The Sun Singer

Mountain Journeys #1

by Malcolm R. Campbell

When Robert Adams sees the statue of the Sun Singer in a lonely meadow he hears the song of the sun and receives the gift of prophecy. He excels as the Soothsayer of West Wood Street until a psychic dream graphically foretells the death of his best friend's sister Julianne.

Robert blames himself for a tragedy he cannot prevent and shoves his bright talent into the dark shadows of the future where, he suspects, it will one day save him or kill him.

After blindly vowing to finish a task for his ailing grandfather, Robert steps through a hidden doorway into a world at war where magic runs deeper than the mountain rivers. Now he must resurrect his dangerous gift to fulfill his promise, uncover the true secret of Julianne's death, undo the deeds of his grandfather's foul betrayer, subdue brutal enemy soldiers in battle, and survive the trip home. The novel's fourth edition was released on Kindle in 2015.

320 pages, Paperback

First published June 24, 2004

About the author

Author of "Conjure Woman's Cat," a 1950s-era novella set in the Florida Panhandle. The first three chapters of this book have been nominated for a Pushcart Prize. The book has two sequels, "Eulalie and Washerwoman" and "Lena."

Campbell is also the author of "Sarabande," "The Sun Singer," and "Sarabande."

I've lived in north Georgia since 1977.
my link text

Reviews

[Chelle Cordero · Rating 5 out of 5]

Robert Adams is both cursed and blessed with the ability to dream of the future, but not necessarily control it.

Full of poignant despair, Robert struggles to reject his gift. Campbell's writing is captivating as you are drawn into the confusion in this young man's mind as he sets out on a journey his grandfather put in motion.

Enjoy the ride as you travel along with young Adams as he experiences the magic and mysticism of Navajo lore towards fulfillment of a promise he made to his grandfather.

This is an enjoyable fantasy and I recommend it for all.

[Lee Libro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: The Sun Singer
Author: Malcolm Campbell
Publisher: iUniverse 2004
ISBN: 0595316654
Format: Paperback, 307 pp

The Sun Singer by Malcolm Campbell is a fantasy that merges the realities of one boys life with the magical journey he must make in order to complete his grandfather's quest. When Robert Adams discovers his ability to peer into a parallel realm of reality, he soon learns that he has psychic powers. When he realizes his dreams aren't just dreams and steps into a hidden doorway to a magical world, he is met by war and enemies he must fight in order to undo the wrongs endured by his grandfather, who now is old and ailing.

The description of the story provided on the book's back cover says,
"When Robert Adams sees the statue of the Sun Singer in a lonely meadow he hears the song of the sun and receives the gift of prophecy. He excels as the Soothsayer of West Wood Street until a psychic dream graphically foretells the death of his best friend's sister Julianne. Robert blames himself for a tragedy he cannot prevent and shoves his bright talent into the dark shadows of the future where, he suspects, it will one day save him or kill him. After blindly vowing to finish a task for his ailing grandfather, Robert steps through a hidden doorway into a world at war where magic runs deeper than the mountain rivers. Now he must resurrect his dangerous gift to fulfill his promise, uncover the true secret of Julianne's death, undo the deeds of his grandfather's foul betrayer, subdue brutal enemy soldiers in battle, and survive the trip home. "

Though the language of the story is consistent and strong in voice, at times the sentences verge on the flowery side, slightly overpowered by adjectives and description. Still, the story prevails with great tension and will make the reader a clear cut page-turning path through this somewhat complex setting. The author brilliantly executes a very ambitious feat with his creation of two co-existing worlds. The hero's convoluted journey begins early on in the novel with pages formatted into columns, detailing the two co-existing realities and while I found this a novel approach to writing, just as soon as I figured out what was its purpose, the method no longer appears anywhere else in the book.

What takes over from there is the merging of the two realities as Robert grows into the hero role he is burdened with in order to restore and set right the two worlds. What the reader is treated to along the way is the inner journey that takes place as a young boy matures and grows toward truth and insight.

Overall, The Sun Singer, is a beautifully written tale about a young boy's coming of age as he learns to accepts his legacy and grow into adulthood. With a message that is both engaging and empowering The Sun Singer belongs in the library of anyone who enjoys adventure with a mystical twist, lands where battles begun must never be left unfinished, and imagination and strength go hand in hand.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a young boy Robert Adams started having prophetic dreams. Traumatized after seeing the death of a young neighbor girl in a dream and the next morning actually witnessing her death he vowed to suppress this curse. With medication and willpower he succeeded for a few years although it left him feeling empty. On his fifteenth birthday Robert decided to bring back his dreams, with control and without the “Seer’s Prayer.” With the help of his Grandfather Elliott, a dreamspinner, he is making progress.

Grandfather Elliot grew up around Glacier National Park and has convinced Elliot’s parents, Katheryn and Laurence, to take a three week family vacation there this coming summer. Robert is looking forward to backpacking, hiking, and exploring the area since he and Alice, his younger sister, have heard many of grandpa’s adventure stories growing up. As well as folk tales, myths, and legends of other people lost in the mists of time. Grandpa Elliot has an ulterior motive on this family vacation though. Three years ago up high in the mountains things went terribly wrong. Elliot is going to need Roberts help setting things right again. The problem is grandpa is getting weak and forgetful, so he enlists the help from a longtime friend and mountain climbing buddy, to meet them at the lodge during their vacation.

Mr. Campbell used his astute and unfettered imagination to weave this labyrinthine tale full of many different elements seamlessly. The landscape descriptions are dynamic and beautifully written. The matter of where Robert goes and the full blown characters that he meets along the way are all realistically believable. Well, except for perhaps Garth, the wood elf. But he was pure magic and I enjoyed his character immensely. Robert finds himself on his own, learning to navigate this coinciding world, which is exactly like our own, a few hundred years earlier in time. To do that he has to learn to trust his dreams and to listen to his intuition on who to trust. This is a wildly spirited and intelligent adventure story where Robert has to learn to believe in the energies around him for them to flow through him. I enjoyed the messages of extended families and the way things came together at the end. All ages of readers who enjoy mystical adventures, alternate universes, or epic tales will love this story.

FYI: The Sun Singer is book 1 of Mountain Journeys. **Originally written for "BigAl’s Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy.** November 2, 2015.

[Mitzi McMahon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've just finished Malcolm R. Campbell's The Sun Singer and I really enjoyed it. It's the story of Robert Adams, a high school-aged boy, and his gift of precognitive dreams. Although he foresees the tragic death of his best friend's sister, he's unable to prevent it and so he shoves his ability aside, refusing to engage it. When his grandfather dies unexpectedly, Robert resurrects his gifts in order to complete a task left undone by his beloved grandfather. The story has parallel universes, portals, synchronicity, and magic -- all deliciously woven together.

The book's back cover contains this label: Contemporary Mythic Adventure. I quite agree.

Although I really enjoyed the story, I feel like I have to say a few words about the beginning chapter. I found it awkward, choppy, amateurish, filled with grammatical errors, and full of one-dimensional characters (of which only two get filled out by story's end). There's also this weird script/layout that occurs on page one and shows up periodically throughout the book, where the prose divides into two columns and the text on the left continues in the standard typeface while the text in the right column is italicized. The intent, I believe, is to showcase, simultaneously, two opposing thoughts/reactions of/by one character to a given situation. The result, in my opinion, is so confusing and odd that it does more harm than good. The whole of this chapter was so off-putting that had the story not gotten pretty quickly to the good stuff, i.e., parallel universe, I would've abandoned the read. And speaking of the "good stuff," I found that although the lack of proof reading was still evident (thought instead of though, then instead of than, etc.), there wasn't any of the awkwardness in phrasing or abrupt switching from one speaker to the next that characterized much of the opening chapter. It was very smooth and very engaging, which makes me think Mr. Campbell was really in his element while composing this part of the story. The downside is that it highlights just how disintegrated the opening chapter is with the rest of the book; it makes it feel like an afterthought.

[L.B.B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A SHAMANIC HERO’S JOURNEY

With “The Sun Singer,” the author Malcolm Campbell exquisitely draws us into a hero’s journey unlike any before.

When 15-year-old Robert Adams and his family leave on a long-awaited wilderness vacation, it is under the cloud of the death of his beloved Grandfather, Tom Elliott. The vacation had been planned, among other things, so Tom could introduce to Robert the “magical” world of the high mountains he has written about in his books. What Robert doesn’t realize is that the places and events described to him by his Grandfather are actually magical - in a parallel universe. And Robert is soon transported there and enjoined by perils against which he must quickly learn to protect himself and a whole alien culture … all in the need to complete a task left unfinished by his Grandfather.

Within the arcana of fantastic hero’s journeys the authors seem so often to be drawn into the realms of Arthurian Legend and Nordic Forest symbolism and, although some of this does find its way into Mr. Campbell’s story, he introduces a significantly more naturalistic/shamanic universe for his hero to travel, while also managing to imbue his story with a subtle but comprehensive educational introduction to the flora and fauna of the Western forest.

There is magic to be found here, and the gathering of superhuman powers; there is much danger, and spirits malevolent and benign; but they seem to feel closer – more immediately accessible to us mortal beings. Mr. Campbell, while avoiding the wholesale bloodletting of the books that precede The Sun Singer, weaves a spectacularly intricate and heart-pounding spell that pulls the reader, racing alongside his hero to the end – and leaves us breathlessly wanting more.

One hopes that we are allowed to join Robert Adams in his further adventures.

[Mel Mathews · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Hero’s Journey par Excellence

Robert Adam’s has the good fortune of having a wily grandfather disguised as half-baked old man and parents who well understand the importance of allowing their son to suffer through the unknown as he comes to terms with life’s complexities and learns to listen to the only real truth—that which comes from within. Second Wind Publishing’s just released version of The Sun Singer by Malcolm Campbell is the Hero’s Journey par Excellence!

Grandfather unexpectedly passes away, leaving Robert Adams holding a bagful of mystery. Mom and Dad have answers, but they know it will mean nothing until Robert comes to terms with this mystery on his own, as we all must do at different times in our lives. This magical coming-of-age tale takes the reader through a labyrinth as a teenage boy/man sets off into the cosmic dimensions of the unknown to redeem his ‘grandfather’s’ kingdom and rightfully claim his position in life as a true leader. What I’d give to have Malcolm Campbell’s imagination, wisdom, wit, and mastery of the written word. Buy it, steal it, borrow it from your local library—one way or another, get hold of The Sun Singer and tell your friends.

[Lynne Cantwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Sun Singer (Mountain Journeys #1) - Malcolm R. Campbell Fifteen-year-old Robert Adams is a normal American teenage boy, with two differences. For one thing, Robert sometimes has dreams that come true. And for another, his grandfather knows the way to a parallel universe. Old Thomas Elliott once told Robert that he must go back to this other land, where he left important tasks unfinished, and Robert vowed to help. But now, Grandfather's health is failing, and Robert must go alone to Pyrrha and finish what the old man began -- if he can.The Sun Singer is a cut above your typical YA epic fantasy. Robert is an appealing hero, and the other characters in the novel -- in both worlds -- are well-rounded. There's only one elf, and no dwarves or orcs, which is a relief to this somewhat jaded epic fantasy fan. And when magic is afoot, the narrative is often lyrical -- as it should be.The book ends with a revelation about Robert's family, and the sense that there are more adventures to come. And in fact, I believe the second book in this series is already out. So I'd highly recommend that YA fantasy fans get started on The Sun Singer now.

[Melissa Studdard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Malcolm R. Campbell’s The Sun Singer is a rich tapestry of wisdom and wit. Starting with captivating family banter and culminating in an adventure so grand that it can only be magical, this hero’s journey takes the reader to a land beyond the narrow constraints of everyday identity - a land where a boy can discover just what sort of metal he is truly made of.

Generational relationships play an important role in this book, and anyone who has ever had a special connection with a grandparent or grandchild will treasure the bond between Robert and his grandfather. The warmth between them is palpable, and lessons are delivered wrapped in ribbons of jest.

The writing itself is lyrical and dense, and the plot is complex, compelling, and original. Dreams, alternate dimensions, and nested stories interweave, one on top of the other, until they are braided so thick that the reader cannot possibly guess what will happen next.

This is a book I’m sure I will return to and share with others, again and again.

[D.B. Pacini · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read about one half of THE SUN SINGER and then made the mistake of allowing an inquisitive teenager to read a few pages. The book was gone in a flash and not returned until finished. Compelling characters and challenging scenarios keep these pages turning. I had a couple of beloved grandfathers, I could relate to Robert Adams. I had to discover what he would do next.

Author Malcolm R. Campbell weaves many fantastic one-two liners into this story. I have several favorites. An example: "Lovely word, hallucinating," drawled Tor. "I must put it on my list of important words."

There is an unconventional "Alice in Wonderland" feel when Robert steps into other dimensions with curious readers at his heels. Adults will enjoy this novel. Teens will love it.

[Nora Caron · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Sun Singer" is a book that will transport you to other realms, realms that shadow ours. Campbell's story is not only about how one character must complete what his grand-father began, it is about how one must come to terms with loss and death too. Robert undertakes a journey not only to other realities, but to his genetic heritage, a heritage that he must fully accept in order to become free.

I highly recommend this book to those who seek to understand their own magical natures. Campbell has a fine eye for describing nature and emotions, something rare in writers these days. I predict that readers will resonate with his wisdom and I am really looking forward to his next book.

[Abe · Rating 5 out of 5]

A most interesting and enjoyable read. The beginning was a bit slow for me during character development, however once the stage was set, the story picked up speed and I didn’t want to lay it down. This story, a journey into another time, is uniquely crafted and would be difficult to compare with other time travel novels. The Sun Singer reflects the creative genius of Malcolm Campbell. He makes this time travel believable. I give this rising star, a five star rating.

[Robert Hays · Rating 5 out of 5]

The title of this book comes from a remarkable piece of sculpture on the Robert Allerton estate, now a University of Illinois conference center I've been to many times. Malcolm Campbell saw it as a child (or young man) while visiting his grandparents, who lived in the vicinity. I very much enjoyed the way he uses it as a "home base" kind of setting for this excellent novel.

[RACHEL · Rating 4 out of 5]

Campbell has created a new world, or universe, that young Robert must learn as he goes sent on a barely defined mission by his grandfather. “The Sun Singer” learns much about himself, his history while learning to navigate Phyrra.
My copy came through Goodreads First Reads.