Rhapsody

Rhapsody: Child of Blood (1999) Elizabeth Haydon

I read this series (Rhapsody is book one) several years ago, and remembered enjoying it, but never re-read it, primarily because Rhapsody is 656 pages, and the remaining books in the series are just as long or longer. It’s one thing to start a 400 page book. It’s something else entirely to start a book that will lead to a minimum of 1800 pages of reading. High fantasy is interesting, but it’s always forever to read.

Rhapsody starts out with Meridion, a Time Editor who is attempting to change the past, to save the world from destruction. Meridion is both viewing and interfering, watching the past, looking for hints, and even moving individuals about in time.

Rhapsody is a half-Lirin singer and a namer–a woman escaping her past. By sheer accident, she runs into two half Bolg–monstrous humanoids who are also escaping their own problems. These two Bolg become her companions–and eventually her friends.

I have to admit that although I don’t dislike Rhapsody, I like Grunthor and Achmed better. I love how two monsters become my favorite characters–how they became two of the most interesting characters in the story. Although Achmed is cranky and irritable and snide–traits I quite enjoy–there is something about Grunthor I especially love. Physically, he’s described as a horrible monster that you expect to be dim-witted, but he isn’t stupid. He’s not as intelligent as Achmed, but he as the knowledge and wits to survive and thrive.

In other words, Grunthor and Achmed are my favorite characters, and it’s worth re-reading the story just to get to know them again.

Although Grunthor and Achmed are main characters, they are not the primary focus of the story. The primary focus is Rhapsody. She is interesting and complex, but I didn’t find her as fascinating as the Bolg.

But the strongest part of the book is the dialog between Rhapsody, Achmed, and Grunthor.

With a violent lurch Rhapsody sat up; then she recoiled and belted him in the eye. It was a beautiful shot, innately aimed, with her entire weight behind it, and carried with it the inpact of a blow from a man twice her size. Grunthor feel back on his rump with a thud.

Achmed chuckled. “See what bring a considerate fellow buys you?”

Rhapsody, now awake, blinked back the tears and stumbled over to the giant, who was gingerly touching his eye as it began to swell.

“Gods Grunthor, I’m sorry,” she gasped. “I didn’t know it was you.”

The Bolg looked up at her and grimaced with an expression that might, under different circumstances, have been a smile.

“That’s all right miss. Quite a nice right cross you got there. Where’d you learn it?”

“My brothers.”

“Oi see. Well, Oi guess since we adopted you, perhaps you would do me the favor of thinkin’ o’ me as one o’ your brothers, and don’t ‘it me with that lovely right cross again, eh?”

A hint of a smile crossed her face as she dabbed her eye. “Who do you think I used it on the most?”

To be honest, I think I would have preferred more dialog between the three of them, and less of the detailed description of everything that comes with high fantasy.

If you enjoy high fantasy, then I recommend Rhapsody. If you’re not into high fantasy, then you’ll probably want to avoid Rhapsody.
Rating: 7/10

• Browse the archives:
  
• The Stars Dispose » »
• « « The Repentant