Rhapsody: Child of Blood

It's been about ten years (TEN YEARS!) since I first read Rhapsody: Child of Blood, and it's been interesting reading it again, now that I'm older and less naive and more world weary. I still love the book, that much hasn't changed, but I am more critical of its flaws, especially in regards to Rhapsody's character.

I've been incredibly critical of the "perfect and beautiful" character trope in past reviews, and yes, I do still find it a little annoying that Rhapsody is just so damned beautiful and perfect in every way, BUT she is the only character I have ever forgiven for this trait. Yes, it's over the top, and yes she's annoyingly naive about her own beauty, but it makes sense given the story, especially after she is remade in the fire show more at the center of the earth, and most of the time she doesn't care about her looks. She isn't vain, she doesn't flaunt it, and she doesn't let her looks carry her through life. That may be ironic to say about someone who used to be a prostitute, but by the time we meet Rhapsody, she's put that career behind her and has begun training to be a Namer. In addition to being a singer, she develops other skills and fighting abilities that she relies on much more than her looks throughout the series.

In other words, she's not like this:

Moving on from that, the book does start out a little slow. The romantic introduction of the mysteriously time travelling Sam and the quaint country girl Emily is a little simplistic and silly, but it does set up a lot of information and questions, like who the hell transported this kid back in time, what happened to the island, and will these characters ever meet again? It's not the most exciting introduction, but it works once you get past it.

For me, the book really picks up once Rhapsody meets Achmed and Gruntor. Achmed is probably the first shady, dangerous asshole character that I ever fell in love with, and he's definitely my favorite character in this whole series. I don't always agree with him, and calling him an asshole is probably a massive understatement most of the time, but I love him. And I want to smack him sometimes.

I feel like I'm losing direction in this review, but the whole point I wanted to make is that this book isn't perfect, but it is incredibly entertaining, and I've become just as invested in it now as I was when I first read it as a 17 year old who had never read anything like it before. show less

This book and its whole series (at least as far as I read; I couldn't stomach it enough to get past book six, The Assassin King) is so insipid and stupid I can't do it justice in a review.

The protagonist, Rhapsody, is a Mary Sue who is so beautiful all men fall over at the sight of her ( apparently only allosexual, heterosexual, and cisgender people exist in this world.) Her love interest, Ashe (or Sam or Gwydion, take your pick) is a domineering creep.

The romance is a ridiculous insta-love that would be only silly and stupid if it had not involved sex with a fourteen-year-old girl (and she was only barely fourteen. It was her fourteenth birthday).

The writing style is purple and melodramatic, and the magic system is supposed to be so show more amazingly powerful that it can do virtually anything, but it's only used a few times in the whole series up to where I stopped, and then it's stupid. For example, if Rhapsody can only transform people and things by saying their true names, how did she turn back into Rhapsody after turning herself into a raindrop? Do raindrops have vocal chords?

The only characters I could stand were Achmed and Grunthor. They are the only reason the whole series isn't 1 star. show less

"Pardon me, but would you be willing to adopt me for a moment? I'd be grateful."

Rhapsody, a trained Singer of some power working on becoming a Namer, is on the run from a sadistic former client, Michael the Wind of Death, who doesn't take no for an answer. During her flight Rhapsody literally runs into a couple of shady characters, two half-breeds also on the run. Not in a position to be picky she begs for their help. What at first is supposed to be a rescue ends up as an abduction. And so begins an epic journey. Rhapsody is dragged across half a continent and through the earth to the other side of the world. Upon emerging the trio discovers 1400 years has passed and nothing will be the same for them again.

Rhapsody is the first in the show more Rhapsody trilogy and larger Symphony of Ages series. The book has a little bit of everything: action, adventure, romance, magic, mystery. Haydon has a knack for world building that I enjoy. The world has a rich history and mythos. The magic system is music based, playing on the author's love of music.

The fact that the main characters are 1400 years displaced in time sets the stage for a nice mystery as they piece together what's gone on since they left and exactly what has lead up to causing several kingdoms of the current day to be on the brink of war. Did something from the old world survive or is it something brand new?

Haydon's fluid writing style is also fun to read. She keeps things moving through the character's points of view and does not hesitate to jump between characters when other view points are needed. The interplay between the three main characters is entertaining throughout the book.

This is a comfort reread for me as I've read the trilogy many times. I am happy to say the story still stands up since the last time I read it. I will likely continue on to finish the trilogy after the holidays and see if the rest of the books are as I remember. show less

3.5 stars
Lot of thoughts on this one. Took me a while to get through it for some reason.
I thought it was pretty good. I love Achmed and Grunthor.
I absolutely hate Ashe/Gwydion. I can't believe he's supposed to be the main love interest. The only thing he does whenever we are in his POV is sexualize Rhapsody. He is no different than any of the other disgusting men in the book. If you removed all of the soulmate crap you would think Achmed was the main love interest. He should be. He and Grunthor are the only men who are normal about Rhapsody. The thought of him being the one Rhapsody ends up with makes me not want to read the rest of the series. I'll still read the other books, but if Ashe is as bad as he is in this book, I might not show more continue. show less

If there'd been an ending after they came out of the root and discovered where they were, this might've hit 3 stars. I was ready for an ending at that point. The mini-adventures after that didn't hold my attention very well. None of these characters were developed enough to withstand a book that went on so long. Rhapsody for all her issues, at least had moments where she almost had personality beyond being a Beautiful Incarnation of All That is Good. Grunthor was the cut and paste scary looking guy who is the Perfect Big Brother Figure. I'm assuming Achmed was supposed to be a Strider/Aragorn clone, but bloodier and with a less believable transformation. Street-Urchin the Brat-Sister was only in the second half because Rhapsody was too show more busy to admire Grunthor's predictable wise-cracks, so someone else had to do it. No-one else was worth remembering. show less

Rhapsody, a Singer of some talent, is swept up into events of world-shattering import. On the run from an old romantic interest who won't take no for an answer, she literally bumps into a couple of shady characters: half-breeds who come to her rescue in the nick of time.

Rhapsody, a Child of Sky, Namer and Singer. A young woman of human and Lirin descent, she is a talented musician who uses music as a force to change the world around her. Having suffered a great deal of trauma, she's become self-sufficient by necessity but is prone to bouts of melancholy when thinking about what she has lost. Rhapsody is also unnaturally beautiful as a consequence of her journey, a fact that she refuses to acknowledge and brings her more trouble than show more fortune. show less

This series is my favorite fantasy series ever. Haydon starts out slow, but I promise if you get through the first few chapters...you will be fully submerged in her created world. I own every book, and will continue to read anything she writes.

Star-crossed lovers through time go on separate voyages that will leave you always wanting more. This is one of those books impossible to synopsize due to such vast content.

The characters are vastly different, yet come together much like a real family. Hayden gives action, adventure, romance, fantasy, sci-fi, intrigue...everything is in this series.