A Choir of Lies
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- $7.99
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- $7.99
Publisher Description
The follow-up to the fan-favorite A Conspiracy of Truths “reveals the author’s stunning prose, beautiful worldbuilding, and emotional detail,” (Library Journal, starred review) and serves as a timely reminder that the words we wield can bring destruction—or salvation.
Three years ago, Yfling watched his master-Chant tear a nation apart with nothing but the words on his tongue. Now Ylfing is all alone in a new realm, brokenhearted and grieving—but a Chant in his own right, employed as a translator to a wealthy merchant of luxury goods, Sterre de Waeyer. But Ylfing has been struggling to come to terms with what his master did, with the audiences he’s been alienated from, and with the stories he can no longer trust himself to tell.
That is, until Ylfing’s employer finds out what he is, what he does, and what he knows. At Sterre’s command, Ylfing begins telling stories once more, fanning the city into a mania for a few shipments of an exotic flower. The prices skyrocket, but when disaster looms, Ylfing must face what he has done and decide who he wants to be: a man who walks away and lets the city shatter, as his master did? Or will he embrace the power of stories to save ten thousand lives?
In this “wise, moving, and captivating adventure” (Publishers Weekly, starred review), a young storyteller must embrace his own skills and discover that a story can be powerful enough to bring a nation to its knees, certainly. But in the right hands, a story can rebuild a broken dam, keep the floodwaters back, and save a life—or thousands of lives.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Rowland unleashes formidable skills in this worthy follow-up to 2018's A Conspiracy of Truths. Heartbroken and disillusioned by his master's treachery and lies, young storyteller Ylfing wanders the world trying to find peace. Settling in the prosperous market town of Heyrland, Ylfing finds work as a translator for Sterre de Waeyer, one of the richest merchants in the region. When Sterre discovers her newest employee's talent with crafting narratives, she asks him to help sell a strange flower known as the stars-in-the-marsh. Their efforts spark a buying frenzy that quickly grows out of control. Through his work, Ylfing discovers true love and rediscovers his chanting talents, just in time to use his stories to save the city he's nearly destroyed. Rowland's characters are consistently surprising and supremely empathetic, and the footnotes, worldbuilding details, and tales sprinkled throughout create a full and complex reality for readers to wander at will. This is a wise, moving, and captivating adventure.
Customer Reviews
For any Storytellers
This is a book about stories and morality and cultures. Particularly the strength of stories to make and change narratives, and how much your intentions matter when your actions hurt or help others. It’s about so much more than this but I really can’t recommend it enough to anyone who thinks about the things I’ve described. It’s also just a brilliant book about economics and re-becoming yourself after grief/depression/trauma and how the people around you change who you become and oh god if any of this sounds interesting please give it a read - even if the previous book doesn’t look interesting to you, just jump straight into this one.