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Songbirds of Valnon #1
Evensong's Heir
For centuries in the Temple of Valnon, young men have paid a tremendous price to be chosen as Songbirds. Every twelve years, a new Lark and Thrush are castrated for their heavenly voices, but few men have ever been capable of claiming the title of Dove: the holy avatar of Saint Alveron himself. In the six hundred years since the Temple's founding, Willim is only the third to buy the Evensong with his blood. A virtual prisoner of the Temple for the duration of his term, Willim pays little heed to anything but his duty to sing for Valnon. That all changes with the murder of the Songbirds' loyal bodyguard and Willim's rescue by Nicholas Grayson, a sell-sword who brings whispers of Temple scandal and ancient prophecy in his wake.
Plagued by ghosts and nightmares, betrayed by a fellow Temple Bird and forced into exile, Willim struggles to unravel the tangled history of his title in the hopes of understanding what it truly means to be Valnon's Dove. With his friends scattered and Valnon poised on the brink of war, Willim's only hope lies in summoning the ancient power of his saint: to Sing Down from Heaven a music that can fell an army in its tracks, or wipe a city from the surface of the earth. But the song of Saint Alveron is as unpredictable as it is powerful. Whether Willim's Song will bring salvation for his city or the destruction of everything he holds dear, only Heaven knows.
Plagued by ghosts and nightmares, betrayed by a fellow Temple Bird and forced into exile, Willim struggles to unravel the tangled history of his title in the hopes of understanding what it truly means to be Valnon's Dove. With his friends scattered and Valnon poised on the brink of war, Willim's only hope lies in summoning the ancient power of his saint: to Sing Down from Heaven a music that can fell an army in its tracks, or wipe a city from the surface of the earth. But the song of Saint Alveron is as unpredictable as it is powerful. Whether Willim's Song will bring salvation for his city or the destruction of everything he holds dear, only Heaven knows.
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First published April 1, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
May 29, 2013
Gods, what a beautiful book. Richly painted, with an engaging cast and a wonderful sense of magic -- if that's even the word for the holy power the Songbirds hold, the miraculous things music can do. Like the city of Valnon itself, this book has multiple levels of history and secrets beneath its surface, and they unfold beautifully as the story goes on.
I want more fantasy with queer characters to feel like this: books about faith and warfare and epic deeds, where the characters' sexuality doesn't define them or the plots they can star in. Stories where characters fall in love in the course of their grand adventures but the author never loses sight of the adventures or how important those goals are.
I want to have a copy of Book 2 of the Songbirds of Valnon yesterday.
I want more fantasy with queer characters to feel like this: books about faith and warfare and epic deeds, where the characters' sexuality doesn't define them or the plots they can star in. Stories where characters fall in love in the course of their grand adventures but the author never loses sight of the adventures or how important those goals are.
I want to have a copy of Book 2 of the Songbirds of Valnon yesterday.
August 25, 2018
Okay, wow, this was utterly AMAZING!!! Definitely a new favourite, and rereading this was an absolute joy.
Evensong's Heir is an epic fantasy tale that completely enthralled me. It takes place mostly in the city of Valnon that has a rich history and followed mainly Nicholas Grayson, a sell-sword with a tragic past, and Willim, also known as the Dove of Valnon, one of the most important titles in the Temple.
That Temple, but also the entire city, is in danger due to betrayal and war, and these circumstances drag Nicholas out of the dirty streets and together with rather sheltered but determined Willim along with a vast cast of illustrious friends and companions.
The worldbuilding is wonderful, I love the vast setting and it's history and how it slowly unravels while reading - maybe a bit too slow at times, all the names, titles and events in the past are a bit confusing at first, but once things got rolling they were awe inspiring.
What I especially enjoyed was the lore of and the title system of the Temple. There are several gods but ultimately most important are three saints and the three titles that represent them. They are called Songbirds: the Dove, the Thrush and the Lark. There is always a Lark and a Thrush, but for some reason the position of the Dove, representing the most important saint, has only been filled two times in the past six centuries. There are also the Preybirds - once the Songbirds have finished their terms of 12 years, they become Preybirds (like Kestrel, Kite, Osprey, Hawk, Raven, ...) and mentor the successors as well as care for the flock, which are potential future songbirds but also just general foundlings, orphans or other children brought to the temple. At the very top of the Temple hierarchy is the Wing, who seems to be almost if not equal with the Queen of Valnon.
The key role of the Songbirds is, as their titles say, singing. Each of them represents a time of day (dawn, noon, evening) based on the lost history of Singing Down Heaven, meaning their singing voice acting as vessel for god-like powers that can sink kingdoms, smite down their enemies, and much more.
The plot is full of political intrigue and felt entirely fresh and breathtaking - not a single twist or turn was predictable, but always perfectly installed and smoothly integrated with previous details.
The writing is good, both the prose and poetry (or rather the lyrics), no passage or sentence felt out of place, and I was frequently moved to tears.
There's romance, but it's not dominating the plot, rather a side development between two of the big cast of believeable and diverse characters.
Evensong's Heir is an epic fantasy tale that completely enthralled me. It takes place mostly in the city of Valnon that has a rich history and followed mainly Nicholas Grayson, a sell-sword with a tragic past, and Willim, also known as the Dove of Valnon, one of the most important titles in the Temple.
That Temple, but also the entire city, is in danger due to betrayal and war, and these circumstances drag Nicholas out of the dirty streets and together with rather sheltered but determined Willim along with a vast cast of illustrious friends and companions.
The worldbuilding is wonderful, I love the vast setting and it's history and how it slowly unravels while reading - maybe a bit too slow at times, all the names, titles and events in the past are a bit confusing at first, but once things got rolling they were awe inspiring.
What I especially enjoyed was the lore of and the title system of the Temple. There are several gods but ultimately most important are three saints and the three titles that represent them. They are called Songbirds: the Dove, the Thrush and the Lark. There is always a Lark and a Thrush, but for some reason the position of the Dove, representing the most important saint, has only been filled two times in the past six centuries. There are also the Preybirds - once the Songbirds have finished their terms of 12 years, they become Preybirds (like Kestrel, Kite, Osprey, Hawk, Raven, ...) and mentor the successors as well as care for the flock, which are potential future songbirds but also just general foundlings, orphans or other children brought to the temple. At the very top of the Temple hierarchy is the Wing, who seems to be almost if not equal with the Queen of Valnon.
The key role of the Songbirds is, as their titles say, singing. Each of them represents a time of day (dawn, noon, evening) based on the lost history of Singing Down Heaven, meaning their singing voice acting as vessel for god-like powers that can sink kingdoms, smite down their enemies, and much more.
The plot is full of political intrigue and felt entirely fresh and breathtaking - not a single twist or turn was predictable, but always perfectly installed and smoothly integrated with previous details.
The writing is good, both the prose and poetry (or rather the lyrics), no passage or sentence felt out of place, and I was frequently moved to tears.
