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Song of Echoes #1
Song of Echoes
‘All that has gone before is woven into the Song; joy, sorrow; kind acts and cruel acts; creation and destruction. Past, present, and what has yet to come, make themselves known — if you know how to listen.’
For three hundred years, the people of the Five Realms have lived in relative peace, protected by their great leader, the Archon. Yet, far to the north, in the frozen lands beyond the Draegalen Trench, the Ruuk stir, driven by a rising evil, long believed banished from the world. But rumors questioning the Archon’s ability to defend the realms once more, persist.
Elodi, the Lady Harlyn, uneasy in her new role following the death of her father, and Toryn, a farmworker and outsider in his village, must discover a way to fight an enemy that all but defeated their ancestors.
Song of Echoes is the first book in this epic fantasy series.
For three hundred years, the people of the Five Realms have lived in relative peace, protected by their great leader, the Archon. Yet, far to the north, in the frozen lands beyond the Draegalen Trench, the Ruuk stir, driven by a rising evil, long believed banished from the world. But rumors questioning the Archon’s ability to defend the realms once more, persist.
Elodi, the Lady Harlyn, uneasy in her new role following the death of her father, and Toryn, a farmworker and outsider in his village, must discover a way to fight an enemy that all but defeated their ancestors.
Song of Echoes is the first book in this epic fantasy series.
434 pages, Paperback
First published June 29, 2021
863 people are currently reading
728 people want to read
About the author
R.E. Palmer
11 books45 followersAs an avid reader from an early age, I've always enjoyed books (and also the films of my favourite books). Whilst I read a wide range, I tend to lean toward science fiction, fantasy and historical (with a military angle).
I first wrote short stories in my early twenties, and although I've long since lost them, I can still recall most of the details as if I'd done them yesterday - in fact, a few ideas I had back then surface in my first book, Sky.
Away from writing, I run at least five times a week (usually with my dog), and will often amuse myself with ideas for stories. Sometimes they're based on what I see on my run, other times they just come out of the blue. Once I have an idea, I let it roll around in my head for a week or two and see what happens.
The test comes when I'm falling asleep. If I find the idea coming back and taking shape just before I drop off - then I know it's a goer. I get all flashes of inspiration in that wonderful moment when you start to drift, and suddenly your thoughts don't seem entirely your own - hence the first line in my first novel Sky :0)
I first wrote short stories in my early twenties, and although I've long since lost them, I can still recall most of the details as if I'd done them yesterday - in fact, a few ideas I had back then surface in my first book, Sky.
Away from writing, I run at least five times a week (usually with my dog), and will often amuse myself with ideas for stories. Sometimes they're based on what I see on my run, other times they just come out of the blue. Once I have an idea, I let it roll around in my head for a week or two and see what happens.
The test comes when I'm falling asleep. If I find the idea coming back and taking shape just before I drop off - then I know it's a goer. I get all flashes of inspiration in that wonderful moment when you start to drift, and suddenly your thoughts don't seem entirely your own - hence the first line in my first novel Sky :0)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
August 15, 2021
I didn't expect to love this fun adventurous fantastical read this much!
It's a rare chance to come across a very plot as well as character driven fantasy series and I am really glad I enjoyed this book right from the first page and it dived into the main story pretty soon enough. I'm so glad!
Unlike most other the first book of a series dragging the writing into a prologue for pages and pages, the writing does not waste words and never during the entire read.
The writing:
Quite accessible and easy to get into. There's a mysterious vibe to it that once you start reading, you will find it difficult to stop in between. As each chapter ends, there's something to look forward to the next chapter. The writing is quite fast-paced and I repeat there's never a moment I felt lost or confused or felt like the writing was dragged.
The characters:
It impressed me how the characters, specially the main characters Toryn and Elodu (yes, such unique names!), were introduced.
I can feel how independent Elodi is the moment I got to know her. I just love how she's so determined and sees any situation from various perspectives. And yes, I wish there were more parts of Sea Mist.
The other side characters are impressive as well. Hamar is one who's wise and caring; and some other characters like Wendel is one who's quite intriguing and some quite intimidating. Hello, Gundrul! Hey, Horace!
I just love the character dynamics.
I expect to know more back stories about the history that happened and I would love to know more details about the realms and the Archon in the upcoming sequel.
Regarding the world building, it's extensive. I love the fact that the book starts with a map. It's quite helpful to understand the world. However, I still need more information about the Five Realms.
The characters are familiar with what they believed was a myth: the stories of the Caerwal Gate. There's a threat that the peaceful world in the Five Realms and their beliefs to be most likely torn as their leader wouldn't be able to protect them. So we are following these characters in their quest to gather more information to deal with this issue.
The world building is quite detailed yet the writing does so well in adding these details along with the introduction of the characters in such a way that it's easy to follow the society we are following throughout the story.
There are parts which turned out to be quite emotional as Toryn discovers some truths about the past.
I thought I would have a tough time understanding as the plot is quite political but damn me, I am quite satisfied with the way things are explained in such a way as the chapters go by that it's actually fun and adventurous to follow Toryn from one side and Elodi from another side.
It's such a journey, such an adventure. There's a part of a sea journey which seemed quite atmospheric and left me claustrophobic because it seemed too real!
Also, we can look forward to some action now and then. It's quite fun to read about sword fights. Who doesn't?!
I love the romance that didn't come out too strong neither too slow. And thank you, now I can expect a much more adventurous sequel. Most likely we are going to know more about the leader of the Five Realms. So looking forward to it!
If you love the writing of Sabaa Tahir's An Ember in the Ashes series, R. F. Kaung's The Poppy War series and Leigh Bardugo's Six of Crows you will definitely enjoy this book.
FYI, I'm so looking forward to book 2 "Age of Shadows"!
It's a rare chance to come across a very plot as well as character driven fantasy series and I am really glad I enjoyed this book right from the first page and it dived into the main story pretty soon enough. I'm so glad!
Unlike most other the first book of a series dragging the writing into a prologue for pages and pages, the writing does not waste words and never during the entire read.
The writing:
Quite accessible and easy to get into. There's a mysterious vibe to it that once you start reading, you will find it difficult to stop in between. As each chapter ends, there's something to look forward to the next chapter. The writing is quite fast-paced and I repeat there's never a moment I felt lost or confused or felt like the writing was dragged.
The characters:
It impressed me how the characters, specially the main characters Toryn and Elodu (yes, such unique names!), were introduced.
I can feel how independent Elodi is the moment I got to know her. I just love how she's so determined and sees any situation from various perspectives. And yes, I wish there were more parts of Sea Mist.
The other side characters are impressive as well. Hamar is one who's wise and caring; and some other characters like Wendel is one who's quite intriguing and some quite intimidating. Hello, Gundrul! Hey, Horace!
I just love the character dynamics.
I expect to know more back stories about the history that happened and I would love to know more details about the realms and the Archon in the upcoming sequel.
Regarding the world building, it's extensive. I love the fact that the book starts with a map. It's quite helpful to understand the world. However, I still need more information about the Five Realms.
The characters are familiar with what they believed was a myth: the stories of the Caerwal Gate. There's a threat that the peaceful world in the Five Realms and their beliefs to be most likely torn as their leader wouldn't be able to protect them. So we are following these characters in their quest to gather more information to deal with this issue.
The world building is quite detailed yet the writing does so well in adding these details along with the introduction of the characters in such a way that it's easy to follow the society we are following throughout the story.
There are parts which turned out to be quite emotional as Toryn discovers some truths about the past.
I thought I would have a tough time understanding as the plot is quite political but damn me, I am quite satisfied with the way things are explained in such a way as the chapters go by that it's actually fun and adventurous to follow Toryn from one side and Elodi from another side.
It's such a journey, such an adventure. There's a part of a sea journey which seemed quite atmospheric and left me claustrophobic because it seemed too real!
Also, we can look forward to some action now and then. It's quite fun to read about sword fights. Who doesn't?!
I love the romance that didn't come out too strong neither too slow. And thank you, now I can expect a much more adventurous sequel. Most likely we are going to know more about the leader of the Five Realms. So looking forward to it!
If you love the writing of Sabaa Tahir's An Ember in the Ashes series, R. F. Kaung's The Poppy War series and Leigh Bardugo's Six of Crows you will definitely enjoy this book.
FYI, I'm so looking forward to book 2 "Age of Shadows"!
September 23, 2021
*This was sent to me free by the author in exchange for an honest review*
This story is a very classic fantasy in tone. It’s a self published book which follows a similar pattern of epic world travels with a brewing war in the background. This is something wholly familiar in the fantasy genre, so if you want a book that you can enjoy the familiarity of this one could be it.
We follow two main characters, the Lady Elodi and the farm boy Toryn as they each follow their paths to try and fight back against the increasing evils in the world. Of the two main characters I found myself most enjoying Elodi for her character, but I liked Toryn’s plot a little more as it was a bit more of an overall adventure.
There is magic in this world in various forms including magical places and items and people who seem able to utilise magic for a few different things. There’s also the looming darker magic in the backdrop. The magic is just a fact of the world in certain parts rather than being a specific magic system.
Overall this was a fun book and very easy reading. I found myself dipping in and out as it was familiar and yet it didn’t have the unique factor to really entice me in. I think personally I wanted it to be a little more different from stories and worlds I’ve seen before, but it was by no means a bad book, just a story which felt a little predictable to me. The characters could have been a little more authentic or fleshed out for me to really get behind their antics too. I gave it a solid 2.5*s in the end.
July 29, 2022
For the past three century's the Five Realms have known peace, under the protection of their leader The Archon. But in the north, there is an enemy, who was banished long ago, is rising along with the Ruuk. The Archon's ability to protect the Five Realms comes under question.
Elodi, in her new position as the Lady Harlyn and Toryn an outsider where he lives must find a way to fight an enemy that their ancestors barley contained.
What I liked about this book
There is a sort of prologue in the first chapter that paints a really great picture in your head, it really draws you in
Well written - The story jumps back and forth between Elodi and Toryn, this allows the reader to get a great perspective on what is happing to each character in a way that flowed well.
Original take on epic fantasy- interesting plot
What I didn't like
As this book is the first in a series I found that it had quite a slow build up as you are still getting to know the characters and world.
A lot of this book is world building, character introductions with some background explanations, I think that now that's out of the way the next book will be more gripping.
I would like to find out what happens next
3.5 stars
Elodi, in her new position as the Lady Harlyn and Toryn an outsider where he lives must find a way to fight an enemy that their ancestors barley contained.
What I liked about this book
There is a sort of prologue in the first chapter that paints a really great picture in your head, it really draws you in
Well written - The story jumps back and forth between Elodi and Toryn, this allows the reader to get a great perspective on what is happing to each character in a way that flowed well.
Original take on epic fantasy- interesting plot
What I didn't like
As this book is the first in a series I found that it had quite a slow build up as you are still getting to know the characters and world.
A lot of this book is world building, character introductions with some background explanations, I think that now that's out of the way the next book will be more gripping.
I would like to find out what happens next
3.5 stars
December 11, 2021
Song of Echoes is a classic adult fantasy book that is full of politics, magic, and myths & legends!
The book follows a dual POV from Lady Elodi and a farm boy named Toryn. Each is undergoing their own journey to try and fight an evil that was originally thought to no longer conquer the land. I personally enjoyed Toryns more adventurous POV rather than Lady Elodis political one but both had enticing plot lines throughout the book.
The first chapter had me hooked straight away as you learn the legend behind the Three Maidens. From then on, the myths and legends of the world are revealed more and more, either through conversation or one of Hamar's stories (which I grew fond of).
The Lady Elodi is everything you want from a strong female heroine. She can fight, lead and hold her own in situations where others might have looked down on her.
Toryn grew up as a farmboy but always had an incessant need to want to explore beyond his home town. Once terrors in the land begin to rise again, Toryn is thrust into a chance to finally get his wish (even if it's not exactly in the best circumstances...)
The chapters are short and full of dialogue to keep the pace of the plot flowing. The worldbuilding, although heavy on the names of locations at first, is sprinkled throughout each chapter just to help with imagery. The language definitely follows that of a typical adult fantasy so this may not be the book to start your fantasy genre debut with but it is still very accesible.
If you're a fan of classic epic adventure fantasies then you will definitely enjoy this book!
The book follows a dual POV from Lady Elodi and a farm boy named Toryn. Each is undergoing their own journey to try and fight an evil that was originally thought to no longer conquer the land. I personally enjoyed Toryns more adventurous POV rather than Lady Elodis political one but both had enticing plot lines throughout the book.
The first chapter had me hooked straight away as you learn the legend behind the Three Maidens. From then on, the myths and legends of the world are revealed more and more, either through conversation or one of Hamar's stories (which I grew fond of).
The Lady Elodi is everything you want from a strong female heroine. She can fight, lead and hold her own in situations where others might have looked down on her.
Toryn grew up as a farmboy but always had an incessant need to want to explore beyond his home town. Once terrors in the land begin to rise again, Toryn is thrust into a chance to finally get his wish (even if it's not exactly in the best circumstances...)
The chapters are short and full of dialogue to keep the pace of the plot flowing. The worldbuilding, although heavy on the names of locations at first, is sprinkled throughout each chapter just to help with imagery. The language definitely follows that of a typical adult fantasy so this may not be the book to start your fantasy genre debut with but it is still very accesible.
If you're a fan of classic epic adventure fantasies then you will definitely enjoy this book!
October 21, 2021
Song of Echoes reads like a classic fantasy. I’ve been in a huge slump recently toward all the character driven drivel and romance in new fantasy books. This book presented it’s world and told a story, one with inherent magic and two very different character points of view that don’t interact. It’s kind of what I love about self published work
The story starts with a legend, and then throws a lot of places and names and lore at the reader. It didn’t take long to figure out what areas were important to remember though, and once the story got started with Toryn and Elodi it was hard to put down. Who would know that maybe those old legends are true?
The world has inherent magic, but it isn’t really elaborated on or discussed at all until towards the end. There is also workable magic, presented as a handful of feared sorcerers with inherent abilities. The source is hinted at but will be further explored in later books.
The world seems like a geographically diverse continent, with forests and mountains and everything in between. I did like how the setting of each area shaped the characters and their personalities, as they should.
Elodi is the newish leader of her realm, gathered at the Archon’s keep with the other Lords to inspect the realms defenses. Toryn is a farmer, dying to see beyond the gates of his home region but unable to due to restrictions placed by the Archon on travel.
As we learn more about the politics, dangers, and impending war of the realm, everything starts to make sense and fall into place. There are multiple dangers to each border but the Archon is obsessed with only one enemy, totally ready to leave the rest of the realm to fend for itself on extremely limited men and resources.
I really ended up liking Elodi, she was brave as hell at the end and a credit to her title, leading her knights. Toryn had less of an impressive story arc but set himself up to be a bigger player in the next book. I actually liked that the storylines didn’t intersect, it’s a nice change from every author just shoving romance down my throat for the sake of it.
There are a lot of really good side characters too and Palmer doesn’t hold back from inserting some tragedy into the pages. There are some tough siege and battle scenes.
I think the physical descriptions and setting were my favorite aspect. The mountains and bridges form some amazing natural defenses, and everything sounds so majestic. Without being repetitive, Palmer brings each area and vista to life.
Theme wise … Honor, veteran pride, loyalty, found family, and the value in stories, are some of my favorites.
I think the down side was that the book got off to a slow start. It does take a bit to figure out who is who, who is important, and what regions we need to remember, but I think it’s worth it. I would have liked more from the inherent magic. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for book 2!
The story starts with a legend, and then throws a lot of places and names and lore at the reader. It didn’t take long to figure out what areas were important to remember though, and once the story got started with Toryn and Elodi it was hard to put down. Who would know that maybe those old legends are true?
The world has inherent magic, but it isn’t really elaborated on or discussed at all until towards the end. There is also workable magic, presented as a handful of feared sorcerers with inherent abilities. The source is hinted at but will be further explored in later books.
The world seems like a geographically diverse continent, with forests and mountains and everything in between. I did like how the setting of each area shaped the characters and their personalities, as they should.
Elodi is the newish leader of her realm, gathered at the Archon’s keep with the other Lords to inspect the realms defenses. Toryn is a farmer, dying to see beyond the gates of his home region but unable to due to restrictions placed by the Archon on travel.
As we learn more about the politics, dangers, and impending war of the realm, everything starts to make sense and fall into place. There are multiple dangers to each border but the Archon is obsessed with only one enemy, totally ready to leave the rest of the realm to fend for itself on extremely limited men and resources.
I really ended up liking Elodi, she was brave as hell at the end and a credit to her title, leading her knights. Toryn had less of an impressive story arc but set himself up to be a bigger player in the next book. I actually liked that the storylines didn’t intersect, it’s a nice change from every author just shoving romance down my throat for the sake of it.
There are a lot of really good side characters too and Palmer doesn’t hold back from inserting some tragedy into the pages. There are some tough siege and battle scenes.
I think the physical descriptions and setting were my favorite aspect. The mountains and bridges form some amazing natural defenses, and everything sounds so majestic. Without being repetitive, Palmer brings each area and vista to life.
Theme wise … Honor, veteran pride, loyalty, found family, and the value in stories, are some of my favorites.
I think the down side was that the book got off to a slow start. It does take a bit to figure out who is who, who is important, and what regions we need to remember, but I think it’s worth it. I would have liked more from the inherent magic. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for book 2!
October 7, 2021
Thanks to R.E Palmer for providing me with the opportunity to read his book Song of Echoes, the first in an epic fantasy series that is sure to grip you right from the very start.
This is a story of the Five Realms, protected by the Archon who live in peace. In the icy lands to the North, the Ruuk plan an attack lead by an evil long thought sone from the world. Elodi and Toryn, a Lady and a farmworker, are driven into a fight that they are sure they cannot win.
Palmer has delivered an easily accessible world that is wrought with pain, mystery and tragedy that was written so fast-paced but straightforward. It was difficult to not try and find out more of the mysteries of the world and I am eager to see more in the sequel. The characters were a familiar blend of coming-of-age, mysterious and thrust into danger but their stories were so determined and real. Palmer has many varied characters that always have a place in the story and this helped the novel feel less cluttered and more real.
The world-building is extensive and I always appreciate a good map at the start of a series. One gripe I will give to Palmer is that I felt the world should be more fleshed out. I was so intrigued by the landscape and the mythical areas. I’m sure this will be covered in future additions however so will look forward to this.
This book was a journey that was rocky in stages but the destination mattered. The story really excelled when it got going and the writing was descriptive and enthralling enough to draw me right in from the start.
Another great start to a fantasy series that I will be keeping an eye on in the future.
This is a story of the Five Realms, protected by the Archon who live in peace. In the icy lands to the North, the Ruuk plan an attack lead by an evil long thought sone from the world. Elodi and Toryn, a Lady and a farmworker, are driven into a fight that they are sure they cannot win.
Palmer has delivered an easily accessible world that is wrought with pain, mystery and tragedy that was written so fast-paced but straightforward. It was difficult to not try and find out more of the mysteries of the world and I am eager to see more in the sequel. The characters were a familiar blend of coming-of-age, mysterious and thrust into danger but their stories were so determined and real. Palmer has many varied characters that always have a place in the story and this helped the novel feel less cluttered and more real.
The world-building is extensive and I always appreciate a good map at the start of a series. One gripe I will give to Palmer is that I felt the world should be more fleshed out. I was so intrigued by the landscape and the mythical areas. I’m sure this will be covered in future additions however so will look forward to this.
This book was a journey that was rocky in stages but the destination mattered. The story really excelled when it got going and the writing was descriptive and enthralling enough to draw me right in from the start.
Another great start to a fantasy series that I will be keeping an eye on in the future.
October 10, 2021
4.5
Fantasies, they are slowly slipping into my favourite list of genre and nothing feels so amazing than imagining oneself in a completely otherworldly place filled with unimaginable creatures and where anything unthinkable can happen. 'Song of Echoes' will take you to the world of five realms where people live in relative peace, but soon enough this peace protected by the mighty leader Archon is going to end. Rumors have, dark evil lurks in the northern and southern border, long believed banished from the world. Now the duty rest upons the Lady of Harlyn and a farmworker to find a way to defeat the evil and protect their loved ones.
This book holds the power to grab your attention and never to let it falter for one second. An engrossing storyline that will keep the reader hooked from the very beginning like it did to me. As I kept turning page after page, I felt the insatiable hunger to know what happened next. The writing is very simple and instantly clicks with you and throughout the book it flows smoothly.
The most significant aspect of a fantasy book is world building and author has done a great job doing it with a well defined map and tinest details of the place. Some small talks in this book might seem unnecessary. I like the slow burn in fantasy books, the curiosity and excitement it creates, and I must say I'm so satisfied with this book. Looking forward to read the next book in this series.
Fantasies, they are slowly slipping into my favourite list of genre and nothing feels so amazing than imagining oneself in a completely otherworldly place filled with unimaginable creatures and where anything unthinkable can happen. 'Song of Echoes' will take you to the world of five realms where people live in relative peace, but soon enough this peace protected by the mighty leader Archon is going to end. Rumors have, dark evil lurks in the northern and southern border, long believed banished from the world. Now the duty rest upons the Lady of Harlyn and a farmworker to find a way to defeat the evil and protect their loved ones.
This book holds the power to grab your attention and never to let it falter for one second. An engrossing storyline that will keep the reader hooked from the very beginning like it did to me. As I kept turning page after page, I felt the insatiable hunger to know what happened next. The writing is very simple and instantly clicks with you and throughout the book it flows smoothly.
The most significant aspect of a fantasy book is world building and author has done a great job doing it with a well defined map and tinest details of the place. Some small talks in this book might seem unnecessary. I like the slow burn in fantasy books, the curiosity and excitement it creates, and I must say I'm so satisfied with this book. Looking forward to read the next book in this series.
Read
May 24, 2022I have thought on this book and thought on this book. I just can't find myself able to rate it by itself. I need to continue the series and see if perhaps I can get a feel for the story as a series.
As its own book, without continuing, I would only call it a beginning. I understand it's the start of a series, but that will mean a bigger, overarching plot, but each book should have a sub-plot (or two) or at least some part of it that gets resolution. The pacing was very slow and with only 2 POVs, we didn't really get anywhere with either character. One had a bit of action, the other was political - I just didn't get enough information or development from either of them to get invested. This is why I'm thinking that maybe I should continue the series and see if these would be best to rate as a series instead of individual books.
As its own book, without continuing, I would only call it a beginning. I understand it's the start of a series, but that will mean a bigger, overarching plot, but each book should have a sub-plot (or two) or at least some part of it that gets resolution. The pacing was very slow and with only 2 POVs, we didn't really get anywhere with either character. One had a bit of action, the other was political - I just didn't get enough information or development from either of them to get invested. This is why I'm thinking that maybe I should continue the series and see if these would be best to rate as a series instead of individual books.
August 12, 2024
I really struggled to finish this, DNF'd about 55% of the way through. To me the plot and characters felt bland and predictable, there wasn't any spark or interesting and unique plot points or character development to keep me engaged. Not a bad book, just not for me.
April 14, 2022
What a bumpy start. I really struggled getting into the book that I must have restarted it 8-12 times. It starts with the world creation and then starts abruptly into the story. This usually is fine in previous books but this really threw me that I had a really hard time getting into the book. Because of this I also had a hard time agreeing with character choices or motives.
However, once the story was more established I was in it. It took half of the book for me to get there but it’s a good, solid fantasy. It has a classic fantasy feel to it.
Song of Echoes reminded me of The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner with a lot of focus on war strategy with more action than The Thief type fantasy.
I didn’t care for Toryn and Elodi maybe because of the rocky start. I loved characters who were introduced later like Hope and Ruan. They had more mystery to them while Toryn and Elodi had incomplete backstories. They were referenced and didn’t the get page space their backstories needed for me to care. Sorry, not sorry. I also noticed a lack of diversity with race, gender, sexuality and disability.
Overall, I enjoyed it! If I got along with the beginning better it could have been a 5 star.
However, once the story was more established I was in it. It took half of the book for me to get there but it’s a good, solid fantasy. It has a classic fantasy feel to it.
Song of Echoes reminded me of The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner with a lot of focus on war strategy with more action than The Thief type fantasy.
I didn’t care for Toryn and Elodi maybe because of the rocky start. I loved characters who were introduced later like Hope and Ruan. They had more mystery to them while Toryn and Elodi had incomplete backstories. They were referenced and didn’t the get page space their backstories needed for me to care. Sorry, not sorry. I also noticed a lack of diversity with race, gender, sexuality and disability.
Overall, I enjoyed it! If I got along with the beginning better it could have been a 5 star.
July 5, 2021
Original review can be found on Reedsy Discovery.
You can also find it on my blog, readbycourt.
I'm a huge fan of fantasy, and Song of Echoes definitely caught my eye when I was browsing titles. After reading the synopsis, this novel just called to me! I had to read it.
I will admit, I was a little confused about the Three Maidens origins in the beginning, and how they were still relevant in the modern day time of the novel, but I understood more as the book went on and there was more revealed. I loved the magic and the old realm aspect of this novel, the battle scenes were really good, and the characterization was fantastic! There were so many great characters in this novel, and they were very well developed. That was definitely my favorite part of the book. It was a great mix of good writing, a good plot, and great characters driving the story.
I really enjoyed the dual perspective narrative! I was wholly invested in both Elodi's and Toryn's stories, especially as the novel goes on. The only thing I wanted was more information on Elodi's background - we don't really know much about her other than she took over the leadership of her realm after her father. However, this is the first in a series, so that may be addressed later on.
Elodi was such a great character! I really liked Toryn, don't get me wrong, but I felt like Elodi was probably my favorite in the novel. She handled herself so well in the meetings with the other leaders and with the Archon, and she articulated well to them, and to her men when they were defending the city, despite being a new leader and not knowing everything. She had her doubts about herself and everything, but she was so good!
I thought the suspense was great and my attention was held the entire time - all I wanted was answers! What really happened to Elodi's father? And Toryn's? What's up with the Archon? I am definitely interested in reading booking two! I'm invested.
The author did a fantastic job at world-building and all of the descriptions - I could really see a clear picture in my mind of what each place looked like.
One major thing was that this book never dragged on for too long. It was a good, fast pace, but not too fast where you would think, what just happened? There were no major info dumps, either, which can be a thing in the fantasy genre. Things were revealed at a nice pace throughout the novel where it felt organic and natural.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Song of Echoes by R.E. Palmer, and I am very excited for the sequel!
You can also find it on my blog, readbycourt.
I'm a huge fan of fantasy, and Song of Echoes definitely caught my eye when I was browsing titles. After reading the synopsis, this novel just called to me! I had to read it.
I will admit, I was a little confused about the Three Maidens origins in the beginning, and how they were still relevant in the modern day time of the novel, but I understood more as the book went on and there was more revealed. I loved the magic and the old realm aspect of this novel, the battle scenes were really good, and the characterization was fantastic! There were so many great characters in this novel, and they were very well developed. That was definitely my favorite part of the book. It was a great mix of good writing, a good plot, and great characters driving the story.
I really enjoyed the dual perspective narrative! I was wholly invested in both Elodi's and Toryn's stories, especially as the novel goes on. The only thing I wanted was more information on Elodi's background - we don't really know much about her other than she took over the leadership of her realm after her father. However, this is the first in a series, so that may be addressed later on.
Elodi was such a great character! I really liked Toryn, don't get me wrong, but I felt like Elodi was probably my favorite in the novel. She handled herself so well in the meetings with the other leaders and with the Archon, and she articulated well to them, and to her men when they were defending the city, despite being a new leader and not knowing everything. She had her doubts about herself and everything, but she was so good!
