book review

Prophecy: Child of Earth – Symphony of the Ages #2 by Elizabeth Haydon

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Title: Prophecy: Child of Earth

Author: Elizabeth Haydon

Series: Symphony of Ages

Sexual Content: Descriptive

Objectional Content: Violence, Sexual violence, violence against children

Synopsis (from Goodreads) In Rhapsody, a fellowship was forged–three companions who, through great adversity, became a force to be reckoned with: Rhapsody, a singer of great talent and even greater beauty; Achmed, an assassin with unearthly talents; and Grunthor, a giant Sergeant-Major whose jolly disposition stands at odds with his deadly skill at weapons. Having fled the F’dor–an ancient, powerful evil–the three emerged on the other side of the world, only to discover fourteen centuries had passed. Their homeland had been destroyed, their people scattered across several continents, and everyone they ever knew had long since passed away…except, perhaps, the F’dor.

Prophecy continues this powerful epic. Driven by a prophetic vision, Rhapsody races to rescue the religious leader of her new homeland while Achmed and Grunthor seek evidence of the F’dor. These three may be their world’s only hope, the heroes spoken of in the Prophecy of the Three, but their time is running short. They must find their elusive enemy before his darkness consumes them all.

My Review

So, I’m not really sure how to review this. I started reading Prophecy in January, right after I’d finished the first book, Rhapsody. It is now June and i just finished it. i don’t think it’s ever taken me six months to get through an entire book before. This should not be taken as any sort of reflection the book itself, because the book is fantastic. I really enjoyed reading, when I read it. The problem here is me. For some reason, I just did not want to read.

The latter half of the book (the part most fresh in my mind) focuses quite a bit on the relationship between Rhapsody and Ashe. Now, I have no problem with romance in books, but in this one it meant a fair amount of sex scenes. There’s nothing wrong with that, but it just didn’t feel like it added a lot to the story overall. Mostly, it makes Ashe look a little pathetic. He’s been in love with Rhapsody from the moment he saw her and his desperation is really starting to show. Their relationship also causes Rhapsody to ignore some of the things she should be responsible for, much to Achmed and Grunthor’s annoyance.

There is a lot more going on besides just Rhapsody and Ashe, but i don’t want to spoil anything so I’m not really going to say anything about it. Though I would like to say that there is some pretty descriptive violent scenes that may be triggering for some people.

My rating for Prophecy is 4 out of 5 stars. l’m on to the third book, Destiny, which hopefully won’t take me six months to read!

Thanks for reading!

Rhapsody: Child of Blood – Symphony of the Ages #1 by Elizabeth Haydon

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Rhapsody: Child of Blood Symphony of Ages #1 by Elizabeth Haydon

Title: Rhapsody: Child of Blood

Author: Elizabeth Haydon

Series: Symphony of Ages

Sexual Content: Descriptive

Objectional Content: Violence, Sexual violence, violence against children

Synopsis (from Goodreads): Rhapsody is a woman, a Singer of some talent, who is swept up into events of world-shattering import. On the run from an old romantic interest who won’t take no for an answer, Rhapsody literally bumps into a couple of shady characters: half-breeds who come to her rescue in the nick of time. Only the rescue turns into an abduction, and Rhapsody soon finds herself dragged along on an epic voyage, one that spans centuries and ranges across a wonder-filled fantasy world– a world so real you can hear the sweet music of Rhapsody’s aubade and smell the smoldering forges deep within the Cauldron.

My Review

Rhapsody is a book I first read several years ago. At the time, the entire series hadn’t yet been published. After what feels like forever, I’m finally rereading the entire series so I can read the last two books.

It has been so long since I first read Rhapsody that, although I remember a few key things, it was like reading it for the first time again. I think I enjoyed it more than I did the first time around. Truly, I loved this book.

The trio of main characters, Rhapsody, Achmed and Grunthor, could not be more different from one another. However, the bond they form is more than I’ve seen in most books, especially without it somehow turning romantic. Elizabeth Haydon has an amazing ability to keep the reader engaged even during some scenes that could be considered boring or tedious. I felt invested in these characters from the very beginning.

Rhapsody, especially, is a complex and intriguing character. She has lived through some very traumatic experiences and yet still manages to smile and have a positive outlook. Where some people would become bitter and withdraw into themselves, Rhapsody’s experiences make her want to help people even more, but especially children. She may be small in stature, but she is ferocious when she needs to be.

I always have any objectional content listed at the top of my reviews, but in this case, I feel the need to reiterate that there is some graphic violence involving children, some of it sexual in nature. These things are meant to disgust the reader and portray the level of evil of the antagonists. It all has it’s place in the story. However, if child violence is something that is just not for you, or may be triggering for any reason, this may not be the book for you.

My rating for Rhapsody is 5 out of 5 stars. I was honestly never bored reading this. I would recommend this book to fans of high fantasy looking for an exciting new adventure!

Thanks for reading!

Law of the Broken Earth – The Griffin Mage #3 by Rachel Neumeier

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Title: Law of the Broken Earth

Author: Rachel Neumeier

Series: The Griffin Mage

Sexual Content: none

Objectional Content: Mild violence

Synopsis: (from Goodreads) : In Feierabiand, in the wide green Delta, far from the burning heat of the griffin’s desert, Mienthe’s peaceful life has been shaken. Tan — clever, cynical, and an experienced spy — has brought a deadly secret out of the neighboring country of Linularinum. Now, as three countries and two species rush toward destruction, Mienthe fears that even her powerful cousin Bertaud may be neither able nor even willing to find a safe path between the secret Linularinum would kill to preserve and the desperate ferocity of the griffins. But can Mienthe? And, in the end, will Tan help her . . . or do everything in his power to stand in her way?

My Review

It has been approximately half an hour since I finished reading Law of the Broken Earth as I begin to write this review and honestly? I’m not entirely sure what to say. This book begins by introducing whole new characters. There’s nothing wrong with that, I like both of the characters and they play an integral part in the plot of this book.

The Great Wall created in the previous book is cracked and on the verge of breaking completely. The griffins want the wall to come down so they can invade the country of earth and destroy it. Naturally, the inhabitants of the countries of earth don’t want this to happen. Events are set in motion to prevent this from happening and find a resolution once and for all.

My dislikes about this book are pretty much the same as the previous books. There aren’t enough griffins in a trilogy called “the Griffin Mage”, the names of places and some people are impossible to pronounce and the plot moves along slowly til near the end when everything seems to happen all at once.

I like the character, Mienthe, even if I have no idea how to say her name properly. She was interesting to follow as she discovers her own unique gift and is instrumental in bringing everything to a satisfactory close. I liked that characters from the previous books returned and had roles to play, however small.

The ending did bring the overall conflict of the trilogy to a close, though it just wasn’t what I was expecting or really wanting out of the books. I won’t say that they were bad, as they weren’t, they just weren’t as good as I thought they could be.

My rating for Law of the Broken Earth is 3 out of 5 stars.

Thanks for reading even though this review is sort of all over the place.

Land of the Burning Sands – The Griffin Mage #2 by Rachel Neumeier

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Title: Land of the Burning Sands

Author: Rachel Neumeier

Series: The Griffin Mage

Sexual Content: none

Objectional Content: Violence, slavery

Synopsis: (from Goodreads) Gereint Enseichen of Casmantium knows little and cares less about the recent war in which his king tried to use griffins and fire to wrest territory from the neighboring country of Feierabiand. . .but he knows that his kingdom’s unexpected defeat offers him a chance to escape from his own servitude.

But now that the griffins find themselves in a position of strength, they are not inclined to forgive and the entire kingdom finds itself in deadly peril. Willing or not, Gereint will find himself caught up in a desperate struggle between the griffins and the last remaining Casmantian mage. Even the strongest gifts of making and building may not prove sufficient when the fiery wind of the griffins begins to bury the life of Casmantium beneath the burning sands . . .

My Review

As the second book in a trilogy, I expected Land of the Burning Sand to pick up where the first book left off and follow at least some of the same characters. Instead we are introduced to all new characters in the country of Casmantium. The book opens with the main character of this novel, Gareient, hiding in the cellar of the house where he is held as a slave while a sandstorm turns the city into a desert.

The Land of the Burning Sand mostly follows Gareient as he journey’s out of the desert and attempts to avoid being sold back into slavery. Griffins, are barely even mentioned and only seen from a distance for the most part. It isn’t until much later, probably half way through, that a familiar character makes an appearance. Griffins themselves don’t actually appear until near the end of the book, and then only in a brief scene.

For a trilogy called The Griffin Mage, I would expect more griffins, or at least the actual griffin mage to be more present.

There’s nothing wrong with shifting the perspective of a story to the “other side” as it were, to give a different POV but I found it somewhat annoying when I was expecting more, you know, griffins. The ridiculously long and impossible to pronounce names continue on in this book, adding in much more, until I stopped trying to sound them out and just sort of made a noise in my head while reading those words.

I wanted more of Bertaud, Kes and Karaithin, who the first novel focused on. I was expecting this book to follow Kes as she continued to live with the griffins and how her life would be. Instead, the brief glimpse we get of her is just kind of a tease.

Don’t get me wrong, I did like the book. The characters are interesting and their story is fun to follow, it just wasn’t what I was expecting. I wanted more griffins. I did particularly like the character, Tehre. She is smart and practical, though she very easily gets lost in her own mind. She was fun to read about.

My rating for the Land of the Burning Sand is 3 out of 5 stars.

Lord of the Changing Winds – The Griffin Mage #1 by Rachel Neumeier

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Lord of the Changing Winds, book one of the Griffin Mage trilogy by Rachel Neumeier

Title: Lord of the Changing Winds

Author: Rachel Neumeier

Series: The Griffin Mage

Sexual Content: none

Objectional Content: Violence

Synopsis (from Goodreads): Little ever happens in the quiet villages of peaceful Feierabiand. The course of Kes’ life seems set: she’ll grow up to be an herb-woman and healer for the village of Minas Ford, never quite fitting in but always more or less accepted. And she’s content with that path — or she thinks she is. Until the day the griffins come down from the mountains, bringing with them the fiery wind of their desert and a desperate need for a healer. But what the griffins need is a healer who is not quite human . . . or a healer who can be made into something not quite human.

My Review

I’m going to start this review a little differently than normal and begin with what I didn’t like about this book. There are a lot of names featured in this novel that are somewhat long and difficult to pronounce. The author clearly put in a lot of effort and creativity in these names, however, having to stop and try to sound out these words is really disruptive to the flow of reading. I also found it difficult to remember who the characters were since I couldn’t pronounce their names. This book would have benefited from a pronunciation guide and even a list of characters. Fortunately, the main characters names were not as difficult to pronounce.

Setting that aside, this book is a satisfactory fantasy novel. I haven’t read a lot of books featuring griffins so I found this to be fresh. Kes, the main character, is a quiet girl who has never really fit in with the people in her village and finds acceptance among the griffins. Except for the griffin part, I think this is something a lot of teens can relate to.

I found the writing to be quite beautiful, especially the descriptions of the griffins and the desert. The plot isn’t anything to rave about, but the world itself is interesting. Although this isn’t the most amazing fantasy novel I’ve ever read, I did find it easy to read and interesting enough that I wasn’t bored. It’s a fun quick read and I look forward to starting the next book.

My rating for The Lord of the Changing Wind is 3 out of 5 stars and I’d recommend it to someone looks for a light fantasy.

Thanks for reading!

A Tapestry of Lions – Chronicles of the Cheysuli #8 by Jennifer Roberson

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Title: A Tapestry of Lions

Author: Jennifer Roberson

Series: Chronicles of the Cheysuli

Sexual Content: minimal

Objectional Content: Violence

Synopsis (From Goodreads): Nearly a century has passed since the Prophecy of the Firstborn was set in motion—the generational quest to recreate the magical race which once held sway in the lands ruled by Homana’s Mujar. Now, Kellin, heir to Homana’s throne, has only to sire an offspring with an Ihlini woman to reach this goal. But Kellin wants nothing of prophecy, nor even of his own magical heritage. Embittered by tragedy, he refuses the sacred lir-bonding, becoming anathema in the eyes of his Cheysuli kin. But willing participant or not, Kellin provides a very real threat to the Ihlini—the ancient enemies of the Cheysuli people—for should the prophecy be fulfilled, life as the Ihlini know it will end. How can a lirless warrior ever hope to escape the traps of the Ihlini sorcerers? And how can the prophecy ever be realized when the man born to become its final champion shuns his destined role?

My Review

Going into this book, I really didn’t know what to expect. All the previous books have been about the prophecy and mixing the correct bloodlines to bring the prophecy to fruition. Only one bloodline remains, that of the Ihlini. But what Cheysuli would willingly and knowingly be with an Ihlini?

Kellin, Aidan’s son, is the main focus of A Tapestry of Lions. He is a child filled with bitterness that his own father gave him up (though he eventually does the same to his own bastard children). After experiencing tragedy and loss, Kellin rejects the gods and vows to never have a lir. As a man he has become even more bitter and rebellious, closing himself off to any meaningful relationship so he can’t be hurt by losing someone. He also resents that he is not so important as the son he will one day sire.

Kellin honestly changes and grows in leaps and bounds in this book. He starts out as a child proud of his Cheysuli heritage, looking forward to the day he receives his lir and lir gold, wanting to be recognized as a warrior of the clans. Then he experiences loss and grows up to sleep with random whores, get in fights and gambles. He goes through a lot and comes out the end a much better person.

I wasn’t sure how it was all going to end. As I was reading, I kept thinking there wasn’t enough left in the book to wrap it all up. In the end though, I was satisfied with the ending. I’m sure the author could write more books in this world if she wanted to, but I wouldn’t say it was necessary to round off the story.

Overall, I would say the series is an enjoyable one. There were definitely elements about it that I didn’t like. For instance, the first book is about a strong female character and then the subsequent books are almost all about male characters and the majority of the female characters are sort of relegated to a background role of have babies.

My rating for A Tapestry of Lions is 3 out of 5 stars. My rating for the Chronicles of the Cheysuli is also 3 out of 5 stars and I would recommend it to people who enjoy older, slower paced fantasy that covers multiple generations and different protagonists.

Flight of the Raven – Chronicles of the Cheysuli #7 by Jennifer Roberson

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Flight of the Raven, book 7 of the Chronicles of the Cheysuli by Jennifer Roberson

Title: Flight of the Raven

Author: Jennifer Roberson

Series: Chronicles of the Cheysuli

Sexual Content: minimal

Objectional Content: Violence

Synopsis (from Goodreads): Aidan, only child of Brennan and Aileen, and the grandson of Niall, is heir to the Lion Throne of Homana and inheritor, too, of a prophecy carried down through the generations and finally on the verge of fulfillment.  But will Aidan, driven as he is by strange visions and portens, prove the weak link in the ages-old prophecy—the Cheysuli who fails to achieve his foretold destiny? For as Aidan prepares to set out for Erinn to claim his betrothed, he will become the focus of forces out of legend, visited by the ghosts of long-dead kinsmen, and by the Hunter, a mysterious being who may be a Cheysuli god incarnate.

Commanded by the Hunter to undertake a quest to claim a series of “god-given” golden links, Aidan will find himself challenged by the Cheysuli’s most deadly foe—Lochiel, the son of Strahan—who will use every trick of Ihlini sorcery to stop Aidan and destroy the promise of the prophecy once and for all…

My Review

Aidan is an interesting character. He has what is known as kivarna, the ability to sense others emotions, a gift from his Mother’s side of the family. From the time he is a child, Aidan is plagued by strange dreams and a compulsion to go the throne room in the middle of the night. There, he sees a chain made of gold, though no one else sees it and when he tries to touch it, it crumbles to dust.

Unlike the heirs before him, Aidan was not betrothed to anyone and now has the freedom to choose who he wants for a bride. He travels first to Solinde, then to Erinn, to meet his cousins of similar age to see if they are suitable to one another. Honestly, the intermarrying in this family is getting to be too much.

I have to admit, I was extremely disappointed to learn that Keely had children. In her book, Daughter of the Lion, she was adamant that she didn’t want to have babies. However, in a world where their is no birth control and she married for love, pregnancy is pretty inevitable. Still, this felt like a disservice to her character.

Aidan’s fate is different than most who have come before him, and his life takes a tragic turn. I don’t want to say much more than that as to avoid spoilers.

I honestly don’t know how this series is going to turn out. It feels like everything should be coming to a head, but at the time of writing this I’m about halfway through the final book and I really don’t know how it can all be wrapped up in the few hundred pages left.

I feel like this review is somewhat lacking but I don’t know what else to say.

My rating for Flight of the Raven is 3 out of 4 stars.

Daughter of the Lion – Chronicles of the Cheysuli #6 by Jennifer Roberson

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Daughter of the Lion, Chronicles of the Cheysuli #6 by Jennifer Roberson

Title: Daughter of the Lion

Author: Jennifer Roberson

Series: Chronicles of the Cheysuli

Sexual Content: minimal

Objectional Content: Violence, torture

Synopsis (from Goodreads): She is Keely, twin sister to Corin, and daughter to Niall, the ruler of Homana, and she alone has the power to shapechange into any form—a power akin to that of the Firstborn. Like her brothers, Keely has been chosen to play a crucial part in the Firstborn’s prophecy. Yet Keely is no weak pawn to be used in men’s games of power and diplomacy. Trained alongside her brothers in the art of war, gifted with more of the old magic than most of her close kin, she will not easily give way even to Niall’s commands, nor be forced against her will into an arranged marriage.

But others besides Keely’s father have plans for her future. Strahan, the most powerful Ihlini sorcerer, is preparing a trap from which even one as magically-gifted as Keely may find no escape. And in the deepwood, another waits to challenge Keely—an outlaw fully as dangerous to her future freedom as Strahan is to her life…

My Review

Daughter of the Lion follows Keely, Niall’s youngest daughter, in the first person POV. I found a lot in Keely that I can relate to. Unlike every other female character in this series, Keely absolutely hates the idea of getting married and having babies. Everyone around her assumes that she wants to be a man because she wants to learn how to use weapons and doesn’t like wearing dresses. Keely doesn’t want to be a man, she just wants the freedom to be herself.

I can relate to this as a woman who does not want to ever get married or have children, and I am so grateful that I live in a world where I can make this choice. Keely, on the other hand, is under immense pressure to marry the Prince of Erinn in order to secure the proper bloodlines for the prophecy. Brennan, the eldest son, is married to the Princess of Erinn, but their son is sick, may not live and she cannot have more children. If the child dies, then it is all up to Keely to provide the right children for the prophecy.

There are a few times where I think Keely should keep her thoughts to herself, especially when it comes to telling other women to “rid themselves” of their pregnancy. Her feelings regarding pregnancy and childbirth are valid, however, there are some things better kept internal.

Daughter of the Lion touches on some pretty heavy topics including rape, abortion and a woman’s right to choose. People in this series staunchly believe that there is absolutely no reason to ever terminate a pregnancy and that women exist to have babies. It is a disgusting attitude.

There is a scene in this book that really irritated me. Despite protesting that she does not want to hold a baby, her sister in law forces her to do so and then leaves her alone with said baby. I am not a person who is crazy about babies. I have no interest in holding them. If someone did this to me, I would be furious! And of course, in the book, it’s not a big deal and forcing Keely to hold a baby would surely make her maternal instincts kick in. That is so unfair.

Overall, I did really enjoy Daughter of the Lion. Keely’s perspective is so different from everyone’s that has come before. I loved seeing everything from her point of view and how people treat her because of her beliefs. I’m interesting to see how this all turns out with the prophecy and the opposing side trying to stop it. Only two more books to go.

My rating for Daughter of the Lion is 4 out of 5 stars.

A Pride of Princes – Chronicles of the Cheysuli #5 by Jennifer Roberson

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A Pride of Princes, Book 5 of the Chronicles of the Cheysuli by Jennifer Roberson

Title: A Pride of Princes

Author: Jennifer Roberson

Series: Chronicles of the Cheysuli

Sexual Content: minimal

Objectional Content: Violence, torture

Synopsis: (from Goodreads) Brennan, Hart and Corin were the three Cheysuli sons of Niall, ruler of Homana, and the next link in the generations-old prophecy of the Firstborn. Now the time had come for all three to take the paths for which they were fated:

Brennan, heir to the throne of Homana, would face the menance of unknown assassins and trecherous Ihlini magic.

Hart, Brennan’s younger twin, must journey to Solinde, the kingdom which would one day be his to rule—a land that longed to see the Cheysuli prince overthrown.

And Corin, the youngest prince, must battle sorcery and madness in the court of distant Atvia.

Three princes, three destinies—and if even one should fail to fulfill the patterns of prophecy, Homanan and Cheysuli alike would pay a deadly price…

My Review

Much as I expected, there was a time jump of about 20 years from the Track of the White Wolf. However, in A Pride of Princes, the story isn’t following just one character, but 3, the sons of Niall. So far, this is the first book in the Chronicles of Cheysuli that has multiple points of view.

I found A Pride of Princes to be much more engaging as the story follows the three brothers. Each of them are very different from one another, something the author takes pains to establish from the very beginning. Each man has had his life planned out for him basically from birth. Which kingdom they will rule and who they will marry has already been established.

We also get to see some of Lillith and her brother, Strahan, the ongoing villains of this series. Strahan wants Niall’s sons so he can turn them into puppet kings and rule the kingdoms through them. It begins to become evident what exactly the fulfillment of the prophecy may mean. It could be the end of both the Ilhini and the Cheysuli.

There are instances of emotional and psychological manipulation as well as physical torture, which some readers may find disturbing or triggering.

The female characters continue to leave something to be desired. Their only purpose seems to be marrying the right person and having sons.

Of the five books so far, A Pride of Princes has been the most interesting and engaging. I enjoyed the differences in the three brothers, even as I railed against some of their choices. I think this book also highlights the dangers of a gambling addiciton.

My rating for A Pride of Princes is 4 out of 5 stars.

Review – The Track of the White Wolf by Jennifer Roberson

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Track of the White Wolf, Chronicles of the Cheysuli #4 by Jennifer Roberson

Title: Track of the White Wolf

Author: Jennifer Roberson

Series: Chronicles of the Cheysuli

Sexual Content: mild

Objectional Content: Violence

Summary: (from Goodreads) Niall, Prince of Homana, key player in a prophecy that spans generations, should have been the treasured link between Cheysuli and Homanan. Yet neither of the peoples he is destined to someday rule feel anything but suspicion of Niall. Homanans fear him for his Cheysuli heritage, while Cheysuli refuse to accept him as their own because he has acquired neither a lir-shape nor the lir companion which is the true mark of the Cheysuli shapechangers.

And now, despite his precarious situation within the kingdom, Niall must undertake a journey to fulfill yet another link in the ancient prophecy. He must travel through war-torn lands to claim his bride—a mission which may prove his doom. For searching for both his destiny and his lir, Naill is about to be plunged into a dangerous maelstrom of intrigue, betrayal, and deadly Ihlini sorcery…

My Review

Events jump forward about 20 years from the end of the last book. We are now following Niall, son of Donal and Aislinn, from first person point of view. The reader learns very quickly that Niall does not have a lir or any of the Cheysuli gifts. In fact, he looks almost identical to his grandsire, the famous Carillon. He is not truly accepted by the Homanans or the Cheysuli, and many would rather see someone else on the throne.

Finally, since Alix in the first book, I actually like the POV character. Niall actually feels relatable as he struggles to fit in as a Cheysuli warrior and his position as the heir. He feels inadequate in both the palace and Clankeep. I think this is something a lot of people struggle with in their lives. That feeling of not belonging, of not being good enough, is something I myself can understand. Because of this, I felt more connected to this book.

I could not have predicted anything that happened in this book. Honestly, I don’t know where it is all going. Everything revolves around the prophecy of the First Born. I anticipate the next book will pick up years later with one of Niall’s sons, likely his heir.

I continue to be disappointed with the female characters in this series. Their only purpose seems to be to have babies. Thinking about it, I think every female character has had a baby at some point and then if they were no longer important, they died or were exiled.

My rating for the Track of the White Wolf is 3 out of 5 stars. I enjoyed it a bit more than the previous books but I wouldn’t say it’s amazing either. I plan to continue with the series. I’d like to know how it all ends and being half way through, I feel invested.

Thanks for reading and if you have read the Chronicles of the Cheysuli, I’d love to know what you thought of it.