QUEEN OF SONG AND SOULS

Author: C. L. Wilson ISBN: 9780062022998 10/2010 FANTASY Publisher: AVON

Two lovers, two hearts, one soul. Only joined can they be truly complete. Only joined can they survive the darkness. The Fey King Rain and his truemate Ellysetta share a passionate love unrivaled in the history of their world—and a forbidden power that made them outcasts from the Fading Lands. As war looms and the evil mages of Eld threaten to rip their world asunder, they must fight to defend the very kingdom and people who reviled them. Only by trusting completely in their love—and in themselves—can Rain and Ellysetta hope to defeat the gathering forces of Darkness. But it will take more than the strength of their devotion to endure. They must unlock the secrets of the past and find the courage to embrace the dangerous destiny that awaits them. Only they can save their world, but that victory might cost them their lives.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

The fourth book in the Tairen Soul series still manages to keep pace with the books before it. This is noteworthy when the same main pairing is still the focal point, where other series tend to use a different pair each book to keep things fresh. Somehow QUEEN OF SONG AND SOULS also retains its freshness and keeps the reader wanting more.

The whole series is an emotional roller coaster, but one of the saddest moments came at the climax of QUEEN OF SONG AND SOULS. While character death is nothing new or unexpected, it still manages to hit hard when it occurs. Have tissues nearby when you're going through the final chapters.

The main duo, still Ellie and Rain, are still as lovable as before. Ellie does have a bit too much greatness to where it can be grating, but not unforgivable. Rain has come full circle, from broody jerk to a caring and sensitive partner who still has a bit of edge. Unfortunately Ellie hasn't quite had her revelation yet, so she's still hung up on herself a bit too much, even when she seems to be saving the entire world.

Lots of things come to light as well as some new locations and characters. Steli is a personal favorite, and star-crossed Adrial and Talisa pull the heartstrings as side characters, but the show stoppers are the antagonists.

Sebourne and his son, though mortal, stir up some of the worst trouble by being pompous and selfish. The High Mage is spine tingling, and a thing of nightmares for the unspeakable acts he commits and oversees. Even characters on the fringe of evil, like Queen Annoura and Jiraine, have moments where the reader will loathe them.

Also rich are the descriptions of settings and magic. I especially enjoyed the Elven city Navahele's description, since it was so intense and beautiful.

Not to be forgotten is the jaw-dropping plot, which still packs a punch. Political and moral decisions and revelations have all kinds of cause and effect that are believable and poignant. The levels of frustration and sorrow resonate off the pages in the more difficult times.

What kept this book from being a Top Pick was that there was just so much of the angst. While true that the story is unfolding during a war and therefore times are dark, it seems like there is rarely a reprieve from the wrenching drama. A few instances of humor or romance would've helped break up the near constant tension.

Another fault was that Ellysetta is just so powerful. She's gone from ordinary girl into a mega-hybrid of everything amazing and the deciding factor in the battle of good-versus-evil. She barely needed any training; her magic is above anything else witnessed, and she converted a chunk of the fey army into her personal army... by accident. It's a bit hard to swallow and makes her harder to relate to.

Other than that, I can't find anything else negative to say. The series is incredible and entertaining on an epic scale. Every book in this series deserves a place on the keeper shelf of fantasy lovers everywhere.

Sunny Lore