Liobhan is a warrior in training beside her brother Brocc at the elite training camp—Swan Island. As one of the few girls and also a musician who entertains the group in the evenings, she feels she has something to prove, though her large stature does help give her an advantage.

She and her brother are asked to go on a discrete assignment, posing as traveling bards, along with another competitor to a kingdom who has lost an important object needed for the coronation if their new king: the Harp of Kings. This object was protected by druids wielding magic, and their recovery mission is secret, so much that the trio are given new, separate identities and personalities, each with their own unique challenges. But the quest for the harp will lead each of them into pasts they thought they'd left behind, to a world of fey in danger of evil creatures, and to answers they've been seeking their entire lives.

Told from three contrasting narratives, in perspectives that give the reader slow-building clues as to who might have taken the harp and why, as well as insight into a land of magic where music has great power to lead, to inspire, and to remind humans to tread gently.

The Harp of Kings is a creative magical adventure about duty, music, the bond between worlds, and the importance of tales.

Before I start, I would like to thank Ace publishing and NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC of this novel in exchange for a review in my own words and of my own volition.

Being Irish gave me the desire to read this and I'm very glad I did. Meeting Liobhan, Brocc and Dau was a new experience for me since I've never read any of Juliet Marillier's books. She builds very convincing characters that are easy to like, or dislike, and that is one of the first things that will make a difference to me. We got to watch each character grow in ways unexpected, and were allowed to know their backstories which gave them extra depth. I came out liking Dau more than I expected to, which was very well done.

Second is the world building. I felt like I was in old Ireland, and that's somewhere I would have loved to have been alive to visit.

And third is I thoroughly enjoyed the multiple POV of the book. I liked hearing it all from each of their views. Made for a much richer story.

With bards and warriors and missing swords, this novel has it all. Knowing this is just book one is also exciting because that means there will be more.. And after reading this, I now know I need to go back and read her previous series. She has a style I enjoy, and I really want to know more about this world and its people.

So, thank you Ace Publishing and NetGalley. I may never have looked at this book without you, and now I'm very grateful that I have.

This was my first time reading a Juliet Marillier book so from what I had heard and read, I had high expectations. Unfortunately, I don't think it quite lived up to this level of hype but it was maybe an okay start to a series. I was not in love with the development of the characters. I expected to care more about them and I really didn't by the end. Maybe continuing into the series will change that.

#TheHarpofKings #NetGalley #berkleypublishinggroup #Ace

Engrossing tale of 3 young warriors-in-training, sent on a special mission to recover a special harp used during a king’s coronation. Full of adventure, an element of fantasy, and a tender look at how a good person can survive persecution and neglect by their own family and grow up into strong, caring people.

We watch the story unfold from the perspective of each of the three young people, adding a richness to the story. I appreciated how layer by layer the author uncovered the deeper person of each of the warriors, giving a wonderful depth of character to each of the three. The story ends at a convenient point, the recovery of the harp and the return home, leaving room for new books to develop from that point on for each of the characters. I look forward to reading further books about the interesting characters we met in this book.
I received a copy of this book from Net Galley. My review is voluntary.

I enjoyed this book so much I would happily sit down and read it again! Hopefully we will see these wonderful characters again. I was a bit overwhelmed with the character list at the beginning but I didn’t need to consult it at all—the writing is so clear and the storyline is well crafted so there is no confusion about who’s who. This is pure fantasy involving kings, druids and the fae. Juliet Mariller masterfully wove all the elements of #theharpofkings together and made me a part of the story. I hope to read more about any of these people in the future. Thanks to #netgalley for a chance to read this pre-publication.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for sending me a free advanced reader copy of this book for an honest review. The Harp of Kings debuted September 3rd.

I have a lot of respect for Juliet Marillier for writing the Sevenwaters trilogy. It’s been years since I read the first Sevenwaters book, but I remember it being absolutely fantastic. I also read Wildwood Dancing last year, which I loved, and I’m looking forward to reading the sequel.

So knowing that Marillier is an industry heavyweight and a fantastic writer, I couldn’t request an ARC of The Harp of Kings fast enough. This is the start of a new series, with three books already listed on Goodreads, and the premise seemed great: a shadowy fantasy organization that gets contracted for missions (basically a fantasy CIA), whose latest quest is to recover a stolen harp that is crucial to a coronation ceremony. The three young main characters on the mission are vying to be fully inducted into the organization; this mission will be their proving ground. Cool, right?

So with all this said, you can’t imagine how disappointed I was to read this book and have a difficult time connecting with it. Many of the characters, and especially the dialogue, felt wooden, like it was missing some spark of life. Much of the action also felt too unrealistic for my taste. To give an example, the female MC has an encounter with the detestable heir-to-throne, where he tries to rape her and she shoves him, causing him to fall and hit his head hard. Through the eyes of characters in a medieval setting, this is understandably seen as her attacking the heir. The fall-out from the incident, however, was less than serious; after a bit of politicking, all she needs to do is give him a formal apology and the incident is more or less in the past. This punishment-not-punishment is meted out by the heir’s advisors; despite the fact that he is a man about to take the throne, he’s essentially not able to follow through on his now hatred for the female MC. The whole thing just felt extremely unrealistic to me; I have a very tough time believing that there weren’t more serious consequences for the female MC. (Please understand that I’m not taking the side of the heir, but just questioning the logic of the narrative choices.)

I also had a very tough time with the ending. Spoiler incoming in:

3…

2…

1…

There is a literal hand-of-God moment where the question about who should be the true king is decided by a celestial presence on high shining a light on the one they favor. It was a textbook definition of a deus ex machina.

This then followed by a denouement that featured more wooden dialogue, with all the flair of an HR exit interview.

“What part of this mission gave you the most satisfaction?” This surprising question comes from Illann.

Dau catches my eye and we both grin. Neither of us is going to mention that escapade at the wall. “To be honest,” he says, “I spent most of our stay at Breifne feeling anything but satisfaction. I was pleased when Liobhan got Brocc out of that place. And I was pleased when the harp ended up in the right hands.”

“And you, Liobhan?”

“Working as a team. We got better at that. We learned as we went along. Only… without Brocc we’re not so much of a team. Sorry.”

Do you see what I mean? This is a book that has a great, interesting premise, but fell short in the execution. If you are a diehard Marillier fan then by all means check it out (I’m pretty sure it has some Easter eggs in there for her fans), but sadly I won’t be continuing with this series unless I hear very different things about the second book.

The annoying thing about multiple points of view and first-person storytelling is that it doesn't flow nicely between characters. You're partway into a new character's thoughts before you realize you've switched point of view. It's jarring and pulls you from the story. I want a story to flow easily and keep me sucked in.
I was finally starting to enjoy the story even with the changing view points and magic was added in. I don’t feel that it was added seamlessly. To me, it read like two books were trying to become one.
This one was just ok for me. 2.5 stars
ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I have long been a fan of Juliet Marillier's work. I was very excited to have the opportunity to read Harp of Kings. Liobhan and Brocc are brother and sister. They are in training, hoping to join the elite warriors of Swan Island. Both have musical talent, but Brocc is the more compelling musician. Liobhan is a warrior through and through. Dau is also competing for a spot on Swan Island. When the story opens, he is at odds with Brocc and Liobhan. He thinks Liobhan doesn't deserve a place there, because she has the audacity to be female, and so that must mean her attentions will be divided somehow. And Brocc doesn't deserve a spot because of that musical talent he's got.

The three trainees are sent on a mission to the kingdom of Breifne. On Midsummer Day, a new king will be crowned, and the legendary Harp of Kings must be part of the ritual. Problem is, the Harp of Kings is missing. Those in power are trying to keep this hush-hush, and the Swan Island team is going in undercover, their mission to retrieve the harp before the coronation.

The story is compelling, yet not necessarily fast-paced. The world Marillier creates is a Celtic world, with druids and fae and uncanny creatures, and it has a bit of a dreamlike quality, even when the events in the story are action-packed.

