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Bardic Voices #2
The Robin & the Kestrel
Rune, Robin and Nightingale
together they will save us all.
(If we're very lucky)
Rune: She ran away from an abusive home to become the greatest violinist her world had ever known—and when The Ghost of Skull Hill tried to stop her, she played him to sleep!
Robin: No mean musician herself, she must make her own visit to Skull Hill—to recruit the dreadful ghost to their cause.
Nightingale: Alone she could accomplish nothing. So she joined forces with T'fyrr, a strange nonhuman with the face of a raptor and the voice of an angelic choir.
This unlikely set of heroes had the daunting task of saving the King—and through him the Gypsies, Free Bards, and non-humans of the twenty kingdoms. Fortunately, their opponents had no idea how potent a weapon music could be . . . .
At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (DRM Rights Management).
together they will save us all.
(If we're very lucky)
Rune: She ran away from an abusive home to become the greatest violinist her world had ever known—and when The Ghost of Skull Hill tried to stop her, she played him to sleep!
Robin: No mean musician herself, she must make her own visit to Skull Hill—to recruit the dreadful ghost to their cause.
Nightingale: Alone she could accomplish nothing. So she joined forces with T'fyrr, a strange nonhuman with the face of a raptor and the voice of an angelic choir.
This unlikely set of heroes had the daunting task of saving the King—and through him the Gypsies, Free Bards, and non-humans of the twenty kingdoms. Fortunately, their opponents had no idea how potent a weapon music could be . . . .
At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (DRM Rights Management).
403 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 1993
89 people are currently reading
1288 people want to read
About the author
Mercedes Lackey
441 books9,536 followersMercedes entered this world on June 24, 1950, in Chicago, had a normal childhood and graduated from Purdue University in 1972. During the late 70's she worked as an artist's model and then went into the computer programming field, ending up with American Airlines in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In addition to her fantasy writing, she has written lyrics for and recorded nearly fifty songs for Firebird Arts & Music, a small recording company specializing in science fiction folk music.
"I'm a storyteller; that's what I see as 'my job'. My stories come out of my characters; how those characters would react to the given situation. Maybe that's why I get letters from readers as young as thirteen and as old as sixty-odd. One of the reasons I write song lyrics is because I see songs as a kind of 'story pill' -- they reduce a story to the barest essentials or encapsulate a particular crucial moment in time. I frequently will write a lyric when I am attempting to get to the heart of a crucial scene; I find that when I have done so, the scene has become absolutely clear in my mind, and I can write exactly what I wanted to say. Another reason is because of the kind of novels I am writing: that is, fantasy, set in an other-world semi-medieval atmosphere. Music is very important to medieval peoples; bards are the chief newsbringers. When I write the 'folk music' of these peoples, I am enriching my whole world, whether I actually use the song in the text or not.
"I began writing out of boredom; I continue out of addiction. I can't 'not' write, and as a result I have no social life! I began writing fantasy because I love it, but I try to construct my fantasy worlds with all the care of a 'high-tech' science fiction writer. I apply the principle of TANSTAAFL ['There ain't no such thing as free lunch', credited to Robert Heinlein) to magic, for instance; in my worlds, magic is paid for, and the cost to the magician is frequently a high one. I try to keep my world as solid and real as possible; people deal with stubborn pumps, bugs in the porridge, and love-lives that refuse to become untangled, right along with invading armies and evil magicians. And I try to make all of my characters, even the 'evil magicians,' something more than flat stereotypes. Even evil magicians get up in the night and look for cookies, sometimes.
"I suppose that in everything I write I try to expound the creed I gave my character Diana Tregarde in Burning Water:
"There's no such thing as 'one, true way'; the only answers worth having are the ones you find for yourself; leave the world better than you found it. Love, freedom, and the chance to do some good -- they're the things worth living and dying for, and if you aren't willing to die for the things worth living for, you might as well turn in your membership in the human race."
Also writes as Misty Lackey
Author's website
"I'm a storyteller; that's what I see as 'my job'. My stories come out of my characters; how those characters would react to the given situation. Maybe that's why I get letters from readers as young as thirteen and as old as sixty-odd. One of the reasons I write song lyrics is because I see songs as a kind of 'story pill' -- they reduce a story to the barest essentials or encapsulate a particular crucial moment in time. I frequently will write a lyric when I am attempting to get to the heart of a crucial scene; I find that when I have done so, the scene has become absolutely clear in my mind, and I can write exactly what I wanted to say. Another reason is because of the kind of novels I am writing: that is, fantasy, set in an other-world semi-medieval atmosphere. Music is very important to medieval peoples; bards are the chief newsbringers. When I write the 'folk music' of these peoples, I am enriching my whole world, whether I actually use the song in the text or not.
"I began writing out of boredom; I continue out of addiction. I can't 'not' write, and as a result I have no social life! I began writing fantasy because I love it, but I try to construct my fantasy worlds with all the care of a 'high-tech' science fiction writer. I apply the principle of TANSTAAFL ['There ain't no such thing as free lunch', credited to Robert Heinlein) to magic, for instance; in my worlds, magic is paid for, and the cost to the magician is frequently a high one. I try to keep my world as solid and real as possible; people deal with stubborn pumps, bugs in the porridge, and love-lives that refuse to become untangled, right along with invading armies and evil magicians. And I try to make all of my characters, even the 'evil magicians,' something more than flat stereotypes. Even evil magicians get up in the night and look for cookies, sometimes.
"I suppose that in everything I write I try to expound the creed I gave my character Diana Tregarde in Burning Water:
"There's no such thing as 'one, true way'; the only answers worth having are the ones you find for yourself; leave the world better than you found it. Love, freedom, and the chance to do some good -- they're the things worth living and dying for, and if you aren't willing to die for the things worth living for, you might as well turn in your membership in the human race."
Also writes as Misty Lackey
Author's website
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
March 7, 2022
Second in the Bardic Voices fantasy series and revolving around the Free Bards. The couple focus is on the newlyweds, Robin and Johnny Brede.
My Take
It's a tale of bigotry that's being promoted by a "Church" that supposedly speaks of love and tolerance, but only approves of music or healing performed by their Guild allies or their own priests. Lackey makes an excellent point that an organized religion can claim that any action they take doesn't have to be justified. That their religion is the only real one. And it demonstrates the hypocrisy that can always be found in those who claim power.
Of undermining generations of cooperative progress. *Shiver* these authoritative actions remind me of the Nazis and of people who accept what they're told as long as it doesn't affect them. There's also a retreat back to treating women as "primitive, lascivious, and lewd", not even achieving second class citizenship!
There's quite a bit of back history at the start that explains what happened to Johnny and Bard Darian. It made me want to kick those arrogant bards!
Robin's relationship to Kestrel is what so many aspire to, a partnership of equals where the man assumes that if she says she can do it, she can.
Hmm, those Deliambrens. Lackey uses the Deliambrens to hint at this world having been so much more advanced before some catastrophe they call the Cataclysm. Okay, so you know how gadget-happy I am, and the Deliambren achievements are definitely a load of fun gadgets, lol.
I did have to laugh at Robin's bragging about Rune to the villagers of Westhaven. Those nasty people who had hoped to hear of her downfall, lol. It's that impetuous and curious nature of Robin's that leads her and Johnny into such troubles. An attitude that has Johnny questioning what he thought he knew of his wife.
Phew, The Robin and the Kestrel resolves the mystery of Carthell Abbey. Nasty, nasty, nasty!
It's a fascinating page-turner of a tale of horror, magic, and music using third person dual protagonist point-of-view from Robin's and Johnny's perspectives, and involving good versus evil with plenty of action.
The Story
There is a High King in these lands who rules over the Twenty Kings, but he's lost interest. An opportunity that leads to rising unrest that isn't helped by the Bardic Guild and the Church working together to cause problems for any being who isn't them, especially those immoral Free Bards.
Problems that include warning the populace to avoid hiring Free Bards, preaching morality, destroying trade and businesses that cater to travelers.
It's an upset that finds Johnny and Gwyna going undercover in Gradford to learn who's behind this new severe tyranny.
The Characters
Johnny Brede, a.k.a. Free Bard Kestrel or Prince Sional, ( The Lark and the Wren , 1). Free Bard Robin, a.k.a. Gwyna, is Kestrel's new bride, a gypsy with a talent for lyrics. In Gradford, they'll become Jonny and Jina Brede, traders in God-Stars. Robin will also be "Reba" the daughter of Long Robere. Later she'll pretend to be Rowen Woolwright, Orlina's sister.
"Lord" Harperus, a.k.a. Old Owl, is both humanlike and yet similar to an owl — a Deliambren, drives the most amazing wagon! He's also an honorary Free Bard for all the help he provides. His traveling companion, T'fyrr, is a Haspur, a bird-man, a folklorist who is collecting songs. Erdric is another, younger, Deliambren, who lives in Kingsford.
The Free Bards were . . .
. . . formed by Free Bard Master Talaysen, a.k.a. Master Wren, who had once been known as Master Gwydain, a famed bard in every kingdom for his skill and songs. Free Bard Rune, a.k.a. Lady Lark ( The Lark and the Wren ), is wed to Talaysen and both have been appointed the court Bards of Birnam — Talaysen is actually the Laurel Bard to the throne! Linnet, Gannet, Blackbird, and Nightingale, who plays the harp, are more Free Bards whom we first met in The Lark and the Wren . Peregrine is a Gypsy mage and Elf-Friend.
The Stillwater Waymeet . . .
. . . is just off a main trade road. Jackdaw is of the Guitan Clan and has a knack with penny-whistles. Oakhart is a cartwright.
Gradford is . . .
. . . a Free-Trade City without a Sire but with a High Bishop, Padrik, who could have been a Count. The Cathedral Constables, a.k.a. the Guards of Public Morality, are yet more hypocrites, visiting the brothels they may be ordered to close down.
