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A DEVASTATING SETBACK
Enemy tribesmen attacked during the Initiation. Dindi used the magic of the corn cob doll to protect herself and others but at a terrible price. Now her dreams are in shambles. In despair, she decides to step into the forbidden faery ring, and dance herself to death with the fae. Then she discovers another choice that saves her life…but breaks the ultimate taboo.
A DESPERATE OUTREACH
After being unfairly exiled from his own people, Kavio may have found a new home, but only if he can protect it from another attack by the enemy. He gathers a small group to venture deep into the heart of enemy territory in search of the ultimate prize…peace.
But by the harsh laws of their land, they cannot both break taboos and keep the peace. They will each have to choose, what, or whom, to betray.
Enemy tribesmen attacked during the Initiation. Dindi used the magic of the corn cob doll to protect herself and others but at a terrible price. Now her dreams are in shambles. In despair, she decides to step into the forbidden faery ring, and dance herself to death with the fae. Then she discovers another choice that saves her life…but breaks the ultimate taboo.
A DESPERATE OUTREACH
After being unfairly exiled from his own people, Kavio may have found a new home, but only if he can protect it from another attack by the enemy. He gathers a small group to venture deep into the heart of enemy territory in search of the ultimate prize…peace.
But by the harsh laws of their land, they cannot both break taboos and keep the peace. They will each have to choose, what, or whom, to betray.
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First published March 25, 2011
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About the author
Tara Maya
130 books175 followersTara Maya has lived in Africa, Europe and Asia. She's pounded sorghum with mortar and pestle in a little clay village where the jungle meets the desert, meditated in a Buddhist monastery in the Himalayas and sailed the Volga river to a secret city that was once the heart of the Soviet space program. This first-hand experience, as well as research into the strange and piquant histories of lost civilizations, inspires her writing. Her terrible housekeeping, however, is entirely the fault of pixies.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
June 1, 2011
There are some authors that haven't made it big for whatever reason, but are still extremely talented, and Tara Maya is one of them. I'm not sure why a major publisher hasn't picked up her books, but they are really good, and I'm not very easy to please!
Taboo is the second novel in what looks to be quite a long series. The two books I've read so far have been fairly short, but have left me really wanting more. This one didn't end on quite as much of a cliffhanger as the first, but it's definitely not a satisfying, loose-end tying up ending.
I love the world that Tara Maya has created here. There are different regions, and each region seems to have their own speciality or magic. It's a pretty complex world, and to try to go into explaining anything would take awhile, so instead I'll just say read the book, and you'll see. The world-building is very unique, and is unlike anything I've read before.
The characters are written in such a way that you really root for them and want good things for them, but there are also times when you want to shake them and say "wake up!" It can be a little frustrating at times. Dindi seems to be the main character, and she's quite likable, but she's hardly the focal point of the story. There's a lot going on here, and as such, you never get a chance to get bored. If you're a fantasy fan, definitely give this series a try, starting with The Unfinished Song: Initiate.
Taboo is the second novel in what looks to be quite a long series. The two books I've read so far have been fairly short, but have left me really wanting more. This one didn't end on quite as much of a cliffhanger as the first, but it's definitely not a satisfying, loose-end tying up ending.
I love the world that Tara Maya has created here. There are different regions, and each region seems to have their own speciality or magic. It's a pretty complex world, and to try to go into explaining anything would take awhile, so instead I'll just say read the book, and you'll see. The world-building is very unique, and is unlike anything I've read before.
The characters are written in such a way that you really root for them and want good things for them, but there are also times when you want to shake them and say "wake up!" It can be a little frustrating at times. Dindi seems to be the main character, and she's quite likable, but she's hardly the focal point of the story. There's a lot going on here, and as such, you never get a chance to get bored. If you're a fantasy fan, definitely give this series a try, starting with The Unfinished Song: Initiate.
November 6, 2015
I got the first of this series for free on Amazon. I quickly read that and was hungry for more so I started on this book (best part of reading an older series is that you don't have to wait for the next book to be released!!)
In this book, we get to continue on a journey with Dindi, Kavio and the rest of the main characters we know from the first book as Kavio tries to bring peace to the tribes.
I have read some of the other reviews and there are things I agree with and things I don't. Yes, I agree that Initiate should be read first. This is a series, and with any series you miss a lot of story if you skip books. Yes , I agree that both books seem to end rather abruptly BUT these are not short books. The whole reason for cliffhangers are to make you want to continue, much like a tv show you watch every week to see what happens next. The first of the Harry Potter books was only 65 pages longer than this (just for a little comparison).
In my opinion (which this is my review sho I'm entitled to state :) ) it wouldn't matter how abruptly three books end, I would still be left wanting in the end. I am absolutely hooked on these books. The story line and the characters are fantastic, and you can't help wanting more regardless of how much you get to read.
In this book, we get to continue on a journey with Dindi, Kavio and the rest of the main characters we know from the first book as Kavio tries to bring peace to the tribes.
I have read some of the other reviews and there are things I agree with and things I don't. Yes, I agree that Initiate should be read first. This is a series, and with any series you miss a lot of story if you skip books. Yes , I agree that both books seem to end rather abruptly BUT these are not short books. The whole reason for cliffhangers are to make you want to continue, much like a tv show you watch every week to see what happens next. The first of the Harry Potter books was only 65 pages longer than this (just for a little comparison).
