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Song of the Worlds #1
Rise of the Seer
Two women. Two worlds. One epic destiny.
Discover a dazzling epic fantasy series by USA Today Bestselling Author Brandon Barr.
Discover a dazzling epic fantasy series by USA Today Bestselling Author Brandon Barr.
A god-gifted young woman is chosen for a grim task– one that will take her beyond the boundaries of her own world. Winter’s chilling visions of the future make clear that her choices will not only affect the success of her mission… but whether those she loves will live or die.
On the distant world of Hearth, Meluscia is the daughter of a dying king. As he wages a bitter war in the north, a growing evil devours the villages of the east. She would turn her kingdom’s forces to face the emerging threat– but first, she must gain the throne… and confront the secret desire that torments her soul.
Though worlds apart, Meluscia and Winter’s destinies are bound together by portals and an ancient prophecy that promises to pull friend and foe together in a devastating collision.
An excellent choice for fans of Anne McCaffrey and Terry Brooks. RISE OF THE SEER is Book One in the Song of the Worlds series.
Hit the buy, borrow, or one-click button to discover an epic that’ll grab hold of you and never let go…
242 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2016
461 people are currently reading
1324 people want to read
About the author
Brandon Barr
34 books150 followersBrandon Barr is a USA Today bestselling author and is the creator of the Song of the Worlds Series. You can grab a FREE copy of the series prequel, Ella Dethroned, here: http://www.subscribepage.com/brandonbarr
Hailing from California. Brandon Barr writes in the genres of science fiction and fantasy and often combines the two, preferring stories where the science is soft, the fantastic is vivid, and the flesh and soul characters are front and center.
Hailing from California. Brandon Barr writes in the genres of science fiction and fantasy and often combines the two, preferring stories where the science is soft, the fantastic is vivid, and the flesh and soul characters are front and center.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
November 21, 2018
Id consider this book more adult than young adult because of certain scenes and the fact that it takes a bit more concentration to follow. I enjoyed how the plot had so much going on that I couldnt predict what was going to happen. The world building was vaste and creative. I loved the concept of multiple worlds even if it was a little confusing at times. I wasnt sure who the guardians and enemy really were. It took me a while to get over not knowing who the characters from the letters inbetween chapters were.
The third switch in perspective to Savarah confused me a little bit because it took me a while to figure out she had been mentionned before. The switch in perspectives made the pace a little choppy for me but nothing major. I think it wouldnt have been as jarring if we didnt spend so much time away from each character. By the time we got back to them I felt like I had forgotten some parts. I think switching between characters more often would have helped the flow and the pace.
Most of the characters were unique and engaging but I wasnt a big fan of Aven. I also thought it was a little weird how the main character Meluscia spyed on a couple regularly, even when they had sex. The invasion of privacy didnt sit well with me but a flawed character is more interesting than a perfect one. Besides that her drive for peace helped me connect with her. We dont get to know the other main character Winter until almost half way through the book but she definitely became my favorite as the story progressed and the fire in her heart grew.
I love the different philosophical questions this book had me pondering. One Ive often thought about myself is do we need the bad in our lives to makes us appreciate the value of the good. Would we even know good without the bad to compare it to or would it be just another part of our lives that we're indifferent to. Do greater hardships make us appreciate the smaller wonders of life. This is a very thoughtful book wrapped up in an epic fantasy world with enchanting characters and an entertaining plot. I really hope I get to review the next books in the series.
*Received in exchange for an honest review*
The third switch in perspective to Savarah confused me a little bit because it took me a while to figure out she had been mentionned before. The switch in perspectives made the pace a little choppy for me but nothing major. I think it wouldnt have been as jarring if we didnt spend so much time away from each character. By the time we got back to them I felt like I had forgotten some parts. I think switching between characters more often would have helped the flow and the pace.
Most of the characters were unique and engaging but I wasnt a big fan of Aven. I also thought it was a little weird how the main character Meluscia spyed on a couple regularly, even when they had sex. The invasion of privacy didnt sit well with me but a flawed character is more interesting than a perfect one. Besides that her drive for peace helped me connect with her. We dont get to know the other main character Winter until almost half way through the book but she definitely became my favorite as the story progressed and the fire in her heart grew.
I love the different philosophical questions this book had me pondering. One Ive often thought about myself is do we need the bad in our lives to makes us appreciate the value of the good. Would we even know good without the bad to compare it to or would it be just another part of our lives that we're indifferent to. Do greater hardships make us appreciate the smaller wonders of life. This is a very thoughtful book wrapped up in an epic fantasy world with enchanting characters and an entertaining plot. I really hope I get to review the next books in the series.
*Received in exchange for an honest review*
November 22, 2018
This is a brief read as I am reading straight on and into Book 2. Great world-building with so much to look forward to - and so much unresolved in the right way. Major characters have depth and complexity with traits that set them apart and set up some challenges.
I hesitated from giving five stars as I find it hard to assess a series with cliffhangers like this has. Better cliffhangers than many in the fantasy genre as I was left satisfied and wanting more so relented. But sometimes I want more at the end of Book 1.
However, I recommend this start of a what promises to be an engrossing series.
I hesitated from giving five stars as I find it hard to assess a series with cliffhangers like this has. Better cliffhangers than many in the fantasy genre as I was left satisfied and wanting more so relented. But sometimes I want more at the end of Book 1.
However, I recommend this start of a what promises to be an engrossing series.
November 1, 2018
Rise of the Seer by Brandon Barr is the first installment of the Song of the Worlds series. Meluscia, a dying King's daughter, has aspirations to help her people. Winter, a farm girl, has a need to be free.
This story has everything I love in a good book. Fantastic world building, political intrigue, feelings and emotions that bring the characters to life. Emotions of doubt, need, pain, longing, love, this story has them all. This is an epic tale that pulled me in and did not let go. I love Brandon's writing style and beautiful prose. I highly recommend this book.
This story has everything I love in a good book. Fantastic world building, political intrigue, feelings and emotions that bring the characters to life. Emotions of doubt, need, pain, longing, love, this story has them all. This is an epic tale that pulled me in and did not let go. I love Brandon's writing style and beautiful prose. I highly recommend this book.
January 9, 2019
A tumultuous time is coming for both worlds, people will have to fight for what is right, if they are to have any chance at survival.
Even though the synopsis says that this story is about just two women, it is so much broader than that. Yes, Meluscia and Winter have their respective roles, but the narrative also follows many other characters.
There's a whole cast that carry you along two distinct plotlines.
Meluscia is the daughter of the Luminary (ruler), but she has to fight tooth and nail to be named heir. Despite all of her studying, and her gift for diplomacy; Meluscia's father and councillors would rather have a bullish man who would bring only war.
Winter is from a simple farming family, who live and die as decreed by the tyrannical Baron. She has the gift of getting visions, and it is clear that she has a part to play in the fight for freedom.
The narrative is split equally between all characters, and you get to see all the conflicting political interests that surrounds Meluscia, and the people that she can and cannot trust.
Winter's storyline did take a bit of a back seat to Meluscia's. Even when it was focussed on that plotline, I found it was more often Aven (her brother) leading the way. This was somewhat surprising, as I thought "Rise of the Seer" referred to her.
The world (or, technically, worlds!) that Barr has created is broad and creative. It hints at other countries, and bigger threats, but doesn't get bogged down in details.
The plot was OK, but I felt like everything was pointed out along the way. There was no subtlety or foreshadowing that made any "plot twists" surprising.
This book feels like it's building the foundations, fleshing out the main character's histories and motivations. The whole purpose is getting said characters into position for what comes later in the series - what that is, I can only guess.
Overall, this felt like the beginning of something, rather than a story in its own right. The book stops mid-action, leaving the path open to the rest of the series. It is something I enjoyed, and I would read the next books.
Even though the synopsis says that this story is about just two women, it is so much broader than that. Yes, Meluscia and Winter have their respective roles, but the narrative also follows many other characters.
There's a whole cast that carry you along two distinct plotlines.
Meluscia is the daughter of the Luminary (ruler), but she has to fight tooth and nail to be named heir. Despite all of her studying, and her gift for diplomacy; Meluscia's father and councillors would rather have a bullish man who would bring only war.
Winter is from a simple farming family, who live and die as decreed by the tyrannical Baron. She has the gift of getting visions, and it is clear that she has a part to play in the fight for freedom.
The narrative is split equally between all characters, and you get to see all the conflicting political interests that surrounds Meluscia, and the people that she can and cannot trust.
Winter's storyline did take a bit of a back seat to Meluscia's. Even when it was focussed on that plotline, I found it was more often Aven (her brother) leading the way. This was somewhat surprising, as I thought "Rise of the Seer" referred to her.
The world (or, technically, worlds!) that Barr has created is broad and creative. It hints at other countries, and bigger threats, but doesn't get bogged down in details.
The plot was OK, but I felt like everything was pointed out along the way. There was no subtlety or foreshadowing that made any "plot twists" surprising.
This book feels like it's building the foundations, fleshing out the main character's histories and motivations. The whole purpose is getting said characters into position for what comes later in the series - what that is, I can only guess.
