The Book of Eador, Abjurations 12:14, is very clear: Suffer ye not the life of a witch. For a thousand years, the Church Knights have obeyed that commandment, sending to the stake anyone who can hear the songs of the earth. There are no exceptions, not even for one of their own.
Novice Knight Gair can hear music no one else can, beautiful, terrible music: music with power. In the Holy City, that can mean only one thing: death by fire--until an unlikely intervention gives him a chance to flee the city and escape the flames.
With the Church Knights and their witchfinder hot on his heels, Gair hasn't time to learn how to use the power growing inside him, but if he doesn't master it, that power will tear him apart. His only hope is the secretive Guardians of the Veil, though centuries of persecution have almost destroyed their Order, and the few Guardians left have troubles of their own.
For the Veil between worlds is weakening, and behind it, the Hidden Kingdom, ever-hungry for dominion over the daylight realm, is stirring. Though he is far from ready, Gair will find himself fighting for his own life, for everyone within the Order of the Veil, and for the woman he has come to love.
From Booklist
Orphaned as a newborn, Gair was raised in the Holy City by the church. Although he respects and believes the church’s teachings, he hides a dark secret: he hears the music of the earth. There are those who believe the music of the earth is natural, intertwined with the fabric of creation, and others who believe those who hear the music must be burned at the stake as witches for the sake of creation. However, unknown to each side, the Veil between kingdoms is weakening and will soon undergo an assault by a very dangerous mage turned reiver. Gair’s power is strong, and he stands positioned to either be humanity’s savior or its condemnation. Will the respected mages judge him capable to work the power of earth, fire, air, and water, or will dark magic infiltrate his mind and tear him apart from the inside out? Drawing on themes from many popular fantasy works leads to a formulaic story arc; however, this is an engaging first installment from a new author. --Alison Downs
Review
It's an incredible example of the genre and feels fresh, with a vibrant air, characters that come alive in the pages and walk through a world that is both detailed and imaginative... I simply can't rate this novel high enough it's a nigh-on perfect taste of high fantasy. -- Antony Jones SFBOOKREVIEWS blog
This sequel to Songs of the Earth by Elspeth Cooper continues the story of a young man who has been sentenced to death, and then exiled, for his magical abilities.
As Gair struggles with grief over the loss of the only home he had known, and his beloved, he is walking into a conflict that's greater and more deadly than he or his mentor ever anticipated. A storm of unrest is spreading across the land and they are going to be caught up in it -- at a moment when Gair's hold on his magic, his greatest defense and most valuable tool, is starting to slip….
In Elspeth Cooper's Songs of the Earth, The Book of Eador, Abjurations 12:14, is very clear: Suffer ye not the life of a witch. For a thousand years, the Church Knights have obeyed that commandment, sending to the stake anyone who can hear the songs of the earth. There are no exceptions, not even for one of their own.
Novice Knight Gair can hear music no one else can, beautiful, terrible music: music with power. In the Holy City, that can mean only one thing: death by fire-until an unlikely intervention gives him a chance to flee the city and escape the flames.
With the Church Knights and their witchfinder hot on his heels, Gair hasn't time to learn how to use the power growing inside him, but if he doesn't master it, that power will tear him apart. His only hope is the secretive Guardians of the Veil, though centuries of persecution have almost destroyed their Order, and the few Guardians left have troubles of their own.
For the Veil between worlds is weakening, and behind it, the Hidden Kingdom, ever-hungry for dominion over the daylight realm, is stirring. Though he is far from ready, Gair will find himself fighting for his own life, for everyone within the Order of the Veil, and for the woman he has come to love.
Description:
The Book of Eador, Abjurations 12:14, is very clear: Suffer ye not the life of a witch. For a thousand years, the Church Knights have obeyed that commandment, sending to the stake anyone who can hear the songs of the earth. There are no exceptions, not even for one of their own.
Novice Knight Gair can hear music no one else can, beautiful, terrible music: music with power. In the Holy City, that can mean only one thing: death by fire--until an unlikely intervention gives him a chance to flee the city and escape the flames.
With the Church Knights and their witchfinder hot on his heels, Gair hasn't time to learn how to use the power growing inside him, but if he doesn't master it, that power will tear him apart. His only hope is the secretive Guardians of the Veil, though centuries of persecution have almost destroyed their Order, and the few Guardians left have troubles of their own.
For the Veil between worlds is weakening, and behind it, the Hidden Kingdom, ever-hungry for dominion over the daylight realm, is stirring. Though he is far from ready, Gair will find himself fighting for his own life, for everyone within the Order of the Veil, and for the woman he has come to love.
From Booklist
Orphaned as a newborn, Gair was raised in the Holy City by the church. Although he respects and believes the church’s teachings, he hides a dark secret: he hears the music of the earth. There are those who believe the music of the earth is natural, intertwined with the fabric of creation, and others who believe those who hear the music must be burned at the stake as witches for the sake of creation. However, unknown to each side, the Veil between kingdoms is weakening and will soon undergo an assault by a very dangerous mage turned reiver. Gair’s power is strong, and he stands positioned to either be humanity’s savior or its condemnation. Will the respected mages judge him capable to work the power of earth, fire, air, and water, or will dark magic infiltrate his mind and tear him apart from the inside out? Drawing on themes from many popular fantasy works leads to a formulaic story arc; however, this is an engaging first installment from a new author. --Alison Downs
Review
It's an incredible example of the genre and feels fresh, with a vibrant air, characters that come alive in the pages and walk through a world that is both detailed and imaginative... I simply can't rate this novel high enough it's a nigh-on perfect taste of high fantasy. -- Antony Jones SFBOOKREVIEWS blog
This sequel to Songs of the Earth by Elspeth Cooper continues the story of a young man who has been sentenced to death, and then exiled, for his magical abilities.
As Gair struggles with grief over the loss of the only home he had known, and his beloved, he is walking into a conflict that's greater and more deadly than he or his mentor ever anticipated. A storm of unrest is spreading across the land and they are going to be caught up in it -- at a moment when Gair's hold on his magic, his greatest defense and most valuable tool, is starting to slip….
In Elspeth Cooper's Songs of the Earth, The Book of Eador, Abjurations 12:14, is very clear: Suffer ye not the life of a witch. For a thousand years, the Church Knights have obeyed that commandment, sending to the stake anyone who can hear the songs of the earth. There are no exceptions, not even for one of their own.
Novice Knight Gair can hear music no one else can, beautiful, terrible music: music with power. In the Holy City, that can mean only one thing: death by fire-until an unlikely intervention gives him a chance to flee the city and escape the flames.
With the Church Knights and their witchfinder hot on his heels, Gair hasn't time to learn how to use the power growing inside him, but if he doesn't master it, that power will tear him apart. His only hope is the secretive Guardians of the Veil, though centuries of persecution have almost destroyed their Order, and the few Guardians left have troubles of their own.
For the Veil between worlds is weakening, and behind it, the Hidden Kingdom, ever-hungry for dominion over the daylight realm, is stirring. Though he is far from ready, Gair will find himself fighting for his own life, for everyone within the Order of the Veil, and for the woman he has come to love.
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