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Symphony of Ages #2
Prophecy: Child of Earth
In Rhapsody, a fellowship was forged--three companions who, through great adversity, became a force to be reckoned with: Rhapsody, a singer of great talent and even greater beauty; Achmed, an assassin with unearthly talents; and Grunthor, a giant Sergeant-Major whose jolly disposition stands at odds with his deadly skill at weapons. Having fled the F'dor--an ancient, powerful evil--the three emerged on the other side of the world, only to discover fourteen centuries had passed. Their homeland had been destroyed, their people scattered across several continents, and everyone they ever knew had long since passed away...except, perhaps, the F'dor.
Prophecy continues this powerful epic. Driven by a prophetic vision, Rhapsody races to rescue the religious leader of her new homeland while Achmed and Grunthor seek evidence of the F'dor. These three may be their world's only hope, the heroes spoken of in the Prophecy of the Three, but their time is running short. They must find their elusive enemy before his darkness consumes them all.
Prophecy continues this powerful epic. Driven by a prophetic vision, Rhapsody races to rescue the religious leader of her new homeland while Achmed and Grunthor seek evidence of the F'dor. These three may be their world's only hope, the heroes spoken of in the Prophecy of the Three, but their time is running short. They must find their elusive enemy before his darkness consumes them all.
717 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 14, 2000
144 people are currently reading
2737 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Haydon
50 books1,025 followersElizabeth Haydon (* 1965 in Michigan) is a fantasy author, whose 1999 debut, Rhapsody: Child of Blood, garnered comparisons with Goodkind, Jordan, and even Tolkien. She has written two fantasy series set within the same universe, The fantasy/romance/whodunit fusion called The Symphony of Ages and the young adult series The Lost Journals of Ven Polypheme.
An herbalist, harpist, and madrigal singer, Elizabeth Haydon also enjoys anthropology and folklore. She lives on the East Coast of the United States.
For more information, please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabet...
An herbalist, harpist, and madrigal singer, Elizabeth Haydon also enjoys anthropology and folklore. She lives on the East Coast of the United States.
For more information, please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabet...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 182 reviews
January 10, 2012
This will be shorter than my review of Rhapsody, really. REALLY.
The thing about this series is I love the plot. I love the world and the set-up and the mythos and I really, really love Achmed and his dry sense of humor and Grunthor and his violent nursery rhymes. But. But but but.
I HATE RHAPSODY'S HAIR.
NOW THAT WE'RE GETTING TO SEE ASHE WITHOUT HIS CAPE, I HATE HIS HAIR TOO.
MAY THEY HAVE BALD CHILDREN, OH GOD, PLEASE.
The sex is also... overwhelmingly unnecessary, just as I feared. And yet despite that I had a great time reading this book and I am working on the third in the trilogy. It is also quite likely that I will pick up the next set of books after this one because again, the world is great.
But that said, I need to read something without quite so much obsessive description of HAIR before I tackle Destiny - maybe a Roberts romance novel.
No, I'm really not kidding.
The thing about this series is I love the plot. I love the world and the set-up and the mythos and I really, really love Achmed and his dry sense of humor and Grunthor and his violent nursery rhymes. But. But but but.
I HATE RHAPSODY'S HAIR.
NOW THAT WE'RE GETTING TO SEE ASHE WITHOUT HIS CAPE, I HATE HIS HAIR TOO.
MAY THEY HAVE BALD CHILDREN, OH GOD, PLEASE.
The sex is also... overwhelmingly unnecessary, just as I feared. And yet despite that I had a great time reading this book and I am working on the third in the trilogy. It is also quite likely that I will pick up the next set of books after this one because again, the world is great.
But that said, I need to read something without quite so much obsessive description of HAIR before I tackle Destiny - maybe a Roberts romance novel.
No, I'm really not kidding.
November 11, 2008
4.0 stars. Excellent sequel to the superb Rhapsody: Child of Blood. This is one of those "under the radar" fantasy series that really are worth-while reads. Good characters, strong world building and an interesting plot. Recommended!!
February 6, 2010
All right, I give up. This is going to come off as if I'm a horrible, bitter person, and I don't care. This book was one of the worst I've ever read, and I really regret making myself finish it. Take this review with a grain of salt.
If 50% of the words in this book had been cut none of the plot would have been lost. I shudder to think what the manuscript looked like before she sent it to her agent, and then again before her editor saw it.
Rhapsody has got to be the most infuriating heroine I've ever come across. Mary Sue does not even begin to describe her. She's perfect in every way, but especially in her "exquisite" beauty. She's supposedly incredibly intelligent, yet she shows her ignorance constantly. She's supposedly incredibly compassionate, yet she comes off as as haughty and condescending the moment someone disagrees with her - and especially when they're correct. She's supposedly selfless, but when she makes a decision the world has to move for her to change her mind.
On top of that, she's practically invincible. Anyone she needs help from willingly gives it to her the moment she needs it, but it's rare that she needs help because the author has given her so many powers - most of which are vague enough that the reader can't possibly know their limits - that we can't even be biting our nails when she gets into trouble, because we know she's going to come up with SOMETHING to get herself out of it. Why do we care about her plight when we know it isn't even a plight to begin with?
There were so many things that could have been awesome here, yet weren't. For example, her dragon ally refuses to call her by name but instead calls her "Pretty," yet another way to show how beautiful our heroine is. As if we needed another reason. Apparently this is supposed to be endearing - it comes off as patronizing to me. Despite the warnings against the dragon and how dangerous she could be, at no time do you fear for the character. There is no tension whatsoever; it just ends up boring.
I couldn't help thinking, "Infodump!" every few pages. There is no possible reason that the reader needs to know even a third of the crap that Haydon piles onto us. I know that after I hit the halfway mark in the book I gave up on wading through the tripe and had not trouble understanding the actual plot. No reader wants to be bogged down by too much backstory or history, yet it's forced upon us anyway.
And could the relationship between Rhapsody and Ashe be any more sickeningly sweet? No one talks like that, and even if they did the reader doesn't need to know every sweet thought that comes through the lovers' minds. But let's pretend that isn't an issue. What about the F'dor? It's a horrific demon that's supposed to be hell-bent on destroying the world, yet our heroes just decide to take a few months and live in bliss together and THEN go seek it out? What kind of sense could that possibly make? The tension in this could have been awesome, but instead I found it hard to care what the F'dor was up to because it couldn't be THAT bad if the characters could wait it out for a few months.
The sex scenes were way over the top, too. Again, I found myself skipping them. If I wanted to read a romance novel, I'd have been reading one. I don't have a problem with sex scenes if they serve to further the plot, but these most definitely did not.
On top of that, the entire time that Rhapsody was avoiding reality with Ashe she neglected her friends, including her "adoptive sister," Jo. I found Jo's death scene to be unmoving and Rhapsody's grief over it unbelievable. Nowhere did it ever show that Rhapsody really cared about Jo. We were TOLD that she cared, but the first rule of writing is to show, not tell, and it should definitely have been applied here.
I won't even get into how annoyed I was with the several chapters that won't even matter in the next book because Rhapsody doesn't even remember them, because if I did I'd be writing a novel myself.
The plot itself was good, but the tension was not there and the characters were so flat that they may as well have been pancakes. I didn't care what happened to them or to their world. This book could not have fallen further than it did.
If 50% of the words in this book had been cut none of the plot would have been lost. I shudder to think what the manuscript looked like before she sent it to her agent, and then again before her editor saw it.
Rhapsody has got to be the most infuriating heroine I've ever come across. Mary Sue does not even begin to describe her. She's perfect in every way, but especially in her "exquisite" beauty. She's supposedly incredibly intelligent, yet she shows her ignorance constantly. She's supposedly incredibly compassionate, yet she comes off as as haughty and condescending the moment someone disagrees with her - and especially when they're correct. She's supposedly selfless, but when she makes a decision the world has to move for her to change her mind.
On top of that, she's practically invincible. Anyone she needs help from willingly gives it to her the moment she needs it, but it's rare that she needs help because the author has given her so many powers - most of which are vague enough that the reader can't possibly know their limits - that we can't even be biting our nails when she gets into trouble, because we know she's going to come up with SOMETHING to get herself out of it. Why do we care about her plight when we know it isn't even a plight to begin with?
There were so many things that could have been awesome here, yet weren't. For example, her dragon ally refuses to call her by name but instead calls her "Pretty," yet another way to show how beautiful our heroine is. As if we needed another reason. Apparently this is supposed to be endearing - it comes off as patronizing to me. Despite the warnings against the dragon and how dangerous she could be, at no time do you fear for the character. There is no tension whatsoever; it just ends up boring.
I couldn't help thinking, "Infodump!" every few pages. There is no possible reason that the reader needs to know even a third of the crap that Haydon piles onto us. I know that after I hit the halfway mark in the book I gave up on wading through the tripe and had not trouble understanding the actual plot. No reader wants to be bogged down by too much backstory or history, yet it's forced upon us anyway.
And could the relationship between Rhapsody and Ashe be any more sickeningly sweet? No one talks like that, and even if they did the reader doesn't need to know every sweet thought that comes through the lovers' minds. But let's pretend that isn't an issue. What about the F'dor? It's a horrific demon that's supposed to be hell-bent on destroying the world, yet our heroes just decide to take a few months and live in bliss together and THEN go seek it out? What kind of sense could that possibly make? The tension in this could have been awesome, but instead I found it hard to care what the F'dor was up to because it couldn't be THAT bad if the characters could wait it out for a few months.
The sex scenes were way over the top, too. Again, I found myself skipping them. If I wanted to read a romance novel, I'd have been reading one. I don't have a problem with sex scenes if they serve to further the plot, but these most definitely did not.
On top of that, the entire time that Rhapsody was avoiding reality with Ashe she neglected her friends, including her "adoptive sister," Jo. I found Jo's death scene to be unmoving and Rhapsody's grief over it unbelievable. Nowhere did it ever show that Rhapsody really cared about Jo. We were TOLD that she cared, but the first rule of writing is to show, not tell, and it should definitely have been applied here.
I won't even get into how annoyed I was with the several chapters that won't even matter in the next book because Rhapsody doesn't even remember them, because if I did I'd be writing a novel myself.
The plot itself was good, but the tension was not there and the characters were so flat that they may as well have been pancakes. I didn't care what happened to them or to their world. This book could not have fallen further than it did.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 26, 2009
Blergh. You guys, I can't read high fantasy anymore. I don't know whether I've grown as a reader or I've just read too much, but high fantasy just seems really tired to me. And this particular book was a total Mary Sue fest. I probably would have enjoyed it more if Achmed was the main character and Rhapsody had disappeared from the story completely, though then we wouldn't have had Ashe, who I really enjoy.
A big irritation for me was the way the author uses twenty-five dollar words. She misuses them, but you can still see what she’s aiming for. It was really irritating, because she used them in the sense of the meaning of the word, but it’s far enough outside the word’s general use that it detracts from the flow of the writing. It’s like I used “sky blue” to describe what color the sky is at night. I mean, it’s the sky, so the color blue it is is arguably sky blue, except it’s definitely not light blue. Unfortunately, I've already returned it to the library, so I can't give any specific examples.
A big irritation for me was the way the author uses twenty-five dollar words. She misuses them, but you can still see what she’s aiming for. It was really irritating, because she used them in the sense of the meaning of the word, but it’s far enough outside the word’s general use that it detracts from the flow of the writing. It’s like I used “sky blue” to describe what color the sky is at night. I mean, it’s the sky, so the color blue it is is arguably sky blue, except it’s definitely not light blue. Unfortunately, I've already returned it to the library, so I can't give any specific examples.
October 8, 2022
This book takes the controversy of book 1 and doubles down on it. Elizabeth Haydon really focuses on the story that she wanted to tell, not the story she thought mainstream Fantasy audiences would enjoy. As a result, we have a book that I certainly loved, but really think everyone else will hate.
This book really is about the romance of Rhapsody and Ashe. There are certainly some great Fantasy action worldbuilding in here, but it comes in as a distant B-plot to the romantic A-plot. Book one is much more of the standard Fantasy novel with some romance, whereas this book flips the script, and becomes a romance novel with some fantasy elements. For those of you who don't like romance, you probably won't enjoy it.
The whole sequence of Rhapsody seeking out the dragon and also journeying to and from was really excellent! I thought that the dialogues between Rhapsody and Ashe were really layered and well written. While I still don't like the idea of Dragons combining with humans, I did like the dragon here.
Where this book stumbles is its second and third acts. Haydon really puts the overall series plot on hold so that she can tell the romance of Rhapsody and Ashe, which goes on for about 150 pages. She could have and should have cut this sequence down to about 30 or 40 pages, and instead given more time to the Rakshas and had a more present villain.
The villain is also hunted down way too quickly, the character who dies happened too fast, and the falling action of the book took way too long. I think that a lot of Rhapsody and Ashe's dialogues could have been largely cut, except their really big one at the end. It would have not only made the book shorter, but it might not have ticked off so many fans.
Another problem with this book is the handling of Grunthor and Achmed. They were good sidekicks in the first book, and they are almost entirely separated from Rhapsody in this book. As a result, they feel more like Haydon just needed something to do with them, and took away all of the political intrigue that made book 1 so good.
This is also another problem I have with the book. The political intrigue, the deeper themes, and the exploration of characters in new ways was largely missing. While I could certainly point to numerous themes that I loved in book one, there are barely any here.
While book one felt more like a Wheel of Time book, this one feels like a grown up version of a YA Romantic Fantasy. Had Haydon stayed with the WOT feeling, most audiences might have stuck with the book.
Overall, I thought this was an entertaining read, but nowhere near as impactful, impressive, or introspective as book 1 was. This series needs a solid plotline in book 3 to recover, otherwise it will be known for a good first book but weak sequels. Haydon has still impressed me with some of what she's done, but this needd some work. 6.5 out of 10.
This book really is about the romance of Rhapsody and Ashe. There are certainly some great Fantasy action worldbuilding in here, but it comes in as a distant B-plot to the romantic A-plot. Book one is much more of the standard Fantasy novel with some romance, whereas this book flips the script, and becomes a romance novel with some fantasy elements. For those of you who don't like romance, you probably won't enjoy it.
The whole sequence of Rhapsody seeking out the dragon and also journeying to and from was really excellent! I thought that the dialogues between Rhapsody and Ashe were really layered and well written. While I still don't like the idea of Dragons combining with humans, I did like the dragon here.
Where this book stumbles is its second and third acts. Haydon really puts the overall series plot on hold so that she can tell the romance of Rhapsody and Ashe, which goes on for about 150 pages. She could have and should have cut this sequence down to about 30 or 40 pages, and instead given more time to the Rakshas and had a more present villain.
The villain is also hunted down way too quickly, the character who dies happened too fast, and the falling action of the book took way too long. I think that a lot of Rhapsody and Ashe's dialogues could have been largely cut, except their really big one at the end. It would have not only made the book shorter, but it might not have ticked off so many fans.
Another problem with this book is the handling of Grunthor and Achmed. They were good sidekicks in the first book, and they are almost entirely separated from Rhapsody in this book. As a result, they feel more like Haydon just needed something to do with them, and took away all of the political intrigue that made book 1 so good.
This is also another problem I have with the book. The political intrigue, the deeper themes, and the exploration of characters in new ways was largely missing. While I could certainly point to numerous themes that I loved in book one, there are barely any here.
While book one felt more like a Wheel of Time book, this one feels like a grown up version of a YA Romantic Fantasy. Had Haydon stayed with the WOT feeling, most audiences might have stuck with the book.
Overall, I thought this was an entertaining read, but nowhere near as impactful, impressive, or introspective as book 1 was. This series needs a solid plotline in book 3 to recover, otherwise it will be known for a good first book but weak sequels. Haydon has still impressed me with some of what she's done, but this needd some work. 6.5 out of 10.
June 29, 2017
The heroine is frequently called intelligent, but never proves this. Despite her intelligence, she's completely unaware of the effect her utter physical perfection has on everyone that meets her. She is called fair and compassionate despite being haughty and judgmental.
However, the absolute worst of it is any interaction that involves Ashe. Aside from the fact that he comes off as a player character someone rolled up for a d&d campaign (see, I'm this half-dragon...), his presence turns any chapter into something out of a bad romance novel.
However, the absolute worst of it is any interaction that involves Ashe. Aside from the fact that he comes off as a player character someone rolled up for a d&d campaign (see, I'm this half-dragon...), his presence turns any chapter into something out of a bad romance novel.
November 22, 2024
I finished my re-read of this.
It did not take as long as the first book, where they crawled along the root for ages, but I was very heavily bored with the romance.
I see and understand why Rhapsody and Ashe are destined for each other, as per the writing. But I just can't stand them as a pairing. As much as I love the dragon aspect, Ashe is way too obsessive, manipulative and trespassing. He does not care much for her boundaries, repeatedly and they obviously can not communicate properly, as shown in the seemingly neverending scenes in Elysian. Especially the last one could have easily be cut short.
I would also have enjoyed it more had they found out about who they were in the last book. Have him propose and her forget it and then let them have that great conclusion in the end.
Kudos to Achmed and Grunthor, mainly carrying the weight of the plot and always an absolute delight to read!
I am sorry for Jo. I could not remember what happened to her, so I read in horror how she was repeatedly brutalized. I did not like her one bit, but I would have never wanted her to have that fate.
It did not take as long as the first book, where they crawled along the root for ages, but I was very heavily bored with the romance.
I see and understand why Rhapsody and Ashe are destined for each other, as per the writing. But I just can't stand them as a pairing. As much as I love the dragon aspect, Ashe is way too obsessive, manipulative and trespassing. He does not care much for her boundaries, repeatedly and they obviously can not communicate properly, as shown in the seemingly neverending scenes in Elysian. Especially the last one could have easily be cut short.
I would also have enjoyed it more had they found out about who they were in the last book. Have him propose and her forget it and then let them have that great conclusion in the end.
Kudos to Achmed and Grunthor, mainly carrying the weight of the plot and always an absolute delight to read!
I am sorry for Jo. I could not remember what happened to her, so I read in horror how she was repeatedly brutalized. I did not like her one bit, but I would have never wanted her to have that fate.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 19, 2019
In the second part of the series we read something more complete as the plot becomes more structured, the story has a more specific direction, and there is generally an... extension to the scale of the events and the way the author describes them. Our heroes are confronted with more complicated situations such as the political games they are involved in, which are becoming even more complex as it becomes evident that demonic powers can hide behind many of them in their quest to bring chaos to the world and so only corresponding magical powers can prevent them. Somewhere there the most complicated thing of all, love, makes its presence felt, giving a romantic tone to this book. Thus, between the mysteries of politics, magic and love, developments are running and lead us to both agonizing and intense emotional situations. On the other hand, however, this persistence in romanticism, although I liked it, may become exaggerated in some places, and some issues with the speed of the plot again arise, with important developments unfolding very quickly, while the author could devote more pages to them, making the book even better. So in this second part there is an improvement, with all the virtues of the former remaining, perhaps even to a greater extent, creating an interesting and moving result, but yet we do not read in my opinion something...great and epic, although surely the series stands at a very high level.
Στο δεύτερο μέρος της σειράς διαβάζουμε κάτι περισσότερο ολοκληρωμένο καθώς η πλοκή γίνεται περισσότερο συγκροτημένη, η ιστορία έχει μία περισσότερο συγκεκριμένη κατεύθυνση και γενικότερα υπάρχει μία... επέκταση στην κλίμακα των γεγονότων και στον τρόπο που η συγγραφέας τα περιγράφει. Οι ήρωες μας έρχονται αντιμέτωποι με περισσότερο περίπλοκες καταστάσεις όπως τα πολιτικά παιχνίδια στα οποία έχουν εμπλακεί, τα οποία γίνονται ακόμα πιο περίπλοκα καθώς γίνεται φανερό ότι δαιμονικές δυνάμεις μπορούν να κρύβονται πίσω από πολλά από αυτά, στην προσπάθειά τους να φέρουν το χάος στον κόσμο και έτσι μόνο αντίστοιχες μαγικές δυνάμεις μπορούν να τους εμποδίσουν. Κάπου εκεί το πιο περίπλοκο πράγμα από όλα, ο έρωτας, κάνει αισθητή την παρουσία του, προσδίδοντας έναν ρομαντικό τόνο σε αυτό το βιβλίο. Έτσι, ανάμεσα στα μυστήρια της πολιτικής, της μαγείας και του έρωτα, οι εξελίξεις τρέχουν και μας οδηγούν σε αγωνιώδεις αλλά και σε έντονες συναισθηματικές καταστάσεις. Από την άλλη, βέβαια, αυτή η επιμονή στον ρομαντισμό αν και μου άρεσε ίσως γίνεται υπερβολική σε κάποια σημεία ενώ πάλι προκύπτουν κάποια ζητήματα με την ταχύτητα της πλοκής, με σημαντικές εξελίξεις να εκτυλίσσονται πολύ γρήγορα ενώ θα μπορούσε να αφιερώσει η συγγραφέας περισσότερες σελίδες σε αυτές, κάνοντας το βιβλίο ακόμα καλύτερο. Έτσι σε αυτό το δεύτερο μέρος υπάρχει μία βελτίωση, με όλες τις αρετές από το πρώτο να παραμένουν, ίσως και σε μεγαλύτερο βαθμό, δημιουργώντας ένα ενδιαφέρον και συγκινητικό αποτέλεσμα, ακόμα, όμως, δεν διαβάζουμε κατά τη γνώμη μου κάτι το... μεγάλο και επικό, αν και σίγουρα η σειρά στέκεται σε πολύ υψηλό επίπεδο.
Στο δεύτερο μέρος της σειράς διαβάζουμε κάτι περισσότερο ολοκληρωμένο καθώς η πλοκή γίνεται περισσότερο συγκροτημένη, η ιστορία έχει μία περισσότερο συγκεκριμένη κατεύθυνση και γενικότερα υπάρχει μία... επέκταση στην κλίμακα των γεγονότων και στον τρόπο που η συγγραφέας τα περιγράφει. Οι ήρωες μας έρχονται αντιμέτωποι με περισσότερο περίπλοκες καταστάσεις όπως τα πολιτικά παιχνίδια στα οποία έχουν εμπλακεί, τα οποία γίνονται ακόμα πιο περίπλοκα καθώς γίνεται φανερό ότι δαιμονικές δυνάμεις μπορούν να κρύβονται πίσω από πολλά από αυτά, στην προσπάθειά τους να φέρουν το χάος στον κόσμο και έτσι μόνο αντίστοιχες μαγικές δυνάμεις μπορούν να τους εμποδίσουν. Κάπου εκεί το πιο περίπλοκο πράγμα από όλα, ο έρωτας, κάνει αισθητή την παρουσία του, προσδίδοντας έναν ρομαντικό τόνο σε αυτό το βιβλίο. Έτσι, ανάμεσα στα μυστήρια της πολιτικής, της μαγείας και του έρωτα, οι εξελίξεις τρέχουν και μας οδηγούν σε αγωνιώδεις αλλά και σε έντονες συναισθηματικές καταστάσεις. Από την άλλη, βέβαια, αυτή η επιμονή στον ρομαντισμό αν και μου άρεσε ίσως γίνεται υπερβολική σε κάποια σημεία ενώ πάλι προκύπτουν κάποια ζητήματα με την ταχύτητα της πλοκής, με σημαντικές εξελίξεις να εκτυλίσσονται πολύ γρήγορα ενώ θα μπορούσε να αφιερώσει η συγγραφέας περισσότερες σελίδες σε αυτές, κάνοντας το βιβλίο ακόμα καλύτερο. Έτσι σε αυτό το δεύτερο μέρος υπάρχει μία βελτίωση, με όλες τις αρετές από το πρώτο να παραμένουν, ίσως και σε μεγαλύτερο βαθμό, δημιουργώντας ένα ενδιαφέρον και συγκινητικό αποτέλεσμα, ακόμα, όμως, δεν διαβάζουμε κατά τη γνώμη μου κάτι το... μεγάλο και επικό, αν και σίγουρα η σειρά στέκεται σε πολύ υψηλό επίπεδο.
August 5, 2019
I am really enjoying this series. In this book Rhapsody and Ashe head off to find a dragon. Meanwhile Achmed and Grunthor attempt to seek out a demon.
Looking forward to the next book in the series
Looking forward to the next book in the series
January 20, 2011
This book is the second of the Symphony of Ages series. The series is still in progress, but so far this is my favorite, for two main reasons. Firstly, not to mince words......our heroine Rhapsody finally Gets Some (nudge, nudge, wink, wink, know what I mean ?). Like every other aspect of her writing, Haydon gives us....ahem.... Good Parts that are really really good. In fact, go ahead and dog-ear pages 478 and 506 right now! Rhapsody had her sweet, romantic teenage encounter in the first book, but now she is a grown-up and...well, as I've said before, this series is for grown-ups. A warning....in addition to the grown-up love scene, there are a couple of truly horrific, violent scenes. I wouldn't recommend this series for anyone under age 15 or 16.
Aside from the Red Hot Whoopee-Making, which we've been anticipating for 1200 pages, I like this book best of the series because we finally get to meet and spend some quality time with Elynsynos the Dragon. Elynsynos is one
of my favorite fictional dragons ever. She is big, golden, dangerous but surprisingly gentle with those she loves. She tells us about the history of her land in a multi-toned voice that really shows us the author's musical background. Rhapsody returns something that belongs to Elynsynos and offers her friendship. The dragon is pleased. Rhapsody has made an important ally here. She interests Elynsynos...and it's no mean feat to interest a nearly-immortal dragon whose hoard contains the most beautiful treasures in the world. However, as Elynsynos says, "You are wise to be afraid....You are perfect treasure, Pretty. There is music in you, and fire, and time. Any dragon would covet you for its own." (p. 117)
Haydon fills in enough background information that this book could be read on its own, but the story really does begin with Rhapsody, the first volume. I strongly suggest that you read Rhapsody first....and pick up a copy of Destiny, the third book, while you're at it.
Aside from the Red Hot Whoopee-Making, which we've been anticipating for 1200 pages, I like this book best of the series because we finally get to meet and spend some quality time with Elynsynos the Dragon. Elynsynos is one
of my favorite fictional dragons ever. She is big, golden, dangerous but surprisingly gentle with those she loves. She tells us about the history of her land in a multi-toned voice that really shows us the author's musical background. Rhapsody returns something that belongs to Elynsynos and offers her friendship. The dragon is pleased. Rhapsody has made an important ally here. She interests Elynsynos...and it's no mean feat to interest a nearly-immortal dragon whose hoard contains the most beautiful treasures in the world. However, as Elynsynos says, "You are wise to be afraid....You are perfect treasure, Pretty. There is music in you, and fire, and time. Any dragon would covet you for its own." (p. 117)
Haydon fills in enough background information that this book could be read on its own, but the story really does begin with Rhapsody, the first volume. I strongly suggest that you read Rhapsody first....and pick up a copy of Destiny, the third book, while you're at it.
September 2, 2019
For half of this book, I thought there was no way I could love this as much as the first book. Of course I was wrong and those last 150-200 pages I COULD NOT PUT DOWN.
I have come to the conclusion that Elizabeth Haydon is a genius.
Throughout the first book and continuing into the second, nothing was rushed everything seemed to happen naturally. Or as naturally as the impending, ultimate doom of the world can. Though there were times that I was screaming at the characters to just "freakin' tell each other everything because it would solve so many questions and issues right there", I applaud Haydon for holding on to secrets until the time was right. Not surprisingly, she knew what she was doing and some of my favorite scenes came from her precise story-planning.
*cue squealing into my hand so I don't type spoilers but man oh man do I want to because this entire book is a spoiler*
Without giving anything away, this sequel got darker, more steamy, and so much more powerful. I have a greater respect for Rhapsody and all the other characters now after reading this book, and I can’t wait to read the epic conclusion!
I have come to the conclusion that Elizabeth Haydon is a genius.
Throughout the first book and continuing into the second, nothing was rushed everything seemed to happen naturally. Or as naturally as the impending, ultimate doom of the world can. Though there were times that I was screaming at the characters to just "freakin' tell each other everything because it would solve so many questions and issues right there", I applaud Haydon for holding on to secrets until the time was right. Not surprisingly, she knew what she was doing and some of my favorite scenes came from her precise story-planning.
*cue squealing into my hand so I don't type spoilers but man oh man do I want to because this entire book is a spoiler*
Without giving anything away, this sequel got darker, more steamy, and so much more powerful. I have a greater respect for Rhapsody and all the other characters now after reading this book, and I can’t wait to read the epic conclusion!
December 17, 2013
If you don't like romantic plot lines, then this is definitely not the series for you. The romance between Ash and Rhapsody is what really drives this story, but it is all the secondary characters that kept me coming back for more. The main character can be so perfect at some times that its a bit annoying, but I really love this book. I live the world, and it's very easy to become immersed in it.
February 2, 2016
Strong middle book that answers a lot of questions from the first book but sets up the concluding volume very well. The political situation gets much more interesting, and the mystery deepens. I really enjoyed this book.
July 19, 2016
This series just keeps getting better and better. I am absolutely in love with this author and how her words captivate me as I turn each page.
This is a book where you will get lost in the story and everything around you will cease to exist!
Can't wait to see how this pans out!
This is a book where you will get lost in the story and everything around you will cease to exist!
Can't wait to see how this pans out!
May 5, 2023
„Tochter der Erde“ ist der zweite Teil der neun-bändigen Fantasy-Serie von Elizabeth Haydon um die Benennerin Rhapsody und ihre Gefährten Achmed und Grunthor. Und HEY!, was hatte ich mich auf diesen inzwischen fünften Re-Read gefreut und hey? … entweder war ich nicht wirklich in Fantasy-Stimmung (das Parallelbuch war aber auch ZU gut) oder aber der rationalere Kopf war lauter als das nostalgische Herz (kurzer Verweis auf meine Rezi zu Band 1 „Tochter des Windes“)
Inzwischen kann ich die Kritiken und Kritikpunkte, die ich früher ziemlich irritiert gelesen habe, verstehen. Auch mir ist Rhapsody zu schön, zu perfekt und ihre Plänkeleien mit Ashe nerven mich mitunter. Das geniale Trio aus Rhapsody, Grunthor und Achmed kam mir zu kurz (auch wenn ich weiß, dass es in Band 3 wieder besser wird). Und ja, irgendwie war mir das hier und jetzt zu episch, zu atmosphärisch und zu intensiv in der Beschreibung der Szenerie, der Länder, Wälder und Gebirge. Ich weiß, dass ich das bisher geliebt habe, aber irgendwie ging es dadurch auch nicht richtig voran. Ich habe relativ viel quer gelesen und manche Landschaftsbeschreibungen nur überblättert, bis wieder eine spannende oder tolle Szene kam. Und trotzdem konnte ich auch beim fünften Re-Read wieder weinen. Ich wusste was passiert und wann es passiert, aber traurig stimmt es mich immer noch.
Ich bin gerade ein wenig ernüchtert und weiß noch nicht wirklich, ob ich diesen Re-Read der Reihe wirklich vollenden werde. Aber da Band 7-9 noch ungelesen im SUB schlummern und das auch noch auf englisch (weil die letzten Bände nicht mehr übersetzt wurden) und ich ja auch eigentlich wissen will, wie die Reihe endet, bin ich am schwanken. Dieses Jahr werde ich Band 3 (wieder ein Klopper mit über 900 Seiten) sicherlich nicht mehr lesen und danach muss wohl einfach die Zeit und die Laune passen. Aber grundsätzlich bleibe ich bei der Meinung, dass die Autorin hier wirklich eine epische Fantasy-Reihe erschaffen hat, mit spannenden Charakteren (wenn man mal von Rhapsody absieht) und Geschöpfen, eine tollen World-Building und Magiesystem.
4,5 Sterne
Inzwischen kann ich die Kritiken und Kritikpunkte, die ich früher ziemlich irritiert gelesen habe, verstehen. Auch mir ist Rhapsody zu schön, zu perfekt und ihre Plänkeleien mit Ashe nerven mich mitunter. Das geniale Trio aus Rhapsody, Grunthor und Achmed kam mir zu kurz (auch wenn ich weiß, dass es in Band 3 wieder besser wird). Und ja, irgendwie war mir das hier und jetzt zu episch, zu atmosphärisch und zu intensiv in der Beschreibung der Szenerie, der Länder, Wälder und Gebirge. Ich weiß, dass ich das bisher geliebt habe, aber irgendwie ging es dadurch auch nicht richtig voran. Ich habe relativ viel quer gelesen und manche Landschaftsbeschreibungen nur überblättert, bis wieder eine spannende oder tolle Szene kam. Und trotzdem konnte ich auch beim fünften Re-Read wieder weinen. Ich wusste was passiert und wann es passiert, aber traurig stimmt es mich immer noch.
