What would you give to make good on the sins of your past? For merchant Barnabas McDoon, the answer is: everything. When emissaries from a world called Yount offer Barnabas a chance to redeem himself, he accepts their price-to voyage to Yount with the key that only he can use to unlock the door to their prison. But bleak forces seek to stop him: Yount's jailer, a once-human wizard who craves his own salvation, kidnaps Barnabas's nephew. A fallen angel-a monstrous owl with eyes of fire-will unleash Hell if Yount is freed. And, meanwhile, Barnabas' niece, Sally, and a mysterious pauper named Maggie seek with dream-songs to wake the sleeping goddess who may be the only hope for Yount and Earth alike.
The Choir Boats (Longing for Yount)
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Editorial Reviews
Review
One 2009 book that reached me at the last minute deserves more than a brief appended mention, since Daniel A. Rabuzzi's THE CHOIR BOATS provides a fine beginning for his series Longing for Yount . . . Holding a doctorate in history, Rabuzzi knows his stuff, but the knowledge enlivens the language while his wit and love of literature keep him from overwhelming us with needless data . . . Dickensian vividness . . . Before the action moves away from London, the author has his own literary fun with allusions to characters from Dickens, Austen and Thomas Mann, a monstrous owl that could come from visions of Blake, and even an 'ansible' - though not quite what LeGuin had in mind . . . Both the voyage and the arrival are adventurous, filled with perils and continuing uncertainly about just who or what might be Evil in a deliciously convoluted tale. While it ends with much left unresolved, THE CHOIR BOATS is a strong opening to what could be a remarkable project. Since it came from a small press without a great deal of fanfare, I particularly urge you to check it out. -----Faren Miller, Locus
About the Author
Daniel A. Rabuzzi studied folklore and mythology in college and graduate school and keeps one foot firmly in the Other Realm. His fiction and poetry have appeared in Sybil's Garage, Shimmer, ChiZine, Lady Churchill's Rosebud Wristlet, Abyss & Apex, Goblin Fruit, Mannequin Envy, and Scheherezade's Bequest. He has also had twenty scholarly and professional articles published on subjects ranging from fairytale to finance. A former banker, Daniel earned his doctorate in 18th-century history, with a focus on issues of family, gender and commerce in northern Europe. He is now an executive at a global non-profit organization that provides educational materials to children from under-resourced and traditionally marginalized communities. Daniel lives in New York City with his wife and soulmate, the artist Deborah A. Mills, along with the requisite two cats.
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More About the Author
Daniel A. Rabuzzi's debut fantasy novel, The Choir Boats, was included on January Magazine's "Best Books of 2009" list. Reviewer John Ottinger says:
"The Choir Boats is Gulliver's Travels crossed with The Golden Compass and a dollop of Pride and Prejudice. Rabuzzi has a true sense of wonder. . . I cannot praise Daniel Rabuzzi or The Choir Boats enough. This story is unique (and) an instant classic of fantasy, and perhaps even the co-progenitor (with Novik, Clarke, and a few others) of a new subgenre in speculative fiction."
Daniel's short fiction and poetry has appeared in Sybil's Garage, Abyss & Apex, Lady Churchill's Rosebud Wristlet, Mannequin Envy, Scheherezade's Bequest, ChiZine, Goblin Fruit, and Shimmer. His blog, called Lobster & Canary, is about speculative, fantastical and surreal fiction, poetry, and visual arts, fairy tales, oral epic, & children's literature.
Daniel lives in New York City with his wife Deborah Mills, an artist and woodcarver who also illustrated The Choir Boats. They share their apartment with two fractious cats who don't get along at all.
"The Choir Boats is Gulliver's Travels crossed with The Golden Compass and a dollop of Pride and Prejudice. Rabuzzi has a true sense of wonder. . . I cannot praise Daniel Rabuzzi or The Choir Boats enough. This story is unique (and) an instant classic of fantasy, and perhaps even the co-progenitor (with Novik, Clarke, and a few others) of a new subgenre in speculative fiction."
Daniel's short fiction and poetry has appeared in Sybil's Garage, Abyss & Apex, Lady Churchill's Rosebud Wristlet, Mannequin Envy, Scheherezade's Bequest, ChiZine, Goblin Fruit, and Shimmer. His blog, called Lobster & Canary, is about speculative, fantastical and surreal fiction, poetry, and visual arts, fairy tales, oral epic, & children's literature.
Daniel lives in New York City with his wife Deborah Mills, an artist and woodcarver who also illustrated The Choir Boats. They share their apartment with two fractious cats who don't get along at all.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wondrous,
This review is from: The Choir Boats (Longing for Yount) (Paperback)
Such a beautiful treasure! Longing for Young has a portal. That, along with really good writing and illustrations you can't stop looking at, is exactly what I want. Check it out. It's a really really nice, intelligent book with wondrous images. And it's scientific and romantic and haunting. And there's more to come!!!!!! You'll be happy about that.
Nice little stocking stuffer, also.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Historical Fantasy at its best!,
By Numinous (nyc) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Choir Boats (Longing for Yount) (Paperback)
The following review was written by Terence Craig:
I would have loved this book simply as a great historical fantasy but two things really enhanced the book for me: As an African American I really appreciated the nuanced way the book dealt with the impacts of race and colonialism. As someone who was raised in Nigeria (an ex-Brit colony), I really appreciated the nuanced way the author captured that unique combination of arrogance, toughness, brutality and idealism that defined the British colonial culture. My entire family including my 80+ year old father and my 17 year old niece can't wait for the next volume in the series. Bravo Mr. Rabuzzi, Bravo!
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Blends many elements into a read that is endlessly entertaining,
By Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Choir Boats (Longing for Yount) (Paperback)
Guilt is a hard thing to kill. "The Choir Boats: Volume One of Longing for Yount" is the story of one Barbabas McDoon, a merchant with a heavy soul. When forgiveness knocks on his door, he leaps to take it, but forgiveness has come in the farm of an emissary from the world of Yount. He must go to Yount, use the key given to him to open the prison. But the task, of course, sounds much easier said than done as there are those who want the prison to remain closed. "The Choir Boats" is fun fantasy that blends many elements into a read that is endlessly entertaining.
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