Overall, this felt like the beginning of something, rather than a story in its own right. The book stops mid-action, leaving the path open to the rest of the series. It is something I enjoyed, and I would read the next books.
November 19, 2018
I'm torn on this book. I know so many people who have sung its praise like I should be giving it nothing less than 6 stars. But I do not share their enthusiasm.
The first chapter. Wow. AMAZING! After I read it, I was really thinking this book was as great as I'd heard. I was so excited to keep going.
But the more I read, the more I struggled. I probably didn't really get into the story until the 50% mark, far too late for me. The only reason I kept reading and didn't shelve it for later was because of a group read.
I think the biggest hindrance for my getting into the story was the format. We get about 5 chapters of shifting POVs between 2 characters, then another 5 chapters between shifting POVs from another two characters in a completely unrelated world in a completely unrelated storyline.
I honestly felt like I was reading two books.
Just as I was getting into one story and really invested, like invested to the point where I would have easily given this 5-stars, I was ripped away to another world for 5-8 chapters. And then just as I was getting into that new storyline, I was ripped away yet again and taken back to the previous one which I'd now lost interest in.
It was very difficult for me to get through this because of that. There are a few solutions that I think would have fixed this for me. Either trading chapters so that I was only ever gone from a particular storyline for 1 chapter and then jumping right back in so that the "break" was only used as a teasing tactic. Or that the two storylines would have eventually come together, or at least be able to see how they could come together. OR that they had been written in two totally different books.
Now, I'm going to assume that these two storylines will converge eventually, but they don't in this book. Not even close. And the fact that they are not even on the same planet makes it a real struggle for me.
Additionally, the book is titled Rise of the Seer, and as such I expected it to be about the Seer. But in fact, I think the Seer's POV takes up about 20% of the whole book. Additionally, the use and appearance of her "Seeing" was so infrequent and had almost no impact on the story at all. The only thing she successfully prevented from happening was a bird being eaten by a toad.
Then there's the ending. Neither storyline resolved anything. We're left with a small victory on the one storyline but ending it in a very strong cliffhanger. And the other is met with defeat. These are not the type of endings I was expecting or wanting.
I know I've said a lot about my grievances, and it's only because I really think I could have LOVED this book. The characters are strong, the emotions and motivations are fantastic, and the plots (and devious plans of the enemies) are second to none. This really could be one of the better books that I've read.
I really wavered on what to rate this. I've given it a 4, taken it back to 3, given it a 4 again. In the end, I'm leaving it at 4 because I really do think that the creativity, genius twists, and engaging plots are worth the extra star. But I still cannot get over how much better this story could have been had the book stuck to a singular storyline or somehow seamlessly integrated them rather than large jarring chunks.
The first chapter. Wow. AMAZING! After I read it, I was really thinking this book was as great as I'd heard. I was so excited to keep going.
But the more I read, the more I struggled. I probably didn't really get into the story until the 50% mark, far too late for me. The only reason I kept reading and didn't shelve it for later was because of a group read.
I think the biggest hindrance for my getting into the story was the format. We get about 5 chapters of shifting POVs between 2 characters, then another 5 chapters between shifting POVs from another two characters in a completely unrelated world in a completely unrelated storyline.
I honestly felt like I was reading two books.
Just as I was getting into one story and really invested, like invested to the point where I would have easily given this 5-stars, I was ripped away to another world for 5-8 chapters. And then just as I was getting into that new storyline, I was ripped away yet again and taken back to the previous one which I'd now lost interest in.
It was very difficult for me to get through this because of that. There are a few solutions that I think would have fixed this for me. Either trading chapters so that I was only ever gone from a particular storyline for 1 chapter and then jumping right back in so that the "break" was only used as a teasing tactic. Or that the two storylines would have eventually come together, or at least be able to see how they could come together. OR that they had been written in two totally different books.
Now, I'm going to assume that these two storylines will converge eventually, but they don't in this book. Not even close. And the fact that they are not even on the same planet makes it a real struggle for me.
Additionally, the book is titled Rise of the Seer, and as such I expected it to be about the Seer. But in fact, I think the Seer's POV takes up about 20% of the whole book. Additionally, the use and appearance of her "Seeing" was so infrequent and had almost no impact on the story at all. The only thing she successfully prevented from happening was a bird being eaten by a toad.
Then there's the ending. Neither storyline resolved anything. We're left with a small victory on the one storyline but ending it in a very strong cliffhanger. And the other is met with defeat. These are not the type of endings I was expecting or wanting.
I know I've said a lot about my grievances, and it's only because I really think I could have LOVED this book. The characters are strong, the emotions and motivations are fantastic, and the plots (and devious plans of the enemies) are second to none. This really could be one of the better books that I've read.
I really wavered on what to rate this. I've given it a 4, taken it back to 3, given it a 4 again. In the end, I'm leaving it at 4 because I really do think that the creativity, genius twists, and engaging plots are worth the extra star. But I still cannot get over how much better this story could have been had the book stuck to a singular storyline or somehow seamlessly integrated them rather than large jarring chunks.
November 9, 2016
Just finished reading “Her Dangerous Visions (The Boy and the Beast Book One) by Brandon Barr. While I’m reading the box set of this series “Song of the Worlds (Boxed Set, Books 1-3) I wanted to say a few words about the first book in this series. Wow, just wow. This is my first read by Brandon Barr and the worlds he imagined on these pages are just fantastic and wondrous...with characters equally imagined beyond anything I have read in a very long time. I think this is the beginning of what is going to be a very entertaining and enjoyable journey and read. Now onto the prequel “Ella Dethroned” before I start Book Two “The Bridge Beyond Her World” for just a little background on a few characters. I am so looking forward to my continued reading of this author and this series.
Synopsis: “Two women, two worlds, one epic destiny.
On the world of Loam, disturbing visions plague Winter's mind. Made a Seer by the gods, she must either cower away from the terrifying visions of the future, or face them head on and risk her life to fulfill her dangerous calling.
On the world of Hearth, Meluscia is determined to save her kingdom from the monstrous creatures crawling out of the wastelands, but first she must convince her dying father she is fit for the throne. But her schemes to gain power must survive her desperate longing for intimacy, for if she is to rule the Blue Mountain Realm, she must abide by the scriptures and forsake the love of a man.
A genre BLENDING series set in a vast fantasy universe where elements of science fiction are dominated by gods and monsters, visions and gifts.”
Synopsis: “Two women, two worlds, one epic destiny.
On the world of Loam, disturbing visions plague Winter's mind. Made a Seer by the gods, she must either cower away from the terrifying visions of the future, or face them head on and risk her life to fulfill her dangerous calling.
On the world of Hearth, Meluscia is determined to save her kingdom from the monstrous creatures crawling out of the wastelands, but first she must convince her dying father she is fit for the throne. But her schemes to gain power must survive her desperate longing for intimacy, for if she is to rule the Blue Mountain Realm, she must abide by the scriptures and forsake the love of a man.
A genre BLENDING series set in a vast fantasy universe where elements of science fiction are dominated by gods and monsters, visions and gifts.”
November 13, 2018
This is a great book...enjoyed it very much!! Nicely paced, flowing prose, believable character motivations and a few genuine "Holy Crap!" moments are thrown in at the end. I also really liked that the world was slowly unveiled to the reader as the story unfolds, not as a Prologue info dump of confusing history and world politics. Can't recommend this highly enough and can't wait for the sequels!
December 4, 2016
Her Dangerous Visions
This book contains two separate stories that are bound to come together at some point. So far I've only read 'Ella Dethroned' and 'Her Dangerous Visions,' so I haven't peeked into Book 2 yet.
Book one consists of two stories: the story of Aven and Winter in the realm of Loom and the story of Meluscia and Savarah in the realm of Hearth.
Aven and Winter are two farmers trying to keep their heads above water while their village is being ruled by the evil Baron who keeps his farmers like slaves. Some villagers plan to escape, but this is usually found out, and they are punished harshly for it, usually by death. Winter feels a deep connection to the gods, the Makers, as she believes she has been spoken to them when she was a child. She was told she had a greater purpose in life and is getting more and more convinced her visions make a definite part of that destiny.
Meluscia is the daughter of the Luminary, the king so to say. All her life she has been preparing to become his successor. She has been studying the lives of earlier Luminaries and Luminesses and has tried to gain the lessons from their reigns. All Meluscia wants is to make peace with the neighboring country, yet her father insists on keeping up the feud.
Savarah is the adopted sister of Meluscia and turns out to be a trained assassin. It remains unclear just how dangerous she is and whether she poses a real threat to Meluscia.
Overall, I loved this book. It was a bit hard to get into, but after the first chapter and the first massacre, I was hooked. Brandon Barr is not afraid of killing off characters, and I was left in shock after the first deaths. It did keep me on edge, because if he is willing to kill them, then who else will meet an early death?
All characters are well-rounded and have their own personalities. Their life stories are very clear, and they have their own clear motives. Brandon Barr has created a believable world.
