Huntsong + Ghostsong
By Pirateaba
Huntsong and Ghostsong feel like two halves of one book, so I’ll be reviewing them as such. Splitting up long books isn’t unheard of, and at a total of nearly 50 hours of listening time, I don’t mind spending two Audible credits for this one – especially since I very much enjoyed it.
Together, Huntsong and Ghostsong make up the second part of the Singer of Terandria series. This, in turn, is a spinoff to The Wandering Inn, a long-running web serial of such ginormous proportions it can’t not be mentioned here.
For those not familiar with the The Wandering Inn, imagine the love child of Dungeons & Dragons and World of Warcraft, then imagine that child cosplaying as Calvin & Hobbes. It’s often chaotic and unhinged, but there are moments of thoughtful insight that cut to the core of the human condition.
Overall, I feel like The Singer of Terandria series is a bit darker and more mature than The Wandering Inn, but that’s on the average. Both series have moments that go over-the-top silly and distressingly dark.
So, Huntsong and Ghostsong; what are they about?
In the previous book of the series (review here) we followed Cara O’Sullivan from Gallway, Ireland, as she stopped at a streetlight only to find herself in an entirely different world as the light switched. A fantasy world with Levels and Skills (capital L and S), and with ghosts and monsters, magic and mysteries, lords and castles, knights and princesses, and all the other things that make fantasy fantastic.
We learn how Cara finds her feet, saves the day, and sets out to make a name for herself in this new world. That’s where Huntsong begins.
In Huntsong, the stage widens, and we’re introduced to the kingdom of shade, Noelictus, its royal family, its Hunters’ Guild, and the festering corruption that plagues everything. There’s also the theatre, where Cara is headed, and where she manages to land a job as a singer. Unfortunately, Cara can’t keep her big mouth shut, and after saying the wrong thing to the wrong person, she’s sentenced to serve a month as a conscript hunter in the Noelictus Hunter’s Guild. That’s practically a death sentence, and Cara finds herself forced to fight the never ending onslaught of the undead.
We’re also introduced to Huntress Haeight, the book’s second main character. She’s part of the Hunter’s Guild, and she leads the group of conscripts Cara serves with. Through Haeight, we get to see the kingdom of shade through the eyes of someone who grew up there, and we’re shown just how deep the corruption goes.
Throughout the story, Cara gets involved with trying to expose and defeat the corruption of the hunter’s guild. She makes new friends, develops her skills, and grows both as a human and as a singer. However, the corruption goes deeper than either Cara or Haeight thought, and like so often in these situations, answering one question results in even more questions being asked.
At the end of Huntsong, a reader will have a fairly good idea what’s going on, even if much is still hidden to Cara and Haeight.
The next book, Ghostsong focuses on untangling the mess unearthed in Huntsong. Consequently, even more complications arise, and then some misguided, well meaning fool (neither Cara, nor Haeight, actually) goes and makes things worse by trying to make things right.
I’m a big fan of The Wandering Inn, and it’s cool to see a different part of that world and from the perspective of other characters. Much is the same, but there’s enough difference for these books to stand on their own, and I really enjoy that. I’ll also maintain that The Singer of Terandria is a better introduction to this world than the first book of The Wandering Inn itself.
What I’ll whine about
Similar to The Wandering Inn, foreshadowing in this series is a bit on the clumsy side. It’s often rather obvious that the author is intentionally hiding something for a big reveal at a later time. It tends to feel a bit forced, and a lot of the time, it’s quite easy to guess what the reveal will be.
That said, the actual reveals themselves are a hoot when they finally happen. The author is not afraid to lay it on when it comes to the spectacular.
What I’ll gush about
Attitude. The stories in the world of The Wandering Inn are primarily about fun. It’s about wild adventures, daring escapades, good times, and hilarious chaos. Sure, there are dark and serious episodes, and there are some heavy themes, but that just makes the good times shine even brighter. Most importantly, these books and this author don’t take themselves too seriously. They want to have a good time telling a good story, and they very clearly do.
Setting. I love it. It’s everything that makes fantasy fantastic mixed into a huge mess and turned up to eleven. It doesn’t get more fantasy-y than this.
Characters and themes. Despite all the craziness, the author manages to add depth and life to their characters. There are themes of loss and suffering, unfairness and corruption, abuse of power and removal of agency. Mental health is an important part of the story. It’s not necessarily subtle, but it’s handled with respect and understanding, and that’s what really matters. If you want subtle, there are other books.
Belavierr. The Stitch Witch makes an appearance, and it cements her as one of the most terrifying villains I’ve ever encountered in any medium. Once a person, now instead a being so wrapped up in her own magic, schemes, and protections as to forget what it means to be human. Someone who views the world and its inhabitants as a web of abstract concepts and rules rather than as the living, breathing, chaos that it is.
Huntress Haeight. Haeight is the kind of driven and ambitious young woman who tries to do the right thing and carry the world on her shoulders, and who ends up suffering for it. It’s a character archetype I love to read about, morbid at it may see. I feel like it embodies so much of the toxic way in which the real world forces unrealistic expectations on us, and especially on young women. Haeight’s story could very well have been a book of its own.
Final words
More stories from Inn World – get on the hype train!
