Midnight Mermaids

Dive into a world of fantasy! A blue diamond book trio blog

Showing posts with label Kate Constable. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kate Constable. Show all posts

The Tenth Power By Kate Constable


The Tenth Power (Book 3 in the Chanters of Tremaris Trilogy)Name of book: The Tenth Power


Published:2005

Author: Kate Constable

Age Group:10-16


Number of Pages:306

Summary
Calwyn used to be exceptional. She was the most talented of all the chanters of Tremaris, , and she’d fought hard to become their leader. But then there was an accident, and the magic inside her went silent. Where there once was power, now there is nothing. Her whole life–the future she had planned with Darrow–has somehow slipped away.
All Calwyn wants to do is limp home and hide. But she can’t, because although her power is gone and taken all happiness with it, her responsibilities seem to grow every day. There’s a sickness attacking the chanters of Tremaris, a sickness that seems to have infected the land itself. And even though Calwyn is now just an ordinary girl with no magic left in her, she can’t sit by and watch the world die.
This is a story about tremendous courage and the strength of spirit that life sometimes demands. But it’s also a story of hope, because sometimes when everything you know has failed you, there is another way. Sometimes there is a tenth power–if only you can find it.


Review
I was completely dying to read this book, but since my TBR stack is huge, I had to wait several days, which honestly killed me. This book is the third book of The Chanters of Tremaris Trilogy. Calwyn was once on her path to become the singer of all songs. But suddenly, when she reaches far beyond what her magic can do and heals the dead lands, every single trace of magic in her is gone. Sadly enough for Calwyn, so is Darrow. Separated from each other, one in Antaris, another gone to find Samis. Calwnyn goes to Antaris,her homeland,in order to try to revive her magic powers. When she arrives there, horrible things happen, and the evil disease called snow-sickness spreads to Calwyn's beloved Hgh Priestess-Marna. Eventually Darrow catches the disease, and that is the only thing that seperates them. For Darrow cares deeply for Calwyn, and she him, but if a chantment singer touches a person with snow-sickness, it is death. Will they ever be together again? And will they defeat Samis in time to Save the whole world of Tremaris?
As intriguing as this book was, there were some downsides to it. How Calwyn changed her mind so quickly and became temporarily evil doesn't make any sense-and kissing Samis doesn't make it any easier. Overall, this book was great, but Calwyn would look better as NOT fickle.

Rating

Cover-3 stars

Plot-3 stars

Characters-2 stars

Fantasy/Fiction/magical meter-4 stars

Suspense-3 stars

TOTAL STARS-15 STARS=3 STARS

Lose yourself in the world of fantasy!
Until next time,
Bethany

The Waterless Sea by Kate Constable

The Waterless Sea (Chanters of Tremaris, #2)Name of book: The Waterless Sea

Published:2007

Author: Kate Constable

Age group: 11-14

Number of Pages: 320

Summary
Calwyn and her friends have come to the distant empire of Merithuros to rescue two children with the magical gift of chantment. But saving the children shatters more than just the palace;It uncovers long-hidden secrets of the man Calwyn loves, and shudders the foundations of the Empire itself. Calwyn will find a way to restore harmony in Merithuros...but its costs will be as deep as they are unexpected. With the passionate characters, exceptional writing, and inspired fantasy that earned her comparisons to Garth Nix and Ursula K. Le Guin, Kate Constable returns to the realm of The Singer of All Songs for a second extraordinary adventure.

Review
This book is just as stunning as the first. After I finished The Singer of All Songs (which took me less than a day,) I immediately raced to my school library and checked out the next book, The Waterless Sea. And this sequel definitely did not disappoint me. However, there were several things that I made this book very confusing. First of all, when I was reading it, I was looking for Darrow. Obviously, Calwyn and him where meant to be together. So imagine my surprise when I couldn't find him there! I thought there must have been a typo, but soon enough, I found out. I have to say, I finally realized that Darrow must have left the group since, as Halassus says, he can not be healed because the disease is inside his heart. Darrow shut out everything and everyone including Calwyn, eventually. The Waterless Sea is just as emotional and excitingly suspenseful. Kate Constable is an very gifted writer.

Rating

Cover-3 stars

Plot-5 stars

Characters-3 stars (Some characters aren't explained or accounted for as much as I'd like them to be.)

Fantasy/fiction/magical meter-5 stars

Suspense-5 stars


TOTAL-21 STARS=5 STARS

Lose yourself in the world of fantasy!
Bethany

The Singer of All Songs by Kate Constable

The Singer of All Songs (Chanters of Tremaris Trilogy, #1)Name of book: The Singer of All Songs

Published:2002

Author: Kate Constable

Series: The Chanters of Tremaris Trilogy

Age group: 11-14

Number of Pages:320

Summary from http://www.goodreads.com
Aussie author Kate Constable has brought a music inspired fantasy to the States that is on a par with celebrated works like Edith Pattou's East, and The Golden Compass, by Philip Pullman. In The Singer of All Songs, young Calwyn is a Daughter of Tarsis, an order of priestesses who have mastered the ice call--a singing power over cold and frost. She lives with her sisters behind an enormous wall of ice that separates their small valley from hostile neighbors in the tensely divided lands of Tremaris. This seemingly impervious barrier is breached by a wounded "Outlander" named Darrow, who comes to the priestesses with a wild tale about an evil Sorcerer named Samis who has sworn to learn the Nine Chantments of the separate lands of Tremaris so that he can rule them as the powerful Singer of All Songs. When the elder priestesses dismiss his rantings and ord! er his sacrifice to the Goddess, Calwyn becomes determined to save his life and join his quest. Together, the two new friends travel into dangerous territories, assembling a rag tag crew of comrades along the way who agree to help prevent Samis from mastering the Nine Chantments. Constable has bewitchingly reinterpreted pagan lore for a new generation, and Singer will easily find an appreciative audience amongst devotees of Tamora Pierce and Garth Nix. Although the pacing of the novel is decidedly measured in places, it only helps the reader appreciate the author's rich characterizations and imaginative settings. Young fantasy fans will find much to sing about in this first installment of a planned trilogy. --Jennifer Hubert

Review
From the moment I first opened this book, I couldn't stop myself from reading it. It was amazing, with exciting plot that took unexpected twists and turns. From the moment that Calwyn, the protaganist of the story, met Darrow, a ribbon of fantasy weaved its way into the already riveting and suspenseful plot of Kate Constable. Several characters help Calwyn and Darrow along their journey on their way to defeat Darrow's evil and malicious fried, Samis. Samis believes he is the singer of all songs-the person who can sing every single chantment out of all 10. Calwyn is determined to prove that she is nowhere near useless, and tries to win Darrow's love. The Singer of All Songs is a story of romance, adventure and a novice ice priestess(Calwyn) and a Ironcrafter (Darrow) who have to save the world-or die on the way.

Rating

Cover-3 stars

Plot-5 stars

Characters-4 stars (Some characters aren't explained or accounted for as much as I'd like them to be.)

Fantasy/fiction/magical meter-5 stars

Suspense-5 stars

TOTAL STARS-22=5 STARS

Lose yourself in the world of fantasy!
Bethany