In my opinion (which this is my review sho I'm entitled to state :) ) it wouldn't matter how abruptly three books end, I would still be left wanting in the end. I am absolutely hooked on these books. The story line and the characters are fantastic, and you can't help wanting more regardless of how much you get to read.
January 14, 2012
The book starts right after the end of the first book, Initiate. Prologue is told from the point-of-view of Gremo, one of the weirdest characters in the first book. He was a minor character there so I wasn’t expecting him to show up again. Then we’re thrown right into the middle of the rest of the familiar cast.
Rthan is an enemy warrior and a magic-user called a Tavaedi. He lost his wife and child in a raid some years back and tried to get his revenge in the first book. However, he was taken captive by young Kavio. He’s made a slave and given as a ”slave husband” to Brena, the woman he held captive just the previous night. Rthan is quite attracted to Brena and has to constantly remind himself that she is the enemy.
Brena herself is a healer and a magic-user. She’s a widow with two teen aged daughters who have both just been Initiated into adulthood and also into the magic-users’ secret society, so she’s their teacher, too. Brena is impatient and has no use for fools or men. However, she’s also attracted to Rthan but is convinced that he will abandon her at the first opportunity.
Kavio is an exile and a very powerful magic-user. He’s one of the few who can command all six Chromas or types of magic. He hopes he has found a new home here in the Yellow Bear tribe, but the War Chief Hertio is suspicious of him and demands Kavio to show his loyalty.
The young Initiate Dindi failed her Initiation at the end of the previous book. Her whole life she’s wanted to be a magic-using dancer and has trained in secret even though that’s forbidden. It turned out that she doesn’t have magic at all. Still, she can see the small fairies and talk with them unlike other people who don’t have magic. She doesn’t want to live the life of an ordinary maiden: getting married and raising kids. At first, she even seriously considers just dancing the rest of her life away with fairies. Instead, she decides to break another taboo: she will spy on Brena and the Initiates and learn the dances by herself. When she’s confident that she knows them, she will ask for another Initiation. If anyone finds out, she will be killed.
Dindi also has her magical corncob doll and she continues to see visions of the past. The young woman Vessia, who is called the Corn Maiden and is now a prisoner, is the focus of the visions. She and her friends are trying to stop the Bone Whistler who wants to kill all magic-users who can use more than one Chroma.
Kavio finds out about Dindi spying on the Initiates. Instead of telling others what she’s doing, he breaks the taboo, too. Since Kavio is a powerful Zavaedi, he will teach Dindi, so technically, Dindi isn’t doing anything wrong anymore. Dindi accepts even though she’s very attracted to the handsome young man and knows that he can never care for her.
Kavio wants peace between his adoptive tribe and the tribe who attacked them. Blue Waters’ War Chief sends an envoy for peace talks, so Hertio sends Kavio and a small party of the Yellow Bear men and women to talk of peace with the powerful Blue Waters’ War Chief. All of the point-of-view characters are in the party so the middle of the book is spent traveling from Yellow Bear to Blue Waters’ territory. Unfortunately for Kavio, the two tribes have been warring for generations and they aren’t likely to forget their old grievances.
Gremo’s few chapters are told in the first person but the rest of the book is in third. I thought this was an interesting technique and it didn’t bother me.
This book has more romance aspects than the first one. Brena and Rthan are an obvious romantic couple while Dindi and Kavio are doing their best not to be attracted to each other. Kavio thinks that as an exile, he has nothing to offer Dindi while Dindi thinks that as a mere maiden she’s not significant enough to interest Kavio. There’s also a third couple who were a surprise to me. There’s also adventure and double-crossing
We are introduced to another class of people, so to say, men who dress as women and apparently are also attracted to other men. The War Chief’s envoy is one of them and we get to know him pretty well during the journey. The journey was mostly quite leisurely and the excitement didn’t really start until near the end. Still, I liked the character interaction quite a bit. Dindi got reacquainted with a girl she had befriended before, and Kavio and Rthan started perhaps to understand each other a bit more. Through the journey, Kavio teaches the magical dances to Dindi so we get to know a lot more about the various Chromas and dances.
Unfortunately, there was one thing that threw me out of the story: the use of minutes. Unless the characters have some way to mechanically measure time, they can’t really even know about minutes, or hours or seconds for that matter. It seems to me that Stone Age people would measure short amount of time differently: through heartbeats or breaths or just moments. Longer time might be measured with the length of shadows or which way the shadows point or how high or low the sun is.
Also, I had hard time believing that the Yellow Bear men would have let Rthan live with Brena and her daughters. Rthan is known to be a dangerous enemy and he had already tied up Brena to be whipped and raped. Why would he be allowed to live alone with three women whom he could have easily murdered before escaping? I know that it was done to further the romance plot but it still seemed a bit weird.
I also find the concept of a ”slave husband” a bit dubious. It seems to me, that in this time a husband would have owned his wife and kids and everything they had. (Although to be fair, we don’t know much about marriage in this world at all. It might even be different from one tribe to the next. None of the POV characters are married and the widow Brena seems to have just scorn for her dead husband.) On the other hand, slaves own nothing; instead they are owned. I think it’s even expected that a slave would try to run away so he can hardly be expected to have the sort of ties and loyalty that a marriage brings. Also, I would have thought that it would be humiliating for a woman to be tied to a slave instead of trying to further her own life with a good match. What about kids? Would they be slaves, too? I would have loved to hear more about the whole concept.
During the journey, we see that different tribes have different things, and people, they consider taboo. For example, while some tribes, such as Kavio’s Rainbow Labyrinth, prize people who can use more than one Chroma, the tribes we meet here consider such people diseased and Shunned. To them, only people with one Chroma are pure. Dindi and some other characters break the taboos of the other tribes knowing what they do and that they will be punished if they are caught.
Faeries play a smaller role this time but the world has the same mythical feeling as in the first book.
The book doesn’t end with a cliffhanger but leaves a lot of questions unanswered.
Rthan is an enemy warrior and a magic-user called a Tavaedi. He lost his wife and child in a raid some years back and tried to get his revenge in the first book. However, he was taken captive by young Kavio. He’s made a slave and given as a ”slave husband” to Brena, the woman he held captive just the previous night. Rthan is quite attracted to Brena and has to constantly remind himself that she is the enemy.
Brena herself is a healer and a magic-user. She’s a widow with two teen aged daughters who have both just been Initiated into adulthood and also into the magic-users’ secret society, so she’s their teacher, too. Brena is impatient and has no use for fools or men. However, she’s also attracted to Rthan but is convinced that he will abandon her at the first opportunity.
Kavio is an exile and a very powerful magic-user. He’s one of the few who can command all six Chromas or types of magic. He hopes he has found a new home here in the Yellow Bear tribe, but the War Chief Hertio is suspicious of him and demands Kavio to show his loyalty.
The young Initiate Dindi failed her Initiation at the end of the previous book. Her whole life she’s wanted to be a magic-using dancer and has trained in secret even though that’s forbidden. It turned out that she doesn’t have magic at all. Still, she can see the small fairies and talk with them unlike other people who don’t have magic. She doesn’t want to live the life of an ordinary maiden: getting married and raising kids. At first, she even seriously considers just dancing the rest of her life away with fairies. Instead, she decides to break another taboo: she will spy on Brena and the Initiates and learn the dances by herself. When she’s confident that she knows them, she will ask for another Initiation. If anyone finds out, she will be killed.
Dindi also has her magical corncob doll and she continues to see visions of the past. The young woman Vessia, who is called the Corn Maiden and is now a prisoner, is the focus of the visions. She and her friends are trying to stop the Bone Whistler who wants to kill all magic-users who can use more than one Chroma.
Kavio finds out about Dindi spying on the Initiates. Instead of telling others what she’s doing, he breaks the taboo, too. Since Kavio is a powerful Zavaedi, he will teach Dindi, so technically, Dindi isn’t doing anything wrong anymore. Dindi accepts even though she’s very attracted to the handsome young man and knows that he can never care for her.
Kavio wants peace between his adoptive tribe and the tribe who attacked them. Blue Waters’ War Chief sends an envoy for peace talks, so Hertio sends Kavio and a small party of the Yellow Bear men and women to talk of peace with the powerful Blue Waters’ War Chief. All of the point-of-view characters are in the party so the middle of the book is spent traveling from Yellow Bear to Blue Waters’ territory. Unfortunately for Kavio, the two tribes have been warring for generations and they aren’t likely to forget their old grievances.
Gremo’s few chapters are told in the first person but the rest of the book is in third. I thought this was an interesting technique and it didn’t bother me.
This book has more romance aspects than the first one. Brena and Rthan are an obvious romantic couple while Dindi and Kavio are doing their best not to be attracted to each other. Kavio thinks that as an exile, he has nothing to offer Dindi while Dindi thinks that as a mere maiden she’s not significant enough to interest Kavio. There’s also a third couple who were a surprise to me. There’s also adventure and double-crossing
We are introduced to another class of people, so to say, men who dress as women and apparently are also attracted to other men. The War Chief’s envoy is one of them and we get to know him pretty well during the journey. The journey was mostly quite leisurely and the excitement didn’t really start until near the end. Still, I liked the character interaction quite a bit. Dindi got reacquainted with a girl she had befriended before, and Kavio and Rthan started perhaps to understand each other a bit more. Through the journey, Kavio teaches the magical dances to Dindi so we get to know a lot more about the various Chromas and dances.
Unfortunately, there was one thing that threw me out of the story: the use of minutes. Unless the characters have some way to mechanically measure time, they can’t really even know about minutes, or hours or seconds for that matter. It seems to me that Stone Age people would measure short amount of time differently: through heartbeats or breaths or just moments. Longer time might be measured with the length of shadows or which way the shadows point or how high or low the sun is.
Also, I had hard time believing that the Yellow Bear men would have let Rthan live with Brena and her daughters. Rthan is known to be a dangerous enemy and he had already tied up Brena to be whipped and raped. Why would he be allowed to live alone with three women whom he could have easily murdered before escaping? I know that it was done to further the romance plot but it still seemed a bit weird.
I also find the concept of a ”slave husband” a bit dubious. It seems to me, that in this time a husband would have owned his wife and kids and everything they had. (Although to be fair, we don’t know much about marriage in this world at all. It might even be different from one tribe to the next. None of the POV characters are married and the widow Brena seems to have just scorn for her dead husband.) On the other hand, slaves own nothing; instead they are owned. I think it’s even expected that a slave would try to run away so he can hardly be expected to have the sort of ties and loyalty that a marriage brings. Also, I would have thought that it would be humiliating for a woman to be tied to a slave instead of trying to further her own life with a good match. What about kids? Would they be slaves, too? I would have loved to hear more about the whole concept.
During the journey, we see that different tribes have different things, and people, they consider taboo. For example, while some tribes, such as Kavio’s Rainbow Labyrinth, prize people who can use more than one Chroma, the tribes we meet here consider such people diseased and Shunned. To them, only people with one Chroma are pure. Dindi and some other characters break the taboos of the other tribes knowing what they do and that they will be punished if they are caught.
Faeries play a smaller role this time but the world has the same mythical feeling as in the first book.
The book doesn’t end with a cliffhanger but leaves a lot of questions unanswered.
June 16, 2022
This is the second novel in the series The Unfinished. I had not yet read the first novel when I received the second. I am glad I waited as the second novel so dove tailed the first and they just ran together so smoothly. Many years ago the humans and Aelfae were at war. In order to win the humans cursed the Aelfae. They placed a curse upon the wisest of the faeries. They are now finding that this curse had a price, as with all magic Faearth is now paying the price, and may not survive. Their is one young woman may be the sole person that may be the answer to the world's survival. I have found that Ms Maya is a gifted author. I loved the way she presented her characters, I believed each and everyone and how they interconnected with each other. This novel is an outstanding work and one that I would recommend to others. I received this novel from BookFunnel. This is my true and honest opinion.
July 12, 2011
***Big time spoiler alert!*** If you are going to buy the first book, just save yourself a little time and buy the second one at the same time! The first book pretty much ends directly in the middle of the story!!!!***End spoiler alert***(kinda)
K, now that I've got that out of my system...on with the review.
In the first book Unfinished Song: Initiate, Tara Maya deftly introduces her characters. Dindi-the troubled misfit, Kavio-the exiled son of a great leader, Rthan-A war leader bent on revenge, Gwenika-the ill daughter of Zavaedi Brena, just to name a few. (I'll try not to spoil EVERYTHING) She also introduces us to Faearth. A wondrous world of faeries and magic. While reading her descriptions of the land, and it's tribes, it reminded me of The People Books by W.Michael and Katheleen O'NealGear. (this is definitely a compliment, since their books are among my favorites) In the second book, Unfinished Song: Taboo, she continues the story she began in Initiate, weaving her characters and their stories together into an amazing tale.
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. To be honest I expected something slightly different. Maybe more romance, less story? Not really sure but what I got was definitely better then what I thought I was going to. Don't get me wrong, there is a romance beginning between Dindi and Kavio, in fact they are not the only ones who begin to fall in love. But the story isn't only about them, but also about their world. How it is changing, and how they themselves are helping to change it.
The story doesn't end with Taboo. There is a third book in the series, called Sacrifice, that I am looking forward to getting and reading hopefully soon.(It says at the end of the first book that it is due out in June of 2011, but I can't seem to find it anywhere yet, So if anybody knows where I could get a copy please feel free to let me know!).
While the story is not over in Taboo it doesn't seem to cut off as drastically as it did at the end of Initiate, so I wasn't as agitated when it ended as I was when I flicked to the next page in Initiate and instead of more story found nothing. Almost threw my reader overboard. I know this doesn't sound positive, but trust me for the book to draw me in that much is definitely saying something. The book is beautifully descriptive, even in the violence, Maya doesn't cringe from verbally illustrating that either. The story was great, and I was really able to connect and actually care about the characters. Dindi is stuck in a world that doesn't understand her. She isn't allowed to dance because it is taboo for non-Tavaedi, but given the chance she can dance better than most. She can also see the faeries and the chromas (magic) of the Tavaedi. So it's not like she is trying to do something wrong. But no one, not even Kovia who is trying not to fall in love with her, believes that she can see them.
Rthan is driven by his vengeance and by a blue faerie that takes the form of his dead daughter, but he finds himself falling in love with Zavaedi Brena, whos clansmen killed his child and wife. By the end of the book I was wondering if the Aelfae (upper faeries) were really gone, and if they were using the dancers and their magic to exact a revenge for the massacre of their people centuries before. I guess I will have to wait for the third installment to answer some of my questions.
.
If you're looking for great summer read with more to it than your average romance definitely check this one out. (or should I say two?) It's worth it getting both books at once, Unfinished Song is a great series.
October 31, 2011
OMG this was so much better then the first book but then again in the first book you learn about the characters, the land and basically the setting for everything the start of a good series. You have to read book 1 to understrand book 2 though because there is no back story in the beginning of book 2 it is just a continuation which I loved since I read em one right after the other.
So yeah onto the story it was intense at some parts and the way Tara describes the dance is amazing like I was actually watching it. Dindi was upset that she didn't become a Tavaedies and is no longer allowed to dance so she decides to take matters into her own hands and do it any way even though it is Taboo knowing full well that she may get caught and get stoned to death. So of course we all know that she gets caught eventually cause no wrong can last forever and who better to catch then the guy she is crushing on, Kavio, but now SHE can't have HIM because she has no magic, how the tables have turned. He of course is still exiled from his tribe but he has now become a member of the Yellow Bear Tribe and has his mind set on making peace with the Blue Water Tribe and he just happens to have a captured Blue Water named Rthan who is a slave to Brena because he tortured her in book one so he was given to her so he can take care of her fields and her womanly needs and what not, now there is a romance just waiting to happen right! No such thing as protection in this time FYI! So of course they use him as a little leverage to start the whole peace treaty deal and they start their treck to the Blue Water Tribe and of course no good book can go on without a little back stabbing RIGHT! So one of the Yellow Tribe guys on the peace journey doesn't want peace because he lost one of his brothers on the attack Rthan caused in book one so he was going to make it seem like they were attacked by the Blue Water tribe and him and and a few other guys will "survive" and the Yellow Bear Tribe will declare war on Blue Water. Now does that EVER work? NO!
Once they reach Sharkshead were the War Chief Nargano lived all hell breaks loose of course and DAMN Rthan who obviously goes right back to being the ass he is and joins back up with Nargano. So yeah the peace treaty doesn't go as planned because in order for Kavio to prove his loyalty he has to kill people the Blue Water call the "shunned" they are sick or disfigured or have boils and what not but Kavio can't do it so because of this he is sentenced to death.
So this obviously can't happen seeing that he IS the hero of this tale so one of my favorite characters, Gremo, who I haven't ever mentioned because he really is only a minor character is the silent brooding type who only talks when he has somthing to say and just recently found out he is gay. OH! and he drags this huge boulder around with him to keep himself in check because he is quite angry and has so very dramatic outbursts like trying to kill a whole town, but his lover has convinced him to exchage his boulder for a smaller boulder that he can wear as a backpack that weighs only as much as another Man uh huh yup ok. So this guy comes and saves the day not going to tell you how because you have to read to find out!
Can't wait to start book 3 to see what happens after the rescue!
So yeah onto the story it was intense at some parts and the way Tara describes the dance is amazing like I was actually watching it. Dindi was upset that she didn't become a Tavaedies and is no longer allowed to dance so she decides to take matters into her own hands and do it any way even though it is Taboo knowing full well that she may get caught and get stoned to death. So of course we all know that she gets caught eventually cause no wrong can last forever and who better to catch then the guy she is crushing on, Kavio, but now SHE can't have HIM because she has no magic, how the tables have turned. He of course is still exiled from his tribe but he has now become a member of the Yellow Bear Tribe and has his mind set on making peace with the Blue Water Tribe and he just happens to have a captured Blue Water named Rthan who is a slave to Brena because he tortured her in book one so he was given to her so he can take care of her fields and her womanly needs and what not, now there is a romance just waiting to happen right! No such thing as protection in this time FYI! So of course they use him as a little leverage to start the whole peace treaty deal and they start their treck to the Blue Water Tribe and of course no good book can go on without a little back stabbing RIGHT! So one of the Yellow Tribe guys on the peace journey doesn't want peace because he lost one of his brothers on the attack Rthan caused in book one so he was going to make it seem like they were attacked by the Blue Water tribe and him and and a few other guys will "survive" and the Yellow Bear Tribe will declare war on Blue Water. Now does that EVER work? NO!
Once they reach Sharkshead were the War Chief Nargano lived all hell breaks loose of course and DAMN Rthan who obviously goes right back to being the ass he is and joins back up with Nargano. So yeah the peace treaty doesn't go as planned because in order for Kavio to prove his loyalty he has to kill people the Blue Water call the "shunned" they are sick or disfigured or have boils and what not but Kavio can't do it so because of this he is sentenced to death.
So this obviously can't happen seeing that he IS the hero of this tale so one of my favorite characters, Gremo, who I haven't ever mentioned because he really is only a minor character is the silent brooding type who only talks when he has somthing to say and just recently found out he is gay. OH! and he drags this huge boulder around with him to keep himself in check because he is quite angry and has so very dramatic outbursts like trying to kill a whole town, but his lover has convinced him to exchage his boulder for a smaller boulder that he can wear as a backpack that weighs only as much as another Man uh huh yup ok. So this guy comes and saves the day not going to tell you how because you have to read to find out!
Can't wait to start book 3 to see what happens after the rescue!
September 21, 2016
Considering it was two years ago that I read the first book, Initiate, I was quite pleased at how quickly the characters and the previous story lines came back to me. I actually think I enjoyed Taboo more than the first and I debated whether to give it a four or five star rating. While this book wasn't mind blowing it was still immensely absorbing and I tore through it captivated. It was full of action and adventure, betrayal and revenge, with further back story and character development. I was tempted to go straight into reading the third book, Sacrifice, and would have it it wasn't for the tasty new acquisitions sitting on my shelf calling my name
January 25, 2012
In many ways I found this second book in the series more enjoyable than the first, perhaps because I already had an idea of the characters and the world they lived in. This book also offered some more information on the nature of Chromas and magic, which I think would have been helpful in the first book.
I still found Dindi and Kavio interesting characters and I like the way they are being slowly brought together. This second book also goes more in depth into the reasons for the conflict between different groups and leads us towards what appears to be the start of a new war.
This is a series I am still in two minds about though. Not due to the story itself, because I love both the idea and the main characters, but rather due to the way it is being presented. The plan is for this story to span twelve books and that is a long time for the author to try to hold the attention of her readers. Many may have given up after the first book, feeling confused by the world and the lack of background information. For those who did continue, it is a lot to expect for people to cough up $4-6 per book a further eleven times. I might have liked to see each book twice the length and the series to run to 4-6 books.
