A Dance with Fate

Warrior Bards, Book 2

By: Juliet Marillier

Narrated by: Raphael Corkhill, Moira Quirk, Alex Wyndham

A young woman who is both a bard - and a warrior - seeks to repay her debts and settle scores in this thrilling historical fantasy series.

The young warrior and bard Liobhan has lost her brother to the Otherworld. Even more determined to gain a place as an elite fighter, she returns to Swan Island to continue her training. But Liobhan is devastated when her comrade Dau is injured and loses his sight in their final display bout. Blamed by Dau's family for the accident, she agrees to go to Dau's home as a bond servant for the span of one year.

There, she soon learns that Oakhill is a place of dark secrets. The vicious Crow Folk still threaten both worlds. And Dau, battling the demon of despair, is not an easy man to help.

When Liobhan and Dau start to expose the rot at the center of Oakhill, they place themselves in deadly danger. For their enemy wields great power and will stop at nothing to get his way. It will take all the skills of a Swan Island warrior and a touch of the uncanny to give them a hope of survival....

©2020 Juliet Marillier (P)2020 Recorded Books

Mostly liked it

I do like the story, but male narrators are a huge impediment on its appeal. Moira Quirk is amazing as usual.

One thing about the story that bugs me is the relationship between the fairy queen and Brock. There is no relationship building from the last book and nothing in this book. I literally hate the selfish queen. But she's fae so I'm not surprised.

Great Continuation of a series

This is the second book in the Warrior Bard series about the children of Blackthorne & Grimm. Although I liked the Blackthorne/Grimm trilogy better the stories of Liobhan and her brother Brocc continue the adventures of these characters with a mix of the “real world” and fae. This book is not really a stand alone story because without reading the first book in the series (Harp of Kings) the reader can’t appreciate the characters and setting. If you have read Harp of Kings and want to continue this is a good second book.

Series continues to be good

Second books in a series are sometimes not as good but this one is. Juliet is one of my favorite authors and She is just an excellent writer. The pacing was good. Character development continued, wasn’t predictable. Very enjoyable. If you’ve started the series and liked the first one, you should definitely continue. Definitely need to read the first one before this if you haven’t. I like these characters and look forward to a third installment. There is a complete story here but it is very much a middle book.

A step back into an "otherworldly" experience

4.25 Stars

This is the second book in this trilogy, which is in itself a spinoff from the Blackthorn and Grim series (which I absolutely LOVED btw). I have to admit though, I took quite a long break between this book and the previous book, and it has been YEARS since I finished the B&G series.

Why is that important? I'm not sure that it is other than the fact that Ms. Marillier has succeeded in creating an amazing and unique world that just pulled the reader in and kept them in this wonderful, suspended reality that just added to the experience. I think that part of that was missing - and honesty that isn't the author's fault. She did her job and created the world and I don't expect her to spend the time and words to recreate it every book. I think we do have some responsibility as readers to carry on the prior worldbuilding, and usually I have no problem with that. Unfortunately, I read too many books and with the big timespan in between, I was sad to have lost some of that.

This book starts in Swan Island with the MC's of this storyline surrounding Liobhan and Dau and Dau's injury. Then there is the secondary storyline of Brocc and his Fae Queen wife Eirne. I found the Liobhan and Dau storyline extremely compelling. There is the unbelievably awful character that is getting away with all kinds of things through threats and fear (and he really is awful) and you can not help but become invested in their journey.

I didn't really enjoy when the POV's changed to Brocc and Eirne. I can't really remember what I thought about Brocc's wife in the past. I do know that I really didn't like her in this book. She sounds selfish, superficial, cold and temperamental (I know, she's a Fae, but still) while at the same time Brocc is kind, compassionate and thoughtful. The two just didn't seem to mesh for me . And then there is an action that the Queen takes near the end of this book that sealed the deal for me. Nope, don't like her.

Anyway, I enjoyed the book. I listened to most of this on audio and it totally makes a difference listening to the characters with the wonderful words and accents that the narrators portray. It is nice hearing words that I would never thought sounded the way that they do (even if there is a directory with pronunciations in the beginning) because for some reason, my mind doesn't pronounce them that way when I'm reading....

It was nice to step back into this world. I just wish it still had the same feeling of "otherworldliness" that I remember. Regardless, I'm back and ready to continue on to the next installment in this series.

Here is to not letting a few more years go by.....

A Dance with Fate: Aptly named, highly entertaining Sequel

This audio book does not disappoint, especially if you are familiar with Marillier’s writing. Gaelic mythology blends well with storyline and reveals more of Swan island and its warriors snd bards; Covid distraction ( distraction from the poor state of affairs ) and excellent entertainment. Cannot wait for the next sequel or sequels. Please publish it soon ! cannot get enough of the hero protagonists.
oh yeah: the performers are all 5* !