Hallo, Hallo dear hearts!
In keeping with the tradition of my #blogmas featured spotlights on Fantasy novels I wish to be reading – it would appear I have a new corner of INSPY to sink inside throughout the New Year as today’s featured series is also under the Inspirational umbrella of Fantasy! I’ll be moving outside of Fantasy showcases for #blogmas once #FantasyForChristmas concludes, as I have a few guest features and other spotlights planned – however, for now, I am enjoying my journey into an unknown corner of literature wherein the worlds of the fantastical take-on a new dimension of interest for me and others who are seeking out cleaner reads with dramatic depths of world-building & story-telling.
This particular series interested me as I was curious about swords & songs previously – there are other works in Fantasy I’ve stumbled across which talk about this particular gift of the sword – where the swords sing or they have a song attached to them – each writer enters the discussion of the sword differently and thereby, even if they explore a similar theme, the stories themselves remain wholly unique unto themselves!
As this is another new publisher I haven’t come across previously, I decided to see if they had other selections in Fantasy but only found this series listed. I’m not sure if they were testing to see if they wanted to publish more stories of this nature or if it was a one-off; they seem to focus more on their Non-Fiction releases. Of the three cover art designs, my favourites are the first and third; there is something about the second which seemed off a bit to me – I think the effect fell flat for my liking as it seemed to be more sword & sorcery than fantasy; as it seemed like a battle scene rather than a sword which was reverberating sound. It is a story about war – so that did feel rather apt, but the other covers were focusing more on the thread of interest which connects the series together, so I was surprised this one cover seemed to step out of the synchronicity of the other two.
I, apparently, have a particular eye for finding sagas – as this one feels like a heady one to read – where it will become as expansive as Tolkien’s Middle Earth in some places, and as dramatic as any High Fantasy series I’ve come across previously. It will be interesting to see how it plays out and how the details go into the edgier bits of the series.
If you love reading Fantasy stories of this kind, what are some authors you can point me towards which will also involve swords & magical gifts which are a hefty part of the story-line?
Published by: THINK
an imprint of NavPress (@NavPress)
Converse via: #FantasyForChristmas, #FantasyNerd and #SongOfSeare
The Song of Seare series:
Oath of the Brotherhood (book one) | add to LibraryThing
Published: 1st May, 2014 | ISBN: 978-1612915876
In a kingdom where the Old Ways hold fast and a man’s worth lies entirely in his skill with the sword, Conor Mac Nir is a scholar, a musician, and a follower of the forbidden Balian faith: problematic for any man, but disastrous for the son of the king.
When Conor is sent as a hostage to a neighboring kingdom, he never expects to fall in love with the rival king’s sister, Aine. Nor does he suspect his gift with the harp (and Aine’s ability to heal) touches on the realm of magic. Then his clan begins a campaign to eliminate all Balians from the isle of Seare, putting his newfound home in peril and entangling him in a plot for control of the island that has been unfolding since long before his birth.
Only by committing himself to an ancient warrior brotherhood can Conor discover the part he’s meant to play in Seare’s future. But is he willing to sacrifice everything―even the woman he loves―to follow the path his God has laid before him?
The Sword and the Song (book two) | Add to LibraryThing
Beneath the Forsaken City (book three) | Add to LibraryThing
Enjoy reading an extract
from “Oath of the Brotherhood”:
King Galbraith had always loomed large in Conor’s memory, but he had chalked it up to a child’s outsized perceptions. Now, he realized his memories were accurate. Clad in a wolf’s-fur cloak with the steel crown of kingship upon his brow, the king nearly filled the throne. His waist-length hair, brown-blond like Conor’s, fell in warrior’s braids over his shoulder, and several plaits decorated his long beard. Beside him stood Lord Riocárd, Galbraith’s champion and captain of the guard, bearing the sword of kingship. The captain was a formidable man in his own right, fierce-eyed and broad-shouldered, but even he was dwarfed in his lord’s presence.
Conor looked away before his eyes could betray his anxiety—into the face of the only man he feared as much as his father. Lord Fergus, the king’s tanist, was an older, paunchier version of Galbraith, and he made the king seem downright warm by comparison. He took Conor in, a slow, predatory smile spreading across his face.
Beside him, a second man scrutinized him as one would observe an insect through glass, emotionless. The druid himself. Conor suppressed another shudder at the symbols of dark power tattooed on his neck and hands.
“Come here, boy,” Galbraith said. “Let me see you.”
Conor tore his eyes away from the observers and moved forward to kneel on the lowest step, his eyes downcast. He pressed his trembling hands together in front of him.
“Look at me!”
He jerked his head up and stared forward while the king’s gaze roamed over him.
One corner of Galbraith’s mouth twisted in displeasure. “Tell me, have you started your training yet?”
Conor swallowed hard. “What training would that be, sir?”
“Don’t be clever with me. You know to what I refer. Sword, bow, spear.”
“No, my lord.” Conor’s voice came out strangled, forced from his constricted throat.
“Then what exactly have you been doing for the last nine years?”
“Studying, my lord.”
“Studying?” Galbraith’s tone changed, a note of curiosity in it.
Conor’s heart lifted slightly. “Aye, my lord. History, mathematics, literature, astronomy, law, languages—”
“What languages?”
“I can read and write the common tongue, as well as Ciraean, Levantine, and Norin. My Melandran is passable, and I know a bit of the Odlum runes.”
Galbraith stared at him for a long moment. The hall fell silent but for the crackle of torches and the occasional rustle of a lady’s gown, every eye riveted on the spectacle before them. Then, in one swift movement, Galbraith reached over and ripped the sword from the scabbard in Riocárd’s hands. The ring of metal echoed in the hall as the blade stopped a fraction of an inch before Conor’s eyes.
“The only language our enemies understand is the language of the sword.”
I was not a bit surprised how Conor’s studies were viewed as invaluable – as during this period of history (even if it is a Fantasy novel, there is a period of history similar to this one) the way you were with a sword was your currency. If you could defend yourself and go into battle independent of others and pull your own weight – you were valuable. The fact he is a learned young man in a time where swords & magic ran rampant was quite unusual.
Part of the demeanor of this exchange reminded me of passages within the Guinevere Tales trilogy – the final installment I shall be discussing on my blog at the end of December, just before New Year. I had to smile recognising the attributes which linked the two series in my mind but also, how this extract only hints of the path Conor must undertake. It is a small glimpse into a wider world – similar of course, how I felt hooked into Guinevere’s story as well.
There are some stories which feel slightly larger than their appearance – it would be interesting to follow in-step with Conor and the other characters to see what befalls them and of course, what they can overcome which has the odds against their success.
About C.E. Laureano
C.E. Laureano’s love of fantasy began with a trip through a magical wardrobe, and she has never looked back. She’s happiest when her day involves martial arts, swords, and a well-choreographed fight scene, though when pressed, she’ll admit to a love of theater and travel as well. Appropriately, she’s wife to a martial arts master and mom to two black belt/musician sons. They live in Denver, Colorado, where they are owned by a cat.
This blog tour is courtesy of: Prism Book Tours
Click through via the badge to find out what else awaits you! Especially as this is a special tour featuring Christmas SURPRISES for readers who LOVE a stuffed stocking!
Each day, a new author is showcased – I selected the authors I wanted to feature ahead of time, however, Ms Adams either snuck past my purview and/or she wasn’t yet confirmed – I’m so thankful to have had a second chance of becoming introduced to her series – as I’m already seeking it via interlibrary loan at my local library!
Similar to blog tours where I feature book reviews, as I choose to highlight an author via a Guest Post, Q&A, Interview, etc., I do not receive compensation for featuring supplemental content on my blog. I provide the questions for interviews and topics for the guest posts; wherein I receive the responses back from publicists and authors directly. I am naturally curious about the ‘behind-the-scenes’ of stories and the writers who pen them; I have a heap of joy bringing this content to my readers.
{SOURCES: Cover art of “Oath of the Brotherhood”, “The Sword and the Song”, “Beneath the Forsaken City”, the extract from “Oath of the Brotherhood”, the author’s photo and biography, blog tour banner and The Prism Book Tours badge were all provided by Prism Book Tours and used with permission. Post dividers and My Thoughts badge by Fun Stuff for Your Blog via Pure Imagination. Tweets embedded by codes provided by Twitter. Blog graphics created by Jorie via Canva: Stories in the Spotlight banner and the Comment Box Banner.}
Copyright © Jorie Loves A Story, 2018.
Leave a Reply