Hallo, Hallo dear hearts!
A wee short bit of time ago – there came into my Inbox a curious little invitation about celebrating #FantasyReads for a properly lit #FantasyForChristmas celebration headlining authors through Prism Book Tours. As [2018] became the year I reclaimed my inner #fantasynerd whilst co-hosting the first annual #WyrdAndWonder event – I decided to participate – sorting through the authors and sorting out which days I wanted to host their introductions to their fantastical worlds – however, this particular novelist (Ms Adams) snuck past me and when I saw a chance to listen to the first chapter of “Orphan’s Song” if you joined her author’s newsletter – wells, let’s just say, I didn’t hesitate to sign-on!
I’ve been keen on sourcing more audiobooks to fetch throughout the New Year [2019] as I continue to try to offset my readings in print with listening to worlds in audiobook! What happened was rather magical – as I personally *adore!* how the author is narrating her own story! So much so, I dared to hope she’s recorded the full audiobook adaptation and perhaps, one day I can listen to it in full!
I have the tendency to forget about ‘Christian Fantasy’ as its own unique niche of literature, as I generally look at Fantasy from a wider angle and lens – I’m more Tolkien than I could ever be a follower of CS Lewis – (for instance) and the novelist who cut my teeth into High Fantasy / Epic Fantasy worlds was Kate Elliott with her Crown of Stars Saga; a series I need to re-visit one year whenever I am able to sort out which book contains the books as I never did read it in full after having *loved!* the beginnings! A quirk I am sure most booklovers can attest as being something that happens whilst we’re reading & discovering new stories. We don’t always get to finish the series we’ve begun – which in of itself is one of the reasons I’m joining the Backlist Challenge in [2019].
I don’t limit myself to INSPY Reads even though I have been a hybrid reader of both INSPY and mainstream fiction since I first started sorting out my reading life as a nine year old fourth grader as that was the year I started to :love: reading despite feeling up til then reading was a bit of a thorn in my side. Most dyslexics I am sure share a similar affinity for reading until they sort out their own path into these incredibly layered worlds of imagination! I love moving between both sections of literature – there is something for me in both branches *but!* as said, I tend to overlook the Fantasy, Sci-Fi and Speculative realms as sometimes I feel they go a bit overboard for what I’m seeking – hence, why today, I was thankful to read the approach of Ms Adams publisher! They write #SpecFic both ways – for those who want ‘more’ centreing on INSPY narratives and those of us who like narratives which are influenced by Christianity but are not overly intensive to where the world building itself suffers. In essence, its the best of both worlds for me – as I love cleaner reads, non-explicit worlds and a layering of epic quests which Fantasy is renown to have inclusive!
Whenever I get the JOY of finding a new publisher whose writing the kind of stories I’m keen on reading, I love *celebrating!* that find with my readers! Therefore, as I was originally meant to kick-off my #FantasyForChristmas spotlights on the 2nd, before our schedule was moved forward by a day – I decided to treat myself to see what this series was about and found something rather extraordinary when I listened to the audiobook sampler!
Plus, I spied a gryphon – which brought back why I have been itching to start reading Jess Owen’s The Summer King series! It isn’t often I find myself intrigued by a Fantasy series such as this one and I am thankful to be part of the Prism blogger team to take part in this lovely showcase as December starts to arrive bringing with it a lovely respite of #awesomereads!
Published by: Enclave Publishing (@EnclaveBooks)
an imprint of Gilead Publishing
(owned by Steve Laube of The Steve Laube Agency)
Songkeepers Chronicles:
Orphan’s Song (book one) | add to LibraryThing
Published: 14th October, 2016 | ISBN: 978-1683700289
HER SOLO IS A DEATH SENTENCE
Deep within the world of Leira flows a melody that was sung at the beginning of time by Emhran, the Master Singer. Now it is broken, buried, forgotten. But in each generation, a Songkeeper arises to uphold the memory of the Song against those who want it silenced forever.
When Birdie first hears the Song coming from her own mouth, her world shatters. She is no longer simply an orphan but the last of a hunted people. Forced to flee for her life, she must decide whom to trust—a traveling peddler, a streetwise thief, or a mysterious creature who claims to know her past.
With enemies at her heels and war threatening to tear her homeland apart, Birdie soon discovers an overwhelming truth: the fate of Leira may hinge on one orphan’s Song.
Songkeeper (book two) | add to LibraryThing
Published: 15th April, 2016 | ISBN: 978-1621840695
WAR RAVAGES LEIRA AND THE SONG HAS FALLEN SILENT.
Freed from the hold of a slave ship, Birdie, the young Songkeeper, and Ky, a street-wise thief, emerge to a world at war. Hordes of dark soldiers march across Leira, shadowed by whispers of plague and massacres, prompting Ky to return to his besieged home city in hopes of leading his fellow runners to safety.
Desperate to end the fighting, Birdie embarks on a dangerous mission into the heart of the Takhran’s fortress. Legend speaks of a mythical spring buried within and the Songkeeper who will one day unleash it to achieve victory. Everyone believes Birdie is the one, but the elusive nature of the Song and rumors of other gifted individuals lead her to doubt her role. Unleashing the spring could defeat the Takhran once and for all, but can she truly be the Songkeeper when the Song no longer answers her call?
Song of Leira (book three) | add to LibraryThing
Published: 5th June, 2018 | ISBN: 978-1683700869
THE SONG BIDS HER RISE TO BATTLE.
Reeling from her disastrous foray into the Pit, Birdie, the young Songkeeper, retreats into the mountains. But in the war-torn north, kneeling on bloodstained battlefields to sing the souls of the dying to rest, her resolve to accept her calling is strengthened. Such evil cannot go unchallenged.
Torn between oaths to protect the Underground runners and to rescue his friend from the slave camps, Ky Huntyr enlists Birdie’s aid. Their mission to free the captives unravels the horrifying thread connecting the legendary spring, Artair’s sword, and the slave camps. But the Takhran’s schemes are already in motion. Powerful singers have arisen to lead his army—singers who can shake the earth and master the sea—and monsters rampage across the land.
As Leira falters on the verge of defeat, the Song bids her rise to battle, and the Songkeeper must answer.
Converse via: #FantasyForChristmas, #FantasyNerd and #EpicFantasy
About Gillian Bronte Adams
Gillian Bronte Adams is a sword-wielding, horse-riding, wander-loving fantasy author, rarely found without a coffee in hand and rumored to pack books before clothes when she hits the road. Working in youth ministry left her with a passion for journeying alongside children and teens. (It also enhanced her love of coffee.) Now, she writes novels that follow outcast characters down broken roads, through epic battles, and onward to adventure. And at the end of a long day of typing, she can be found saddling her wild thing and riding off into the sunset, seeking adventures of her own (and more coffee).
