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The Song of the Wren-Falcon: The First Prophecy
Orienne Seritan is a loyal Adelfian who wants nothing more than peace for her country and a life free from the darkness and violence of war. But when the fulfillment of an ancient prophecy entangles her life and the fates of those she loves with the destiny of an embittered traitor, she finds herself being dragged even deeper into the darkness.
Enemies are pouring over her nation’s borders. People she loves are dying. The cryptic prophecy offers no clues as to who will be left standing at its end...nor does it disclose the magnitude of the role that Orienne is destined to play.
Enemies are pouring over her nation’s borders. People she loves are dying. The cryptic prophecy offers no clues as to who will be left standing at its end...nor does it disclose the magnitude of the role that Orienne is destined to play.
- GenresFantasy
ebook
First published November 23, 2014
18 people want to read
About the author
Mary Ruth Pursselley
6 books14 followersMary Ruth Pursselley is an Ozarks farm girl who has worked as a kennel assistant, stable hand, and janitor in the past. She currently teaches music and works as a freelance editor to pay the bills, since there's "not a lot of money in revenge". She's a Hobbit at heart, so she spends as much time as possible at home on her family's beef ranch, and enjoys expanding her personal library, studying creation apologetics, designing and wearing costumes every chance she gets, and drinking large amounts of tea.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 29, 2015
Age Appropriate For: 15 and up for violence and intensity
Best for Ages: 15 and up
I first became acquainted with Pursselley’s work when I read the Sci-fi analogy Avenir Eclectia. I really enjoyed her stories in that collection, so I was very eager to read a whole book written by her.
I loved Orienne from the very first page. I felt I could relate to her on so many levels. She was feminine without being weak, independent but still willing to listen to her brother’s advice. She made the pages fly by as if it were a much shorter story. Her emotions as the events unfolded gripped my heart and made us one.
Pursselley warned me that there was some magic in the book, but when she told me that it was only used by the bad guys, I might like the book. I don’t think I have read another book that had magic that showed clearly that magic was evil and comes at a high cost. This was not Disney fairy magic, this was dark magic that is clearly shown as evil.
I have to admit, the one drawback for me in the book was how dark and gritty it was at times. It was understandable for a war-torn country that was facing even more war, but this was definitely not a light read. Blood, grim outcomes, and just darkness were all major parts of the story. They were part of what made it powerful, and there was nothing that was described in too much detail, but do not pick up this book expecting a light read. Also, at times it was hard to keep track of the large cast of characters.
This story definitely had some allegorical elements to it, as well as themes that I loved. Themes of redemption, God’s sovereignty, and trust were all woven into the story in a very powerful way.
I highly recommend this book for fantasy lovers, those who like grittier fiction, or anyone looking for a powerful allegory.
I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest review. I was under no obligation to write a positive review. The opinions in this review are entirely my own.
Best for Ages: 15 and up
I first became acquainted with Pursselley’s work when I read the Sci-fi analogy Avenir Eclectia. I really enjoyed her stories in that collection, so I was very eager to read a whole book written by her.
I loved Orienne from the very first page. I felt I could relate to her on so many levels. She was feminine without being weak, independent but still willing to listen to her brother’s advice. She made the pages fly by as if it were a much shorter story. Her emotions as the events unfolded gripped my heart and made us one.
Pursselley warned me that there was some magic in the book, but when she told me that it was only used by the bad guys, I might like the book. I don’t think I have read another book that had magic that showed clearly that magic was evil and comes at a high cost. This was not Disney fairy magic, this was dark magic that is clearly shown as evil.
I have to admit, the one drawback for me in the book was how dark and gritty it was at times. It was understandable for a war-torn country that was facing even more war, but this was definitely not a light read. Blood, grim outcomes, and just darkness were all major parts of the story. They were part of what made it powerful, and there was nothing that was described in too much detail, but do not pick up this book expecting a light read. Also, at times it was hard to keep track of the large cast of characters.
This story definitely had some allegorical elements to it, as well as themes that I loved. Themes of redemption, God’s sovereignty, and trust were all woven into the story in a very powerful way.
I highly recommend this book for fantasy lovers, those who like grittier fiction, or anyone looking for a powerful allegory.
I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest review. I was under no obligation to write a positive review. The opinions in this review are entirely my own.
April 14, 2015
Pros:
Pacing - The first, and greatest thing I noticed about Pursselley’s novel was the superb pacing. She was able to pack a very intricate story into what felt like a small amount of words. There were virtually no slow parts to the book. In every single scene, something crucial was happening, and unlike in other novels I’ve read, I didn’t feel left behind. The Song of the Wren-Falcon’s ability to run at a break-neck pace while continuing to make sense—and draw the reader deeper into the story—is one of its greatest strengths.
World building – The depth of culture in this world was very real. Pursselley also does a fantastic job of creating vastness by introducing other nations and their cultures without detracting from the core plot. It was one of the rare cases where I have read a fantasy novel other than Lord of the Rings and been able to picture this realm as a real place.
Dialogue – Throughout the entire novel, the dialogue really shines. It felt genuine, snappy, and engaging. The way it moves the plot along without creating info dumps is superb. Not to mention the uniqueness in each character’s voice that skillfully sets them apart. The dialogue was by far my favorite part of The Song of the Wren-Falcon to read.
Plot – The plot was most impressive; it just kept thickening. The skill with which The Song of the Wren-Falcon is woven together is incredible. As a fan of action and intrigue, this really pleased me. I would describe it as both a war novel and a political intrigue wrapped into one. Definitely an exciting read.
Cons:
Lots of head-hopping – It isn’t that having multiple perspectives is a bad thing. On the contrary, it was done with great skill. However, the sheer number of characters with a POV made the initial emotional connection very difficult. Just as I was getting comfortable being in one POV, I was jerked into another. This may be a personal preference, but when I read a story with strong characters (which this was), I prefer to have to keep track of only a few. Eight or nine was a bit too much for me.
Deus ex Machina – The biggest issue for me was the number of uses of what felt like Deus ex Machina—or “God out of the box.” There were numerous occasions when the characters faced overwhelming odds, and then were abruptly rescued—either deliberately, or as a result of an accident. There were times when I felt that escape or victory came too easily. I’d been expecting more of a struggle. In short, I felt like coincidences popped up a little too often.
Content
Rated on a scale of 1-10:
Romance: 1-2
Violence: 5
Magic: 6
Sex: 0
Language: 0
Conclusion
As a whole, I really enjoyed The Song of the Wren-Falcon, and would recommend it if you enjoy grittier fantasy stories in well-crafted worlds, war novels, or political intrigue.
Pacing - The first, and greatest thing I noticed about Pursselley’s novel was the superb pacing. She was able to pack a very intricate story into what felt like a small amount of words. There were virtually no slow parts to the book. In every single scene, something crucial was happening, and unlike in other novels I’ve read, I didn’t feel left behind. The Song of the Wren-Falcon’s ability to run at a break-neck pace while continuing to make sense—and draw the reader deeper into the story—is one of its greatest strengths.
World building – The depth of culture in this world was very real. Pursselley also does a fantastic job of creating vastness by introducing other nations and their cultures without detracting from the core plot. It was one of the rare cases where I have read a fantasy novel other than Lord of the Rings and been able to picture this realm as a real place.
Dialogue – Throughout the entire novel, the dialogue really shines. It felt genuine, snappy, and engaging. The way it moves the plot along without creating info dumps is superb. Not to mention the uniqueness in each character’s voice that skillfully sets them apart. The dialogue was by far my favorite part of The Song of the Wren-Falcon to read.
Plot – The plot was most impressive; it just kept thickening. The skill with which The Song of the Wren-Falcon is woven together is incredible. As a fan of action and intrigue, this really pleased me. I would describe it as both a war novel and a political intrigue wrapped into one. Definitely an exciting read.
Cons:
Lots of head-hopping – It isn’t that having multiple perspectives is a bad thing. On the contrary, it was done with great skill. However, the sheer number of characters with a POV made the initial emotional connection very difficult. Just as I was getting comfortable being in one POV, I was jerked into another. This may be a personal preference, but when I read a story with strong characters (which this was), I prefer to have to keep track of only a few. Eight or nine was a bit too much for me.
Deus ex Machina – The biggest issue for me was the number of uses of what felt like Deus ex Machina—or “God out of the box.” There were numerous occasions when the characters faced overwhelming odds, and then were abruptly rescued—either deliberately, or as a result of an accident. There were times when I felt that escape or victory came too easily. I’d been expecting more of a struggle. In short, I felt like coincidences popped up a little too often.
Content
Rated on a scale of 1-10:
Romance: 1-2
Violence: 5
Magic: 6
Sex: 0
Language: 0
Conclusion
As a whole, I really enjoyed The Song of the Wren-Falcon, and would recommend it if you enjoy grittier fantasy stories in well-crafted worlds, war novels, or political intrigue.
January 20, 2016
Orienne pulled me in right away. Her eyes change color depending on her emotions, and no one else's do. At first, the plot is fairly standard fantasy, but the characters and their relationships keep it interesting and engaging.
About a half to two-thirds of the way in, the plot takes a turn in a way that I've never seen before. Without revealing too much, one of the themes is forgiveness and redemption, and how the characters react to and deal with that.
Some might say it's not realistic. I disagree, I think it just feels that way because we don't often explore themes of forgiveness for a character that doesn't deserve it.
In terms of world building and plot, I'd give the book three stars -- everything's well done, just generic. In terms of characters and relationships I'd give it four and a half stars, and five for theme. So, overall....
Four stars! I'm looking forward to book two, and seeing how the characters deal with the fall-out from the events of this book.
About a half to two-thirds of the way in, the plot takes a turn in a way that I've never seen before. Without revealing too much, one of the themes is forgiveness and redemption, and how the characters react to and deal with that.
Some might say it's not realistic. I disagree, I think it just feels that way because we don't often explore themes of forgiveness for a character that doesn't deserve it.
In terms of world building and plot, I'd give the book three stars -- everything's well done, just generic. In terms of characters and relationships I'd give it four and a half stars, and five for theme. So, overall....
Four stars! I'm looking forward to book two, and seeing how the characters deal with the fall-out from the events of this book.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews