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He feels called to be a bard, but his brothers think he's trying to avoid working. She has until summer's end to choose a husband or marry the man her father has chosen.
Fionn is the youngest of seven sons and knows his destiny is to be a bard. But his older brothers think he's wasting his time and want him to start contributing to the household. When the woman he's secretly in love with is promised to his oldest brother, he realises he needs a stable income if he's to convince her to marry him before it's too late.
Agata wants a life of travel and adventure, but her father has decided it's time she settles down. If she can find a husband before summer's end, she can marry him. Otherwise, she must marry the man her father has chosen.
Sent to Silver Downs for the summer to get to know the brothers she must choose between, Agata is caught in the middle of a jealous feud between the oldest and youngest. But when Fionn carelessly uses the power he never really believed in, he changes all of their lives forever...
This novelette is a prequel to the Tales of Silver Downs series. This is a dark fantasy short read in a pre-Roman Britain setting. It is loosely based on the fairytale of the seven swans, and includes bardic magic, a fey curse, and a background of Celtic mythology.
Fionn is the youngest of seven sons and knows his destiny is to be a bard. But his older brothers think he's wasting his time and want him to start contributing to the household. When the woman he's secretly in love with is promised to his oldest brother, he realises he needs a stable income if he's to convince her to marry him before it's too late.
Agata wants a life of travel and adventure, but her father has decided it's time she settles down. If she can find a husband before summer's end, she can marry him. Otherwise, she must marry the man her father has chosen.
Sent to Silver Downs for the summer to get to know the brothers she must choose between, Agata is caught in the middle of a jealous feud between the oldest and youngest. But when Fionn carelessly uses the power he never really believed in, he changes all of their lives forever...
This novelette is a prequel to the Tales of Silver Downs series. This is a dark fantasy short read in a pre-Roman Britain setting. It is loosely based on the fairytale of the seven swans, and includes bardic magic, a fey curse, and a background of Celtic mythology.
- GenresFantasy
ebook
Published July 31, 2018
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About the author
Kylie Quillinan
36 books71 followersKylie writes about women who defy society’s expectations. Her novels are for readers who like fantasy with a basis in history or mythology. Her interests include Dr Who, jellyfish and cocktails. She needs to get fit before the zombies come. You can find her online at kyliequillinan.com.
SWAN – the epilogue to the Tales of Silver Downs series – is available exclusively to her mailing list subscribers. Sign up at kyliequillinan.com.
5 Things You Didn’t Know About Kylie Quillinan
1. I studied Ancient Greek at university because I wanted to read Homer in his own language.
2. I’m fascinated by miniatures and tiny things, and am building my own dollhouse.
3. I studied to be a journalist because I thought that would provide a more reliable income than writing. I hated it because I wasn’t telling my own stories, only repeating what somebody else had already said.
4. If I wasn’t a writer, I would have been a marine biologist except that I get very, very sea sick. I’m also claustrophobic under water so that was never going to work out.
5. I never ever look into a mirror in a dark room.
SWAN – the epilogue to the Tales of Silver Downs series – is available exclusively to her mailing list subscribers. Sign up at kyliequillinan.com.
5 Things You Didn’t Know About Kylie Quillinan
1. I studied Ancient Greek at university because I wanted to read Homer in his own language.
2. I’m fascinated by miniatures and tiny things, and am building my own dollhouse.
3. I studied to be a journalist because I thought that would provide a more reliable income than writing. I hated it because I wasn’t telling my own stories, only repeating what somebody else had already said.
4. If I wasn’t a writer, I would have been a marine biologist except that I get very, very sea sick. I’m also claustrophobic under water so that was never going to work out.
5. I never ever look into a mirror in a dark room.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
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November 4, 2019A quick and sweet YA fantasy read, although the ending left me with a lot of questions! Guess I'll have to read the next book to find out more...
June 28, 2020
Agata has always assumed she would be able to marry whoever she wanted and spend her married life traveling with her husband and leaving her small village behind to see the sights she’s only dreamed of. Her dreams are dashed when her father tells her she is to be hand-fasted by the end of the summer to Eramon, the heir of Silver Downs. After she rails against it, her father relents and agrees to allow her to choose which one of the seven brothers she wants, but she must make a decision by the end of the summer, and she must spend the summer at Silver Downs getting to know the estate and the brothers. The youngest, Fionn, the bard, has always had a crush on Agata, but he knows he doesn’t have an occupation that would support a wife.
I do love Kylie Quillinan’s writing. It’s always so lush and descriptive, drawing the reader into the setting and time period, and culture. All of the characters in this have their own separate personalities, which is a feat being able to separate seven brothers. I had read Swan ahead of this one, so I already knew how this story was going to end, but it was fascinating to see the events leading up to it. Where I thought it lacked was that it really wasn’t a romance. I know it sounds like it should be from the blurb. But when she gets to Silver Downs, Agata spends all of her time following around the mother and the servants, instead of getting to know the seven brothers. Same thing with the brothers. They all just keep talking about her from afar as an object to be won or an object to be adored without actually bothering to get to know the girl. At that point I was questioning the whole logic of sending her to Silver Downs if she wasn’t going to get to know any of her prospective husbands. The book focused mainly on the rivalry between Fionn and his brothers and how he didn’t feel like he was measuring up to the others.
I do love Kylie Quillinan’s writing. It’s always so lush and descriptive, drawing the reader into the setting and time period, and culture. All of the characters in this have their own separate personalities, which is a feat being able to separate seven brothers. I had read Swan ahead of this one, so I already knew how this story was going to end, but it was fascinating to see the events leading up to it. Where I thought it lacked was that it really wasn’t a romance. I know it sounds like it should be from the blurb. But when she gets to Silver Downs, Agata spends all of her time following around the mother and the servants, instead of getting to know the seven brothers. Same thing with the brothers. They all just keep talking about her from afar as an object to be won or an object to be adored without actually bothering to get to know the girl. At that point I was questioning the whole logic of sending her to Silver Downs if she wasn’t going to get to know any of her prospective husbands. The book focused mainly on the rivalry between Fionn and his brothers and how he didn’t feel like he was measuring up to the others.
May 16, 2020
Fionn has fancied Agata for a while but knows that it's much more likely that a marriage will be arranged between Agata and his eldest brother.
Fionn is the seventh son of a seventh son which means that it's his destiny to be a bard - but that's not looked on as a great occupation. He tries out the occupations of his brothers but he's a failure. Will he be able to make his own mark and find his destiny?
Agata doesn't know who she wants to marry - she just wants someone interesting.
It's a story mainly written from Fionn's side and is very enjoyable.
Fionn is the seventh son of a seventh son which means that it's his destiny to be a bard - but that's not looked on as a great occupation. He tries out the occupations of his brothers but he's a failure. Will he be able to make his own mark and find his destiny?
Agata doesn't know who she wants to marry - she just wants someone interesting.
It's a story mainly written from Fionn's side and is very enjoyable.
May 27, 2020
A novelette!
Pleasant enough introductory story to a series - some of which will be familiar to readers but placed in a newish setting that gives resonance to the tale.
Pleasant enough introductory story to a series - some of which will be familiar to readers but placed in a newish setting that gives resonance to the tale.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews