Kate Constable

One of my favourite fantasies, the Chanters of Tremaris series is a traditional fantasy quest with magic, maps and adventure with a touch of romance. Geared towards younger adult readers, the series will feel comfortable and familiar to fantasy lovers, hitting all the right notes of a quest fantasy and delivering an enjoyable read.

The third part of the trilogy, The Tenth Power, opens with Calwyn having lost her powers of chantment and travelling back to her childhood home of Antaris. Desolate without her magic, Calwyn grieves all the while dealing with the terrible sickness ravaging the lands. But when she is given the task of fixing what is broke, Calwyn sets out on a new journey to discover the secret of the Tenth Power - the only thing which may save Darrow and the whole of Tremaris alike.

The final book in the Chanters of Tremaris was fantastic. It wraps up all the main plot points and delivers a satisfying conclusion to the series. Well mostly satisfying - I was pretty devastated by Mica's death. I would've liked her and Calwyn to have at least reconciled before her death. And poor Trout, being in love with her and then losing her. I didn't really like that she stayed in Antaris rather than travelling with the others. I came to really like her in the last two books so her absence sucked. Especially because it kind of felt like she was replaced by Keela and as much as I enjoyed Keela's manipulations I preferred Mica. On the other hand I adored Calwyn's relationship with Halasaa. The reveal that they really were brother and sister was sweet. I only wished they had of found out earlier.

Calwyn and Darrow sort themselves out - although it takes until the very end for them to do so. I really hated the whole miscommunication between them in this series. I liked their friendship and I liked their relationship but it felt like they could only have one or the other and I didn't like that bit. A little miscommunication is okay - but the amount they had was just ridiculous. I was glad though that they managed to reach an understanding.

I was amused by Tonno's crush on Keela. Although I would've liked to see more of it. I really liked Calwyn's realisation that there's more to her than chantment and that she has more to offer than just that. She mopes a lot to begin with but I liked her more when she began to come to terms with her loss and realised all was not lost without her powers. It made it much better when she gets them back. I loved the solution to the sickness - the idea of a massive dance and sing along was hilarious. I'm not sure how I felt about Samis. His ending kind of made sense and the dabble of romance between Calwyn and him worked but it also kind of felt like he didn't take any responsibility for the lives he took. He didn't really seem remorseful and I didn't like that.

Found family, musical magic and a quest to make all right with the world - a perfectly satisfying end to a wonderful trilogy. 5 stars.… (altro)

One of my favourite fantasies, the Chanters of Tremaris series is a traditional fantasy quest with magic, maps and adventure with a touch of romance. Geared towards younger adult readers, the series will feel comfortable and familiar to fantasy lovers, hitting all the right notes of a quest fantasy and delivering an enjoyable read.

In the second part of the trilogy, The Waterless Sea, Calwyn and the gang have defeated Samis and have settled themselves in Ravamey, building a home for themselves, chanters and outcasts alike. Ambushing pirate ships they rescue windworkers and slaves alike, setting them free and bringing peace back to the land.

During one of their rescues, they meet Heben - the former third son of a Merithuros Lord who was cast out of his clan when he challenged his father over his adopted brother and sister's abduction by sorcerers. Heben, devastated by the loss of his siblings had set out to find other chanters to help him rescue the children from the Palace of Cobwebs where he believes them to be. Calwyn and the others hear his plea and agree to set out to rescue the children - however many that might be. Along the way they meet new friends, old friends and enemies alike as they drive Merithuros to the brink of war and heal the hurts of the land.

I love Calwyn and Darrow but I really wish they would sort themselves out. The back and forth between them was annoying. Like just talk to each other. They both clearly love each other - so just say it and be together and be happy. If you ignore that though, this book was great.

I loved that Calwyn and the rest of the gang have settled into their own skins and have found their purpose for being. Their little found family was sweet and I loved how they were all loyal to each other and determined to look after one another.

Heben annoyed me to start with - he was so dismissive of everyone! It irritated me that he was so disrespectful when he was the one that came to them to ask for help. But, to be fair, he did grow on me. I liked that he learned and changed and adapted as the book progressed and that he was soon fiercely defensive of Calwyn and the rest. His adamant comments that women should be included in the democratic council was fantastic.

The Palace of Cobwebs was creepy but Keela was funny. I do love a female villain.

Keela almost laughed aloud. She could hear it all in his voice, in his crafty, stupid, soldier’s voice. He wanted to use her, this general; like all those ambitious men, he thought he could wear her like a jewel, to enhance his own power. It never occurred to these men that Keela might have ambitions and plans of her own, that she could use them.

Constable, Kate. The Chanters of Tremaris Trilogy bundle: fantasy adventure magic series The Singer of All Songs; The Waterless Sea; The Tenth Power . Allen and Unwin. Kindle Edition.

She was very resourceful and smart and I rated it. I liked that even though she was spoiled and demanding and a fashionista that she was also a woman of substance and could be put to hard work without wilting.

As for the Black Palace - I felt terribly sorry for all the children who had been snatched from their families. Poor Darrow. I did like the flashbacks to his past though - I liked getting to know more about him. I was glad that they managed to free them and convince everyone to work together. The conclusion was good although I felt sad for Calwyn. Losing her powers sucked.

Another fun fantasy read with a plucky heroine and her band of devoted friends - a great addition to the series, 5 stars.… (altro)

One of my favourite fantasies, the Chanters of Tremaris series is a traditional fantasy quest with magic, maps and adventure with a touch of romance. Geared towards younger adult readers, the series will feel comfortable and familiar to fantasy lovers, hitting all the right notes of a quest fantasy and delivering an enjoyable read.

In the first part of the trilogy, The Singer of All Songs, readers are introduced to sixteen year old Calwyn a headstrong, fiery novice priestess of ice who longs to escape the ice wall that surrounds her home of Antaris. Unlike the other priestesses who seem to be content with Antaris, Calwyn feels the itch to know what's beyond the wall. She gets her wish when she meets iron chanter, Darrow.

Darrow stumbles into Antaris, injured and weary but is found by Calwyn who nurses him back to health. He tells Calwyn of lands far away and of the sorcerer Samis who wants to be crowned ruler of Tremaris.

Samis is on a quest to obtain all nine powers of chantment and be named the Singer of All Songs as told of in a prophecy made long ago. Having mastered two of the powers, he is well on his way but when he arrives in Antaris to learn the power of ice and threatens the priestesses, Calwyn finds herself and Darrow off on a journey to gather friends and allies to fight Samis.

I love this book. Calwyn is brave and passionate and cares fiercely for others. She is impulsive and stubborn and just a tiny bit of trouble. Her mind is hilarious as well;

‘But –’ Calwyn opened her mouth to protest, then closed it again. Perhaps it was best to do as he said at least some of the time, when it didn’t really matter, and save her disagreements for a time when it did. Obediently she seated herself on a squat bollard, pulled her cloak tightly about her, and tried to look patient. ‘Very well.’

Constable, Kate. The Chanters of Tremaris Trilogy bundle: fantasy adventure magic series The Singer of All Songs; The Waterless Sea; The Tenth Power . Allen and Unwin. Kindle Edition.

Her inquisitive nature is brilliant and I love her desire to know about the world around her. The land of Tremaris is interesting and I loved the world building of the nine powers of chantment. The idea of singing as power isn't a new one but it's a fun concept and it was well done in this. I enjoyed how Calwyn stumbles her way into learning the power of winds and finds that she already knows the power of beasts from her days as a beekeeper in Antaris. I liked the excitement she has for learning magic. And I loved the idea of Calwyn being the Singer of All Songs. As Tonno put it;

‘You’ve always called Samis such a marvel. Such a mighty sorcerer. And here’s this lass with her plaits down her back, with the same gift, mebbe. Mebbe stronger than his, for all we know.’ ‘Maybe.’The word was breathed so low that Calwyn barely heard it. ‘Mebbe she’s the one, not him – the Singer of all Songs. Think of that! I’d like to see his face if he knew it, to be trumped by a slip of a lass, not even in skirts.’ Tonno’s rare, deep laugh rumbled through the cabin. ‘Aye, I’d like to see that day!’

Constable, Kate. The Chanters of Tremaris Trilogy bundle: fantasy adventure magic series The Singer of All Songs; The Waterless Sea; The Tenth Power . Allen and Unwin. Kindle Edition.

There's just something about girls triumphing over boys.

The adventure itself is fast paced and full of magic. I loved the friends they meet on the way, Tonno, Xanni, Trout, Mica and Halasaa - although I was devastated by Xanni's death. Like really? Couldn't he have lived? I liked the hints of romance between Calwyn and Darrow but would've liked it even more if after they left Antaris they still bothered to talk to one another. The miscommunication between them was annoying.

The build up to the final confrontation with Samis was great and I liked how Trout was the one to save the day. The idea that he couldn't hear the Power of Seeming because he's slightly deaf was hilarious.

A fun fantasy read with a quest to save the lands, found family, an evil sorcerer and lots of musical magic. 5 stars.… (altro)