Robere Patsono, the leader of the Pastsono Gypsy Clan, helps with Padrik's miracles as do Little Robere, Bald Robere, Tammio Blackbear, Mindy, Rosa, Gray Tombere, and Berto Lightfingers.
Rodrick Cunart is a pack-trader. Master Tomas and his daughter, Juli, sell raw materials. The Singing Bird is an inn with Wylie as the innkeeper. Lady Orlina Woolwright is one of the Mayor's Councilors and a Master in the Weaver's Guild.
The Warren is a slum neighborhood that offers refuge where Donnar is the owner of the Empty Keg. Shawn Tailor's offers personal "fittings". Ardana Bodkin is a seamstress specializing in ecclesiastical robes. She also runs the House of Penitents as a madam. Sisters Tera, Jasmine, and Krystal are some of Ardana's "nuns".
Westhaven is . . .
. . . the village Rune came from. The Hungry Bear is the inn where Stara, Rune's slut of a mother, has married Jeoff, the innkeeper. Annie Cook is the inn's cook. Mother Tolley sells the freshest bread. Hill and Warren are two of the three bullies who had picked on Rune. Skull Hill, a.k.a. Bare Hill, is where the murderous Ghost haunts the land. The Priest of Westhaven had tried to banish the ghost.
Carthell Abbey knows . . .
. . . all about the Ghost of Skull Hill. Brother Pierce is beyond grumpy. Brother Reymond is the worried Abbey Librarian.
The Kingdom of Birnam
The rotten King Charlis had been Sional's father. Master Darian had been the Guild Bard who escaped with the prince. King Rolend had been Charlis' brother who staged an uprising.
Deliambrens have a reputation for wizardry mechanics and information brokering; they are said to live in Bendjin, a Free Republic with no Kings, Sires, or Dukes. The Fortress is a refuge where the Deliambrens can hole up and outlast a generation.
Alanda appears to be the world that includes the twenty human kingdoms as well as Bendjin and other non-human kingdoms. The King of Rayden is neglecting his duties as well.
A Waymeet is a permanent camping place set up by the Gypsies, a place to which Gypsies can retire, where non-Gypsies can camp for a fee, where a market provides provender, bathhouses and laundries are available, and repairs can be accomplished.
Adaestra music is as much magic as music and reputed to have the power to control spirits and souls. Beguilers are creatures that hypnotize their victims and lure them into swamps. Treekies are nocturnal bloodsuckers.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a collage of events with the ghostly hand reaching out for an older Gypsy on the right with Johnny and Robin rearing back on the left at the foot of the stairs that lead up into a sunny background of the leaning glowing buildings of Gradford. There are dark vertical borders on either side. At the very top is a red-outlined, yellow box with the author's name in black. Immediately below it is a series blurb in a black-outlined white. Below this is the title in a wider black outline with thin lines of red surrounding the yellow text. Below that, on the left, is the series information in a shaped pale yellow box with a thin red-outline and the series name in black and an oval black box with the series number in a royal blue.
The title is who this tale is all about, The Robin and the Kestrel.
My Take
It's a tale of bigotry that's being promoted by a "Church" that supposedly speaks of love and tolerance, but only approves of music or healing performed by their Guild allies or their own priests. Lackey makes an excellent point that an organized religion can claim that any action they take doesn't have to be justified. That their religion is the only real one. And it demonstrates the hypocrisy that can always be found in those who claim power.
Of undermining generations of cooperative progress. *Shiver* these authoritative actions remind me of the Nazis and of people who accept what they're told as long as it doesn't affect them. There's also a retreat back to treating women as "primitive, lascivious, and lewd", not even achieving second class citizenship!
There's quite a bit of back history at the start that explains what happened to Johnny and Bard Darian. It made me want to kick those arrogant bards!
Robin's relationship to Kestrel is what so many aspire to, a partnership of equals where the man assumes that if she says she can do it, she can.
Hmm, those Deliambrens. Lackey uses the Deliambrens to hint at this world having been so much more advanced before some catastrophe they call the Cataclysm. Okay, so you know how gadget-happy I am, and the Deliambren achievements are definitely a load of fun gadgets, lol.
I did have to laugh at Robin's bragging about Rune to the villagers of Westhaven. Those nasty people who had hoped to hear of her downfall, lol. It's that impetuous and curious nature of Robin's that leads her and Johnny into such troubles. An attitude that has Johnny questioning what he thought he knew of his wife.
Phew, The Robin and the Kestrel resolves the mystery of Carthell Abbey. Nasty, nasty, nasty!
It's a fascinating page-turner of a tale of horror, magic, and music using third person dual protagonist point-of-view from Robin's and Johnny's perspectives, and involving good versus evil with plenty of action.
The Story
There is a High King in these lands who rules over the Twenty Kings, but he's lost interest. An opportunity that leads to rising unrest that isn't helped by the Bardic Guild and the Church working together to cause problems for any being who isn't them, especially those immoral Free Bards.