The only downside that I have found was the ending of Book 1. Since this is the first part of a trilogy, the story ends in the middle of all the action. All the characters are ready for a major change in their lives, and then the story stops. It makes you want to grab Book 2 and see where the story goes from there.
If you have any love for the world of fantasy, then you should read this book. It's one of the better books that I have read recently, and I definitely recommend it.
I received a copy of the book from the author in return for an honest review.
This book contains two separate stories that are bound to come together at some point. So far I've only read 'Ella Dethroned' and 'Her Dangerous Visions,' so I haven't peeked into Book 2 yet.
Book one consists of two stories: the story of Aven and Winter in the realm of Loom and the story of Meluscia and Savarah in the realm of Hearth.
Aven and Winter are two farmers trying to keep their heads above water while their village is being ruled by the evil Baron who keeps his farmers like slaves. Some villagers plan to escape, but this is usually found out, and they are punished harshly for it, usually by death. Winter feels a deep connection to the gods, the Makers, as she believes she has been spoken to them when she was a child. She was told she had a greater purpose in life and is getting more and more convinced her visions make a definite part of that destiny.
Meluscia is the daughter of the Luminary, the king so to say. All her life she has been preparing to become his successor. She has been studying the lives of earlier Luminaries and Luminesses and has tried to gain the lessons from their reigns. All Meluscia wants is to make peace with the neighboring country, yet her father insists on keeping up the feud.
Savarah is the adopted sister of Meluscia and turns out to be a trained assassin. It remains unclear just how dangerous she is and whether she poses a real threat to Meluscia.
Overall, I loved this book. It was a bit hard to get into, but after the first chapter and the first massacre, I was hooked. Brandon Barr is not afraid of killing off characters, and I was left in shock after the first deaths. It did keep me on edge, because if he is willing to kill them, then who else will meet an early death?
All characters are well-rounded and have their own personalities. Their life stories are very clear, and they have their own clear motives. Brandon Barr has created a believable world.
The only downside that I have found was the ending of Book 1. Since this is the first part of a trilogy, the story ends in the middle of all the action. All the characters are ready for a major change in their lives, and then the story stops. It makes you want to grab Book 2 and see where the story goes from there.
If you have any love for the world of fantasy, then you should read this book. It's one of the better books that I have read recently, and I definitely recommend it.
I received a copy of the book from the author in return for an honest review.
June 24, 2019
Reread June 2019: Just as wonderful as the first time through. Feels like each time I read it I get more out of the story.
***
I was hooked from the first page and the last page left me wanting the next book, like, yesterday. A captivating read by an extremely talented writer!
THE WRITING
I haven't been this sucked into a book in years. Can't remember the last time I was so instantly hooked. This book reminds me of Game of Thrones with a little bit of sci-fi thrown in. Brandon Barr's writing is the perfect mix between simplistic and flowery - it's pretty writing, but it doesn't get in the way of enjoying the story. In fact, it felt like I was sucked right into the pages.
THE PLOT
There are two storylines here; Aven/Winter and Meluscia. By the end of the book I'm still not sure how they line up, but I'm curious to see in future books. I liked Aven/Winter's storyline better, but Meluscia is intriguing too. I tend to find fantasy plots difficult to follow, and this one was no exception. But my reading comprehension is at fault there, not the writing. It's an intricate plot with a lot of world-building, and I'm really impressed with Mr. Barr's imagination.
THE CHARACTERS
An awesome, varied cast of characters! Aven's chapters were my favorite. I like his sister Winter; she reminds me of Winter from the Lunar Chronicles (and not just because of her name). Meluscia reads a bit as an anti-hero to me, with some of her voyeuristic tendencies. But I really like how the book explores the requirements of religious celibacy. Meluscia would be a great leader, but she has a really hard time with the idea of being alone for life...which is completely understandable! I've never seen this idea explored in a book before, so props to the author.
POINT OF VIEW
Rise of the Seer is written in third person from alternating perspectives - my favorite writing style to read. As I mentioned before, I love Mr. Barr's writing style and felt I was able to easily connect with the characters. There are some quite hard-to-pronounce names in here, as with most fantasy, and the 3rd person left me wondering how exactly you pronounce Meluscia. I'm going Mel-oo-shuh.
WILL I CONTINUE READING
Absolutely! As soon as I get some ca$h, haha, I will continue reading the next installment. I'd like to own this series in paperback, too. It really is amazing. I encourage you to give it a try!
Thank you, Brandon Barr, for allowing me to spend time in your wonderful fantasy world.
***
I was hooked from the first page and the last page left me wanting the next book, like, yesterday. A captivating read by an extremely talented writer!
THE WRITING
I haven't been this sucked into a book in years. Can't remember the last time I was so instantly hooked. This book reminds me of Game of Thrones with a little bit of sci-fi thrown in. Brandon Barr's writing is the perfect mix between simplistic and flowery - it's pretty writing, but it doesn't get in the way of enjoying the story. In fact, it felt like I was sucked right into the pages.
THE PLOT
There are two storylines here; Aven/Winter and Meluscia. By the end of the book I'm still not sure how they line up, but I'm curious to see in future books. I liked Aven/Winter's storyline better, but Meluscia is intriguing too. I tend to find fantasy plots difficult to follow, and this one was no exception. But my reading comprehension is at fault there, not the writing. It's an intricate plot with a lot of world-building, and I'm really impressed with Mr. Barr's imagination.
THE CHARACTERS
An awesome, varied cast of characters! Aven's chapters were my favorite. I like his sister Winter; she reminds me of Winter from the Lunar Chronicles (and not just because of her name). Meluscia reads a bit as an anti-hero to me, with some of her voyeuristic tendencies. But I really like how the book explores the requirements of religious celibacy. Meluscia would be a great leader, but she has a really hard time with the idea of being alone for life...which is completely understandable! I've never seen this idea explored in a book before, so props to the author.
POINT OF VIEW
Rise of the Seer is written in third person from alternating perspectives - my favorite writing style to read. As I mentioned before, I love Mr. Barr's writing style and felt I was able to easily connect with the characters. There are some quite hard-to-pronounce names in here, as with most fantasy, and the 3rd person left me wondering how exactly you pronounce Meluscia. I'm going Mel-oo-shuh.
WILL I CONTINUE READING
Absolutely! As soon as I get some ca$h, haha, I will continue reading the next installment. I'd like to own this series in paperback, too. It really is amazing. I encourage you to give it a try!
Thank you, Brandon Barr, for allowing me to spend time in your wonderful fantasy world.
July 1, 2019
Brandon Barr's Rise of the Seer is book one in the Song of the World Series. Meluscia, the daughter of a king who is dying is set to rule and would make a dam good job of it, too (probably because I'm biased towards Melsucia, she's pretty cool!). She has her priorities right and is more focused on defending her kingdom from the true enemy. But, of course, Murphy's Law strikes and she is left out in the cold (although I'll avoid spoilers by going into any more depth). Winter is also a great character and is so well rounded and fleshed out.
The world building is fantastic and I liked how the political persuasions were not always clear cut. The action scenes are great and the characters are so well developed that I felt like I was immersed in the world alongside them (not always a good thing sometimes as they find themselves in some hairy situations at times). I was hooked from the first page and highly recommend this if you're a fan of great fantasy writing.
The world building is fantastic and I liked how the political persuasions were not always clear cut. The action scenes are great and the characters are so well developed that I felt like I was immersed in the world alongside them (not always a good thing sometimes as they find themselves in some hairy situations at times). I was hooked from the first page and highly recommend this if you're a fan of great fantasy writing.
November 16, 2018
Wow . . . just wow. This was truly spectacular!! I'd heard how good Brandon Barr was, but I did not expect this. I cannot believe I am only trying out this author now because this book is absolutely amazing and is at risk at becoming an all time favorite! The writing is along the same caliber as Will Wight, Jeff Wheeler, Brandon Sanderson, and Peter Brett.
I love the characters, though I can't figure out who I like more. Possibly a toss up between Aren and Winter, and I'm very interested to see what happens with Meluscia. This is one of those epics you will never forget, the characters and story that will stay with for eternity.
This was truly a masterpiece! If you have not yet picked this up or if it is somehow buried in your TBR pile, I urge you to dig it up. You will not be disappointed!!
I love the characters, though I can't figure out who I like more. Possibly a toss up between Aren and Winter, and I'm very interested to see what happens with Meluscia. This is one of those epics you will never forget, the characters and story that will stay with for eternity.
This was truly a masterpiece! If you have not yet picked this up or if it is somehow buried in your TBR pile, I urge you to dig it up. You will not be disappointed!!
December 12, 2018
Okay, narrator first.
She was very good. A few of her inflections seemed a bit off and her male voices left something to be desired, but all in all her performance was excellent.
Now for the story. Where do I even begin?
Prior to this, I probably would have said Chris Pierson's Chosen of the Gods was my favorite book of the year. But Brandon Barr has completely blown me away.
I'm not going to tell you what the story is about because, frankly, I still haven't figured it out!
This story has an immense, grandly epic feel and I honestly couldn't tell you where the story is going.