There's romance, but it's not dominating the plot, rather a side development between two of the big cast of believeable and diverse characters.
July 11, 2013
Bought from Smashwords.
Arguably the best epic fantasy story I've read in several years - with a subtle touch of m/m to spice it all up.
I was doubtful about this book at first. It's the author's first published novel - and first works tend to be a little rough around the edges.
Well, not Evensong's Heir - this is a brilliantly crafted, superbly polished novel. It has HISTORY!
The author started the core story years ago, she says, and has rewritten it multiple times. Added to that, LS Baird is an artist with interests in jewelry and costume design, and that artist's eye definitely shows in the fascinatingly visual layout of the novels scenes and setting.
Visit her blog for pages and pages of character design art, inspirational pictures of jewelry and clothing, and even furniture and building decorations. After you read this book, fans should also browse through the authors background notes for Evensong's world politics, geography and the religious practices - laid out in fine detail, often not even used in the volume 1 storyline!
It seems, volume 2 is in the works. Well, I'll be at the head of the line to buy it as soon as it appears!
Arguably the best epic fantasy story I've read in several years - with a subtle touch of m/m to spice it all up.
I was doubtful about this book at first. It's the author's first published novel - and first works tend to be a little rough around the edges.
Well, not Evensong's Heir - this is a brilliantly crafted, superbly polished novel. It has HISTORY!
The author started the core story years ago, she says, and has rewritten it multiple times. Added to that, LS Baird is an artist with interests in jewelry and costume design, and that artist's eye definitely shows in the fascinatingly visual layout of the novels scenes and setting.
Visit her blog for pages and pages of character design art, inspirational pictures of jewelry and clothing, and even furniture and building decorations. After you read this book, fans should also browse through the authors background notes for Evensong's world politics, geography and the religious practices - laid out in fine detail, often not even used in the volume 1 storyline!
It seems, volume 2 is in the works. Well, I'll be at the head of the line to buy it as soon as it appears!
July 14, 2013
Evensong's Heir tells the story of Willim, only the third in Valnon's long history to take the role of Dove of Valnon, the most demanding of the three Temple eunuch singing roles. It also focuses on Grayson, a good guy and 'Godsword' (defender of the temple) Turned Bad by an ill-considered romance a long time ago. Since then, he's been keeping his sword skills sharp and prostituting his sense of honour as a mercenary, and he comes into the story in spectacular style, just in time to stir up old enminities and get mixed up in defending the Temple against a coup.
There was a lot that I liked about this story, and it was mostly in the world-building.The story relies heavily on music: specifically (choir) singing, which was awesome! A lot of the characters are holy eunuchs who have been ‘cut’ to preserve their singing voices. I’ve been quite fascinated with Castrati since the early noughties when I discovered the historical person of Farinelli and Anne Rice’s 'Cry to Heaven'. There are some great characters, especially around the edges. The female characters are not central to the story, but they are pretty awesome, the blind Queen Reim was a calm note among the various PsOV the story takes, and Grayson's sister was a BAMF with style.
The plot goes slow in the beginning, with a lot of world-building, history-building and descriptions of the labyrinthine streets and cavernous vaults of the island city of Valnon, but it picks up, and got going with some speed towards the end, until I was swiping the screen of my e-reader with some gusto to see what happened next.
There were a few things about it I didn’t love, but they go to taste, not quality. I tend not to be all that keen on strong religious elements in stories (i.e. where magic clearly flows from the divine and there are gods/saints in play in the story), and this one has quite a bit of that. I like my magic problematic and complicated, and unless the divine elements are tricky (which they aren’t really in this – they’re just epic) I tend to feel that they tie up stories too neatly.
Also, the characters all sort themselves into 'good' and 'bad'. Even though the villain has 'good' motivations from his own perspective, they’re still clearly bad motivations from everyone else’s perspective, and he’s still clearly not a nice guy. All the good people have good person flaws like being stubborn, or spoiled, or impulsive. Which again is a taste thing, but I do like my characters morally ambiguous and (preferably) damaged. And I want my good characters to do bad things sometimes.
So I guess the summary of all that is that 'Evensong's Heir' drifted a little closer to 'high' fantasy than I is generally to my personal taste, with the divine magic and the good vs. evil – and because the action is mostly confined to a city, it never quite crosses over into epic. But I still want to recommend it because it was beautifully written and set in a world I wanted to dive into and never leave. There will be sequels, and I get the sense that a lot of the blackstory and plotting invested into this book will come to fruition in the next.
There was a lot that I liked about this story, and it was mostly in the world-building.The story relies heavily on music: specifically (choir) singing, which was awesome! A lot of the characters are holy eunuchs who have been ‘cut’ to preserve their singing voices. I’ve been quite fascinated with Castrati since the early noughties when I discovered the historical person of Farinelli and Anne Rice’s 'Cry to Heaven'. There are some great characters, especially around the edges. The female characters are not central to the story, but they are pretty awesome, the blind Queen Reim was a calm note among the various PsOV the story takes, and Grayson's sister was a BAMF with style.
The plot goes slow in the beginning, with a lot of world-building, history-building and descriptions of the labyrinthine streets and cavernous vaults of the island city of Valnon, but it picks up, and got going with some speed towards the end, until I was swiping the screen of my e-reader with some gusto to see what happened next.
There were a few things about it I didn’t love, but they go to taste, not quality. I tend not to be all that keen on strong religious elements in stories (i.e. where magic clearly flows from the divine and there are gods/saints in play in the story), and this one has quite a bit of that. I like my magic problematic and complicated, and unless the divine elements are tricky (which they aren’t really in this – they’re just epic) I tend to feel that they tie up stories too neatly.
Also, the characters all sort themselves into 'good' and 'bad'. Even though the villain has 'good' motivations from his own perspective, they’re still clearly bad motivations from everyone else’s perspective, and he’s still clearly not a nice guy. All the good people have good person flaws like being stubborn, or spoiled, or impulsive. Which again is a taste thing, but I do like my characters morally ambiguous and (preferably) damaged. And I want my good characters to do bad things sometimes.
So I guess the summary of all that is that 'Evensong's Heir' drifted a little closer to 'high' fantasy than I is generally to my personal taste, with the divine magic and the good vs. evil – and because the action is mostly confined to a city, it never quite crosses over into epic. But I still want to recommend it because it was beautifully written and set in a world I wanted to dive into and never leave. There will be sequels, and I get the sense that a lot of the blackstory and plotting invested into this book will come to fruition in the next.
October 6, 2013
This are the kinds of books I'm frustrated I'll miss out on when I'm in a reading slump, and the ones that make me glad that I go with my instinct and purchase without being familiar with the author or the ratings/reviews.
An epic beginning to a series that gets me excited for what is yet to come. Full of adventure, action, and intrigue this novel had me hooked from the beginning. Willim (The Dove), Dmitri (The Lark), and Ellis (The Thrush) are the Songbirds of the Temple of Valnon. Sheltered from the outside world, they are caught unawares by an attack. One of their own has turned against them, and for their own safety the Songbirds must escape the only home they've ever known. With few allies and unknown threats the Songbirds must find their strength if they are to save their city from impending destruction.
Willim is the Dove, with no inkling of his parentage, the Temple and his song are all he knows and is. The attack on his bodyguard opens up his eyes to how precarious Valnon's position is, and meeting Grayson-a sell-sword who has past ties with the Temple-opens his heart to emotions he's never known. He and his Songbirds get some hard lessons. They learn more of themselves and each other along the way while discovering more of their history and the machinations of their enemies. They create ties, unknowingly touching the people they meet with their song.
Grayson is a man that lost his honor in defense of a dear friend, unjustly charged he left the Temple of Valnon in disgrace losing the opportunity to serve as a Godsword. Now he has been called to duty; to protect The Dove of Valnon at all costs. He has to confront an old love, his feelings for a new one, and finally get his rightful place in the Temple.
This was a supremely wonderful story for me, I enjoyed it immensely. The writing made this world come to life, and the songs were so beautiful that they gave me goose bumps and tugged at my heartstrings.
An epic beginning to a series that gets me excited for what is yet to come. Full of adventure, action, and intrigue this novel had me hooked from the beginning. Willim (The Dove), Dmitri (The Lark), and Ellis (The Thrush) are the Songbirds of the Temple of Valnon. Sheltered from the outside world, they are caught unawares by an attack. One of their own has turned against them, and for their own safety the Songbirds must escape the only home they've ever known. With few allies and unknown threats the Songbirds must find their strength if they are to save their city from impending destruction.
Willim is the Dove, with no inkling of his parentage, the Temple and his song are all he knows and is. The attack on his bodyguard opens up his eyes to how precarious Valnon's position is, and meeting Grayson-a sell-sword who has past ties with the Temple-opens his heart to emotions he's never known. He and his Songbirds get some hard lessons. They learn more of themselves and each other along the way while discovering more of their history and the machinations of their enemies. They create ties, unknowingly touching the people they meet with their song.
Grayson is a man that lost his honor in defense of a dear friend, unjustly charged he left the Temple of Valnon in disgrace losing the opportunity to serve as a Godsword. Now he has been called to duty; to protect The Dove of Valnon at all costs. He has to confront an old love, his feelings for a new one, and finally get his rightful place in the Temple.
This was a supremely wonderful story for me, I enjoyed it immensely. The writing made this world come to life, and the songs were so beautiful that they gave me goose bumps and tugged at my heartstrings.
April 17, 2023
Wow. That was amazing, actually. Is the cover meant to scare people away? Hell, it almost got me
November 26, 2013
Lively dialogue, likable characters, engaging plot, and an original world full of music, myth, and magic makes this book stand out as the best I've read this year.
If you like coming-of-age stories, read this book. If you like music, read this book. If you like tasteful romance, read this book. If you like same-sex relationships treated like they ain't no thing, read this book. If you like fantasy and song-driven magic and prophetic dreams and politics and mysterious players and a world steeped in music and legend and mythology, read this book!
If there was anything I would have wished for, it would have been more points of view and more description of how things went from points A to B. A few times events would happen that, from one character's point of view, seemed utterly fortuitously random. The coincidence would be explained shortly after, but sometimes it made the pace of the book (which picked up considerably in the second half) almost TOO fast. Or maybe that was just me, page-turning feverishly to find out how it all ended! I would have liked to see more of Valnon, also: life in the city, how the average folk went about their lives. The same with a few of the villains, who I would have liked a bit more time with to understand why they made the choices they did.
In summary, this is a great book and the only thing wrong with it is that I want more of it. Cannot wait for book 2. :)
If you like coming-of-age stories, read this book. If you like music, read this book. If you like tasteful romance, read this book. If you like same-sex relationships treated like they ain't no thing, read this book. If you like fantasy and song-driven magic and prophetic dreams and politics and mysterious players and a world steeped in music and legend and mythology, read this book!
If there was anything I would have wished for, it would have been more points of view and more description of how things went from points A to B. A few times events would happen that, from one character's point of view, seemed utterly fortuitously random. The coincidence would be explained shortly after, but sometimes it made the pace of the book (which picked up considerably in the second half) almost TOO fast. Or maybe that was just me, page-turning feverishly to find out how it all ended! I would have liked to see more of Valnon, also: life in the city, how the average folk went about their lives. The same with a few of the villains, who I would have liked a bit more time with to understand why they made the choices they did.
In summary, this is a great book and the only thing wrong with it is that I want more of it. Cannot wait for book 2. :)
November 2, 2013
Willem is only the third Songbird in 600 years to be called the Dove of Valnon - and it seems that someone is unhappy about it. Nicholas Grayson - a former Godsword-in-training but now a common sell-sword - inadvertently stumbles upon Willem as he being kidnapped by a band of thugs. Dispatching the thugs, Grayson carries the unconscious Dove to the Temple from where he was snatched, only to find himself suddenly in the middle of a political brawl. Tasked by the Temple that had threw him out years before to protect the Dove at all costs, Grayson realizes the political brawl is only the beginnings of a war, and that protecting the Dove may be far more difficult than he imagined. When betrayal comes from within the Temple itself, and when the power of Heaven is once again visited upon the earth, Grayson realizes there is far more to the Dove than being merely a pampered Songbird. Willem, it seems, not only holds the key to Grayson's good name being restored, he holds the the key to Grayson's and Valnon's survival.
This is an excellent fantasy novel that draws the reader in and doesn't let go. The world-building is strong, and the complex characters are both flawed and heroic. It is a self-published novel, but the few typos here and there are easily overlooked by the strength of the story. If you love fantasy novels, with a background theme of M/M romance, then I would highly recommend that you give this novel a glance.
This is an excellent fantasy novel that draws the reader in and doesn't let go. The world-building is strong, and the complex characters are both flawed and heroic. It is a self-published novel, but the few typos here and there are easily overlooked by the strength of the story. If you love fantasy novels, with a background theme of M/M romance, then I would highly recommend that you give this novel a glance.
July 23, 2015
A couple of typos -- nothing glaring, but obvious to one read-through.
Enjoyed the character's speech patterns -- for those whose lives revolve around music, all the singing metaphors were a solid choice.
I was intensely bored in the beginning of this novel (so many times did I find myself needing a break in the monotony, despite the intriguing world-building), but luckily the plot picked up towards the end of the book. Plenty of lovely revelations.
Also, the dirtiest this gets is a couple of chaste kisses, and a vaguely insinuated paragraph.
Enjoyed the character's speech patterns -- for those whose lives revolve around music, all the singing metaphors were a solid choice.
I was intensely bored in the beginning of this novel (so many times did I find myself needing a break in the monotony, despite the intriguing world-building), but luckily the plot picked up towards the end of the book. Plenty of lovely revelations.
Also, the dirtiest this gets is a couple of chaste kisses, and a vaguely insinuated paragraph.
April 24, 2014
I was a little bit disappointed with this book, probably because of initially high set expectations. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a very good book, perfectly stylized, reminiscent of adventure novels I read in my childhood. It’s a fantasy, for sure, and the world is vivid and detailed, but the story has more of a Dumas father feel to it: it’s romantic and heroic in an old-fashioned way, and emotionally – very reserved. So, while the two protagonists do have feelings for each other, there just wasn’t enough effort put into describing and detailing those feelings for me to relate. There’s no chemistry between the characters. There’s almost zero sexual tension.
I’ve chosen to think of it as an element of the genre rather than a flaw of this particular story (which is impressive, really). But still, it’s not a 5 star book to me.
I’ve chosen to think of it as an element of the genre rather than a flaw of this particular story (which is impressive, really). But still, it’s not a 5 star book to me.
June 16, 2014
Great first novel for this author. I really enjoyed the bird and castrati mythos built into this fantasy. There is wonderful world building here, with suggestions at wider realms that are likely to come into play in the rest of the series. The book ended with its own climax and completion, yet with hints of more to come, which has not always been the case in the books I've read that are part of series. The main character, Willim, is appealing, and the rest of the cast are well fleshed out and play an active role in this epic.
I thought the chemistry between Willim and Grayson could have been developed a little more - a little too much was hinted at; could have used a little more ending up on the page. I like them both, and hope to see more develop in the coming books. I loved the Wing - great character. I'm looking forward to seeing where the author takes this story next.
I thought the chemistry between Willim and Grayson could have been developed a little more - a little too much was hinted at; could have used a little more ending up on the page. I like them both, and hope to see more develop in the coming books. I loved the Wing - great character. I'm looking forward to seeing where the author takes this story next.
December 24, 2013
Genre – fantasy, with the difference that many of the main characters are castratos. The world that the author has created is full of richness and colour. It is an involved story, and it takes a while to work out just who is who and what their role is. The book would be improved by a list of characters at the start, plus a table of the rankings of Songbirds. All the same, it is a rich world, a great story, and I am pleased that I bought it in paperback for ease of reading. This is one that has made it to my permanent bookshelp (and I’m picky these days) and will be read time and again. Recommended.
August 16, 2014
Оргазм орнитологам гарантирован! Пятьдесят восемь всяких наименований птиц, сложная иерархия, запутанный мир, ну и мальчики восемьнадцати лет конечно...
Четверка не потому, что понравилось, и даже не потому что дочитала (потому что не дочитала). Книга объективно хорошая! С сюжетом, слоями переживаний, оригинальная, качественная. Но не моя :(
Четверка не потому, что понравилось, и даже не потому что дочитала (потому что не дочитала). Книга объективно хорошая! С сюжетом, слоями переживаний, оригинальная, качественная. Но не моя :(
December 23, 2015
Great reading. I hesitate to shelf it under m-m because there is some romantical male male involvement but it is all fade to black and very light and HFN . It is certainly no main part of the story. It is a fantasy not a romance book.
I loved the world building and the stories main and side characters. I can recommend it to readers who love their fantasy with a bit of m/m thrown in.
I loved the world building and the stories main and side characters. I can recommend it to readers who love their fantasy with a bit of m/m thrown in.
April 28, 2019
I read the first 60% in one sitting and was really enjoying it, and then I put it down for a minute and got massively distracted by hockey for the next five months and forgot to pick it back up again. Honestly, the last 40% was pretty confusing because I'd forgotten who everyone was and what the stories of the songbirds were.
December 3, 2020
3.5 rounded up to 4 to be nice
This book, sadly, falls into the category of books I call 'books where the author thinks they're so clever'. no, I'm not insulting the author, just saying this book carries a lot of the same flaws as books written by authors who think they're smarter than the readers, meaning books where all the side characters say and do cryptic things in order to set up plot twists later on. now, this is totally fine if the book follows a single character's point of view. but once you start switching perspectives, all those cryptic things become smarmy teases. if a character says something cryptic and then the perspective changes to that character, the reader better know right away what they're thinking and keeping secret. otherwise, just write it from a singular point of view, since the reader is being kept in the dark just as much as the main character (essentially, the Dove, in this book).
also, the worldbuilding in this book is horrendous. I almost dropped it at the 25% point because I was sick of being confused at the little teases of worldbuilding. it's fine to slowly build your world, but to have a character think something when we're reading their perspective and not give a little context with their thoughts that helps the reader understand isn't good worldbuilding at all. it's just frustrating. a good example of this is the whole deal with the "bleeding". such a big deal is made out of the songbirds being bled, and then **spoiler** it took half the book to find that out.
This book, sadly, falls into the category of books I call 'books where the author thinks they're so clever'. no, I'm not insulting the author, just saying this book carries a lot of the same flaws as books written by authors who think they're smarter than the readers, meaning books where all the side characters say and do cryptic things in order to set up plot twists later on. now, this is totally fine if the book follows a single character's point of view. but once you start switching perspectives, all those cryptic things become smarmy teases. if a character says something cryptic and then the perspective changes to that character, the reader better know right away what they're thinking and keeping secret. otherwise, just write it from a singular point of view, since the reader is being kept in the dark just as much as the main character (essentially, the Dove, in this book).
also, the worldbuilding in this book is horrendous. I almost dropped it at the 25% point because I was sick of being confused at the little teases of worldbuilding. it's fine to slowly build your world, but to have a character think something when we're reading their perspective and not give a little context with their thoughts that helps the reader understand isn't good worldbuilding at all. it's just frustrating. a good example of this is the whole deal with the "bleeding". such a big deal is made out of the songbirds being bled, and then **spoiler** it took half the book to find that out.
June 1, 2025
“faith and love can lead a man to his lowest depths and to his highest pinnacles”
I think this was such an interesting fantasy book, I thought it had such a unique world and system (all of the individuals are named after birds and their power is through song, praising their saints and trying to have the power to sing down heaven in their time of need.) I really enjoyed this new and fresh idea. my issue was I think the world building could’ve been written in a way that was easier to follow and explained the lore of the world better- you didn’t get an explanation until mid way but by that point you’re kinda already lost.
I did really enjoyed the characters and their development though, and the MLM romance throughout was so romantic and beautiful. I think the world and characters combined made for a great story it could just do with some fine tuning but I’d still recommend.
I think this was such an interesting fantasy book, I thought it had such a unique world and system (all of the individuals are named after birds and their power is through song, praising their saints and trying to have the power to sing down heaven in their time of need.) I really enjoyed this new and fresh idea. my issue was I think the world building could’ve been written in a way that was easier to follow and explained the lore of the world better- you didn’t get an explanation until mid way but by that point you’re kinda already lost.
I did really enjoyed the characters and their development though, and the MLM romance throughout was so romantic and beautiful. I think the world and characters combined made for a great story it could just do with some fine tuning but I’d still recommend.
