked the main characters, especially Aidan. I preferred reading from his POV, although I liked the other main POV well enough. I just had a little bit of trouble adjusting after I’d been reading from the first person of Aidan for most of the first 250 pages, and it switched to the first-person POV of a different character. Sometimes I forgot I was reading from a different POV when I first picked the book up after not having read it for a few hours. This wasn’t a big problem for me, just an occasional annoyance, and there were advantages to telling parts of the story from the POV of different characters.
This is the 8th book I’ve read by the author and I consider her to be one of my favorites. I enjoyed this book a lot, and it reminded me that I really need to fit her into my reading schedule more often. However, I did like the other 7 better. This one held my interest and I was always happy to pick it back up when I had the time, but I never quite reached that point where nothing short of a catastrophe could make me put the book down like what I’ve experienced with her other books. I’m giving it 4.5 stars, but rounding down to 4 on Goodreads.
Read
June 10, 2015It's been a long time since I read this but I remember being quite pleased with it.
He says faintly.
Okay.
Lemme do better.
First off, this is standalone fantasy and I am--on principle--a huge fan of standalone fantasy. Because pretty much every fantasy trilogy or fantasy quintuplet or whatever has contained about 1.5 books of incident spread across 3, 5 or 15 novels. And inevitably book 2 is total bobbins and is just there to make you wait for book 3.
But standalone fantasy has all the stuff I like about fantasy presented into me in a way that doesn't seem designed to be irritating.
Berg, I seem to recall, tends to write character-driven fantasy. And she has some interesting takes on gender in that her men aren't paragons of masculinity and her women have agency.
This book centres on Aidan, once the world's greatest musician, lately imprisoned for 17 for reasons he can't understand. Silenced and crippled and broken, he spends quite a lot of time being confused and conflicted and trying to work out how exactly he feels about the role he's expected to play in the wider happenings of the book. It's a little bit introspective, especially in the early sections, but hell the fellow has cause.
The early plot deals with the mystery of Aidan's imprisonment and the later with the consequences of it. There's high stakes and an unusual romance and also dragons.
Pretty damn entertaining really.
He says faintly.
Okay.
Lemme do better.
First off, this is standalone fantasy and I am--on principle--a huge fan of standalone fantasy. Because pretty much every fantasy trilogy or fantasy quintuplet or whatever has contained about 1.5 books of incident spread across 3, 5 or 15 novels. And inevitably book 2 is total bobbins and is just there to make you wait for book 3.
But standalone fantasy has all the stuff I like about fantasy presented into me in a way that doesn't seem designed to be irritating.
Berg, I seem to recall, tends to write character-driven fantasy. And she has some interesting takes on gender in that her men aren't paragons of masculinity and her women have agency.
This book centres on Aidan, once the world's greatest musician, lately imprisoned for 17 for reasons he can't understand. Silenced and crippled and broken, he spends quite a lot of time being confused and conflicted and trying to work out how exactly he feels about the role he's expected to play in the wider happenings of the book. It's a little bit introspective, especially in the early sections, but hell the fellow has cause.
The early plot deals with the mystery of Aidan's imprisonment and the later with the consequences of it. There's high stakes and an unusual romance and also dragons.
Pretty damn entertaining really.
October 1, 2017
[I don't know.. 4.5, 4.75? heck I'll give the full 5 stars!]
Do you know that awesome feeling of finally finding a ridiculously cheap book on Bookoutlet that actually sounds promising and it actually turns out one of your favorite reads of this year? yep, this book gave me that awesome feeling.
All of us fantasy fans know that finding a decent standalone fantasy novel is probably as easy as walking into Mordor, well look no further! I strongly recommend that you give this little gem a chance. I was really impressed by the author, she managed to give us three dimensional full cast of characters within the span of less than 400 pages, we have a whole sexless race with their own history and mysteries, many other human subcultures and different customs, lovable main characters with complicated pasts and heart-wrenching interactions.
And can we talk about how amazing the protagonist is? He's a divine musician, beloved by gods and men, thrown in prison without explanation, his hands mangled beyond recognition and his voice silenced. I gotta admit the beginning was a bit slow, but I just fell in love with Aiden McAllister that I didn't mind. He's damaged and awkward and completely useless when it comes to fighting, however his heart of gold and dry sense of humor made him rise in my eyes to the ranks of the more "badass" warriors I've read about in other famous series.
I won't go on and on about other characters and plot, suffice it to say it's been a great ride and a most pleasant surprise. The writing is beautiful and I still can't get over the fact that it's only ~380 pages yet it still managed to build a vivid world with a thrilling story.
Do you know that awesome feeling of finally finding a ridiculously cheap book on Bookoutlet that actually sounds promising and it actually turns out one of your favorite reads of this year? yep, this book gave me that awesome feeling.
All of us fantasy fans know that finding a decent standalone fantasy novel is probably as easy as walking into Mordor, well look no further! I strongly recommend that you give this little gem a chance. I was really impressed by the author, she managed to give us three dimensional full cast of characters within the span of less than 400 pages, we have a whole sexless race with their own history and mysteries, many other human subcultures and different customs, lovable main characters with complicated pasts and heart-wrenching interactions.
