The Only Song Worth Singing

Stories from The Green Place #1

by Randee Dawn

PREORDER SPECIAL REGULAR PRICE ON PUBLICATION $9.99

"Dawn’s experience as a music writer comes through in her vibrant, authentic portrayal of the band’s sound and interpersonal dynamic. This fresh spin on favorite urban fantasy tropes will delight fans of Charles de Lint. "— Publishers Weekly

Childhood friends Patrick, Ciaran, and Malachi would've been happy to play music for coins on the streets of Dublin, but when their sound – a blend of traditional tunes and rock styling – lands them a record deal, they also get their first tour of America. As they gather fans, however, they also get the attention of three sídhe, fairies straight out of Irish tradition who play by their own rules.

Mal finds himself beleaguered by a prankster whose malicious tricks make him think he's losing his mind, while Ciaran falls hard for a hanger-on whose primal sexuality saps the life from him. Patrick can save them – if he's willing to trust the superstitions he learned during a painful childhood he thought he'd left behind long ago.

But the only thing that matters more than music to Patrick? His friends.

The Only Song Worth Singing is an upmarket mythic novel about blood, craic, and rock and roll. Set in the 90s at the height of the Celtic rock boom, it should appeal to fans of Alex Bledsoe and Alice Hoffman alike.

"The heart of Daisy Jones and the Six with the soul of A Court of Thorns and Roses…. A scintillating plot and an emotional wallop."—Aidan Prewett, author of Woodstock at 50: Anatomy of a Revolution

"Blends myth with the power of music and a brotherly bond to tell a story that's suspenseful and extremely romantic in all possible directions. I loved it!"—Delia Sherman, award-winning author of The Porcelain Dove

"Randee Dawn’s rich Hiberno-English narrative—interspersed with Irish Gaelic—brings The Only Song Worth Singing a vibrant dimension without affectation. Music is a living thing that makes magic feel real – and Dawn knocks this elusive aspect out of the park. Her story of a touring band provides an authentic illustration of the hardships and joys of the road, including the interpersonal tension between band members. Her story proves that whether in speech, song – or a work of fiction – words have tremendous power." —Beth W. Patterson, award-winning recording artist, road warrior, film music infiltrator

"A dark, parasitical fairy tale, The Only Song Worth Singing is sex, myth, and rock and roll all the way down to its bass-beating heart. It’s a story of faith, friendship, and brotherhood — of learning your roots, and finding your place, even if that means standing between one world and the next." — C. S. E. Cooney, World Fantasy Award-winning author of Saint Death’s Daughter

"With The Only Song Worth Singing, Dawn has crafted a sweeping epic that takes you from a thatched cottage in the countryside, to the bustle and glam of New York, to the green and magical place where it all began, against the backdrop of Irish folklore. Truly a magical, musical, must-read."—Jennifer Allis Provost, author of The Poison Garden

"When you hear a song you love so much that you wish you could live inside it for weeks, feeling it rush through you and touch you in ways only art can, this book can scratch that itch with long nails.

Genres: Music, Fantasy

252 pages, Paperback

First published April 8, 2025

About the author

Follow me on Bookbub!

First of all, I'm the proud owner of a first novel, the humorous pop-culture fantasy Tune in Tomorrow (Solaris)!

I'm an entertainment journalist by day and an author at all other times. My tales have been published in a bunch of anthologies, and I'm the co-editor of Across the Universe: Tales of Alternate Beatles as well as the co-author of The Law & Order: SVU Unofficial Companion.

In my day job, I write for outlets including Today.com, Variety, The Los Angeles Times, and Emmy Magazine.

I live with the love of my life and an adorable West Highland Terrier (who is also quite lovable), in Brooklyn. Be sure to visit me at my web page, and sign up for the newsletter!

Reviews

[Megan Maradiago · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

I just finished my ARC of The Only Song Worth Singing by Randee Dawn, provided to me by NetGalley, and I loved it! There were some rough patches where I came across terms I didn’t know (apparently, Wikipedia doesn’t know Irish either!), which meant pausing my reading to look things up. There were also moments where the pacing felt a bit drawn out, but those didn’t take away from how much I enjoyed the story overall.

I adore books with the fey, and this one was a top contender of the ones I have read thus far. It’s always exciting to learn more about another culture’s magical stories and see how deeply beliefs can shape not just individuals but entire communities. Music plays such a huge role in this book—it’s a powerful force that bridges relationships and builds stories, and it felt so integral to the foundation of the world. The way the author wove music into the magic and the relationships was amazing.

The characters were beautifully flawed, each with their own struggles, mistakes, and moments of hope as they fought against their personal darkness. If you’re into stories that mix magic, redemption, music, and cultural lore, I’d absolutely recommend this book!

[Martin Maenza · Rating 3 out of 5]

Arc Manor/CASEZIK SF and Fantasy provided an early galley for review.

This novel had a dark, insidious undertone right from the start, and that wasn't lost on me. It gives the story an uneven keel, keeping the reader as disoriented as the three protagonists. If this indeed was the author's intent, it worked. When the three sidhe begin to work their ways into each of the guy's lives, they tend to take most of it in stride (as if the same "groupies" popping up all over is the norm for a band on the road).

I found that the characters took awhile to become distinctive for me. Their voices were not distinctive enough early on. I ended up associating them more to what their fates were becoming rather than who they were as individuals. That made the earlier portions of the book a bit of a slog. It got better as the book hit it's second-third, so I would recommend readers give this one a bit more time to settle in..

The novel is very steeped in all things Irish, from the language that crops up a lot (not always with any translation, sadly) to the folklore. If one is into all that, this one will have an appeal. For others, it could be a lot to absorb.

Addendum: the author let me know that a glossary of Irish terms will be in the final product. This will be a big plus.

[Anna Tan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ooof, what can I say about this book? Randee Dawn first lured me in with tea at Glasgow Worldcon 2024 and her brilliant Tune in Tomorrow - and she definitely delivers again with The Only Song Worth Singing. There's much more beer than tea in this one, but it's a fantastic dive into Irish mythology and the lives of these three young rockstars from Dublin.

Ciaran (C) is the extroverted face of the band, Malachi (Mal) is the genius behind their musical arrangements, and Patrick (Patch, previously Padraig) often feels like the hanger on tagging along to support the dynamic duo. But what if, when they run into trouble with the sidhe, he's the only one who can save them? To do that, Patrick must face the past he's left far, far behind, and reconnect to the stories and superstitions he'd once been told to discard.

Part of Patrick's conflict in reconnecting with the traditions he'd grown up with as a boy is his later schooling and upbringing by the monks. Brother David tells him that it is possible to believe in both sets of stories - to believe in Jesus and also to honour and believe in the stories of his youth - but Brother David is sent away after that, and Patrick is made to leave the monastery the day he turned sixteen. Obviously this isn't the core of the story - but it's a thread that I would have loved to explore more.

For the underlying premise of The Only Song Worth Singing is actually quite an old trope - that the belief of humans is what gives the sidhe, or fairies, and other supernatural creatures their form. Dawn twists it and layers it, so it becomes much more than that - and the twists and turns are in turns delightful in their revelation and terrifying in their outcomes.

Ultimately, there's magic and music, and love and loss, and the power of friendship and loyalty to hold each other up. What's not to love?

Note: I received a digital ARC of this book from the CAEZIK SF & Fantasy via Edelweiss. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Morgan Gribble · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book’s summary caught my eye and I am glad that I had the opportunity to read it! With the market inundated with books about the fey I was excited to see one that focused on Irish mythology and folklore. This book also incorporated a lot of details about Irish culture and history from the late 1900s. I enjoyed the Irish Gaelic throughout the book and am excited to see it included. However, I was less than thrilled with the phonetic spellings of words (Jaysus) to imply the accent. The plot was exciting in that rock and roll sort of way where you get caught up in the suspense and curiosity of what exactly is happening. However, I felt that the second and third acts dragged a bit. The cover of the book doesn’t quite fit with the story itself - but that is my own pet peeve. This book is difficult because it tilts between unique and tropey, suspenseful and predictable, and was a ride through a book I wasn’t expecting. Thank you so much to NetGalley and CAEZIK SF & Fantasy for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book. This review is my own thoughts and feelings, no one else’s though I hope you enjoy the book - I am willing to give the sequel a chance to see what happens next.

[Zelos Tokumoto · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was incredibly hard to follow, unfortunately I couldn’t understand some of what was being said because I don’t know Irish and I didn’t want to stop throughout the book to try and google what certain things meant because it would just take me out of the flow of the story.

It really needs a companion page to go with it that has the translations on it that someone can easily refer to.

I restarted this book about five times at different stages of the book just trying to get a better grasp and understanding of what was going on and to try and get more into it but I really think this book just isn’t for me.

The story moves very slow and it’s hard to connect to the characters, I feel like I don’t even know what’s going on half the time because it either lacks explanation or is written in a way that confuses me further.

Thank you Netgalley and Arc Manor | CAEZIK SF & Fantasy for the arc

[Betsy Hadley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this fun read from Randee Dawn. The weaving together of the characters creates a unique dynamic and the perspective she brings to the band’s interactions and experiences really give readers insight into life on the road. With fairies. Of course, we can’t leave out the fairy element. Two mischievous and one rule following fairies truly take this book to a new level. There are some magical (sorry, had to do it) twists and turns that I didn’t see coming.

I initially got bogged down by the flow with the Irish terms used, but most every word I can across that I checked in the glossary were what I expected them to be based on context anyway, so I eventually let the text flow. Some of the longer phrases are translated in the text, allowing things to flow smoothly. The intermingling of these terms along with the historic authors brought into the text gives the novel more depth.

I recommend picking up this read whenever you can!

[Sav · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wanted to enjoy this book, but it ended up being a frustrating experience. The writing was confusing, and I felt lost most of the time. The use of Irish phrases and terms without clear context or translations made it even harder to stay engaged. I understand the importance of authenticity, but without a glossary or some explanation, it alienated me as a reader.

The pacing was slow, and the characters didn’t feel developed enough for me to connect with them. I kept waiting for the story to pick up or for something to draw me in, but it never happened. Despite restarting the book several times to try and make sense of it, I just couldn’t get into it.

Unfortunately, this book just wasn’t for me. It might work better for readers already familiar with the cultural and linguistic elements, but I couldn’t find my footing. That's whyI'm giving it 1 aka 0 ⭐.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC copy!

[Ashton Ahart · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Only Song Worth Singing is a story about three childhood friends and how their love for music brought them together. As they leave their homeland to travel to America for their first international tour, Patrick, Ciaran, and Malachi experience beings they once considered fiction. Now trapped between the reality they made for themselves and the revelations of a hidden world, the three friends have to play like they've never before to save each other.
This book was beautifully written with a lyrical depiction of magic and music. Mixing folklore with fantasy The Only Song Worth Singing is a heartening tale of friendship, music, and finding oneself.

[Anjali · Rating 3 out of 5]

This urban fantasy was a mixed bag for me. It's a story about three Irish musicians and their encounters with several different Sidhe (fey). Dawn writes well and convincingly about music and gig life, but the characters were a little flat and I struggled to stay engaged until the last 20% or so. There is a lot of Irish culture and language throughout the book, and I would have liked to have more translations along the way for the many Irish words. Apparently there will be a glossary in the final version, which should help quite a bit. Thank you to NetGalley and Arc Manor | CAEZIK SF & Fantasy for a digital review copy.

[David Wendland · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The Only Song Worth Singing” by Randee Dawn is an excellent read that brings together Irish myths of the fay and the experience of music. The book focuses on an Irish band from Dublin and their adventures on tour in the US where they discover their true selves and that there is more to the world than what they thought they knew. Her description of the concerts brings you into songs with vibrant colors and smells. I was remined of concert scenes in the animated adaptation of Terry Pratchett’s “Soul Music” where the music took over the musicians. Here too, the Music is a bonified character in Randee Dawn’s book. You can’t help but be pulled in and transported into the story!

[Carlos Gutierrez · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a journey I am glad I made. Journey is the best way I can describe reading this story.(I wish I had the talent for writing to do this review). just as music can make you touch something special this took me to those edges. While not quite the poetry or full on magic that I find with Charles DeLint this took me for for a ride that I enjoyed. It felt like an uncut gem at some points, a little rough around the edges, but still precious. so Grab your beverage of choice put on some music and enjoy the ride.

[Nightwing Whitehead · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, I love Randee Dawn's work. I would probably read almost anything she writes. I was NOT expecting this book. It is every bit as good as all her other work. It is not as easy to read as many of her things, however. This one reaches into your soul, grabs your heart, and pulls on your gut. Is it worth it? Oh, but yes! Just be prepared to cry a bit, stop every so often to let life catch back up to you, and then dive back in to the wonder that is the story. Just don't say you were not warned

[Sarah Holland · Rating 3 out of 5]

Received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I'll give this book a 3.5 (and darn that Goodreads for not having a better rating system).

I was reminded of the Bedlam's Bard series by Mercedes Lackey, which come to think of it was written around the same time frame as this book is set.

I see this is listed as Stories from the Green Place #1, and that makes sense - I could see from the ending a possible sequel, at least for some of the characters.

[Aidan Prewett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was hooked from the first page. “The Only Song Worth Singing” has forged in fire the heart of “Daisy Jones and the Six” with the soul of “A Court of Thorns and Roses”. Randee Dawn pulls off this feat with great aplomb, delivering a scintillating plot and an emotional whallop. The perfect blend of fantasy and balls-to-the-wall 90s rock. Can’t wait for the next one!

[Susan Thorson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this. Super creative storyline, and I thought all the pieces worked - even through the end - which can be really hard when we're in the realm of fairies/supernatural/magical etc... I got to meet Randee recently and look forward to seeing her again to tell her how much I liked this. : )

[Jeremy Brett · Rating 4 out of 5]

A truly beautiful book, very much reminiscent of Charles De Lint at his best. Dawn wonderfully captures the magical hold that music has on those that play it as much as on those that hear it, and gives the reader fully-realized characters bound together by friendship and a shared love for the invisible connections (mystical and otherwise) that music makes.

[Runalong · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good character work in this contemporary fantasy and I really liked how the band appear as actual young men still working themselves out. Could have done with a tighter pace and less hesitation to do some reveals early on

Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...

[Christiane Knight · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review forthcoming! But I wanted to get those shiny five stars up immediately, because this book deserves it.