Problems that include warning the populace to avoid hiring Free Bards, preaching morality, destroying trade and businesses that cater to travelers.
It's an upset that finds Johnny and Gwyna going undercover in Gradford to learn who's behind this new severe tyranny.
The Characters
Johnny Brede, a.k.a. Free Bard Kestrel or Prince Sional, ( The Lark and the Wren , 1). Free Bard Robin, a.k.a. Gwyna, is Kestrel's new bride, a gypsy with a talent for lyrics. In Gradford, they'll become Jonny and Jina Brede, traders in God-Stars. Robin will also be "Reba" the daughter of Long Robere. Later she'll pretend to be Rowen Woolwright, Orlina's sister.
"Lord" Harperus, a.k.a. Old Owl, is both humanlike and yet similar to an owl — a Deliambren, drives the most amazing wagon! He's also an honorary Free Bard for all the help he provides. His traveling companion, T'fyrr, is a Haspur, a bird-man, a folklorist who is collecting songs. Erdric is another, younger, Deliambren, who lives in Kingsford.
The Free Bards were . . .
. . . formed by Free Bard Master Talaysen, a.k.a. Master Wren, who had once been known as Master Gwydain, a famed bard in every kingdom for his skill and songs. Free Bard Rune, a.k.a. Lady Lark ( The Lark and the Wren ), is wed to Talaysen and both have been appointed the court Bards of Birnam — Talaysen is actually the Laurel Bard to the throne! Linnet, Gannet, Blackbird, and Nightingale, who plays the harp, are more Free Bards whom we first met in The Lark and the Wren . Peregrine is a Gypsy mage and Elf-Friend.
The Stillwater Waymeet . . .
. . . is just off a main trade road. Jackdaw is of the Guitan Clan and has a knack with penny-whistles. Oakhart is a cartwright.
Gradford is . . .
. . . a Free-Trade City without a Sire but with a High Bishop, Padrik, who could have been a Count. The Cathedral Constables, a.k.a. the Guards of Public Morality, are yet more hypocrites, visiting the brothels they may be ordered to close down.
Robere Patsono, the leader of the Pastsono Gypsy Clan, helps with Padrik's miracles as do Little Robere, Bald Robere, Tammio Blackbear, Mindy, Rosa, Gray Tombere, and Berto Lightfingers.
Rodrick Cunart is a pack-trader. Master Tomas and his daughter, Juli, sell raw materials. The Singing Bird is an inn with Wylie as the innkeeper. Lady Orlina Woolwright is one of the Mayor's Councilors and a Master in the Weaver's Guild.
The Warren is a slum neighborhood that offers refuge where Donnar is the owner of the Empty Keg. Shawn Tailor's offers personal "fittings". Ardana Bodkin is a seamstress specializing in ecclesiastical robes. She also runs the House of Penitents as a madam. Sisters Tera, Jasmine, and Krystal are some of Ardana's "nuns".
Westhaven is . . .
. . . the village Rune came from. The Hungry Bear is the inn where Stara, Rune's slut of a mother, has married Jeoff, the innkeeper. Annie Cook is the inn's cook. Mother Tolley sells the freshest bread. Hill and Warren are two of the three bullies who had picked on Rune. Skull Hill, a.k.a. Bare Hill, is where the murderous Ghost haunts the land. The Priest of Westhaven had tried to banish the ghost.
Carthell Abbey knows . . .
. . . all about the Ghost of Skull Hill. Brother Pierce is beyond grumpy. Brother Reymond is the worried Abbey Librarian.
The Kingdom of Birnam
The rotten King Charlis had been Sional's father. Master Darian had been the Guild Bard who escaped with the prince. King Rolend had been Charlis' brother who staged an uprising.
Deliambrens have a reputation for wizardry mechanics and information brokering; they are said to live in Bendjin, a Free Republic with no Kings, Sires, or Dukes. The Fortress is a refuge where the Deliambrens can hole up and outlast a generation.
Alanda appears to be the world that includes the twenty human kingdoms as well as Bendjin and other non-human kingdoms. The King of Rayden is neglecting his duties as well.
A Waymeet is a permanent camping place set up by the Gypsies, a place to which Gypsies can retire, where non-Gypsies can camp for a fee, where a market provides provender, bathhouses and laundries are available, and repairs can be accomplished.
Adaestra music is as much magic as music and reputed to have the power to control spirits and souls. Beguilers are creatures that hypnotize their victims and lure them into swamps. Treekies are nocturnal bloodsuckers.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a collage of events with the ghostly hand reaching out for an older Gypsy on the right with Johnny and Robin rearing back on the left at the foot of the stairs that lead up into a sunny background of the leaning glowing buildings of Gradford. There are dark vertical borders on either side. At the very top is a red-outlined, yellow box with the author's name in black. Immediately below it is a series blurb in a black-outlined white. Below this is the title in a wider black outline with thin lines of red surrounding the yellow text. Below that, on the left, is the series information in a shaped pale yellow box with a thin red-outline and the series name in black and an oval black box with the series number in a royal blue.
The title is who this tale is all about, The Robin and the Kestrel.
March 24, 2021
Reread as part of my ongoing shelf audit. Verdict: Not a Lackey I'll return to.
(I happen to own only books 2 and 3 of this series. My decision stands for both, but I'm leaving my 2008 ratings in place for the rest of the series since I haven't reread them.)
Ultimately, I realized at the end of this book that I wanted to read a history of the world Lackey has created more than I wanted to read this actual story. I'm fascinated by this multi-species setting, with a mysterious magical Cataclysm in its past and references to historical spacefaring civilizations, but the narrative of this book isn't as interesting. I think it's a lack of try-fail cycles; the plot unfolds pretty steadily and with few real challenges, so the characters never feel like they've overcome or accomplished anything. They're not passive, but everything comes together so smoothly that it's just not very engaging.
I do remember having some real respect for Nightingale, Certified Xeno Fucker, so hat-tip to her even though I'm not rereading her book.
(I happen to own only books 2 and 3 of this series. My decision stands for both, but I'm leaving my 2008 ratings in place for the rest of the series since I haven't reread them.)
Ultimately, I realized at the end of this book that I wanted to read a history of the world Lackey has created more than I wanted to read this actual story. I'm fascinated by this multi-species setting, with a mysterious magical Cataclysm in its past and references to historical spacefaring civilizations, but the narrative of this book isn't as interesting. I think it's a lack of try-fail cycles; the plot unfolds pretty steadily and with few real challenges, so the characters never feel like they've overcome or accomplished anything. They're not passive, but everything comes together so smoothly that it's just not very engaging.
I do remember having some real respect for Nightingale, Certified Xeno Fucker, so hat-tip to her even though I'm not rereading her book.
February 17, 2016
I enjoyed this book, but not quite as much as the first book. I didn’t like the main characters as much as I had liked Rune in the previous book. Rune had the better personality, and a common-sense attitude that made me root for her success. Robin, the main female character in this book, got on my nerves sometimes. She was less ethical and more inclined to take foolish or selfish actions without thinking things through. I liked her husband Kestrel better, but he wasn’t really a stand-out character for me.
The first 5% was a recap of Kestrel’s story from the previous book. I’d just finished that book the night before so this was not exactly riveting reading, and the recap wasn’t at all clever or subtle. The author might as well have labeled the first chapter “Recap”. Kestrel is standing in the pouring rain, cold and muddy, trying to get their wagon unstuck from a muddy pothole. Naturally he has nothing very pressing on his mind so he takes a moment to think about his entire life’s history…
The story did get more interesting after the recap and it became increasingly more interesting as the story progressed. The main premise is that there is growing prejudice against Free Bards, gypsies, and non-humans. This directly impacts our main characters because they are both members of the Free Bards and Robin is a gypsy. They also have friends who aren’t human. Robin and Kestrel therefore decide to try to find the source of these attitudes and determine how serious things are.
I downloaded this e-book years ago from the Baen Free Library. Hopefully it’s just this version, but there were a lot of OCR errors and it became quite distracting. For example, at one point our characters moved “aujay” from something. My finger had just starting to twitch in anticipation of being asked to look this strange word up in the dictionary when I realized our characters were actually moving “away”.
The book is written in a similar tone as the first book. It’s relatively light and fluffy and it’s a fast, easy read. Even though it tackles issues like prejudice, there wasn’t really anything unique or insightful about the way it was handled. It’s just a device to help tell a good story. There were some things brought up in this book that I’m hopeful we’ll learn more about in the next book. We met some interesting non-human characters but didn’t get to learn a lot about them. There were also a lot of references to a Cataclysm and the implication that the world was at a higher level of technology before that event, so I’m curious about that.
According to the Goodreads series page, there's another book set between this second book and the third book called A Cast of Corbies and numbered as “2.5” in the series. I was going to read it, but I couldn’t find the e-book for sale anywhere and my library network doesn’t have the physical book in any of its branches. I decided I didn’t care enough about it to buy a physical book, even if there are very cheap used copies out there. So, I’m moving on to the official third book.
I’m rating this 3.5 stars on BookLikes, but rounding up to 4 here on Goodreads.
The first 5% was a recap of Kestrel’s story from the previous book. I’d just finished that book the night before so this was not exactly riveting reading, and the recap wasn’t at all clever or subtle. The author might as well have labeled the first chapter “Recap”. Kestrel is standing in the pouring rain, cold and muddy, trying to get their wagon unstuck from a muddy pothole. Naturally he has nothing very pressing on his mind so he takes a moment to think about his entire life’s history…
The story did get more interesting after the recap and it became increasingly more interesting as the story progressed. The main premise is that there is growing prejudice against Free Bards, gypsies, and non-humans. This directly impacts our main characters because they are both members of the Free Bards and Robin is a gypsy. They also have friends who aren’t human. Robin and Kestrel therefore decide to try to find the source of these attitudes and determine how serious things are.
