Scan barcode
claytell's review against another edition
4.0
Great and complex. Just the way I like it. Except I really need smoke to make a character map. If any book needs it for the full enjoyment. It’s this.
Took me a while.
Took me a while.
adragoninspace's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
ameserole's review against another edition
4.0
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Please tell me that we get another book after this? PLEASE!
Just like the previous books, The Memory of Souls was addicting to read. Of course I'm constantly confused by every little thing that comes my way in this series but I still end up loving each book. This probably sounds beyond weird.. but it works. For me.
Without trying to spoil anything about this book, just know that you will be confused. It's bound to happen really but with this book you just will be. There's just so much going on and no one is really just themselves. Not sure if that makes sense.. but I never said that this book will be either.
In it, you will get to know Kihrin, Janel and Teraeth a bit more. We get to explore so many things with these three that I was entertained the entire time. They made this a page turner for me. I mean, everything else did too because this book was just that good.
Just as we dove into relationships, we got to learn about what worked and what didn't. Again, so much went on that you might get whiplash. This book dove into so many things but it ended up flowing pretty well.
In the end, I seriously need another book. Please be amazing as well!
Please tell me that we get another book after this? PLEASE!
Just like the previous books, The Memory of Souls was addicting to read. Of course I'm constantly confused by every little thing that comes my way in this series but I still end up loving each book. This probably sounds beyond weird.. but it works. For me.
Without trying to spoil anything about this book, just know that you will be confused. It's bound to happen really but with this book you just will be. There's just so much going on and no one is really just themselves. Not sure if that makes sense.. but I never said that this book will be either.
In it, you will get to know Kihrin, Janel and Teraeth a bit more. We get to explore so many things with these three that I was entertained the entire time. They made this a page turner for me. I mean, everything else did too because this book was just that good.
Just as we dove into relationships, we got to learn about what worked and what didn't. Again, so much went on that you might get whiplash. This book dove into so many things but it ended up flowing pretty well.
In the end, I seriously need another book. Please be amazing as well!
julia_197's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
paragon's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
alzena28's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
ros_lanta's review against another edition
4.5
While The Ruin of Kings so far remains my favourite book in the series, Memory of Souls is now in second place. Of the three, it's also my favourite in terms of the way it is narrated.
Avoiding spoilers makes it impossible to speak about the book in anything other than very general terms. There's so much I love about this series which is continued here - the characters, the intricate worldbuilding, the complicated relationships arising from even more complex family trees. Sometimes the plotting isn't as strong as I might prefer but that's only an occasional complaint, at other times it can be superb.
After the major events taking place in the last few chapters of this book, I'm very keen to get to book four without too much delay. I find myself curious whether the narration will change once again.
Avoiding spoilers makes it impossible to speak about the book in anything other than very general terms. There's so much I love about this series which is continued here - the characters, the intricate worldbuilding, the complicated relationships arising from even more complex family trees. Sometimes the plotting isn't as strong as I might prefer but that's only an occasional complaint, at other times it can be superb.
After the major events taking place in the last few chapters of this book, I'm very keen to get to book four without too much delay. I find myself curious whether the narration will change once again.
emiodo's review against another edition
3.0
Author Jenn Lyons made her mark on the fantasy genre last year with her debut novel The Ruin of Kings. This was the first in an epic fantasy series that subverts tropes and reader expectations at every turn. This was followed swiftly by the second volume The Name Of All Things. Now the third title in The Chorus of Dragons series by Jenn Lyon is set for release this week. Let's take a look at the new novel The Memory of Souls by Jenn Lyons, that will be available worldwide on August 24 from Tor Books.
As there is no way to review The Memory of Souls without discussing the first two books in this series, please be aware of book spoilers to follow.
In order to delve into The Memory of Souls, we must first take a look back at the first two volumes in The Chorus of Dragons. Each book is framed with an unreliable narrator telling their story. And in The Ruin of Kings, the narrator is the primary male protagonist named Kihrin. A synopsis of the novel tells us the following about The Ruin of Kings.
Kihrin is the bastard son of a treasonous prince. Drawn into the intrigues and ambitions of his father’s family, his dreams of overcoming his past to become a heroic leader are shattered when he discovers his true destiny isn’t to save the kingdom, but to destroy it…
From the first book in the series, Lyons sets up the trope of the 'Chosen One' in order to subvert it. Kihrin is many things: a thief, a bard, and an orphan who discovers that he is a long-lost noble. However it soon becomes clear that being the Chosen One is not all that it is cracked up to be.
In the first book Kihrin is manipulated and abused by his long-lost family, and then sold into slavery. He is chased across the map by powerful demons, and hounded by gods who want him to do their bidding. In the end he learns that he is the reincarnation of the sliver of a dark god's soul. He is the one who will fulfill some ancient prophecies that will unleash demonic forces on the world. He has been chosen, yes. But by who?
This question is asked repeatedly over the course of the first two books. Because the gods are not here to play. The Chorus of Dragons has a large cast of characters, and among them are actual gods who are just as fallible as mortals. Kihrin soon discovers that there are many prophecies he is set to fulfill. And one of them details the destruction of the current Empire. Despite resisting this strongly over the course of three books, it is clear to the readers that this would be a good thing.
The Empire as it stands in the first three books is clearly evil. Slavery is common; genocide is encouraged, poverty is rampant, homophobia and misogyny is embedded into the society. There are noble houses who essentially run the Empire, and they are clearly decadent, debaucherous, and entirely corrupt. If ever an Empire needed to be torn down, it is this one.
The second book The Name of All Things makes it clear that Kihrin is also not the only one who has been chosen. Reincarnation is a common theme in the books, with at least one character who can clearly remember all of his past lives. It soon becomes apparent that there was a group of individuals who volunteered for reincarnation, in order to continue fighting a looming magical cataclysm.
Alongside Kihrin is the character of Janel. She is set up in the first book as the primary love interest for Kihrin. But her character is much more than that. The Name of All Things is Janel's book, her story that is told primarily from her point of view. We learn about the unique society that she comes from, with its gender-bending social norms. And we discover that much like Kihrin, she has also been marked by a demon and chosen by the gods to fight in this endless battle. Also like him, she chafes at the bonds placed on her and the very idea of fate or destiny. Another unlikely Chosen One, who never thought to envision herself as the hero of the story.
All of this brings us to newest entry in the Chorus of Dragons series. The Memory of Souls raises the stakes for all of the characters significantly as it reveals the inevitable end of the world is fast approaching. The novel delves deeper into the non-human societies of the world. Among them are the Vané (they are essentially Tolkien-esque Elves only far more sexual and sparkly). The Vané are the last of the immortal races left in the world. The rest gave up their immortality in a powerful ritual that just kind of put a band-aid on the whole widening-abyss-that-will-swallow-the world problem that has been around for centuries. Now it is time for the Vané to perform the ritual, as dictated by the gods.
The majority of the book revolves around trying to convince the Vané to give up their immortality. Which they definitely do not want to do. It is a book full of politics that gives readers a deeper understanding of the world history. But it is also a book that is full of very human moments, with characters falling in love and figuring out their own identities. You would think that from this description, that the third book might be slower paced or even boring. But this is not the case with A Memory of Souls. The book is full of action, with epic battles waged against dragons, demons, and even the gods themselves. But the intimate character moments give the story space to breathe. They allow the reader a glimpse into the increasingly complicated inner lives of the characters.
While reading A Memory of Souls I often felt like I was immersed in a complicated role-playing game. This is not a derogatory mark against the book in any way. I grew up reading RPG novels like Dragonlance and The Forgotten Realms series. I am a sucker for a role-playing game. And yes, I would play a game based off this series in a heartbeat.