And can we talk about how amazing the protagonist is? He's a divine musician, beloved by gods and men, thrown in prison without explanation, his hands mangled beyond recognition and his voice silenced. I gotta admit the beginning was a bit slow, but I just fell in love with Aiden McAllister that I didn't mind. He's damaged and awkward and completely useless when it comes to fighting, however his heart of gold and dry sense of humor made him rise in my eyes to the ranks of the more "badass" warriors I've read about in other famous series.
I won't go on and on about other characters and plot, suffice it to say it's been a great ride and a most pleasant surprise. The writing is beautiful and I still can't get over the fact that it's only ~380 pages yet it still managed to build a vivid world with a thrilling story.
Read
July 27, 2025This was a decent read, but a bit slow for my tastes.
March 7, 2021
Brutal imprisonment has broken Aidan McAllister. Once the most famous musician of his generation, celebrated as a man beloved of the gods, his voice is now silent, his hands ruined, his music that offered beauty and hope to war-torn Elyria destroyed. Even the god who nurtured his talent since boyhood has abandoned him. But no one ever told him his crime. To discover the truth, he must risk his hard-bought freedom to unlock the mind of his god and the heart of his enemy.
This was our book club pick for June and the first book I've read by author Carol Berg. It's a stand-alone and we're always looking for stand-alone fantasy to read for book club, so that was one thing that drew us to it. This book pulled me in instantly. Carol Berg has a writing style that is beautiful yet easy to read, and that's just how I like a book to be.
The main character, Aidan went through so much in prison and I just loved him right from the beginning. I could feel his hurt so much, and I loved the beautiful person that he was and how his attitude was not bitter, despite all those things that happened to him. One of the best things about this book was that it featured a bard. We don't often get a main character who is like Aidan. And while I like the rough, manly men who can wield swords and all that are often featured in fantasy, I could relate to Aidan and I loved his kind and gentle nature, and his love of music and song.
The other characters were also very compelling to read about. Lara took a little while to grow on me, but her story was interesting and I ended up liking her quite a bit, despite her stubbornness and her fear of sharing her heart. She had a protective nature that made her appealing. The Elhim are obviously based on Elves and I liked a couple of them quite a bit, but their scheming ways made we wary of trusting them at times.
The ending left me wanting a little more. There was one thing that I really wanted to happen that didn't and I think most people will probably feel the same way I do about it, but other than that, this was an excellent read and I highly recommend it if you love high fantasy and dragons. Even if you don't love dragons I still recommend this book. The dragons are mostly just talked about and don't really come into play until the end and Aidan's story is worth reading. The story was so compelling and it had just the right amount of romance for me. I'm going to have to read more of Carol Berg's books now.
Review also posted at Writings of a Reader
This was our book club pick for June and the first book I've read by author Carol Berg. It's a stand-alone and we're always looking for stand-alone fantasy to read for book club, so that was one thing that drew us to it. This book pulled me in instantly. Carol Berg has a writing style that is beautiful yet easy to read, and that's just how I like a book to be.
The main character, Aidan went through so much in prison and I just loved him right from the beginning. I could feel his hurt so much, and I loved the beautiful person that he was and how his attitude was not bitter, despite all those things that happened to him. One of the best things about this book was that it featured a bard. We don't often get a main character who is like Aidan. And while I like the rough, manly men who can wield swords and all that are often featured in fantasy, I could relate to Aidan and I loved his kind and gentle nature, and his love of music and song.
"I scorned him for huddling by the fire, and he offered to share his tea. I reviled him for his cowardice at the kai’s lair, and he made me soup. I ridiculed his noble ancestry, and he laughed at himself and cleaned my hearth. I drove him unmercifully in his schooling, and he devoured it as if I’d gifted him with jewels."
"But I found steel beneath his soft-spoken manner. I could not break him. Despite his struggles with the tasks I set him, he lived with everything of gentleness and grace."
The other characters were also very compelling to read about. Lara took a little while to grow on me, but her story was interesting and I ended up liking her quite a bit, despite her stubbornness and her fear of sharing her heart. She had a protective nature that made her appealing. The Elhim are obviously based on Elves and I liked a couple of them quite a bit, but their scheming ways made we wary of trusting them at times.
The ending left me wanting a little more. There was one thing that I really wanted to happen that didn't and I think most people will probably feel the same way I do about it, but other than that, this was an excellent read and I highly recommend it if you love high fantasy and dragons. Even if you don't love dragons I still recommend this book. The dragons are mostly just talked about and don't really come into play until the end and Aidan's story is worth reading. The story was so compelling and it had just the right amount of romance for me. I'm going to have to read more of Carol Berg's books now.
Review also posted at Writings of a Reader
September 30, 2023
Very creative. Unimaginable twists. A bit of romance tossed in. Dragons enslaved; freed by a song from the heart. A stand alone tale.
I was not enthused with Carol Berg's two "Lighthouse" books, so tended to shy away from her writings. "Song of the Beast" was thought highly of by many here on GR, so I gave Carol Berg another chance. Glad I did. I will next try one of her earlier works, Transformation.
I was not enthused with Carol Berg's two "Lighthouse" books, so tended to shy away from her writings. "Song of the Beast" was thought highly of by many here on GR, so I gave Carol Berg another chance. Glad I did. I will next try one of her earlier works, Transformation.
September 6, 2017
4.5 Stars
A good, solid high fantasy read. Fantastic, if a bit slow. If you're feeling like a story that unspools slowly and are in a patient mood, you'll love this!
RTC
A good, solid high fantasy read. Fantastic, if a bit slow. If you're feeling like a story that unspools slowly and are in a patient mood, you'll love this!
RTC
January 16, 2016
Fantastik edebiyatın beni etkileyen yanı, insanlığı insan dışı olan üzerinden damıtıp anlatabilmesi. Aidan'ın hikayesi yolunu kaybetmiş, kaybetmesi sağlanmış bir ozanın kendini, kalbini ve yolunu bulma hikayesi. O zorluklar ve kayıplar karşısında adım adım doğrusunun peşinde gittikçe biz de insanlık için umutla doluyoruz. Onun hikayesi bir affedilme ve bağışlanma hikayesi değil. Hatalarımızı sadece kendimizin affedebileceğimizi anlatıyor. Kötüler var ama onlar bile zayıf kalıyorlar. Gerçek zalimliğin gözü karartan inançla, hatta kararlılıkla geldiğini anlatıyor roman. Hatasını düzeltmek isteyen nasıl daha büyük kötülük yapmaktan kaçınabilir?
Fantastik seviyorsanız, ejderha arıyorsanız ve sanatla insan doğası hakkında düşünmeye hazırsanız bu romanı okuyun. Devamı yok ama çok iyi bir yerde bırakıyor. Bitirdikten sonra devamını saatlerce, yüzünüzde gülümseme, hayal edebilirsiniz.
Fantastik seviyorsanız, ejderha arıyorsanız ve sanatla insan doğası hakkında düşünmeye hazırsanız bu romanı okuyun. Devamı yok ama çok iyi bir yerde bırakıyor. Bitirdikten sonra devamını saatlerce, yüzünüzde gülümseme, hayal edebilirsiniz.
April 17, 2023
https://undertheradarsffbooks.com/202...
Sometimes the task of finding a new series to read can be a daunting one. With authors today publishing series topping four or five books, it can make a fan of the genre feel left behind. That was when a dear friend of mine told me about Carol Berg’s standalone Epic Fantasy novel Song of the Beast and how it can be a great introduction to her work. Not only is Carol Berg a great writer but Song of the Beast will hit you from all angles and in some cases shatter you. Berg keeps her story very close to the chest until the big revelation. Let this be a jumping off point for reading Carol Berg’s other works, which I am sure to do very soon.
The story is told in first person POV and following the story of Aidan McAllister. Aidan has been imprisoned in a dark cell for the past seventeen years. Yes, you heard that correctly! Seventeen brutal years of pain and torture, his hands are broken and misshapen while Aidan’s voice is so raspy that he can barley speak. The worst thing about this is no one told Aidan what he was imprisoned for as he withers away in a forgotten cell. Now at the age of thirty eight, Aidan is suddenly released from prison and he has to piece together what is to come next. Before Aidan’s solitude, he was one of the most famous musicians to have ever come through Elyria and he was even touched by the god. Aidan also has the gift on learning languages very quickly, but he may have learned one that is forbidden. The language of the Dragon’s. Dragons and their riders protect the kingdom of Elyria from invasion but the Dragon’s do not posses free will. The rider and dragon are bonded using a bloodstone and the fear is that Aidan will use his language gifts to free the Dragon’s from their bondage. Aidan’s journey is one of mystery, pain, betrayals, and sacrifices that will not be gentle to the kindest soul.
What I liked most about Song of the Beast was the emotional depth Berg dives into not only with Aidan but the other characters as well. While the plot is always moving forward, there is always that sense of dread lingering in the background and that is a testament to the world Carol Berg has created. The writing style can be a tad on the dense side but keep in mind that this is a standalone novel that type of detail was necessary for the story to work. The ending leaves you in a solid place with enough wiggle room for more entries into this world should the author choose too.
I quickly want to touch on one aspect of the novel that is both unusual and a little bit of a deterrent for me and that is how the book was structured. For the first half of the book we get first person POV chapters from Aidan and they are done very well. Then at the halfway point we switch to another character, I won’t say who for the sake of spoilers, for the next quarter of the book and we don’t return to Aidan until the last several chapters. The choice to switch POV’s was a good one and necessary for the story but it threw me off and took a few chapters for me to get back into rhythm. Definitely not a deal breaker but just keep this in mind.
For my first experience reading the works of Carol Berg, this was an enjoyable one. Although very grim at times there is always a ray of hope on the horizon. Carol Berg is an author who should be more known in the fantasy circles as hopefully this review will get the ball rolling.
Cheers!
Sometimes the task of finding a new series to read can be a daunting one. With authors today publishing series topping four or five books, it can make a fan of the genre feel left behind. That was when a dear friend of mine told me about Carol Berg’s standalone Epic Fantasy novel Song of the Beast and how it can be a great introduction to her work. Not only is Carol Berg a great writer but Song of the Beast will hit you from all angles and in some cases shatter you. Berg keeps her story very close to the chest until the big revelation. Let this be a jumping off point for reading Carol Berg’s other works, which I am sure to do very soon.
The story is told in first person POV and following the story of Aidan McAllister. Aidan has been imprisoned in a dark cell for the past seventeen years. Yes, you heard that correctly! Seventeen brutal years of pain and torture, his hands are broken and misshapen while Aidan’s voice is so raspy that he can barley speak. The worst thing about this is no one told Aidan what he was imprisoned for as he withers away in a forgotten cell. Now at the age of thirty eight, Aidan is suddenly released from prison and he has to piece together what is to come next. Before Aidan’s solitude, he was one of the most famous musicians to have ever come through Elyria and he was even touched by the god. Aidan also has the gift on learning languages very quickly, but he may have learned one that is forbidden. The language of the Dragon’s. Dragons and their riders protect the kingdom of Elyria from invasion but the Dragon’s do not posses free will. The rider and dragon are bonded using a bloodstone and the fear is that Aidan will use his language gifts to free the Dragon’s from their bondage. Aidan’s journey is one of mystery, pain, betrayals, and sacrifices that will not be gentle to the kindest soul.
What I liked most about Song of the Beast was the emotional depth Berg dives into not only with Aidan but the other characters as well. While the plot is always moving forward, there is always that sense of dread lingering in the background and that is a testament to the world Carol Berg has created. The writing style can be a tad on the dense side but keep in mind that this is a standalone novel that type of detail was necessary for the story to work. The ending leaves you in a solid place with enough wiggle room for more entries into this world should the author choose too.
I quickly want to touch on one aspect of the novel that is both unusual and a little bit of a deterrent for me and that is how the book was structured. For the first half of the book we get first person POV chapters from Aidan and they are done very well. Then at the halfway point we switch to another character, I won’t say who for the sake of spoilers, for the next quarter of the book and we don’t return to Aidan until the last several chapters. The choice to switch POV’s was a good one and necessary for the story but it threw me off and took a few chapters for me to get back into rhythm. Definitely not a deal breaker but just keep this in mind.
For my first experience reading the works of Carol Berg, this was an enjoyable one. Although very grim at times there is always a ray of hope on the horizon. Carol Berg is an author who should be more known in the fantasy circles as hopefully this review will get the ball rolling.
Cheers!
September 4, 2010
Probably 3.5 stars
I related best to Aidan's character and point of view. Berg used first person throughout the novel, but would switch to alternate characters' point of views at pivotal plot points. Oddly, I did not relate well to the only female character, Lara, and in fact, skimmed through most of the center section of the book told from her eyes.
I had hopes of another stunning story like the Lighthouse Duology, especially through the first third or half of Aidan's tale, yet the tale never quite touched me as deeply as Berg's later work. We learn of Aidan's early life as a musical prodigy and the horrid long senseless imprisonment and torture he survived only by essentially murdering his musical talent. Since our only reference is Aidan's experiences, we slowly learning his history and the history and current state of the world around him.
Released from prison, possibly by mistake, Aidan picks up the pieces of his broken life only to be harried, hounded and hunted across the world until he's rescued by the Elhim, a strange race of people (sexless or asexual and very long lived). Aidan learns he is the hope of salvation and redemption for the Elhim, but rejects the offer and seeks solace for his soul in backbreaking labor, ending each day in exhaustion in the hope of dodging his nightmares.
A faction within the Elhim led by Narim refuses to let Aidan rest. Goaded still further, Aidan leaves the Elhim sanctuary to live with Lara, an exiled Ridemark warrior woman desperate to return to her clan and fly a dragon. Her life long passion as a dragonrider was thwarted by an unspoken clan tradition against female flyers and resulted in her near death when she defied her clan and attempted to control a dragon without proper training or tools.
The Ridemark clans, also known as the Twelve Families, enslaved the dragons five hundred years previously. With these weapons of mass destruction, the Twelve Families make kings flinch and nations beg for mercy. The world suffers under the yoke of their tyranny, veiled behind a facade of service contracts with rival nations, balancing power to maintain dominance.
Narim plots and plans to redeem himself and his people. Lara assists him readily, for she owes her life to Narim. But Aidan seeks only peace and love and eventually freedom for all, starting with the dragons.
Together and separately they twist and tangle and triumph in strange and glorious ways. Never underestimate the power of love or music.
I related best to Aidan's character and point of view. Berg used first person throughout the novel, but would switch to alternate characters' point of views at pivotal plot points. Oddly, I did not relate well to the only female character, Lara, and in fact, skimmed through most of the center section of the book told from her eyes.
I had hopes of another stunning story like the Lighthouse Duology, especially through the first third or half of Aidan's tale, yet the tale never quite touched me as deeply as Berg's later work. We learn of Aidan's early life as a musical prodigy and the horrid long senseless imprisonment and torture he survived only by essentially murdering his musical talent. Since our only reference is Aidan's experiences, we slowly learning his history and the history and current state of the world around him.
Released from prison, possibly by mistake, Aidan picks up the pieces of his broken life only to be harried, hounded and hunted across the world until he's rescued by the Elhim, a strange race of people (sexless or asexual and very long lived). Aidan learns he is the hope of salvation and redemption for the Elhim, but rejects the offer and seeks solace for his soul in backbreaking labor, ending each day in exhaustion in the hope of dodging his nightmares.
A faction within the Elhim led by Narim refuses to let Aidan rest. Goaded still further, Aidan leaves the Elhim sanctuary to live with Lara, an exiled Ridemark warrior woman desperate to return to her clan and fly a dragon. Her life long passion as a dragonrider was thwarted by an unspoken clan tradition against female flyers and resulted in her near death when she defied her clan and attempted to control a dragon without proper training or tools.
The Ridemark clans, also known as the Twelve Families, enslaved the dragons five hundred years previously. With these weapons of mass destruction, the Twelve Families make kings flinch and nations beg for mercy. The world suffers under the yoke of their tyranny, veiled behind a facade of service contracts with rival nations, balancing power to maintain dominance.
Narim plots and plans to redeem himself and his people. Lara assists him readily, for she owes her life to Narim. But Aidan seeks only peace and love and eventually freedom for all, starting with the dragons.
Together and separately they twist and tangle and triumph in strange and glorious ways. Never underestimate the power of love or music.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 12, 2019
Aidan: the most talented bard of his generation, beloved of gods, follower of dragons and cousin to the king, is imprisoned and tortured for 17 years.
Why? Aidan is clueless.
This book follows Aidan as he struggles to live after 17 years of torture and abuse. It also focuses on Aidan’s journey to learn why he was imprisoned.
I didn’t expect to like this book. When I read the blurb I thought, “Sounds sad, not for me.” (I’m a wussy. No dark and gritty for me) The only reason I read this one was because it was the Fantasy Aficionados book of the month pick. As a Mod…I’m sorta supposed to participate. ;-)
After jumping through hoops galore to borrow this book from my library…I still put off reading it for a day or two. Finally, I sat down one day to thumb through it…and I looked up several hours later. Finished.
Carol Berg is a wonderful storyteller. The way she crafts her words are something to stand up and notice.
I was right…this is a sad story. Aidan is a ruined wreck of a body when he gets out of prison. His triumphs – for the most part – are far and very small. The story itself is rather bittersweet…and there’s some major betrayal going on. And that’s what makes Berg so powerful an author: I HATE everything I just mentioned in a book! Seriously, I am very much a wussy reader who hates sad stories. But I could not put this book down. I doubt that I’ll reread the entire book but I did reread a few sections and the end already (thus the 5 stars).
Why? Aidan is clueless.
This book follows Aidan as he struggles to live after 17 years of torture and abuse. It also focuses on Aidan’s journey to learn why he was imprisoned.
I didn’t expect to like this book. When I read the blurb I thought, “Sounds sad, not for me.” (I’m a wussy. No dark and gritty for me) The only reason I read this one was because it was the Fantasy Aficionados book of the month pick. As a Mod…I’m sorta supposed to participate. ;-)
After jumping through hoops galore to borrow this book from my library…I still put off reading it for a day or two. Finally, I sat down one day to thumb through it…and I looked up several hours later. Finished.
Carol Berg is a wonderful storyteller. The way she crafts her words are something to stand up and notice.
I was right…this is a sad story. Aidan is a ruined wreck of a body when he gets out of prison. His triumphs – for the most part – are far and very small. The story itself is rather bittersweet…and there’s some major betrayal going on. And that’s what makes Berg so powerful an author: I HATE everything I just mentioned in a book! Seriously, I am very much a wussy reader who hates sad stories. But I could not put this book down. I doubt that I’ll reread the entire book but I did reread a few sections and the end already (thus the 5 stars).
January 2, 2010
A singer without a voice, a musician with mangled hands, his enemies think him broken beyond repair. But the truth cannot be silenced.
Aidan Mc Allister is a wonderful tortured hero. I read a lot of Carol Berg's, but this one was the first, and it had me immediately hooked. Set in a world remotely resembling a late medieval Europe, this book is inherently consistent on speech, clothing, behaviour and so on. Berg's worldbuilding is flawless as usual. Unless her other works, this book doesn't linger so much on landscape description. The characters are wonderfully done, whether humans or non - humans.
My only bother: Berg is great in friendships, but unfortunately, she doesn't do lovestorys. As long as Aidan and his woman were friends they were great. When they became lovers, they became a little...sappy. But when you're wound up in Berg's world, it is really a very minor bother.
Warning: This book has Dragons!
Aidan Mc Allister is a wonderful tortured hero. I read a lot of Carol Berg's, but this one was the first, and it had me immediately hooked. Set in a world remotely resembling a late medieval Europe, this book is inherently consistent on speech, clothing, behaviour and so on. Berg's worldbuilding is flawless as usual. Unless her other works, this book doesn't linger so much on landscape description. The characters are wonderfully done, whether humans or non - humans.
My only bother: Berg is great in friendships, but unfortunately, she doesn't do lovestorys. As long as Aidan and his woman were friends they were great. When they became lovers, they became a little...sappy. But when you're wound up in Berg's world, it is really a very minor bother.
Warning: This book has Dragons!
December 9, 2010
Berg's best book yet. May not be quite five stars, but the vector is definitely pointed there.
