Symphony of Fates

The Dragon Songs Saga #4

by J.C. Kang

Kaiya escapes her ordeal at the hands of the Teleri Emperor, only to return to a homeland beset by enemies on all sides, and crumbling from within.

As a teenager, she quelled a rebellion with the Dragon Scale Lute. As a young adult, she vanquished a dragon with the power of her voice.

Now, robbed of her magic by grief, Kaiya must navigate a web of court intrigue to save the realm before it falls. Only she can lay claim to the Dragon Throne on behalf of her unborn sons—whether the father is the lover who perished rescuing her, or the hated enemy who killed him.

In the final story in Kaiya’s saga, she must rally a nation, repel invaders, and prove to the world why her family alone holds the Mandate of Heaven.

Genres: Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Dragons, Young Adult

489 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 2016

About the author

JC Kang's unhealthy obsession with Fantasy and Sci-Fi began at an early age when his brother introduced him to The Chronicles of Narnia, Star Trek, and Star Wars. As an adult, he combines his geek roots with his professional experiences as a Chinese Medicine doctor, martial arts instructor, and technical writer to pen epic fantasy stories.

To learn more about what goes on in his twisted mind, follow his Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/LegendsOfTiv...

If you've read and enjoyed his works, keep up with his updates on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/37897...

Reviews

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Each addition to this saga gets more enthralling, more action-packed, more emotionally engaging and just MORE of everything great reading should be! J.C. Kang’s world is mesmerizing, terrifying, devious and filled with heroic deeds of selflessness, deeds of inner strength, all happening in a world that is both vibrant and soulful.

Political machinations, magical powers, legends and minds twisted by power, using the masses as fodder to push their agendas and feed their greed. Through it all, one young girl grows into a woman of honor, love and loyalty, destined to change her world and be the force that empowers the battle against evil.

Who will fall to treachery and who will rise with Kaiya? SYMPHONY OF FATES brings a glorious end to an amazing journey through the four books in the Dragon Songs Saga. As Kaiya struggles with her own losses and her shielded voice, she is forced to grow from within, and rely on herself and those around her to regain the trust and respect of her people, the very ones she has given her all to save, the very ones who have turned their backs on her torment when she needed them most.

J.C. Kang has taken the turmoil of each previous installment and used them to stoke the fires of this powerful conclusion. See fantasy through the eyes of a storyteller whose world is equal parts beautiful and tortured. Witness the healing his pen provides and find yourself reluctant to leave, waiting for just one more page.

I received this copy from J.C. Kang in exchange for my honest review!

Saga: The Dragon Songs Saga - Book 4
Publication Date: April 7, 2017
Publisher: J.C. Kang
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Print Length: 616 pages
Available from: Amazon
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

There was a lot that happened in this novel. Kaiya, after everything she has been through, had to now shoulder the heavy burden of ruling. She had many challenges to face with her cousin, the invasion, and the fact that she's a teenager trying to rule. I have come to admire and love Kaiya more than anything. She has faced every challenge head one. While she has her own insecurities and vulnerabilities, she has grown and become more powerful and more amazing. The ending to this story was everything I wanted to be, yet I didn't want it to end. I love all these characters, the world, the magic, and the intrigue. It's sad that I'm done with this story, but this world will still be there whenever I wish to pick it up again.

[Jennifer (bunnyreads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to J.C Kang once again for the ecopy and your incredible patience in my slow turnaround time. I think waiting 18 months calls for a round of applause.

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So, these reviews get shorter and shorter with each book, as I try my best to avoid too many spoilers. That said this is a review for the fourth book, please be aware of possible spoilers for previous titles. |

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Symphony of Fates brings an action-packed conclusion to the Dragon Songs Saga as all players converge on Cathay in a mad scramble for power that will change their world.


The setting is stunning. The world alive and vibrant, and like the previous installments of this series, Kang juggles a huge cast of characters, while bringing grand-scaled battles to life. I can’t say enough about the visuals in these stories and/or the skill in juggling several nations of people around while keeping the focus on just the important players.

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In Symphony of Fates, we no longer have that safe, untouchable feeling, that being a princess gave Kaia in the first couple of books. Now she feels fragile, with only herself to rely on as the world and people around her are full of treachery and her loved ones are lost to her.

The cool thing about this series has been watching Kaia, grow and change over the course of it. Starting with gullible teenager, to her becoming a princess fully capable of ruling- she has come a long way from that young girl in the first couple books. And the author has not gone easy on her (or anyone else in this story for that matter).

Each book has rounded out Kaia as a character a little bit at a time. Over the last few books her magic, helped her grow in various ways. Initially, the growth was social- gaining her confidence in herself, later it was politically- gaining a seat, and then it was power through her voice- not just magically, but as a leader who has earned respect through her decisions.

This time around, she doesn’t have that magic to back her up, thanks to the Tiger’s Eye which has blocked her emotions- allowing her make decisions with a detachment that is needed to function on a day-to-day basis as she recovers from the trauma of her time with Geros, and the loss of her true love.

Because of that emotional detachment, her magic has become inaccessible- there is a certain amount of emotion required in calling forth her voice/music for it to work properly, and now, Kaia must learn to stand-up without the aid of her magic, and eventually she must learn to do the same without that crutch that is the Tigers Eye.

Kang doesn’t let anyone off easy. The journey was rough for these characters- the treacheries are close to home and the punishments swift.

There is no sugar-coating, or a fix of what came before for Kaia, after Geros, especially with the fallout of her pregnancy. The author could have chosen to lighten the blow in places but chose not to cheapen the trials of what that she went through by giving her an easy out in the end.

I know all I have talked about is Kaia in this review and while I adored Jie and Tian, because they were a little more mature in the beginning, and their parts of the story were actiony- this has definitely been Kaia’s story and I really grew to love her by the end of the series, more than everyone else- even Jie, which I didn’t expect.


To sum it up:

Symphony of Fates, is a nicely-wrapped up ending to this beautiful series with closure all around. I don’t think I have read another quite like it, or one so distinctly Chinese in its feel. The whole series has felt like watching a drama brought to life in my head, with the lovely scene-settings, the magic, and the behind-the-scenes political intrigue.

[Shomeret · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the aftermath of the Emperor's death, Princess Kaiya turns out to be the only one of his children who is competent to rule in the midst of a major crisis for Cathay. Kaiya must deal with a revolting cousin who she once trusted, and a simultaneous Teleri invasion. She is also attempting to recover from the traumatic events of the previous novel. Some readers might consider this too tall an order for a nineteen year old, but Kaiya has shouldered her responsibilities and met big challenges in the earlier novels in this series. So I was rooting for her to succeed throughout the conflict.

For my complete review see http://shomeretmasked.blogspot.com/20...

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Picking up where Book #3, Dances of Deception left off, we find Princess Kaiya stripped of the magic of her voice. She is forced to negotiate the political turmoil and deadly ambitions tearing her kingdom apart with only her wits, and while dealing with the legacy of her own traumas.
This final part of The Dragon Songs Saga brings Kaiya’s story to an explosive finale, with wars, conquest, assassination attempts, and magic, all vying for domination in a story filled with dramatic twists and turns. Populated by a host of vividly realised characters, each with their own agenda, everyone seems to be manipulating someone else, some with the very best intentions, others with only greed in their hearts. With the fates of more than one nation on her shoulders, Kaiya has to prove that only her family is worthy of the Mandate of Heaven.
An entrancing and breathless read, I couldn’t wait to pick it up again each time life got in the way of reading. ‘Vivid’ is a term I would not only apply to the wonderful characters, but also to the enviable world building, and to the detailed descriptions that never slow the story, but only serve to bring the Asian-inspired cultures to vibrant life. It has been a wonderful journey, watching Kaiya grow from a naïve sixteen-year-old into a woman of true depth and resourcefulness, who, despite all she has gone through, still maintains her upright morals and compassion for all.
There is darkness, and difficult themes, particularly rape, in this series, so not for the younger reader, but for those of a responsible age, I can’t recommend these books highly enough. I was delighted that the adventure continues, with one character’s story only just opening up, where Kaiya’s is completing, so I’m eagerly looking forward to reading Masters of Deception, which is now waiting on my Kindle.