The side quests that the characters must embark upon add to the complexity of the story. There are magical artifacts aplenty, and there is no one set magical system that everyone must adhere to. Each character has their own unique magical talents that are integral to the plot. The RPG-esque nature of the story might be due to the fact that author Jenn Lyons actually got her start writing for video games. She also credits her own geeky origins to playing Dungeons & Dragons as a kid. These influences are clear in her writing style, and she uses them to their best advantage. The non-human races feel familiar, but are given a new twist. The action is fast-paced and exciting, and it keeps the reader turning pages long into the night.
Overall The Memory of Souls is an excellent addition to The Chorus of Dragons series. It introduces some new characters, and adds unexpected depth and complexity to others. This includes the 'villains' of the series, including the one who narrates The Memory of Souls. Not even the demons are wholly evil, just alien and unknowable. The gods are not wholly good either, with their own plans and deceptions.
The complexity of the books can sometimes be a bit confusing, what with so much body-swapping and reincarnating going on. But if you delve into the books and fully immerse yourself in the world that Jenn Lyons has so cleverly constructed, you will find the journey to be a highly enjoyable adventure.
Jenn Lyons is almost certainly bound to become the next big name in epic fantasy. And we look forward to seeing where A Chorus of Dragons goes from here.
The Memory of Souls is the third book of A Chorus of Dragons by Jenn Lyons. There are five planned books in the series, with a book set for publication every six months since 2019. The Memory of Souls will be out on August 24, 2020 from Tor/Forge.
As there is no way to review The Memory of Souls without discussing the first two books in this series, please be aware of book spoilers to follow.
In order to delve into The Memory of Souls, we must first take a look back at the first two volumes in The Chorus of Dragons. Each book is framed with an unreliable narrator telling their story. And in The Ruin of Kings, the narrator is the primary male protagonist named Kihrin. A synopsis of the novel tells us the following about The Ruin of Kings.
Kihrin is the bastard son of a treasonous prince. Drawn into the intrigues and ambitions of his father’s family, his dreams of overcoming his past to become a heroic leader are shattered when he discovers his true destiny isn’t to save the kingdom, but to destroy it…
From the first book in the series, Lyons sets up the trope of the 'Chosen One' in order to subvert it. Kihrin is many things: a thief, a bard, and an orphan who discovers that he is a long-lost noble. However it soon becomes clear that being the Chosen One is not all that it is cracked up to be.
In the first book Kihrin is manipulated and abused by his long-lost family, and then sold into slavery. He is chased across the map by powerful demons, and hounded by gods who want him to do their bidding. In the end he learns that he is the reincarnation of the sliver of a dark god's soul. He is the one who will fulfill some ancient prophecies that will unleash demonic forces on the world. He has been chosen, yes. But by who?
This question is asked repeatedly over the course of the first two books. Because the gods are not here to play. The Chorus of Dragons has a large cast of characters, and among them are actual gods who are just as fallible as mortals. Kihrin soon discovers that there are many prophecies he is set to fulfill. And one of them details the destruction of the current Empire. Despite resisting this strongly over the course of three books, it is clear to the readers that this would be a good thing.
The Empire as it stands in the first three books is clearly evil. Slavery is common; genocide is encouraged, poverty is rampant, homophobia and misogyny is embedded into the society. There are noble houses who essentially run the Empire, and they are clearly decadent, debaucherous, and entirely corrupt. If ever an Empire needed to be torn down, it is this one.
The second book The Name of All Things makes it clear that Kihrin is also not the only one who has been chosen. Reincarnation is a common theme in the books, with at least one character who can clearly remember all of his past lives. It soon becomes apparent that there was a group of individuals who volunteered for reincarnation, in order to continue fighting a looming magical cataclysm.
Alongside Kihrin is the character of Janel. She is set up in the first book as the primary love interest for Kihrin. But her character is much more than that. The Name of All Things is Janel's book, her story that is told primarily from her point of view. We learn about the unique society that she comes from, with its gender-bending social norms. And we discover that much like Kihrin, she has also been marked by a demon and chosen by the gods to fight in this endless battle. Also like him, she chafes at the bonds placed on her and the very idea of fate or destiny. Another unlikely Chosen One, who never thought to envision herself as the hero of the story.
All of this brings us to newest entry in the Chorus of Dragons series. The Memory of Souls raises the stakes for all of the characters significantly as it reveals the inevitable end of the world is fast approaching. The novel delves deeper into the non-human societies of the world. Among them are the Vané (they are essentially Tolkien-esque Elves only far more sexual and sparkly). The Vané are the last of the immortal races left in the world. The rest gave up their immortality in a powerful ritual that just kind of put a band-aid on the whole widening-abyss-that-will-swallow-the world problem that has been around for centuries. Now it is time for the Vané to perform the ritual, as dictated by the gods.
The majority of the book revolves around trying to convince the Vané to give up their immortality. Which they definitely do not want to do. It is a book full of politics that gives readers a deeper understanding of the world history. But it is also a book that is full of very human moments, with characters falling in love and figuring out their own identities. You would think that from this description, that the third book might be slower paced or even boring. But this is not the case with A Memory of Souls. The book is full of action, with epic battles waged against dragons, demons, and even the gods themselves. But the intimate character moments give the story space to breathe. They allow the reader a glimpse into the increasingly complicated inner lives of the characters.
While reading A Memory of Souls I often felt like I was immersed in a complicated role-playing game. This is not a derogatory mark against the book in any way. I grew up reading RPG novels like Dragonlance and The Forgotten Realms series. I am a sucker for a role-playing game. And yes, I would play a game based off this series in a heartbeat.
The side quests that the characters must embark upon add to the complexity of the story. There are magical artifacts aplenty, and there is no one set magical system that everyone must adhere to. Each character has their own unique magical talents that are integral to the plot. The RPG-esque nature of the story might be due to the fact that author Jenn Lyons actually got her start writing for video games. She also credits her own geeky origins to playing Dungeons & Dragons as a kid. These influences are clear in her writing style, and she uses them to their best advantage. The non-human races feel familiar, but are given a new twist. The action is fast-paced and exciting, and it keeps the reader turning pages long into the night.
Overall The Memory of Souls is an excellent addition to The Chorus of Dragons series. It introduces some new characters, and adds unexpected depth and complexity to others. This includes the 'villains' of the series, including the one who narrates The Memory of Souls. Not even the demons are wholly evil, just alien and unknowable. The gods are not wholly good either, with their own plans and deceptions.
The complexity of the books can sometimes be a bit confusing, what with so much body-swapping and reincarnating going on. But if you delve into the books and fully immerse yourself in the world that Jenn Lyons has so cleverly constructed, you will find the journey to be a highly enjoyable adventure.
Jenn Lyons is almost certainly bound to become the next big name in epic fantasy. And we look forward to seeing where A Chorus of Dragons goes from here.
The Memory of Souls is the third book of A Chorus of Dragons by Jenn Lyons. There are five planned books in the series, with a book set for publication every six months since 2019. The Memory of Souls will be out on August 24, 2020 from Tor/Forge.
mediocre_writings's review against another edition
5.0
I am so very much in love with this series and so very much pissed that it doesn’t have a bigger fanbase. I have such a desire for fanart paired with a crushing inability to both picture characters or draw them, it’s not even funny anymore.
Right from the start of this book, I was hooked.
Like the other books, this book is narrated from a future point of view, half by Kihrin, half by an assembly of other characters.
Opposing to the last book, this one actually advances the plot a lot. I don’t know how much time passes, but it’s more than a day.
Kihrin is still as sarcastic and lost as he was the last two books.
Janel is still as proud and powerful and awesome as she was the last book.
Teraeth is still done with Kihrins shit.
