Heather’s Bookshelf: Goldsong: Book One of the Sagathas Bard
Author: Beth Hudson
Released: 12/1/2020
Genre: Fantasy Fiction
“A great force settled into Traedis’ skull, then expanded, pressing outward with such violence that she felt her head might burst. She cried out and clapped her hands to her head. The world around her dimmed and disappeared.”
“Goldsong” introduces Traedis Atenel, a female king of Tolin, a fantasy kingdom known for their assassins. Traedis is estranged from her family - who happens to make up most of the aforementioned assassins. She must figure out who she is to trust and how to rule quickly if she is going to save herself and her kingdom.
Traedis has a complicated history and ther’s a lot to unravel, so stick with me! She ran away from home at a young age where she found herself and honed her skills as a harpist and a bard. While away, she also spoke with the gods and learned several enchantments including the form of a fox. Unfortunately, when she returns, she ends up serving a four year stint in jail for desertion. Shortly after being released, a series of events leads to Traedis becoming king of the very kingdom she had been jailed for deserting and obtaining a form of power and magic (falmyros). Traedis takes her new role seriously and wants to clean up Tolin. Unfortunately, the major issue with the other kingdoms happens to be Tolin’s assassins- most of which belong to Traedis’ estranged family. Vandeyr (her sister and an ex-assassin) and Ruth (her friend) have volunteered to be her protectors, but will they be enough to save her and Tolin?
Trigger Warning: murder, signs of torture
Overall, I found the book to be character-driven and intriguing. Traedis is a likeable and strong protagonist. While she has her flaws, she clearly wants to do the best that she can with the circumstances handed to her. Her relationship with her sister, Vandeyr, is the most complex and interesting relationship in the story and I enjoyed following them. I also found some of the fantastical elements to be fun and interesting including the frolic as a fox and the star-filled room. Traedis is constantly trying to solve one problem and then moving to the next which moves the story along nicely. Unfortunately, the story seemed a little disjointed at times and is a little challenging to follow with the amount of characters and backstory that is covered in a very short time frame. I thought the world building was well done and look forward to future adventures which may help to delineate out some of the ancillary characters and storylines in the future.
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
OVERALL REVIEW:
A strong female king must learn who to trust in a fantasy world filled with magic and mayhem. Unfortunately, a little disjointed with A LOT jammed into a single story.
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