We see our three main characters face challenges through the course of the story, and we learn more of their backstory. Liobhan in particular wrestles with the fitness of Rodan, the crown prince, to become king. She sees in him a disaster for the future of Breifne, and in her mind, fulfilling the mission, returning the Harp of Kings to allow him to be crowned, seems an awful lot like failure. Brocc - let's just say there's more to him than meets the eye. He must decide what direction his future will take. Will he return to Swan Island and pursue the path of the warrior, or is he better suited for another role? And Dau's backstory is just heartbreaking. It was good to see hints of the man he can yet become.

At the end of the book, I felt like I was saying goodbye to friends. I look forward to reading more in the series.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of the book through NetGalley. All opinions here are mine, and I don't say nice things about books I don't like.

Comfort food. Basic ingredients, put together simply, delivering an unspectacular, yet thoroughly satisfying. experience. In The Harp Of Kings, Ms Marillier has given us a quintessential serving of comfort food. The main characters have exotic names, but we have seen them all before. The plot unfolds in familiar ways as it heads towards its easily recognizable ending.But make no mistake this is a highly readable, and enjoyable book. The characters may be familiar, but Ms Marillier's writing gives them life and you enjoy the time you spend with them. Similarly while the ending is predictable from quite early on this does not detract from the experience of getting there. I am so pleased that Netgalley generously shared this book with me in exchange for a fair and objective review. While I am not quite sure how eager I am to read another book about these same characters I am quite sure that this is a book that will provide pleasure and yes, indeed, comfort, to many

Welcome to this book review,
[Disclaimer I received a copy of this book in exchange of an honest review]

I have always wanted to read some Juliet Marillier, when I heard about this new release I was immediately intrigued as it is about a Bard and when I have previously played Dungeon & Dragons I have played a Bard. This book unfortunately wasn't as amazing as I expected it to be.
The use of different language and nicknames/terms/relationships that weren't explained but rather written as some sort of dictionary at the beginning of the book.
The first sentence in the book completely threw me off, it was two words I did not know and a simple addition to it, I immediately hoped it would have it's definition in the front of the book. Thankfully it did, but I did not enjoy the back and forth with my reading and the way it was written for the most part, which I did not expect due to every excerpt from her other books which I had a lovely experience reading.
The story itself wasn't bad once you skip over all those things I loved the sibling relationship between Brocc and Liobhan. I loved that Liobhan though being a girl wasn't the weak one, who always needed help, though at times it did feel like she was too good at everything, I also really enjoyed all the different types of species that were there, like fae folk, witches and such. The magic was really enjoyable and that it was a very character driven story.
Overall I really enjoyed the quest and the fact that they were perfectly suited for it, the journey was fun and Dau was a wonderful character to get to know too.
Unfortunately it wasn't the best fantasy I have read this year and I hated how it was said or rather implied by Dau that a woman couldn't properly "put her heart" into two activities at once ?!?! like uh YES she can !

Anyhow, I am interested to see what happens next in the series.

3.85/5 stars

-Bookarina

Juliet Marillier is my favorite author, so it will come as no surprise that I loved this novel. When I initially read the description I was wary, because it sounds unlike many of her previous novels. However, I think this may be its strength. I was taken with Liobhan immediately, I really enjoyed the multiple POVs, and despite my reservations, I was fascinated by the Swan Island warriors' mission to reclaim the harp of kings. This book started slowly but the pace picked up and held my interest throughout the entire story. I will absolutely be purchasing a copy of this book.

Thank you to Ace and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

First, I would like to thank Ace publishing and NetGalley for providing me with a free Kindle ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

But, I bought a print version to read anyway. This is THE Juliet Marillier we are talking about! I own everything she has ever published, and this novel now proudly joins the others in my collection.

This novel is the first in the Warrior Bards series. If you have not yet read Marillier’s Blackthorn and Grim series, ANY review of these books will be a bit of a spoiler for you. (However, this review does NOT contain any spoilers of this particular novel. If you do not plan to read the Blackthorn and Grim series, feel safe to proceed.)

**4.5/5 stars**

About 20 years after Blackthorn and Grim’s adventures in the previous series, we meet their daughter and son Liobhan and Brocc. Both have joined the elite warrior training program at Swan Island and are competing for the chance to remain on the island as a permanent part of the team. They are at the top of their class and have steep competition from classmate Dau. Despite being trainees, the particular skills of Liobhan, Brocc, and Dau earn them a place on a real mission. Liobhan and Brocc, both accomplished musicians, will act as traveling bards, while Dau must play the role of a mute stablehand. Together, they must discover what has happened to the revered Harp of Kings before the coronation of the prince.

As always, Marillier writes powerful female characters. Liobhan, taking after her father in stature, is a strong woman who can easily win at hand to hand combat against any man, but in her role for the mission, she must suppress these qualities. Although this is not marketed as a Young Adult novel, it would be a fantastic and empowering read (and appropriate in content) for a teenage girl or young woman (unlike the Blackthorn and Grim series, which contains violent scenes and references).

Even when you think you have the ending of a Marillier novel figured out, she will always surprise you. This book is no different. She has woven yet another beautiful web of fantasy and mystery and adventure. The development of the three main characters is exceptional. I don’t know how I will cope while waiting for the next installment in this series!

#netgalley #theharpofkings

When I first read the description of this book, I thought it sounded interesting but I didn’t have high hopes of liking it. It was a pretty slow start but it pulled me in quickly. Liobhan, her brother Broc and fellow student, Dao, are candidates in training, hoping to one day join the elite Swan Island band of warriors and spies. It is very competitive and they fight to be chosen. Liobhan and her brother are also both talented musicians so they are tasked with a mission before their training is complete. The magical harp of kings is missing. The harp is necessary to complete a ritual when a new king is crowned. They must Pose as traveling mistrels and try to find the missing harp before the date of the ritual. Dau is sent as backup for the mission and must pretend to be a mute farrier assistant. At court, they discover that the prince is woefully unprepared to lead as king and is a boorish childish bully that preys on the weak. They encounter many strange magical beings, attacking crow creatures, a mystical storytelling wise woman, a group of druids and some Otherworldly creatures while searching for the harp. The clock is ticking and disaster is looming if they don’t find the harp in time and they won’t become warriors if they don’t complete this mission. The world building is excellent. This is a very touching story which made me feel deeply what each character was feeling during their journey through this mission. I understand that this book is related to some other stories she’s written and now that I’ve read this I’m eager to go back and read the other books. I thoroughly enjoyed this story. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

As always, Juliet Marillier provides a tale equal parts adventure and fantastic intrigue. Liobhan was exactly the kind of heroine needed for this story and for the post-2016 world. Her story was woven beautifully with those of her teammates, and watching them all evolve as adults and as a working team was a joy.
I was so very happy to be pulled into one of Marillier’s stories again, and if you are a fan of hers or just starting out I can’t recommend this book enough. 5 stars.

DNF @ 5%

I don't know if it was me during the times I attempted to read this novel or if it was the book, but I struggled to really get a foothold in this story. I'm certainly not done with trying as I want to get into this book so badly, but I figured it best to put it aside for a few months and try again when I'm in a different mindset since it hasn't worked the last couple of times. If I'm able to get into it, I'll update my review then.

Juliet Marillier’s newest offering, “The Harp of Kings”, was a wonderful read. As a start to a new series called “Warrior Bards” it was filled action, some romance, lore, and interesting characters.
During the day eighteen year old Liobhan and her brother, train and compete to earn a place with an elite warrior group on Swan Island. In the evenings they entertain their fellow trainees, instructors and other Swan Islanders with their considerable musical skills. Liobhan plays whistle and sings with extraordinary skill, but it is her brother who plays harp and sings with a gift that can command a room to silence.
Fellow trainee Dau figures Liobhan comes a close second in training and earning a place with the warriors despite Dau’s skill in fighting, observation, and strength. He does not understand why Liobhan would choose to become a warrior since she has other skills.
When the Swan Island warriors are hired to find out what happened to a mystical ancient harp, a symbol of kingship, that disappeared under mysterious circumstances and retrieve it before Midsummer’s day, Liobhan, her brother and Dau are pulled from their training to go undercover to complete the mission.
If the harp is not recovered in time a king will not be selected and the people could revolt. If it is found, a bad prince would become king and destroy a kingdom.
This mission will test the trainees on how well they can keep their cover stories, their ability to overcome their weaknesses, and how they can work as a team despite their differences. It will test one’s belief in the other worldly and others on family ties. But mostly can these trainees do the right thing despite the mission needing to be completed successfully.

This is such a cool tale. It comes across as a bit dry at first, but one you adapt to the writing style, it's definitely up there as one of my new favorite historical reads.

This was first brought to my attention by a youtuber that I follower, so I was so excited when I got a review copy on Netgalley!

Honestly Harp of Kings is unlike any book I've ever read, and I'm so excited to see more of this world and series.

Warriors, missions, Druids and the Fey, what could be more enticing!

A strong fantasy, although I must admit it took me a few pages to get used to the three voices. Those of sister and brother, Liobhan (Ciara), singer and whistle player, and harper Brocc (Donal), along with Dau (Neesam) a chieftain's third son. Three training to be warriors for a place within the exclusive warrior group of Swan Island. "Brocc and [Liobhan] prepared for months to win places in the training course, from which maybe two or three out of the twenty will be chosen to stay as permanent members of the Swan Island force. Nobody wants to be sent home."
An unusual request takes them on a mission before their training is finished. A mission that will bring consternation, open up mysteries of hidden ways and lead the three into troubling yet concerted action. An important artifact has gone missing from the kingdom of Briefne, an "instrument known as the Harp of Kings. To the people of Breifne, it’s of deep significance. If it isn’t played at the ritual, the man who’s up for the kingship won’t be accepted by the populace." A new king is to be crowned. That harp must be found!
Unfortunately parts of Briefne has been harassed by giant crow like figures that wreak destruction on those who they come across. Dau has a run in with them before reaching the court. They are part of the mysteries that surround the Harp and its origins.
The importance of those mysteries are referenced when the woman healer Erine reminds Liobhan (Ciara), “Your kind have forgotten the old ways,” ... “You have forgotten the importance of the tales, the wisdom of the past, the strength that rises from tree and stone and stream, the bond between one world and the other. It is at such times of distrust and disruption that dark forces like these rise up to shadow our world.”
The three along with their mentors infiltrate the court in disguise, seeking the harp, in the face of significant dangers, and some major revelations.
I was on the edge of my reading seat with much of the story, what with the competition between Dau and Liobhan, with the potential mishaps for them in the face of the brutish heir to the throne and his henchmen. Each character surprises, particularly IMO Dau.
Brocc seems to always march to the beat of his own drum .. or rather harp, and pursues matters in quite a different way to the other two, with some interesting results.
A bardic saga in the making that will invite, entrance and thrill. Intrigue, mysteries, druids, and the fey all play a part both in the present and in stories to come.

A Berkley Group ARC via NetGalley

Juliet Marillier has been writing historical fantasy for long enough that she is clearly comfortable in that world, working in all the little details that delight readers who want to sink into a world.

I believe this is the beginning of a new series, and if I'm right, that would explain the sustained sense to the pacing--a change from some of the breakneck paced, often extremely violent fantasies out there that trade superhero-level fighting with snark. And I enjoy those!

But I also enjoy a slower tale such as this. The book is told in three voices, Liobhan the warrior bard, Brocc another warrior bard but whose true genius is music, and Dau, whose spiky personality hides a past he has no intention of revealing. My favorite voice was Liobhan's--though I was most interested in Brocc's arc. I really love stories that mix music and magic, and this one works that angle very nicely as we get into overlapping worlds.

The three embark on a mission that cannot fail Or Else, and the pacing gradually picks up, establishing them, the world, and the arc.