Ich bin gerade ein wenig ernüchtert und weiß noch nicht wirklich, ob ich diesen Re-Read der Reihe wirklich vollenden werde. Aber da Band 7-9 noch ungelesen im SUB schlummern und das auch noch auf englisch (weil die letzten Bände nicht mehr übersetzt wurden) und ich ja auch eigentlich wissen will, wie die Reihe endet, bin ich am schwanken. Dieses Jahr werde ich Band 3 (wieder ein Klopper mit über 900 Seiten) sicherlich nicht mehr lesen und danach muss wohl einfach die Zeit und die Laune passen. Aber grundsätzlich bleibe ich bei der Meinung, dass die Autorin hier wirklich eine epische Fantasy-Reihe erschaffen hat, mit spannenden Charakteren (wenn man mal von Rhapsody absieht) und Geschöpfen, eine tollen World-Building und Magiesystem.
4,5 Sterne
January 19, 2025
The anticipation and thrills is so drawn out and built into the perfect pyre for Rhapsody's soul. This book is amazing. The magic mechanics are unique and inventive. The characters are some of the most developed, beloved characters i can ever remember reading about.
July 21, 2019
Did not live up to the first one. I had very high expectations, and they were not met. I may read the next one, but if it's just as bad, I don't know if I'll continue.
April 14, 2023
I enjoyed and didn't mind the romance. It is a really well told fantasy series. There were no surprises, but that was okay. It moved the story forward, which is what happens in the middle of a story.
January 31, 2022
How I loved the lovely interactions between the characters. The often sarcastic comebacks, their growing affinities for one another, and the danger lurking keep this one fresh and interesting. I enjoyed viewing the words as the scenes were drawn. Elizabeth Haydon paints lovely pictures and had me reading between the lines to put together clues that link to the other novels. I loved it! No spoilers here though! You'll have to read it for yourself if you loved Fantasy Fiction with romantic moments and sudden calls to action then you will find Symphony of Ages a very lovely read. Prophecy was unique and special.
May 7, 2016
Signed in recognition of my honorable mention in the Firbolg songwriting contest. It was probably horrible, like all of my other "poetry" from that era, but I still look on the inscription fondly.
It's unfortunately the only part of the book that really holds up, because while the worldbuilding remains seriously cool, every third conversation is a pages-long infodump and the actual plot, such as it is, manages to be exceedingly slow-paced (in large part because of the aforementioned infodumps) and at the same time bewilderingly, pointlessly convoluted. This is not one of the few, rare occasions where an amnesia plot works, and it's kind of pointless anyway since no one in the book actually shares information with anyone else, ever. I don't know how these people manage to eat - they must just sigh pointedly and stomp around until it occurs to someone to offer them food.
Argh. It's more frustrating than most bad books because the cool parts are *really cool*. And then someone opens their damn mouth and spoils it with more unnecessarily coy, overwrought scheming.
It's unfortunately the only part of the book that really holds up, because while the worldbuilding remains seriously cool, every third conversation is a pages-long infodump and the actual plot, such as it is, manages to be exceedingly slow-paced (in large part because of the aforementioned infodumps) and at the same time bewilderingly, pointlessly convoluted. This is not one of the few, rare occasions where an amnesia plot works, and it's kind of pointless anyway since no one in the book actually shares information with anyone else, ever. I don't know how these people manage to eat - they must just sigh pointedly and stomp around until it occurs to someone to offer them food.
Argh. It's more frustrating than most bad books because the cool parts are *really cool*. And then someone opens their damn mouth and spoils it with more unnecessarily coy, overwrought scheming.
January 6, 2011
If you read the first book, "Rhapsody: Child of Blood," and felt it was a bit slow and uneventful, then you should stay clear of the sequel, because this one expands on all the things you didn't like about the first book. There is absolutely no action or suspense whatsoever, nor do you get any sense of urgency with the so called impending threat of the evil F'dor, who shows up at the end of the book. Haydon instead devotes her entire novel to writing as many crying scenes as she can for Rhapsody. This character is literally weeping and sobbing throughout this entire book! When Rhapsody isn't crying, Haydon is writing romantic subplots for her and Ashe falling in love and having lots of sex. What happened to going on adventures, exploring the world, finding allies and making enemies, introducing some new characters, getting into battles and sword fights, learning new magic tricks, fighting new foes, etc? This book really had no direction at all which was atually my criticism of the last book, but at least that one had alot more going on in it; this one was just plain dead.
September 3, 2010
In Rhapsody, a fellowship was forged - three companions who, through great adversity, became a force to be reckoned with: Rhapsody the Singer; Achmed the assassin-king; and Grunthor, the giant Sergeant-Major. Prophecy continues their powerful epic. Driven by a prophetic vision, Rhapsody races to rescue a religious leader while Achmed and Gruntor seek the F'Dor - an ancient and powerful demon. These companions may be destined to fulfill The Prophecy of the Three, but their time is running short. They must find their elusive enemy before his darkness consumes them all.
January 24, 2014
This book is well written, and the world building is fairly intricate. Unfortunately, the author is painfully in love with her characters. This book would be half its size if we eliminated all the tantalizing descriptions of how gorgeous and intoxicating the hero and heroine are. Her unhealthy admiration of her characters prevents her from taking risks that would further their development or create even create some sort of attachment for the reader. It's fun brain candy, though.
November 30, 2023
Let's see. About this book. It gets two stars because...well, two stars mean "it was okay" and that's my reaction to it. I can't hate on it entirely because I loved it when I was sixteen. However now...ehh.
I ran Rhapsody against the Mary Sue Litmus Test. She scored an 82. 71 and above, according to said test, is a hopeless, irredeemable Sue. But I'm fairly certain everyone who read this book already knows this, right chaps?
So for those of you exposed in the first book, it only gets worse here. The gratuitous hair descriptions are pretty unbearable. Also, every time Ashe looks at Rhapsody, especially when she's wearing something different, do start skimming because you're going to get more lengthy descriptions of her perfect beauty than you've probably ever wanted. By the end of the book I desperately wanted the author to stop.
Ashe is irritating, mostly because of his equally melodramatic obsession with Rhapsody. The author attempts to develop him, but all of this disappears quickly. Half the book is Extreme Rhapsody and Ashe ROMANCE, and I signed on for epic fantasy, not extensive romance.
I liked Elynsynos, wish *she* got more screentime than Ashe did.
Oelendra was great, I both applauded and winced when she smashed Rhapsody's instrument. Winced because I'm a musician and would flip out if someone smashed my instruments, but applauded because FFS someone needs to not faint away and swoon in the face of the great and almighty Rhapsody.
(then she does. But it's not your fault, Oelendra, this is just how people react to sues. I still think you're cool!)
Achmed as usual is the reason I keep reading. I am a fan of the Dhracian race, very unique and fascinating. I like how Haydon did *that*, she's got some great worldbuilding and racebuilding there too. I vaguely recall the flashback to when Achmed sees what lies beyond the gates in the old world and sees the F'dor, I can't wait to see if I remember right and we see it in the next book.
