Review: The Sword and the Song by C.E. Laureano

The Sword and the Song by C.E. Laureano
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: NavPress
Date: August 20, 2015

The end is coming. It’s going to be big, dramatic and there is no way that the Brotherhood or the villages are going to come out of it unscathed. Connor knows this. Eoghan knows this, and so does Aine. But what are they supposed to do about it? That’s the question.
Pregnant, worried for her husband and aware of all the pain around her, Aine is doing her best to hold everything together. She knows that Eoghan has feelings for her and she can’t help but wonder if it’s her power that is making it happen or if there’s more. Connor is frustrated with Eoghan not stepping up into his role of leadership, and famine threatens their very existence. If they wait, the supplies will soon run out. But launching into war with supplies hovering near the end isn’t the best method either.

Determined to discover the truth of the runes, Connor has a series of missions that will take him far away from Aine and their soon to be born child, but he knows that something in the runes holds the key.

I’m writing a lot of reviews for ‘final’ books in series lately, and each time it makes me sad. C.E. Laureano has crafted a world rich with danger, intrigue, and powers that surpass the ordinary. In this world, it is all about life and death adventure paired with romance far beyond the ordinary. These characters face danger head on and with courage that can sometimes be shocking. However, their faith in God’s plan for them is always a strong anchor, bringing them peace in the midst of crazy storms.

I love this world and these charactes. I admit that I yelled at Laureano when I finished the books. Well, only sort of during a marathon messaging session on Facebook, but she still knew how surprised I was by the ending. I did love how everything wrapped up and pulled together in a pretty cool bow, but that doesn’t mean that the journey to get there was easy.

Laureano’s writing brilliance begs the reader to not just follow along, but to engage the book. Questions that plague the characters in their deepest hours can haunt the reader too. These books feel like they are so much more than just a story. God’s love is built into these books in ways similar to Narnia and Middle Earth. It would be easy to give a friend these books as a gift and then later, show them the spiritual depth that runs throughout. Rather than preaching openly, the adventures in Seare give subtle truths woven in and out of rich storytelling and drama.

If you haven’t yet had the pleasure of reading these books, give them a try. You won’t be sorry.
Review copy provided by publisher.