Thurvishar is still very much done with everyones stupidity.
Senera is still the morally grey villain we love.
Just like the last book, this book has amazing representation.
It also has a love-triangle, which was actually really good. Mainly because of the fact that it’s not two straight guys fighting over a girl, but instead two very much not straight guys fighting over a girl, while simultaneously being very much in love with each other.
I really, really hope that they are all going to get together.
I know I wouldn’t survive if even one of them died.
Most of the quotes I marked surrounded this trio and I am going to share my favourite ones:
Doc ships them and I am all here for it.
Same Janel, same.
I stan her.
And of course this one, that fucking shredded my heart to pieces.
I was internally screaming at him to just open his blasted fucking mouth. Not externally though, because I was reading deep into the night and didn’t want to deal with the consequences of waking everyone up because I was crying over fictional characters.
Then there were of course the snarky remarks, the inside jokes, the jabs at past mistakes and the never-ending list of morally grey characters.
I couldn’t point to on character in this book, who is not morally grey. To the point where in the end I don’t trust anyone except the four.
I don't think I have to talk about the worldbuilding. It is still as awe-inspiring as the last two times. Lyons continues to impress.
I’ll leave you with two last quotes that I highlighted, one spoilery, one not:
I’ve never ridden in my life, but somehow that feels accurate.
All in all, I am aching to just go home right now and pick up the next part, but Alas I am not in the same country as that book for another week.
5/5 Stars
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I am in grave danger of repeating myself but what in the everlasting fuck did just happen?
Also, someone please explain to me why I thought it was a good Idea to leave my copy of the house of always at home.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After my first reread, I can confirm that this is my favourite book of 4 books of the series that are out. So much happens in this book, that I am positive that I could reread it for a third time and still be surprised by some if the plottwists. Honestly, the attention to detail in this is astonishing every time.
The language, the wit the characters are all immaculate. If I could give this book any more stars, I would.
Right from the start of this book, I was hooked.
Like the other books, this book is narrated from a future point of view, half by Kihrin, half by an assembly of other characters.
Opposing to the last book, this one actually advances the plot a lot. I don’t know how much time passes, but it’s more than a day.
Kihrin is still as sarcastic and lost as he was the last two books.
Janel is still as proud and powerful and awesome as she was the last book.
Teraeth is still done with Kihrins shit
Spoiler
and also hopelessly in love with both him and JanelThurvishar is still very much done with everyones stupidity.
Senera is still the morally grey villain we love.
Just like the last book, this book has amazing representation.
It also has a love-triangle, which was actually really good. Mainly because of the fact that it’s not two straight guys fighting over a girl, but instead two very much not straight guys fighting over a girl, while simultaneously being very much in love with each other.
I really, really hope that they are all going to get together.
I know I wouldn’t survive if even one of them died.
Spoiler
Although, with that last chapter, that might become a problem, as it looks like KIHRIN JUST COMMITTED FUCKING SUICIDEMost of the quotes I marked surrounded this trio and I am going to share my favourite ones:
“Therin narrowed his eyes at Doc. “Tell me you’re not impersonating Quoran.”
“Okay, I’m not impersonating Quoran. Any other lies you’d like to hear? I’ve got plenty. Here’s a fun one: our sons are absolutely definitely not in love with each other.”
Doc ships them and I am all here for it.
”Janel felt torn between wishing Kihrin and Teraeth would just fuck already to being terrified of where she’d fall once they finally did”
Same Janel, same.
“if you hurt her—"
“If I hurt her, shell rip off all my limbs long before you ever find out about it.”
I stan her.
And of course this one, that fucking shredded my heart to pieces.
Spoiler
”I had no idea what to say.. Or, no, because that’s not true. I had so many things I wanted to say I didn’t know where to start. I wanted to tell him I would never have asked to kill me if I didn’t trust him implicitly. I wanted to tell him he deserved to live in a world where he was more than his mother’s favourite knife. I wanted to tell him I’d come back, that Hell couldn’t keep me away from him, that Thurvishar and I were going to find a way to make this right.
