Composer is a magical story that centers on Bhaile Cala, a coastal town in the world of Mohrathir. Kjara, a young haffelin, works for her father's cheese farm and visits the town often to sell to the wealthier city patrons. Like most teenagers do, Kjara gets into some mischief and as punishment is conscripted into the city guard. While paying off her debt as a guard, she is embroiled in a devious plot to overthrow the kingdom, all while discovering new found magical powers.
The author is witty and creative. As authors ourselves, we were captivated by his descriptive language, humor, culture, and expert world building. He added a level of masterful detail that helps you feel part of the story. Kel adds new races, species, monsters and culture. He treads into diverse waters by including LGBTQ characters, which is often overlooked by other traditional fantasy authors.
The book rings of classic adventures like The Hobbit and leaves behind the grim-dark fantasy trend. We found ourselves laughing often, cheering for the hero, but captivated by the author's skill at keeping plot details a secret as long as possible. The writing is clever, beautiful, and magical. We would recommend this to anyone that loves a new fantasy with a classic touch.
The Composer is a beautifully written fantasy, and I highly recommend it to pre-teens and adults. The author Kel White, takes us on a journey in the middle-ages adding diverse intriguing characters. The reader uses their imagination to envision the loveliness of the characters as they are out of this world. Although different, the characters develop a fondness for one another as they learn and grow. There are elements of education, lessons learnt, national pride, and Mateship, values that create a loving world. We find ourselves cheering them on as they develop/reveal their best selves. I just love those feel-good uplifting reads with a satisfying ending. The Composer ticked all those boxes!