The Sun Singer [Paperback]

Malcolm R. Campbell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 25, 2010

When Robert Adams sees the statue of the Sun Singer in a lonely meadow he hears the song of the sun and receives the gift of prophecy. He excels as the Soothsayer of West Wood Street until a psychic dream graphically foretells the death of his best friend's sister, Julianne. Robert blames himself for the tragedy he cannot prevent and shoves his bright talent into the dark shadows of the future where, he suspects, it will one day save him... or kill him. After blindly vowing to finish a task for his ailing grandfather, Robert steps through a hidden doorway into a world at war where magic runs deeper than the mountain rivers. Now he must resurrect his dangerous gift to fulfill his promise, uncover the true secret of Julianne's death, undo the deeds of his grandfather's foul betrayer, subdue brutal enemy soldiers in battle, and survive the trip home. The journey is a physical one: mountain trails, a resistance group fighting a tyrannical king, a vision quest on a mountain peak. The inner journey is the one that matters, bringing back sanity-threatening talents and the kind of magic that will subdue enemy soldiers, heal the sick, and bend time itself. The Robert who returns, transformed into the Sun Singer, is not the Robert who walked into the mountains.

Editorial Reviews

Review

The Sun Singer is gloriously convoluted, with threads that turn on themselves and lyrical prose on which you can float down the mysterious, sun-shaded channels of this charmingly liquid story. --Diana Gabaldon, Echo in the Bone (Outlander)

It is high adventure that his grandfather plans for Robert and for all in the family. We are not surprised to learn that Mother disapproves of the journey. Do not mothers always disapprove of the fun grandfathers plan for the boy in the family? It is not just fun, in this case, that Mother opposes; she is against dabbling in magic. Living Jackson Magazine --Living Jackson Magazine

I will take more journeys with Robert Adams as he has now taken residence in my imagination. The Sun Singer isn't just a book, it's an enlightening. It's a pass to worlds beyond the mundane of closed thought and mediocrity. Perhaps 'home' is in the unopened doors of imagination after all. --Susan Haley, Rainy Day People

About the Author

Campbell was graduated from Florida State University with a B.A. in radio-television writing, with a minor in English, and from Syracuse University with an M. A. in journalism. He also attended the University of Colorado as a journalism student and a weekend climbing participant at the school's Mountain Recreation Department. He served in the U. S. Navy as a journalist between 1968 and 1970, writing news stories and features for the military and the civilian press while on board the aircraft carrier U. S. S. Ranger (CVA-61) and while stationed at the Great Lakes Naval Station. Campbell lives in Jefferson, Georgia with his wife Lesa, of 22 years, a former newspaper reporter, systems analyst, and the consulting director of the Crawford W. Long Museum. In December, Campbell finished serving four years, three as chair, on the Jefferson Historic Preservation Commission. Both Campbells have been active in the town's Main Street Program. An avid reader and book reviewer, Campbell especially enjoys the novels of Sunetra Gupta, Italo Calvino, Diana Gabaldon, Susanna Clarke, Cormac McCarthy and Carlos Ruiz Zafon.

Product Details

• Paperback: 316 pages
• Publisher: Vanilla Heart Publishing; 2nd edition (February 25, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1935407341
• ISBN-13: 978-1935407348
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.7 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,864,086 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Malcolm R. Campbell is the author of satire and contemporary fantasy novels: "The Sun Singer" (2004, 2010 second edition), "Sarabande" (2011), "Jock Stewart and the Missing Sea of Fire" (2009). His "Jock Talks...Politics" collection of satire is a Pushcart Prize 2013 nominee.

His paranormal short stories "Moonlight and Ghosts" and "Cora's Crossing were released in September 2012 for Kindle fans. The three novels in the Garden of Heaven Trilogy will be released in 2013, beginning with "The Seeker."

A former technical writer and college journalism teacher, Campbell lives in northeast Georgia.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Instructions February 24, 2011

By Patricia Damery

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Campbell's The Sun Singer is one of those kinds of stories that leaves one suspecting is preparation for what is next for our species. On one level, the book is a very good coming-of-age tale, and can be read as only such, full of intrigue and suspense. But The Sun Singer also has a sophisticated structure which draws the interest of something deep within. Campbell's use of italics to denote concurrent or alternative realities creates a kind of differentiated consciousness, a training in sensitivity to the fluidity of realities. I was surprised to discover some other part of me listening very, very carefully.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Hero's Journey par Excellence March 13, 2010

By Literary Aficionado

Format:Paperback

Robert Adam's has the good fortune of having a wily grandfather disguised as half-baked old man and parents who well understand the importance of allowing their son to suffer through the unknown as he comes to terms with life's complexities and learns to listen to the only real truth--that which comes from within. Vanilla Heart Publishing's just released version of The Sun Singer by Malcolm Campbell is the Hero's Journey par Excellence! Grandfather unexpectedly passes away, leaving Robert Adams holding a bagful of mystery. Mom and Dad have answers, but they know it will mean nothing until Robert comes to terms with this mystery on his own, as we all must do at different times in our lives. This magical coming-of-age tale takes the reader through a labyrinth as a teenage boy/man sets off into the cosmic dimensions of the unknown to redeem his 'grandfather's' kingdom and rightfully claim his position in life as a true leader. What I'd give to have Malcolm Campbell's imagination, wisdom, wit, and mastery of the written word. Buy it, steal it, borrow it from your local library--one way or another, get hold of The Sun Singer and tell your friends.

5.0 out of 5 stars Complex, Compelling, and Original April 1, 2012

By Melissa Studdard

Format:Paperback

Malcolm R. Campbell's The Sun Singer is a rich tapestry of wisdom and wit. Starting with captivating family banter and culminating in an adventure so grand that it can only be magical, this hero's journey takes the reader to a land beyond the narrow constraints of everyday identity - a land where a boy can discover just what sort of metal he is truly made of.

Generational relationships play an important role in this book, and anyone who has ever had a special connection with a grandparent or grandchild will treasure the bond between Robert and his grandfather. The warmth between them is palpable, and lessons are delivered wrapped in ribbons of jest.

The writing itself is lyrical and dense, and the plot is complex, compelling, and original. Dreams, alternate dimensions, and nested stories interweave, one on top of the other, until they are braided so thick that the reader cannot possibly guess what will happen next.

This is a book I'm sure I will return to and share with others, again and again.