Description
They said she was out of her mind. The dark truth will shake the foundations of the fae realm…
Lorelei refuses to believe her wild visions mean she’s insane. But despite her royal sidhe heritage, she’s banished to a remote priory to prevent her causing trouble. So when a priestess of the Elemental Order urges her to join a risky pilgrimage, she flees her prison and sails headlong into danger.
Traveling to an ancient land imbued with volatile magic, she chokes back her disbelief after unearthing evil sorcery that shouldn’t exist. And now that Lorelei holds the forbidden secrets, she fears it’s only a matter of time before the powerful Elphyne Empire silences her permanently. If the fae church’s ruthless assassins don’t hunt her down first…
Can Lorelei expose the sinister conspiracy before darkness falls forever?
Song of Shadow is the captivating first novel in the Ballad of Emerald and Iron epic fantasy series. If you like strong women, potent magic, and non-stop adventure, then you’ll love Natalya Capello’s enthralling tale.
Mariel –
Song of Shadow (Ballad of Emerald and Iron #1)
by Natalya Capello
I received a complimentary copy and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The story opens with Lorelei, who we understand is a Sidhe. She can wield magic in a specific way, unintentionally creating a complication at home owing to her magical abilities which results in her being forced to stay with nuns. As a form of punishment, this is in the hope she will change her ways. Suffering from the nightmares of her past lives, she is ultimately rejected by her family, desiring a change for her future, banishing her from their home, leaving her to join the ranks of the sisters. Lorelei desperately wishes to return to her family but when the Apostle of fire requests to speak with her explicitly, awarding her a path out of life in the nunnery, Lorelei realises she has little choice and faces adventure head on.
This is the first book in the Ballad of Emerald and Iron series. A fascinating new series full of mystery, intrigue and illusion. Natalya Capello has constructed a compelling book with exceptional personalities, notably Lorelei who becomes a strong protagonist. Full of problematic magical adventures, it keeps the reader guessing as to where it will end.
The issue I did identify was the quests encountered became a little too frequent for my taste. I listened to the audiobook version of this narrative which was fantastic but I found that it very quickly became too much to follow. There is so much information included concerning characters, names etc that I felt a little thrown in at the deep end, seeming as if I had missed something. It would surely benefit from a novella if one does not exist already. I have considered reading the printed version to see if I would have a different opinion.
The audio version is narrated by Senn Annis, who fully brought Lorelei to life, including most of the other personalities. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get past the block I encountered when I heard the accent of one of them; Wes.
Overall the book is a great first book to the series that has so much depth. I would just have liked more of an introductory experience. Thank you to Audibooks Unleashed.
I rate Song of Shadow 3 out of 5 stars.
Laura Rose –
Natalya Capello’s writing is creative. In book one of this series, the protagonist, Lorelei, has visions that make others think that she is insane and so she is banished to a remote priory. On her journey there, a priestess encourages Lorelei to join a pilgrimage, which sends Lorelei into a never ending thrill ride. The story is fun and entertaining. The world building is extensive, The characters are interesting and convoluted. I recommend this book to everyone who likes the fantasy genre. Senn Annis’ narration is fantastic and adds to the entertainment of the tale. I was given a free copy of the audiobook and I have voluntarily left this review.