REVIEW: Songs of the Earth by Elspeth Cooper

Songs of the Earth by Elspeth Cooper
The Wild Hunt Trilogy, book 1
Trade paperback: 467 pages
Publisher: Gollancz; (16 June 2011)
ISBN-10: 0575096152
ISBN-13: 978-0575096158
Reviewer: Cara
Copy: Bought in bookshop

From the back of the book:
 
Gair is under a death sentence.
He can hear music – music with power – and in the Holy City that means only one thing: he’s a witch, and he’s going to be burnt at the stake. Even if he could escape, the Church Knights and their withfinder would be hot on his heels while his burgeoning power threatens to tear him apart from within.   
There is no hope…
…none, but a secretive order, themselves persecuted almost to destruction. If Gair can escape, if he can master his own growing, dangerous abilities, if he can find the Guardians of the Veil, then maybe he will be safe.

Or maybe he’ll discover that the fight has only just begun.

There was considerable talk about Elspeth Cooper’s debut novel, Songs of the Earth, at Eastercon this year, so much so that I wondered if it could live up to the hype. Well, after spending the best part of a sunny weekend totally engrossed in reading it, I am happy to report that I thoroughly enjoyed this book and have no hesitation recommending it to anyone who enjoys well written, character driven fantasy.

While there are several familiar archetypes; the orphan hero destined for greater things, a magic academy, the elderly benign mentor, a hidden world that threatens to break through, a hidebound and cruel religious organisation for example; Songs of the Earth manages to breathe fresh life into the fantasy tropes and move beyond them. As the first in The Wild Hunt Trilogy, Songs of the Earth sets the scene for as yet unknown future events.

For her first novel, Elspeth Cooper has produced a book that is strong in plot and characterisation. It cracks along at a fair pace and doesn’t flag mid-way through. Intercut with the main story of Gair is that of Masen, the Gatekeeper, who is concerned that the Veil between the worlds is weakening. Through him we get glimpses into the Hidden Kingdom. As those who still accept and practice the magic refer to themselves as Guardians of the Veil, it is a fair guess that what is contained in the hidden world will not be good… Another minor plot strand involves Preceptor Ansel, the head of the Endirion Church, who is trying to find some hidden history within the library of banned books, the Index, something which may cause conflict within the Church if found and made public. It is a fair guess that these strands will connect at some future point.

Elspeth Cooper has created an intriguing magic system that has music as its source – the Songs of the Earth of the title – and has a range of uses, from healing and shapeshifting to generating protective shields and creating powerful violent storms.

“Gair reached inside himself to the Song. It rose up to greet him, exuberant as a puppy, filling every part of him with energy. Quickly he sought out the whispery music of flame and stretched out his hand. A small yellow flame bobbed over his palm, pulsing with his heartbeat. He steadied it then left it floating in the air in front of him.” [p139]

I enjoyed the natural feel of the magic. There were no wands or spells to distract from the power of the music and I found it a refreshing change. I haven’t encountered magic like this before so do not know if it is unique, but it certainly felt new and exciting as its presence grew alongside Gair’s control of his own abilities.

As with any fantasy world, there has to be some background and history for it to have any resonance with the reader. I felt that Songs of the Earth managed to convey this without resorting to lengthy infodumps, a pet irritation of mine. Much of the history of the Church and how it came to be the repressive institution that tortured and branded Gair was related through conversation, which, in the context, seemed natural and unforced. It allowed the back story to show how the present situation came about and hinted at possible future events. This, I thought was cleverly done. And it wasn’t just the history. Descriptions during Gair’s journey made it clear this was not an alternative earth but somewhere completely new.

“Above him, stars glittered like holes in the curtains of heaven. He counted the constellations he knew, from east to west: the Pilgrim, rising now – by midwinter he would be gone; the Chariot; Amarada on her throne; the Huntsman and his Three Hounds; Slaine’s Sword with the Pole Star on the cross-hilts, bright as a diamond. The first moon, Miriel, fat and golden, hung low on the shoulder of the Archen Mountains. Behind her, the tail of the Dragon was just visible above the luminous peaks as he chased the remains of the day.” [p54]

Through descriptions of the landscapes and cities, we get a feel for this world and its people. By discussing their differing theologies, Gair and Alderan give us insight into the past of this world and show us how history can be twisted and corrupted to suit the ruling powers.

I found very little to criticise in Songs of the Earth. I enjoyed the writing style, which was full of dialogue and enhanced the characterisation. As already mentioned, there were familiar tropes and archetypes, however, the characters were strong and well-rounded people, and I found them realistic not stereotypical. No-one was perfect and flawless. One of my favourites was Aysha. She was a somewhat idiosyncratic and strong independent woman.

“Her bearing made her appear taller than she was, but her frame looked oddly proportioned, longer above the waist than below. Then he realised what was wrong. She was leaning on two canes, as if her legs were to weak to support her for long. She saw him looking and stared back fiercely, daring him to pity her, refusing his compassion.” [p141]

Others, such as Darin, Gair’s friend in the academy and Ansel, for example, have distinct and realistic personalities that fit their roles in the book. If there is any fault, it is that Songs of the Earth gives us only a shadow of the ‘bad guy’. My guess is that this is a deliberate ploy, setting us up for the next book in the trilogy, Trinity Moon.Certainly Elspeth Cooper is a name to watch as, for a debut novel, she has produced an accomplished piece of work. I am eagerly awaiting book two.

Plot: 8
Characters: 9
Style: 9

Overall rating 9/10