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Reviewed by Olga Markova for Readers' Favorite
Cry of the Kestrel: Book Two of The Bardic Isles Series by the talented Marla Himeda reunites us with Kaelin, a gifted Bardic apprentice. Now Kaelin is twelve years old, and four Masters of the Bardic Order have agreed to train him. So, Kaelin is sailing to the island of Eyrie to learn the lute from Master Talan. After three months on Eyrie, Kaelin is to learn flute from Master Marek on the isle of Zephyr, vocal skills from Master Rial on Lyra, and harp from Master Grened on Elegy. But Master Talan accuses Kaelin of stealing his tuning fork, and Kaelin’s future falls into the hands of the Bardic Council. If Kaelin does not admit to theft but the Council finds him guilty, Kaelin will be banned from playing Bardic musical instruments forever. How will Kaelin’s life unfold after this accusation?
Having listened to the prequel audiobook Master of Music, I was delighted to reunite with Kaelin in Cry of the Kestrel, and I loved it even more than the prequel. I loved how the cover reflects the storyline. I felt that this novel was packed with unique and rare wisdom, and I would listen to it again and discover it anew. I enjoyed the dilemmas of honesty, bravery, humility, and perseverance Kaelin faced. As a lawyer, I loved how the novel vividly distinguished between the concepts of accused and guilty, the debate at the Bardic Council, and the concerns triggered by the unyielding and inflexible Bardic laws. But most of all, I liked how Kaelin transformed the lives of the Bardic Masters who trained him.
The audiobook quality was superb. Listening to Will Hahn’s narration, I visualized Kaelin’s Master Bergid as Harry Potter’s Professor Dumbledore. I also liked how Will represented all the other characters, portraying their thoughts and emotions with only his voice. Did you train with Master Ryal, Will? I also loved all the musical episodes, but most of all, the quintessential song of Elegy Mountain. I look forward to escaping to the Bardic Isles in the upcoming third book, Rider of the Wind, and I highly recommend Cry of the Kestrel to anyone who likes fantasy and music. The dilemmas in this novel also make it a great fit for school moot competitions and book club debates.