I wanted to tell him that last kiss had been amazing.”
I was internally screaming at him to just open his blasted fucking mouth. Not externally though, because I was reading deep into the night and didn’t want to deal with the consequences of waking everyone up because I was crying over fictional characters.
Then there were of course the snarky remarks, the inside jokes, the jabs at past mistakes
Spoiler
the definitely-not-being-romatically-interested-in.your-enemy-just-admiring-them-from-an-academic-pointI couldn’t point to on character in this book, who is not morally grey. To the point where in the end I don’t trust anyone except the four.
I don't think I have to talk about the worldbuilding. It is still as awe-inspiring as the last two times. Lyons continues to impress.
I’ll leave you with two last quotes that I highlighted, one spoilery, one not:
“And then came the actual riding of said horses, which felt like half a sex act that managed to skip all the fun parts.”
I’ve never ridden in my life, but somehow that feels accurate.
Spoiler
“I was less certain why Tya had chosen to be present, but it was possible she just wasn’t a big fan of genocide.
All in all, I am aching to just go home right now and pick up the next part, but Alas I am not in the same country as that book for another week.
5/5 Stars
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I am in grave danger of repeating myself but what in the everlasting fuck did just happen?
Also, someone please explain to me why I thought it was a good Idea to leave my copy of the house of always at home.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After my first reread, I can confirm that this is my favourite book of 4 books of the series that are out. So much happens in this book, that I am positive that I could reread it for a third time and still be surprised by some if the plottwists. Honestly, the attention to detail in this is astonishing every time.
The language, the wit the characters are all immaculate. If I could give this book any more stars, I would.
mxsallybend's review against another edition
5.0
My head hurts almost as much as my heart after turning the final pages of The Memory of Souls, but knowing that Jenn Lyons is currently writing book 4, The House of Always, has me healing . . . and smiling.
This was insane, chaotic, and often confusing – but wonderfully so. It’s a beautiful mess of characters and relationships that defies either convention or description. I’ve read plenty of fantasy dealing with reincarnation and past lives, but never like this . . . never to this degree. This is a story where past lives are just that – plural – and where longevity plus reincarnation combine to make for complex, cross-generational, sometimes incestuous family dynamics. Nobody is just one person, one life, one memory, and sometimes the whole of one’s soul is very different than the sum of their lives.
Whereas so much of epic fantasy is about saving the world, this series (and this volume in particular) is more about not destroying the world. It’s been saved more than once already, but each respite is shorter than the last, while the price grows higher each time – and yet everyone seems determined to save it again, in the exact same way, expecting a different result. The very definition of insanity. It’s Kihrin who refuses to accept that, who questions the motives of gods, guardians, and immortals, and who is prepared to give up everything to make it work this time. We trust him because he’s supposed to be the hero, but I’d be lying if I didn’t admit to changing my mind on that multiple times before this volume was through.
Getting back to those characters and their relationships, how Lyons not only validates the emotional triangle between Kihrin, Janel, and Teraeth but explores the complex romance dynamic of a potentially polyamorous triad – one with reincarnation issues and a question of gender fluidity – is perhaps the most satisfying aspect of the novel. After so much will-they-won’t-they in The Name of All Things, we get pivotal moments of coming out, confession, and (yes) copulation. I really hope that relationship gets a chance to continue evolving because it’s fantastic. The other relationship we’re granted insights and revelations into is that of the Kihrin, Relos Var, and Vol Karoth, and it sets up that final scene that broke my heart.
As for that gender-fluidity, I love what Lyons has done here with the possibilities of gender. There’s simple reincarnation into different genders; races such as the voramer and morgage who are born male but become female later in life; the magically gifted vane who can alter their gender and appearance over time; and the treacherous mimics who can become anyone at will. There’s a whole question of romance, inheritance, and bloodlines that hinges upon gender, not because same-sex marriage is an issue, but because childbearing is far more problematic.
As for saving or not destroying the world, this is a book that builds to what seems impossible heights, making you wonder how Lyons will ever pull off a climax, but she absolutely nails it. The finale here is big, bold, violent, and full of magic. It involves dragons and demons, mortals and immortals, gods and guardians, and for a book about reincarnation, there are some ‘final’ deaths that threaten to change everything going forward.
As has been the case all along, The Memory of Souls is a book you really must read closely to enjoy. The different narrative voices have nuances and perspectives that alter the story, there are questions of who actually wrote what, and the footnotes are a reading experience in and of themselves. I freely admit, I was getting lost and frustrated reading this as an e-ARC, but once the hardcover landed on my doorstep I sat down, curled up by the window, and devoured the second half over a weekend.
https://femledfantasy.home.blog/2020/08/18/book-review-the-memory-of-souls-by-jenn-lyons/
This was insane, chaotic, and often confusing – but wonderfully so. It’s a beautiful mess of characters and relationships that defies either convention or description. I’ve read plenty of fantasy dealing with reincarnation and past lives, but never like this . . . never to this degree. This is a story where past lives are just that – plural – and where longevity plus reincarnation combine to make for complex, cross-generational, sometimes incestuous family dynamics. Nobody is just one person, one life, one memory, and sometimes the whole of one’s soul is very different than the sum of their lives.
Whereas so much of epic fantasy is about saving the world, this series (and this volume in particular) is more about not destroying the world. It’s been saved more than once already, but each respite is shorter than the last, while the price grows higher each time – and yet everyone seems determined to save it again, in the exact same way, expecting a different result. The very definition of insanity. It’s Kihrin who refuses to accept that, who questions the motives of gods, guardians, and immortals, and who is prepared to give up everything to make it work this time. We trust him because he’s supposed to be the hero, but I’d be lying if I didn’t admit to changing my mind on that multiple times before this volume was through.
Getting back to those characters and their relationships, how Lyons not only validates the emotional triangle between Kihrin, Janel, and Teraeth but explores the complex romance dynamic of a potentially polyamorous triad – one with reincarnation issues and a question of gender fluidity – is perhaps the most satisfying aspect of the novel. After so much will-they-won’t-they in The Name of All Things, we get pivotal moments of coming out, confession, and (yes) copulation. I really hope that relationship gets a chance to continue evolving because it’s fantastic. The other relationship we’re granted insights and revelations into is that of the Kihrin, Relos Var, and Vol Karoth, and it sets up that final scene that broke my heart.
As for that gender-fluidity, I love what Lyons has done here with the possibilities of gender. There’s simple reincarnation into different genders; races such as the voramer and morgage who are born male but become female later in life; the magically gifted vane who can alter their gender and appearance over time; and the treacherous mimics who can become anyone at will. There’s a whole question of romance, inheritance, and bloodlines that hinges upon gender, not because same-sex marriage is an issue, but because childbearing is far more problematic.
As for saving or not destroying the world, this is a book that builds to what seems impossible heights, making you wonder how Lyons will ever pull off a climax, but she absolutely nails it. The finale here is big, bold, violent, and full of magic. It involves dragons and demons, mortals and immortals, gods and guardians, and for a book about reincarnation, there are some ‘final’ deaths that threaten to change everything going forward.
As has been the case all along, The Memory of Souls is a book you really must read closely to enjoy. The different narrative voices have nuances and perspectives that alter the story, there are questions of who actually wrote what, and the footnotes are a reading experience in and of themselves. I freely admit, I was getting lost and frustrated reading this as an e-ARC, but once the hardcover landed on my doorstep I sat down, curled up by the window, and devoured the second half over a weekend.
https://femledfantasy.home.blog/2020/08/18/book-review-the-memory-of-souls-by-jenn-lyons/