Yorien's Hand

The Minstrel's Song #3

by Jenelle Leanne Schmidt

The years of Oraeyn’s short rule have been peaceful, but now ominous nightmares plague his sleep and cling to him during his waking hours. When two of his most trusted advisors disappear without a trace and not even the power of dragons can locate them, the fell promise of the king’s nightmares becomes reality.

From the furthest reaches of the world, an ancient enemy stirs. Stretching beyond his crumbling prison walls, this foe seeks to bring life to the darkest of shadows. His army marches towards Aom-igh with deadly intent, threatening all Oraeyn holds dear.

Aided by dragons, and with the warrior Brant and Princess Kamarie at his side, Oraeyn must journey into the wilds of a forgotten realm. Trusting in the wisdom and skill of the enigmatic minstrel, Kiernan Kane, the companions race against time in search of Yorien’s Hand, a relic that may hold the power to save them all.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Dragons, Christian

364 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 11, 2016

About the author

Come along with me on an epic adventure. We will face dragons (we might even ride them), we will pilot airships. We will fight villains. We will join a pirate crew. We will wield magical swords. We will fight the forces of evil.

And we will be home in time for dinner.

But we will not go home unchanged.

Fantastical adventures ahead! But be warned:
Safe Return Doubtful!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

During the days, I wrangle four small hobbits and help them along on their adventures.

Basically, I'm Gandalf.

But come evenings, when the hobbits are sleeping... I become my alter-ego: PLOT WIZARD (still a wizard, just a different kind)... and adventures await in the pages I scribble upon.

I'm a dreamer, a relentless opener of doors in the hope of someday finding passage to Narnia, and story girl.

I love hanging out on Goodreads, but it's not the best for actual conversation. If you want to chat books with me, come find me on instagram: @JenelleLSchmidt or at my blog: https://jenelleschmidt.com/blog

Reviews

[deborah o'carroll (offline during 2026) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Re-read August 2017

I loved it the first time BUT IT WAS EVEN MORE AMAZING ON RE-READ. Especially now that I'd read the first two books, and love all the characters SO MUCH!!!

THIS BOOK THOUGH. <333 *hugs it forever* I laughed, I cried--it moved me, Bob. I LOVE IT SO MUCH.

AND BRANT. BRAAAAAAANT!!!! AND KIERNAN KANE AND ALL THE CHARACTERS I LOVE, AND THE FANTASY AND DRAGONS AND ORIGINALITY AND JUST JUST JUST-- I LOVE. <333 Feels like home! ^____^

Now I need the last book ASAP. *pines for it*

Original review, January 2016

I had no idea what I was getting into when I started this book. I enjoyed it well enough as I read along, completely unsuspecting, until I suddenly realized that somewhere along the way, without noticing the exact moment, I had fallen in love with it. I had been entirely pulled into a rich fantasy adventure in an increasingly wondrous world filled with characters who wrapped themselves around my heart. Let me just say, Yorien's Hand was a fantastic read!

It's been a long time since I've read a true High Fantasy novel, and I had no idea I missed the genre so much until reading this excellent specimen. It was coming home! Aom-igh, Llycaelon, and the rest of Tellurae Aquaous . . . what a wonderful land! With heroic warriors, majestic dragons (oh, how I loved the dragons!) and the occasional unicorn or gryphon . . . fantastic creatures, beautiful magic, a thread of Christian allegory drawn through (loved that!), and of course a darkness to be defeated . . .

The adventure was thrilling and exciting, filled with danger; I was constantly worried for my favorite characters, especially nearing the end there . . . I was on the edge of my seat! Aaah! That climactic ending! I could hardly breathe and was so invested. (I'd say I was flipping pages, but it was an ebook, so I'll say that I couldn't click the ''next'' button fast enough.) It was SO intense and awesome! And then a certain fabulous twist . . . which I LOVED (and sort of guessed at . . . sort of . . . which made it almost better) and just YES. YES YES. I'm torn between feeling satisfied with the ending but also desperate for the next book! (That epilogue!) Minstrel's Call had better come out soon! *flails around a little*

Can we talk about the characters now? Oh my! So many have become favorites of mine! Oraeyn the hero, Princess Kamarie, young King Jemson, brave fighter Devrin, sturdy yet sweet Dylanna, Yole and the awesome dragons, and of course my very favorites, Brant the majestic warrior, and that ever-mysterious minstrel, Kiernan Kane! Though Brant MAY be my favorite (he's just so... awesome! And... strong? I don't even have words for him!), Kiernan Kane intrigues me the most! I'm very curious to learn more about him! Gaah! I just love these characters a lot, okay? ^_^ (Also, I will not give anything away, but a scene in the final chapter involving two certain characters had me laughing out loud and beaming and let's just say I'm basically very very happy right now. *glows*)

The FEEL of this story reminds me of some of my favorite fantasy tales, like those of Tolkien and Lloyd Alexander, while at the same time the story itself feels entirely new and unique. It was told with at times lyrical writing, as Jenelle Leanne Schmidt seems to excel at--with lines that sometimes blew me away or caught at my heart--alternating between beautiful, epic, heartstoppingly perilous, and then sometimes I found myself laughing aloud.

Downsides? I'm trying to think of any, in the interests of being balanced, but really I only have a couple little quibbles--it was mostly so awesome! I did wish that Devrin had gotten more focus, since he seemed to fade away after awhile, while others took more prominence, which made me sad. (But hopefully he'll be in the next one!) Along that line, there was a lot of hopping about between points of view (which I LOVED!) but occasionally, since there were so many, it spent more time with ones I didn't care as much about. And a few times I was confused for a bit, but I usually sorted it out eventually; I think those problems were only because I hadn't read the first books.

That being said, although it's the third book in The Minstrel's Song series, I found Yorien's Hand stood alone fairly well. Of course, now I'm looking forward to reading the book before this one (King's Warrior) as well as the prequel to both (Second Son). I'm intrigued by many of the references to the characters' pasts! Hopefully they will tide me over until the next book (Minstrel's Call) releases!

If you love good clean adventurous fantasy tales with lovable characters, a touch of faith and mysteriousness, a large dose of epicness, and of course majestic dragons, I encourage you to pick up Yorien's Hand! Hopefully it will twine itself around your heart as it did mine. :)

Not to mention, you need Brant and Kiernan Kane in your life. YOU JUST DO! <3

(I received a free advance reader copy of this book from the author in return for my honest review. It was not required to be positive, and these opinions are entirely my own.

Review originally posted on The Road of a Writer: https://deborahocarroll.wordpress.com...)

[Jack Baillot · Rating 5 out of 5]

My review http://howeverimporbable.blogspot.com...

[Claire Banschbach · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yorien’s Hand picks up three years after the events of King’s Warrior. While I loved book 2 in the series, I was really excited to get back to Kamarie and Oraeyn and the people of Aom-igh.

I really liked Oraeyn in book 1 and was really happy to get most of the book from his perspective. Kamarie is one of my favorite female heroines and I was so glad when she got to go on the quest. The characters are all awesome; Brant, Kiernan Kane- the goofy minstrel who is more than he seems, Yole and his fellow dragons, wizardesses, mythical creatures…the list goes on. We got to meet some new characters. I’m really interested to see more of Devrin later on. There were some things hinted at in this book that make me think he’ll have a great story arc later. Possibly not enough of Brant, but I suppose the rest of the story makes up for that. :P

The story itself is along the lines of the standard quest for a magical item to save the country from the evil guy. But it doesn’t feel stale. It’s not drawn out. Note to self- when questing, take a dragon for transportation. :P Stakes are high for the characters. Their countries don’t have the manpower to fight hordes of mythical creatures. Those on the quest have to hurry, everyone else just has to survive long enough for them to succeed.

I really like Jenelle’s magical creatures and worldbuilding. There’s a certain richness to it that lends a fantastic quality to these stories. I really enjoyed Yorien’s Hand and am looking forward to more books in the series. Highly recommended for any fans of fantasy, adventure, and strong themes of friendship. Best for young teens, but anyone will enjoy.

[Kendra Ardnek · Rating 5 out of 5]

I need book 4!!!!

This is my favorite book of the series so far. The characters were amazing, and I enjoyed seeing how they had moved forward from the previous books. World building was amazing, the plot was exciting, although I did foresee the big twist at the end.

I recommend this for any lover of true, epic fantasy, although I suggest that one reads the first two books first.

[Abbey Stellingwerff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yorien's Hand is a fitting sequel to King's Warrior and Second Son. Often, the scale of the cultures and creatures that Jenelle Schmidt has made impressed me. The epicness of this book reminded me of Lord of the Rings. The stakes were so much higher in this book than in King's Warrior, and I can hardly imagine how much worse it will get in the next book! I enjoyed reading the development of the characters that I love and a plot that I am invested in, and I can't wait to start the next book!

[Savannah Jezowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yorien's Hand is an epic adventure that spans continents and a large cast of colorful, likeable characters. I've been looking forward to this third installment ever since it was announced. As always, Ms. Schmidt's world building is incredible. She spins such a detailed, believable web of politics, economics and people that you cannot help but feel you are in a real place. I love her dragons. And watching how her hero grew in this story was very enjoyable--however, I was a little saddened the romance between Kamarie and Oryean (I cannot remember how to spell his name) was so abrupt. In the first book there romance had not even begun. They had developed a strong friendship hinting at romance but nothing more. I was fully expecting to see them actually "fall" in love in this story and was rather disappointed to find out they were already in love and engaged. I also felt that Kamarie's plotline had not been fully developed. I've always thought of her as a main character, but her role in this book felt quite minor. Even her arc struggle at the end felt as if it had been rushed in at the last minute, as an afterthought.

And the plot twists--oh I LOVED the plot twists. Such as, for example, DRAGON WARDS. Eep! I can't say anything more without posting dreadful spoilers, so I will leave it at that. There also new characters introduced in this story that I absolutely loved. Although they pulled time away from the main cast, like Kamarie, I enjoyed them so much I find it hard to even bother mentioning.

Yes, I am eagerly awaiting the fourth installment in this beautiful, epic story.

[Joseph Leskey · Rating 5 out of 5]

A triumph, this book. In general, every single detail is especially well done. The author is very good at setting an ominous/grave/the-world-is-going-to-"end"-and-nothing-can-be-done-about-it-except-maybe-some-things sort of mood. And, of course, characters, plot, setting, magic, and all the rest of it are all nearly perfect, I suppose. And now have my high recommendations. Finis.

[Ally Morcom · Rating 4 out of 5]

King's Warrior introduced us to Tellurae Aquaous and a cast of delightful characters, Second Son gave us a look into its history through the life of one of its most mysterious figures, but Yorien's hand leaves them far behind. Schmidt opens with a profound look into the reflections of a reluctant king, then takes us hurtling into the darkness he will soon face. All of our favorite characters are back, and they have developed a depth and charm beyond even what was present in the first two books. There are heartwarming, tear-jerking, humorous, and suspenseful moments, delivered in a powerful show of literary skill. And at about chapter 20 I lost all ability to put it down.

The book is not without its flaws--the pacing for the first half is a bit slow, and there were one or two out-of-character moments that broke the immersion. I also found myself occasionally skimming interactions between characters, since information that seemed apparent to me was frequently narrated beyond what I thought was necessary. However, I still rate it four stars because it isn't intended for solo adult readers like myself. It's intended as a high-fantasy epic for young readers--The Tolkien for elementary schoolers, if you will--and it does a excellent job of this.

I would argue that this book will shine best read aloud--it has a storyteller's cadence, and lends itself to powerful delivery if the reader is willing. I think families with kids between the ages of about 7 and 12 will enjoy the story the most, but it also offers more consequential rewards as parents discuss with their children some of the profound questions and reflections on power, authority, duty, and love that the story naturally raises in its course. The author shows an excellent understanding of people, and how pressures and decisions affect them, and this, to me, is just as much if not more valuable than its wonderful characters and plot.

*Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Daniel Dydek · Rating 4 out of 5]

One word best describes Yorien’s Hand, I think: EPIC. You want two words? Try “staggeringly epic.”

A whole bunch of your favorite characters from books 1 and 2 come back to play, and they’ve got the whole world to do it in. We’re geared up early for an epic showdown with the Bad Guy, and wowza does Jenelle Schmidt deliver! It’s too easy to say this is the biggest baddest dude and monstrous army ever assembled; it’s another thing entirely to pull it off so that it’s not over in a couple pages. Instead, just the final battle itself takes up almost a fifth of the book—with plenty of preliminary attacks to soften our heroes and try to make them fail. It is truly awesome when a book lives up to its potential in this way.

My gripes were two, and entirely personal: first, because I had read King’s Warrior a little bit longer ago, and since Second Son is a prequel, when Yorien’s Hand picked up where King’s Warrior left off, I knew I should know some (maybe all?) of the characters, but I wasn’t sure—couldn’t quite remember who was who. It seemed odd, to me, to do Book-Prequel-Sequel, but as I look back I can see why Schmidt chose this path and it has a lot of benefits. So, to compensate for my first issue, I would recommend either having a better memory than me, or reading them all in a row. So I’m not taking a star off for that. Second gripe was that the writing still lets me go, sometimes, when the author takes a more languorous route to the point than I feel is truly necessary. Now, she is consistent—after King’s Warrior, this particular aspect just seems to be her writing style. So, while it doesn’t fit me, it may fit you.

Since I reserve five-star ratings for books that completely knock my socks off, I’m giving this one a four just because a little tighter writing style suits me better. Beyond that, I see nothing really detracting from this excellent installment in The Minstrel’s Song series, and I’m definitely looking forward to finishing it off soon!

[Sarah Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I keep wondering what rating I would give this book if I didn't have the first two volumes in mind. Five stars? It's not bad, it just definitely feels weaker than the previous ones.

Just... this was a book slow to start with, catching us up with the characters. And that's fine. But as the book went on, I couldn't quite shake the sense that it didn't feel like much was happening even as plenty of things were definitely happening in the plot.

Finally, as I wondered more than halfway through the book why it hadn't gripped me the way the previous ones had, I asked myself "How many of the characters have actually gone on a development journey in this book."

Oraeyn is the only returning character who really has a proper arc and... well... I have mixed feelings about the ending twist. I won't say more, and I can't say the result is bad, but I find myself wondering why there had to be a twist.

That's not to say there weren't character moments I didn't love. It's sweet to see how they've grown offscreen and how the main characters of the first book have paired off with each other. It's just more of the focus is on world-building and plot events than character growth, and that's not to my taste.

The book ends with a cliffhanger, contrary to the complete ending of the first book... actually, the more I think about it, the more I realize there's a lot left hanging when it comes to certain character's fates. Incomplete and wanting is how I think I will describe this one.

Fife's narration remains excellent as always, no complaints on that front.

[Jim Marsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Compelling Third Installment in YA Epic Fantasy


Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.


Yorien's Hand picks up a couple years after the end of The King's Warrior. If you are new to the series, explanations are given to catch you up on what you missed - but the first two books are each excellent in their own right and help set up this new quest. You can start here and enjoy a wonderful tale - but I think certain beats would strike harder with the additional investment. Once again Jenelle Schmidt packs a lot of punch into the book. This is a complete story unto itself, but it does continue from the events of book 1 and certain events and themes from book 2. It also nicely sets up future book(s.)


An ancient evil has risen and its time to get the band back together again - with some new faces to add to the cast. Each character gets their chance to shine and I love seeing how their relationships (romantic and friendly) have built up during the years. The author is developing quite the world and mythos - particularly as we learn more about the magic and mythological beings that inhabit the world.

There is death and action violence but this book is appropriate for pre-teens and up.

Benjamin Fife gives another commanding performance - both as narrator and voicing the individual characters. He is easy to listen to and he gives beings like dragons powerful, booming voices which is always appreciated.

I look forward to seeing what's next for the denizens of this world.

[C.O. Bonham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of Audio edition.

This is book three in the Minstrel's song series, but you can read it second if you want.
The true second book, Second Son, is a prequel. This makes Yorin's Hand the true sequel. So if you enjoyed King's Warrior, and want to continue the story of those characters, you have my permission to skip book two and read this book.

If I have one complaint, it's that the bad guy isn't as rounded out as the one in the first book was. Grimdorack is generic evil. Sauruman to the main Sauron, if you will.

But we get more Dragons in this book, so I guess it evens out.

I really liked Kamarie in this book, I was afraid her character would have been less proactive after the events of the first book, but she is as stubborn and insistent as ever. Not taking no for an answer.

Be warned that like most epic fantasy it features a lot of POV characters. Maybe more than the first book, if that's possible.

Thankfully Benjamin Fife I'd a seasoned narrator who is good at distinguishing between characters. He does the voices beautifully and is very good at reading description. He is quickly becoming one of my go to narrators.

*I was given a free copy for the purposes of review. i was not required to leave a review, but I did becasue I'm cool like that.This review was my own honest opinion.*

[Paula Dyches · Rating 5 out of 5]

So Good & Hard to Put Down!

These books just get better with each one. Book three brings back many of the characters from the first book that I loved and with more depth. The further I got into this book, the harder it was to put down... In fact I'm now writing this review at 1:15am after finishing it. This series is perfect for any age (clean enough for all but probably 3rd grade & up) that loves large book fantasy sagas like The Lord of the Rings, Fablehaven, The Five Kingdoms, and The Beyonders. They really need to be read in order to get the most out of them and I will absolutely be reading them again. It wrapped up nicely and wasn't really left on a cliffhanger hanger but there definitely was some heavy foreshadowing. I'm really looking forward the where the story goes in the next book,

The narrator does a phenomenal job as always (if not even better on this one)... the maniacal laugh totally got me! It was perfect! He really is one of my favorite narrators, the voice differentiation, accents, and overall acting is all top-notch.

—I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

[Sara Lawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is incredibly underrated. It is epic! I'm not even sure what to compare it to. It's like Prydain, but with a much larger scope and cast, Narnia but more complex, Lord of the Rings but for younger readers. I don't know how to give it justice. But the world that Jenelle has built is fantastic. There are dragons and minstrels, mermaids and sorcerers, kings and high kings, villains, and other great evils. This book was focused on an epic battle spanning multiple countries, revisiting old friends and older legends, and solving mysteries while hinting at greater ones to come. And what adventures to be had in this world! I can't wait to see where book four takes us.

I received a free copy of the audiobook from the narrator who did such a stupendous job with this novel (and all the complicated pronunciations) that I felt swept into this grand tale and I have reviewed it willingly.

[Deborah Klein · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I have now read books 1 and 3 of the series, and I’ve enjoyed both the characters and the stories, I consider the whole tale too derivative. Perhaps someone less familiar with Tolkien wouldn’t notice all the echoes, but I can’t count my readings and re-readings of The Hobbit and LOTR, and where I don’t find those books, I find pieces of other fantasies as well, especially The Ring of Time endless saga.

I give this author credit for one genuinely original character, and that is the Minstrel. I also like the emphasis on true humility, using C. S. Lewis’s definition of humility.

Also, forgive my being nit-picky, but the grammatical consistency fails in places.

Still, I think most readers can enjoy this journey and find encouragement along the way.

[Jennine · Rating 5 out of 5]

MUST HAVE SERIES,GOOD VALUE,GREAT Y.A FANTASY SAGA, 13 hour of non stop clean adventure with characters you will come to love. Wizards, magicians, dragons, unicorns, strong women and courageous boys/men all drawn together in an invisible web that has something to do with the travelling minstrel. I do admire the authors well written story, she held my attention easily, the characters are so real and easy to empathise with. The narration of the audio book was fantastic. I recommend you start this 4 book series at book one so you can know the history behind the kingdoms and their peoples.
RECOMMENDED FOR AGES OVER 10 TO 90.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook: I enjoyed book 3 of "The Minstrel's Song" a lot. The whole series has been entertaining, but each book has been more intense and filled with additional action as the series progressed. I valued the worldbuilding. I appreciated the characters' growth and changes. I liked the diabolical machinations of the enemy. Benjamin Fife's narration was awesome. His oration skills were engaging, and he managed to seem as if he was an actual minstrel telling the listeners a story. I enjoyed the songs. I admired his ability. I honor his skill. I was given a free copy of the audiobook, and I have voluntarily posted this review.

[Carol Brandon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gripping. An ancient evil arises … Will they be able to overcome their doubts, and become all they are meant to be? And what will be the cost? I loved this audiobook – the narration was top-notch, and the plot drew me right in. It was difficult to stop listening! I received a free copy of this book, with no obligation.

[Joanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great series. The world building is wonderful. I love the characters and the interaction within. The flow from book to book is cohesive and you don't get lost in the story even after a while in between books.

[Jeffrey A. Dewey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome

Twists and turns as prophecies are revealed while evil fights to overtake the realms of young kings as the myth-folks emerge.

[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Could be better

Just don't ask me to improve on it. Suffice it to say,the good guys prevail and the enemy is defeated or is he?

[Leda · Rating 5 out of 5]

So far so good. A great third book of the good (light) versus evil (darkness) adventure.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Better than book#2. Easier to follow. Lots of suspense and action. Surprises along the way.

[Celesta Thiessen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of those cases where you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover. This book is actually wonderful!! It took about 23% of the book to get into it because there are so many characters and settings and things tend to jump from scene to scene rather quickly but once I was connected I just really fell in love with the people and the story. Such a beautiful ending <3

[emeraldragonlady (Maddie) · Rating 5 out of 5]

You get to learn more about the minstrel. It’s absolutely puzzling and interesting. An evil threat is very quickly and quietly trying to take over the lands. And somehow the minstrel knows the prophecy/story of what is happening. With the full weight of the gravity of the situation that is now gripping their land the minstrel, king Orean, Brant and a few others all set out on this adventure to find this last hope to save their lands from pure evil taking hold forever. But the minstrel knows this won’t defeat the evil, he will try again… but how will it end this time??
Such an amazing adventure! I definitely want to know what happens next. Benjamin Fife is an amazing narrator! I yet to hear a book he reads and not fall in love with story. He had a wonderful way of bringing the story to life.
If you love fantasy adventures with magic and dragons and kings and knights this is a series for you!

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took me awhile to finish this book, I had trouble getting into it unlike the first two books in the series. This book went between too many characters and it was really hard to keep the flow of the story. Each part was important to the story, but after a page or two I was suddenly somewhere else with someone else. The author never truly gave us a clear idea of who the minstrel was either, he just walked off into the sunset to continue to live on "forever"? Who knows. There were a lot of good parts to the story, but overall it was a hard book to get into and stay into.