I downloaded this e-book years ago from the Baen Free Library. Hopefully it’s just this version, but there were a lot of OCR errors and it became quite distracting. For example, at one point our characters moved “aujay” from something. My finger had just starting to twitch in anticipation of being asked to look this strange word up in the dictionary when I realized our characters were actually moving “away”.
The book is written in a similar tone as the first book. It’s relatively light and fluffy and it’s a fast, easy read. Even though it tackles issues like prejudice, there wasn’t really anything unique or insightful about the way it was handled. It’s just a device to help tell a good story. There were some things brought up in this book that I’m hopeful we’ll learn more about in the next book. We met some interesting non-human characters but didn’t get to learn a lot about them. There were also a lot of references to a Cataclysm and the implication that the world was at a higher level of technology before that event, so I’m curious about that.
According to the Goodreads series page, there's another book set between this second book and the third book called A Cast of Corbies and numbered as “2.5” in the series. I was going to read it, but I couldn’t find the e-book for sale anywhere and my library network doesn’t have the physical book in any of its branches. I decided I didn’t care enough about it to buy a physical book, even if there are very cheap used copies out there. So, I’m moving on to the official third book.
I’m rating this 3.5 stars on BookLikes, but rounding up to 4 here on Goodreads.
July 27, 2022
"Of all the bad men, religious bad men are the worst" CS Lewis. An interesting read for a Christian; it was helpful to see how religion is viewed from the outside--the bad and the good. Good for my humility. :)
October 3, 2020
There's a lot more politics than I remember from when I was younger, but I probably blocked it out. Definitely still a great story, and oddly applicable in today's atmosphere...
April 9, 2020
Though, personally, I had a warmer attachment for Rune and Wren from the first book of Bardic Voices, this sequel still proved a rather good read. It follows Robin and Kestrel, newly wed, as they continue their journey, meeting new friends, passing through Rune's old village, and eventually find their way to the doorstep of a city that is being taken over by a corrupt Bishop. I enjoyed the relationship and development there of between Robin and Kestrel, both together throughout helped keep things interesting (only one of them may not have been quite enough, again, not terribly fond of either of them). Also, while the end was spectacular and satisfying in a way, it would have been much more so had it been more prolonged. It didn't fall flat at the end, but when I'm wondering when everything is going to happen and it concludes in about the last ten pages, I would have liked more.
March 19, 2016
Read in 2014:
---
Read in 2009: Compared with the first of the series, this book focuses a lot more on the Free Bards and what they can achieve as a unit working outside of the law (rather than on just one main character).
I love how this book is a tie-in with the first, though, and how the Ghost from the Hill is revisited! The whole church and what it does to the world still freaks me out when I think back on it, so I am glad that Robin manages to help the Ghost out and hurt the Church in one go!
It was a great book; the whole series is excellent! And the theme of music is also a great addition.
---
Read in 2009: Compared with the first of the series, this book focuses a lot more on the Free Bards and what they can achieve as a unit working outside of the law (rather than on just one main character).
I love how this book is a tie-in with the first, though, and how the Ghost from the Hill is revisited! The whole church and what it does to the world still freaks me out when I think back on it, so I am glad that Robin manages to help the Ghost out and hurt the Church in one go!
It was a great book; the whole series is excellent! And the theme of music is also a great addition.
August 24, 2018
Suffers at the beginning from my least favorite of Ms Lackey's writing tricks: spending a chapter in a character's mind, while mentally recounting previous events. This literally could have been skipped in favor of retelling it to a new character, who is introduced two chapters later (After they meet him, they go through the whole rigamarole of "telling" him about it, so...). These chapters are incredibly boring, and kill initial momentum.
March 1, 2021
Once again, Mercedes Lackey brought me into her world of Bardic Voices, and took me on a real adventure.
Her main characters for this book, the Robin, and the Kestrel, of the title, were introduced to us in the first book, and so Misty touches on this at the beginning of this one - then takes them off on their honeymoon, to risk life and limb, investigating a newly rising star, the High Bishop Padrik, of the Church of the Sacrificed God, in a City state, where Robin and Kestrel do their best to combat his autocratic rules.
With a little help of a few friends made in the City, and of the Ghost of Skull Hill, they eventually show the people of the City just what Padrik was, and they finish by helping one of their non mortal friends, T'fyrr, escape from the torture and bondage that Padrik had put him through.
I think that one of the things that I most enjoyed with this story, was the way in which both Robin, and Kestrel, had to work out just where they stood, within their own ideas of morality.
When Robin did things that were totally acceptable with the laws and mores of her upbringing in the Gypsy Clans, or Kestrel did something acceptable with his life as first a Prince, then a musical scholar, and then somebody starving on the streets, the way in which they learned, first, to listen to each other, and then to talk it through together, trying to see each other's point of view, was a great way to push along the storyline, and also brought them both down to earth, so that they realised that respect for each other was a key to a happy relationship.
I have already read The Eagle & the Nightingale, book three of this series, so I guess that I'd better go straight to book four: Four and Twenty Blackbirds, to find out what happens next!
Her main characters for this book, the Robin, and the Kestrel, of the title, were introduced to us in the first book, and so Misty touches on this at the beginning of this one - then takes them off on their honeymoon, to risk life and limb, investigating a newly rising star, the High Bishop Padrik, of the Church of the Sacrificed God, in a City state, where Robin and Kestrel do their best to combat his autocratic rules.
With a little help of a few friends made in the City, and of the Ghost of Skull Hill, they eventually show the people of the City just what Padrik was, and they finish by helping one of their non mortal friends, T'fyrr, escape from the torture and bondage that Padrik had put him through.
I think that one of the things that I most enjoyed with this story, was the way in which both Robin, and Kestrel, had to work out just where they stood, within their own ideas of morality.
When Robin did things that were totally acceptable with the laws and mores of her upbringing in the Gypsy Clans, or Kestrel did something acceptable with his life as first a Prince, then a musical scholar, and then somebody starving on the streets, the way in which they learned, first, to listen to each other, and then to talk it through together, trying to see each other's point of view, was a great way to push along the storyline, and also brought them both down to earth, so that they realised that respect for each other was a key to a happy relationship.
I have already read The Eagle & the Nightingale, book three of this series, so I guess that I'd better go straight to book four: Four and Twenty Blackbirds, to find out what happens next!
May 15, 2022
The Robin & The Kestrel (Bardic Voices, #2)
by Mercedes Lackey
For Creative Edge Publicity.
an amazingly timely story, of women's rights, artistic rights set in a mythological future world. Taking from the story of the Lark and the Wren, The Robin and the Kestrel show the next story in this remarkable world. A cross between science fiction and fantasy this story shows the nature of propaganda and how it can change peoples hearts and minds, much to the worst. The Idea that a religion could break the world is not a new concept. Nor that people use religion to excuse very evil actions, or opinions. But that people can be easily manipulated if people slowly are shown that something is contrary to popular opinion. This would be a great story for middle school reading groups, as they are shown more and more of the modern history. Its a way to introduce the problems of world war 2, and other media frenzied popular manipulation through propaganda. I love the characters, and the mythos of this world, the idea that sometimes people need to understand that differences are not inherently evil, but in many ways can help you not only see a broader world but also understand that there is more than one way to do anything.
August 24, 2018
This volume follows the couple who were wed in the first book of the series - Robin the gypsy and Kestral, who was Prince Sional before he abdicated in favor of his uncle. They now have a caravan and are traveling. But when they reach Gradford, they find things are in a very bad state - a vicious priest has seized power and is working against bards, other entertainers, and women. They end up going to Skull Hill, just as Rune did in the first book, and they manage to get the Ghost to help them. It gets rather exciting. I also enjoyed how she points out excesses in the Church, which could equally apply today, and the comeuppance of the evil priests who fake 'miracles' with the help of some renegade gypsies and their illusions.
It helps to have read the first book in the series first, although there is enough backstory presented at the beginning and scattered throughout that this book can stand alone. But I think you would enjoy it more if you read The Lark and the Wren first.
It helps to have read the first book in the series first, although there is enough backstory presented at the beginning and scattered throughout that this book can stand alone. But I think you would enjoy it more if you read The Lark and the Wren first.
February 25, 2023
Robin, a gypsy and free bard, meets Jonny Brede, who the free bards name Kestrel are 2 of the characters we meet towards the end of the first Bardic Voices book. They quickly fall in love and are married at the end of book one as an assurance that Jonny, who is the crown prince of the land his uncle took over.
Traveling in a gypsy wagon with 2 horses they were given as a wedding present, they meet up with an old friend of Robin's who helps them when they break an axle on their wagon. In talking with each other Robin and Kestrel are convinced that they need to help investigate how much the church is involved in getting people to believe that those who are not fully human are dangerous to the people of the country of Alanda. That includes people such as gypsies and free bards too.
When they start they meet up with and make a deal with the skull hill ghost who gives them some important information that will help them with the problem.
Traveling in a gypsy wagon with 2 horses they were given as a wedding present, they meet up with an old friend of Robin's who helps them when they break an axle on their wagon. In talking with each other Robin and Kestrel are convinced that they need to help investigate how much the church is involved in getting people to believe that those who are not fully human are dangerous to the people of the country of Alanda. That includes people such as gypsies and free bards too.
When they start they meet up with and make a deal with the skull hill ghost who gives them some important information that will help them with the problem.
November 11, 2024
Wow. Lots of editing needed on this one. And a whole lot of time spent on backstory. This one felt like it had an agenda. Not about bards, but about discrimination (which I'm against), women (who I don't think are a little above animals), and the fake church (plainly knocking the Catholic church) in the story. So much negativity. I almost just closed the book. I hoped it would pull out of it, but nope. On and on to the long, drawn-out end. 373 pages of ugh. Should have been written in 150 pages at most. Super dissatisfied and disappointed. I'm worried about the next book on the series. If it is more of the same, I'll get the whole series out of my house. Ain't got time for that nonsense.
December 31, 2017
These characters were in the first book which is one of my all time favorite books from Mz. Lackey. I read the book soon after it came out in paperback. I thoroughly enjoyed the book. While it didn't follow Rune and Wren, it did follow two characters from the first book. I remember enjoying the book. I remember it was a bit darker than the first book. It needed to be darker due to the story line. Overall I remember liking it and I know I read it at least twice. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fantasy.
June 10, 2022
This book follows a pair of bards introduced in the previous book of the trilogy. The politics which was frequently commented on in the previous book becomes the driving theme of this one, as the couple tries to understand, and then deal with, a powerful church which wants to persecute free bards, nonhumans, women, anyone having fun, and probably other groups in the future. For most of the book, the threats were potential -- something to take care to avoid rather than situations to survive and get away from -- but that was enough to keep me turning pages.
October 10, 2019
Enjoyed the adventure as well as the theme running through the book. "Ordinary people...tended to do what they were told, as long as they were given orders by someone who was a recognized authority. Or, as long as, the orders did not affect their own lives very much, they would support the orders through simple inaction. If you make changes gradual and made them seem reasonable, no one really cared about them."... Mercedes gives us much to think about as well as spins an adventurous tale.
December 17, 2021
Pay no attention to the sleazy, gaudy girl on the cover. I think this story hit a little too close to where we live today, and since I like my Mercedes Lackey books to be pure escapism, I didn't really enjoy it. It breaks my heart that people use religion as an excuse to stir up hatred. "'Atrocities' only happen to your own kind. 'Just retribution' is what happened to other people. A cult or a myth is someone else's religion." P 95
June 15, 2020
Robin is a gypsy lass and is married to Kestrel who is a Free Bard. They hear rumors that Free Bards are not welcome in places where they've wintered over in the past so they decide to investigate - and their investigation leads them to the trade city of Gradford where things in the church are not what they seem.
August 29, 2017
An action filled tale including a power- hungry, truly evil man, and those who work desperately to defeat him. I enjoyed the two who carried most of the plot to expose Padric's tricks. I also came to like the Skull Hill Ghost.
July 23, 2020
Heavy on repetition
I enjoyed it. I like the series, but this was a bit much on poor writing and repetition. Also, this edition had quite a few typos. Made me wonder if our was legit.
I enjoyed it. I like the series, but this was a bit much on poor writing and repetition. Also, this edition had quite a few typos. Made me wonder if our was legit.
May 9, 2024
This book is more of a single story than the first book in the series, but it suffers from being a bit of an anti-religious screed. In the previous book, the religion was treated more even-handedly, with both villains and heroes. Here, they're pretty much just cartoons.
The story lacks some of the heart of the previous book, and the characters are not as sympathetic either. And we get a rehash (and to be fair, a resolution) of the inciting event of the previous book, which felt a bit unsatisfying.
Interestingly, in this book we find that this series has science fiction elements in addition to the fantasy we saw previously. I'm not sure that the very classical fantasy vibe works well with lasers.
The ending is rather abrupt, and leaves at least a couple of plot threads hanging. there is also not much in the way of a denouement to the story, which left me wanting.
Entertaining, but not Lackey's best work.
The story lacks some of the heart of the previous book, and the characters are not as sympathetic either. And we get a rehash (and to be fair, a resolution) of the inciting event of the previous book, which felt a bit unsatisfying.
Interestingly, in this book we find that this series has science fiction elements in addition to the fantasy we saw previously. I'm not sure that the very classical fantasy vibe works well with lasers.
The ending is rather abrupt, and leaves at least a couple of plot threads hanging. there is also not much in the way of a denouement to the story, which left me wanting.
Entertaining, but not Lackey's best work.
January 3, 2025
3 and a 1/2 stars. I have read the first and the third of this series (Bardic Voices), and this was book 2. I found it not as good as the other two - too much information being dumped on me which slowed the story down.
Read
October 23, 2025Robin, a gypsy lass and bard, and Kestrel, fugitive heir to an undesired throne, must foil a plot to drive all music forever from the land. But first, the Robin and the Kestrel must tame a killer ghost!
July 19, 2017
Bardic Voices Book 2
The pace of action in this book will keep you turning pages in anticipation till the very last page! Fantastic!,,
The pace of action in this book will keep you turning pages in anticipation till the very last page! Fantastic!,,
January 13, 2018
Good tale weaving
August 6, 2018
Not as good as the first but still a great read
September 9, 2018
I love this adventure. It is a lovely read with good characters and a nice plot. Not earth shattering, but a lovely book and a good read.
February 9, 2020
A wonderful continuation of the Bardic Voices story. The world is really taking form and I enjoyed learning more of the history and I have speculations about the cataclysm event.
February 18, 2020
This was an OK book. I want to like it a lot more than I did. I hate it when that happens! If you’re reading this series I would certainly recommend it. It explores other characters.
September 18, 2023
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The writing isn't as well done as her later books, but the story and the characters are great.
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