What I can tell you is the worlds are vivid and visceral, the intrigue is nail-biting, and the characters are fresh and real and you can't help caring about them and the awful things happening to them. The dialogue is real and honest and sounds just like something you would expect to hear in a historical fantasy setting. And best of all, the writing itself is smooth and clean and beautiful without being tedious.
If I had to put this in a box, I would call it Game of Thrones with a splash of Dune, but with better writing than either of them.
If you love Sci-fi, read this book.
If you love fantasy, read this book.
If you love family dramas with strong female leads, read this book.
If you love historical court intrigue, read this book!
Basically, no matter what you enjoy, read this damn book!
Just a footnote, my one Itty bitty complaint is I do wish the book had just a little bit more closure at the end. I know it's a series and I know much of it is ongoing. I just would have liked a bit more of a clean resolution.
She was very good. A few of her inflections seemed a bit off and her male voices left something to be desired, but all in all her performance was excellent.
Now for the story. Where do I even begin?
Prior to this, I probably would have said Chris Pierson's Chosen of the Gods was my favorite book of the year. But Brandon Barr has completely blown me away.
I'm not going to tell you what the story is about because, frankly, I still haven't figured it out!
This story has an immense, grandly epic feel and I honestly couldn't tell you where the story is going.
What I can tell you is the worlds are vivid and visceral, the intrigue is nail-biting, and the characters are fresh and real and you can't help caring about them and the awful things happening to them. The dialogue is real and honest and sounds just like something you would expect to hear in a historical fantasy setting. And best of all, the writing itself is smooth and clean and beautiful without being tedious.
If I had to put this in a box, I would call it Game of Thrones with a splash of Dune, but with better writing than either of them.
If you love Sci-fi, read this book.
If you love fantasy, read this book.
If you love family dramas with strong female leads, read this book.
If you love historical court intrigue, read this book!
Basically, no matter what you enjoy, read this damn book!
Just a footnote, my one Itty bitty complaint is I do wish the book had just a little bit more closure at the end. I know it's a series and I know much of it is ongoing. I just would have liked a bit more of a clean resolution.
November 23, 2018
"Rise of the Seer" combines two storylines, interweaving them to heighten the tension. There's the story of Aven and his sister Winter, who has visions; and the story of Meluscia, a woman who should be inheriting the rule of her father's kingdom, but is being passed over in favor of a man. Meluscia favors forging a peace treaty with the neighboring kingdom, but her father wants nothing to do with that. Meanwhile, Winter feels called to follow her visions, even if that means falling afoul of the Baron who holds the power of life and death over everyone in her village.
The plot, the settings, and the characters are all standard fantasy fare for the most part, although Meluscia, who is torn between her desire to help her people, and her desire for, well, desire--female rulers in her land have to foreswear marriage and children--is a particularly well-drawn character. It's all very competently done and the plotting moves smoothly back and forth between the two story lines, infusing the book with plenty of excitement and dropping in some major plot twists along the way. If you enjoy this kind of adventure-based fantasy that's somewhere between epic, sword and sorcery, and science fantasy, you're likely to enjoy this book. If you hate stories of prophecies, magic, visions, warring kingdoms, and so on, well then, you should probably move on.
FYI, this is the first book in a series and ends on a cliffhanger, so if that's a problem for you, be warned. But if you're looking for a new and interesting fantasy series to explore, this book is a good introduction to this one.
The plot, the settings, and the characters are all standard fantasy fare for the most part, although Meluscia, who is torn between her desire to help her people, and her desire for, well, desire--female rulers in her land have to foreswear marriage and children--is a particularly well-drawn character. It's all very competently done and the plotting moves smoothly back and forth between the two story lines, infusing the book with plenty of excitement and dropping in some major plot twists along the way. If you enjoy this kind of adventure-based fantasy that's somewhere between epic, sword and sorcery, and science fantasy, you're likely to enjoy this book. If you hate stories of prophecies, magic, visions, warring kingdoms, and so on, well then, you should probably move on.
FYI, this is the first book in a series and ends on a cliffhanger, so if that's a problem for you, be warned. But if you're looking for a new and interesting fantasy series to explore, this book is a good introduction to this one.
January 1, 2019
Rise of the Seer begins with an execution. In a gritty and realistic style Barr moves us forward from tragedy to tragedy as we travel between the planets of Loam (Aven and Winter) and Hearth (Meluscia and Savarah). Both worlds are unique and complex. The characters are well-developed; filled with doubts, fears, and hopes as they seek to survive in worlds marred by evil.
Aven and Winter are slaves, forced to farm Baron Rhaudius’ lands. The baron is a cruel master who treats his farmers like expendable animals to be killed without remorse. When Winter begins having visions and expresses belief in the Makers, Aven fears she will do something foolish.
Meluscia is a ‘princess,’ daughter of Luminar (like a king) Trigon. Savarah is her ‘adopted’ sister with a dark, secret past. Though Meluscia cherishes plans for the good of her people, when her father’s death approaches, it becomes obvious he will choose another to rule in his stead. Savarah’s violent past feeds a deep-seated need for vengeance.
I am curious to see where the next book will lead. Will we find out what the connection is between these two worlds? Will evil crush all that is good? Is the evil behind Rhaudius the same as that behind the Beast of the Star Garden Realm? Will the Makers remain silent, or will they act? Rise of the Seer is by no means a light read, it is dark and in places gruesome, but it is well written and thought provoking. Recommended for an adult audience.
Aven and Winter are slaves, forced to farm Baron Rhaudius’ lands. The baron is a cruel master who treats his farmers like expendable animals to be killed without remorse. When Winter begins having visions and expresses belief in the Makers, Aven fears she will do something foolish.
Meluscia is a ‘princess,’ daughter of Luminar (like a king) Trigon. Savarah is her ‘adopted’ sister with a dark, secret past. Though Meluscia cherishes plans for the good of her people, when her father’s death approaches, it becomes obvious he will choose another to rule in his stead. Savarah’s violent past feeds a deep-seated need for vengeance.
I am curious to see where the next book will lead. Will we find out what the connection is between these two worlds? Will evil crush all that is good? Is the evil behind Rhaudius the same as that behind the Beast of the Star Garden Realm? Will the Makers remain silent, or will they act? Rise of the Seer is by no means a light read, it is dark and in places gruesome, but it is well written and thought provoking. Recommended for an adult audience.
November 23, 2018
A delightful, fairly light read that focuses a lot on internal turmoil and political scheming to build these worlds from the characters up. We're presented with two different and yet equally intriguing female leads, each with her own strengths and convictions that make them easy to identify with. And, they each have their flaws which keep them from walking around with the Chosen One Halo around their heads. A couple of other POVs give us a wider glimpse of what's at stake, and act as polish for the main female leads as well. For the opening of a series, it's well-crafted and easy to get into.
About the only thing I'd warn readers about is the cliffhanger ending, but as Book 2 is already out, that mitigated this issue.
About the only thing I'd warn readers about is the cliffhanger ending, but as Book 2 is already out, that mitigated this issue.
October 28, 2018
A story of great suffering by the people at the hands of their tyrannical masters, also one where the women are strong and favoured by the makers for they had faith in them as their Gods. Both Meluscia and Winter though living in different worlds wanted to do what was best for their people, one was a seer and the other had aspired to be the luminess after the passing of her father. Both wanted peace and the ability to fight everyone's common foe Isolaug, the beast who was sending his nightmares to kill and ravage the lands, from Praelothia. However it seems this is not to be as both women are brought down by the evil power hungry men who cared little for the needs of their dependants. This book gripped me from the first line, it's quite an intricate tale full of different layers of writing but very beautifully written. The characters are strong and have a lot of depth to them, I particularly loved Winter. There is a strong political element, a lot of love and sense of honour amongst the farming community and most particularly between the siblings Aven and Winter. It is a fantasy read full of action which at times turns quite brutal depicting the division between the social classes and the abuse of power by those who wielded this, with a rebellious spark ready to be lit like a fuse! A very exciting read which I highly recommend.
November 1, 2020
I struggled to put this down, but leaving as 4 stars because I'm a little unhappy how suddenly this book ended. Some more world-building would have been nice, but also having to work it out myself via the plot wasn't bad either. The action picked up from the first page, and I'm seriously in love with the whole 2 places/2 main characters thing. The climax was sudden, rather delicious, but also over far too quickly. I'm going to have to read the next in the series very soon.
October 29, 2018
I read this novel in its prior release when it was called Her Dangerous Visions. I loved it. Wonderful word-building, superb writing and fantastic characters. Really just a superb novel and one that I’d highly recommend, and did at the time. So why buy it again? Not because I’m a sucker for the new cover or think the new title is any better, but just to support the author and his family as he is now in hospice under palliative care and with not much time left. A terrible loss for his family and his author friends and other friends who have appeared to rally around them all. I don’t know the author personally but I will miss his wonderful writing, which is perfectly illustrated by this wonderful book. But for the fact that I’m literally dictating this review to my husband from my hospital bed I could go on and on with praises - the book definitely deserves it. Since I can’t do that I will simply note that the book is most definitely one to read, and it is easy to highly recommend.
November 29, 2018
🌟🌟🌟🌟 = *great, couldn't put it down*
First off, the opening chapter is ah-mazing... if you want a story that captivates you in the first couple of pages, this is it! I found both of the main characters to be relatable with admirable qualities; Meluscia for her determination and Winter for her unwavering faith. I also found it interesting how the writer captured the difference in how Winter and her twin brother, Aven, responded to mutual tragedy; Winter responded with an even greater reliance on her faith, whereas Aven responded with a strong dislike for those Winter places her faith in.
I found the two separate storylines trying; I would be starting to feel invested in one storyline and set of characters and then the storyline would switch and I was left feeling frustrated as I was trying to remember what had previously happened in this particular storyline. It was also frustrating that the two storylines didn't converge in this book; I feel like they could've been separate books seeing as the two storylines remained separate throughout the entirety of the story.
Overall though, I definitely enjoyed this first book of the Song of the Worlds series and I eagerly await the release of second book so I can discover how Meluscia's and Winter's stories unite 😊
First off, the opening chapter is ah-mazing... if you want a story that captivates you in the first couple of pages, this is it! I found both of the main characters to be relatable with admirable qualities; Meluscia for her determination and Winter for her unwavering faith. I also found it interesting how the writer captured the difference in how Winter and her twin brother, Aven, responded to mutual tragedy; Winter responded with an even greater reliance on her faith, whereas Aven responded with a strong dislike for those Winter places her faith in.
I found the two separate storylines trying; I would be starting to feel invested in one storyline and set of characters and then the storyline would switch and I was left feeling frustrated as I was trying to remember what had previously happened in this particular storyline. It was also frustrating that the two storylines didn't converge in this book; I feel like they could've been separate books seeing as the two storylines remained separate throughout the entirety of the story.
Overall though, I definitely enjoyed this first book of the Song of the Worlds series and I eagerly await the release of second book so I can discover how Meluscia's and Winter's stories unite 😊
July 4, 2017
I'm giving this book 3 stars because I DNF'ed it. I made it page 120 or so but I had a hard time sticking with it. I really enjoyed the first section about Aven and right when it was getting really good, BAM, switch to a new person. I was less on board with Meluscia and her peeping tom tendencies, and again, just when she was starting to get interesting, we switched to Winter. I was halfway into the book and still getting introduced to main characters and with no idea what was going on with the plot. The writing was decent and the world-building was above average, but the scattered POVs just sucked the tension and intrigue out of it. I'd be interested to check out other works by this author, but unfortunately, this one just wasn't for me.
November 1, 2018
I’ve never before read a book that combines epic fantasy with science fiction so seamlessly as “Rise of the Seer.” It’s the first salvo in a much larger story, and I can almost guarantee you’ll want to pick up the second book the moment you finish it. The characters are deep, bright, and struggle with their strengths as well as their weaknesses while they’re thrust into worlds they never before imagined.
August 18, 2017
An OK fantasy with thin characters and a weak setting that made it hard to connect all of the characters and politics and epigraphs. Ended on a cliffhanger and yet I felt no need to continue the series.
November 5, 2016
The Baron Rhaudius seeks to uphold the farcity of what he calls law and order in his province on the planet of Loam. Where farmers bound to an enforced passive slavery seek to hide their children among the Erdu, at great risk of peril if they're caught. The forest dwelling Erdu amount to what could be seen as the hope of freedom and of resistance. Once entrenched deep within the homes of the Erdu their children are unreachable. Rhaudius opens our thoughts with the killing of young sisters who were attempted escapees. On the brink of safety they were retrieved at significant expense for all. This particular skirmish, not the first nor the last, resulted in nine deaths in total: three Erdu retrievers; four Baron soldiers; and two dead escapees. The latter were both killed publicly as a lesson and warning. The older sister beheaded and her younger sister's neck broken just minutes later. As with most cases of tyranny only the sympathizer's deaths would be known, as it is hope that must be quelled at any cost, if the status quo is to remain.
Within the entrenched farmers Winter is one of the Chosen, those God-Touched by the Makers; an oracle of sorts. Up until recently most visions she related to her brother Aven were incidental and apparently unimportant in the greater scheme of things. In the past few days however a vision registered an impending doom that reeks of blood, death, smoke and ashes. Winter and Aven are closer than is traditionally seen between siblings, especially with being twins. Inseparable even at a young age they'd developed a secret hand language and Aven had learnt to look for the things she saw. That this new set of happenings should coincide with their father's announcement that they would soon set out to break the contract with the baron, has left him with bile in his throat. Now that his ceremonial days of his wedding to the immensely beautiful Harvest have begun, Aven cannot shake the foreboding. Especially after the tragic loss of the beautiful sisters Coriander and Violet just a couple months ago. He'd been in town that terrible day and seen what the baron is capable of.
Given her uniqueness it seems that little ever truly bothers Winter, secure in the knowledge that what ever is to come is as it should be. Not far off seventeen, her gift was bestowed at age nine when she was saved by the Maker Leaf. Their homes located at the edges of the farms they're 'contracted' to work, they live in hovels below ground, beneath the trunk and roots of great oaks. Only confinement from everything above ground shakes Winter's good mood, and the possibility of being separated from her brother. Her and her seer spirit, the blue-winged butterfly Whisper, must needs spend as much time possible amongst everything that's nature. Winter has always warned Aven of the dangers of watching for, or trying to change the things she sees; for their she knows the path to ruin may lay, as their action can lead to fulfillment of the vision. What she sees may not relate to them but in acting they may surely see it come to pass. As not all of what is seen comes to pass, Winter supports inaction, as the other path surely means the vision becomes about them.
Meluscia, Luminar Trigon’s daughter, brings back memories of Ella Dethroned as she discusses her presence at the site of another Nightmares' raid, and the deaths of twenty souls being more important than the single soul of the current Luminar's only daughter. Wholeheartedly committed to her people, the act of putting their lives before her own rings with a tune similar to Monaiella's. Indeed its not long before Meluscia admits that Ella is amongst the Luminaries who inspire her thoughts and actions the most. Blood heir to the ruling seat she's well versed in the histories of the realms as tradition dictates. Interested in assuring the safety of her people Meluscia's pushing to take her father's throne so that she might be able to put a stop to the problems of the Nightmares. Agents of the Beast Master himself. Her father and other political figures see Verdlands andit'sking as the greatest threat. On the other side of the wastelands, The Star Garden Realm had gone dark and is where the beast attacks stem from. Its there Meluscia is certain the problem of the Nightmares exists, and whilst her father and others failed to recognise the true threat, they too became a problem. Little does she and others realise there's are spies in the nest.
Throughout this and the prequel, and most assuredly the remaining books given the complexity of the theme, is the tug-o-war rope that pulls from either ends of the scales that measure the balance of life. In one plate resting at the bottom of the scales' chains is the workings of the guardians. These purport their calling, their agency and authority, to stem from the need for protection against the Beasts. On the opposite plate are the actions of the beasts and more simply the Beast Master himself - Isolaug. At the core of the latter stems the desire to oppose, maybe even so far as undo, the control of the worlds as they're envisaged by the Guardians and the Makers. Largely their sole purpose is to gain power and that therefore requires the existing structures of power be broken down. Just as an errant child might come to disregard and disrespect the teachings of the parent, ultimately it must be determined whether only the parent's desires are valid. Does the child created by it's parents have the right of free will, to the point that they can do and live as they please without any interference from the parent. Or does the parent through the creative act that brings the child into the world, have complete autonomy over what the child must do.
Of course, such a black and white interpretation of autonomy is never substantively clear cut or how it works; the greyness in between polar ends creates a plethora of changing interpretations. Isolaug asks why must life only be lived in accordance with the creator if indeed the action of a creator, like in any act, have faults in their making. This is fundamentally too simplistic for most considerations because the actions are self-serving. Still, even in some interpretations the authority of the Guardians could be seen the same way. Even if they profess to be servants of the Makers, what they do works to secure their position of power within the hierarchy. Both opposing forces have instances of cooperation whilst still showing selfishness to see only their will be done. Such is the quandary of governance. Total free will sees both ends having rights and wrongs. Governance in effect seeks to ratify what rights and wrongs are most valid. Can a creator be held ultimately responsible for how their creations exist if free will was part of the design? At what point in anything's life does it gain freedom of choice to live how it wants? And if the choices they eventually gain free will to make lead to other's demise, can the creator be held responsible?
Often in the dichotomies of opposing philosophies there are many victims of those who act with power that are left behind. If the power to create means there is innocent' suffering at the hands of those created, is the ultimate responsibility the perpetrators or the creators. In any vacuum there are going to be those that have and those that have not. For the twins of Loam, one god-touched and the other touched by the god-touched, who is ultimately held responsible for the deaths and suffering they've experienced? Is it Winter, who shared her fears with her brother Aven to lesson the weight of her visions, fears that lead Aven to act upon that information which lead to the vision coming true? Or is it Aven's responsibility because he acted on the fears and those actions lead to the vision coming true; despite being cautioned by Winter not to act? Or in keeping with one of the above interpretations is it the Makers fault for god-touching Winter; or more simply still, for allowing the perpetrators to act? If Winter did not have any visions, would the events still happen as they do? Such is the quandary facing the twins because no single person did not contribute in at least some causal manner. Even the baron and his forces could sit back, as they have, and argue that if the victims had not plotted their escape then his laws would not have had to be enforced.
