Editorial Content for A Song of Flight: A Warrior Bards Novel
Contributors
Reviewer (text)
Juliet Marillier concludes her excellent Warrior Bards trilogy with the final volume, A SONG OF FLIGHT.
As always, this master of Celtic historical fantasy interweaves romance, suspense and myth with well-developed characters. While the book wraps up many of the plot threads left hanging from previous volumes, its overarching mysteries are repetitive, echoing many Otherworldly conundrums posed in earlier books.
"As always, this master of Celtic historical fantasy interweaves romance, suspense and myth with well-developed characters."
The calm of Swan Island, the home of covert agent Liobhan, is ruptured when the crown prince of Erin is kidnapped --- and her own brother is critically wounded. Liobhan and her friends are split up and sent to different corners of the island to track down Prince Aolu, but each becomes sidetracked with deadly quests. Somehow, all roads lead back to the Otherworld, where another of Liobhan’s brothers is in danger, and she must crack these mystical mysteries to save those she loves and the mysterious Crow Folk who haunt Erin.
The Otherworld threatens to overwhelm the main focus of this story --- the realm of Erin and its inhabitants, including our heroes. The pacing of A SONG OF FLIGHT would have been improved greatly by adding in more court intrigue and focusing less on the magical realm. It’s okay to leave the actual nature of the Otherworld ambiguous, but only if it remains on the sidelines.
By putting it front and center with the kingdom of Erin itself and never fully exploring the rules and livelihoods of the Otherworld, Marillier ends an otherwise good book on a humdrum note.
Teaser
Bard and fighter Liobhan is always ready for a challenge. So when news arrives at Swan Island that the prince of Dalriada has gone missing after an assault by both masked men and the sinister Crow Folk, she's eager to act. While Liobhan and her fellow Swan Island warriors seek answers to the prince's disappearance, the bard Brocc, Liobhan's brother, finds himself in dire trouble. His attempts to communicate with the Crow Folk have led him down a perilous path. When Liobhan and her comrades are sent to the rescue, it becomes clear that the two missions are connected --- and a great mystery unfolds. What brought the Crow Folk to Erin? And who seeks to use them in an unscrupulous bid for power?
Promo
Bard and fighter Liobhan is always ready for a challenge. So when news arrives at Swan Island that the prince of Dalriada has gone missing after an assault by both masked men and the sinister Crow Folk, she's eager to act. While Liobhan and her fellow Swan Island warriors seek answers to the prince's disappearance, the bard Brocc, Liobhan's brother, finds himself in dire trouble. His attempts to communicate with the Crow Folk have led him down a perilous path. When Liobhan and her comrades are sent to the rescue, it becomes clear that the two missions are connected --- and a great mystery unfolds. What brought the Crow Folk to Erin? And who seeks to use them in an unscrupulous bid for power?
About the Book
A young warrior who wields both the power of her music and the strength of her sword faces a grave threat in this enthralling historical fantasy.
Bard and fighter Liobhan is always ready for a challenge. So when news arrives at Swan Island that the prince of Dalriada has gone missing after an assault by both masked men and the sinister Crow Folk, she's eager to act.
While Liobhan and her fellow Swan Island warriors seek answers to the prince's disappearance, the bard Brocc, Liobhan's brother, finds himself in dire trouble. His attempts to communicate with the Crow Folk have led him down a perilous path. When Liobhan and her comrades are sent to the rescue, it becomes clear that the two missions are connected --- and a great mystery unfolds.
What brought the Crow Folk to Erin? And who seeks to use them in an unscrupulous bid for power? As Liobhan and Brocc investigate, it will take all their strength and will to continue pursuing the truth. With the safety of their loved ones in the balance, the risks they must take may cost them everything.
Audiobook available; read by Alex Wyndham, Moira Quirk and Phillip Battley
