Spellsong Cycle Books In Order
Book links take you to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate I earn money from qualifying purchases.Publication Order of Spellsong Cycle Books
The Soprano Sorceress | (1997) | Description / Buy at Amazon |
The Spellsong War | (1998) | Description / Buy at Amazon |
Darksong Rising | (1999) | Description / Buy at Amazon |
The Shadow Sorceress | (2001) | Description / Buy at Amazon |
Shadowsinger | (2002) | Description / Buy at Amazon |
Spellsong Cycle is a series fantasy novels by bestselling American author of fantasy and science fiction books L.E. Modesitt Jr. The series is set in a fictional world known as Erde and its remarkable for its magic system based on song and music. The main character in the first three novels in the series is Anna Marshall a a woman in facing mid-life crisis opera singer and music instructor who is teleported (using magic) from Ames, Lowa to Erde, a beautiful world where songs possess magic powers and where she has the powers to become one of the famous sorceresses in the world. The other books in the series follow a Secca, Anna’s adopted daughter two decades later.
Spellsong Cycle series has been considered a feminist fantasy and is compared to The Saga of Recluce series by L.E Modesitt Jr. the author’s best-known works. The system of music based magic is reminiscent of that seen in Spellsinger series by Alan Dean Foster. Modesitt began writing Spellsong Cycle series in 1997 when The Soprano Sorceress the first novel was published, and the series lasted five books concluding with Shadowsinger 2002.
The Soprano Sorceress
When Anna finds herself transported from her usual frustrating and boring life in Ames, Iowa to a very different world of Erde, she is both angry and confused, but she finds out that first time in her life she is uniquely powerful. Back in Iowa, Anna was a small-time opera singer and a music instructor, but on Erde, her musical talent makes her a potentially big-time sorceress.
However, first, she must figure out how to use her magical abilities before the rulers who have noticed her arrival eliminated her just because she possesses unpredictable new power. However, soon those big-time rulers may wish that had not waited as long as they did.
The Soprano Sorceress is a brilliant first book in Spellsong Cycle series. It is one of those few books you would read in one sitting, not wanting to put down thanks to the plot twists and turns that keeps the reader wanting to know what would happen next. The characterization is wonderfully done right from the main character Anna to the supporting secondary characters. Anna, the heroine is a strong but still conflicted character who has always had someone trying pinpointing the direction in her life. When she is sent into the magical fantasy world, she is forced to lead others.
Virtually all the men she meets in this fictional world are male chauvinist- and most of them are rapist and lechers, at that and she must bring her magic to control to destroy the patriarchal community dominating her land in order to save the land itself.
The authors writing style is wonderful, and the whole story is fast-paced. The main character is the target of unwanted pawing, lecherous gazes, and attempted rape countless times- but in her new world, she strikes fear into the heart of every single man on her way at least by single-handedly wholly destroying entire cities and armies. After that, she becomes the target of patronizing remarks and sulky glances.
The Spellsong War
The Spellsong War is the second book in Spellsong Cycle series by L.E. Modesitt J.R. with The Soprano Sorceress; Modesitt began the Spell Cycle series that won him tons of new readers. The Spellsong War will charm its readers and continue to build the authors increasingly loyal following. Now Anna is a regent of the Defalk Empire just a few months after the sorcerer puller her from her super boring life as a music instructor in Iowa to the world of Erde. With her new abilities and her righteousness, she saved the Defalk kingdom from attack and became the kingdom’s regent. Now she must defend the kingdom against all the greedy rulers of the neighboring nations who see Defalk as a weakened state and a possible opportunity.
The second book in the series continues the story of Anna who in the debut novel went from just being a middle-aged music instructor to a savior and a regent of a kingdom in Erde where music is magic. Though Anna is considered fair regent, intelligent the women of Erde are fairly second, class citizens, and she often frustrated that the men that she must negotiate with have respect for her powers as a sorceress, but they fail to recognize her other gifts. However, she has very little time to consider her position, as she tries to rebuild the famine and war-shattered kingdom for its eventual king, the child Lord, Jimbob. The kingdoms neighboring Defalk are planning to overthrow Anna, and as she walks the fine line of using magic against them, every single spell weakens her, and a wrong spell could even kill her.
Anna’s concentration and maturity are a refreshing find in this fantasy genre, rather than silly romance, the readers are treated to a well-woven plot, finely drawn heroine, realistic problems, and a wonderfully crafted novel.
Darksong Rising’
The third book in Spellsong Cycle series takes place where music is magical, and our lead character Anna is taken away from our world where she was living a boring life and mourning the death of her child and her estranged husband. Anna finds herself in a world where respect for the female gender does not exist, and yet she possesses the power that will make her the strongest force in the entire land.
The characters in Dark Rising are beautifully crafted. Anna has matured from the whiny character first introduced in The Soprano Sorceress to a brave and powerful magician. Her singing is now able to turn her enemies to flame, build fortress, direct arrows to her enemies or even make land masses vanish.
The conflicts in the novel are developed suspenseful, and each battle is given a great descriptive detail. Many readers have called Spellsong Cycle series a feminist fiction as it focuses majorly on the themes of gender equality and sexism. These themes play an integral part in the story. The world building is beautifully done, with each detail vividly described.