Good book to read. It includes paranormal aspects and a good storyline. I lone the character development. The story in this book flows nicely making it a nice read that I am sure you will enjoy more or less.

The wimpiest and lame protagonists of all. The secondary are a bit better and more interesting.

This is a medieval fantasy.

The story opens up as many stories of a bloody royal succession, the murdered family, and with the youngest prince to whom they forgive his life but at the same time neutralize to prevent it from being a threat of succession - they castrate him.

The young orphan is raised among monks to be a singer. Kattanan always liked to sing, but after the destruction of the monastery his life evolves into a future of traveling and people, turned into a luxury object of exchange for favors between nobles and merchants. But ... and here is something that catches my attention and seems to me to be a fault, because the fact that this may have become sexual abuse is never mentioned nor hinted. Especially after separating him from Jordan, his mentor.

The story itself really begins when Kat is used as an object of favor by a noble to win the hand of a princess. Kat is a broken young man, beaten up often, his hands shakes all the time. But he see the princess and fall in love. Why? Not a clue. She is a spoiled thing. The princess Melisande is only interested in dogs and puppies, nothing more, she finds her brother and the government boring. But favours her singer, because yeah new toy/slave to play to.

The thing is I never care about those two. The secondary characters are the reason I keep reading, but it was tiring to do so.

The book must have been about Jordan; a man struggling with his conscience.
Or Alswytha; a survivor.
Or even Brianna; the badass lady.

They worship 'The Lady', and have priestess. Why? Not enough worldbuilding.
They have witches, and fear them.


“The what?” Kattanan asked. Jordan shot him a fierce glance.
“The Liren-sha, the man born who is death to magic.”
“I wish he were here; we could show that wizard.”
“A legend,” Jordan snapped, “No more.”
The servant peered at him, with a warning finger wagging. “None has been here in my time, but the Liren-sha is no legend. Somewhere he is born, and lives, and may die never to know his power. Every man born with no magic hopes to meet this man who makes all equal.”


The relation among siblings is interesting and the story of the farmer raising a future king. That was a story that would be writing, and even Wolf is more complex and grant more sympathies than Kat.



Not bad writen but bad choice of MCs.

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(In spanish)

Los protagonistas más tontos y cobardes de todos. Los secundarios son un poco mejores y más interesantes.

Esta es una fantasía medieval.

La historia abre como tantas historias de una sangrienta sucesión real, la familia asesinada, y con el príncipe más joven a quien perdonan su vida pero al mismo tiempo neutralizan para evitar que sea una amenaza de sucesión: lo castran.

El joven huérfano se crió entre los monjes para ser cantante. A Kattanan siempre le gustó cantar, pero después de la destrucción del monasterio, su vida evoluciona hacia un futuro de viajes y personas, convertido en un objeto de lujo para intercambiar favores entre nobles y comerciantes. Pero ... y aquí hay algo que me llama la atención y me parece un error, porque el hecho de que esto pueda haberse convertido en abuso sexual nunca se menciona ni se insinúa. Especialmente después de separarlo de Jordan, su mentor.

La historia en sí realmente comienza cuando Kat es utilizado como un objeto de favor por un noble para ganar la mano de una princesa. Kat es un joven roto, golpeado a menudo, sus manos tiemblan todo el tiempo. Pero él ve a la princesa y se enamora. ¿Por qué? Ni idea. Ella es una malcriada. La princesa Melisande solo está interesada en perros y cachorros, nada más, encuentra a su hermano y al gobierno aburridos. Pero favorece a su cantante, porque sí, nuevo juguete/esclavo para jugar.

La cosa es que nunca me importan esos dos. Los personajes secundarios son la razón por la que segui leyendo, pero fue agotador hacerlo.

El libro debió haber sido sobre Jordan; quien tiene muchas cosas en que pensar
O Alswytha (la bruja) Una sobreviviente.
O incluso Brianna; a dama que sabe luchar.

Adoran a 'The Lady' y tienen sacerdotisas. ¿Por qué? No hay suficiente construcción del mundo.
Tienen brujas y les temen.

La relación entre hermanos es interesante, y la historia del granjero criando a un futuro rey. Esa era una historia que estaría escribiendo, e incluso Wolf es más complejo y otorga más simpatías que Kat.

No está mal escrito, pero es una mala elección de protagonistas.

Epic adventure set in medieval times but with wizards. The story is about a disposed royal family, all murdered except for a 5 year old prince. He is castrated and given a new name, sent to a monestary to be trained as a singer. His life is a list of owners, giving him as a gift for favors. No home or say in what happens except for the company of a monk, his one friend Jordan. Things escalate when his friend disappears and his real identity is discovered. Lots of people want to use him and enemies are many. Battles, betrayals and romance develop. His behavior suits his upbringing, other characters come to life and plenty of action follows.
I had problems only with the last couple of chapters. They seemed very rushed as if the ends all had to be neatly tied and happy endings for everyone. After 500 pages I didn't buy the king getting all reasonable and contrite. Also did they have ceramics at that time? Are clay dishes ceramics? I don't know but it caught my attention for some reason.
I received this book from Netgalley to read and review of I wished. Thank you. Enjoyed it very much.

A wonderful fantasy novel with a good plot and interesting characters! The cover draws your attention, I can't wait to read more in the series!

I remember reading this series awhile ago after all 3 books came out and I was impressed with the fact that even though the intrigue and betrayals found in this type of fantasy novel weren't new ideas, it seemed like it was with the idea of Kattatan as a court singer was different. This is still true of this release as well. Reading this a bit older now, some of the romance seemed a bit overly dramatic, but nothing to the point of ridiculousness.

I personally thought the secondary characters were great and as Elaine says in her introduction, the added details back into the story really helped flesh them out as well as the universe they live in. Even if you read the first editions like I did, if you liked them it's still worth it to read these updated versions.

I am a huge fan of books to do with royally, especially if it shows the ins and outs of the court, and this was a very creative twist on the regular story I’m used to! I LOVED the concept of a ‘Court Singer’! And while it differed slightly from the ‘trope’ so to speak,, it still had the delicious and wonderful court drama that I love! And I was totally intrigued by Prince Kattanan’s story and his journey, especially his relationship with Princess Melisande and the drama that came with it! The pace was a little slow in the beginning, but it was a good start to the series!

It was an enjoyable read, the plot was exactly what I wanted it and the characters were great. I look forward to more in the series.

This was a fantastic fantasy read, so full of machinations by those hungry for power and poor Kattanan caught in the middle. I was hooked from the beginning, that first memory of murder and betrayal, and I had a hard time putting it down. It was a great way to start what looks to be an epic series.

I was intrigued by Kattanan's life. The story begins with a memory, it's his memory of his mother telling him to run, no, actually demanding that he runs but he's too young to understand why and as it unravels we learn that he's a Court Singer. So, he's hired and passed on from one master to another for the purposes of entertainment, and what makes his story sad is that he's the rightful heir of his father's throne.
The book's pace picks up in the middle and you get caught up in a whirlwind of court politics, desire and obsession with power and magic, rivalries and battles and Kattanan realizes that there is more to taking back what's rightfully his than he'd bargained for.
I loved the story and look forward to reading the next book in the series because I believe there are more battles to be won in this saga.
Thanks Netgalley for the eARC.