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Songs of the Lost Islands #0
Prelude
PRELUDE acts as a prequel to the Songs of the Lost Islands series. This story precedes that of An Act of Faith by focusing on events which occurred in the Valley, 1,700 years before.
The Valley hosts the shrine of all the Lost Islands’ faiths and the cities of four Elvin peoples. It is the prize of kingdoms and the battlefield of many clashes of civilizations. From the war of Giants and Deities to the making of the fabled swords of the Bladesmiths; from the fall of a meteorite to the coming of Lon the Wise, the Valley is the epic history of millennia of creeds and coexistence, curses and slaughter, the cause of an all-pervading obsession which haunts the minds.
How did this remote vale become the symbolic centre of the Lost Islands? How did the events of Year 1,000 LC irremediably influence the essence of Elvin mysticism?
PRELUDE is the story of the three days when the Valley became the Nargrond Valley and the unique place that exists twice in the minds of all Elves, in the material and ethereal worlds.
The Valley hosts the shrine of all the Lost Islands’ faiths and the cities of four Elvin peoples. It is the prize of kingdoms and the battlefield of many clashes of civilizations. From the war of Giants and Deities to the making of the fabled swords of the Bladesmiths; from the fall of a meteorite to the coming of Lon the Wise, the Valley is the epic history of millennia of creeds and coexistence, curses and slaughter, the cause of an all-pervading obsession which haunts the minds.
How did this remote vale become the symbolic centre of the Lost Islands? How did the events of Year 1,000 LC irremediably influence the essence of Elvin mysticism?
PRELUDE is the story of the three days when the Valley became the Nargrond Valley and the unique place that exists twice in the minds of all Elves, in the material and ethereal worlds.
- GenresFantasy
255 pages, ebook
First published June 23, 2021
28 people are currently reading
682 people want to read
About the author
C.A. Oliver
6 books63 followersC. A. Oliver was born in 1971 and spent his youth between Oxford and Bordeaux. From an early age, he was an avid reader of both the English and French canons, and it was J.R.R. Tolkien and Maurice Druon who would come to influence his writing above all others.
In his teenage years, Oliver and four friends began a tabletop role-playing game. Fifteen years later, after 3,500 hours of discussion, imagination and strategy, what began as a game had developed into an entire universe. As gamemaster, Oliver documented the gargantuan campaign’s progress.
This fantasy world lay dormant for several years. Then, in 2014, after witnessing uncanny parallels with real-world politics, Oliver began to forge Songs of the Lost Islands, a fantasy series that draws heavily on the fifteen-year campaign. He started writing the first trilogy at Sandfield Road in Oxford, the very street on which Tolkien once lived. It was concluded at Rue Alexandre Dumas in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, where Dumas composed The Three Musketeers.
C. A. Oliver now lives between Paris and Rio de Janeiro, having married a Brazilian academic. Songs of the Lost Islands has been above all inspired by what Oliver knows best: the ever-changing winds of global politics, the depth and scope of English fantasy; and the fragile, incomprehensible beauty of his wife’s homeland.
In his teenage years, Oliver and four friends began a tabletop role-playing game. Fifteen years later, after 3,500 hours of discussion, imagination and strategy, what began as a game had developed into an entire universe. As gamemaster, Oliver documented the gargantuan campaign’s progress.
This fantasy world lay dormant for several years. Then, in 2014, after witnessing uncanny parallels with real-world politics, Oliver began to forge Songs of the Lost Islands, a fantasy series that draws heavily on the fifteen-year campaign. He started writing the first trilogy at Sandfield Road in Oxford, the very street on which Tolkien once lived. It was concluded at Rue Alexandre Dumas in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, where Dumas composed The Three Musketeers.
C. A. Oliver now lives between Paris and Rio de Janeiro, having married a Brazilian academic. Songs of the Lost Islands has been above all inspired by what Oliver knows best: the ever-changing winds of global politics, the depth and scope of English fantasy; and the fragile, incomprehensible beauty of his wife’s homeland.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
August 18, 2021
Sorry but this book made no sense to me at all! Maybe I needed to read the series first??
July 27, 2021
3/5 Stars
In this prequel story, readers delve into the history of the last refuge of the Elves. We learn about the Bladesmiths and how they created this refuge, only for it to be lost.
I have the first book of the original series that this is a prequel to but I haven't yet read it. I think that is a detrimental mistake on my part. And yet the author tries to allow this book to be a first ever read for this series, thus giving so much backstory and lore that just confuses the reader.
Once we got through the world building and lore, this was a very interesting novel. We follow Eneos, a descendent of the four Bladesmiths. He joins his forefathers in the battles they must face to keep their homes intact. I enjoyed each of the characters and wanted more of a backstory for a few of them. We do get these backstories a little more in the timeline at the end of the book.
My other concern with this novel was how long the chapters were. I understood the way they were conceived- the titles of each chapter introduced us to the character that would be prevalent to Eneos at the time- but ultimately I felt they could have been broken down even further. I felt myself drifting away from the story and focusing on making sure I didn't skim and miss important details.
Overall this is and interesting read and I want to read the rest of the series. I do believe the end is a good segue into the original series.
Disclaimer: I received a review copy through NetGalley>
In this prequel story, readers delve into the history of the last refuge of the Elves. We learn about the Bladesmiths and how they created this refuge, only for it to be lost.
I have the first book of the original series that this is a prequel to but I haven't yet read it. I think that is a detrimental mistake on my part. And yet the author tries to allow this book to be a first ever read for this series, thus giving so much backstory and lore that just confuses the reader.
Once we got through the world building and lore, this was a very interesting novel. We follow Eneos, a descendent of the four Bladesmiths. He joins his forefathers in the battles they must face to keep their homes intact. I enjoyed each of the characters and wanted more of a backstory for a few of them. We do get these backstories a little more in the timeline at the end of the book.
My other concern with this novel was how long the chapters were. I understood the way they were conceived- the titles of each chapter introduced us to the character that would be prevalent to Eneos at the time- but ultimately I felt they could have been broken down even further. I felt myself drifting away from the story and focusing on making sure I didn't skim and miss important details.
Overall this is and interesting read and I want to read the rest of the series. I do believe the end is a good segue into the original series.
Disclaimer: I received a review copy through NetGalley>
July 5, 2021
The must-read prequel which wonderfully sets the scene for the geeing of the series. It can be read independently, before starting the series, during or after. Action packed, thrilling with unique characters who are meant to become legends of the Lost Islands. Curubor was already there 1700 years before !
July 20, 2021
I was interested in this book because of the world described, and to see if this is a story I want to pursue. It covers the three days leading up to and including an epic battle. We see everything through the eyes of Eneos a young elf, who pulls everything together. I liked the strong, distinctive characters, Eneos' views of his world, and the hints of what is to come.
This is the first book I've read by C A Oliver, and it took a while to get into the story but at the end of the book there was a lot of background information and that helped understand the story. I'm interested in reading this series, to see where it goes.
I received an eARC from NetGalley and this is my honest review.
This is the first book I've read by C A Oliver, and it took a while to get into the story but at the end of the book there was a lot of background information and that helped understand the story. I'm interested in reading this series, to see where it goes.
I received an eARC from NetGalley and this is my honest review.
July 26, 2021
Thoughts: Not having read the other books in the series, this was a little confusing. It is advertised as a prequel to the series and might make more sense when read with the series. I love high fantasy, but at times, the language and style of this put me off. Plus about a third to half the book is nothing but extensive lists of names of elves, lands, history, etc. Which is fine if you’re reading the rest of the series. In this… it’s a bit much.
Recommendation: Read the series first, then read this. Or read this with the series. Don’t expect this to be a story in and of itself. It’s something better read with the rest of the series.
Disclaimer: Disclosure of Material: I received a final and/or advanced reader copy of this book with the hope that I will leave my unbiased opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… My Opinions. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”
Recommendation: Read the series first, then read this. Or read this with the series. Don’t expect this to be a story in and of itself. It’s something better read with the rest of the series.
Disclaimer: Disclosure of Material: I received a final and/or advanced reader copy of this book with the hope that I will leave my unbiased opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… My Opinions. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”
July 19, 2021
Oliver has created a rich tapestry of mythology, lore, and culture in creating the Lost Islands world. I was amazed at the complexity and care in his world creation. Behind it all is the story of the journey of a young elf named Eneos to muster the four elvin nations of The Valley in preparation for a climactic battle. It is through this journey that the reader enters the realms of the High Elves, the Green Elves, the Blue Elves and the Dark Elves—each with its unique take on the world in which they live. The culmination of the book is the epic battle between the mortal elves of the valley and the immortal elves outside the valley seeking to destroy all that the valley elves have built and take for themselves the legendary swords created by the Bladesmiths, the rulers of each of the various nations of the valley.
I deliberately chose to read this book in part because I have previously read nothing by the author. Since this book was a prequel to the previously published books that follow these elves, I wanted to discover whether having read this book the reader would be moved to read more. The answer is a definite yes.
The book ends with an open future ahead of Eneos, but the journey he had taken through the book was satisfactorily concluded. I would most definitely recommend this book to a reader interested in a carefully and thoughtfully crafted fantasy world filled with adventure.
I thank NetGalley for allowing me the chance to read this book and offer a free and honest review.
I deliberately chose to read this book in part because I have previously read nothing by the author. Since this book was a prequel to the previously published books that follow these elves, I wanted to discover whether having read this book the reader would be moved to read more. The answer is a definite yes.
The book ends with an open future ahead of Eneos, but the journey he had taken through the book was satisfactorily concluded. I would most definitely recommend this book to a reader interested in a carefully and thoughtfully crafted fantasy world filled with adventure.
I thank NetGalley for allowing me the chance to read this book and offer a free and honest review.
July 18, 2021
The Fourth in this amazing series about the Elves and the Lost Islands. It has been brilliant so far and this prequel sets the scene for the next book. I can't wait!!
July 3, 2021
Strong characters, incredible plot, the perfect prequel for the songs of the lost islands series. Now I know what it is to wield a sword of Nargrond.
September 11, 2021
I really enjoyed this book. It is a window into events referenced in the main trilogy. I love this world and its kingdoms, tribes and peoples. Having already read the main series it was exciting to meet characters who I am already familiar with and to understand their own backstories in greater clarity. I enjoyed particularly seeing Saeröl and Curubor. There are still many questions left unanswered and many mysteries still to be unveiled. I am left wanting more. The appendixes at the back of this book are also a great resource for all fans of the series.
August 19, 2021
After having read the first series of the Songs of the Lost Islands, it is a real pleasure to come back to this world more than a thousand years before. Eneos is the character that allows us to bridge the gap between the first series and the prequel as we find him alone right at the start in Nargrond Valley near Oryusk precisely where we left the action in the third opus of the series.
It is gripping to follow Eneos adventure and to hear him expressing his views as regards events alongside of the bladesmiths.
For those of have read the first series like me, I found out thrilling to explore the events of the day of the black sun and to know more about the 4 bladesmiths. This tale gave me a new insight on the three books of the series and gave me a more complex but consistent vision of the whole saga.
For those of have not read the first series, I don’t think it is a problem to start with Prelude and that public will find the series maybe easier to get into. Especially, I would recommend for those to go all along to book 2 which makes it special when you have Prelude in mind. And book 3 is just a delight.
In any case, I think Prelude makes this world even richer and captivating.
It is gripping to follow Eneos adventure and to hear him expressing his views as regards events alongside of the bladesmiths.
For those of have read the first series like me, I found out thrilling to explore the events of the day of the black sun and to know more about the 4 bladesmiths. This tale gave me a new insight on the three books of the series and gave me a more complex but consistent vision of the whole saga.
For those of have not read the first series, I don’t think it is a problem to start with Prelude and that public will find the series maybe easier to get into. Especially, I would recommend for those to go all along to book 2 which makes it special when you have Prelude in mind. And book 3 is just a delight.
In any case, I think Prelude makes this world even richer and captivating.
September 8, 2021
Captivating! Once I started Prelude, I couldn't put it down. Got hooked on Lon the Wise's puzzling warning about the Day of the Black Sun and immediately felt like following Eneos through the Valley until the end, which is not quite the end as Prelude is a prequel to the Song of the Lost Islands trilogy. I also enjoyed the maps and annexes, pretty helpful to apprehend the rich Elvin world brillantly created by C.A. Oliver.
September 15, 2021
Prelude is a flamboyant and epic introduction to the fascinating and complex world of the Llewenti Islands. This preamble to the Trilogy of Songs from the Lost Islands gives us precious keys to understanding this elven saga that cannot be left indifferent to those passionate about the worlds of Tolkien or Martin. Through its poetry, its lyricism, its spiritual and philosophical dimensions, its geopolitical complexity, CA Oliver offers us a major and masterful work.
August 18, 2021
Thanks Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read. I found out that this is supposed to be a prequel story to the connected trilogy written by the same author. And I'm glad I never read the trilogy, because now I have the chance to start literally from the very beginning. There's a lot of world-building here, as well as backstory and lore and I'll definitely check out the rest of the series!
January 5, 2022
Full disclosure, I haven't read the Songs of the Islands series, but the description of the book sounded very interesting and I love high fantasy, so I figured I'd go with it. The story centers around Eneos, an elf who is a direct descendent of four bladesmiths. Being the only one in existence, he features prominently in a great war that is going down between the four cities of elves who live in the valley (different groups of elves who pull together to fight the good fight) and the dark elves, who want to take over the valley and enslave everybody.
I liked the premise, but the execution was a bit weighed down by information dumping. I felt like the first half of the book was just facts with no real story. There was just so much information to take in that it was hard not to get confused. Thankfully, the story picked up in the second half of the book, and I really started enjoying it. I think if the whole book had balanced facts and world building with action and plot, it would have been a much more interesting read. I think you might need to read the series before this prequel to understand it better.
I'm giving this book 3.5/5 stars because I think it has promise.
I received a copy of this book free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
I liked the premise, but the execution was a bit weighed down by information dumping. I felt like the first half of the book was just facts with no real story. There was just so much information to take in that it was hard not to get confused. Thankfully, the story picked up in the second half of the book, and I really started enjoying it. I think if the whole book had balanced facts and world building with action and plot, it would have been a much more interesting read. I think you might need to read the series before this prequel to understand it better.
I'm giving this book 3.5/5 stars because I think it has promise.
I received a copy of this book free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
December 21, 2021
Definitely a different kind of book.
August 13, 2021
PRELUDE is the story of the four Bladesmiths of the Valley told from the perspective of Eneos, their descendant. I loved how family ties influence the fate of the heroe. Epic, tragic, inspiring, it makes you feel like exploring the rest of the saga for PRELUDE is only the begining of a saga. THis book is much more than a standard fantasy book !
January 6, 2022
A most excellent prelude to the trilogy. Plenty of action & character development. Reading first hand (as it were) of the Four was fascinating.
Would recommend :)
Would recommend :)
September 15, 2021
This book, which is as much a prelude to the Lost Islands history than a sequel to the 3rd tome of the trilogy, brings us back many centuries in the past of the Valley of Nargrond. It is with great pleasure that you revisit the point of interests, described as old ruins in the 3rd tome, at the peak of their splendor, when the valley was not only the multicultural haven for most but also the home for the five knights who defied the gods.
The rhythm is very dynamic similar to an action movie and you can probably read through the book in about 3h. However, as usually with C.A. Oliver, you’d better slow down and read it 2 or 3 times to capture all the layers of knowledge and link the several plots together not only within the book but also with the trilogy it is deemed to introduce.
Some will recognize obvious similarities between this book and the trilogy Songs of the Lost Islands and between the Silmarillion and the Lord of the Rings (or the Hobbit) : nothing better than flash back in the ancient times to understand the present and its shadowed complexities.
I believe C.A. Oliver has produced a piece of art, far from the pre-digested commercial standards but close to the great authors (Tolkien & Martin) who made us love the fantasy by inventing comprehensive worlds before inventing the related stories . Can’t wait for the 5th book to come!
The rhythm is very dynamic similar to an action movie and you can probably read through the book in about 3h. However, as usually with C.A. Oliver, you’d better slow down and read it 2 or 3 times to capture all the layers of knowledge and link the several plots together not only within the book but also with the trilogy it is deemed to introduce.
Some will recognize obvious similarities between this book and the trilogy Songs of the Lost Islands and between the Silmarillion and the Lord of the Rings (or the Hobbit) : nothing better than flash back in the ancient times to understand the present and its shadowed complexities.
I believe C.A. Oliver has produced a piece of art, far from the pre-digested commercial standards but close to the great authors (Tolkien & Martin) who made us love the fantasy by inventing comprehensive worlds before inventing the related stories . Can’t wait for the 5th book to come!
July 6, 2022
This review originally published in Looking For a Good Book. Rated 2.0 of 5
Uhhhhhh... Huh?
From the Goodreads description of the novel:
This story precedes that of An Act of Faith [book #1 in the series] by focusing on events which occurred in the Valley, 1,700 years before.
The Valley hosts the shrine of all the Lost Islands’ faiths and the cities of four Elvin peoples. It is the prize of kingdoms and the battlefield of many clashes of civilizations. From the war of Giants and Deities to the making of the fabled swords of the Bladesmiths; from the fall of a meteorite to the coming of Lon the Wise, the Valley is the epic history of millennia of creeds and coexistence, curses and slaughter, the cause of an all-pervading obsession which haunts the minds.
How did this remote vale become the symbolic centre of the Lost Islands? How did the events of Year 1,000 LC irremediably influence the essence of Elvin mysticism?
PRELUDE is the story of the three days when the Valley became the Nargrond Valley and the unique place that exists twice in the minds of all Elves, in the material and ethereal worlds.
I had presumed that a "Prelude" novel, book #0 of 4, would be a good place to start a series, even if such a novel was written after the trilogy was already published. In this case, I was wrong. Prelude relies on the reader already being familiar with the series and world in order to appreciate this 'how it all started' novel.
But for those of us not already vested in this high fantasy world of Elves on Lost Island, there's little sense to what is happening or what the characters are doing. The entire action of the book takes place over the course of three days so it should be easy to follow them, but we're constantly being led to understand that these are major events that will shape the world thousands of years in the future and in this case, three days hardly seems like enough time to see this event(s) unfold.
The names, the alliances, the places ... it's hard to follow and make sense of all of this without the prior experience of having read tales in this world already.
At the end of the book, the author presents a comprehensive glossary, timeline, biography of the Elvin Nations and specific people in each nation, and even the mythology of the world's inhabitants. World-building? Top notch. C.A. Oliver has clearly thought things through on a macro (and micro) level. But world building is only a part of writing an exciting high fantasy. And by writing a tale of Elves - a fairly well-known class of fantasy beings - Oliver has set himself for extra scrutiny.
This is one of the rare cases where I wish I hadn't bothered with a 'prequel' but had read the first book in the series. It sounds like something I might normally enjoy, but now I'm not sure I want to bother. The story seems massive and the history is impressive, but the writing itself isn't as sharp and tight as one would normally expect for such an endeavor.
Looking for a good book? Prelude, by C.A. Oliver, is a prequel to the author's Songs of the Lost Islands series but despite taking place thousands of years prior to the later books, it's likely important to have already read books 1-3.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Uhhhhhh... Huh?
From the Goodreads description of the novel:
This story precedes that of An Act of Faith [book #1 in the series] by focusing on events which occurred in the Valley, 1,700 years before.
The Valley hosts the shrine of all the Lost Islands’ faiths and the cities of four Elvin peoples. It is the prize of kingdoms and the battlefield of many clashes of civilizations. From the war of Giants and Deities to the making of the fabled swords of the Bladesmiths; from the fall of a meteorite to the coming of Lon the Wise, the Valley is the epic history of millennia of creeds and coexistence, curses and slaughter, the cause of an all-pervading obsession which haunts the minds.
How did this remote vale become the symbolic centre of the Lost Islands? How did the events of Year 1,000 LC irremediably influence the essence of Elvin mysticism?
PRELUDE is the story of the three days when the Valley became the Nargrond Valley and the unique place that exists twice in the minds of all Elves, in the material and ethereal worlds.
I had presumed that a "Prelude" novel, book #0 of 4, would be a good place to start a series, even if such a novel was written after the trilogy was already published. In this case, I was wrong. Prelude relies on the reader already being familiar with the series and world in order to appreciate this 'how it all started' novel.
But for those of us not already vested in this high fantasy world of Elves on Lost Island, there's little sense to what is happening or what the characters are doing. The entire action of the book takes place over the course of three days so it should be easy to follow them, but we're constantly being led to understand that these are major events that will shape the world thousands of years in the future and in this case, three days hardly seems like enough time to see this event(s) unfold.
The names, the alliances, the places ... it's hard to follow and make sense of all of this without the prior experience of having read tales in this world already.
At the end of the book, the author presents a comprehensive glossary, timeline, biography of the Elvin Nations and specific people in each nation, and even the mythology of the world's inhabitants. World-building? Top notch. C.A. Oliver has clearly thought things through on a macro (and micro) level. But world building is only a part of writing an exciting high fantasy. And by writing a tale of Elves - a fairly well-known class of fantasy beings - Oliver has set himself for extra scrutiny.
This is one of the rare cases where I wish I hadn't bothered with a 'prequel' but had read the first book in the series. It sounds like something I might normally enjoy, but now I'm not sure I want to bother. The story seems massive and the history is impressive, but the writing itself isn't as sharp and tight as one would normally expect for such an endeavor.
Looking for a good book? Prelude, by C.A. Oliver, is a prequel to the author's Songs of the Lost Islands series but despite taking place thousands of years prior to the later books, it's likely important to have already read books 1-3.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
July 13, 2021
Having not read any of the trilogy for which this volume is a prelude, I found myself a bit lost. Add further that the writing style was steep in complex names and relationships, the dialogue was very exposition heavy (telling rather than showing) and even regular word spellings were not always in the standard English format of which I am familiar, and I was pretty much tuned out two-thirds of the way through. High fantasy fans may enjoy this; while I like fantasy myself this one did not do anything for me.
Read from a galley provided by the publisher.
Read from a galley provided by the publisher.
January 27, 2025
This book reminded me of The Sword of Shanara series by Terry Brooks. It was building up to a major battle between the different elven. The outcome was definitely unexpected and expected. Some of the characters, I knew how they would be in the end; some were definitely unexpected. From good to bad, all played their part well. The cliffhanger at the end will definitely leave you no choice but to go for the next addition. If it’s anything like this one, it’s worth every penny. The battle began, but…let the battle begin!
October 27, 2023
CA Oliver has built a multi layered universe of characters and their home communities all within a central Valley. The characters are multi race, learning to live with the differences each brings to the overall world. An interesting read that I'll read agin to make sure I have a clear picture of what Prelude will be in the future.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews