This was such a good read full of suspense and conflict, with characters you can’t help but empathize with.

I started this book and found that it was not for me. I didn't want to rate a book that I wasn't able to finish.

Such an underrated fantasy that more people need to read!
I really enjoyed this one. I’m so glad I finally picked it up!
The premise was so interesting and that cover art definitely enticed me.
I really enjoyed both perspectives we follow. The growth the characters go through, as they are thrust into a different world where everything is more dangerous and the people are so untrustworthy, was so well done. I really grew a connection with them and felt horrible for all the horrendous stuff they went through.
Their relationships with each other are pretty well established at the start of the book and seeing them fight to get back to each other was wonderful to see.
I will say the only reason I’m giving it 4 stars and not 5 is because the last quarter of the book seem to go more slowly after such an action packed first three quarters of the story.
That and a time jump that although necessary kind of put me off balance a little bit.
Other than that though such an excellent read that I can’t wait to continue onto book 2!

I was several chapters into this when life got in the way and I was pulled away.

I've tried to go back to it, but am no longer able to access it.

HOWEVER, I enjoyed the heck out of what I read. The storytelling was great, the characters were interesting, and the world held my attention. I'm definitely looking forward to finishing this after I buy it.

I thought I would like this book more like I did in the end. I really love playing Bards in D&D so I thought this was right up my alley but in the end the characters were the main thing that fell flat for me. Both the male and the female main characters annoyed me really early on and I would love to say it got better but it really didn't. There was jo connection at all and I did not really care about what happened to them. And when they decided to be stupid I really wished for harsher consequences.

On the other hand the world-building is amazing and I like both the world and the foreshadowed plot (or what I think the plot of the series overall will be). This book does a lot of things right - interesting world, interesting magic but sadly I have to say the characters taint the picture.

This was unfortunately a DNF for me at around 30%. I just couldn't get into the characters, the plot, or the world. The premise was really great, but the execution really left me feeling unsatisfied and not invested.

I didn't love the characters in this book. I didn't dislike them, but I can't say I'm fond of them either. I wasn't invested in them. Lem was so naive and inept, his development not believable with the lack of actual build-up, and even when he 'learned' he still continued to make the worst decisions ever! The plot after Lem leaving his home was flimsy and didn't feel well-thought-out, which means the plot twists also flopped.

Sometimes I found myself lost as to what was happening, who was where, the setting of the scene. The writing was okay, the book full of events and twists, but none of it was enough to really capture my interest. The plot was promising, but it was quickly followed by a lull.

This is the first of the series “The Sorcerer’s Song” by Brian D. Anderson. There is nothing quite as comforting as a good escape fantasy novel. It takes a unique set of writing skills to create a fantasy that can grab the attention of fans in the genre. Anderson does exactly that the story embraces you from the beginning and follows a path that keeps you deeply involved. You are feeling each moment through the characters eyes, the descriptive scenes create images of the world around you. This is truly an excellent beginning to a very entertaining series.

The Bard's Blade is the first book in a new fantasy series by Brian D. Anderson. Released 28th Jan 2020 from Macmillan on their Tor imprint, it's 432 pages and available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats.

This is a coming of age fantasy set in two disparate worlds with enough page content to explore its themes against a much larger background of ethnicity, religion/zealotry, magic, xenophobia, propaganda, politics, and philosophy. If that seems like a very large (overwhelming) list, it is, and the characters do tend to get a little lost in the tumult.

The writing is nearly flawless. The scenes are technically well put together with a number of interwoven plot threads which are intertwining more and more as the book progresses toward a richly drawn central plot theme. The world building is exceptionally detailed with the almost Brigadoon-like Vylari being literally veiled magically from the Lamorians on the other side of the barrier.

The story is told from the two alternating storyline PoVs of the main characters whose lives take very different paths when they leave Vylaria and enter Lamoria. About 30% of the first book is used to segue into the second (and further) books. The plot is all about the long game. For fans of strictly battle based epic fantasy, this one might not fit the bill. There are no chapter-long war descriptions or campaigns as such, at least not in this first book.

Four stars. I was impressed with the plotting and writing. I'm looking forward to the next book(s) to find out what comes next.

When I was approved for this ARC I was very very excited, and I was so looking forward to this book! But I think that all the hype around this one wasn’t the best thing for me. I cannot say that this was a bad reading, mind me, but I was expecting so much more!

One of the best things in this book is the worldbuilding, I think. It’s not that the world that the author creates is one of the best ever, but he manages to take us in there without shocks, he takes us by hand and he brings us there, as it was the most natural thing in the world. Sometimes, when I read this kind of fantasy I feel a little disoriented (for example, I know that when I read Sanderson I would always have some disorienting experience at the beginning, and it takes some time to get used to this new world) but not with this one. You are slowly introduced to it, it is such a tactful way to do it that it is almost magic.

Another really good thing is that this is quite a fast reading. It’s not that it is fast-paced, because this book is not, but it’s more about the writing and the ensemble that we get here. You just turn a page after another, even when you are not so invested in the story.

And then we have the characters. I can’t say that they were bad, because this would be lying, but even if I liked them, I didn’t liked liked them. I was sometimes invested in them, sometimes not so much, but I was never really taken by them. Lem, our musician, is quite naive, and even if in the beginning I was more interested in his POV with the time I lost my interest. I wasn’t bored, but after the middle of the book, I started to prefer Mariyah’s POV. And I have to say that I was interested at the beginning of the story, then I lost it for a good chunk of the book, and I find it again after the second half of the book and all thanks to Mariyah and her new… employer? Mistress? I don’t know which one is better here, but I think that the Iron Lady was my favorite character here. I think that the secondary characters are quite good in there, the Iron Lady, Shemi, and others too, but I didn’t fall madly in love with the main ones.

I was expecting more from this book, in the end, I didn’t love the characters, the writing was good but not enough to fascinate me, and the story, even if it’s a rich story, full of events and twists, didn’t really capture me, even if in some things remembered me of Patrick Rothfuss’ series and about Robert Jordan’s series, and this would usually be a good thing, but, in this case, wasn’t enough. All things considered, I enjoyed the reading, that’s true, and I am very glad to have read this book but I don’t think I would continue with this series, to be honest.

This story begins with Mariyah and Lem as they get ready for the end of festival season in Vylari. Mariyah’s family owns a well-known vineyard and Lem is a high in demand musician. After the last festival of the season, Lem is pulled away from spending time with Mariyah, his betrothed, to attend to an urgent family matter.
Upon returning to his home, he learns that a mysterious stranger has managed to cross into Vylari’s magically protected border to bring a message to his dead mother. Lem takes it on himself to uncover the sender of the note by traveling past the borders of Vylari, knowing that he may never be able to return home.
So far I have greatly enjoyed reading this story, I find the characters well thought out and engaging. However, I do wish there was a little bit more “showing” verses “telling” with Lem and Mariyah’s relationship in the beginning. I enjoyed the author’s pacing, so far there has been a nice balance between action and information dumping to keep me interested in where the story is going. This book is told in 2 perspectives, which is something I enjoy reading because it can give insights into what the other characters are feeling/experiencing during meaningful events.
I cannot wait to read the rest of the story and the rest of the series.
At the time of this review, I have only completed 37% of the ebook, but I intend to pick up a physical copy after the publication date.
I received a copy for review of this book from NetGalley.

EDIT: I have since finished the book and have some additional thoughts to add to my initial review. Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. The story took some twists and turns I wasn't expecting, which included one of my favorite topics in fantasy books. After about the halfway point, I felt that there was a lot happening to both Lem and Mariyah, but there wasn't enough time spent in either of their sections to fully explore the reasoning behind some of the decisions they made. I felt that the ending was rushed and there was not enough resolution for my taste. I will be picking up the sequel when it is published, as I need to know what happens next in their story.

The Bard’s Blade is the first novel in a brand new series by Brian D. Anderson. This series is called The Sorcerer’s Song, and is understandably setting a theme, one of a musical inclination. This is a fantasy series, one that flips tropes and expectations.
Lem and Mariyah may not know it just yet – but they are about to go off on a wild adventure. Their reasons for going will be very different, as will their path. For you see, these two lovers will be following different paths.
Lem is the most talented musician around, and that’s being modest. His talents have allowed him to travel far and wide, even if he really would prefer to just stay home near Mariyah. But his talent – and destiny – call him onward.
Mariyah is the daughter of a wine maker, though it’s no secret that she’s the brains behind the operation at this point. She’s content with her lot in life. Especially with Lem by her side. That is, until he gets some news that changes everything for them.

“Never allow the wickedness of others to dictate who you are.”

The Bard’s Blade was a fast-paced and highly entertaining read. It sent our leading characters all over the map, chasing and running from one adventure to the next. Seeing their travels made for a very fascinating read, through and through.
The world created in The Bard’s Blade is a fascinating one. I found myself desperate to learn and see more of it within two chapters. And that feeling stayed the whole way through, an impressive feat. I’m happily looking forward to the sequel already, for that very reason. I loved the magical system, the different cities, and the border itself (which you’ll quickly learn about if you give this book a try).
This novel used switching perspectives (with Lem and Mariyah being two of the dominant points of view) in order to tell the story. I loved that, as it allowed me to see more of this world, the character involves, and the messes they seemed to keep getting themselves into.
What I loved the most about this novel is how it subverted expectations and prophecies. This isn’t a typical bard tale – though I couldn’t help but think “I got a four!” once or twice while I was reading (couldn’t resist the OOTS reference there, sorry!). It was in fact something completely different from what I expected, and I mean that in the best of ways. And that is truly saying something, since I was expecting something fun and different from the beginning.
Okay, that might have been the thing I liked second best. What I enjoyed the most was how much The Bard’s Blade surprised me. I couldn’t predict anything that was going to happen in this book – for good or for bad. And that made for a highly entertaining read.

4 of 5 stars
https://lynns-books.com/2020/01/30/the-bards-blade-the-sorcerers-song-1-by-brian-d-anderson/
The Bard’s Blade is an entertaining and very easy read that combines a classic old school style of story telling with two young protagonists coming to terms with the harsh realities of the world beyond their own sheltered homes and their personal journeys along the way.

The story gets underway with a few feel good chapters. We make the acquaintance of Mariyah and Lem who are romantically involved. They live in Vylari, a place that remains sheltered and undiscovered by the rest of the world due to a magical barrier. Lem is a musician of extraordinary talent and Mariyah is the daughter of a prosperous wine merchant. The people of Vylari believe magic to be the root of all evil (apart from the barrier that keeps other people out) and they have no desire to travel beyond their own boundaries to Lamoria. Unfortunately, the arrival of a stranger from Lamoria with a bleak message about a forthcoming disaster forces Lem to make the bleak decision to leave and in a rash act Mariyah and Shemi (Lem’s uncle) take the decision to follow him. The three will pretty quickly realise just how blissful their lives in Vylari really were.

There are plenty of different elements to the story once we reach Lamoria. Parts of the world are strictly guided by religion, and not just giving thanks for food or attending weekly sermons etc, but passing way beyond into overzealousness. Not to believe is a cardinal sin that sees heretics harshly punished, captured and thrown into brutal prisons where their survival is rare. This is a cruel world, the nobles take advantage by taking indentured slaves from the prisons at little cost and bribery and corruption are rife. Mariyah herself is taken prisoner and wrongly accused of murder for which she will serve a life sentence. Shemi fares even worse and Lem finds himself in dire straits when a tavern owner, at first seeming to take him under her wing eventually holds him a virtual prisoner, abusing his trust and forcing him to work for her. The ways of Lamoria couldn’t be further removed from those of Vylaria and Lem and Mariyah have a rude awakening.

Eventually both move on to different pastures and yet both are still imprisoned in more ways than one.

Mariyah becomes indentured to a noble woman and Lem is employed by a troupe of actors to play music during intermissions. There is a lot more involved to both their storylines but I won’t spoil the fun of discovery here other than to say they remain committed to finding and freeing each other.

I guess I would say this is a coming of age tale. Certainly both the main characters are about to be served a cold plate of experience that is difficult to digest. The writing style is very easy to get along with, there are enough descriptions to easily create a mental picture without the pages becoming bloated with purple prose and thankfully there are no info dumps.

The characters are the main driver of the story, both of them changing as the plot develops and both are likable and good natured – although the course they take sees them change before the book is complete and I can’t help but wonder if one of them might go too far down the path of darkness to be able to turn back. The two are motivated by love and their burning desire to be reunited. I would add that if you’re not interested in reading about romance, fear not, for the majority of the story the two remain separate and the story focuses on their adventures.

In terms of criticisms. I don’t have much really. I felt like the world building could have been strengthened. I would like to know more about why the two places were separated by a magic barrier for example. I would also like to know a little more about the magic involved and the whys and wherefores of how it works. But these are things that may be expanded on as the series progresses. I think certain elements felt, not so much rushed, but skimmed over. For example Lem’s development – I’m not going to give anything away exactly, but I would have liked to see more of a struggle on his part before he became almost legendary at the new secondary role that he found himself roped into. The ending was also a little bit of a shock – I would stress that I love the twist in the tale but the final chapter with Lem and Mariyah was a little anticlimactic.

But, small issues aside, I found this to be an enjoyable read. This is definitely the sort of comforting fantasy that you can pick up without encountering any real shocks or nasty surprises. It has a YA feel that doesn’t take the grimdark path of blood and guts which makes for a refreshing change of pace. A quick and addictive read indeed.

I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

2 stars.

i have read a lot of people's glowing reviews of this book, so i was really excited when i got approved for the e-arc and read it straight away! but unfortunately, almost nothing about this book turned out to be what i expected, from the story, to the writing, to the characters... everything fell completely flat.

let's begin with the characters, lem and mariyah, who start off just fine, although i wasn't a big fan of the fact that they were already in love and in an established relationship. we were given very little background on their relationship, other than that they are betrothed to one another and madly in love. this made it difficult to become invested in them and root for their love to survive because we were just given so little time with it. we did not get the opportunity to see it develop.

then as the story progressed, they each became so infuriating to read about that i found myself utterly unsympathetic to their plights. lem has to be one of the most naive, inept main characters i have ever read, and his character "development" was not believable at all. i can't say too much without going into spoilers, but it's like having someone who is incompetent at one thing to suddenly become a master at it the very next chapter, with no growth or buildup to show us how they got there.

yet even so, he continued to make the worst decisions ever, the kind that make you stop and go "wait. nobody can that stupid, right? there has to be more to this. he has to have an ace up his sleeve." but nope... he really was that stupid. everything was exactly as it seemed, making the story dull and predictable. the event that kicked off the plot was very weak and flimsy and didn't seem that well-thought-out either, leading later on to "plot twists" (if you could even call it that) that could be seen from miles away.

i was so disappointed by this book. i thought i was going to get a lush, magical fantasy following a bard's adventures as he tries to save his homeland, but instead, i got this weak-plotted mess with poorly-written characters, whose writing felt so juvenile that it read like a very young ya instead of the adult fantasy that it supposedly is?

i'm so sad that my first arc review ended up being so negative... but yeah, wouldn't recommend this one, and i won't be continuing with the series for sure.

When trouble stirs, fate brings unlooked for solutions!

A slow start had me wondering. Two lands sealed off from each other, Vylari and Lamoria. Common knowledge was that "once you passed beyond the border of Vylari, you could never find your way home—that was what protected the people from the threat of Lamoria, and prevented any who might wish to leave from divulging Vylari’s location." Yet, a mysterious stranger brings a warning to Vylari for Lem's mother Illorial. That's when the fatherless Lem finds out more about his mother and entertains thoughts about where his father might have come from. Lem was "the only one whose mother crossed into Lamoria.”
Injured by crossing the barrier, the stranger possesses a letter addressed to Illorial predicting danger for Lamoria. A seer has told that the "only hope rests with one who dwells [in Vylaru]—a child enormous of talent, with special gifts that have the power to hold back the darkness." A person connected to Illorial and that "they are a bridge between" the two worlds.
Lem, as Illorial's son and a talented musician determines to follow the warning and breaks through the barrier into Lamoria. His love, Mariyah accompanied by Lem's uncle Shemi stubbornly follows him.
Of course this ends in disaster in different ways for all. Trying to fit into a land where you know nothing of the religious strictures leads to disaster and enslavement for Mariyah and Shemi whilst Lem finds himself trapped in more ways than one.
A somewhat familiar trope. I must admit it took a while for the storyline to find its mojo. When it did, I was hooked!

A Macmillan-Tor/Forge ARC via NetGalley

Brian D. Anderson's "The Bard's Blade' is a great starting point for readers looking to delve into the fantasy genre. Anderson's writing is very mild and simplistic, but the story has some twists. It is actually interesting, because you are introduced to the world of magic at the same time as the characters are. Music plays a key role in this novel, similar to that of Patrick Rothfuss' "Kingkiller Chronciles," but the scope of this story is not as epic. For a debut from an indie-author, I'd say that this is a winner!

Thank you to Brian D. Anderson, Macmillan-Tor/Forge, and NetGalley for sending me the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I got an arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and I am so grateful for it!

One downside to getting an advanced reader copy is the fact that now I have to wait extra long for the next one!

This story follows our two lovebirds Mariyah and Lem who are raised in Vylari, a small section of land that has been hidden from the rest of the world with a magical barricade. Vylari is a peaceful place where the people mostly live in small villages and the biggest crimes are people trying to get out of paying for stuff. Vylari is a very sheltered place and the inhabitants know that outside Vylari is a very bad world. A world that none of them would willingly visit.

Events unfold that lead our lovers to be separated outside the barrier in the big, bad world. What follows is a magical tale of betrayal, music and magic as they do everything in their power to be reunited. Everything comes at a price, sacrifices must be made in order to find their love again and they must decide just how far they are willing to go. Will they be the same at the end of this journey?

I highly enjoyed this book, there were parts where I felt that one more round of editing would have made better but overall I was deeply invested in the story. The journey that these two characters go through and the choices they have to make and the personal growth that we see in this book is just fantastic.

The writing style is very accessible and I can see people new to fantasy really enjoying this book but I would also recommend it to other fantasy readers if they are in the mood for a quick and immersive read.

The ending has me SO invested that I am just dying to get my hands on the next one!

The Bard's Blade was a winning bet! This is the 2nd book I started on a whim last year based solely on a recommendation from my co-blogger and it worked superbly. Gripping and moving, the first installment of Brian D. Anderson's newest series made me ridiculously ecstatic and sat proudly at my top 3 reads of 2019.

To give some context first, something vital has been missing in most of my reads in the last couple of years. You know, that magical and indelible emotional connection to the world or the characters or the story the author’s trying to tell (or better still, to all three). Failing to get that spark from new books, I took refuge in rereads to try and experience it once again (to give you an idea, half of my reads were rereads in 2018 and 2019). But it's never the same again, is it? That first sense of awe from this new world that sucked you in. The nascent kinship and investment you felt toward a new fictional character. The upcoming events that made you sacrifice sleep.

The Bard's Blade was such a book for me! It knocked me off my feet, punched me in the feels and made me experience that connection again.

The story started in a very simple and a tad old school fashion. We were introduced to Mariyah, a smart and hardworking winegrower's daughter and her betrothed Lem, an out-of-this-world musician. Both enjoyed a quiet and serene life in Vylari, a peaceful land protected from the terrible outside world by a magical barrier. No one entered Vylari and no one left it, because if they did, they could never find their way home again. Or so most Vylarians thought... until a stranger came with an ominous message.


I won't say more about the plot. All I knew going in is that the book featured a musician and that music was beautifully described. That’s it. And that was a good thing too, because the Bard’s Blade surprised me at every turn and concluded in a most tense, powerful, emotional manner. Don’t expect huge battles or epic displays of powers though folks. The story wasn't particularly fast paced or action-packed or heavy on magic either. The writing wasn't lush or fanciful and the storytelling was pretty simple and linear (except for a fast forward somewhere after the halfway mark). And yet, I was hooked since the early pages. There was a strong and genuine sense of anticipation that kept me focused and invested and left me impatient whenever duty called. I won't say if or when that anticipation will be fulfilled for obvious sadistic reasons. And to –hopefully- keep you guys rooted in the pages like I was.

Something I truly enjoyed was the way Anderson treated the much trodden trope of the Chosen One prophecy. He took it, dusted it, gave it a nice and refreshing makeover and let it lurk in the background while the characters sorted themselves out and embarked on their respective journeys.

And what journeys those have been! Dangers and fate kept ambushing them at every step, every decision. Anderson didn't shy from forcing them into dire situations and that made me realize how fast and deep I came to love them and fear for them (a fortunate occurrence, since The Bard’s Blade is an essentially character-driven story). Heck, I was anxious beyond reason every time Lem performed in public! I'd have been content to read about Lem and Mariyah and Shemi (Lem’s uncle) having a long peaceful life and a happily ever after in Vylari, protected from Lamoria’s greed and cruelty and zealous religion; that tells you how much I cared for them. But that wouldn't tell a good story, now, would it?

If you haven’t guessed already, Anderson's characterization was truly phenomenal to me! His main characters developed in a spectacular way since they were first introduced. Ordeals kept battering them. The people they met changed them. The truths and lessons they learned challenged their beliefs and their limits. And somehow, their retained an earnestness and sincerity that made them very special and very endearing.

The Bard’s Blade gave me an amazing reading experience and every single page enchanted me! With its simple prose, engrossing plot, growing worldbuilding, engaging characters and clever mix of modern and old school storytelling, it elicited all kinds of emotions in me. I seriously can’t wait to get my hands on the sequel, A Chorus of Fire (expected publication august 4th) after the intense (and full of possibilities) conclusion Anderson gave us.

Thank you so much to the author and the publisher for this ARC! All thoughts here are my own.

I had high hopes for this book after seeing so many promising early reviews, so when I was approved for an ARC copy of this book I was thrilled! Sadly this book wasn’t the 5 star read that I had hoped it would be for me, and at times I had to really push myself to continue reading. There were a lot of things that were hit or miss for me, and even just a few days after finishing it I’m struggling to find the words to really say what about this book I did and didn’t like.

I really enjoyed learning about this world and how it worked, but because both Lem and Mariyah are new to the world they are in it isn’t very clear what is going on and who is who, which for most people isn’t a problem, but I’m one of those people who doesn’t mind info-dumps and long descriptions, so I felt like it was a little lacking in this book but I understand the reason for that. I’m still quite confused as to the kingdoms and cities throughout this world, even by the end when both our characters are getting a better grasp on the world they live in.

I did like the characters of Lem and Mariyah, but sometimes I felt like their actions were a little strange when you consider what they’ve been through and where they come from. For example (without giving away spoilers), where Mariyah ends up and what she is learning by the end of the book was a little surprising because she didn’t really fight it as much as I would’ve thought she would, and same thing with Lem and what he has to do to survive.

I also appreciated the writing style, which was simplistic and made this book so easy to read. I usually tend to like books that have a more straightforward writing style, and that definitely describes this book and I think that it helped with the story. I would say that this book is more character driven, which could also be a reason I wasn’t connecting with the story. I like when there’s a lot of action and things happening, versus all character development with less focus on the plot. Towards the end of this book the plot did definitely picked up a lot and I became much more invested in the story.

What really stood out to me as being something that I wanted to learn more about and would read the next book for is the religious groups and how that plays a role in this world, which for me is surprising because I usually don’t like books that have an overzealous religion in it. I’m thinking that we will learn more about this aspect of this world in the next book, considering where we left off in this first book.

Overall, for me this was an okay book but I think if you are looking for an easy to read, light fantasy novel that focuses on the characters, then this could be for you! This does read more like a YA novel than an adult novel so keep that in mind as well. I think that I would be interested in seeing where this story goes in the next book!

This book had absolutely wonderful world building and fantastical elements. Some of the greatest elements was the magic and mystery of it all. It is a very stron first book and i'm looking forward book 2 !