Song of the Sword
Author: Edward Willett
Series: Shards of Excalibur (#1)
Publisher: Lobster Press
How Received: publisher ARC
Ariane Forsythe’s life is in turmoil. Two years ago, her mother disappeared. She bounced from foster home to foster home until her aunt finally took her in. An outsider at her new school, Ariane quickly becomes the target of group of girls that is determined to make her miserable. And to top it all off, she is having frightening premonitions, and they are becoming more intense. The moment water touches her skin, she sees visions of a lake, a lady, and a sword.
After getting suspended for fighting with the clique’s ringleader, Ariane sneaks out early the next morning so she won’t be around when the school calls her aunt. She makes her way to the fog-enshrouded banks of Regina’s Wascana Lake, where she hears the water singing to her and sees a mysterious glow. The water parts, revealing a staircase that leads beneath the surface, where the Lady of the Lake awaits. Ariane learns that she is heir to the Lady’s power, and soon the stories she thought were legend become a real life nightmare. She and her unexpected companion, Wally Knight, are charged with finding the scattered shards of Excalibur before Merlin can get his hands on them. The infamous magician, known in this world as software tycoon Rex Major, is trying to recover the pieces of Arthur’s sword so he can reforge it and restore his limitless power. Suddenly, Ariane’s life seems to have a purpose and a clear direction – but how can a troubled teen and her brainy sidekick outwit the ancient, ruthless sorcerer?
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I love Arthurian based stories. King Arthur and Guinevere are one of my favorite couples in history - well, until Lancelot comes in; Merlin is freaking amazing; Morgan le Fay is my favorite villainess ever; The Lady of the Lake is my favorite mystery lady.
Needless to say, when this was offered, it didn't take me too long to agree to review it.
I thought, for the concept that was being used, it was very well done indeed. I'm never going to be a fan of evil Merlin. I love Merlin far too much. But I thought Willett did an excellent job here - it's not that Merlin is evil so much as stuck in at time that's not his own, with an idea that he doesn't consider evil.
It just kind of happens to be.
I like Ariana - she's got quite a bit of personality and spunk, and I like that. I wish she didn't get a hold of her powers quite so fast, but hey, she was pressed for time. Wally is definitley my favorite character. He's got a bit of King Arthur potential, but he's so very quirky. He fences. I like him. And I sense his sister becoming a bit of a Morgan le Fay character, which should prove to be entertaining.
All in all, it was very well executed - nothing compared to some of the other Arthurian novels I've read, but hey, it makes a fun read.
Overall Rating & Final Comments: 7/10. Quirky characters make it a fun read, but there's nothing particularly memorable about it.
The Lost Years of Merlin or Song of the Sword?: I ADORE T.A. Barron. He's one of my favorite authors ever. So if it came down to picking one of the two Merlin based novels - both of similar length - I'd have to recommend The Lost Years of Merlin.