A complex, satisfying epic in a completely new world. A towering tale of loss, despair, redemption and forgiveness. Well, three out of four, anyway. Grabs you from the beginning and holds you. Lets you far enough into the main characters minds that you see what they don't, but you don't see it all. Solves the problem set at the beginning of her tale (other authors take note) while giving herself enough loose threads to write more if she wishes.
Especially noteworthy climax where almost everyone seems to betray the hero, but, no, even among the few who don't some do. And a particular betrayer turns out to be his best ally (but we readers knew that by then even if the lout didn't). And, of course, the dragons are completely misunderstood . . . well, not completely.
Nice cover art, though there's a notable chromatic error.
Needs a map.
A complex, satisfying epic in a completely new world. A towering tale of loss, despair, redemption and forgiveness. Well, three out of four, anyway. Grabs you from the beginning and holds you. Lets you far enough into the main characters minds that you see what they don't, but you don't see it all. Solves the problem set at the beginning of her tale (other authors take note) while giving herself enough loose threads to write more if she wishes.
Especially noteworthy climax where almost everyone seems to betray the hero, but, no, even among the few who don't some do. And a particular betrayer turns out to be his best ally (but we readers knew that by then even if the lout didn't). And, of course, the dragons are completely misunderstood . . . well, not completely.
Nice cover art, though there's a notable chromatic error.
Needs a map.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 3, 2022
This is an excellent stand-alone fantasy, and while it has dragons, warriors, and royalty, it is not a traditional fantasy. The main character, Aidan, is in his thirties (not a youth); most of the story is told in first person from his point of view, but a few other characters have their own first person POV chapters as well. There are a number of betrayals, hidden plots, and misplaced loyalties. There is also a bit of romance, although that term does not really fit the relationship. A key theme throughout the book was how powerful authentic love can be, regardless of who or what encompasses that love. I especially liked how the “magic” of music was crucial to the story. The author gets high marks for creating three-dimensional characters with plenty of gray in their makeup, a believable world (although I would have LOVED a map!), and a storyline that moves relentlessly forward but with plenty of twists and surprises. I highly recommend this book, as well as others by this author.
September 6, 2010
Aidan McAllister spent seventeen years imprisoned in solitude for treason—although he never learned what this supposed treasonous act was. He was a wandering singer who enjoyed celebrity not only because he was the cousin to the king, but also because he was exceptionally talented. What could he possibly have done that warranted such abuse?
Song of the Beast opens with his release and Aiden, now voiceless and with crippled hands, is thrust out penniless into a world that believes him dead.
Aiden saves the life of a prostitute and she takes him in as he recovers and hides from his former jailers: the Ridemark. The Riders use bloodstones to force their will on the dragons, the only way to keep the beasts under control. Using the dragons, the Riders' purposes are to expand the kingdom, keep the king's vassals in line, and enforce the king's law. However, their elevated station has made them into a proud people who roam the kingdom terrorizing its citizens. Aiden suspects that his fascination with the dragons has something to do with his imprisonment, that the music only he can hear from their bellowing and trumpeting may be the key to unlock this mystery.
Due to Aiden’s imprisonment he’s left weak, crippled, and afraid, so spends a great deal of the book worried and paranoid. This makes him somewhat of an annoying anti-hero, but when the first person point of view switches to other characters we see more of what it is that makes him unique and interesting—that not just anyone could have survived the depredations he had and still be sane.
The mystery of his imprisonment unfolds slowly, building to a climax that involves the dragons and finding their true place in the world. The pace isn’t consistent throughout, leaving some gaps where interest wanes. However, the unfolding of the mystery is well controlled and compelling and Berg's prose has some bright moments of surprising clarity.
Being focused so much on the main character Berg doesn't fully develop the various races, and I was left with a less than satisfying understanding of the politics and different peoples; I think she was over-ambitious for a standalone book to add so many complications to it. Berg also switches the first-person point of view a few times, with two minor characters each their own chapter. I couldn’t see the point in this as it was distracting, and the time on these side chapters could have been better spent on building a stronger setting.
Song of the Beast was Berg’s first book, and despite its imperfections, the story itself is compelling. Her main characters are well drawn and interesting, particularly in how they slowly discover their own complicated motivations, learn how the past has affected the present, and finally gather the courage to do the right thing.
Other books by Carol Berg that have been recommended to me include Transformation, Revelation, and Restoration (the three are part of a series about demons) and The Bridge of D’Arnath Quartet.
Song of the Beast opens with his release and Aiden, now voiceless and with crippled hands, is thrust out penniless into a world that believes him dead.
Aiden saves the life of a prostitute and she takes him in as he recovers and hides from his former jailers: the Ridemark. The Riders use bloodstones to force their will on the dragons, the only way to keep the beasts under control. Using the dragons, the Riders' purposes are to expand the kingdom, keep the king's vassals in line, and enforce the king's law. However, their elevated station has made them into a proud people who roam the kingdom terrorizing its citizens. Aiden suspects that his fascination with the dragons has something to do with his imprisonment, that the music only he can hear from their bellowing and trumpeting may be the key to unlock this mystery.
Due to Aiden’s imprisonment he’s left weak, crippled, and afraid, so spends a great deal of the book worried and paranoid. This makes him somewhat of an annoying anti-hero, but when the first person point of view switches to other characters we see more of what it is that makes him unique and interesting—that not just anyone could have survived the depredations he had and still be sane.