[Alyssia Cooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now I'm sad. An epic has finished and I don't know what to do with myself. Oh, wait. There's another series! That has perked me up to no end! Although, there are other books... books I already own. Sad times. Why are there so many books?!

Too many books or not, this was a really well plotted and written conclusion to what has been a frankly epic series of novels. Everything comes together almost perfectly, although I found one of the finale elements so unbelievably unlikely as to be almost impossible and therefore annoying. However, it is within the realms of possibly - albeit, so small that if you bet on it a hundred million times, you might come out with one winner if you're really, really damn lucky.

Otherwise, this is a really strong finale. Kaiya's character arc has gone from strength to strength. From the naïve and love-struck idiot, she's become a strong and capable character marred by the scars that grief leaves in its passing. The fact that she can't rely on the Power of her Voice to influence people means that she has to rely on her wits and knowledge, which only serves to further develop the character. It was also interesting that Kaiya is cut off from most of her support networks throughout the book, so has to rely almost solely on herself.

There are unexpected twists and turns that lead to something of a cliffhanger, which was unexpected considering this is the finale of a quartet. However, the main story arc is resolved and all of the loose threads tied off relatively neatly. There's action, intrigue and power plays in spades here and it's certainly a great read. The flitting of perspectives gives you a birds eye view of events without being too choppy.

All in all, an excellent finale to an excellent series. And I need more.

[Tomas Grizzly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading the finale brought a couple of mixed feelings pretty much before I even started reading it - the previous edition of this book was unpublished probably three days before I finished the third book, thus throwing me into a 4-month gap. When I then opened this new edition, I found it lacking proper chapter marks and thus was left without chapter-length estimates, one of the best tools of e-books. Which was quite a disappointment - I can understand such an elementary formatting blooper for a fresh author, but not for the THIRD edition of a series that had sold quite a nice amount of copies. (Also, why isn't the placeholder cover replaced now, 3 weeks after release?)

Rant over, now towards the actual review...

Getting back to the story wasn't that hard. I hated Geros with passion for quite a while, and since he first appeared, I hoped he'd be either totally humiliated by the end or suffered a very grisly and cruel death. With this comes another mixed feeling - his progress was quite smooth even before, and his effortless progress was quite predictable while everyone else had challenges to overcome. The fact he had a couple of people working for him in shadows, planned several moves ahead, explains why his progress was so easy, but it still doesn't feel as appealing when it happens over a couple of books.

The good part is that the story still keeps true to its spirit, and there's a lot to resolve, including many side-stories, before the final confrontation. The story reaches a conclusion that makes sense, and is satisfying to some degree, while also leaving a couple of plot threads for future books.

[The Mysterious Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes words like “epic”, “imaginative” and “powerful” are bandied around too frequently. Other times, if anything, they’re an understatement. JC Kang’s The Dragon Songs Saga is an example of the latter. These books are ridiculously imaginative in the world-building and character-building by the author. Totally different (though I think I can see the Japanese heritage with its geisha, samurai, ninja assassins and cultural structure generally) but absolutely genuine from the biggest details to the tiniest. Add that to individual book plots and an overarching story arc that, well, that frankly blows my mind and makes epic an understatement. I had intended to read these books over the course of a week or so but they were so good, so addictive, that I ended up binge-reading them through the night. Not good physically (and I’m in a hospital right now and the nurses and physical therapists were very much not happy with me), but the enjoyment was soooo worthwhile to the spirit. But for the fact that I’m literally dictating this review to my husband from my hospital bed I could go on and on with praises. This series definitely deserves it. Since I can’t do that I will simply note that the series is most definitely one to read, and it is easy to highly recommend each of the books in it.

[Lana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the final book in the quartet The Dragonsong Saga, and it was just as captivating as the first three books with all its intricate weaving of plots and sub-plots. I loved the way the author brought things together in the end and tied up all the loose ends so well, however I was not very happy with the ending, maybe this was written as it was to leave scope for further books about Tivara and our fantastic characters. There is still scope for much more. A tale of good against evil, with Kaiya fighting with all her might against the altivorcs and their allies doing her best to ensure that the universe unfolded as planned. She had survived assassination attempts on numerous occasions and by different enemies, stared down a dragon, been chased by orcs and ogres, whilst maintaining a brave face. Could she face Geros, her worst nightmare, the man who had so brutally raped her still maintaining a brave face when her insides were fluttering in abject fear? The main characters in this series are very well developed, making the reader really worry for them and rout for them when in danger as they very often were. A very good read, but must admit the third book is still my favourite one! Hope to read more from this very good author!

[Fiona Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

SYMPHONY OF FATES.
What an incredible ending to this fabulous saga. Kaiya faces a great many enemies though she is lucky to have fathfull friends. The First Emperor Geros has been planning for a long time, his plan is to rule over all. The only thing standing in his way is a young girl! Kaiya flees unfortunately she misses her ship and has to find her way through the Wilds. Hers is not the only group trying to find their way. Orcs are hunting slaves, the Bovyans are searching for the old road that leads straight to Hua. After surrendering herself to Lord Geros to save the village she has been hiding in, she faces the worst of times, luckily Tian has come to rescue her, however he sacrifices his life so she may escape. Devastated she must continue to Hua to warn of the coming invasion. She is faced with disloyal Lords, the news that both her Father and Eldest Brother are dead and her Second Brother has gone insane and a Regent in place of his infant Grandson. As usual her ingenuity at solving problems is what we have come to expect from Kaiya. Highly recommend this series. Looking forward to reading more from this author.

[Shari Sakurai · Rating 5 out of 5]

*I received this novel for free in exchange for an honest review*

In this final novel in The Dragon Songs Saga, we find Kaiya trying to come to terms with her ordeal whilst a captive of the Teleri and mourning the loss of her true love Tian. With the fate of the Kingdom resting on her shoulders, Kaiya must find the strength to rally and, without her magic, find a way to secure the Throne and bring peace to the realm.

I thoroughly enjoyed the last installment to this thrilling series. From the beginning, it has been carefully crafted and mapped out, and with so much detail that it brings this world completely to life. Kaiya has gone from strength to strength throughout the series. Growing so much from the teenager she was in Book 1 to a young woman capable of uniting the lands.

I have loved reading Kaiya’s story unfold and going on her journey with her. The supporting cast have been brilliant throughout, each with their own depth and motivation so you can never be quite sure who to trust.

If you haven’t read the series, I highly recommend it!

[Anna K. Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kaiya has grown from a naive girl to a competent and capable woman, though still guided by her compassionate nature. One of my favourite aspects of this book is that she can no longer rely on magic to get her way; instead, she must rely on her wit (albeit aided by the cold logic of the Tiger's Eye) and place her trust in others.

Although Jie was not always the most likeable character, I still felt deeply for her. Despite all her losses and hardships, she still worked hard to serve her country, and was loyal to Kaiya though she had plenty of reason to hate her.

Even the villain's POV chapters were interesting to read. Even the Bovyans are complex. Written off as cultureless brutes, their way of life is evil - yet there are still those who defend them, and not all Bovyans agree with their brutal methods.

A fitting ending to the series, tying up a lot of mysteries hinted at throughout the previous books, while still leaving room for further books in this world.

[Tabitha Ormiston-Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

The plots in this wonderful series seem to get more complex with each new book, and you will need your wits about you to stay on top of the machinations of all the spies, devious bureaucrats, evil warlords and elves, not to mention the several sets of apparently identical twins. There's humour, there's excitement and there's emotion, and through the maelstrom strides the indomitable Kaiya, resourceful even in apparent defeat, with her youth and delicate stomach on the one hand balancing her heroic courage and resourcefulness on the other. It took me ten days to read it, because this book deserves to be savoured. Another great read from Mr Kang, and I hope there will be many more.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book for the purpose of an honest review.

[Bertha Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will miss Kaiya and Tian...
When I finished this book I keep trying to move to the next page until I realize the story really ended. It was an amazing travel from book 1 with a very young and naïve Kaiya to this book where she is a wise and beautiful young woman ready to sacrifice everything for her people. We follow Princess Kaiya through a lot of political storms, a bunch of traitorous characters, (some of them I'd never suspected were unfaithful), wonderful landscapes and unexpected situations.
I wish somebody in HBO read this books and think about making them into a TV series! Not a movie, because there is no genius script writer who could honor this story enough to put it in just 90 minutes, but a TV series... Wow!

[Georganne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Treachery, rivalry, conspiracy, loyalty, who will survive? The wars continue. Discover the conspiracies brought on by those seeking power. Find out who is pulling all the strings. Kaiya is strong and confident, always with Hua first in her mind. This book pulls all the adventures together in a page turning, fast paced story. It has been a thrilling read by revealing many of the secrets held by and from the characters. The Dragon Songs Saga is a wonderful story of fierce loyalty to a country by a young girl, what she suffers, her confidence within herself and what she loses and gains in her life. A must read!

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

A culmination of events left me turning pages like crazy in this fourth installment in the Dragon Songs Saga. It's hard to speak of the action of this book without giving too much away, but the fates of all major characters coalesce into a text full of surprises and plot twists. Will Kaiya and Tian finally be together? What will become of Jie? Can Kaiya save her country, or are they doomed to fall under Teleri rule? Check out this action-packed sequel from J.C. Kang for all the answers! Kang has written another great book and I'm excited to keep reading his works!

[Hugs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love when I get to carve out a block of time with J.C. Kang! Sometimes it takes me a while to find it, but when I do I get lost in another land and just devour each book. SO.GOOD. I always hate having to return to reality when it ends. Looking forward to reading about Jie's adventures~please keep them coming for forever!

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kaiya escapes an ordeal only to return to her homeland full of trouble. Another exciting story to keep you reading. Loved this entire series from beginning to end. Perhaps there’ll be more or at least another series.

[Cal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, solid series.

[Risebuddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even more plot holes and insane amount of things left unexplained than the 3rd book. Can't say I am pleased with the ended, but I am glad it's finally over and didn't leave me flipping a table over.

[Astrid · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75*

[Bess · Rating 4 out of 5]

Best of the 4 books!
Nice ending.

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

An action packed conclusion to the saga that will leave you breathless.

[Donald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome story

I fell in love with the story and with the princess and her elf body guard. The people around them who are so precious to them.

[Gia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an extremely satisfying ending. It was nice to finally see years of planning, schemes, betrayals, secrets and hidden truths about Cathy, and Kaiya role in it all come together. It was also great to no only see old characters again but still find myself being shocked and surprised by the story even with the fourth book in this series.

Full review to come soon.

[Rabid Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an enjoyable and exciting continuation of the Legends of Tivara. I loved the twists, surprises, and revelations in this story. All the players from the previous three books are present and their intertwining destinies and pasts come together well; giving a richness to their characters and the world and making for a captivating story. The unraveling of the various plots, subplots, and intrigues is very well done, often surprising and culminates in a satisfying ending. It was great to have all the schemes, betrayals and secrets of this epic fantasy unraveled at last. The story keeps your attention glued to the page as everything is exposed and the fate of Hua and its inhabitants is decided. I really enjoyed finding out more about Jie and her origins in this book, she is one on my favorite characters and I do hope that the author will write more of her in the future. Even though this story is complete, there is plenty of room left to develop more tales of the people and dragons of this world and I will look forward to hearing more of the past and future of these engaging characters.