That said, some authors have managed to hold an audience for that long - such as Charlaine Harris with the Sookie Stackhouse books. But those, while continuing a main story arch, could also be standalone reads, whereas the books in this series could not.
But, as I wrote in my review of the first book, this is still a fun and interesting read for fans of fae-based fantasy and I'll be interested to see how Maya handles the rest of the series.
I received this book as a free review copy e-book from the author.
I still found Dindi and Kavio interesting characters and I like the way they are being slowly brought together. This second book also goes more in depth into the reasons for the conflict between different groups and leads us towards what appears to be the start of a new war.
This is a series I am still in two minds about though. Not due to the story itself, because I love both the idea and the main characters, but rather due to the way it is being presented. The plan is for this story to span twelve books and that is a long time for the author to try to hold the attention of her readers. Many may have given up after the first book, feeling confused by the world and the lack of background information. For those who did continue, it is a lot to expect for people to cough up $4-6 per book a further eleven times. I might have liked to see each book twice the length and the series to run to 4-6 books.
That said, some authors have managed to hold an audience for that long - such as Charlaine Harris with the Sookie Stackhouse books. But those, while continuing a main story arch, could also be standalone reads, whereas the books in this series could not.
But, as I wrote in my review of the first book, this is still a fun and interesting read for fans of fae-based fantasy and I'll be interested to see how Maya handles the rest of the series.
I received this book as a free review copy e-book from the author.
December 16, 2012
It's been a while since I read book 1 in the series and I have to say that it was very easy to fall back into this world. Dindi's dreams of dancing may have been stripped from her when she failed the Initiation but her need to dance can't be denied. She's a force of nature, that girl. I wish she wasn't keeping all the secrets she's keeping but I can also understand why she feels she can't share them.
Now, with all the backstabbing and triple crossing going on, I figure it's better if all authority figures aren't trusted. By anyone. Even the people who on the surface seem to be straightforward, end up ... hmm, I don't know how to put this without giving things away. How about - Some people say one thing and then abruptly change their tune when it seems like they can use a particular skill to their advantage. I guess when I look at it from that point of view, I can understand why Dindi keeps her secrets.
I *really* enjoy the world building. The people have deep traditions and taboos that they cling to. Those that are lucky enough to wield magic are very strictly bound to the old ways. Dindi, with her yearning to dance and her innate abilities, throws a wrench into so many of the old ways. That Kavio is willing to go out on a limb for her says a lot. Kavio sees things a bit differently, I think, because of his time as an exile.
All in all, it's a very exciting read that builds off of the events in the first book nicely. I don't think you'd want to jump in without having read book 1 but it's well worth it to start at the beginning.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
Now, with all the backstabbing and triple crossing going on, I figure it's better if all authority figures aren't trusted. By anyone. Even the people who on the surface seem to be straightforward, end up ... hmm, I don't know how to put this without giving things away. How about - Some people say one thing and then abruptly change their tune when it seems like they can use a particular skill to their advantage. I guess when I look at it from that point of view, I can understand why Dindi keeps her secrets.
I *really* enjoy the world building. The people have deep traditions and taboos that they cling to. Those that are lucky enough to wield magic are very strictly bound to the old ways. Dindi, with her yearning to dance and her innate abilities, throws a wrench into so many of the old ways. That Kavio is willing to go out on a limb for her says a lot. Kavio sees things a bit differently, I think, because of his time as an exile.
All in all, it's a very exciting read that builds off of the events in the first book nicely. I don't think you'd want to jump in without having read book 1 but it's well worth it to start at the beginning.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
January 27, 2012
Taboo is the second book in The Unfinished Song series and I think it’s a step above Initiate (Book 1), which I enjoyed quite a bit. Miss Maya wasted absolutely no time getting into the meat of the story, so it’s imperative that you read book 1 prior to book 2 because Taboo covers only the barest hints of back story. Which is refreshing, actually.
I had a really hard time putting Taboo down. Tara has such a lovely writing voice, it’s so lyrical and poetic. I found myself highlighting line after line because I was so struck by the beauty of her words and the way in which she phrased them. I swear, these books have some of the best dialogue of the Fantasy Genre that I’ve ever read. More than that though, the strength of the story just grips you right from the first page and builds until the very last. The characters from Book 1 are allowed to grow and adapt naturally but pace is never sacrificed for their growth. I loved the direction she went with Gwenika and Brena, whom I never quite warmed up to in Book 1 but have since grown to respect. Even newly introduced characters are given an opportunity to shine, such as Svego, who I fell in love with nigh instantly.
The story itself is intense, and I love how Miss Maya doesn’t rush anything especially the romances that’ve been building between several different characters throughout both books. She juggled the subplots superbly and I absolutely cannot to see what she has in store for us with Sacrifice.
I had a really hard time putting Taboo down. Tara has such a lovely writing voice, it’s so lyrical and poetic. I found myself highlighting line after line because I was so struck by the beauty of her words and the way in which she phrased them. I swear, these books have some of the best dialogue of the Fantasy Genre that I’ve ever read. More than that though, the strength of the story just grips you right from the first page and builds until the very last. The characters from Book 1 are allowed to grow and adapt naturally but pace is never sacrificed for their growth. I loved the direction she went with Gwenika and Brena, whom I never quite warmed up to in Book 1 but have since grown to respect. Even newly introduced characters are given an opportunity to shine, such as Svego, who I fell in love with nigh instantly.
