The Merchant Emperor

Starred review from April 28, 2014
Haydon’s long-awaited return to her Symphony of Ages series (picking up where 2006’s The Assassin King left off) is a brilliant tapestry of familial sacrifice and adversity in a land of music and dragons. Skysinger Rhapsody and half-dragon Ashe, leaders of the Cymrians, are preparing for war against the demon-driven Emperor of F’dor. As their enemies draw closer, Rhapsody magically severs parts of her spirit in an effort to hide her son, the prophesied Child of Time, from the emperor, who is bent on seeking immortality through consuming the baby’s heart. The dragon Anwyn, Ashe’s grandmother, who once ruled the Cymrians, is no less bent on destroying Rhapsody and her family. Rhapsody must both engage in dangerous combat and fight for a sense of self that she has already begun to forget. With taut plotting and unforgettable characters, Haydon’s latest will easily enchant new readers.

May 15, 2014

The war for control of the Middle Continent rages as the newly selected Merchant Emperor from Sorbold has allied himself with demons in order to achieve his goals. New emperor Talquist found a way to fool the scales and gain the throne, but what he really wants is immortality, and to achieve that he must kill a child of prophecy. But that child is the newborn son of Rhapsody and Ashe, the Lord and Lady Cymrian, and Rhapsody will do anything to keep her child safe. VERDICT The world of Haydon's epic fantasy (last seen in 2006's The Assassin King) is fairly complex for a new reader to appreciate. There are many races and thousands of years of history that are referenced by characters who have lived for centuries. But the core characters--Rhapsody, Ashe, Achmed, and Grunthor--are still compelling, and fans of the series will want to pick up this volume, which continues but does not complete their story.

Copyright 2014 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2014
The seventh book of the Symphony of Ages series begins with a 10-year-old girl, Melisande, being escorted to the edge of a magical woodland. She is given a tremendous task, by which the reader is introduced to the major characters and the political turmoil that is occurring throughout the land. Talquist the merchant has allied himself with a demon in an ambitious ploy to become emperor of F'dor. For those familiar with the history of Rhapsody and Ashe, two of the main characters from previous books, this volume will provide additional depth to their personalities as they are forced to make difficult decisions to save not only themselves and those they love but also perhaps the world they live in. This is not recommended as an entry point to this series because there are too many assumptions made about the readers' knowledge of the characters. But followers of the series will be delighted with it.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)