I will keep reading for Achmed! If I recall correctly, he gets even more awesome in the next book.
also Daystar Clarion, that totally sounds like. sword in an rpg or something. am I in wow?
I ran Rhapsody against the Mary Sue Litmus Test. She scored an 82. 71 and above, according to said test, is a hopeless, irredeemable Sue. But I'm fairly certain everyone who read this book already knows this, right chaps?
So for those of you exposed in the first book, it only gets worse here. The gratuitous hair descriptions are pretty unbearable. Also, every time Ashe looks at Rhapsody, especially when she's wearing something different, do start skimming because you're going to get more lengthy descriptions of her perfect beauty than you've probably ever wanted. By the end of the book I desperately wanted the author to stop.
Ashe is irritating, mostly because of his equally melodramatic obsession with Rhapsody. The author attempts to develop him, but all of this disappears quickly. Half the book is Extreme Rhapsody and Ashe ROMANCE, and I signed on for epic fantasy, not extensive romance.
I liked Elynsynos, wish *she* got more screentime than Ashe did.
Oelendra was great, I both applauded and winced when she smashed Rhapsody's instrument. Winced because I'm a musician and would flip out if someone smashed my instruments, but applauded because FFS someone needs to not faint away and swoon in the face of the great and almighty Rhapsody.
(then she does. But it's not your fault, Oelendra, this is just how people react to sues. I still think you're cool!)
Achmed as usual is the reason I keep reading. I am a fan of the Dhracian race, very unique and fascinating. I like how Haydon did *that*, she's got some great worldbuilding and racebuilding there too. I vaguely recall the flashback to when Achmed sees what lies beyond the gates in the old world and sees the F'dor, I can't wait to see if I remember right and we see it in the next book.
I will keep reading for Achmed! If I recall correctly, he gets even more awesome in the next book.
also Daystar Clarion, that totally sounds like. sword in an rpg or something. am I in wow?
July 25, 2020
Prophecy builds on the events of Rhapsody to make a high-fantasy epic which is deeply concerned with consent, boundaries, found family, and working through past trauma. Vast stretches of the book are fun, but the heavier content gets very dark.
This is a solid book two which I think is robust enough to be read by itself if someone were to come across it and not know there's a series (though please, do start with the first book). There's a graceful balance between closing off lingering plot threads and setting up new ones, and many of them are handled in a way that means the thread isn't really closed; instead the responsibility for addressing it has been passed to a new character.
The way the magic is handled here appeals to me, it runs on a lot of intuition and bending the shape of things to suit one's intent. It's a softer magic system, one unbothered by explaining all the rules, and instead it's getting on with the story. I also like how the characters interact, including how sometimes (often) they don't fully understand each other but have to figure it out anyway. It's shown in a way that makes their motivations and hangups very clear to the reader, even if they're not always able to speak plainly amongst themselves.
I continue to appreciate the balance of implied and explicit content, especially around sex and violence as they are described (or not) within this book. There's a nuanced understanding of consent in the text, with room for some characters to first not understand its importance, then to learn and grow. When there are scenes of violence the focus is often more on the mindset of the POV character in that moment, and how the scene feels, rather than on the mechanics of exactly how the battle occurs. There is a sexual assault late in the book which was very upsetting to read, but mainly because of its implications and who appeared to be involved, rather than how it was described in the text (it wasn't particularly graphic, but it conveyed a deep sense horror at that event).
There are large sections of the book that are sweet and uplifting and lighthearted, but part of that is because they are placed in contrast with some very tragic past and present events. The book overall feels adventurous, but I can't call it lighthearted overall because of how very very dark some sections became. If you like high fantasy and want a doorstopper with complex characters, and a nuanced portrayal of sex, sexuality, and consent, then try this book (and this series).
Book CWs for violence, murder, massacre, cannibalism, death of a child, discussion of sexual assault, sexual assault of a minor.
This is a solid book two which I think is robust enough to be read by itself if someone were to come across it and not know there's a series (though please, do start with the first book). There's a graceful balance between closing off lingering plot threads and setting up new ones, and many of them are handled in a way that means the thread isn't really closed; instead the responsibility for addressing it has been passed to a new character.
The way the magic is handled here appeals to me, it runs on a lot of intuition and bending the shape of things to suit one's intent. It's a softer magic system, one unbothered by explaining all the rules, and instead it's getting on with the story. I also like how the characters interact, including how sometimes (often) they don't fully understand each other but have to figure it out anyway. It's shown in a way that makes their motivations and hangups very clear to the reader, even if they're not always able to speak plainly amongst themselves.
I continue to appreciate the balance of implied and explicit content, especially around sex and violence as they are described (or not) within this book. There's a nuanced understanding of consent in the text, with room for some characters to first not understand its importance, then to learn and grow. When there are scenes of violence the focus is often more on the mindset of the POV character in that moment, and how the scene feels, rather than on the mechanics of exactly how the battle occurs. There is a sexual assault late in the book which was very upsetting to read, but mainly because of its implications and who appeared to be involved, rather than how it was described in the text (it wasn't particularly graphic, but it conveyed a deep sense horror at that event).
There are large sections of the book that are sweet and uplifting and lighthearted, but part of that is because they are placed in contrast with some very tragic past and present events. The book overall feels adventurous, but I can't call it lighthearted overall because of how very very dark some sections became. If you like high fantasy and want a doorstopper with complex characters, and a nuanced portrayal of sex, sexuality, and consent, then try this book (and this series).
Book CWs for violence, murder, massacre, cannibalism, death of a child, discussion of sexual assault, sexual assault of a minor.
September 14, 2025
Okay, so the one star missing is only because I got a tad bit confused on some points and feel like the author maybe could have…… explained a bit better or changed the narrative, idk. And also, the grammar was abysmal in this book. I’m not sure if there were as many mistakes in the first book and maybe I just didn’t notice, but the second novel needed editing badly. And it was mostly simple misspelling or you could tell that a word got left out of a sentence. Those are easy to catch so I’m not sure what the deal was.
Despite that, these novels have been a breath of fresh air! Absolutely magical! The words are lyrical and the characters, while frustrating at times, are endearing. Even Achmed the grumpy, callous one! I needed a change from the usual modern “romantasy” genre that is soooo popular right now and wanted something more traditional. This is a beautiful, and vibrant more traditional epic fantasy with some romance. I’m so glad a gave this a chance.
It was lovely. It was heartbreaking. It was poignant. The writing was mature but accurately portrayed the age of certain characters.
This was published in the early 2000s so I’m not sure if there are any trigger warnings out there. If anyone is wondering about content, this second book contains some explicit content between lovers. The series has violence, rape, and can be graphic so it’s for a more mature audience.