The story itself is intense, and I love how Miss Maya doesn’t rush anything especially the romances that’ve been building between several different characters throughout both books. She juggled the subplots superbly and I absolutely cannot to see what she has in store for us with Sacrifice.
December 21, 2011
I received a free copy of this book in return for a review.
Premise: Sequel to Initiate, this is the continuing story of Dindi the aspiring dancer/shaman and Kavio the young prodigy, outcast from his tribe. The core cast expands some, as does the world.
I liked this volume more than the first by quite a bit. The world became clearer, the structure of the magic became clearer, and best of all, the history that seems so important to the future of these characters was clarified.
Fewer typos, fewer narrative missteps, this is overall a stronger book. Also it was quite a bit longer.
It is a sequel, so from here out there may be slight spoilers.
One part that I didn't like was a sex scene. It came basically out of nowhere, and was surprisingly graphic. I don't mind that the characters had sex, that felt right, and some description of it is necessary for understanding their relationship, but the style of the writing took a side trip to romance novel. It was also odd because it only happened once. It isn't as though all the characters who had sex or romance in this volume got that treatment.
On that note, I thought the introduction of gay characters was fairly well-handled and welcome. Downright sweet, actually.
Most of the characters had some growing up to do in this volume, as they figure out what is important to them and what they are willing to risk for it.
Premise: Sequel to Initiate, this is the continuing story of Dindi the aspiring dancer/shaman and Kavio the young prodigy, outcast from his tribe. The core cast expands some, as does the world.
I liked this volume more than the first by quite a bit. The world became clearer, the structure of the magic became clearer, and best of all, the history that seems so important to the future of these characters was clarified.
Fewer typos, fewer narrative missteps, this is overall a stronger book. Also it was quite a bit longer.
It is a sequel, so from here out there may be slight spoilers.
One part that I didn't like was a sex scene. It came basically out of nowhere, and was surprisingly graphic. I don't mind that the characters had sex, that felt right, and some description of it is necessary for understanding their relationship, but the style of the writing took a side trip to romance novel. It was also odd because it only happened once. It isn't as though all the characters who had sex or romance in this volume got that treatment.
On that note, I thought the introduction of gay characters was fairly well-handled and welcome. Downright sweet, actually.
Most of the characters had some growing up to do in this volume, as they figure out what is important to them and what they are willing to risk for it.
January 5, 2012
First off I love this cover! The story is a continuation of the first book so you need to read that first as the author gives no back story. Taboo is enthralling and the description of the dancing is spectacular. As I was reading it was like watching it in the movies. I could picture everything crystal clear. We are also introduced to some new creatures and a fascinating world of faeries and magic. I love faeries and Magic. We also see the beginning of a romance between Dindi and Kavio. I am enjoying the world they live in is changing and the characters need to make choices. I will be looking for book three as Ms. Maya leaves us hanging for more. This will be a 12 book series. I did not care for Gremo and Svego's relationship(they are both male and have relations). I almost stop reading because of it and I found myself skipping those parts of the story. I know that happens all the time but I don't agree with it or care to read it. Since this story was so gripping I skimmed those parts.
This book does contain some descriptive violence, marital relations (and reference to) and a couple swear words.
This book does contain some descriptive violence, marital relations (and reference to) and a couple swear words.
July 5, 2013
It's been quite some time since I read the first book in this series, INITIATE. Usually, after a chapter or two though, it all comes rushing back to me and I settle in knowing the backstory. Unfortunately, that didn't happen here. Taboo basically picks up right were Initiate left off, so I had to go back and leaf through Initiate to refresh myself. If you're about to read Taboo, pick up Initiate first - you'll be glad you did!
That said, I have to say that the flow was alot smoother in Taboo. You really get to know the characters a bit more in this installment. Tara has a knack for world-building and her world for Dindi and Kavio is breath-taking, rich in detail that you can almost envision it. I really like her fantasy world and appreciate the fact she handled a gay romance with tact. Blossoming romance, spectacular world-building, characters you really begin to care about and an ending that will have you clamoring for the next in the series, Taboo is a recommended read for fantasy fans!
That said, I have to say that the flow was alot smoother in Taboo. You really get to know the characters a bit more in this installment. Tara has a knack for world-building and her world for Dindi and Kavio is breath-taking, rich in detail that you can almost envision it. I really like her fantasy world and appreciate the fact she handled a gay romance with tact. Blossoming romance, spectacular world-building, characters you really begin to care about and an ending that will have you clamoring for the next in the series, Taboo is a recommended read for fantasy fans!
August 25, 2017
I mentioned in my review of The Initiate, this type of book was just not my thing. I wanted to give it another chance, but it didn't really work out. The romantic connection was just too slow for me, and I couldn’t keep up with the multiple shifts in POV (even though it was all in third person narrative…). The world-building continues to color and inspire the plot. However, I was looking for more. Also, I was extremely disappointed with the way things worked out for Dindi. I was hoping she possessed magic...
In short, I think it’s the end for me and the series. I just couldn’t personally connect w/ the story. However, I think others might still find this enjoyable, and extremely fascinating, and inspired.
In short, I think it’s the end for me and the series. I just couldn’t personally connect w/ the story. However, I think others might still find this enjoyable, and extremely fascinating, and inspired.
September 20, 2014
The characters from book one continued to absorb me in their personal stories. I was pleased to see some of the relationships begin to develop, though I was shocked to see a sudden change in a couple of them.
If you are looking for a book with a richly developed magical fantasy world then look no further. The concept of magic being produced through dancing is a very unique twist over other novels concerning magic. I do feel a little sorry for those not selected into the magical groups since dancing becomes forbidden for them for the rest of their lives.
There are a few editing mistakes in the story, but they are simple ones to understand. If you are willing to put away your red correcting pen then you will be reding a book that you are sure to enjoy.
If you are looking for a book with a richly developed magical fantasy world then look no further. The concept of magic being produced through dancing is a very unique twist over other novels concerning magic. I do feel a little sorry for those not selected into the magical groups since dancing becomes forbidden for them for the rest of their lives.
There are a few editing mistakes in the story, but they are simple ones to understand. If you are willing to put away your red correcting pen then you will be reding a book that you are sure to enjoy.
February 6, 2014
An excellent book where you enter a land of mystery and magic ... although do get annoyed when there are petty mistakes that should have been edited out in an otherwise brilliantly written book.
Find it rather annoying the books end on a cliffhanger, as prefer stand alone books. Ending on a cliffhanger is more reminiscent of ploys used for 'B' grade TV shows at the end of season, I would have hoped this author did not fall into this trap.
All being said though, this book is excellent and love the magic that is interweaved throughout the world she has established and the characters, and the underpinning of their society.
A really great read!!
Find it rather annoying the books end on a cliffhanger, as prefer stand alone books. Ending on a cliffhanger is more reminiscent of ploys used for 'B' grade TV shows at the end of season, I would have hoped this author did not fall into this trap.
All being said though, this book is excellent and love the magic that is interweaved throughout the world she has established and the characters, and the underpinning of their society.
A really great read!!
August 8, 2012
It was an ok read, the only reason I read this is because I read the first book and it was a cliffhanger. I liked the main character Dindi, she follows the same path she did in the first book and I wanted to see where the author was taking Dindi and if that ass of a teacher would get her what fors. Unfortunately, I was sadly disappointed. I hope Dindi doesn't become a victim because it's looking a little predictable.
February 2, 2013
What a wonderful author and book! I can't wait to read the next volume of this series. Tara Maya has created characters in the Unfinished Song that stir strong emotions and scenes that draw you into the plot, wanting even more. Although she has created another world, she has grounded that world into something real that makes it easy to believe the unbelievable. I highly recommend this series to any one who loves the fantasy genre or just a good read!
December 18, 2013
Book Review: The Unfinished Song Book Two: Taboo
By: Tara Maya
I recommend this book to all who love fantasy adventure books. This book is fun to read due to being very creatively written. The story plot will captivate the reader, meaning you will not want to put the book down till it's done. This book is part of a series that you will want to continue to follow.
Written by: Jesenia Sanabia
By: Tara Maya
I recommend this book to all who love fantasy adventure books. This book is fun to read due to being very creatively written. The story plot will captivate the reader, meaning you will not want to put the book down till it's done. This book is part of a series that you will want to continue to follow.
Written by: Jesenia Sanabia
June 25, 2012
Another great book. This one didn't feel as confusing at the beginning as "Initiate" did but that's because I was familiar with the characters. It was really cool to see all the characters we knew continue interacting with each other and to visit new places in Faearth.
I won't give any spoilers, but I can't wait to know where "Sacrifice" will pick up the story. Keep 'em coming Tara!
I won't give any spoilers, but I can't wait to know where "Sacrifice" will pick up the story. Keep 'em coming Tara!
July 15, 2012
Skimmed/skipped probably 25% of the book to find out what happens with the main Dindi storyline again. Decided I wont buy any more of this series. Its a decent read but the drama gets drug out for so long and I just want to skip to the end to find out what happens. When the series is concluded I'll probably borrow them for free and skim through.
March 14, 2016
I have found this to be quite an adventure mystery magic secrets love and epic battles charge the pages of this book I have read book one and went on to two where the adventure still kept me reading I love the strong female roles that seem to be found wrapped in with there counter parts ...full of surprises loved it and will move on to book 3 amazing reading
July 23, 2011
I liked the character development in this ensemble cast of humans, fae and shapeshifters. Kavio remains my favorite hero, so far.
This second book in the series also gets a bit more detailed with the history and lore of the different tribes.
This second book in the series also gets a bit more detailed with the history and lore of the different tribes.
July 5, 2011
Very nice continuation of the story. As in the first book, I did notice several grammatical errors, but have found this common in ebooks. The story arc didn't progress as far as I hoped, but admittedly has me waiting with bated breath for the next installment of the series.
July 21, 2011
This is an interesting series, and definitely worth a read. I liked this book better than the first. If you like Clan of the Cave Bear, you will like this book, only it has a lot of magic and fae in it while the Auel books didn't.
September 7, 2014
The endings in these books never disappoint me. There were some parts I would've liked better skipped, because I was really excited, but I guess they were important. I love the book. Thank you dear author.
July 11, 2011
I really like this series, but I think it would have been better to release it as one book, since the division into 3 doesn't work that well.
January 22, 2012
Couldn't put them down! Anyone know when the 5th one comes out?
October 28, 2012
The mystery with Dindi needs some clearing. I like that there are strong healers in this installment.
March 10, 2013
This was even better than the first book. I couldn't put it down!
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