I thought the suspense was great and my attention was held the entire time - all I wanted was answers! What really happened to Elodi's father? And Toryn's? What's up with the Archon? I am definitely interested in reading booking two! I'm invested.
The author did a fantastic job at world-building and all of the descriptions - I could really see a clear picture in my mind of what each place looked like.
One major thing was that this book never dragged on for too long. It was a good, fast pace, but not too fast where you would think, what just happened? There were no major info dumps, either, which can be a thing in the fantasy genre. Things were revealed at a nice pace throughout the novel where it felt organic and natural.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Song of Echoes by R.E. Palmer, and I am very excited for the sequel!
October 27, 2021
Thank you to the author for providing me with a review copy in exchange for my honest review.
Epic fantasy novels often take me a while to get through because they‘re so complex and you need to understand the world building. However, giving the plot in a fantasy novel time to unfold is usually worth it 😁 I liked that Song of Echoes is told from both a male and a female perspective with Elodi and Toryn. I especially enjoyed Elodi‘s chapters, which isn’t surprising as I love fantasy heroines. Elodi reminded me of Eowyn from Lord of the Rings and the author told me that there‘s definitely a bit of Eowyn in Elodi. 😍 I also think that the Archon is such a fascinating character.
I loved the detailed world building and how it all comes together over the course of the novel. 😍 The book comes with an incredible map as well. I‘m a fan of fantasy novels with a war on the horizon - not that I like wars but it just adds that extra drama to any fantasy novel. I watched LOTR for the first time when I was 11, so yes I‘ve always loved battle scenes and female warriors 🤩🤩 And the magical elements were incorporated well too!
I would honestly love to watch a film adaptation of The Song of Echoes, that would be epic. I pictured it in my head while I was reading 🎥
I have to say that this book is not necessarily for a fantasy novice due to its complexity with evil forces in the north and the south. You also need to remember lots of names and places in the beginning. But I personally enjoyed it and I recommend it to fans of epic fantasy novels 😊 The second book is supposed to come out in December, so keep an eye out for that 🙌🏻
Epic fantasy novels often take me a while to get through because they‘re so complex and you need to understand the world building. However, giving the plot in a fantasy novel time to unfold is usually worth it 😁 I liked that Song of Echoes is told from both a male and a female perspective with Elodi and Toryn. I especially enjoyed Elodi‘s chapters, which isn’t surprising as I love fantasy heroines. Elodi reminded me of Eowyn from Lord of the Rings and the author told me that there‘s definitely a bit of Eowyn in Elodi. 😍 I also think that the Archon is such a fascinating character.
I loved the detailed world building and how it all comes together over the course of the novel. 😍 The book comes with an incredible map as well. I‘m a fan of fantasy novels with a war on the horizon - not that I like wars but it just adds that extra drama to any fantasy novel. I watched LOTR for the first time when I was 11, so yes I‘ve always loved battle scenes and female warriors 🤩🤩 And the magical elements were incorporated well too!
I would honestly love to watch a film adaptation of The Song of Echoes, that would be epic. I pictured it in my head while I was reading 🎥
I have to say that this book is not necessarily for a fantasy novice due to its complexity with evil forces in the north and the south. You also need to remember lots of names and places in the beginning. But I personally enjoyed it and I recommend it to fans of epic fantasy novels 😊 The second book is supposed to come out in December, so keep an eye out for that 🙌🏻
September 13, 2021
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
*3 and a half stars*
Overall I really enjoyed this book! If you like fantasy books but are scared of long, drawn out series, this is the book for you! It’s under 500 pages long and medium-paced. There are two POVs, and I liked both of them (even though I must admit didn’t really care about Elodi for the first 100 pages or so 😅)
I really liked the plot, the lore and the characters. However, I wasn’t too much of a fan of the writing in the first third of the book. There were a few spelling/punctuation errors (not many, but still) and the writing just felt a bit all over the place. It definitely gets much better after the first 100 pages though!
My favourite scenes were DEFINITELY the battle/fight scenes, I think the writing really shone through in those! (Which is admirable, since writing fight scenes is a pain in the 🍑 for me 😅)
I’m excited for the rest of the series and I can’t wait to learn more about the Archon and his backstory, that was a very interesting plot point!
*3 and a half stars*
Overall I really enjoyed this book! If you like fantasy books but are scared of long, drawn out series, this is the book for you! It’s under 500 pages long and medium-paced. There are two POVs, and I liked both of them (even though I must admit didn’t really care about Elodi for the first 100 pages or so 😅)
I really liked the plot, the lore and the characters. However, I wasn’t too much of a fan of the writing in the first third of the book. There were a few spelling/punctuation errors (not many, but still) and the writing just felt a bit all over the place. It definitely gets much better after the first 100 pages though!
My favourite scenes were DEFINITELY the battle/fight scenes, I think the writing really shone through in those! (Which is admirable, since writing fight scenes is a pain in the 🍑 for me 😅)
I’m excited for the rest of the series and I can’t wait to learn more about the Archon and his backstory, that was a very interesting plot point!
December 24, 2021
I recieved a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
CHARACTERS
🔲 mary-sue party
✅ mostly 2D
🔲 great main cast, forgottable side characters
🔲 well-written
🔲 complex and fascinating
🔲 hard to believe they are ficitonal
PLOT
🔲 you've already heard this exact story a thousand time
✅ nothing memorable
🔲 gripping
🔲 exceptional
🔲 mind=blown
WORLDBUILDING
🔲 takes place in our world
🔲 incoherent
✅ OK
🔲 nicely detailed
🔲 meticulous
🔲 even the last tree in the forest has its own story
ATMOSPHERE
✅ nonexistent
🔲 fine
🔲 immersive
🔲 you forget you are reading a book
PACING
🔲 dragging
🔲 inconsistent
✅ picks up with time
🔲 page-turner
🔲 impossible to put down
Sadly this book felt way too tropey for my taste, and also I couldn't stand the dialogues which made up most of the prose :\
CHARACTERS
🔲 mary-sue party
✅ mostly 2D
🔲 great main cast, forgottable side characters
🔲 well-written
🔲 complex and fascinating
🔲 hard to believe they are ficitonal
PLOT
🔲 you've already heard this exact story a thousand time
✅ nothing memorable
🔲 gripping
🔲 exceptional
🔲 mind=blown
WORLDBUILDING
🔲 takes place in our world
🔲 incoherent
✅ OK
🔲 nicely detailed
🔲 meticulous
🔲 even the last tree in the forest has its own story
ATMOSPHERE
✅ nonexistent
🔲 fine
🔲 immersive
🔲 you forget you are reading a book
PACING
🔲 dragging
🔲 inconsistent
✅ picks up with time
🔲 page-turner
🔲 impossible to put down
Sadly this book felt way too tropey for my taste, and also I couldn't stand the dialogues which made up most of the prose :\
not-clicked
May 18, 2025"ARC Provided By Author in Exchange for An Honest Review"
thank you
epic fantasy, Lotr vibes
I started Song of Echoes out of curiosity, and it definitely has the feel of a classic Epic Fantasy — with echoes (pun intended) of Lord of the Rings. The world is well thought out and the dual POV structure is solid, but I found myself struggling to stay engaged & keep reading.
(again, my problem, not the book)
I’ve realized traditional Epic Fantasy, Slow Pace & heavy world building aren’t really my thing — even LOTR didn’t work for me — so while this book is likely a great fit for fans of richly-built worlds and slow-burning, high-stakes stories, it just wasn’t for me.
Maybe I’ll return to it one day when I’m in the right headspace.
thank you
epic fantasy, Lotr vibes
I started Song of Echoes out of curiosity, and it definitely has the feel of a classic Epic Fantasy — with echoes (pun intended) of Lord of the Rings. The world is well thought out and the dual POV structure is solid, but I found myself struggling to stay engaged & keep reading.
(again, my problem, not the book)
I’ve realized traditional Epic Fantasy, Slow Pace & heavy world building aren’t really my thing — even LOTR didn’t work for me — so while this book is likely a great fit for fans of richly-built worlds and slow-burning, high-stakes stories, it just wasn’t for me.
Maybe I’ll return to it one day when I’m in the right headspace.
July 1, 2021
R. E. Palmer's Song of Echoes is a rich fantasy adventure in the tradition of Prydain, Earthsea, and dare I say Middle-Earth. It strikes that balance that's hard to achieve but crucial in fantasy: beautiful world-building and a forward momentum plot. Plus it has a young, precocious hero of unknown origins (Toryn) and a fully developed heroine (Elodi) who is much more than just a "strong" female character. In other words, it has everything I want in a book.
There are three reasons I couldn't put this book down: the action, the suspense, and Elodi.
The action. There are a couple of really epic battle scenes that almost made me miss my subway stop (seriously, it was real close) because I was so engrossed. I could picture the action vividly in my head.
The suspense. By which I mean mysteries that I just had to keep reading to find out about. For example: how did Elodi's father really die? Who was Toryn's father? Who is the strange magic-worker who saves Toryn's life? Is the Archon, protector of the realm, really a good guy? Etc.
Elodi. All the characters in this book are very distinct and well-developed, and both Toryn and Elodi (the two main characters) have great arcs. Some characters I absolutely loved, others I found mysterious and intriguing, and there are others whose morality I'm still not sure about. But when all is said and done, Elodi is just the best and clearly I can't review this book without mentioning her multiple times. Picture Eowyn but as the queen of Rohan and with more inner dialogue, slowly gaining confidence in her leadership abilities.
While all of that kept me reading, the land, lore, and magic ushered me into a rich, wondrous new world I didn't want to leave. In the end, isn't that one of the best things about fantasy? There were moments that felt numinous and sublime in the way Narnia sometimes feels, and references to old tales and myths that reminded me of Tolkien's Middle-Earth. Sometimes fantasy worlds feel a little thin or lacking, but this world is rich with history, legends, creatures, peoples, and places.
All in all, a truly epic read.
There are three reasons I couldn't put this book down: the action, the suspense, and Elodi.
The action. There are a couple of really epic battle scenes that almost made me miss my subway stop (seriously, it was real close) because I was so engrossed. I could picture the action vividly in my head.
The suspense. By which I mean mysteries that I just had to keep reading to find out about. For example: how did Elodi's father really die? Who was Toryn's father? Who is the strange magic-worker who saves Toryn's life? Is the Archon, protector of the realm, really a good guy? Etc.
Elodi. All the characters in this book are very distinct and well-developed, and both Toryn and Elodi (the two main characters) have great arcs. Some characters I absolutely loved, others I found mysterious and intriguing, and there are others whose morality I'm still not sure about. But when all is said and done, Elodi is just the best and clearly I can't review this book without mentioning her multiple times. Picture Eowyn but as the queen of Rohan and with more inner dialogue, slowly gaining confidence in her leadership abilities.
While all of that kept me reading, the land, lore, and magic ushered me into a rich, wondrous new world I didn't want to leave. In the end, isn't that one of the best things about fantasy? There were moments that felt numinous and sublime in the way Narnia sometimes feels, and references to old tales and myths that reminded me of Tolkien's Middle-Earth. Sometimes fantasy worlds feel a little thin or lacking, but this world is rich with history, legends, creatures, peoples, and places.
All in all, a truly epic read.
October 1, 2021
Thank you so much to the author for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Going into this book, I wasn't sure what to expect. But I certainly wasn't expecting to find a new favorite fantasy book! I quickly fell in love with the atmosphere, the characters and the plot. All of it is so engrossing and made me want to keep reading. The writing style is also so lush and elevates the story to another level. I truly adore this book and desperately need more. What a cliffhanger ending!
I would highly recommend this book to those who read and love epic, adult fantasy. This is such a fun, adventurous story that will keep readers enthralled to the very end. Please go pick this up, it is fantastic!!
Going into this book, I wasn't sure what to expect. But I certainly wasn't expecting to find a new favorite fantasy book! I quickly fell in love with the atmosphere, the characters and the plot. All of it is so engrossing and made me want to keep reading. The writing style is also so lush and elevates the story to another level. I truly adore this book and desperately need more. What a cliffhanger ending!
I would highly recommend this book to those who read and love epic, adult fantasy. This is such a fun, adventurous story that will keep readers enthralled to the very end. Please go pick this up, it is fantastic!!
December 21, 2025
On behalf of my husband:
From the start the author starts to weave an epic world with a deep lore that he seems to have put much thought into. The pace of the storytelling ebbs and flows carrying the reader along, sometimes through calm waters and at other times rapids! I was invested in the characters from the start and felt I was with the main protagonists from the off. I felt there success and failures as they sought to find there way in this world.
I cant wait to read the next instalment. It has the depth of Tolkien, the storytelling of Sanderson and the epic of Jordan!
From the start the author starts to weave an epic world with a deep lore that he seems to have put much thought into. The pace of the storytelling ebbs and flows carrying the reader along, sometimes through calm waters and at other times rapids! I was invested in the characters from the start and felt I was with the main protagonists from the off. I felt there success and failures as they sought to find there way in this world.
I cant wait to read the next instalment. It has the depth of Tolkien, the storytelling of Sanderson and the epic of Jordan!
September 21, 2025
This book set up a lot of things, but did little to nothing to make any of the plot threads enticing or compelling. This was a big miss for me.
June 21, 2021
Song of Echoes is the first book in an epic fantasy series that ends on a kind-of a cliff-hanger. Letting the readers know this in advance, so you know that if you read this book, you’re going to be in for the long-haul since the book is a rollercoaster ride. An old realm, epic battles, magic and intertwined stories of well-developed characters is what defines this book. Evil is rising and the people are looking towards the protector of five realms for their safety. Meanwhile, the book follows the lives of Elodi and Toryn, the central characters who have journeys and struggles of their own.
The premise of the book and the setting of the realms did give me game-of-thronish kind of feel. The frozen North, great evil “thought-to-be-banished” rising, I just couldn’t let go of the comparison. This is not to say that the storyline is similar or the characters have any resemblance. For me, the plot of the book was more interesting than the characters at times, even though I gradually started liking Toryn. The description of events and the conversations between characters is enjoyable. What I thought needed improvement was the prose. Generally, Fantasy novels have this old-century vibes but the beautiful prose makes you imagine things more vividly. The book is descriptive enough to create a picture in a reader’s mind, but the prose isn’t memorable enough to leave an impression. The action-packed scenes and the adventurous chapters had me on the edge, but during the ‘somewhat normal’ period in the characters’ lives, I skipped some paragraphs. Maybe it is because I’m used to reading YA Fantasy like that of Laini Taylor and Sarah J Mass who try to make their writing as powerful as the story they’re trying to tell.
The premise of the book and the setting of the realms did give me game-of-thronish kind of feel. The frozen North, great evil “thought-to-be-banished” rising, I just couldn’t let go of the comparison. This is not to say that the storyline is similar or the characters have any resemblance. For me, the plot of the book was more interesting than the characters at times, even though I gradually started liking Toryn. The description of events and the conversations between characters is enjoyable. What I thought needed improvement was the prose. Generally, Fantasy novels have this old-century vibes but the beautiful prose makes you imagine things more vividly. The book is descriptive enough to create a picture in a reader’s mind, but the prose isn’t memorable enough to leave an impression. The action-packed scenes and the adventurous chapters had me on the edge, but during the ‘somewhat normal’ period in the characters’ lives, I skipped some paragraphs. Maybe it is because I’m used to reading YA Fantasy like that of Laini Taylor and Sarah J Mass who try to make their writing as powerful as the story they’re trying to tell.
August 8, 2021
This is a wonderful start to a new series. I read it cover to cover in one sitting and I could not put it down. I do think that the middle part was a little slow but overall it was fine. I loved the plot and character driven story and I couldn't put it down. This was a pretty easy read, with simple writing and great characters. I am excited for the next one.
October 14, 2021
A promising first book in a fantasy series for those who enjoy the stories and writing of Tolkien's Middle Earth and Brandon Sanderson's style of writing.
I think the author has a really good handle on the world he's created which always makes the reader feel like they're in capable hands as far as world building goes. The reader was made to feel like an insider to the world so while not every battle and historical event that was mentioned was fully explained I think it gave the reader a sense that this world has an extensive history. I especially liked that we come into the story years after a huge battle for power and peace has already taken place and to a certain extent the current leaders (namely the Archon) are still dealing with the fallout of that battle. There has already been loss and sacrifice therefore the leaders in charge almost don't want to accept the fact that a dark power could be rising again. Therefore creating great conflict between the main characters and the powers in charge.
This gives us the seed of slight distrust in the Archon and the governing heads as the reader is on the side of the main characters, Elodi and Toryn, who are more in tune with the everyday happenings for the people of the realm and can clearly see there is something wrong. More raids and the presence of dark beasts to name a few.
Speaking of the beasts I really liked the lore and myth behind such creatures described in the book. I have a feeling we'll be seeing more of them in the second instalment, however I think they lent an air of mystery and impending danger for the characters.
I do definitely feel that this was a more plot driven novel as compared to being driven by the characters. I ended up liking Toryn's chapters a little more as out of the two POVs he read as the more fleshed out one. The only real problem I had with this book was Lady Elodi's character.
Unfortunately, she read as a very unrealistic female leader. Which is a shame as I really wanted to feel for her as a character and think she has a lot of potential.
We are told that she has been pretty much raised to be in a ruling position of her realm, from learning swordsmanship and military theory/history mainly from her father. But in her speaking and actions she's too often being questioned and undermined by the men around her.
Some of this can be down to the fact that she's a young woman who's had to take over this title earlier than planned after her fathers unexpected and suspicious death. Clearly she would find comfort in relying on her father's counsellors and aids when making decisions and acclimating to her role. However, this happened too consistently for me and became quite condescending. Very often in her speaking or actions are overshadowed by the men around her. Or she's being told what is or isn't accepted as a young lady, from it being frowned upon who she talks to after a certain time of night because god forbid she get a reputation to being scolded for riding her own horse and not sitting in a carriage. She's supposed to be the holder of a title and land, not to be scolded like a child by people she outranks. Coupled with the fact that she's one of only 4 female characters in the novel, I think her character deserved a little more. Her being told to sit down and have a glass of water while battle is about to start on her doorstep... I just found really insulting. This is her land that she's defending. She doesn't deserve to be told to go sit and calm down so battle won't overwhelm her delicate sensibilities.
Her POV read more as just a way for the reader to have a window into what was going on with the Archon and the political manoeuvrings as opposed to her having her own fleshed out personality and motivations. And the odd mooning over a legendary knight like a schoolgirl crush.
In the last quarter of the book during the battle, Elodi did seem to come into her own power and confidence a little more. She believed in her own decisions and acted. However after the battle she seemed to very quickly go back to questioning herself. I hope to see her continue to grow into herself more and that her character arc becomes more fleshed out in the next book.
The female characters in this book were limited to the mother of Toryn who was really only in the first few scenes before he leaves on his journey. Lady Elodi, one of the main villains, who sometimes appears beautiful and sometimes a hag and Hope. Who is depicted as out of her mind most of the time.
I don't think this was done in a conscious way but at the same time I think it's important to be aware of subconscious prejudices that we all can have. Writing a coming of age tale about a female character coming into power is obviously not going to be a male author's lived experience, but I think some beta readers could be a tool to help flesh out the female characters in future.
Some other aspects that I did enjoy however, were the writing style. Which I think is very accessible and digestible. Not too dissimilar from Brandon Sanderson. It's descriptive yet not convoluted so the reader can keep a clear sense of the goings on and yet still be drawn into the imagery, especially during the battle scenes.
I think this would be a good start for readers new to the genre because of this reason.
Also I think there was a good mix of political intrigue and elements of the classic epic journey fantasy, without either of them overpowering the other.
A small thing perhaps in regards to the story as a whole but I really enjoyed the basis of the world creation story and that it was rooted in a song. It reminded me of classic mythology without being too similar to any particular retelling.
The magical system was interesting to me, too. And I hope to find out more about it. There was an element of mystery brewing as only parts of the lore were revealed in this first book and we have the stirrings of power that Toryn is learning about with discovering his own personal history.
We are left with some questions at the ending of this book like ...What really happened to Elodi's father? Who was Toryn's father and will he have the same abilities? Who is Hope and what part will she play in the upcoming book? And can we really trust the Archon's version of history and his intentions? I think this leaves the reader in a good position to make them want to jump into the next book to find out more.
Overall, I think this was a good start to the series and a book I would recommend to those interested in getting into the fantasy genre or those who enjoy political intrigue or a coming of age journey akin to The Fellowship of the Ring. Also for anyone who enjoys fantasy but prefers there to be minimal romance subplots.
I think the author has a really good handle on the world he's created which always makes the reader feel like they're in capable hands as far as world building goes. The reader was made to feel like an insider to the world so while not every battle and historical event that was mentioned was fully explained I think it gave the reader a sense that this world has an extensive history. I especially liked that we come into the story years after a huge battle for power and peace has already taken place and to a certain extent the current leaders (namely the Archon) are still dealing with the fallout of that battle. There has already been loss and sacrifice therefore the leaders in charge almost don't want to accept the fact that a dark power could be rising again. Therefore creating great conflict between the main characters and the powers in charge.
This gives us the seed of slight distrust in the Archon and the governing heads as the reader is on the side of the main characters, Elodi and Toryn, who are more in tune with the everyday happenings for the people of the realm and can clearly see there is something wrong. More raids and the presence of dark beasts to name a few.
Speaking of the beasts I really liked the lore and myth behind such creatures described in the book. I have a feeling we'll be seeing more of them in the second instalment, however I think they lent an air of mystery and impending danger for the characters.
I do definitely feel that this was a more plot driven novel as compared to being driven by the characters. I ended up liking Toryn's chapters a little more as out of the two POVs he read as the more fleshed out one. The only real problem I had with this book was Lady Elodi's character.
Unfortunately, she read as a very unrealistic female leader. Which is a shame as I really wanted to feel for her as a character and think she has a lot of potential.
We are told that she has been pretty much raised to be in a ruling position of her realm, from learning swordsmanship and military theory/history mainly from her father. But in her speaking and actions she's too often being questioned and undermined by the men around her.
Some of this can be down to the fact that she's a young woman who's had to take over this title earlier than planned after her fathers unexpected and suspicious death. Clearly she would find comfort in relying on her father's counsellors and aids when making decisions and acclimating to her role. However, this happened too consistently for me and became quite condescending. Very often in her speaking or actions are overshadowed by the men around her. Or she's being told what is or isn't accepted as a young lady, from it being frowned upon who she talks to after a certain time of night because god forbid she get a reputation to being scolded for riding her own horse and not sitting in a carriage. She's supposed to be the holder of a title and land, not to be scolded like a child by people she outranks. Coupled with the fact that she's one of only 4 female characters in the novel, I think her character deserved a little more. Her being told to sit down and have a glass of water while battle is about to start on her doorstep... I just found really insulting. This is her land that she's defending. She doesn't deserve to be told to go sit and calm down so battle won't overwhelm her delicate sensibilities.
Her POV read more as just a way for the reader to have a window into what was going on with the Archon and the political manoeuvrings as opposed to her having her own fleshed out personality and motivations. And the odd mooning over a legendary knight like a schoolgirl crush.
In the last quarter of the book during the battle, Elodi did seem to come into her own power and confidence a little more. She believed in her own decisions and acted. However after the battle she seemed to very quickly go back to questioning herself. I hope to see her continue to grow into herself more and that her character arc becomes more fleshed out in the next book.
The female characters in this book were limited to the mother of Toryn who was really only in the first few scenes before he leaves on his journey. Lady Elodi, one of the main villains, who sometimes appears beautiful and sometimes a hag and Hope. Who is depicted as out of her mind most of the time.
I don't think this was done in a conscious way but at the same time I think it's important to be aware of subconscious prejudices that we all can have. Writing a coming of age tale about a female character coming into power is obviously not going to be a male author's lived experience, but I think some beta readers could be a tool to help flesh out the female characters in future.
Some other aspects that I did enjoy however, were the writing style. Which I think is very accessible and digestible. Not too dissimilar from Brandon Sanderson. It's descriptive yet not convoluted so the reader can keep a clear sense of the goings on and yet still be drawn into the imagery, especially during the battle scenes.
I think this would be a good start for readers new to the genre because of this reason.
Also I think there was a good mix of political intrigue and elements of the classic epic journey fantasy, without either of them overpowering the other.
A small thing perhaps in regards to the story as a whole but I really enjoyed the basis of the world creation story and that it was rooted in a song. It reminded me of classic mythology without being too similar to any particular retelling.
The magical system was interesting to me, too. And I hope to find out more about it. There was an element of mystery brewing as only parts of the lore were revealed in this first book and we have the stirrings of power that Toryn is learning about with discovering his own personal history.
We are left with some questions at the ending of this book like ...What really happened to Elodi's father? Who was Toryn's father and will he have the same abilities? Who is Hope and what part will she play in the upcoming book? And can we really trust the Archon's version of history and his intentions? I think this leaves the reader in a good position to make them want to jump into the next book to find out more.
Overall, I think this was a good start to the series and a book I would recommend to those interested in getting into the fantasy genre or those who enjoy political intrigue or a coming of age journey akin to The Fellowship of the Ring. Also for anyone who enjoys fantasy but prefers there to be minimal romance subplots.
October 6, 2021
Fantasy self published novel that is good!
The world that this author builds is so captivating, it really draws you into the whole atmosphere and makes you feel part of the story.
I found this to be an interesting read and if you like fantasy books then I would suggest maybe trying this one out, its the first in a series and you might even fall in love!
The world that this author builds is so captivating, it really draws you into the whole atmosphere and makes you feel part of the story.
I found this to be an interesting read and if you like fantasy books then I would suggest maybe trying this one out, its the first in a series and you might even fall in love!
February 28, 2022
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.Song of Echoes by RE Palmer is the start of a battle that started long ago.
Will Elodi and Toryn figure out a way to defeat the enemy that mostly destroyed their ancestors?
Toryn
Toryn is a farmworker on his family's farm. He feels like an outsider in his own village. When it is time to be chosen to go join Archonian Guard Toryn and Hamar, another farmhand, had to leave so that Toryn's history doesn't come to light. Let's just say that Toryn learned a lot about his family history within a short time in the beginning. Toryn sees firsthand what the Ruuk and the other evil forces look like along with how they fight.
Elodi, Lady Harlyn
Elodi is the Lady of Harlyn and is under a lot of stress since taking over for her father at such a young age of only sixteen. She has had to take over the control of her section of the Five Realms by being their leader and having to deal with being summoned by the Archon whenever he feels like it. Elodi is trying her best to deal with the forces that are threatening her homeland while trying to appease the Archon. The Archon happens to be the leader of the Five Realms and he might not be able to help them once again.
Four Star
Song of Echoes by RE Palmer is the first in this new series by Mr. Palmer. As I was reading the first book it reminded me a bit of the Lord of the Rings series. I think that Mr. Palmer did a great job on creating the species within this world and how they function. My rating for Song of Echoes by RE Palmer is four stars and I'm recommending it to all the epic fantasy readers out there.
The Song of Echoes Series
Will Elodi and Toryn figure out a way to defeat the enemy that mostly destroyed their ancestors?
Toryn
Toryn is a farmworker on his family's farm. He feels like an outsider in his own village. When it is time to be chosen to go join Archonian Guard Toryn and Hamar, another farmhand, had to leave so that Toryn's history doesn't come to light. Let's just say that Toryn learned a lot about his family history within a short time in the beginning. Toryn sees firsthand what the Ruuk and the other evil forces look like along with how they fight.
Elodi, Lady Harlyn Elodi is the Lady of Harlyn and is under a lot of stress since taking over for her father at such a young age of only sixteen. She has had to take over the control of her section of the Five Realms by being their leader and having to deal with being summoned by the Archon whenever he feels like it. Elodi is trying her best to deal with the forces that are threatening her homeland while trying to appease the Archon. The Archon happens to be the leader of the Five Realms and he might not be able to help them once again.
Four Star
Song of Echoes by RE Palmer is the first in this new series by Mr. Palmer. As I was reading the first book it reminded me a bit of the Lord of the Rings series. I think that Mr. Palmer did a great job on creating the species within this world and how they function. My rating for Song of Echoes by RE Palmer is four stars and I'm recommending it to all the epic fantasy readers out there.
The Song of Echoes Series
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Song of Echoes by RE Palmer.
Until the next time,
Happy Reading!
This review was originally posted on Baroness' Book Trove
November 10, 2021
Songs of Echoes is the first epic fantasy novel written by R.E.Palmer. It follows a teenage boy called Toryn who became an orphan when he was a baby. He does not know who his real parents are and has only heard stories of them, mainly his father. This concept is not original to me. I feel like this is a common back story for the main protagonist and the fact that Toryn is a young, naive, weak farmer boy from a small, run down village, who is longing for adventure cements this.
For the most part, the chapters switch between Toryn and the main female protagonist, Elodi. After her fathers demise, Elodi takes his place as ruler of one of the five realms, She has been trained from a young age in order to be able to carry out this duty. From reading this, I felt that this was not the case. She constantly seems unsure, needs advice or telling what to do in simple ceremonies and meetings. For around 60% of this book, she does not seem to be a strong leader or female lead in this story which made it difficult to connect with the character. However, Elodi then grows and becomes a very interesting and more confident leader and fighter which in turn makes her more likeable – something that is important to me.
At around a quarter of the way through the book, I felt like nothing of real importance had happened. The chapters with Toryn were filled with unimportant dialogue that didn’t really add to the story. Not only that, the dialogue just seemed to be a different way of world building but with so much thrown in that the world was actually more difficult to imagine. This continued throughout the book but some of the world building became more relevant. I suspect that the author has gone so in-depth with the world building to set the stage for the next novel.
Yes, I said next novel. It seems that after a very impressive last quarter of the book, that there is a cliff hanger with the words ‘TO BE CONTINUED’ written on the page. There are a LOT of unanswered questions here and I want to know the answers to all of them. Therefore, I do want to read the next book. I really hope that the writing in the next novel continues to be as good as the latter part of this book as I feel like I may have added this story to the Did Not Finish pile had I not been reviewing it. Saying that, I am glad I continued as this does really have the potential to be a fantastic series, I just think that perhaps world building in a less dragged out way may be helpful so that the reader can focus more on the story at hand.
As a side note, I feel this review comes across as a little harsh and this is never my intention. I always want to give my own, honest opinion which not everybody will agree with and I am okay with that and I respect the opinion of others.
For the most part, the chapters switch between Toryn and the main female protagonist, Elodi. After her fathers demise, Elodi takes his place as ruler of one of the five realms, She has been trained from a young age in order to be able to carry out this duty. From reading this, I felt that this was not the case. She constantly seems unsure, needs advice or telling what to do in simple ceremonies and meetings. For around 60% of this book, she does not seem to be a strong leader or female lead in this story which made it difficult to connect with the character. However, Elodi then grows and becomes a very interesting and more confident leader and fighter which in turn makes her more likeable – something that is important to me.
At around a quarter of the way through the book, I felt like nothing of real importance had happened. The chapters with Toryn were filled with unimportant dialogue that didn’t really add to the story. Not only that, the dialogue just seemed to be a different way of world building but with so much thrown in that the world was actually more difficult to imagine. This continued throughout the book but some of the world building became more relevant. I suspect that the author has gone so in-depth with the world building to set the stage for the next novel.
Yes, I said next novel. It seems that after a very impressive last quarter of the book, that there is a cliff hanger with the words ‘TO BE CONTINUED’ written on the page. There are a LOT of unanswered questions here and I want to know the answers to all of them. Therefore, I do want to read the next book. I really hope that the writing in the next novel continues to be as good as the latter part of this book as I feel like I may have added this story to the Did Not Finish pile had I not been reviewing it. Saying that, I am glad I continued as this does really have the potential to be a fantastic series, I just think that perhaps world building in a less dragged out way may be helpful so that the reader can focus more on the story at hand.
As a side note, I feel this review comes across as a little harsh and this is never my intention. I always want to give my own, honest opinion which not everybody will agree with and I am okay with that and I respect the opinion of others.
June 6, 2024
Tremendous. Highly recommend. Let me break it down
The world:
The world feels very big. There is a lot going on and a lot we don't see happening. There are things, places, events, and people who we hear about but never see. This makes the world feel real, lived in, and ancient. There is some worldbuilding dump in places but it seems to fit what is going on in the narrative relatively well. Worldbuilding gets 4.5/5
The characters:
Two leads, Elodi and Toryn. Toryn is a young man on a farm at the beginning of the story, with a secret even he does not know. Elodi is the Lady Liege of Harlyn, one of the five realms ruled by a mysterious Archon. She has recently assumed the role on the death of her father. Unlike most epic fantasy, while there are many named characters, we are not expected to care about all of them. In fact, many we see once or twice and never again. Only a few does the author expect us to care about and remember. The rest are in their proper place as minor contributors to the story. The two leads grow and develop without being annoying. 5/5 character development and use
The plot
Realistic enough. Because of Toryn's secret, he is forced to leave his family farm and travel with a veteran soldier for safety. This lands him in multiple difficulties. His story thus begins relatively slowly. Elodi begins a bit more upbeat with a mission to see the Archon. The perspectives alternate, rarely more than two chapters in a row from one perspective and about evenly throughout the book. There are a few things that either don't make sense or are just unexplained yet (this is a four book series) so I am reserving judgment on those. Story is compelling and keeps you reading. 4.5/5
The fantasy elements:
Many common fantasy devices get new names (wizards/mages are renamed wykes as an example), but much is still familiar. There are also some terrifying evil entities that belong in horror but they are not written like a horror novel. It feels like fantasy with a very very powerful evil. There are half a dozen evil races, many very imaginative, but humans appear to be the only "good" race (though some wykes are good). There are no elves, no dwarves, or other common fantasy races. But they are not missed. 4/5
Final rating: 4.5/5 (rounding to five). It's worth your time. And, as of this review, its free on Kindle unlimited. Pick it up if you like fantasy. You will not regret it.
The world:
The world feels very big. There is a lot going on and a lot we don't see happening. There are things, places, events, and people who we hear about but never see. This makes the world feel real, lived in, and ancient. There is some worldbuilding dump in places but it seems to fit what is going on in the narrative relatively well. Worldbuilding gets 4.5/5
The characters:
Two leads, Elodi and Toryn. Toryn is a young man on a farm at the beginning of the story, with a secret even he does not know. Elodi is the Lady Liege of Harlyn, one of the five realms ruled by a mysterious Archon. She has recently assumed the role on the death of her father. Unlike most epic fantasy, while there are many named characters, we are not expected to care about all of them. In fact, many we see once or twice and never again. Only a few does the author expect us to care about and remember. The rest are in their proper place as minor contributors to the story. The two leads grow and develop without being annoying. 5/5 character development and use
The plot
Realistic enough. Because of Toryn's secret, he is forced to leave his family farm and travel with a veteran soldier for safety. This lands him in multiple difficulties. His story thus begins relatively slowly. Elodi begins a bit more upbeat with a mission to see the Archon. The perspectives alternate, rarely more than two chapters in a row from one perspective and about evenly throughout the book. There are a few things that either don't make sense or are just unexplained yet (this is a four book series) so I am reserving judgment on those. Story is compelling and keeps you reading. 4.5/5
The fantasy elements:
Many common fantasy devices get new names (wizards/mages are renamed wykes as an example), but much is still familiar. There are also some terrifying evil entities that belong in horror but they are not written like a horror novel. It feels like fantasy with a very very powerful evil. There are half a dozen evil races, many very imaginative, but humans appear to be the only "good" race (though some wykes are good). There are no elves, no dwarves, or other common fantasy races. But they are not missed. 4/5
Final rating: 4.5/5 (rounding to five). It's worth your time. And, as of this review, its free on Kindle unlimited. Pick it up if you like fantasy. You will not regret it.
September 17, 2021
I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review.
It physically hurt me to give this book one star. Though I've read several books by this author in the past and absolutely loved them, I think this particular book missed the mark for me in a lot of ways.
The book started with a lot of world-building - a full legend being told as the opening, and frequent reminders of places and politics being dumped on the reader. This bogged down the beginning of the book considerably. By the time the second chapter ended, I felt like I'd learned far more location names than facts about the characters, and that is a problem. It's hard to like or even empathize with a character if you hardly know more than their first name.
To add to this, the narrative voice didn't flow well. The action of the scenes was often interrupted by more lore and world-building, and the dialogue felt forced. I grew bored quickly because I didn't know why I should care about any of the characters or what was about to happen to them. Who were they? What did they do for a living? Who was their family? What did they want? What did they fear?
Though I could tell the author was setting up the story to be some sort of grand adventure with bits of war, politics, and ancient magic involved, I think the book was done a disservice by the way it was constructed. Unfortunately, this felt like a first draft and lacked the cohesiveness and storytelling craft I was expecting.
I Will add the caveat that I read an advanced reader copy, so some of the typos I found and minor issues will probably be cleaned up, but that aside, I'm going to pass on this one. It just wasn't for me, especially as someone that doesn't read a lot of high fantasy.
If you are considering this book, I'd recommend it to younger readers that enjoy sweeping epic fantasy tales with lots of world-building, but perhaps not to older readers that will dwell on the construction of the story - they may find it hard to sink into, as I did.
It physically hurt me to give this book one star. Though I've read several books by this author in the past and absolutely loved them, I think this particular book missed the mark for me in a lot of ways.
The book started with a lot of world-building - a full legend being told as the opening, and frequent reminders of places and politics being dumped on the reader. This bogged down the beginning of the book considerably. By the time the second chapter ended, I felt like I'd learned far more location names than facts about the characters, and that is a problem. It's hard to like or even empathize with a character if you hardly know more than their first name.
To add to this, the narrative voice didn't flow well. The action of the scenes was often interrupted by more lore and world-building, and the dialogue felt forced. I grew bored quickly because I didn't know why I should care about any of the characters or what was about to happen to them. Who were they? What did they do for a living? Who was their family? What did they want? What did they fear?
Though I could tell the author was setting up the story to be some sort of grand adventure with bits of war, politics, and ancient magic involved, I think the book was done a disservice by the way it was constructed. Unfortunately, this felt like a first draft and lacked the cohesiveness and storytelling craft I was expecting.
I Will add the caveat that I read an advanced reader copy, so some of the typos I found and minor issues will probably be cleaned up, but that aside, I'm going to pass on this one. It just wasn't for me, especially as someone that doesn't read a lot of high fantasy.
If you are considering this book, I'd recommend it to younger readers that enjoy sweeping epic fantasy tales with lots of world-building, but perhaps not to older readers that will dwell on the construction of the story - they may find it hard to sink into, as I did.
August 28, 2021
REVIEW IN ENGLISH
First of all, I would like to thank R. E. Palmer for giving me a copy of his book to read and review, I really appreciate it!
This was a really great fantasy book with lots of action in it, which was great because these both elements were perfectly balanced. Since it's the first book of a saga, it is quite introductory. There was lots of information given and sometimes it felt a little confused, but other than that it was very interesting.
I was confused too with the story in itself, sometimes I felt that there was too much going on, but then it all came to place. The writing of the author is great; the description and the action did not feel like it dragged for too long. Though I must say that the story in itself felt at times too long, I had the feeling I was in the same part for too long, but other than that it was great. Since I do not speak english as my first language I struggled with some parts to catch up, but I can still see that it was greatly written, I specially enjoyed the battles and action scenes!
I really liked the characters. Toryn and Elodi (which by the way I loved that name) were great as protagonists, but I must say I liked Elodi more. I think I got to know her better (even though there are still mysteries about her past), and she was strong and powerful. Both points of view were interesting and I was invested in both stories, which is great! I also liked the character of Hamar, and I'm also interested on Dorlan and what will happen with other characters.
For the second book I would love to know more of the story, specially know more about the Archon. There are characters that appear in the second half on the book that I would also want to know about. It would be great t0 see more about the magic in this story, and of course see what will happen with Elodi and Toryn!!
First of all, I would like to thank R. E. Palmer for giving me a copy of his book to read and review, I really appreciate it!
This was a really great fantasy book with lots of action in it, which was great because these both elements were perfectly balanced. Since it's the first book of a saga, it is quite introductory. There was lots of information given and sometimes it felt a little confused, but other than that it was very interesting.
I was confused too with the story in itself, sometimes I felt that there was too much going on, but then it all came to place. The writing of the author is great; the description and the action did not feel like it dragged for too long. Though I must say that the story in itself felt at times too long, I had the feeling I was in the same part for too long, but other than that it was great. Since I do not speak english as my first language I struggled with some parts to catch up, but I can still see that it was greatly written, I specially enjoyed the battles and action scenes!
I really liked the characters. Toryn and Elodi (which by the way I loved that name) were great as protagonists, but I must say I liked Elodi more. I think I got to know her better (even though there are still mysteries about her past), and she was strong and powerful. Both points of view were interesting and I was invested in both stories, which is great! I also liked the character of Hamar, and I'm also interested on Dorlan and what will happen with other characters.
For the second book I would love to know more of the story, specially know more about the Archon. There are characters that appear in the second half on the book that I would also want to know about. It would be great t0 see more about the magic in this story, and of course see what will happen with Elodi and Toryn!!
November 10, 2021
This book was sent to me by the author himself in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 4.75 Stars
I finally got a chance to read this book. Ive been wanting to get to it since I received it, but I was in a bit of a slump and I didn’t want to force myself into reading something especially if my slump would affect my judgement of the book! Now that my slump is over, I happily picked this up again and just in time as November is the month for fantasies.
Song of Echoes is a epic high fantasy novel full of adventure and action packed battles. I’m so glad that I got a chance to read it! It is filled with a beautiful and magical world setting. Each character was very relatable and I loved how the writer gave them very distinct characteristics and stories. I also loved the idea of the book, its quite unique and the world building was beautifully written that it wasn’t hard at all to imagine.
If you have read Eragon or The Lord of the Rings, you will see some likeness to it, which I was very fond of. The Eragon series were one of the first favorite fantasies of mine, and finding a book similar to it made me really happy. Also if you’re a fan of apprentice/mentor relationships, you will enjoy it here too!
My favorite characters so far have to be Elodi (female protagonist and badass leader) and Hamar the mentor of our male protagonist Toryn. Also, old lady Hope is very cute and hope to hear more of her in the next book. I believe the next book is called Age of Shadows and will be released soon! I can’t wait to get my hands on it and rejoin the adventures.
Also, I truly wish this would be made into a movie, and not be let down like Eragon, but following the LOTR and The Hobbit success. Hope Peter Jackson reads this lol!
Rating: 4.75 Stars
I finally got a chance to read this book. Ive been wanting to get to it since I received it, but I was in a bit of a slump and I didn’t want to force myself into reading something especially if my slump would affect my judgement of the book! Now that my slump is over, I happily picked this up again and just in time as November is the month for fantasies.
Song of Echoes is a epic high fantasy novel full of adventure and action packed battles. I’m so glad that I got a chance to read it! It is filled with a beautiful and magical world setting. Each character was very relatable and I loved how the writer gave them very distinct characteristics and stories. I also loved the idea of the book, its quite unique and the world building was beautifully written that it wasn’t hard at all to imagine.
If you have read Eragon or The Lord of the Rings, you will see some likeness to it, which I was very fond of. The Eragon series were one of the first favorite fantasies of mine, and finding a book similar to it made me really happy. Also if you’re a fan of apprentice/mentor relationships, you will enjoy it here too!
My favorite characters so far have to be Elodi (female protagonist and badass leader) and Hamar the mentor of our male protagonist Toryn. Also, old lady Hope is very cute and hope to hear more of her in the next book. I believe the next book is called Age of Shadows and will be released soon! I can’t wait to get my hands on it and rejoin the adventures.
Also, I truly wish this would be made into a movie, and not be let down like Eragon, but following the LOTR and The Hobbit success. Hope Peter Jackson reads this lol!
August 8, 2021
hat a brilliant book! Song of Echoes engaged me from the first page, and, in fact I did not want it to end.
Song of Echoes tells the story of a time long ago when mystical beings roamed the earth and humanity fought a battle against dark evil to preserve the realms. The battle to save the five realms falls on a young inexperienced ruler Elodi, Lady Harlyn, and a farmhand Toryn.
Elodi finds herself at the front of the biggest battle that the five realms as seen for hundreds of years. Naive in the battlefield Elodi has to channel her inner warrior and self-belief to save her people.
As a farmhand. Toryn spent his days on the farm feeling the pull and desire to explore the world beyond the fence of his village. His dreams do come true but not in a way he hoped. When war threatens his village, he is called to war by Archon, the ruler of the five realms, but his mysterious past prevents the route of joining the army to save the Realms. As Toryn journeys across the realms he uncovers experiences that he only heard of. Is he the key to saving the five realms?
I found the storyline of Song of Echoes to be faultless, with all the elements of a great fantasy. I did find similarities to other well-known fantasy series; however, this did not diminish my enjoyment. R.E. Palmer‘s writing is clear and crisp which makes it easy to visualise the characters and story as it unfolds. I really did not want the story to end – looking forward to the 2nd book in the series.
I would definitely recommend this book to those who love a good fantasy.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review .
Song of Echoes tells the story of a time long ago when mystical beings roamed the earth and humanity fought a battle against dark evil to preserve the realms. The battle to save the five realms falls on a young inexperienced ruler Elodi, Lady Harlyn, and a farmhand Toryn.
Elodi finds herself at the front of the biggest battle that the five realms as seen for hundreds of years. Naive in the battlefield Elodi has to channel her inner warrior and self-belief to save her people.
As a farmhand. Toryn spent his days on the farm feeling the pull and desire to explore the world beyond the fence of his village. His dreams do come true but not in a way he hoped. When war threatens his village, he is called to war by Archon, the ruler of the five realms, but his mysterious past prevents the route of joining the army to save the Realms. As Toryn journeys across the realms he uncovers experiences that he only heard of. Is he the key to saving the five realms?
I found the storyline of Song of Echoes to be faultless, with all the elements of a great fantasy. I did find similarities to other well-known fantasy series; however, this did not diminish my enjoyment. R.E. Palmer‘s writing is clear and crisp which makes it easy to visualise the characters and story as it unfolds. I really did not want the story to end – looking forward to the 2nd book in the series.
I would definitely recommend this book to those who love a good fantasy.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review .
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