Update: I did read this as an epub file. I wasn’t sure of the difference between digital files and physical copies/books. I’d still give this a 4 star rating, but I’ve done some research and realized that I shouldn’t judge the grammar too harshly when reading an ebook or epub file, because I think perhaps the transfer from book to certain files can cause misspellings, ect. So just something I wanted to make note of and acknowledge.
Despite that, these novels have been a breath of fresh air! Absolutely magical! The words are lyrical and the characters, while frustrating at times, are endearing. Even Achmed the grumpy, callous one! I needed a change from the usual modern “romantasy” genre that is soooo popular right now and wanted something more traditional. This is a beautiful, and vibrant more traditional epic fantasy with some romance. I’m so glad a gave this a chance.
It was lovely. It was heartbreaking. It was poignant. The writing was mature but accurately portrayed the age of certain characters.
This was published in the early 2000s so I’m not sure if there are any trigger warnings out there. If anyone is wondering about content, this second book contains some explicit content between lovers. The series has violence, rape, and can be graphic so it’s for a more mature audience.
Update: I did read this as an epub file. I wasn’t sure of the difference between digital files and physical copies/books. I’d still give this a 4 star rating, but I’ve done some research and realized that I shouldn’t judge the grammar too harshly when reading an ebook or epub file, because I think perhaps the transfer from book to certain files can cause misspellings, ect. So just something I wanted to make note of and acknowledge.
October 7, 2020
I am not quite sure where to start with this review. For those looking for my honest opinion up front- The series Rhapsody/Prophecy/Destiny, part of the Symphony of Ages- is quality 'junk food' fantasy. I really liked the book and the series, but a couple of things held it back for me from getting five stars, a rating reserved for 'amazeballs' books. A great series this is; one in the same breath as 'The Stormlight Archives' or 'Lord of the Rings' it is not. That is marketing hogwash.
This book continues off with the three hunting the F'dor. The author, Hayden is very good at writing and expressing her ideas. However I think she uses old, some may say 'tired' and in my opinion 'obvious' tropes and hints that aren't so subtle. You can read the story and guess what will happen next or what something means. I also feel that some of the answers and solutions given in the span of the story are cop outs and Deus Ex Machinas.
But if this doesn't bother you so much- fear not. The story is well written and clever in spots. The characters are likeable and there is some depth to the story, but nothing where you need to keep track of dozens of characters. Emotions of the characters seem very real and personal- I found this especially true with the dragon on the front cover of the book, . The book won't blow your mind, but it will take you for a pleasant ride if you let it.
This book continues off with the three hunting the F'dor. The author, Hayden is very good at writing and expressing her ideas. However I think she uses old, some may say 'tired' and in my opinion 'obvious' tropes and hints that aren't so subtle. You can read the story and guess what will happen next or what something means. I also feel that some of the answers and solutions given in the span of the story are cop outs and Deus Ex Machinas.
But if this doesn't bother you so much- fear not. The story is well written and clever in spots. The characters are likeable and there is some depth to the story, but nothing where you need to keep track of dozens of characters. Emotions of the characters seem very real and personal- I found this especially true with the dragon on the front cover of the book, . The book won't blow your mind, but it will take you for a pleasant ride if you let it.
March 11, 2021
480 pages. I'd have a doubt. Mines 575 pages.. rather small print too...
First book was interesting I did love it , had emotion behind it and alot of sexist comments. Mainly Ashe is a jerk Achmed not have bad. Well Ashe isn't quite a Jerk , it he isn't great either since he's half dragon. I'm more like Achmed in my own life. Caring for someone I loved myself. But we moved apart quite literally. But kept hinting on her for ages after (hey 34 + years is a long time. 10 and 11 yr old at the time But since a 2015 reunion with other kids from then. Grew to love her current family. So Achmed might have his angst. I lost that. This one was a really heart rending tear jerker and full of make love not have sex stuff. Guess the guys wouldn't like the make love bits but the Females right those the best.. Always have. But ouch on Jo. Bit descriptive but the book isn't meant for kids. Just that Book 3 will take a bit to getting the Pearl confusion back together I'm thinking. Should be interesting but I'll wait. Took me near 6 months to get back to this. I staggar my reading on series. Go nuts if I read these all at once. I loved this book actually except for the Jo violation. :(
First book was interesting I did love it , had emotion behind it and alot of sexist comments. Mainly Ashe is a jerk Achmed not have bad. Well Ashe isn't quite a Jerk , it he isn't great either since he's half dragon. I'm more like Achmed in my own life. Caring for someone I loved myself. But we moved apart quite literally. But kept hinting on her for ages after (hey 34 + years is a long time. 10 and 11 yr old at the time But since a 2015 reunion with other kids from then. Grew to love her current family. So Achmed might have his angst. I lost that. This one was a really heart rending tear jerker and full of make love not have sex stuff. Guess the guys wouldn't like the make love bits but the Females right those the best.. Always have. But ouch on Jo. Bit descriptive but the book isn't meant for kids. Just that Book 3 will take a bit to getting the Pearl confusion back together I'm thinking. Should be interesting but I'll wait. Took me near 6 months to get back to this. I staggar my reading on series. Go nuts if I read these all at once. I loved this book actually except for the Jo violation. :(
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 5, 2023
The sequel to the book simply titled Rhapsody, this picks up right after that one. Again as I stated before my last entry, I normally do not read these type of fantasy books, however with the encouragement of my girlfriend I have continued to pursue this story.
And I will say totally worth it. Not only did the author expand on this universe, but she also managed to give us more direct information about the world she has created. From finding out identities to building each individual character with style and allowing them to fall into their own. Coming back to the book is like reuniting with old friends, its amazing how well the three main characters get along, with all their different personalities.
With careful consideration the book moves at its own pace, making sure to keep you engaged and allowing the story to unfold in a reasonable way. And lets not forget the evil that is lurking around in the world, which can conceal itself in many forms, which makes the hunting of it difficult.
So many parts of ups and downs, to unexpected events, there were nights where I simply couldn't stop reading. The ending, which I will not disclose here, was full of surprises and certainly exciting.
Totally worth a 5 out of 5
And I will say totally worth it. Not only did the author expand on this universe, but she also managed to give us more direct information about the world she has created. From finding out identities to building each individual character with style and allowing them to fall into their own. Coming back to the book is like reuniting with old friends, its amazing how well the three main characters get along, with all their different personalities.
With careful consideration the book moves at its own pace, making sure to keep you engaged and allowing the story to unfold in a reasonable way. And lets not forget the evil that is lurking around in the world, which can conceal itself in many forms, which makes the hunting of it difficult.
So many parts of ups and downs, to unexpected events, there were nights where I simply couldn't stop reading. The ending, which I will not disclose here, was full of surprises and certainly exciting.
Totally worth a 5 out of 5
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