I've written before about Greg Bear's Sci/Fi books, which are superb. He is definitely one of my favourite authors, a purveyor of big ideas and big science. I like the fact that he does not dodge the science, but puts research and thought into his books, to place them in the right scientific context.
I subscribe to a daily email distribution list from Bookbub, giving selections of great priced books (mainly ebooks) in whichever categories you have registered. A few weeks ago, the list included a Greg Bear set of two books called Songs of Earth and Power. At only a couple of dollars, it was too good an opportunity to miss - I did not know that he had written fantasy as well!
The two books are
So many people on Goodreads have given these books 5 stars and rate them as their favourite reads. For my own part, I could not put the kindle reader down until I had completed both books, even though it meant a few late nights and quite a few lost hours in the days in between.
I don't think you can read these books fast - the plots are complex and the characters are many - it's all well spelt out in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Infinity_Concerto.
Here is how it starts:
Michael Perrin is 16 at the beginning, and we see him and his friendship with movie composer Arno Waltiri who leaves him a strange gift when he dies. This gift sends Michael on an adventure he's not certain he really wants, but he feels he has no choice. Arno's gift allows Michael to travel to The Realm of Faer, where the Sidhe live, and where humans have been kept captive. But not any humans. The humans who arrive there have come as a result of music in some way. Only Michael has come of his own accord.
To say any more would be to spoil the wonderful books.
The characters are diverse and interesting, their responses to Michael unpredictable. Poetry pops up as well as music and it was immensely satisfying to read something in which the arts played such an important role. Each twist and turn moved Michael's story forward in surprising ways.
Definitely 5 stars for me.
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