The mystery of his imprisonment unfolds slowly, building to a climax that involves the dragons and finding their true place in the world. The pace isn’t consistent throughout, leaving some gaps where interest wanes. However, the unfolding of the mystery is well controlled and compelling and Berg's prose has some bright moments of surprising clarity.
Being focused so much on the main character Berg doesn't fully develop the various races, and I was left with a less than satisfying understanding of the politics and different peoples; I think she was over-ambitious for a standalone book to add so many complications to it. Berg also switches the first-person point of view a few times, with two minor characters each their own chapter. I couldn’t see the point in this as it was distracting, and the time on these side chapters could have been better spent on building a stronger setting.
Song of the Beast was Berg’s first book, and despite its imperfections, the story itself is compelling. Her main characters are well drawn and interesting, particularly in how they slowly discover their own complicated motivations, learn how the past has affected the present, and finally gather the courage to do the right thing.
Other books by Carol Berg that have been recommended to me include Transformation, Revelation, and Restoration (the three are part of a series about demons) and The Bridge of D’Arnath Quartet.
August 4, 2012
Man, I don't know, am I just falling out of love with this genre?
I was engaged enough to keep going, but I just didn't feel moved or compelled by anything in this book. Aidan's wholesomeness annoyed me, Lara's constant self-blame and self-denial (coupled with the consistent "let's not talk about our issues everrrrr for reasonsssss") frustrated me, the good-vs-evil conflict left me going "Yes, and?" (Enslaving another race is bad! You don't say!) ...And far too many things seemed to occur at just the right dramatic moment.
Also holy fuck I would have loved to have a second female character who did anything substantial. Or have the one substantial female character not framed consistently as the thing without which Aidan is "incomplete." OR BOTH OF THOSE THINGS.
Meh.
I was engaged enough to keep going, but I just didn't feel moved or compelled by anything in this book. Aidan's wholesomeness annoyed me, Lara's constant self-blame and self-denial (coupled with the consistent "let's not talk about our issues everrrrr for reasonsssss") frustrated me, the good-vs-evil conflict left me going "Yes, and?" (Enslaving another race is bad! You don't say!) ...And far too many things seemed to occur at just the right dramatic moment.
Also holy fuck I would have loved to have a second female character who did anything substantial. Or have the one substantial female character not framed consistently as the thing without which Aidan is "incomplete." OR BOTH OF THOSE THINGS.
Meh.
April 27, 2016
An interesting, and rather harrowing standalone fantasy. Rather than a warrior hero, we have a musician, newly released from prison where he's been tortured so that he cannot sing or play an instrument again. Different, bold, and very enjoyable.
March 5, 2022
A nice stand alone fantasy - ready to get back into my favorite genre.
September 1, 2013
Almost three years ago, I was able to meet Carol Berg at a World Fantasy Convention. During the meeting, I had asked her which book of hers she would recommend I read first. She give me several suggestions and finally, after almost three years, I have decided to ignore those suggestions and read Song of the Beast.
Song of the Beast is a standalone fantasy novel. It centers on the character of Aidan MacAllister who has been imprisoned and tortured for seventeen years. He does not know why, but will learn as he flees the relentless Dragonriders of Not-Pern and seeks his gods with the help of an asexual race of humanoid bureaucrats.
The pacing is fairly quick, and the twists are enjoyable if mostly predictable. The antagonists are brutal and are constant sources of suspense due to their competency. Often times, I wished that their flesh would be flayed from their bones... but Aidan is much too noble a character to seek vengeance on those responsible for his seventeen year imprisonment.
Which is an interesting aspect of the book. The main character, despite accusations of naivete and experience to the contrary does not stoop to the level of an Edmund Dantes during the course of the entire novel. In fact, one could describe the Song of the Beast as The Count of Monte Cristo if Dantes decided to use his wealth to improve the French nation and atone for its past sins instead of on sweet, delicious revenge. Aside from not being common in the fantasy genre anymore, Berg also told it in a convincing manner. Aidan pays dearly for continuing in his noble ways and he has to forgo any concept of justice for crimes committed against him to achieve a higher, moral goal. A goal which ultimately may have dire consequences for many more innocents then himself.
Carol Berg manages to tell a satisfying and interesting story in one volume of fantasy literature, an epic feat in of itself. She also manages to not overstay her welcome in the world she created, leaving it behind while the reader still has an interest in it. This means the world will live on after the last page is read and, so long as no sequels are forthcoming, will be a source of wonder.
Song of the Beast is a standalone fantasy novel. It centers on the character of Aidan MacAllister who has been imprisoned and tortured for seventeen years. He does not know why, but will learn as he flees the relentless Dragonriders of Not-Pern and seeks his gods with the help of an asexual race of humanoid bureaucrats.
The pacing is fairly quick, and the twists are enjoyable if mostly predictable. The antagonists are brutal and are constant sources of suspense due to their competency. Often times, I wished that their flesh would be flayed from their bones... but Aidan is much too noble a character to seek vengeance on those responsible for his seventeen year imprisonment.
Which is an interesting aspect of the book. The main character, despite accusations of naivete and experience to the contrary does not stoop to the level of an Edmund Dantes during the course of the entire novel. In fact, one could describe the Song of the Beast as The Count of Monte Cristo if Dantes decided to use his wealth to improve the French nation and atone for its past sins instead of on sweet, delicious revenge. Aside from not being common in the fantasy genre anymore, Berg also told it in a convincing manner. Aidan pays dearly for continuing in his noble ways and he has to forgo any concept of justice for crimes committed against him to achieve a higher, moral goal. A goal which ultimately may have dire consequences for many more innocents then himself.
Carol Berg manages to tell a satisfying and interesting story in one volume of fantasy literature, an epic feat in of itself. She also manages to not overstay her welcome in the world she created, leaving it behind while the reader still has an interest in it. This means the world will live on after the last page is read and, so long as no sequels are forthcoming, will be a source of wonder.
August 15, 2016
As it was the case in her unjustly celebrated demon trilogy, Transformation, Revelation and Restoration, the story told here by Ms Berg has potential.
Dragons are a popular topic in fantasy fiction and, if a subject is so well loved, this also means that it carries a strong fascination in itself. Many of her ideas are interesting, convincing, some even fascinating.
I am not saying her writing is bad: in many pages a talented writer lurks and the pacing is excellent.
It is the overall attitude that feels wrong. The plot is thin and drags at times. Much attention is dedicated to the psychology of the characters, but Ms Berg is talented enough neither to avoid such pages to drag nor to reach real insight and depth. Aidan, the main one, is a brilliant, talented, cultured man, thrown by unknown hands in a dank, dark hole for 17 years with no apparent reason and tortured mercilessly, then he is released with no more apparent reason: the author longishly describes his ascent from hell achieving no punctual or emotionally convincing description of his tortured soul. All the villains are out of focus, even the main one who looks seldom much more than a soulless puppet.
A minor but relevant flaw is the novelisation of music, Aidan being said after all to be the greatest musician of all times.
I do not know whether Ms Berg knows anything about music but I should say she does not: Aidan songs are invariably described as heart ripping. No more. Never more.
I also wish to know how is a teen male supposed to be able to sing beautifully and professionally when his voice is supposed to be breaking.
Dragons are a popular topic in fantasy fiction and, if a subject is so well loved, this also means that it carries a strong fascination in itself. Many of her ideas are interesting, convincing, some even fascinating.
I am not saying her writing is bad: in many pages a talented writer lurks and the pacing is excellent.
It is the overall attitude that feels wrong. The plot is thin and drags at times. Much attention is dedicated to the psychology of the characters, but Ms Berg is talented enough neither to avoid such pages to drag nor to reach real insight and depth. Aidan, the main one, is a brilliant, talented, cultured man, thrown by unknown hands in a dank, dark hole for 17 years with no apparent reason and tortured mercilessly, then he is released with no more apparent reason: the author longishly describes his ascent from hell achieving no punctual or emotionally convincing description of his tortured soul. All the villains are out of focus, even the main one who looks seldom much more than a soulless puppet.
A minor but relevant flaw is the novelisation of music, Aidan being said after all to be the greatest musician of all times.
I do not know whether Ms Berg knows anything about music but I should say she does not: Aidan songs are invariably described as heart ripping. No more. Never more.
I also wish to know how is a teen male supposed to be able to sing beautifully and professionally when his voice is supposed to be breaking.
September 28, 2010
I like it… well, the end was not what I was expecting but I love it! My eyes were full of tears reading the last words... so sweet!
The book is also well writing but the change of narrator is a little confusing (maybe only Aidan MacAllister as storyteller would be better).
My compliments to Carol Berg. Her imagination is amazing and her world with dragons and dragon speakers was wonderful.
5 stars are not enough... I love this book and would love to say more, but I'm speechless!
The book is also well writing but the change of narrator is a little confusing (maybe only Aidan MacAllister as storyteller would be better).
My compliments to Carol Berg. Her imagination is amazing and her world with dragons and dragon speakers was wonderful.
5 stars are not enough... I love this book and would love to say more, but I'm speechless!
November 4, 2015
I have great affection for traditional fantasy trappings; faye folk with a bond to nature, human civilizations rising to great heights, magic and of course dragons. Berg also holds these things dear. And while her heart certainly swells at the fancifulness of it all, her author's machinery isn't above turning all troupes on their sides, their heads and various other sides of their literary anatomy. Add a mystery and the deft handling of a hero's journey that could have easily turned to tired grim revenge fantasy and you've got yourself a heckuva arresting yarn.
May 21, 2009
Song of the Beast by Carol Berg
This is one of the most imaginative fantasy books I have ever read and I have read a lot of them! Quite often, I can guess where a twist might be appearing or if indeed what the final twist might be, but not in this one. There is indeed a twist in this novel but it was one I would never have guessed in a million years.
If you thought fantasy novels were all the same and full of cliches, give this one a try. You won't be disappointed.
This is one of the most imaginative fantasy books I have ever read and I have read a lot of them! Quite often, I can guess where a twist might be appearing or if indeed what the final twist might be, but not in this one. There is indeed a twist in this novel but it was one I would never have guessed in a million years.
If you thought fantasy novels were all the same and full of cliches, give this one a try. You won't be disappointed.
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