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Instrument of Fate
Armed only with a magical lute, songsmith Gillien Songespynner embarks on a perilous journey through a fantastical world of Blessers, demons, and elves. Original.
293 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 1, 1996
2 people are currently reading
86 people want to read
About the author
Christie Golden
173 books1,878 followersAward-winning author Christie Golden has written over thirty novels and several short stories in the fields of science fiction, fantasy and horror. She has over a million books in print.
2009 will see no fewer than three novels published. First out in late April will be a World of Warcraft novel, Athas: Rise of the Lich King. This is the first Warcraft novel to appear in hardcover. Fans of the young paladin who fell so far from grace will get to read his definitive story.
In June, Golden’s first Star Wars novel, also a hardcover, sees print. Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi—Omen is the second in a nine-book series she is co-authoring with Aaron Allston and Troy Denning. Also in June comes the conclusion of Golden’s StarCraft: The Dark Templar Saga with the release of Twlight, the third book in the series. The first two are Firstborn and Shadow Hunters.
2004 saw the launch of an original fantasy series called The Final Dance, from LUNA Books. The first novel in the series, On Fire's Wings, was published in July of that year. The second, In Stone’s Clasp , came out in September of 2005. With In Stone’s Clasp, Golden won the Colorado Author’s League Top Hand Award for Best Genre Novel for the second time. The third book, Under Sea’s Shadow, is available only as an e-book
Golden is also the author of two original fantasy novels from Ace Books, King's Man and Thief and Instrument of Fate, which made the 1996 Nebula Preliminary Ballot. Under the pen name of Jadrien Bell, she wrote a historical fantasy thriller entitled A.D. 999, which won the Colorado Author's League Top Hand Award for Best Genre Novel of 1999.
Golden launched the TSR Ravenloft line in 1991 with her first novel, the highly successful Vampire of the Mists , which introduced elven vampire Jander Sunstar. Golden followed up Vampire with Dance of the Dead and The Enemy Within . In September of 2006, fifteen years to the month, The Ravenloft Covenant: Vampire of the Mists enabled Jander Sunstar to reach a whole new audience.
Other projects include a slew of Star Trek novels, among them The Murdered Sun , Marooned , and Seven of Nine , and "The Dark Matters Trilogy," Cloak and Dagger , Ghost Dance and Shadow of Heaven .
The Voyager novel relaunch, which includes Homecoming and The Farther Shore , were bestsellers and were the fastest-selling Trek novels of 2003. Golden continued writing VOYAGER novels even though the show went off the air, and enjoyed exploring the creative freedom that gave her in the two-parter called Spirit Walk, which includes Old Wounds and Enemy of my Enemy .
Golden has also written the novelization of Steven Spielberg's Invasion America and an original "prequel," On The Run , both of which received high praise from producer Harve Bennett. On The Run, a combination medical thriller and science fiction adventure, even prompted Bennett to invite Golden to assist in crafting the second season of the show, if it was renewed.
Golden lives in Loveland, Colorado, with her artist husband and their two cats.
2009 will see no fewer than three novels published. First out in late April will be a World of Warcraft novel, Athas: Rise of the Lich King. This is the first Warcraft novel to appear in hardcover. Fans of the young paladin who fell so far from grace will get to read his definitive story.
In June, Golden’s first Star Wars novel, also a hardcover, sees print. Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi—Omen is the second in a nine-book series she is co-authoring with Aaron Allston and Troy Denning. Also in June comes the conclusion of Golden’s StarCraft: The Dark Templar Saga with the release of Twlight, the third book in the series. The first two are Firstborn and Shadow Hunters.
2004 saw the launch of an original fantasy series called The Final Dance, from LUNA Books. The first novel in the series, On Fire's Wings, was published in July of that year. The second, In Stone’s Clasp , came out in September of 2005. With In Stone’s Clasp, Golden won the Colorado Author’s League Top Hand Award for Best Genre Novel for the second time. The third book, Under Sea’s Shadow, is available only as an e-book
Golden is also the author of two original fantasy novels from Ace Books, King's Man and Thief and Instrument of Fate, which made the 1996 Nebula Preliminary Ballot. Under the pen name of Jadrien Bell, she wrote a historical fantasy thriller entitled A.D. 999, which won the Colorado Author's League Top Hand Award for Best Genre Novel of 1999.
Golden launched the TSR Ravenloft line in 1991 with her first novel, the highly successful Vampire of the Mists , which introduced elven vampire Jander Sunstar. Golden followed up Vampire with Dance of the Dead and The Enemy Within . In September of 2006, fifteen years to the month, The Ravenloft Covenant: Vampire of the Mists enabled Jander Sunstar to reach a whole new audience.
Other projects include a slew of Star Trek novels, among them The Murdered Sun , Marooned , and Seven of Nine , and "The Dark Matters Trilogy," Cloak and Dagger , Ghost Dance and Shadow of Heaven .
The Voyager novel relaunch, which includes Homecoming and The Farther Shore , were bestsellers and were the fastest-selling Trek novels of 2003. Golden continued writing VOYAGER novels even though the show went off the air, and enjoyed exploring the creative freedom that gave her in the two-parter called Spirit Walk, which includes Old Wounds and Enemy of my Enemy .
Golden has also written the novelization of Steven Spielberg's Invasion America and an original "prequel," On The Run , both of which received high praise from producer Harve Bennett. On The Run, a combination medical thriller and science fiction adventure, even prompted Bennett to invite Golden to assist in crafting the second season of the show, if it was renewed.
Golden lives in Loveland, Colorado, with her artist husband and their two cats.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 8, 2021
I enjoyed the book quite a lot up until chapter 15. If you find rape, rape trauma and sexual assault triggering be warned. I wasn’t expecting it at all and felt great disgust. Speaking as someone who’s been raped, I felt like the rape was handled in poor taste, like shock value and “sexual assault made me stronger” trope. This book is from the 90s so I forgive Golden. Also, perhaps, I’d have a different opinion if I knew it was coming. So I leave this without a spoiler tag. Normally in a stickler for spoilers but something like this can be quite triggering and needs to be said somewhere.
Other than *that* I enjoyed the book for the most part. I love Golden’s Warcraft books so I wanted to give her own original story a chance. I wish there was more on the elves, as I found them most interesting!
Other than *that* I enjoyed the book for the most part. I love Golden’s Warcraft books so I wanted to give her own original story a chance. I wish there was more on the elves, as I found them most interesting!
May 21, 2025
“If one can weep, one can heal.“
Less than 100 ratings and less than 10 reviews is much too little attention for this book. I found this gem in the grungiest used book store I’ve ever set foot in. Recognizing Christie Golden (having read Vampire of the Mists) I bought it for pocket change. Since then I’ve read a few of Golden’s WarCraft novels: safe to say, she’s never disappointed. More importantly, she always leaves quite the emotional impact. This book is no different.
This book has rape in it. It’s not super detailed, but be warned. There is abuse to both men and women, and the trauma of such abuse. That’s pretty much all I knew about the book, as every review here mentions it. The premise itself is looking war, a magical instrument, and a young woman that is a bard set headlong into the life-changing adventure to save lives. She may not save her own. It gets dark very fast, and stays moody throughout. I shed a tear at the end. Golden excels at character work, but the plot also works simply but effectively, no complaints there. The worldbuilding also has simple things: elves, deities (specifically the Lady), and the terrifying giant rat people(and I mean bigger than humans, no puny Skaven) called ghil.
It’s a shot standalone, though I believe there is one more novel set in this world. A rare work by Golden not attached some IP.
“Emotions are strange things…you can grieve and rejoice at the same time.”
Less than 100 ratings and less than 10 reviews is much too little attention for this book. I found this gem in the grungiest used book store I’ve ever set foot in. Recognizing Christie Golden (having read Vampire of the Mists) I bought it for pocket change. Since then I’ve read a few of Golden’s WarCraft novels: safe to say, she’s never disappointed. More importantly, she always leaves quite the emotional impact. This book is no different.
This book has rape in it. It’s not super detailed, but be warned. There is abuse to both men and women, and the trauma of such abuse. That’s pretty much all I knew about the book, as every review here mentions it. The premise itself is looking war, a magical instrument, and a young woman that is a bard set headlong into the life-changing adventure to save lives. She may not save her own. It gets dark very fast, and stays moody throughout. I shed a tear at the end. Golden excels at character work, but the plot also works simply but effectively, no complaints there. The worldbuilding also has simple things: elves, deities (specifically the Lady), and the terrifying giant rat people(and I mean bigger than humans, no puny Skaven) called ghil.
It’s a shot standalone, though I believe there is one more novel set in this world. A rare work by Golden not attached some IP.
“Emotions are strange things…you can grieve and rejoice at the same time.”
July 21, 2017
Very enjoyable! The book has its flaws, but I like the story too much to care about them. I only wish the story didn't have to end THAT way... I was hoping it'd be more satisfying after so many trials and tribulations.
It's still a great book though. :)
It's still a great book though. :)
July 17, 2021
This books was very well written and the characters so believable. More importantly, the rape chapter was handled very well and wrapped up nicely by the end of the book. This book read like a D&D adventure till, but more in depth.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 29, 2016
I love music, so an intelligent lyre enthralled me. I also enjoy independent minded, determined young women. The book includes several species and/or races interacting, usually in antagonistic ways. Critters that can change themselves into other creatures or people tend to annoy me slightly; it appears to be a rather flimsy way to create drama. The fact that there are limitations to the ability makes it slightly less annoying. The novel is intensely violent.
November 21, 2008
It wasn't the most outstanding of books but it was short, sweet, and I rather liked the ending. There was a good message about how tragedy can not stop those who refuse to let it hold them back but in general, I think that the author was trying just a little too hard to really make our hero and heroine that much more tragic.
Read
August 6, 2011awsome read
Read
August 6, 2011Sagacious!
April 7, 2017
I used the spoiler formatting to hide information that a) is treated by the story as a "reveal" in a way that could be spoilered, as opposed to general plot information and b) for which content warnings apply (and may also serve as a content warning for the book itself).
I probably give too many 4-star reviews, but giving 3 seemed unfair for this one. Even though most of it fits my "it was okay, with competent writing" 3-star criteria, its personal impact deserves an extra star.
I read this in my early teens. Even then, it felt a bit paint-by-numbers fantasy: minstrels, misogynistic medieval culture, sad elves. On the other hand, none of this is window dressing. The plot makes the most of those minstrels, a heroine fighting the misogyny of her culture, and those beautifully tragic elves. The magic system was unique and interesting, including one of the few instances I can think of when a character shapeshifts into a non-living object. What I really remember from this story, though, was the plotline. Honestly, I'm glad young me's introduction to the topic was in a book that's this sensitive*, empowering, and .
*By which I mean, while the tone of the story is not subtle and at times leans to the melodramatic, there's no salacious onscreen violence (while also no tiptoeing around the fact of what happens), and the story is staunchly on the side of all victims. I reread the last scene to verify for this review and it actually made me tear up and punch the air triumphantly at the same time.
I probably give too many 4-star reviews, but giving 3 seemed unfair for this one. Even though most of it fits my "it was okay, with competent writing" 3-star criteria, its personal impact deserves an extra star.
I read this in my early teens. Even then, it felt a bit paint-by-numbers fantasy: minstrels, misogynistic medieval culture, sad elves. On the other hand, none of this is window dressing. The plot makes the most of those minstrels, a heroine fighting the misogyny of her culture, and those beautifully tragic elves. The magic system was unique and interesting, including one of the few instances I can think of when a character shapeshifts into a non-living object. What I really remember from this story, though, was the plotline. Honestly, I'm glad young me's introduction to the topic was in a book that's this sensitive*, empowering, and .
*By which I mean, while the tone of the story is not subtle and at times leans to the melodramatic, there's no salacious onscreen violence (while also no tiptoeing around the fact of what happens), and the story is staunchly on the side of all victims. I reread the last scene to verify for this review and it actually made me tear up and punch the air triumphantly at the same time.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews