Review: #781
Title: Song Quest
Series: The Echorium Sequence - 1st book
Author: Katherine Roberts
Comments: Song Quest is set in a world dominated by Singers. They can sing one of five songs of power but while people are afraid of their power, the Singers keep their distance living on an isolated isle. They hold great political power and use their powers for good. The plot follows Rialle, a novice but things quickly spiral out of control when another novice, Kherron, and Rialle’s rival, ends up doing no good. Rialle awakens a power and is allowed to travel with the Second Singer out of the isle on a diplomatic mission, opening her eyes with all the experiences of the world. While this is a deep rich world, it comes at a heavy cost since most of the novel is spent building it. The essential plot elements lead to a simplistic story, which, while still good, becomes predictable and unsurprising. The perspectives constantly shift from Rialle and Kherron, and throughout it all, you are waiting until the moment whether their paths cross once again. Unfortunately, the two perspectives, rather than complementing each other, can feel discrete at times. The ending was good albeit messy with its conclusion on the villain and the fates of its protagonists. Perhaps, the main criticism is despite its best efforts, Song Quest seems to lack certain cleverness in its plot.
Rating: 6/10