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The Music of Creation
In a universe where music is a narcotic, an alien must protect a brilliant Irish composer from abduction.
Music from Earth has a profound impact upon alien species who use it as a mind-altering drug. Our planet is fertile ground for a ruthless off-world cartel called the Abductors who hunt musicians to sell as commodities. These kidnapped musicians are then forced to perform for those wealthy enough to purchase them.
Countering the Abductors are the Protectors, who have long dedicated their energy to guarding musicians from these ruthless traffickers. Lindsey is from the planet Thales and is a Protector waiting for her first assignment. When a brilliant teenaged composer is discovered in Ireland, a boy of such incredible talent his music can alter space, the Abductors plot to capture him. The Protectors must rush the inexperienced Lindsey to protect Ryan Reilly, his mother, and his sister from the predatory Abductors. Against the turmoil of an intergalactic war, Lindsey must succeed before Ryan's ability destroys the universe.
Music from Earth has a profound impact upon alien species who use it as a mind-altering drug. Our planet is fertile ground for a ruthless off-world cartel called the Abductors who hunt musicians to sell as commodities. These kidnapped musicians are then forced to perform for those wealthy enough to purchase them.
Countering the Abductors are the Protectors, who have long dedicated their energy to guarding musicians from these ruthless traffickers. Lindsey is from the planet Thales and is a Protector waiting for her first assignment. When a brilliant teenaged composer is discovered in Ireland, a boy of such incredible talent his music can alter space, the Abductors plot to capture him. The Protectors must rush the inexperienced Lindsey to protect Ryan Reilly, his mother, and his sister from the predatory Abductors. Against the turmoil of an intergalactic war, Lindsey must succeed before Ryan's ability destroys the universe.
280 pages, Paperback
Published November 11, 2025
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November 13, 2025
Like a lot of the ARCs I end up getting, this was an odd one.
This was put out under a sub-imprint of Artemesia Publishing. Other ARCs I've had under their main imprint, even when not really 'my thing' in terms of what I typically read, were solid so I had some higher hopes here.
The Music of Creation centers around a strange conflict in which basically all other civilizations can't (don't?) make music, and for all intents and purposes secretly farm earth for its music which has a variety of effects on them. Some of the alien factions are more actively malevolent, some more beneficent, but its not as if any faction has ever considered like...trading with or helping humans in exchange. I'm also a little unsure why everyone is intent on kidnapping human musicians since recordings exist and apparently aliens can make recordings. Music creators are on some kind of ranking system, with fabled Level Ones never before having been observed (not sure how we have a designation for them then?)...until now. Also families share those abilities. And some humans of high enough music creator level can also do other stuff like heal others and themselves. But humans never noticed.
The structure is also odd...there are a *lot* of chapters, because chapters are, on average, about 2-4 pages long. The writing is a little stilted? Its something I've seen in other scientists trying their hand at a fiction novel for the first time. Clearly not a universal problem, but something I've seen enough times for it to seem like a pattern where there is considerably more telling us than showing us. One of the two authors has some prior publishing credits under their belt, but I wonder if its more short stories or non-genre fiction. The dialogue I think particularly suffers.
I actually think this would appeal a lot more to younger reader. The overt exposition, the direct but kind of stilted dialogue, the sudden shifts into action, the kind of bonkers plot all feel like things that I would have probably not noticed in my early years as a genre reader. However I *think* the intended audience is older...I could be wrong, the main characters are (well, the human ones) are 16-18, or the alien equivalent, so maybe it is meant for a younger audience.
This was put out under a sub-imprint of Artemesia Publishing. Other ARCs I've had under their main imprint, even when not really 'my thing' in terms of what I typically read, were solid so I had some higher hopes here.
The Music of Creation centers around a strange conflict in which basically all other civilizations can't (don't?) make music, and for all intents and purposes secretly farm earth for its music which has a variety of effects on them. Some of the alien factions are more actively malevolent, some more beneficent, but its not as if any faction has ever considered like...trading with or helping humans in exchange. I'm also a little unsure why everyone is intent on kidnapping human musicians since recordings exist and apparently aliens can make recordings. Music creators are on some kind of ranking system, with fabled Level Ones never before having been observed (not sure how we have a designation for them then?)...until now. Also families share those abilities. And some humans of high enough music creator level can also do other stuff like heal others and themselves. But humans never noticed.
The structure is also odd...there are a *lot* of chapters, because chapters are, on average, about 2-4 pages long. The writing is a little stilted? Its something I've seen in other scientists trying their hand at a fiction novel for the first time. Clearly not a universal problem, but something I've seen enough times for it to seem like a pattern where there is considerably more telling us than showing us. One of the two authors has some prior publishing credits under their belt, but I wonder if its more short stories or non-genre fiction. The dialogue I think particularly suffers.
I actually think this would appeal a lot more to younger reader. The overt exposition, the direct but kind of stilted dialogue, the sudden shifts into action, the kind of bonkers plot all feel like things that I would have probably not noticed in my early years as a genre reader. However I *think* the intended audience is older...I could be wrong, the main characters are (well, the human ones) are 16-18, or the alien equivalent, so maybe it is meant for a younger audience.
Displaying 1 of 1 review