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The Ballad of Bards and Bastards #1
Strings of Chance
Life is a song, sing it well!
Edson Pye is the greatest bard in all of Elraon. Unfortunately, nobody else has figured this out yet. An annual competition in the city of Vonst provides an opportunity to validate his claims, while a chance encounter springs him toward the fame he so desperately covets...though at what cost?
Wanting only wine, women, and an audience for his music, Edson instead finds himself drawn into an increasingly tangled web of schemes centered around a mysterious murder. His growing fame, coupled with an aggressive manager, puts him in front of crowds larger than he ever imagined...can he live up to his own hype?
Edson’s trio of desires continuously spark misadventures, compelling him to confront his own flaws and decide what kind of person he wants to be, all while moving on an unavoidable path toward a confrontation with his greatest rival.
Edson Pye is the greatest bard in all of Elraon. Unfortunately, nobody else has figured this out yet. An annual competition in the city of Vonst provides an opportunity to validate his claims, while a chance encounter springs him toward the fame he so desperately covets...though at what cost?
Wanting only wine, women, and an audience for his music, Edson instead finds himself drawn into an increasingly tangled web of schemes centered around a mysterious murder. His growing fame, coupled with an aggressive manager, puts him in front of crowds larger than he ever imagined...can he live up to his own hype?
Edson’s trio of desires continuously spark misadventures, compelling him to confront his own flaws and decide what kind of person he wants to be, all while moving on an unavoidable path toward a confrontation with his greatest rival.
286 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 7, 2019
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June 29, 2019Unlike many fantasy novels, Strings of Chance is centred around a single character whose aspirations are, well, self-centred. Bard Edson isn't trying to solve some great problem with the world: his goals are purely personal in the form of wine, women and song. He gets plenty of all three in the course of events. It was a refreshing change to read about someone with small-scale desires.
There's a lot of interesting stuff going on in the background although we find this out pretty late in the book. I wonder whether cutting down on the "tour stops" might have allowed us to reach the intrigue faster. For me, the first half felt longer than it needed to, as Edson travels to various places to meet his performance obligations and usually runs into some problem or other.
Most of Edson's encounters have him emerging and continuing on his way rather unchanged, which lent a distant feeling to the narrative. It might be this distance that also made it seem as if the story was happening to him or around him (just observed through his eyes), rather than Edson being a primary mover. Personally, I'd have liked to see more active input from him throughout.
The fantasy aspects are relatively limited (this isn't a criticism, just an observation) with a few ghosts, one town where magic is widely practised and some drugs which may or may not have mystic properties.
The prose is a smooth read although a few typos and repetitions jumped out at me.
I think this book would appeal to readers who prefer small-scale, personal challenges to epic, sweeping plots.
There's a lot of interesting stuff going on in the background although we find this out pretty late in the book. I wonder whether cutting down on the "tour stops" might have allowed us to reach the intrigue faster. For me, the first half felt longer than it needed to, as Edson travels to various places to meet his performance obligations and usually runs into some problem or other.
Most of Edson's encounters have him emerging and continuing on his way rather unchanged, which lent a distant feeling to the narrative. It might be this distance that also made it seem as if the story was happening to him or around him (just observed through his eyes), rather than Edson being a primary mover. Personally, I'd have liked to see more active input from him throughout.
The fantasy aspects are relatively limited (this isn't a criticism, just an observation) with a few ghosts, one town where magic is widely practised and some drugs which may or may not have mystic properties.
The prose is a smooth read although a few typos and repetitions jumped out at me.
I think this book would appeal to readers who prefer small-scale, personal challenges to epic, sweeping plots.
March 14, 2021
Edson Pye is a bard on a quest to become the greatest bard in all of Elraon. His mission is interrupted when his mentor is murdered. Spurred on by finding the culprit, Edson embarks on a journey of discovery and answers.
Edson is refreshing in that he has simple tastes, wine, women and song and throughout the novel there is plenty. I loved some of the places he visited and some of the characters he meets.
However, it’s not until the latter few chapters that we get to appreciate any antagonist. One might argue that Edson is his own worst enemy, and I’d agree. It seemed every place he arrived at had a woman waiting and a whole host of other troubles for him to escape. As much as Edson’s shenanigans amused me, the stakes didn’t feel high enough for me until the latter part of the book when he returned from his bard tour to compete for the Bard Challenge.
This book is plot driven, the tale is intricately woven throughout and does come to a satisfying ending. The editing is good too. I don’t think I’ve enjoyed a book where I loved the chapter heading so much.
If I were to describe this book in one word, I’d choose subtle. There are hints of magic, fantasy elements, and betrayal, but the central focus is the song. This is not a high stakes hero battling a nefarious foe. It a gentle meandering as you walk beside a man while he learns where his moral values lie.
I found Edson likeable and the book and a delightful read. I think lovers of the poetic and music would really enjoy this book.
Edson is refreshing in that he has simple tastes, wine, women and song and throughout the novel there is plenty. I loved some of the places he visited and some of the characters he meets.
However, it’s not until the latter few chapters that we get to appreciate any antagonist. One might argue that Edson is his own worst enemy, and I’d agree. It seemed every place he arrived at had a woman waiting and a whole host of other troubles for him to escape. As much as Edson’s shenanigans amused me, the stakes didn’t feel high enough for me until the latter part of the book when he returned from his bard tour to compete for the Bard Challenge.
This book is plot driven, the tale is intricately woven throughout and does come to a satisfying ending. The editing is good too. I don’t think I’ve enjoyed a book where I loved the chapter heading so much.
If I were to describe this book in one word, I’d choose subtle. There are hints of magic, fantasy elements, and betrayal, but the central focus is the song. This is not a high stakes hero battling a nefarious foe. It a gentle meandering as you walk beside a man while he learns where his moral values lie.
I found Edson likeable and the book and a delightful read. I think lovers of the poetic and music would really enjoy this book.
March 5, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I loved reading about Edson, who isn't much of a hero, but is still a good guy. Really want to know how the rest of the story will go.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews