#liobhan

[theimaginatrix27]

Reviving a classic meme

Looks like they could kill you but is actually a cinnamon Roll: Grim, and also Dau from the second trilogy.

Looks like a cinnamon roll but could actually kill you: Blackthorn (seriously people like/trust her unless she's actively pissed them off).

Looks like they could kill you and would actually kill you (if you crossed them): Liobhan.

Looks like a cinnamon roll and is actually a cinnamon roll: Brocc.

[a-crack-in-the-universe]

My thoughts about the Warrior Bards trilogy

I finished reading the Warrior Bard trilogy a couple days ago, and I have some thoughts that I want to share about the books.

I'm putting this under a read-more because spoilers.

What I liked:

The spy missions. I really enjoyed seeing the Swan Island teams in action and the suspense of not knowing whether they were going to be found out.

Brocc being forced to create a Crow Folk army for Sciath, and his secret plan to deceive her and help the Crow Folk fly home instead. Also Brocc fixing the Crow Folk problem by trying to communicate with and understand the Crow Folk. It reminds me of Finbar's words in Daughter of the Forest, about how they should seek to understand their enemy instead of always fighting them. I do think Finbar would be proud of Brocc and what he achieved.

Brocc and Eirne's baby Niamh, and how much Brocc loves her. :') Also love Conmael's reaction to seeing Niamh (who is potentially his granddaughter) for the first time.

The Sevenwaters references -- I love that Inis Eala is still going strong. I love how Bran's Blade is a thing and how Bran is revered as a strong and compassionate leader long after his death. Also Brocc going into the seer's cave and seeing a reflection that's not his in the water is also a reference that I really love. :')

One thing I thought was strange though was that there was no reference to the Sevenwaters family or the Sevenwaters forest. I get that Juliet Marillier probably wanted Blackthorn and Grim and Warrior Bards to be its own thing separate from the Sevenwaters series, but it's weird that these two trilogies are set in the same world as Sevenwaters and yet Sevenwaters is never mentioned.

What I didn't like:

After book 1, it felt like Liobhan was less proactive in the main plot. Book 2 had her just acting as a bondservant and Dau's personal nurse, and in Book 3 she stays on Swan Island until she and Elka saw that vision in the seer's cave and Liobhan decided to 'break the rules' to rescue Brocc. It was disappointing -- I really liked Liobhan's central role in Book 1 and I'd hoped that she would be given similar focus in the other two books.

There are no lasting consequences. Dau loses his eyesight in Book 2? Don't worry, he gets it back via magic cure by the end of the novel and gets to go back to Swan Island with Liobhan. Liobhan doesn't have to complete the year of bondservice she agreed to because Dau is no longer blind. Liobhan breaks the rules again in Book 3? Don't worry, she's not kicked off the Island because she's too valuable to Swan Island (though she does get a slap on the wrist).

Swan Island's rules. I hate how restrictive they are, and how they limited Liobhan and Dau's potential as characters. Especially the "you must exercise restraint" rule. There were many times in Books 2 and 3 when I wished Liobhan would act out and stop restraining herself so much. Also I wished Liobhan and Dau would leave Swan Island by the end of the trilogy because of the rules and was disappointed when they stayed there.

I hated Eirne a lot. She was such a bitch and treated Brocc badly and it's sad that it took so long for Brocc to see how awful she was. I was so happy when he finally left Eirne's Realm.

Questions I have:

What happened to Sevenwaters? Is the family and keep still around or were they destroyed at some point?

Do the Swan Island community remember Liadan? She isn't mentioned at all when Liobhan is thinking about the history of Bran's Blade and how Swan Island was founded.

When exactly are these books (and the Blackthorn and Grim books) set? How many centuries after the Sevenwaters series? I've tried to come up with a rough timeline based on the kingdoms shown in the books but I haven't been able to figure it out yet.

[checkoutmybookshelf]

10 Characters 10 Fandoms 10 5 Tags

Rules: choose 10 favorite characters from 10 different fandoms -- no double dipping! Then tag friends or mutuals to complete the game as well.

Tagged by @apocalypticavolition (who I extremely blame for making me pick favorites. I am now the Miette meme sending this mutual to jail for 1,000 years)

Top 10

Jaina Solo of the Star Wars Expanded Universe (technically its now the Legends Continuity, but fuck Disney for that) - The unhinged drama that the extended Skywalker and Solo clans has a special place in my heart, but Jaina's A+ mix of badassery, trauma, angst, communication issues, and severe allergy to feelings makes every stage of her life an absolute treat to watch. That and the fact that she is the last Solo kid standing as of Disney's murder of the EU makes her the best in my book. Teenage me DESPERATELY wanted to be Jaina Solo. Adult me wants to give her a hug and take her out for a synthale.

Lady Sybil Ramkin Vimes of Discworld - This might be a low-key surprise pick, since I have previously cited Granny Weatherwax and Sam Vimes as Discworld favorites, but Lady Sybil also holds a special place in my heart, because she is literally an amazing partner to Sam without losing any of her own interests and personality. She is also a complete badass in a quiet, competent way that adult, married me would give literal years of her life to have. And then there was the time she absolutely let Serafine HAVE IT because she was pregnant, being held hostage, and Sam's life was in danger, but the goddamn tipping point was that Serafine DIDNT RESPOND TO THE ANNUAL LETTERS. Perfection.

Iskierka from the Temeraire series - She breathes fire, she is a holy terror, and she is basically a pirate masquerading as a soldier. Iskierka is a queen without equal.

Briar Moss from the Circle Universe - I just desperately want to give this poor traumatized boy a hug, but he already has three sisters and two mothers to do that for him. I genuinely think Briar's three books are the best written and executed in the Circle Universe, and his journey feels deeply grounded in a way that the girls' don't, because within their origins and cultures, the girls all came from some level of privilege. Briar is a grounding force that I deeply appreciate.

Dau from the Warrior Bards trilogy - Dau, much like Briar, is in desperate need of a hug. Another traumatized boy, but his one literally has to go on a three-book arc to learn how to feel his feelings and how to people. Basically, we have to socialize him, and watching Liobhan try to do that is by turns hilarious, heartbreaking, and rage-inducing. Dau tries so hard that he makes everything about five times harder than it has to be.

Lan Chitward from the Valdemar Universe - OK, I might prefer guys who need hugs, because Lan is a beautifully executed tragic hero. This kid ends up half trained and sans mentor and support system on the front lines of a war with his lifebonded partner and the phyrric victory claims both their lives. Before that though, Lan gets to speed run found family, and it's just delicious because it twists the knife even deeper. I have my issues with Mercedes Lackey, but in Lan she nailed a tragic, doomed hero.

Penelope Featherington from Bridgerton - The Netflix series is objectively better than the book series, but even in the books Pen is my favorite. Our girl is a WRITER, and she isn't afraid to use that skill. There also aren't enough writer protagonists out there, so shoutout to this lovely one.

Fire from the Graceling Universe - Fire is a fascinating protagonist because she is quite literally a monster, and just existing in the world for her is an exercise in understanding what humanity is...even in those humans who lack it.

Ikenna from the Blood Gift universe - Our beautiful murder barbie is inimitable and frankly I want there to be MORE books with her. And murder barbie speaks to my heart in some extremely specific ways.

Nyneave Al'Meara from the Wheel of Time - *yanks braid, smooths skirts* Literally if I didn't pick her, Nyneave would walk out of those books and come for my head, and I would have no choice but to agree with her because she is very much the best.

@giaelesramblings

@iliiuan

@tatithetinybooktuber

@lillywhitefield

@reddy-reads

[bellaroles]

Dau. And Liobhan in two mode. I aim to draw her swan island fighting clothes but I got lazy lol. Her musician’s clothes is easier for me. I’m stuck on book 3 since my vacation is ending and I got so many things I wanna do.

[kindred-josephs]

YA FANTASY BOOKS THAT YOU’VE PROBABLY NEVER HEARD OF - BUT YOU SHOULD READ

This list is entirely Pacific authors because they deserve more love and attention! If you like these I can do more xo

1. Lady Helen and the Dark Days Club by Alison Goodman

This incredible trilogy is by Australian author Goodman who mashes demon/spirit hunting with high society regency England. Think Jane Austen/Bridgerton with underground societies crossed with fantasy and mystery. This is an incredible read, and genuinely one of the only series I’ve ever read that uses the love triangle trope in as a compelling plot device.

Description: 18 year old Lady Helen is eager to make a good impression at her presentation to the queen after rumours that her parents death’s were due to the being traitors to England and the British crown. All she wants is to prove she is not as reckless and untrustworthy as her beloved mother, however she cannot seem to quite fit in with society and has bursts of impulses that are borderline scandalous. After one of her maids goes missing and nobody seems to care about finding her, Helen secretly tries to find the girl. Helen begins to see strange changes in her life, such as seeing a blue light surrounding people, and one gentleman, who is rumoured to have killed his wife, can’t seem to leave her alone.

2. The Embrace Series by Jessica Shirvington

Also known as the Violet Eden Chapters, this 5-part book series also by and Australian author is an excellent read for those looking to get into YA and is highly suited for young teens. This series is urban fantasy/contemporary fantasy. I first read this when I was 14 and probably read it again once or twice a year, I love it. It may annoy older readers as the main character does make a lot of questionable choices but if you keep in mind she is supposed to be young and naive in the first book, and the fact that everyone around her is taking advantage of her without her realising it then it’s a great book. This was Shirvington’s first published series so you can really see her writing get better as the series goes on. Most of the world building happens in the second book, with the climax full of emotions, heartbreak, love and action happening in the 4th and 5th books which are amazing.

Description: Violet Eden just turned seventeen and got accepted into her dream art school. All she needs now is to get the boy - her older best friend and mentor who seems to be holding himself at arms length with her. As she tries to get closer to Lincoln she realises he’s keeping big secrets that threaten their friendship. Violet is thrust into a world where nightmares become reality - literally. Are angels and demons real? Was her mother trying to warn her of something more sinister in the last letter she left her before she died? And how does the dark, classy, doting boy she met in a club play into it? Can Violet forgive Lincoln for involving her in a dangerous and terrifying world?

3. The Harp of Kings by Juliet Marillier

This is an intriguing series that I haven’t finished myself yet so don’t kill me if it ends terribly! This is a series by New Zealand author Marillier, who also has another series that I’ve yet to pick up, so if you like her writing style there’s plenty to read!

Description: This series follows singer and musician Liobhan, and her equally musically talented twin brother. Both have an ambition to be trained on elite Swan Island, which trains warriors and spies. When asked to accompany Sean Island warriors on a trip as undercover travelling minstrels, Liobhan must make tough decisions to uncover the truth about an other dimension meddling in the affairs of their world, while trying to keep her kingdom safe from scheming political threats.

[thechronicbookwormblog]

BOOK REVIEW: The Harp of Kings by Juliet Marillier

Eighteen-year-old Liobhan is a powerful singer and an expert whistle player. Her brother has a voice to melt the hardest heart and is a rare talent on the harp. But Liobhan's burning ambition is to join the elite warrior band on Swan Island. While she and her brother are competing for places in this band, they are asked to go undercover as travelling minstrels. For Swan Island trains both warriors and spies.

Title: The Harp of Kings

Author: Juliet Marillier

Published by: Pan Macmillan

Publication Date: 27/08/19

Australian RRP: $29.99

Finished Cover: *click*

Genres: fantasy, historical fantasy, 

Pages: 400

Format: ARC

Rating: 3.5/5

Synopsis:

Bard. Warrior. Rebel. Eighteen-year-old Liobhan is a powerful singer and an expert whistle player. Her brother has a voice to melt the hardest heart and is a rare talent on the harp. But Liobhan's burning ambition is to join the elite warrior band on Swan Island. While she and her brother are competing for places in this band, they are asked to go undercover as travelling minstrels. For Swan Island trains both warriors and spies.

Their mission is to find and retrieve a precious harp, an ancient symbol of kingship. If the harp is not played at the upcoming coronation, the heir will not be accepted and the kingdom will be thrown into turmoil. Faced with plotting courtiers, secretive druids, an insightful storyteller and a boorish Crown Prince, Liobhan soon realises an Otherworld power may be meddling in the affairs of the realm. When ambition clashes with conscience, Liobhan must make a bold decision - and the consequences may break her heart.

Trigger Warnings: faking disability trope, ableism, physical abuse, misogyny, sexual assault, PTSD, animal abuse, 

Review:

The Harp of Kings is a historical fantasy novel full of interesting characters, a quest, magic, and music. I loved that music was such a big part of this story and of Liobhan and Brocc's lives. The Harp of Kings is the first Juliet Marillier book I've read. The writing was detailed, giving great insight into the characters and their mission.

The Harp of Kings is told through three alternating perspectives: Liobhan, Brocc, and Dau. Liobhan is my favourite character. I loved seeing her strength, determination, intelligence, and compassion. The brother/sister relationship between Liobhan and Brocc was great to read and reminded me of my siblings. Brocc's passion and creativity for music was wonderful to read. Dau's was my least favourite perspective to follow; he has to pretend to be mute. The use of the faking a disability trope did upset me, and I found Dau's opinions on disability hard to read at times. Although I found Dau's chapters hard to get into at first, I did like that as the story went on more about his past was revealed.

Overall, I enjoyed reading The Harp of Kings, and if you like historical fantasy, I recommend picking up a copy.

Thank you to Pan Macmillan Australia for letting me be part of The Harp of Kings blog tour, and for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

[bookcatofny]

The Harp of Kings

Author: Juliet Marillier

Publisher: Berkley (Ace) @berkleypub

Review: This is the first book in a new series. It's set in the same world as the Blackthorn and Grimm series, you learn very early in the book how it's connected. In this, teens Liobhan, her brother Brocc, and Dau are training for Swan Island, a group of warriors and they're sent to find the stolen Harp of Kings.

Juliet Marillier continues to be an excellent storyteller and her writing is as always lyrical and lovely to read. Other than the absolutely spectacular Daughter of the Forest, I've thought that the first books in her previous series have at times been slow going and I tend to enjoy them more on re-reads after the rest of the series comes out. There were some spots where I thought this dragged, so I'm hopeful the rest of the series will pick up a bit, as they usually do.

4/5

Thank you to Netgalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

[e5b409]

cool thing about irish people is that you’ll meet a guy named something like liobhan and he’ll go ‘it’s pronounced lucas but everyone calls me sully’ 

[ao3feed-klance]

A Black T-Shirt

read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/2qew8nc

by Liobhan

“Bailar conmigo, Keith.” Lance’s voice is soft then, Spanish accent rolling smoothly off his tongue as if it were made of honey, and he’s giving Keith a look. A cheeky, smug look that’s saying Keith should know exactly what’s going to happen next –

But Keith doesn’t have damned clue.

He finally turns towards Lance properly, eyebrows scrunched together in confusion. “What?”

“I said ‘dance with me’.” Lance gives him a smile, and Keith hates the way his heart gives a painful knock against his ribs. Hates it.

Words: 3221, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Fandoms: Voltron: Legendary Defender, Voltron: Lion Voltron

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: M/M

Characters: Keith (Voltron), Lance (Voltron), Pidge | Katie Holt

Relationships: Keith/Lance (Voltron), Keith & Lance (Voltron)

Additional Tags: another fic where lance makes keith dance, Sorry Not Sorry, it sounded cute in my head, Lance is obnoxious, keith is reluctant, sexual frustration ensues

read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/2qew8nc

[ao3feed-safeklance]

A Black T-Shirt

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2qew8nc

by Liobhan

“Bailar conmigo, Keith.” Lance’s voice is soft then, Spanish accent rolling smoothly off his tongue as if it were made of honey, and he’s giving Keith a look. A cheeky, smug look that’s saying Keith should know exactly what’s going to happen next –

But Keith doesn’t have damned clue.

He finally turns towards Lance properly, eyebrows scrunched together in confusion. “What?”

“I said ‘dance with me’.” Lance gives him a smile, and Keith hates the way his heart gives a painful knock against his ribs. Hates it.

Words: 3221, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Fandoms: Voltron: Legendary Defender, Voltron: Lion Voltron

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: M/M

Characters: Keith (Voltron), Lance (Voltron), Pidge | Katie Holt

Relationships: Keith/Lance (Voltron), Keith & Lance (Voltron)

Additional Tags: another fic where lance makes keith dance, Sorry Not Sorry, it sounded cute in my head, Lance is obnoxious, keith is reluctant, sexual frustration ensues

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2qew8nc

[a-crack-in-the-universe]

Yeah!! Isn’t it beautiful? :D :D

I’m also very emotional about Bran’s Blade and how Bran is remembered as a heroic and compassionate leader long after his death. After everything he went through, he deserves to be remembered so positively. I wish Liadan got a mention though.

To be honest I’m not entirely sure if Inis Eala was named after Finbar. I thought it was but I have doubts now. It’s possible that the island was already named Inis Eala and Finbar moving there just made the island’s name more real?

Though, a big reason I thought that it was named after Finbar was because I feel like it being called Isle of the Swan long before Finbar’s arrival doesn’t really make sense unless the island already somehow had a connection to or was associated with swans when it was discovered. Finbar was the man with the swan’s wing so the island being named after him made a lot of sense to me.

And yes, I think Finbar and Liadan would like Liobhan and her fierce sense of justice and compassion a lot. It's kind of sad that they'll never meet her (or the other Warrior Bard/Blackthorn and Grim characters) in canon.

About your Sevenwaters Infinite Loop, Blackthorn and Grim could both be Anchors! It would make sense since they are a pair in the books. Also this project could be a great way for the Sevenwaters characters to meet the Warrior Bard/Blackthorn and Grim characters! :D

Don't mind me, I'm just really happy about Swan Island

I recently acquired Blackthorn and Grim and the Warrior Bards, both trilogies by Juliet Marillier and set in the same universe as Sevenwaters, though at least a couple centuries removed.

I don't know if any other factors make this apparent, but the really obvious one is Swan Island!

SWAN. ISLAND!

Bran and Liadan founded Inis Eala so Bran's band of warriors could have legitimacy and purpose and safety, and they brought my son Finbar I to the island for his safety and to give him a peaceful, isolated place to stay. The island was named in his honor (something a fellow fan had to tell me because I had no idea what the name meant.)

And hundreds of years later, Swan Island is still a thing! They train warriors and spies there! It's still going Bran, Liadan, Finbar! It is still going! Your legacy reaches on into the future and I know you'd love Blackthorn and Grim's babies! I love them!

I didn't know until the other day that these two trilogies were connected in this way, but as soon as I found out, I had to get them! If nothing else, this is an Expansion the Sevenwaters Infinite Loops can't leave unaddressed, even if there has to be a separate Anchor (more likely two, I wouldn't make poor Blackthorn do that alone!)

[aion-rsa]

Top New Fantasy Books in September 2021

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

Magic and adventure await in the hottest fantasy book releases in September 2021 …

The Wisdom of Crowds by Joe Abercrombie

Type: Novel Publisher: Orbit Release date: Sept. 18

Den of Geek says: It’s a month for sequels as much-lauded Abercrombie’s The Age of Madness series is coming to an end. High fantasy with a focus on politics and monarch might scratch that Game of Thrones itch.

Publisher’s summary: Some say that to change the world you must first burn it down. Now that belief will be tested in the crucible of revolution: the Breakers and Burners have seized the levers of power, the smoke of riots has replaced the smog of industry, and all must submit to the wisdom of crowds.

With nothing left to lose, Citizen Brock is determined to become a new hero for the new age, while Citizeness Savine must turn her talents from profit to survival before she can claw her way to redemption. Orso will find that when the world is turned upside down, no one is lower than a monarch. And in the bloody North, Rikke and her fragile Protectorate are running out of allies . . . while Black Calder gathers his forces and plots his vengeance.

The banks have fallen, the sun of the Union has been torn down, and in the darkness behind the scenes, the threads of the Weaver’s ruthless plan are slowly being drawn together . . .

Buy The Wisdom of Crowds by Joe Abercrombie.

The Escapement by Lavie Tidhar

Type: Novel Publisher: Tachyon Publications Release date: Sept. 21

Den of Geek says: This weird journey evokes The Dark Tower, but also offers charms of its own within Tidhar’s varied and surreal world-building.

Publisher’s summary: Into the reality called the Escapement rides the Stranger, a lone gunman on a quest to rescue his son from a parallel world. But it is too easy to get lost on a shifting landscape full of dangerous versions of his son’s most beloved things: cowboys gone lawless, giants made of stone, downtrodden clowns, ancient battles, symbol storms and more shadowy forces at play.

But the flower the Stranger seeks still lies beyond the Mountains of Darkness. Time is running out, as he journeys deeper and deeper into the secret heart of an unforeseen world.

Buy The Escapement by Lavie Tidhar.

cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530", }).render("0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796"); });

A Song of Flight by Juliet Marillier

Type: Novel Publisher: Random House Release date: Sept. 21

Den of Geek says: Some straightforward, Celtic-style fantasy filled with magic and music. Maybe pick up the rest of the series first, but if you find you like them there’s plenty of Marillier’s interconnected stories to go around.

Publisher’s summary: Bard and fighter Liobhan is always ready for a challenge. So when news arrives at Swan Island that the prince of Dalriada has gone missing after an assault by both masked men and the sinister Crow Folk, she’s eager to act.

While Liobhan and her fellow Swan Island warriors seek answers to the prince’s disappearance, the bard Brocc, Liobhan’s brother, finds himself in dire trouble. His attempts to communicate with the Crow Folk have led him down a perilous path. When Liobhan and her comrades are sent to the rescue, it becomes clear the two missions are connected–and a great mystery unfolds.

What brought the Crow Folk to Erin? And who seeks to use them in an unscrupulous bid for power? As Liobhan and Brocc investigate, it will take all their strength and will to continue pursuing the truth. With the safety of their loved ones in the balance, the risks they must take may cost them everything.

Buy A Song of Flight by Juliet Marillier.

The post Top New Fantasy Books in September 2021 appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/3l0I3AL

[checkoutmybookshelf]

The Next Generation

The Warrior Bards novels are to the Blackthorn and Grim trilogy as Star Trek: TNG is to Star Trek TOS. This is literally the next generation in this world, and it's exploring the lives of Blackthorn and Grim's children, both bioloigcal and adopted. What is absolutely wild to me is that where Blackthorn and Grim felt like more traditional, older-style historical fantasy (think like, 1980s Tamora Pierce or Mercedes Lackey) despite being published from 2014 to 2016, the Warrior Bard books feel very modern and very much what I would expect for historical fantasy published from 2019 to 2021. And yet despite the style changes, both series still manage to sound like Juliet Marillier. Let's talk Warrior Bards.

The Harp of Kings introduces us to Swan Island, a training ground for freelance spy/mercenaries, and main characters Liobhan, Brocc, and Dau. Brocc and Liobhan are Blackthorn and Grimm's children, and they are in training on Swan Island. This book follows them on what is technically a training mission, but it's a very, very live mission. You can't crown a king without a magic harp, after all. Dau and Liobhan are set up for their rivals to lovers arc throughout the trilogy, and Brocc is very, very clearly set up to end up on an intertwined but related path to his sister--there are fae involved.

A Dance with Fate has been mentioned on this blog before, in the very first post. It has a very complicated relationship with disability and the magical cure trope, which I won't go into too much depth here; the TLDR is that on principle, I hate the magical cure trope (seriously, disability is not a life-ender. You can live and live well with a disability, it does not HAVE to be cured), but this book does some interesting work with the grief that can come with acquiring a disability and the absolute fuckery that acquiring a disability can throw your relationships (of all kinds, but especially family ones) into. The previous book wasn't not character driven, but this book is CHARACTER DRIVEN, and I love that about it. It makes the stakes higher and the actiony, plot-y sequences weightier.

This book also really divides its time between Dau and Liobhan and Brocc, who is off in a Fae stronghold and very much on his own romantic journey that has some tragic-feeling tendrils woven through. Brocc is not my favorite part of this trilogy, but he is central to it in a way that, while reading, I was never mad about spending some time with him, especially because while he is geographically separate from Dau and Liobhan, they're deeply connected in terms of in-world geopolitics and plot. It's just beautifully balanced.

A Song of Flight takes all the threads that have been worked through the first two books and opens with a kidnapped prince, who's bodyguard is Brocc and Liobhan's elder brother, Galen. Swan Island turns out to find the prince, and Dau, Brocc, Liobhan, and Galen have to save both the magical and mundane worlds.

This trilogy is excellent, and does not require reading the Blackthorn and Grimm books before reading, and if you don't discover Juliet Marillier through the Wildwood books, I would actually recommend starting with this trilogy (unless you are a massive classical fantasy fan, then Blackthorn and Grimm might be a better place to start; your mileage may vary).

[bellaroles]

Haven't read a story this good for so long. (Mere months or half a years is what I mean. ) Love Liobhan and Dau so much! Gonna go doodling something up now.

Also..On Brocc and his estranged wife, I'm gonna get angry if she gets away with all that with just the pregnancy mood swings. Poor Brocc, I mean he brought this upon himself.

[booksbabiesbeing]

A Dance with Fate - Juliet Marillier

A Dance with Fate – Juliet Marillier

A Dance with Fate – Juliet Mariller (Warrior Bards #2)

A young woman who is both a bard–and a warrior–seeks to repay her debts and settle scores in this thrilling historical fantasy series.

The young warrior and bard Liobhan has lost her brother to the Otherworld. Even more determined to gain a place as an elite fighter, she returns to Swan Island to continue her training. But Liobhan is…

[windfall-fr-blog]

“This is fucking ridiculous.”

Aleru’s vibrant crimson eyes are narrowed to slits as she reads the scroll, clutched tightly in her well-manicured talons. Her claws tap against the flagstone as she moves the scroll closer to the light again, lips pulling into a severe frown that only grows more grim as she reads and rereads the note. 

She turns, whip-fast, her intense glare now fixed on the young sailor that cowers by her chamber door. He could barely meet her gaze. 

“This came from my contact in the Beacon? Hestian Everwoad?” 

The sailor nods, adam’s apple working in his throat as he swallows. “Yes, ma’am.” 

The messenger was right to cower, as the wine glass Aleru had been holding smashes against the wall beside his head only moments later. “Fuck.” 

Turning away, Aleru hisses as she draws air swiftly through clenched teeth. A finger traces over her logs, looking for a likely captain. Vane was away for at least another week, Zymen was off hunting, Khaegris was too volatile. Liobhan... Maybe. The Avarice was fleet, Liobhan was fearless. But the Ridgeback was imposing, and there was no doubt as to her profession. Aleru didn’t like sending pirates to do merchant work. 

They often fucked it up, and lost her a contact. A relationship.

She looks at the note again, after smoothing it from the ball it’d been clenched to in her fist. 

“Tarrifs raised. Pirate threat, you understand. Cannot sell goods without additional clearances. Yours, H. Everwood.” 

'Clearances’ was merchant speak for ‘bribes.’ Aleru snorted. The pirate threat, indeed. Maybe she would send the Avarice up there. Tell Liobhan to raze the port to the ground, see how that sorted out Hestian’s fucking pirate problem. 

Her teeth are bared as she looks up to the sailor, in a look that is neither all snarl nor grin. The merchants were her least favourite of Windfall’s citizens - none of them had any gumption, or they’d be on a hunting crew. “Fetch me Captains Liobhan, Ember - Vane if he’s back by some miracle - and find Israel Hands for me. Double-quick, or I’m moving you to a pirate crew, and we both know you wouldn’t last a week among the hunters.” 

Just a drabble, not sure where it’s going, if anywhere. Aleru has a temper, but she also deals with a lot of incompetents.