The plots and character rationalisation seem to inherently deal with life, power and creation. The science fiction elements of the story bring into effect the overarching principles of creation; as sci-fi stories are often want to do. The seemless integration which makes the series befitting a science fiction-fantasy categorisation expands the possibilities without drawing particular attention to the mechanisms at work. It is my opinion that such technical skills are more effective because they lead readers to moments of inspiration. When intrinsically they reach these lightbulb moments in their thinking they're often more involved with the thoughts they come to realise. Laying it out in detailed description is akin to the proverbial 'you can lead a horse to water but you cannot make it drink'. Done intrinsically though, and in keeping with the metaphorical approach, it is better to give a fishing rod and teach a person to fish, than it is to give that person only the fish. This and many other technical skills within the story are among the reasons I would give maximum rating. In and of themselves the storylines are marvelously entertaining, but mix into the equation the provocation of reader thinking and you have a recipe for something that will leave greater impressions.
Within the entrenched farmers Winter is one of the Chosen, those God-Touched by the Makers; an oracle of sorts. Up until recently most visions she related to her brother Aven were incidental and apparently unimportant in the greater scheme of things. In the past few days however a vision registered an impending doom that reeks of blood, death, smoke and ashes. Winter and Aven are closer than is traditionally seen between siblings, especially with being twins. Inseparable even at a young age they'd developed a secret hand language and Aven had learnt to look for the things she saw. That this new set of happenings should coincide with their father's announcement that they would soon set out to break the contract with the baron, has left him with bile in his throat. Now that his ceremonial days of his wedding to the immensely beautiful Harvest have begun, Aven cannot shake the foreboding. Especially after the tragic loss of the beautiful sisters Coriander and Violet just a couple months ago. He'd been in town that terrible day and seen what the baron is capable of.
Given her uniqueness it seems that little ever truly bothers Winter, secure in the knowledge that what ever is to come is as it should be. Not far off seventeen, her gift was bestowed at age nine when she was saved by the Maker Leaf. Their homes located at the edges of the farms they're 'contracted' to work, they live in hovels below ground, beneath the trunk and roots of great oaks. Only confinement from everything above ground shakes Winter's good mood, and the possibility of being separated from her brother. Her and her seer spirit, the blue-winged butterfly Whisper, must needs spend as much time possible amongst everything that's nature. Winter has always warned Aven of the dangers of watching for, or trying to change the things she sees; for their she knows the path to ruin may lay, as their action can lead to fulfillment of the vision. What she sees may not relate to them but in acting they may surely see it come to pass. As not all of what is seen comes to pass, Winter supports inaction, as the other path surely means the vision becomes about them.
Meluscia, Luminar Trigon’s daughter, brings back memories of Ella Dethroned as she discusses her presence at the site of another Nightmares' raid, and the deaths of twenty souls being more important than the single soul of the current Luminar's only daughter. Wholeheartedly committed to her people, the act of putting their lives before her own rings with a tune similar to Monaiella's. Indeed its not long before Meluscia admits that Ella is amongst the Luminaries who inspire her thoughts and actions the most. Blood heir to the ruling seat she's well versed in the histories of the realms as tradition dictates. Interested in assuring the safety of her people Meluscia's pushing to take her father's throne so that she might be able to put a stop to the problems of the Nightmares. Agents of the Beast Master himself. Her father and other political figures see Verdlands andit'sking as the greatest threat. On the other side of the wastelands, The Star Garden Realm had gone dark and is where the beast attacks stem from. Its there Meluscia is certain the problem of the Nightmares exists, and whilst her father and others failed to recognise the true threat, they too became a problem. Little does she and others realise there's are spies in the nest.
Throughout this and the prequel, and most assuredly the remaining books given the complexity of the theme, is the tug-o-war rope that pulls from either ends of the scales that measure the balance of life. In one plate resting at the bottom of the scales' chains is the workings of the guardians. These purport their calling, their agency and authority, to stem from the need for protection against the Beasts. On the opposite plate are the actions of the beasts and more simply the Beast Master himself - Isolaug. At the core of the latter stems the desire to oppose, maybe even so far as undo, the control of the worlds as they're envisaged by the Guardians and the Makers. Largely their sole purpose is to gain power and that therefore requires the existing structures of power be broken down. Just as an errant child might come to disregard and disrespect the teachings of the parent, ultimately it must be determined whether only the parent's desires are valid. Does the child created by it's parents have the right of free will, to the point that they can do and live as they please without any interference from the parent. Or does the parent through the creative act that brings the child into the world, have complete autonomy over what the child must do.
Of course, such a black and white interpretation of autonomy is never substantively clear cut or how it works; the greyness in between polar ends creates a plethora of changing interpretations. Isolaug asks why must life only be lived in accordance with the creator if indeed the action of a creator, like in any act, have faults in their making. This is fundamentally too simplistic for most considerations because the actions are self-serving. Still, even in some interpretations the authority of the Guardians could be seen the same way. Even if they profess to be servants of the Makers, what they do works to secure their position of power within the hierarchy. Both opposing forces have instances of cooperation whilst still showing selfishness to see only their will be done. Such is the quandary of governance. Total free will sees both ends having rights and wrongs. Governance in effect seeks to ratify what rights and wrongs are most valid. Can a creator be held ultimately responsible for how their creations exist if free will was part of the design? At what point in anything's life does it gain freedom of choice to live how it wants? And if the choices they eventually gain free will to make lead to other's demise, can the creator be held responsible?
Often in the dichotomies of opposing philosophies there are many victims of those who act with power that are left behind. If the power to create means there is innocent' suffering at the hands of those created, is the ultimate responsibility the perpetrators or the creators. In any vacuum there are going to be those that have and those that have not. For the twins of Loam, one god-touched and the other touched by the god-touched, who is ultimately held responsible for the deaths and suffering they've experienced? Is it Winter, who shared her fears with her brother Aven to lesson the weight of her visions, fears that lead Aven to act upon that information which lead to the vision coming true? Or is it Aven's responsibility because he acted on the fears and those actions lead to the vision coming true; despite being cautioned by Winter not to act? Or in keeping with one of the above interpretations is it the Makers fault for god-touching Winter; or more simply still, for allowing the perpetrators to act? If Winter did not have any visions, would the events still happen as they do? Such is the quandary facing the twins because no single person did not contribute in at least some causal manner. Even the baron and his forces could sit back, as they have, and argue that if the victims had not plotted their escape then his laws would not have had to be enforced.
The plots and character rationalisation seem to inherently deal with life, power and creation. The science fiction elements of the story bring into effect the overarching principles of creation; as sci-fi stories are often want to do. The seemless integration which makes the series befitting a science fiction-fantasy categorisation expands the possibilities without drawing particular attention to the mechanisms at work. It is my opinion that such technical skills are more effective because they lead readers to moments of inspiration. When intrinsically they reach these lightbulb moments in their thinking they're often more involved with the thoughts they come to realise. Laying it out in detailed description is akin to the proverbial 'you can lead a horse to water but you cannot make it drink'. Done intrinsically though, and in keeping with the metaphorical approach, it is better to give a fishing rod and teach a person to fish, than it is to give that person only the fish. This and many other technical skills within the story are among the reasons I would give maximum rating. In and of themselves the storylines are marvelously entertaining, but mix into the equation the provocation of reader thinking and you have a recipe for something that will leave greater impressions.
December 27, 2017
I read the little prequel Ella Dethroned and loved it. The story was engaging, and the writing was brilliant. So I was very, very disappointed in the actual start of the series.
First was the lack of cohesion with the pov's. We start out with Aven, but quickly switch to Mel and who the heck is she? Wait, she's not even on the same planet! She has zero connection to the planet Aven and his sister, Winter, are on. By the end of the book there still isn't a connection. So I have a hard time seeing why the two stories are in the same book.
With Mel, I just didn't like her. She had the potential to be likable but sadly that was thrown out the window when her character flaw popped up. First, I thought this was YA, my bad. This is very much and ADULT book. The characters aren't teens and there's definitely scenes and lines that make this for an adult audience.
That being said, Mel's flaw of being a voyeur... so not my thing. She doesn't even try to stop herself or feel ashamed. There's zero remorse from her. I'm sorry, but it was just creepy and nasty. She's slinking through the castle walls and peeping in the servant's quarters. But then she's the "king's" daughter and they're just servants so what right to privacy do they have? She watches all their intimate moments and loves creeping on couples.
She's so bad about this that she's made herself an imaginary lover based off one of the servants... WHO IS MARRIED. But she doesn't care. She just watches them have sex and imagines herself in the wife's spot. She finds ways to get alone with this guy and talk to him, and eventually snags him into a corner and tries to seduce him.
She resents his pregnant wife and I swear she's going to end up offing both her and maybe the child later. Why? Because she only cares about getting what she wants. Her entire arc of the book is trying to become the next Queen and obsessing over someone else's guy. And she can't have a spouse or kids as queen, so maybe she should give that up since she clearly can't/won't control herself and go off to some corner and marry an available guy.
We then hit the pov of Mel's "adopted" sister Sav who is scary as heck. Turns out she's some psycho spy who is a heartless killer and just plain brainwashed nasty. These scenes were the most interesting just because Sav's managed to free herself and is now turning her deadly skills and heartlessness to helping the good guys.
It isn't until 40% that we meet Winter(outside the brief story start from Aven's pov) and she's the one with the freaking dangerous visions. Winter's a bit dreamy. She's off in her own world and has some weird butterfly that sits on her face. There wasn't anything really bad about Winter, and her scenes were better than Mel's but by the end, almost nothing had happened.
And that wrapped up most of the book. This is like an intro to the characters/worlds. We start out with Mel wanting someone's husband and to be appointed the heir to the throne, and we end with her still working towards those. Nothing has changed.
Winter and Aven get a summons, answer summons, are offered a deal, they take the deal, go to the town meeting, and at the very end of the book is the only major thing that happens. Crap goes down and chaos reigns. But good grief there was a lot of book for nothing happening.
In the end there was too little story and the characters weren't gelling with me. I won't be reading further.
First was the lack of cohesion with the pov's. We start out with Aven, but quickly switch to Mel and who the heck is she? Wait, she's not even on the same planet! She has zero connection to the planet Aven and his sister, Winter, are on. By the end of the book there still isn't a connection. So I have a hard time seeing why the two stories are in the same book.
With Mel, I just didn't like her. She had the potential to be likable but sadly that was thrown out the window when her character flaw popped up. First, I thought this was YA, my bad. This is very much and ADULT book. The characters aren't teens and there's definitely scenes and lines that make this for an adult audience.
That being said, Mel's flaw of being a voyeur... so not my thing. She doesn't even try to stop herself or feel ashamed. There's zero remorse from her. I'm sorry, but it was just creepy and nasty. She's slinking through the castle walls and peeping in the servant's quarters. But then she's the "king's" daughter and they're just servants so what right to privacy do they have? She watches all their intimate moments and loves creeping on couples.
She's so bad about this that she's made herself an imaginary lover based off one of the servants... WHO IS MARRIED. But she doesn't care. She just watches them have sex and imagines herself in the wife's spot. She finds ways to get alone with this guy and talk to him, and eventually snags him into a corner and tries to seduce him.
She resents his pregnant wife and I swear she's going to end up offing both her and maybe the child later. Why? Because she only cares about getting what she wants. Her entire arc of the book is trying to become the next Queen and obsessing over someone else's guy. And she can't have a spouse or kids as queen, so maybe she should give that up since she clearly can't/won't control herself and go off to some corner and marry an available guy.
We then hit the pov of Mel's "adopted" sister Sav who is scary as heck. Turns out she's some psycho spy who is a heartless killer and just plain brainwashed nasty. These scenes were the most interesting just because Sav's managed to free herself and is now turning her deadly skills and heartlessness to helping the good guys.
It isn't until 40% that we meet Winter(outside the brief story start from Aven's pov) and she's the one with the freaking dangerous visions. Winter's a bit dreamy. She's off in her own world and has some weird butterfly that sits on her face. There wasn't anything really bad about Winter, and her scenes were better than Mel's but by the end, almost nothing had happened.
And that wrapped up most of the book. This is like an intro to the characters/worlds. We start out with Mel wanting someone's husband and to be appointed the heir to the throne, and we end with her still working towards those. Nothing has changed.
Winter and Aven get a summons, answer summons, are offered a deal, they take the deal, go to the town meeting, and at the very end of the book is the only major thing that happens. Crap goes down and chaos reigns. But good grief there was a lot of book for nothing happening.
In the end there was too little story and the characters weren't gelling with me. I won't be reading further.
November 17, 2018
I have been meaning to read a book by this author for quite a while. I need to start by admitting that fantasy is not really my thing. I lean more toward sci fi, mystery, thrillers. But every once in a while, I pick up a book like this. So understand that I am not really the intended audience for this.
First of all, the good: The characters are richly detailed. You have a good sense of who each major character is and their motivations, strengths and weaknesses. They are well fleshed out and you care about what happens to at least some of them. They are not caricatures but come across as very real and believable. The world building is REALLY well done. You are clearly not anywhere on earth...at least, not in anywhere near OUR time. But the settings are described in detail. For a fantasy book, it is VERY easy to get involved in the story and to suspend disbelief. The story moves you along and you want to know where things are going to wind up.
Which brings me to the less good. You KNOW going in, that this is part of a series, because it is labelled #1. That is fine. But it commits the crime that many many series books do. The book has no ending. We are left standing on the proverbial cliff. That is a cardinal sin, as far as I'm concerned. It does not need to resolve everything. It does not even really need to resolve a major storyline. But SOMETHING needs to be resolved. You cannot carry your readers along and then just drop them with NOTHING. Sure, if I read the entire series, I will no doubt get resolution. But at this point, I have none. I like to use the Star Wars movies as a framework for explanation. At the end of the first movie, the empire and the emperor are left intact and dangerous. But the death star is at least destroyed. You know it is not going to be a happily ever after, YET....but the characters at least get to celebrate a smallish victory and there is both anticipation, hope and fear about what the future will bring. But you have the chance for that little party and the medals. There is nothing like that, here.
The book deals primarily with two different "lands," and there is no indication at all if they are connected or HOW they are connected. There are also references to other races which are not seen in this story, at all. Some of the back and forth is a bit jarring. I am not sure how that could have been better handled, or if it could have been. It is just weird to be all into one story and then that one cuts off and you are on the OTHER story.
The book is generally well edited and there were just a couple minor errors, which have been pointed out by other reviewers.
All in all, it was an enjoyable read. Great creativity, imagination and nice story-telling. I just wish there had been SOMETHING of an ending. Even a couple pages of epilog or something. At some point, perhaps the other books of the series can all be combined and this can all be sold as ONE book.
First of all, the good: The characters are richly detailed. You have a good sense of who each major character is and their motivations, strengths and weaknesses. They are well fleshed out and you care about what happens to at least some of them. They are not caricatures but come across as very real and believable. The world building is REALLY well done. You are clearly not anywhere on earth...at least, not in anywhere near OUR time. But the settings are described in detail. For a fantasy book, it is VERY easy to get involved in the story and to suspend disbelief. The story moves you along and you want to know where things are going to wind up.
Which brings me to the less good. You KNOW going in, that this is part of a series, because it is labelled #1. That is fine. But it commits the crime that many many series books do. The book has no ending. We are left standing on the proverbial cliff. That is a cardinal sin, as far as I'm concerned. It does not need to resolve everything. It does not even really need to resolve a major storyline. But SOMETHING needs to be resolved. You cannot carry your readers along and then just drop them with NOTHING. Sure, if I read the entire series, I will no doubt get resolution. But at this point, I have none. I like to use the Star Wars movies as a framework for explanation. At the end of the first movie, the empire and the emperor are left intact and dangerous. But the death star is at least destroyed. You know it is not going to be a happily ever after, YET....but the characters at least get to celebrate a smallish victory and there is both anticipation, hope and fear about what the future will bring. But you have the chance for that little party and the medals. There is nothing like that, here.
The book deals primarily with two different "lands," and there is no indication at all if they are connected or HOW they are connected. There are also references to other races which are not seen in this story, at all. Some of the back and forth is a bit jarring. I am not sure how that could have been better handled, or if it could have been. It is just weird to be all into one story and then that one cuts off and you are on the OTHER story.
The book is generally well edited and there were just a couple minor errors, which have been pointed out by other reviewers.
All in all, it was an enjoyable read. Great creativity, imagination and nice story-telling. I just wish there had been SOMETHING of an ending. Even a couple pages of epilog or something. At some point, perhaps the other books of the series can all be combined and this can all be sold as ONE book.
January 12, 2019
A saga begins
Song of the Worlds is an epic saga written by a dying man. Brandon Barr was not only a terrific writer but also a man without peer.
In this, the first book of his saga, we meet two young women living on different worlds. These are worlds that appear in no other work of fiction. They are connected by portals which are protected by the Guardians. The Guardians were apparently established by the Makers, those beings who created the worlds and their people. They also created those who could prophesy, heal and do other miraculous things with the power of the Makers. But something is preventing such people from surviving and the people are starting to doubt the teachings of the Makers.
Unfortunately, the Guardians didn’t protect the portal of Hearth, Meluscia’s homeworld, when the city around it was attacked by a creature called Isolaug! Isolaug now controls the area around the portal and has worked for centuries to pit the two closest kingdoms against each other. First conquer Hearth then the galaxy. Meluscia doesn’t know this but she does know that her kingdom should make peace with Verdland not war. But she faces an enormous obstacle in her path to becoming Luminess which is the only way she would be able to carry out her plans.
Winter lives on Loam where the portal works, unfortunately for the natives of Loam. They are now enslaved by conquerors with no way out. Winter is a seer who still believes in the Makers. She has lost her parents to the harsh regimen that the natives of Loam live under. She blames herself for not stopping the killing of her parents because she had a vision of the act. She has now decided that she cannot let injustice continue and she will use her visions to the good of the people. She has no idea of the difficult journey ahead of her.
Yes, this book ends with a cliffhanger! The story is such that the reader has to continue on to the next book! Beautifully written.
Song of the Worlds is an epic saga written by a dying man. Brandon Barr was not only a terrific writer but also a man without peer.
In this, the first book of his saga, we meet two young women living on different worlds. These are worlds that appear in no other work of fiction. They are connected by portals which are protected by the Guardians. The Guardians were apparently established by the Makers, those beings who created the worlds and their people. They also created those who could prophesy, heal and do other miraculous things with the power of the Makers. But something is preventing such people from surviving and the people are starting to doubt the teachings of the Makers.
Unfortunately, the Guardians didn’t protect the portal of Hearth, Meluscia’s homeworld, when the city around it was attacked by a creature called Isolaug! Isolaug now controls the area around the portal and has worked for centuries to pit the two closest kingdoms against each other. First conquer Hearth then the galaxy. Meluscia doesn’t know this but she does know that her kingdom should make peace with Verdland not war. But she faces an enormous obstacle in her path to becoming Luminess which is the only way she would be able to carry out her plans.
Winter lives on Loam where the portal works, unfortunately for the natives of Loam. They are now enslaved by conquerors with no way out. Winter is a seer who still believes in the Makers. She has lost her parents to the harsh regimen that the natives of Loam live under. She blames herself for not stopping the killing of her parents because she had a vision of the act. She has now decided that she cannot let injustice continue and she will use her visions to the good of the people. She has no idea of the difficult journey ahead of her.
Yes, this book ends with a cliffhanger! The story is such that the reader has to continue on to the next book! Beautifully written.
November 19, 2018
I have a feeling I will like this book more after I finish the series. And I’m going to finish the series, because the writing is excellent. I just am not crazy about having to purchase three books when I suspect this is one long book.
Rise of the Seer was excellent world-building, and great prep for a story that never quite comes. The book ends with what looks like disaster for each of our epic heroines. Nothing is satisfied or answered. The fascinating hints of two exotic cultures are never quite fleshed out. When the book ends, it just stops. It’s quite clear that Rise of the Seer is just the beginning of the story. It makes me wonder if an editor or publisher asked the author to break up one long book into three, to help sales numbers.
Plus, in my opinion, this “epic tale of two women” concentrates on the wrong woman. The Seer is Winter, and Winter and Loam are far more interesting than Meluscia and Hearth. But we spend far more time with Meluscia. I found myself impatient with the political maneuvering and betrayal Meluscia went through and I just wanted to get back to Winter. Winter’s life was dismal and there was betrayal at every turn, but somehow more real to me. Meluscia kept us at a distance.
Loam is more interesting, different from the standard king and castle novels that you often get from Fantasy books. I wanted to learn more about its customs and the strange houses they live in. Hearth, other than the Star Portal, mentioned briefly in passing, was not as gripping.
However, like I said, the writing is excellent and the story draws you in. I will definitely finish the series.
Rise of the Seer was excellent world-building, and great prep for a story that never quite comes. The book ends with what looks like disaster for each of our epic heroines. Nothing is satisfied or answered. The fascinating hints of two exotic cultures are never quite fleshed out. When the book ends, it just stops. It’s quite clear that Rise of the Seer is just the beginning of the story. It makes me wonder if an editor or publisher asked the author to break up one long book into three, to help sales numbers.
Plus, in my opinion, this “epic tale of two women” concentrates on the wrong woman. The Seer is Winter, and Winter and Loam are far more interesting than Meluscia and Hearth. But we spend far more time with Meluscia. I found myself impatient with the political maneuvering and betrayal Meluscia went through and I just wanted to get back to Winter. Winter’s life was dismal and there was betrayal at every turn, but somehow more real to me. Meluscia kept us at a distance.
Loam is more interesting, different from the standard king and castle novels that you often get from Fantasy books. I wanted to learn more about its customs and the strange houses they live in. Hearth, other than the Star Portal, mentioned briefly in passing, was not as gripping.
However, like I said, the writing is excellent and the story draws you in. I will definitely finish the series.
November 26, 2018
So.... I'm really conflicted on this book. On one hand, I loved every single piece of it and on the other hand.... I didn't understand it. Maybe the "I don't get why this is happening" hand will figure it out later on in the series. For now, I don't understand why we have a different main character in Meluscia on a different planet than Aven and Winter. I can see why the book was titled "Rise of the Seer" and that bit makes sense. I just wish that by the end of the book we knew the why for the different planets or, that at least Meluscia and Aven and Winter converged in some way.
As far as actual writing, I thought this book was wonderfully written. The prose is beautiful, the pacing is wonderful. It's a book that can really hook you into the story and it's what took this from a 3 star review to a 4 star review. The characters have emotion and depth and internal and external struggles. There is so much to go on here. The plot really is a great one. I just wish there was more clarity at the end of it and that the two separate stories converged, and that is where this falls short for me.
Would I recommend this book? I'd absolutely recommend it to people, right now. Will I come back in 6 months after reading the end of the series and still recommend it? I'm not sure. It depends on how the series ends in all honestly. If this continues as two separate stories that never converge, I'd be at a loss as to why they were written in the same book and unsure if I'd want people to read the stories. As far as writing goes, great stories, great characters, great world building. Buy it, read it, enjoy it for what it is.
As far as actual writing, I thought this book was wonderfully written. The prose is beautiful, the pacing is wonderful. It's a book that can really hook you into the story and it's what took this from a 3 star review to a 4 star review. The characters have emotion and depth and internal and external struggles. There is so much to go on here. The plot really is a great one. I just wish there was more clarity at the end of it and that the two separate stories converged, and that is where this falls short for me.
Would I recommend this book? I'd absolutely recommend it to people, right now. Will I come back in 6 months after reading the end of the series and still recommend it? I'm not sure. It depends on how the series ends in all honestly. If this continues as two separate stories that never converge, I'd be at a loss as to why they were written in the same book and unsure if I'd want people to read the stories. As far as writing goes, great stories, great characters, great world building. Buy it, read it, enjoy it for what it is.
April 3, 2018
A story of great suffering by the people at the hands of their tyrannical masters, also one where the women are strong and favoured by the makers for they had faith in them as their Gods. Both Meluscia and Winter though living in different worlds wanted to do what was best for their people, one was a seer and the other had aspired to be the luminess after the passing of her father. Both wanted peace and the ability to fight everyone's common foe Isolaug, the beast who was sending his nightmares to kill and ravage the lands, from Praelothia. However it seems this is not to be as both women are brought down by the evil power hungry men who cared little for the needs of their dependants. This book gripped me from the first line, it's quite an intricate tale full of different layers of writing but very beautifully written. The characters are strong and have a lot of depth to them, I particularly loved Winter. There is a strong political element, a lot of love and sense of honour amongst the farming community and most particularly between the siblings Aven and Winter. It is a fantasy read full of action which at times turns quite brutal depicting the division between the social classes and the abuse of power by those who wielded this with a rebellious spark ready to be lit like a fuse! A very exciting read which I highly recommend.
January 12, 2018
I enjoyed this book so much I bought the next book in the series before I composed this review.
I don't know what the author's political views are, and I'm not going to share mine. It just seems like the activities in this book are so similar to the political nonsense going on as the end of 2017 draws near. The deceit, trickery, maneuvering, backstabbing, lying, and cheating could be from today's headlines as well as from some of the key players in this book.
I'm often disappointed how the initial books in a series end, often with a desperate cliffhanger. That's not the case here I'm pleased to see and I consider myself fortunate that the subsequent books are already available. I read a lot of books in similar genres and when there are months ( or longer) between books, and I've read many other books in between, I sometimes get confused and have to work hard to get caught up. It's a rare treat when I can read the full series from start to finish without any books in between, especially when it's a story I'm enjoying as much as this one.
Review by THE HOLEY ONE
I don't know what the author's political views are, and I'm not going to share mine. It just seems like the activities in this book are so similar to the political nonsense going on as the end of 2017 draws near. The deceit, trickery, maneuvering, backstabbing, lying, and cheating could be from today's headlines as well as from some of the key players in this book.
I'm often disappointed how the initial books in a series end, often with a desperate cliffhanger. That's not the case here I'm pleased to see and I consider myself fortunate that the subsequent books are already available. I read a lot of books in similar genres and when there are months ( or longer) between books, and I've read many other books in between, I sometimes get confused and have to work hard to get caught up. It's a rare treat when I can read the full series from start to finish without any books in between, especially when it's a story I'm enjoying as much as this one.
Review by THE HOLEY ONE
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