This latest novel in the “Warrior Bard” series will delight Marillier fans. After the events in The Harp of Kings and A Dance with Fate, everyone seems to have settled happily. Liobhan, who is both a skillful musician and an elite Swan Island warrior, is with her sweetheart, nobly born Dau, although by tradition they are not allowed to go on missions together. Her half-fey brother, Brocc, has retreated to the Otherworld with his fey wife and infant daughter, whom he adores. Swan Island continues to train young warriors and provide their special blend of espionage, counsel, and martial prowess. Then, of course, everything falls apart. Brocc’s attempts to establish a truce with the vicious Crow Folk lead to his and his daughter’s expulsion into the mortal realm. Dau’s latest mission puts him at risk of encountering the brother who tortured him and Liobhan, and a crown prince has gone missing and is possibly dead. Disparate story lines gradually weave together as the true menace emerges, along with the alliance that will defeat it.
I enjoyed A Song in Flight very much, especially the chance to spend more time with my favorite characters, watch Dau and Liobhan recover from the traumatic experiences of the last book, and delve the mysterious origin of the Crow Folk. Without having read the previous two books, however, much of this one would have been confusing. This is an issue every author who writes multi-volume series faces. If you put in enough background to fully orient a new reader, you risk losing faithful fans through repetition and boredom. Marillier does a fine job reminding the reader without bashing over the head, but in the end, it’s best to read the previous volumes in order.
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