Customer Reviews

Luthiel's Song: Dreams of the Ringed Vale

5 star:		(57)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A little over a year ago, I set out to find a solid, female-led novel. I'd gotten my fill of fist-pumping testosterone action, and I was looking for a little bit of girl power to serve as a change of pace. I excitedly ventured into Barnes and Noble, to find the book that would satisfy this desire.

I won't name the first book I bought. In fact, I won't even name the second book that I bought several weeks later. I won't name them, because I didn't finish either of them. I couldn't finish either of them. They went on my shelf, never to be read (or cared about) again.

They were terrible. So much for girl power.

Or so I thought...

I recently stumbled upon Luthiel's Song: Dreams of Ringed Vale. In short, it is the story of a young elf named Luthiel, a girl who is given the opportunity to essentially sacrifice herself to save the life of her sister. How? By replacing her sister as a sacrifice, to be handed over to the bloodthirsty monsters known as the Vyrl. You see, the Vyrl demand these sacrifices. If these demands are not met...let's just say bad things tend to happen to the general populace.

I cannot tell you how frustrating it is to pick up a novel, start reading it, and by the fifth page have decided that only the slow and painful death of the main character will make the book worthwhile. Some authors simply don't get it. No one wants to empathize with a character that begs to be hated. Do we love cruel characters? Of course. They add so much to the story. But you see, that's the whole point. They add to the story. They aren't the story. Being in the thoughts of a main character that you utterly despise is one of the most irritating aspects of literature. That's not a problem in Dreams of the Ringed Vale (hereby shortened to DotRV).

Luthiel, as a protagonist, is immediately likeable. She's good-natured, she's loyal, and she's flawed. Without flaws, a character isn't real. Luthiel has just enough to make her the perfect underdog girl to root for. You want to read on, because you want to see her succeed. You want to see her victorious. You want to see things work out for her in the end.

That's one of the great things about this story. It's a good story. It's genuine, and it's the kind of thing you can get behind. It's the story of a girl who--whether she realizes it or not--is trying to be her sister's hero. That's unconditional love, and that's a very refreshing thing to read about. In a literary world full of gimmicks, grandeur, and garbage, DotRV stands out in the crowd as decidedly straightforward and pure. Not many authors have the self-confidence (or morality) to write something like that. Fannéy pulls it off like a pro.

I won't talk much about secondary characters, as to not inadvertently give anything away, but I will say this: they're diverse and they're excellent. Make no mistake...you're going to get attached to someone other than Luthiel. It's going to happen.

There is one thing I'll caution you about, though. If you're looking for a book that's going to wrap itself up by the last page, by design DotRV isn't for you. This is the first book in a series, and it's obvious that in order for this story to be told, it's going to take more than one book. Since I'm a fan of series literature, I find this perfect. If you're a fan of the whole "all TV dramas must fix themselves in 30 minutes" thing, this book won't satisfy you. It'll leave you thirty for more, which is the point.

The story is heartfelt, the progression isn't cookie-cutter predictable, and the characters are memorable. The bottom line?

This is a very good book.

For parental references, this book is perfectly safe for a child to read. There's not a lick of profanity or sexuality. You may purchase it without a weight on your conscience.

This story centers on a young girl, Luthiel, and her adventures in a mystical land. Luthiel is an orphan with an uncertain past who was adopted by a loving family. The family has a younger daughter and the two are lovingly devoted to each other; the book opens with a scene of them playing in the friendly woods around their village. Their life, briefly described, is very ordinary in a small and intimate village in the middle of a big and mostly unknown world. The village is beset by evil that appears during their woodland play; Luthiel is drawn into it. Luthiel starts on a frightning and lonely journey to try to save her sister and her village. Her adventures reach a temporary conclusion as this first volume ends. A very satisfying read. Even in my busy life, I had to read a chapter a day, and I didn't want to read faster so as to make it last longer. Highly recommended and waiting anxiously for the second volume.

One of the absolutely best written fantasy books of all time. What I liked about it, everything. What I disliked about it, nothing. Ok there was one thing, none of my local book stores carried it, but fortunetly Amazon had it and for a very good price. If you have kids get this book for them but make sure you read it first or get 2 copies so you can enjoy reading it, because once you give it to your kids you won't be able to get it out of their hands.

This is a book you'll love to curl up with when the storm winds howl... The author dedicates this book to 'all those women strong enough to be heroes, fair enough to be ladies.' I think this is an apt description of the character Luthiel. She is both deep and fair in her emotions, but strong and direct in her actions. To me, as a woman, the character of Luthiel was very captivating and drew me in immediately. But what kept me was the amazing scope of this tale. There is beauty and comfort, darkness and danger, expressions of deep love and a very profound lesson -- 'sometimes it takes more courage to forgive than to fight.'

Being a Terry Brooks fan among others, and having reviewed within the romance and mystery genres for quite a few years away from the fantasy/science fiction genre, it was a refreshing and unexpected delight to read such a well done tale of fantasy! Luthiel's Song: Dreams of the Ringed Vale is light and dark, with a heart-felt touch of character dilema sandwiched inbetween. It's Luthiel's fifteenth birthday upon which her sister Leowin presents her with a wonderful gift; a Wyrd Stone. But the treasure is not the only thing that comes to Luthiel upon the day of her birthday. A Blade Dancer comes bearing a dark and very disturbing message. A message meant for one Luthiel holds dear in her heart. So disturbing and dark is the message the Blade Dancer bears, Luthiel is faced with a horrifying choice. Should she do nothing and wait for death to steal away a cherished loved one, or does she go against the most sacred of laws and make a journey alone into one of the darkest places known to her kind? Death lays in wait which ever way she chooses. But whose death will she choose? Only her Wyrd Stone, a window into the world of dreams can help her avoid the inevitable choice. But will she find the secret the stone holds before it is too late? Find out as I did, and read this wonderful first book from author Robert Fanney. My appetite for fantasy is now hungry for more! Very well done!

A thoroughly enjoyable book. Mr. Fanney's characters, creatures, and storyline made the book hard to put down. And unfortunately, when I did put it down (three days after I started it), I quickly went to Robert Fanney's myspace, I thanked him for Luthiel's Song, and asked when the next addition to Luthiel's story was coming out.

There are few authors who's books I've read more than once (Tolkien, Kurtz, King, and Eddings), Robert Fanney is the newest author on that list.

In a world far from our own. Where the Fae lands are lit by colorful suns, and dark forests sleep under many moons. Where life lives in both joy and fear. A young elven girl suddenly learns that there is more to her own life then she once thought.

Left on the doorsteps of strangers as a babe, she grew up both loved by her adopted family, and feeling strange and alone, not knowing where and who she came from and why. Coming of age in the midst of a retreating dark moon, Luthiel is suddenly forced to make a life and death decision. Her adopted sister awaits her fate, the next Chosen to feed her life's blood to the ancient cursed fallen angles known as the Vyrl. Luthiel must decide. To let it be that which has been the fate of the Fae lands, and now her sister's, for what seems an eternity. Or break the most grievous of laws to the Fae lands, battle giant shadow weaving spiders, race against Othalas the most feared of werewolves, to take her sisters place in the Vale of Mists.

Robert Marston Fanney's Luthiels Song, the first book in series, will gracefully draw you in, and without you knowing, loose you to a world of magic and mystery, strange ancient evils and even stranger friendships. Where common becomes uncommon and fear becomes your ally. Where a young fearful Luthiel's next decision may seal the fate of the world.

Filled with vivid colorful characters not unlike ourselves. Who, like ourselves, are sometimes forced to make life changing decisions. Where we can either let our fear cripple us, or allow it to strengthen our endeavor. Where entering the unknown can sometimes open up a whole new life to us, and where every decision we make can and will change the world.

Robert Marston Fanney's Luthiel's Song is a must have and a must read. Once you start, you may never be able to let go.

I finished the book two weeks ago and I have been talking about it non stop. I absolutely loved it. As I was reading I was able to vision the whole story in my head, kinda like a movie, because the details were so wonderful. I loved all the characters and the stories behind them. Also I liked trying to imagine what all the creatures looked like.I believe everyone who reads this story will find a bit of Luthiel in themselves. She is a role-model, someone anyone would aspire to be. During the time I was reading this, I alwasy found myself thinking about the book when I was doing something, I couldn't put it down. That got me into a bit of trouble with my mom. When I finished the book I found myself wanting to read more. I will be anxiously awaiting the next book.

I just got done with the book today and must say I enjoyed the book to the utmost. Already I have ranked it among my top favorites, and with the many books within the fantasy genre that I have read, that is saying much. The characters are just amazing, causing instant adoration for every single one, even the cold and grim Gormtoth claims a place in my heart. True, a much smaller place than Luthiel and Leowin, but still he stands there, majestic and terrible within his dragon armor. And the language of the story is, itself, magic. The words chosen to describe each and every motion of the characters paint such a vivid picture that even know they will not fade from before my eyes. My favorite example of this is when Vayne, the Bladedancer, and Leowin actually dance. The gentle grace and effortless speed are made known to us exactly as they should be due to the choice of words and style. It is so very masterfully done. This world is rich in a history that gives this place a feeling of being real. I get done with a chapter and look out the window, expecting to see the light from two suns instead of one, it is so very real to me.

I will say no more till others finish the book for fear that I may spoil one or more of the suprises. But I must say this was a book I shall be reading more than once. In fact, I think I will go and begin anew right now. Masterfully done. A piece of art among a genre where much has gone to decay and ruin.

I am writing this review as someone who has known the author for several years, and is in general a harsh critic of writing, especially from people I consider my friends. (I'm much nicer to strangers when it comes to critiquing their work.) So I am rather surprised and pleased to be able to recommend this book so highly; it is tenderly, lovingly written, and bristles with tension without insulting you by resorting to typical fantasy swords-and-sorcery spectacle. It's set on an imagined world that is full of history and myth, with fabulous little details--from what the insects look like, to the ever-changing beauty of the night sky, to how their chocolate tastes. Yet, despite all this thick detail, which the author obviously has spent years crafting, he never loses the desperate forward drive of Luthiel's story. It was really refreshing to read about a young female hero whose strength isn't some self-congratulatory novelty, and which doesn't require her to turn into some geek-fantasy Xena Warrior Princess. Instead, all the things that are great about women are the things that make Luthiel great. I may be a little behind the times here, but I think women are QUITE different from men, and that's what makes them better than we are. It's one of the many things that make this book so enjoyable, and since it's the author's first published novel, it's full of fresh energy and I can tell it's only going to get better in the promised sequels--which, given the tightly-wound-spring of an ending, I can't wait to read.