The Melody of Three (Evercharm Book 2)

The Melody of Three starts off with a bang. Inspector/Sorcerer Christaan De Rein is engaged in a murder investigation. People of magic are dying. Tragically his trusted helper dies as well but Rein isn't too concerned. It's not the first time his assistant has died. Nor will it be the last. This opening scene hooked me—melding mystery, fantasy and magic.Temporarily without his "Watson," Rein must forge on by himself and as a result, much of what follows in the first half of the book is descriptive. While these descriptions are wonderfully crafted, they somewhat get in the way of the actual story. I kept reading because I was impressed with the author's unique use of language. For me, a little less description, a little more dialogue in the first half of the story would have gone a long way.In the second half of the story, the reader finally learns what is at stake if Rein fails. At this point, I was hooked for a second time. Everything grew more exciting. More dangerous. More urgent. And I couldn't put the book down. I came away a satisfied reader who will pick up another book by this author.

This was a challenging book for me. I struggled with it in the beginning, but the story picked up in the later chapters. I found it hard to follow what was going on and had to go back a few times to reacquaint myself with the story. I enjoyed the descriptions in the book. It helped me visualize the story. The book was interesting and had some entertaining parts but I couldn't find a character that I could connect with. The writing style was different than what I am used to. It read more like poetry. Though not my preferred style of writing for the books I read, I'm sure people who like that style of writing would enjoy it immensely. I would recommend for people who enjoy a mix fantasy and mystery in their stories.

This story enticed me into a mysterious embrace in unanticipated ways. I am not normally attracted to dark fantasy. This story felt like it was in a perpetual dusk on a cloudy day. I had a hard time putting the story down, I was wooed and attracted like seldom before.The author’s grasp of language was breathtaking at times. The pictures that unfolded in my mind were wonderfully intoxicating at times. Scene setting was extensive as fantasy usually is. The dialogue was succinct and well played. The action could have been a bit fuller in a place or two, a few times I had to reread a section to be certain I didn’t miss a syllable.I award 4.8 stars to “The Melody of Three: (Evercharm Trilogy, Book 1)”.

Even if Steampunk isn't your thing, which it certainly wasn't mine, my wife thought this would be a great read when I wanted a page-turner. This definitely is that.

The element that stands out the most as you begin reading this book is the poetic nature of the writing. Description predominates, both of visuals and of actions, a micro-delineation of the smallest of details. Sometimes to a fault, especially when the author does not back away and show us the bigger picture, either of the action or the setting.So reading the first half of this book is like viewing the world through a tunnel. Places, people, actions and motivation are all described in intense detail, but never do we stand back far enough to know where we are, where we are going, or why. The result is a mosaic of strong sights, feelings, and actions with no connection to each other. When you come to the surface of meaning, it could be the present, or a flashback, or both happening at once.In reading on, we must assume that at some point this gestalt is all going to come into focus and the whole will be greater than the sum of its parts.Finally, about halfway through the book, the author stops playing word games and lets the story take over. From that point on the action increases in speed and clarity, the characters develop and the conflicts twist and intersect in a satisfying dance.Another point of stylistic interest is the variety in tone, depending on the characters. Inspector Rein and his assistant maintain a droll half-serious humour typical of Steampunk. The elves and fey are more Epic Fantasy in style. When these characters intersect, the author opts for a grittier realism. One complaint; since the concept of “melody” is important to the story, I wish the poetry paid more attention to melodious rhythms. It tends to be a bit prosaic and choppy.All of this combines to create a fascinating universe for the captivating characters and the threads of plotline that wander through it.An entertaining read if you don’t mind wading through the frills.

The Melody of Three (Evercharm Trilogy #1) is a fantasy piece written in first person, present tense. This is not an easy story to write as it takes careful thought and focus. For me it was difficult to follow, and I had to slow my reading so I didn't miss the details. The story itself could use more detail for the world building element.I liked Rein and would have preferred to stay with him, given the writing style. Other characters came and went, with little overall development, making it hard to relate with them. My biggest frustration was a lack of context and story tension. It’s like things simply “happen” without giving the reader of proper understanding of their purpose. And then more things happen, again, without the tension build I come to expect in a story. The comic relief helps to lighten the dark moments and add flavor to the story.

This is a great fantasy/steampunk outing with complex world building and intriguing characters. The author does not spell everything out directly, so its up to the reader to tease out the complexities of the three worlds that the characters navigate - this is a plus, as it adds to the air of mystery. The characters are three dimensional - each of the main protoganists have their flaws (Christiaan and Sethlan in particular) and I loved the take on Tatiana and Oberon. The other aspect of the book I particularly liked was the humour - generally very dry and very clever - and the references to literature, such as the gothic novels of Radcliffe. The only stumbing block for me was that at times it was hard to follow the action - for example, in the early chapters when Christiaan (Inspector Rein) finds the dead artisans, I just couldn't 'see' this. Similarly, in the early chapters I was confused as to where the elves (Sethlan and his brother) were and what they were doing. Overall however an intriguing read and I look forward to the second book.