Kate Constable

Chanters of Tremaris — (2004-2006) Young adult. Publisher: Calwyn has lived all her life behind the high ice-wall that guards the sisters of Antaris from the world of Tremaris. The sisters practice ice chantment — one of the Nine Powers of chantment, a form of magic worked through music. But when Calwyn finds an Outlander man fallen, wounded, through the wall, she is drawn to him ... and drawn into a wondrous, dangerous adventure that takes her outside the wall and to the limits of her own powers, as she, the Outlander Darrow, and others unite to defeat the sorcerer Samis, who seeks to claim all Nine Powers and become the Singer of All Songs.

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The Singer of All Songs: “She raised her hands, threw back her head, and sang.”

In the world of Tremaris, there are nine types of magic. Ninth is the power of tongue, the ability to speak in all languages. Eighth is the power of beasts, commanding all animals at will. Seventh is the power of seeming, which creates illusions in the mind. Sixth is the power of wind, which commands weather. Fifth is the power of iron, commanding all that belongs to the earth excepting anything living, fire, wind and water. Fourth is the power of becoming, which quickens growth and change. Third is the power of fire, which commands all that is light and hot. Second is the power of ice, commanding all that is cold. The first power is the unknown power, the power of the Gods. All of these powers  are controlled by those who can sing the ancient songs.

Calwyn is a priestess of Antaris, the land of Ice, which is cut off from the rest of the world by an immense wall of ice that is maintained by the priestesses for the land’s protection. On the special day  of the year when all of the priestesses go to their parts of the wall to sing it whole again, Calwyn stumbles upon an outsider lying in the snow and bleeding. No one has ever penetrated the wall before, and Calwyn has to decide whether to leave the intruder to die, or to help him and find out how he got inside the great wall of ice.

Kate Constable's The Singer of All Songs is a gripping book with an interesting plot, a pleasant pace, a healthy amount of action, and a touch of humor. The characters are well made and each is deep and complex, lovable, yet infuriating at times. The world of Tremaris is described superbly — I could almost smell the fragrance of the jungle, and hear the waves in the sea.

The ending of The Singer of All Songs is a cliff hanger (this is the first book in a trilogy), so you’ll have to read on to learn how things end. Make sure you have all of the books before you start the trilogy, because once you finish The Singer of All Songs, you’ll be itching to read the rest of Calwyn’s adventures. —Caitlinn Skye Walker