April 20, 2020
A well deserved 4.5 star read. Fantastic world building (think Renaissance castrati, medieval papal-court political subterfuge/intrigue and epic high fantasy all blended together), a full cast of wonderfully drawn characters, cracking plot pacing plus humor! What more could I ask for really? Perhaps a sequel? Especially since I cannot find any subsequent publishing from the author ... and whilst the ending does come to a satisfying conclusion, there are still many possible story-line threads left unwoven.
December 11, 2019
This is the first book I purchased because of a "visit my soundcloud" tweet and for $2 I was not disappointed. I love the religious system, am disappointed there isn't a second novel, and frankly I've read *significantly* worse pro-fic - I checked to see the publisher after I finished and was surprised it was self-published.
There's a few sentences that are hinky on race - they really stand out in an otherwise fine novel.
There's a few sentences that are hinky on race - they really stand out in an otherwise fine novel.
June 11, 2025
3.25⭐️
Unique world building and magic system. I wish it was explained way earlier, though. The first half is confusing, you don’t understand what’s going on and why which is not engaging at all and quite annoying.
Unique world building and magic system. I wish it was explained way earlier, though. The first half is confusing, you don’t understand what’s going on and why which is not engaging at all and quite annoying.
March 30, 2020
4.5/5
Goddamnit was this good. I am amazed and sad that this books doesn't get the attention it absolutely deserves.
Goddamnit was this good. I am amazed and sad that this books doesn't get the attention it absolutely deserves.
Want to read
December 2, 202002 Dec 2020
paused at like, two pages in.
1. Yet another victim of my mood-reading. I actually really like the prose and do want to read more of it but like- not now.
paused at like, two pages in.
1. Yet another victim of my mood-reading. I actually really like the prose and do want to read more of it but like- not now.
September 7, 2024
I‘m giving this the full five stars because the only complaint I have is that I wanted there to be more.
December 18, 2024
Simply magnificent. Such a pity this was abandoned.
Extraordinary worldbuilding, unique storyline.
Extraordinary worldbuilding, unique storyline.
October 12, 2013
I bought Evensong's Heir because I saw the writer was self-published and I heard something about queer boys and birds. The cover art is pretty, and I had a few bucks to spend. I'm not really sure what I was expecting; I saw some friends posting about it a lot and did it on a whim. And Holy shit was it worth it.
Spoilers after this warning! Tread carefully. ;_; BUT SERIOUSLY BUY THIS BOOK IT'S SO GOOD. THE TL;DR OF EVERYTHING IS I WOULD BUY THIS BOOK 10X OVER.
I've sort of fallen into the world of Valnon and haven't quite been able to get out. Though I don't particularly want to, it's still a bit of a frightening prospecet, considering I have to pack, and NaNo plan, and probably bathe at some point. (I jest-- but really, this book is awesome.) It is an easy thing to do, though: the characters are beyond lovable, the writing is never pretentious for the sake of pretention, and is still filled with really beautiful descriptions (the ones most clelarly in my mind are Willim collapsing the ship for Grayson and I have a few spots bookmarked of scenery descriptions.) On top of that, I don't think I've read a book where I stanned every single woman-identified character in the story. I don't mean the sort of stanning that one does when there's tons of vitriol and hostility toward women characters. Real stanning. As in, "Wow, these ladies are so well thought-out and there's so much love and care put into them and it hasn't even been a full chapter."
The story itself is compelling and I never had a period where I felt bored or like it was a chore to get to the next part. The main romance in the book is perfect and it's clear why the two warmed up to each other. All of their scenes together had me grinning or trying not to tear up or yell to everyone in my vicinity how happy they made me. Like, this is a really amazing, funny, stop-pulling-on-my-heartstrings queer canon romance, and we get kisses. By the end of the book, I was just so pleased that while it didn't end like some fairy-tale dream, it still stayed optimistic. It's something I really needed, I think, and something I appreciated most. A queer romance with a fairly happy ending? I felt positively spoiled.
That isn't to say that the book itself doesn't have its angsty or sad parts, thought, it's just usually bittersweet. The sad parts never felt excessive and unnecessary: they're done in the right spots and with the right pacing. It wrenches your heart and makes you feel compassion and empathy for everyone experiencing it, and is never graphic for shock value. I finished it and thought, 'Oh, wow, hey. I had a wide range of emotions ranging from disconsolate to euphoric and got out of it feeling like everything would be okay, even if it may not be perfect.' That takes talent, guys. It's easy to throw your readers into a pit of despair so that they keep reading to see if it'll ever look up, but to end a book on a happy note while retaining the mystery of, 'Oh shit, what the hell is gonna happen next?' that is something I can nod my head and go, 'Yeah, that takes talent.'
Besides that, the world is fun with its own political nuance, the characters are fleshed out and have clear, distinct personalities (this, I think, is the strongest point in the book), the relationships that exist between everyone never feels like they're conflicting or inciting unnecessary drama (and some are beautiful, frankly: Willim & Ellis, Rouen & Grayson, even Eothan & Reim's relationship was so multi-faceted and interesting for the couple of pages we got). Like I said earlier, everything is done in the right spots at the right time and never exploited to generate unnecessary subplots for the sake of subplots.
My only regret is that I wish I had this book in high school. I'm very much into it right now, but I can tell that the past me who struggled a lot with sexuality and gender stuff would have really appreciated having such a positive, happy messages around queer people. Like, hey guys, this is a thing that's possible! We can stop queerbaiting now! Look, we can be happy and thought out and make for awesome stories, too! Stories with great worlds and an awesome plot with drama and resolution and whatever else you think queers can't have in stories!
I'm definitely going to read again, and make fanmixes, and draw fanart, and not talk to any of my friends until they've bought and read this book. And, like, y'all should, too. I promise you won't be even a little bit disappointed.
June 28, 2016
Ce roman est pour moi original, avec un univers fantasy complexe et envoûtant.
Je dois vous avouer qu'au départ j'ai eu du mal à entrer complètement dans l'histoire, tant les informations et les descriptions m'arrivaient à profusion. Puis, à mesure de ma lecture, j'y suis entrée, doucement mais sûrement, et je me suis prise d'affection pour Willim et Grayson. Deux personnages opposés mais si complémentaires, si fidèles.
Willim est ce qu'on appelle dans l'histoire un Oiseau Chanteur, mais plus encore La Colombe.
Grayson est ce qui s’apparente à un mercenaire.
Vous verrez qu'ils sont bien plus que cela.
Ces deux destins complètement différents vont se télescoper et s'unir pour découvrir tout un complot habilement mené et construit par l'auteur. Nous allons de surprises en surprises, de paysages en paysages, de coutumes et coutumes. C'est un beau voyage pour les yeux et les sens que nous offre L.S. Baird.
Autour de nos deux personnages principaux, d'autres sont tout aussi importants, et verront chacun un bout de leur histoire personnelle se construire au fil des pages. Beaucoup de révélation sur leur identité également vous feront vous dire : "Ah ouais !"
J'ai aimé la relation qui se tisse très lentement entre Willim et Grayson. Pas à pas, ils vont se découvrir, se dévoiler, s'avouer. Les aveux de Grayson sur ses blessures du passé sont assez émouvantes. En tout cas c'est ce que j'ai ressenti à leur lecture, de la peine et une amertume qui le consume, mais surtout, ce déclic sur ses sentiments pour Willim et pour cet amour passé.
Willim est subtil, fin, élégant. Aux révélations de Grayson, il sera touché et honoré d'être un confident.
Leur relation n'est qu'en toile de fond de ce qui se passe tout au long du roman. Elle vient adoucir un univers où la guerre se prépare, où la trahison et le mensonge sont omniprésent.
Ce roman est un ensemble riche et très détaillé de l'univers créé par l'auteur. De belles descriptions, de beaux paysages, où vous avez l'impression de voguer à votre guise. A travers tout plein de petits détails, nous voyons le soin particulier qu'à apporté L.S Baird à ceci, à ce monde fantasy. Peut-être un peu trop d'ailleurs, car personnellement, je me suis un peu perdue parfois dans des explications et descriptions un peu trop longues.
Je dois dire que je suis tombée sous le charme de Willim et Grayson, Willim pour sa sensibilité, sa douceur, Grayson pour son côté plus rustre, mais tout aussi doux. Quand l'auteur nous narre le chant de Willim, j'ai comme été envoûtée, charmée. C'est beau, c'est puissant.
La plume de l'auteur est un enchantement, d'une douceur incomparable, qui, d'un coup, peut se transformer en noirceur, en horreur, puis, la seconde d'après, vous procure une pause par l'humour. Beaucoup d'émotions diverses m'ont traversée à la lecture de ce livre, de la stupeur, de l'attendrissement, du dégoût, de l'étonnement, de la joie et de l'espoir.
Bref, après avoir eu un peu de mal au début, avec une intrigue un peu lente à se mettre en place, je dois dire que ma lecture a été un régal, et que j'ai eu du mal à m'en détacher. Les personnages inventés par l'auteur sont complexes, riches, bien détaillés, nous apportant de l'étonnement à chaque fois. Ils ont chacun leur caractère propre, leur humour et leur cœur. Des cœurs sincères et purs pour certains, des cœurs de pierres et d'amertume pour d'autre. Une histoire avec une intrigue habilement menée, qui tient la route et vous laisse en suspend sur le dénouement jusqu’à la fin. Un univers décrit avec soin, peut-être trop, mais avec qualité.
Une romance tout en délicatesse et pudeur, portée par une plume subtile et noble, avec des personnages forts et fragiles à la fois. Il y a de l'action à foison, des bagarres, du suspens, du rire, de la légèreté. Un bel ensemble pour un roman très riche et original.
La fin est juste, parfaite. Willim et Grayson sont sublimes, et je dois dire que j'ai hâte de lire la suite.
Je dois vous avouer qu'au départ j'ai eu du mal à entrer complètement dans l'histoire, tant les informations et les descriptions m'arrivaient à profusion. Puis, à mesure de ma lecture, j'y suis entrée, doucement mais sûrement, et je me suis prise d'affection pour Willim et Grayson. Deux personnages opposés mais si complémentaires, si fidèles.
Willim est ce qu'on appelle dans l'histoire un Oiseau Chanteur, mais plus encore La Colombe.
Grayson est ce qui s’apparente à un mercenaire.
Vous verrez qu'ils sont bien plus que cela.
Ces deux destins complètement différents vont se télescoper et s'unir pour découvrir tout un complot habilement mené et construit par l'auteur. Nous allons de surprises en surprises, de paysages en paysages, de coutumes et coutumes. C'est un beau voyage pour les yeux et les sens que nous offre L.S. Baird.
Autour de nos deux personnages principaux, d'autres sont tout aussi importants, et verront chacun un bout de leur histoire personnelle se construire au fil des pages. Beaucoup de révélation sur leur identité également vous feront vous dire : "Ah ouais !"
J'ai aimé la relation qui se tisse très lentement entre Willim et Grayson. Pas à pas, ils vont se découvrir, se dévoiler, s'avouer. Les aveux de Grayson sur ses blessures du passé sont assez émouvantes. En tout cas c'est ce que j'ai ressenti à leur lecture, de la peine et une amertume qui le consume, mais surtout, ce déclic sur ses sentiments pour Willim et pour cet amour passé.
Willim est subtil, fin, élégant. Aux révélations de Grayson, il sera touché et honoré d'être un confident.
Leur relation n'est qu'en toile de fond de ce qui se passe tout au long du roman. Elle vient adoucir un univers où la guerre se prépare, où la trahison et le mensonge sont omniprésent.
Ce roman est un ensemble riche et très détaillé de l'univers créé par l'auteur. De belles descriptions, de beaux paysages, où vous avez l'impression de voguer à votre guise. A travers tout plein de petits détails, nous voyons le soin particulier qu'à apporté L.S Baird à ceci, à ce monde fantasy. Peut-être un peu trop d'ailleurs, car personnellement, je me suis un peu perdue parfois dans des explications et descriptions un peu trop longues.
Je dois dire que je suis tombée sous le charme de Willim et Grayson, Willim pour sa sensibilité, sa douceur, Grayson pour son côté plus rustre, mais tout aussi doux. Quand l'auteur nous narre le chant de Willim, j'ai comme été envoûtée, charmée. C'est beau, c'est puissant.
La plume de l'auteur est un enchantement, d'une douceur incomparable, qui, d'un coup, peut se transformer en noirceur, en horreur, puis, la seconde d'après, vous procure une pause par l'humour. Beaucoup d'émotions diverses m'ont traversée à la lecture de ce livre, de la stupeur, de l'attendrissement, du dégoût, de l'étonnement, de la joie et de l'espoir.
Bref, après avoir eu un peu de mal au début, avec une intrigue un peu lente à se mettre en place, je dois dire que ma lecture a été un régal, et que j'ai eu du mal à m'en détacher. Les personnages inventés par l'auteur sont complexes, riches, bien détaillés, nous apportant de l'étonnement à chaque fois. Ils ont chacun leur caractère propre, leur humour et leur cœur. Des cœurs sincères et purs pour certains, des cœurs de pierres et d'amertume pour d'autre. Une histoire avec une intrigue habilement menée, qui tient la route et vous laisse en suspend sur le dénouement jusqu’à la fin. Un univers décrit avec soin, peut-être trop, mais avec qualité.
Une romance tout en délicatesse et pudeur, portée par une plume subtile et noble, avec des personnages forts et fragiles à la fois. Il y a de l'action à foison, des bagarres, du suspens, du rire, de la légèreté. Un bel ensemble pour un roman très riche et original.
La fin est juste, parfaite. Willim et Grayson sont sublimes, et je dois dire que j'ai hâte de lire la suite.
August 1, 2014
This story had me hooked from the very beginning. No sooner did my usually indifferent and tired eyeballs fall upon its first words did it begin to consume my life. I lost sleep over this book! Its vivid visuals, its painstakingly wonderful pacing, and all the mysteries and suspicions that really keep me turning pages because I just have to know!
I love the world Baird has molded, and it is probably the very first thing that caught my attention as I was reading.
The streets of Valnon had not been planned by a sane man. In fact, the idea that Valnon had been planned by anyone, regardless of mental faculties, was a notion that strained credulity. Valnon had simply happened wherever it took notion to do so. -Page 1
Just by those three sentences, I had my very first question of many that spurned me in feverish obsession through this book. What is this Valnon place and why does it sound so amazing? Page after page, all I could do was read on, to know more, to delve deeper into the secrets that were layered upon secrets and lies and caressed by music, music you could almost swear to feel as you read.
I read, in an interview with Baird, that she wanted to create a world where not being homosexual wasn't looked down upon. In fact, she wanted to create a world where no one thought twice about it. Where being a different from what we, in our realities, was not a matter of concern what so ever. She stressed how, even in the fantasy genre, not sticking to your sexual or gender conformity roles in society was something of an issue, even in our beloved Game of Thrones (which blazes through taboo issues with rocket mounted rollerblades). And as I read and read and consumed this book, losing precious sleep over this book, I began to realize how natural everything was. That things were such a non-issue that they never felt wrong or taboo, but as natural as all things and nothing of any concern. All things just were! I really appreciated the conviction in which Baird wrote this aspect of the story.
On top of that, she wrote with such balance that I applauded a few times throughout reading. Whenever someone things of something taboo, they immediately think of sex and forbidden romances, and while the story had romantic elements as some personalities mixed (as real life often displays), this is no romance. As I finished the last line of the book and looked around at my room, rising from the infectious depths of this world, of Valnon and all of its history and all of its events, I felt as if I read a great adventure and a story, no, a song that those in Valnon would forever sing. Not only was it an adventure, but also a journey through all the mysterious and a journey for the characters to grow, find themselves, and discover who they are. It was funny, it was entirely enthralling, and it was beautiful, and even now I miss that place, but as tightly as Baird gripped me with the first lines of her story, she ended it both neat and yet with enough yearning to keep me up at hours, thinking of Valnon and all of her mysteries and all of her greatness.
Damn. Its been a long time since I've had this feeling after reading a book. I definitely recommend it to anyone interested in something with lots of action and mystery and beauty. I heard Baird was writing another. I wait as patient as a hungry lion on the hide of a zeebra!
I love the world Baird has molded, and it is probably the very first thing that caught my attention as I was reading.
The streets of Valnon had not been planned by a sane man. In fact, the idea that Valnon had been planned by anyone, regardless of mental faculties, was a notion that strained credulity. Valnon had simply happened wherever it took notion to do so. -Page 1
Just by those three sentences, I had my very first question of many that spurned me in feverish obsession through this book. What is this Valnon place and why does it sound so amazing? Page after page, all I could do was read on, to know more, to delve deeper into the secrets that were layered upon secrets and lies and caressed by music, music you could almost swear to feel as you read.
I read, in an interview with Baird, that she wanted to create a world where not being homosexual wasn't looked down upon. In fact, she wanted to create a world where no one thought twice about it. Where being a different from what we, in our realities, was not a matter of concern what so ever. She stressed how, even in the fantasy genre, not sticking to your sexual or gender conformity roles in society was something of an issue, even in our beloved Game of Thrones (which blazes through taboo issues with rocket mounted rollerblades). And as I read and read and consumed this book, losing precious sleep over this book, I began to realize how natural everything was. That things were such a non-issue that they never felt wrong or taboo, but as natural as all things and nothing of any concern. All things just were! I really appreciated the conviction in which Baird wrote this aspect of the story.
On top of that, she wrote with such balance that I applauded a few times throughout reading. Whenever someone things of something taboo, they immediately think of sex and forbidden romances, and while the story had romantic elements as some personalities mixed (as real life often displays), this is no romance. As I finished the last line of the book and looked around at my room, rising from the infectious depths of this world, of Valnon and all of its history and all of its events, I felt as if I read a great adventure and a story, no, a song that those in Valnon would forever sing. Not only was it an adventure, but also a journey through all the mysterious and a journey for the characters to grow, find themselves, and discover who they are. It was funny, it was entirely enthralling, and it was beautiful, and even now I miss that place, but as tightly as Baird gripped me with the first lines of her story, she ended it both neat and yet with enough yearning to keep me up at hours, thinking of Valnon and all of her mysteries and all of her greatness.
Damn. Its been a long time since I've had this feeling after reading a book. I definitely recommend it to anyone interested in something with lots of action and mystery and beauty. I heard Baird was writing another. I wait as patient as a hungry lion on the hide of a zeebra!
October 25, 2016
Attention, coup de cœur en vue !
Je l’ai senti au moment même où je débutais ce livre, malgré un résumé qui peut sembler très confus.
En effet, les premiers pas peuvent être assez difficiles parce qu’on est projetés d’un seul coup dans un univers déjà en place, très caractérisé, et qu’on ne découvre qu’au fur et à mesure des événements.
Notre porte d’entrée, c’est Grayson, un mercenaire de la Ville souterraine qui se rend au Temple de Valnon pour répondre à l’appel d’un de ses anciens amis. Là, il retrouve un monde qu’il a connu plus jeune, un monde qui tourne autour de trois oiseaux chanteurs qui cadencent les journées au rythme de leurs chants.
Mais dans l’ombre, quelqu’un cherche à tuer Willim, la Colombe, tellement rare qu’il n’est que le troisième à porter ce titre. Grayson entre donc à son service en tant que garde du corps, promettant de protéger cette perle rare.
A travers un récit très soutenu, on suit donc les pérégrinations des fuyards, cherchant à échapper à ceux qui veulent leurs morts. Heureusement, ils ne sont pas seuls dans leur périple et les deux autres oiseaux chanteurs, Dmitir l’Alouette et Ellis la Grive, sont partis avec eux.
Chacun de ces personnages a son propre caractère, et c’est un régal de les accompagner.
La narration s’attache à présenter les points de vue de chaque protagoniste, y compris celui des opposants. C’est un procédé très agréable, qui permet de ménager le suspense tout en nous ouvrant aux motivations et aux pensées des uns et des autres. Ainsi, chacun est compréhensible à son niveau et j’ai aimé savoir ce qu’ils avaient en tête.
Il y a bien une romance dans le récit. Mais elle est tellement ténue que ceux qui ne sont pas adeptes du genre peuvent tout de même apprécier la lecture. En effet, c’est sur l’univers, particulièrement riche, que l’accent est mis. C’est de la fantasy à très haut niveau, du genre qui dépayse complètement, avec des légendes anciennes, des malédictions, de la religion, des pirates, des costumes et une royauté dirigée par les femmes.
C’est complexe, il ne vaut mieux pas lâcher son récit trop longtemps sous peine d’être perdu. Mais c’est aussi tellement prenant que je n’en ai pas du tout eu envie et que j’ai dévoré chaque page assez avidement.
Toutes les émotions sont présentes, et malgré des débuts qui peuvent sembler difficiles pour s’immerger dans l’univers, c’est un régal, notamment grâce à des personnages qui sont particulièrement bien travaillés, même les plus secondaires, et à une écriture très solide.
Dernier point, qui n’est pas forcément un détail, si cet ouvrage est présenté comme un premier tome, il se suffit aussi à lui même.
L’histoire paraît bouclée et, si on peut très bien imaginer la mise en place d’une suite, elle ne paraît pas indispensable et satisfera donc ceux qui n’ont pas envie d’attendre.
Je l’ai senti au moment même où je débutais ce livre, malgré un résumé qui peut sembler très confus.
En effet, les premiers pas peuvent être assez difficiles parce qu’on est projetés d’un seul coup dans un univers déjà en place, très caractérisé, et qu’on ne découvre qu’au fur et à mesure des événements.
Notre porte d’entrée, c’est Grayson, un mercenaire de la Ville souterraine qui se rend au Temple de Valnon pour répondre à l’appel d’un de ses anciens amis. Là, il retrouve un monde qu’il a connu plus jeune, un monde qui tourne autour de trois oiseaux chanteurs qui cadencent les journées au rythme de leurs chants.
Mais dans l’ombre, quelqu’un cherche à tuer Willim, la Colombe, tellement rare qu’il n’est que le troisième à porter ce titre. Grayson entre donc à son service en tant que garde du corps, promettant de protéger cette perle rare.
A travers un récit très soutenu, on suit donc les pérégrinations des fuyards, cherchant à échapper à ceux qui veulent leurs morts. Heureusement, ils ne sont pas seuls dans leur périple et les deux autres oiseaux chanteurs, Dmitir l’Alouette et Ellis la Grive, sont partis avec eux.
Chacun de ces personnages a son propre caractère, et c’est un régal de les accompagner.
La narration s’attache à présenter les points de vue de chaque protagoniste, y compris celui des opposants. C’est un procédé très agréable, qui permet de ménager le suspense tout en nous ouvrant aux motivations et aux pensées des uns et des autres. Ainsi, chacun est compréhensible à son niveau et j’ai aimé savoir ce qu’ils avaient en tête.
Il y a bien une romance dans le récit. Mais elle est tellement ténue que ceux qui ne sont pas adeptes du genre peuvent tout de même apprécier la lecture. En effet, c’est sur l’univers, particulièrement riche, que l’accent est mis. C’est de la fantasy à très haut niveau, du genre qui dépayse complètement, avec des légendes anciennes, des malédictions, de la religion, des pirates, des costumes et une royauté dirigée par les femmes.
C’est complexe, il ne vaut mieux pas lâcher son récit trop longtemps sous peine d’être perdu. Mais c’est aussi tellement prenant que je n’en ai pas du tout eu envie et que j’ai dévoré chaque page assez avidement.
Toutes les émotions sont présentes, et malgré des débuts qui peuvent sembler difficiles pour s’immerger dans l’univers, c’est un régal, notamment grâce à des personnages qui sont particulièrement bien travaillés, même les plus secondaires, et à une écriture très solide.
Dernier point, qui n’est pas forcément un détail, si cet ouvrage est présenté comme un premier tome, il se suffit aussi à lui même.
L’histoire paraît bouclée et, si on peut très bien imaginer la mise en place d’une suite, elle ne paraît pas indispensable et satisfera donc ceux qui n’ont pas envie d’attendre.
October 7, 2013
This book, to put it simply, is absolutely fantastic.
I finished the book about a week or so ago, and ever since I’ve been trying to think of the right words to write an actual review. Still, no matter how many times I rewrite this, I don’t believe that I’ll ever be able to fully justify the magic of this story with a simple review.
I had actually stumbled up on this book by pure chance—the cover was what had originally caught my attention, I hadn’t seen anything like it before—so of course, I was instantly curious.
And then I read the first page.
I was hooked from the opening sentence, and I was immediately taken to a world where Temple birds--a young Dove, Lark, and Thrush--sang to the divines with the most heavenly of voices (oh yeah, and a broad-shouldered, sexy sell-sword, who has more to him than meets the eye). The imagery, the description, the music…all waiting for me once I decided to open Valnon's door. So, I bought it on my kindle first because I didn’t want to have to wait for the paperback to delve even further into Mrs. Baird’s world. I couldn’t put it down! I’d stay up late into the night, having to force myself to put it down and sleep sometime around 2:00 a.m. every morning for three days. When I reached the last chapter, I was at a loss. I so didn’t want it to be over! But, at the same time, I needed to finish, and when I did, it was difficult for me to form a complete, coherent thought.
I’m currently waiting (impatiently, mind you) for the physical copy to come in the mail; and when it arrives, the first thing I’m going to do is read it again!
I haven’t enjoyed a book this much in a long time…but not only was it a beautiful story that had me clapping, squealing with joy, and so engrossed that it is STILL all I can think about, but the story itself was a motivation for me, personally. I'm so thankful to L.S. Baird for sharing her world with us, and I can hardly wait for future installments!
I’ll finish off by saying that if you’re even considering reading this book—do so. You won’t regret it.
May the Music of Valnon always be with you!
I finished the book about a week or so ago, and ever since I’ve been trying to think of the right words to write an actual review. Still, no matter how many times I rewrite this, I don’t believe that I’ll ever be able to fully justify the magic of this story with a simple review.
I had actually stumbled up on this book by pure chance—the cover was what had originally caught my attention, I hadn’t seen anything like it before—so of course, I was instantly curious.
And then I read the first page.
I was hooked from the opening sentence, and I was immediately taken to a world where Temple birds--a young Dove, Lark, and Thrush--sang to the divines with the most heavenly of voices (oh yeah, and a broad-shouldered, sexy sell-sword, who has more to him than meets the eye). The imagery, the description, the music…all waiting for me once I decided to open Valnon's door. So, I bought it on my kindle first because I didn’t want to have to wait for the paperback to delve even further into Mrs. Baird’s world. I couldn’t put it down! I’d stay up late into the night, having to force myself to put it down and sleep sometime around 2:00 a.m. every morning for three days. When I reached the last chapter, I was at a loss. I so didn’t want it to be over! But, at the same time, I needed to finish, and when I did, it was difficult for me to form a complete, coherent thought.
I’m currently waiting (impatiently, mind you) for the physical copy to come in the mail; and when it arrives, the first thing I’m going to do is read it again!
I haven’t enjoyed a book this much in a long time…but not only was it a beautiful story that had me clapping, squealing with joy, and so engrossed that it is STILL all I can think about, but the story itself was a motivation for me, personally. I'm so thankful to L.S. Baird for sharing her world with us, and I can hardly wait for future installments!
I’ll finish off by saying that if you’re even considering reading this book—do so. You won’t regret it.
May the Music of Valnon always be with you!
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