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Overture of Shadow
Light reveals, shadow conceals. What we illuminate, we become.
In Breheimen, artisans and craftsmen aren’t just respected. They are revered. The Muse-touched are individuals whose creativity seems divinely inspired, capable of conjuring beauty so profound it borders on the mythical. Their gifts shape culture, hold political sway, and define the kingdom’s identity—the very spirit of the realm.
But when Master Bard Dorian Silversong is summoned to the capital by his mentor, he walks into a world unraveling. That same mentor, the head of the prestigious Collegium Bardica, has been murdered. Muse-touched artisans are vanishing. And at the heart of it all lies a web of courtly machinations and unseen forces determined to twist the bond between creator and creation for malevolent ends.
What if the power to create was the greatest one of all?
In Breheimen, artisans and craftsmen aren’t just respected. They are revered. The Muse-touched are individuals whose creativity seems divinely inspired, capable of conjuring beauty so profound it borders on the mythical. Their gifts shape culture, hold political sway, and define the kingdom’s identity—the very spirit of the realm.
But when Master Bard Dorian Silversong is summoned to the capital by his mentor, he walks into a world unraveling. That same mentor, the head of the prestigious Collegium Bardica, has been murdered. Muse-touched artisans are vanishing. And at the heart of it all lies a web of courtly machinations and unseen forces determined to twist the bond between creator and creation for malevolent ends.
What if the power to create was the greatest one of all?
398 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 24, 2025
7 people are currently reading
10 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
September 16, 2025
What a delightful read! Wally Waltner has managed to both capture a classic writing style and story and blend in a very modern magic system and put his own unique twist on it: make the magic system music based.
This book has the classic writing style and pacing one might find in an early Shannara novel from Terry Brooks. Its a fun adventure that both moves at the right pace and also takes its time to slow down when necessary.
The main characters of Dorian Silversong and Lydian Gleamingharpe are just delightful to follow. Their journey and their connection to the musical magic system is just a joy to read.
The worldbuilding is revealed very slowly in the book, only giving you enough information for what you need to know, while also leaving you wanting more. It had me so excited any time new information was dropped.
There are so many musical references and elements interspersed throughout the book. My personal favorite was a character named "Selah" who showed up. Wally certainly knows his musical ideas, and I'm very intrigued for what he'll incorporate in the sequel.
The book is essentially a mystery of "who killed _____" and "why did they kill him?". When you combine this mystery with some interesting court intrigue and a heartwarming romance between the two main characters, it makes a great combination.
While I do enjoy the cover and the interior artwork, I do have a few notes. First: I know Raconteur Press has used AI in the past on some of their artwork and I hope that is not the case here because it would be unfortunate for this book and make it more difficult to support. Second: the interior sketches were scattered throughout in very odd placements, oftentimes not correlating to the scene preceeding it or succeeding it. I often figured out which moment it did connect to, but had these been placed more properly I think they would have been much more effective. [But credit where it's due: the sketches do remind me of the old Brothers Hildebrant/Darryl K Sweet interior artworks].
Overall, I really loved this book, and I cannot wait to see what Wally writes next. A delightful debut in the Muses War series. Classic Fantasy with a twist. Wally's blend of mystery, magic, and music is just mesmerizing. He is the stylistic successor to Terry Brooks, and we will watch Wally's career with great interest. 9.2 out of 10!
This book has the classic writing style and pacing one might find in an early Shannara novel from Terry Brooks. Its a fun adventure that both moves at the right pace and also takes its time to slow down when necessary.
The main characters of Dorian Silversong and Lydian Gleamingharpe are just delightful to follow. Their journey and their connection to the musical magic system is just a joy to read.
The worldbuilding is revealed very slowly in the book, only giving you enough information for what you need to know, while also leaving you wanting more. It had me so excited any time new information was dropped.
There are so many musical references and elements interspersed throughout the book. My personal favorite was a character named "Selah" who showed up. Wally certainly knows his musical ideas, and I'm very intrigued for what he'll incorporate in the sequel.
The book is essentially a mystery of "who killed _____" and "why did they kill him?". When you combine this mystery with some interesting court intrigue and a heartwarming romance between the two main characters, it makes a great combination.
While I do enjoy the cover and the interior artwork, I do have a few notes. First: I know Raconteur Press has used AI in the past on some of their artwork and I hope that is not the case here because it would be unfortunate for this book and make it more difficult to support. Second: the interior sketches were scattered throughout in very odd placements, oftentimes not correlating to the scene preceeding it or succeeding it. I often figured out which moment it did connect to, but had these been placed more properly I think they would have been much more effective. [But credit where it's due: the sketches do remind me of the old Brothers Hildebrant/Darryl K Sweet interior artworks].
Overall, I really loved this book, and I cannot wait to see what Wally writes next. A delightful debut in the Muses War series. Classic Fantasy with a twist. Wally's blend of mystery, magic, and music is just mesmerizing. He is the stylistic successor to Terry Brooks, and we will watch Wally's career with great interest. 9.2 out of 10!
August 21, 2025
Overture of Shadow begins with Master Bard Dorian Silversong having been summoned to the capital by his mentor, Sonoran. Upon his arrival at the capital, he is informed that his mentor and friend had been murdered a couple of days before. Dorian then makes his way to Lydian’s estate where she proceeds to tell him what has been happening in the capital.
Dorian and Lydian attended the Collegium Bardica together and had always been close friends and held Sonoran close to their hearts. The Collegium is where the Muse-touched artisans attend to master their particular area of expertise. When Lydian also tells Dorian that other Muse-touched artisans have vanished they vow to get to the bottom of what is going on.
Dorian and Lydian make their way to Sonoran’s estate, which was bequeathed to Dorian upon Sonoran’s death, it does not take long for the two of them to stumble upon things that upend everything they thought they knew about the Muse-touched.
As they set out to uncover the truth, there are several things that must be investigated head on. One being the attraction that has always been there………………Second being their beliefs that being Muse-touched was a blessing for everyone who was chosen.
Overture of Shadow is a well written fantasy tale that slowly lures you into the story. The world building is second to none and leaves the reader being able to see, in their mind’s eye, a landscape that is intriguing and beautiful. The secondary characters, especially Mixolydian (Mixie for short), are very well written. Mixie’s character development leaves you hoping that she features prominently in the next installment. If you are a fantasy fan, you will surely enjoy this world full of intrigue created by Waltner. Well done, Wally Waltner!
Dorian and Lydian attended the Collegium Bardica together and had always been close friends and held Sonoran close to their hearts. The Collegium is where the Muse-touched artisans attend to master their particular area of expertise. When Lydian also tells Dorian that other Muse-touched artisans have vanished they vow to get to the bottom of what is going on.
Dorian and Lydian make their way to Sonoran’s estate, which was bequeathed to Dorian upon Sonoran’s death, it does not take long for the two of them to stumble upon things that upend everything they thought they knew about the Muse-touched.
As they set out to uncover the truth, there are several things that must be investigated head on. One being the attraction that has always been there………………Second being their beliefs that being Muse-touched was a blessing for everyone who was chosen.
Overture of Shadow is a well written fantasy tale that slowly lures you into the story. The world building is second to none and leaves the reader being able to see, in their mind’s eye, a landscape that is intriguing and beautiful. The secondary characters, especially Mixolydian (Mixie for short), are very well written. Mixie’s character development leaves you hoping that she features prominently in the next installment. If you are a fantasy fan, you will surely enjoy this world full of intrigue created by Waltner. Well done, Wally Waltner!
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews