Synopsis
A fantasy epic of freedom and empire, gods and monsters, love, loyalty, honour, and betrayal, from the acclaimed author of GODBLIND.
For generations, the forests of Ixachipan have echoed with the clash of weapons, as nation after nation has fallen to the Empire of Songs – and to the unending, magical music that binds its people together. Now, only two free tribes remain.
The Empire is not their only enemy. Monstrous, scaled predators lurk in rivers and streams, with a deadly music of their own.
As battle looms, fighters on both sides must decide how far they will go for their beliefs and for the ones they love – a veteran general seeks peace through war, a warrior and a shaman set out to understand their enemies, and an ambitious noble tries to bend ancient magic to her will.
Review
I have to start by confessing that I first read this book when it was initially released and I was absolutely blown away (and on tenterhooks waiting for Book 2), but the sequel ended up buried in the depths of my TBR list for so long that I ended up deciding to reread the whole series when the final book was out. So it feels right that I should come back and write a review for the complete series now I’ve finished.
The Stone Knife is set on a continent dominated by a vast empire that has been gradually conquering its way across the jungles until only two free tribes remain. We follow a multitude of viewpoints both inside and outside the empire and I found them all equally compelling, especially Xessa (and her dog sidekick, Ossa), Tayan and Lilla. The character relationships were well-drawn, which added so much more to the stakes and tension throughout as the varied characters fought to maintain their status or their freedom, depending on which side of the conflict they were on. I especially loved how diverse the world was, with central queer relationships and disability representation throughout.
The world building is creative and rich yet written in such an accessible way that I felt utterly immersed. I wouldn’t call this story grimdark, but the concept of an empire which unites its citizens under an eternal, ceaseless magical song is so cool and so creepy. There’s literally no escaping the song, anywhere in the empire, and those details brilliantly emphasise the themes of colonialism and conquest. I was also fascinated and horrified by the Drowned, murderous water-dwelling predators that one culture reveres as gods while the other views as dangerous monsters.
Mostly, I’m impressed with Anna Stephens’s ability to explore dark themes while keeping an undercurrent of hope throughout the story and within the central character relationships. This is everything I look for in epic fantasy and I’m seriously stoked to delve into the sequels.
Synopsis
The Empire of Songs reigns supreme. Across all the lands of Ixachipan, its hypnotic, magical music sounds. Those who battled against the Empire have been enslaved and dispersed, taken far from their friends and their homes.
In the Singing City, Xessa must fight for the entertainment of her captors. Lilla and thousands of warriors are trained to serve as weapons for their enemies. And Tayan is trapped at the heart of the Empire’s power and magic, where the ruthless Enet’s ambition is ever growing.
Each of them harbours a secret hope, waiting for a chance to strike at the Empire from within.
But first they must overcome their own desires. Power can seduce as well as crush. And, in exchange for their loyalty, the Empire promises much.
Review
The second book in the Songs of the Drowned series is just as compelling, heart-wrenching and brutal as the first.
The empire has achieved its goal of conquering the entire continent, but not everyone is happy with the situation. Not just the conquered peoples, but there are conflicts within the empire itself and the author did a brilliant job of exploring all the various power dynamics and forces grappling for control.
A lot of our favourite characters are now enslaved and separated from one another, forced to make heart-breaking decisions for their own survival or that of their loved ones. We see the characters resisting in small and big ways, even if it’s just trying to maintain a sense of autonomy in the face of the brutal, all-consuming song, which literally shapes their desires according to what the empire itself wants. Some of the characters don’t even have privacy over their own thoughts and emotions, and we see them struggling to maintain their sense of self and of their prior loyalties to their tribes in the face of the insidious nature of the empire’s magic.
At the centre of everything is the creepy Singer, the centre of the empire’s magic, who has been consumed by a desire for violence that spreads throughout the empire as a whole. Throughout the novel, the tension is palpable and the pace gripping. I really admire how the author is able to keep the stakes high without losing sight of the human relationships that really make this series sing. Pun intended.
And with that brutal cliffhanger of an ending, I’m really glad I have Book 3 ready to start right away!
Synopsis
Ixachipan is in flames.
Rebellion rages in every land and across every hill as the Empire of Songs battles to maintain control, but nowhere more fiercely than in the Singing City itself. In the great pyramid at its heart, Shadow Tayan faces the awful consequences of his actions, and their seductive possibilities.
In the city streets, Xessa and Lilla lead their warriors in increasingly desperate battles, their unity riven by betrayal and deception, while far to the north, Whisper Ilandeh discovers the freedom – and obligation – in making her own choices.
But war is fickle, and so are people. Sometimes, the only peace possible is that bought with blood and lies.
And when vengeance sings, the choices made will determine whether the flames of war are fanned – or drowned.
Review
As the Empire of Songs erupts into full-scale rebellion, the Songs of the Drowned trilogy comes to a brutal and bloody conclusion. I dove straight into this final volume anticipating that I’d get my heart ripped out, and it’s safe to say that my expectations were met.
I’m incredibly impressed at Anna Stephens’s ability to create nuanced and morally complex characters who elicit sympathy even when they make heart-wrenchingly terrible choices. There’s plenty of double-crossing, betrayal, and deception that kept me breathlessly turning the pages as the story rolled onward. The politicking and backstabbing continue amid the bloody battles as the various forces struggle for supremacy, and there were some twists I didn’t see coming as the secrets of the empire and its magic are finally exposed.
I’m still in awe of the author’s skill at creating a living and breathing world that feels as real as its many-layered characters. There’s just the right level of detail to immerse the reader without slowing the pace or undermining the tension. The violence and brutality also feel organic to the setting and not gratuitous, and the author’s exploration of hard-hitting themes offers questions but no easy answers.
It’s safe to say this dark epic fantasy series has earned a place on my list of all-time favourites, and I’ll be first in line to buy whatever Stephens writes next!
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