{"id":378,"date":"2007-05-21T19:40:30","date_gmt":"2007-05-22T02:40:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/?p=378"},"modified":"2021-06-02T19:19:15","modified_gmt":"2021-06-02T23:19:15","slug":"rhapsody","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/378","title":{"rendered":"Rhapsody"},"content":{"rendered":"

Rhapsody: Child of Blood<\/em> (1999) Elizabeth Haydon<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Rhapsody\"<\/a><\/p>\n

I read this series (Rhapsody<\/em> 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.<\/p>\n

Rhapsody<\/em> 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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

But the strongest part of the book is the dialog between Rhapsody, Achmed, and Grunthor.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Achmed chuckled. “See what bring a considerate fellow buys you?”<\/p>\n

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

“Gods Grunthor, I’m sorry,” she gasped. “I didn’t know it was you.” <\/p>\n

The Bolg looked up at her and grimaced with an expression that might, under different circumstances, have been a smile.<\/p>\n

“That’s all right miss. Quite a nice right cross you got there. Where’d you learn it?”<\/p>\n

“My brothers.”<\/p>\n

“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?”<\/p>\n

A hint of a smile crossed her face as she dabbed her eye. “Who do you think I used it on the most?”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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.<\/p>\n

If you enjoy high fantasy, then I recommend Rhapsody<\/em>. If you’re not into high fantasy, then you’ll probably want to avoid Rhapsody<\/em>.
\nRating: 7\/10<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[2,291,39],"tags":[356],"class_list":["post-378","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-fantasy","category-paper","category-sword-sorcery","tag-elizabeth-haydon"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/siQkW-rhapsody","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":380,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/380","url_meta":{"origin":378,"position":0},"title":"Prophecy","author":"Michelle","date":"May 22, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Prophecy (2000) Elizabeth Haydon The sequel to Rhapsody, Prophecy continues the story. They are still trying to find the F'Dor who escaped to Sendair. Achmed and Grunthor are continuing to build the Bolg into a nation. Rhapsody meets the dragon Elynsynos, and learns more about Ashe. As with the previous\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Fantasy"","block_context":{"text":"Fantasy","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/fantasy"},"img":{"alt_text":"Prophecy","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.klishis.com\/Books\/images\/prophecy.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":401,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/401","url_meta":{"origin":378,"position":1},"title":"Destiny","author":"Michelle","date":"July 12, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Destiny (2001) Elizabeth Haydon After reading Rhapsody and Prophecy I wanted to finish re-reading the series and the story, but I just wasn't thrilled about reading more about Rhapsody. So I put Destiny in my pocket as my waiting and transportation book. Unfortunately, an 850 page book is large and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Fantasy"","block_context":{"text":"Fantasy","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/fantasy"},"img":{"alt_text":"Destiny","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.klishis.com\/Books\/images\/destiny.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":47,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/47","url_meta":{"origin":378,"position":2},"title":"Legends II","author":"Michelle","date":"January 2, 2005","format":false,"excerpt":"Legends II (2004) edited by Robert Silverberg I picked up this book just for the Neil Gaiman Shadow story, so the fact that I found it in the bargain bin means that any stories beyond 'The Monarch of the Glen' were an added bonus. And 'Monarch of the Glen' was\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Anthology"","block_context":{"text":"Anthology","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/anthology"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2005\/01\/Legends.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":69,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/69","url_meta":{"origin":378,"position":3},"title":"Emerald Magic","author":"Michelle","date":"May 1, 2005","format":false,"excerpt":"Emerald Magic (2004) edited by Andrew M. Greeley This book first caught my eye because I didn't expect to see Andrew Greeley's name in the fantasy section. Then I looked at the list of authors who wrote in this anthology: Charles de Lint, Diane Duane, Elizabeth Haydon, Morgan Llywelyn, Judith\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "British"","block_context":{"text":"British","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/british"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2005\/05\/Emerald-Magic.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2709,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/2709","url_meta":{"origin":378,"position":4},"title":"Naked City","author":"Michelle","date":"December 30, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Naked City (2011) edited by Ellen Datlow This collection of urban fantasy stories has several of my favorite authors, so it was a no-brainer to get. The bad thing is that I've been reading this collection for several months, so I now have no idea what the stories at the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "8\/10"","block_context":{"text":"8\/10","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/8-10"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/12\/Naked-City.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3547,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/3547","url_meta":{"origin":378,"position":5},"title":"In Sea-Salt Tears","author":"Michelle","date":"February 9, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"In Sea-Salt Tears (2012) Seanan McGuire The Luidaeg has been a complicated character throughout the October Daye series. This story gives us a glimpse of the relationship between the Selkie and The Luidaeg. The only way a selkie can become a true fey is to inherit one. 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