Rhapsody is high fantasy, descended from Tolkien's Lord of the Rings through Eddings's Belgariad and Malloreon series, complete with an elf-like people, cannibalistic giants, fire-born demons, and dragons. Inquiring fantasy readers will wonder whether it can live up to such distinguished predecessors. The answer is yes. Haydon's first fantasy is a palpable hit. The three protagonists are well-realized characters whose adventures are by turns hilarious, horrific, and breathtaking. Best of all, though elements are drawn from familiar sources ranging from Norse myth to Mozart's The Magic Flute, Haydon's magic worldbuilding is convincing, consistent, and interesting.

Rhapsody, a young woman trained as a Namer, can attune herself to the vibrations of all things, tap the power of true names, and rename people, changing their basic identities. Her magic lies in music: "Music is nothing more than the maps through the vibrations that make up all the world. If you have the right map, it will take you wherever you want to go," she tells her adoptive brothers. They are "the Brother," a professional assassin able to sense and track the heartbeats of all natives of the doomed Island of Seren, their homeland, and his giant sidekick Grunthor, a green-skinned Sergeant Major who enjoys making jokes, using edged weapons, and honing his cannibalistic palate. Inadvertently, Rhapsody has renamed the Brother Achmed the Snake, breaking his enslavement to Tsoltan the F'dor (a fire-born demon). Tsoltan sends minions in pursuit to rebind Achmed. The three escape into the roots of a World Tree, Sagia, emerging transformed into another country and century. But have they truly escaped the F'dor's evil? And how does all this relate to the prologue's story of Gwydion and Emily, two young lovers brought together across history and then separated by the mysterious Meridion?

Like most first volumes, Rhapsody contains a lot of background information and foreshadowing, though Haydon ties up numerous plot lines at the end. The dislocations in time can be confusing, and some readers may find that the very 1990s dialogue clashes with the epic storytelling of the descriptive passages. Overall, however, Rhapsody is a smashing debut that delivers hours of great reading and will have you impatient to read the rest of the series. --Nona Vero


From Publishers Weekly
Distinguished by superior wit and intelligence, this fantasy debut opens what looks to be an outstanding saga. In the ancient city of Easton, Rhapsody is learning musical magic after a brief time as a courtesan. While running from trouble caused by one of her ex-clients, she encounters two strangers, the assassin Achmed and the gigantic mercenary Grunthor. By hailing Achmed as her brother, Rhapsody not only saves her own life but breaks the control that the sorcerer Tsoltan, a servant of the fire demons known as F'dor, had over the mercenary. The three companions flee both human and magical forces that pursue them by climbing down the root of the Great Tree; as they pass through the fire at the center of Earth, their situation is magically transformed. They emerge not just on the other side of the world but 14 centuries in the future, when the land is torn by ethnic, religious and magical warfare arising from a multitude of realistic motivesAall depicted in exhaustive detail. But their demonic pursuers have also crossed time and space in pursuit; to counter them, Achmed determines to become king of the barbaric Firbolg. This huge and complex novel draws expertly on deep scholarship in Celtic, Norse and animist folklore, myth and history. With exemplary skill, it weaves these elements into its characterizations, world building and depiction of magic to create a narrative that grips throughout. This is one of the finest high fantasy debuts in years. Agent, Richard Curtis. 100,000 first printing; major ad/promo. Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Library Journal
Thrown into the past for a brief moment, Gwydion falls in love with a young woman named Emily only to lose her when he returns abruptly to his own time. In a parallel story, a true bard named Rhapsody travels through time to a distant future, where she uncovers a conspiracy of evil with its roots in a past now lost to her forever. Haydon's first novel launches her characters on an epic quest that spans centuries and lifetimes as an ancient prophecy moves inexorably toward fulfillment. Set in a world that borrows loosely from Celtic mythology, this series opener belongs in most fantasy collections. Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Booklist
Haydon's fantasy debut develops into a sweeping, atmospheric


Review
"The debut of a great new fantasy talent. With Rhapsody, Elizabeth Haydon begins an epic saga worthy of Eddings, Goodkind, and Jordan.... A spell-binding storyteller with the rare ability to manage memorable characters with both intimacy and power."--Romantic Times (4-1/2 stars out of 5)

"A stunningly told tale by a new fantasy author who is sure to go far."--Anne McCaffrey



Review
"The debut of a great new fantasy talent. With Rhapsody, Elizabeth Haydon begins an epic saga worthy of Eddings, Goodkind, and Jordan....A spell-binding storyteller with the rare ability to manage memorable characters with both intimacy and power." -Romantic Times (4-1/2 stars out of 5)



Book Description
The brilliant new saga is born ...

Rhapsody is a woman, a Singer of some talent, who is swept up into events of world-shattering import. On the run from an old romantic interest who won't take no for an answer, Rhapsody literally bumps into a couple of shady characters: half-breeds who come to her rescue in the nick of time. Only the rescue turns into an abduction, and Rhapsody soon finds herself dragged along on an epic voyage, one that spans centuries and ranges across a wonder-filled fantasy world-- a world so real you can hear the sweet music of Rhapsody's aubade and smell the smoldering forges deep within the Cauldron.



From the Publisher
"September marks the hardback debut of a great new fantasy talent. With RHAPSODY (4+), Elizabeth Haydon begins an epic saga worthy of Eddings, Goodkind and Jordan as the strands of time are twisted to bring two people together who would otherwise have never met. That encounter will reverberate through time and change everything. First, however, we must follow the adventures of a young woman who falls into the company of two mysterious strangers fleeing a deadly demon. Their journey will change her almost beyond recognition as she faces unspeakable evil and discovers unexpected camaraderie with her unusual companions. Beautifully rendering a mythological backdrop with a Welsh sheen, Ms. Haydon proves herself to be a spellbinding storyteller with the rare ability to manage remarkable characters with both intimacy and power." --Romantic Times "Rhapsody is a very entertaining fantasy novel that is one of the better epic adventures of the year. . . a stirring epic fantasy that will receive numerous accolades from fans and critics." --Midwest Book Review "With Rhapsody, Elizabeth Haydon makes a magnificent fantasy debut. Her voice is warm, often humorous, and sure, her world a richly realized place of myth and magic, and her characters complex and utterly compelling. I can hardly wait for the next book in the trilogy!" --Mary Jo Putney "In Rhapsody, Elizabeth Haydon gives us strong, compelling characters in a world both mysterious and familiar. Drawn through wonders of the fantastic and of the human soul, we, the readers, are always moving forward, never sure of where the plot, with its surprising twists and turns, is taking us. But we are always interested in finding out." --J. Gregory Keyes "A strong book . . . I wish you the best." --Mario Puzo "A stunningly told tale by a new fantasy author who is sure to go far." --Anne McCaffrey "Rhapsody is movingly-written, epic fantasy that works on many levels. I read this book with a growing sense of pleasure, impressed not only with the author's deft plotting but also with her use of language. Haydon is a writer." --Morgan Llywelyn "A powerful novel. It is lucid, interesting, well paced, well organized, adventurous, magical, and with characters who are original yet consistent to themselves. There are sequences of considerable power . . . I see a larger story framework developing, as it were the foundation of a pyramid we have as yet glimpsed only in part. This author will surely go far. I am amazed by the growing number of strong new voices that are appearing these days in fantasy, hitherto mostly male. Elizabeth Haydon is sure to change that." --Piers Anthony "Rhapsody provides readers with a different heroine and the kind of action and interplay that proves the art of story-telling is alive and well without recourse to huge and endless battles. Rhapsody is entertaining and often witty." --L. E. Modesitt, Jr. "Prepare to lose a weekend. Elizabeth Haydon's Rhapsody is filled with wit, adventure, and delightful characters. Pick up this book at your own risk--of neglecting your family, friends, and chores--while under the enchanted spell of Rhapsody." --Kathi Kamen Goldmark


From the Back Cover
The brilliant new saga is born ...

Rhapsody is a woman, a Singer of some talent, who is swept up into events of world-shattering import. On the run from an old romantic interest who won't take no for an answer, Rhapsody literally bumps into a couple of shady characters: half-breeds who come to her rescue in the nick of time. Only the rescue turns into an abduction, and Rhapsody soon finds herself dragged along on an epic voyage, one that spans centuries and ranges across a wonder-filled fantasy world-- a world so real you can hear the sweet music of Rhapsody's aubade and smell the smoldering forges deep within the Cauldron.

"The debut of a great new fantasy talent. With Rhapsody, Elizabeth Haydon begins an epic saga worthy of Eddings, Goodkind, and Jordan.... A spell-binding storyteller with the rare ability to manage memorable characters with both intimacy and power."--Romantic Times (4-1/2 stars out of 5)



About the Author
Elizabeth Haydon first began writing in the fourth grade. Writing a play was one option in a history assignment so, along with a couple of friends, she put on a fairly awful play she had written which was called The Clue in the Diary. Writing fiction became a dream at that point. She took courses in college, but didn't believe she would be able to make a living from it.
She had read C.S. Lewis as a young child, J.R.R. Tolkien as an older one, and some fantasy in college, but had lost touch with the field after that. She was working in educational publishing in 1994 when she met up with an editorial friend and mentor in New Orleans at the American Library Association conference. He asked her to write for him a fantasy that might cross over to other genres and contain some of their shared mutual interests: medieval music, history, anthropology, and herbalism among others. Since they had been drinking Dixie Blackened Voodoos, she was initially hesitant to take on the project, worried that he might have been a bit tipsy when he suggested it. But when it became clear he really wanted her to do it, The Symphony of Ages was born.

These novels have made numerous "Best of the Year" as well as national bestseller lists. The Romantic Times called it "an epic saga worthy of Eddings, Goodkind & Jordan". A harpist and madrigal singer, Elizabeth Haydon lives on the East Coast with her husband and three children, where she is writing fantasy novels for both The Symphony of Ages for adults and the Adventures of Ven Polypheme for children.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Rhapsody is a woman, a Singer of some talent, who is swept up into events of world-shattering import. On the run from an old romantic interest who won't take no for an answer, Rhapsody literally bumps into a couple of shady characters: half-breeds who come to her rescue in the nick of time. Only the rescue turns into an abduction, and Rhapsody soon finds herself dragged along on an epic voyage, one that spans centuries and ranges across a wonder-filled fantasy world.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

Distinguished by superior wit and intelligence, this fantasy debut opens what looks to be an outstanding saga. In the ancient city of Easton, Rhapsody is learning musical magic after a brief time as a courtesan. While running from trouble caused by one of her ex-clients, she encounters two strangers, the assassin Achmed and the gigantic mercenary Grunthor. By hailing Achmed as her brother, Rhapsody not only saves her own life but breaks the control that the sorcerer Tsoltan, a servant of the fire demons known as F'dor, had over the mercenary. The three companions flee both human and magical forces that pursue them by climbing down the root of the Great Tree; as they pass through the fire at the center of Earth, their situation is magically transformed. They emerge not just on the other side of the world but 14 centuries in the future, when the land is torn by ethnic, religious and magical warfare arising from a multitude of realistic motives--all depicted in exhaustive detail. But their demonic pursuers have also crossed time and space in pursuit; to counter them, Achmed determines to become king of the barbaric Firbolg. This huge and complex novel draws expertly on deep scholarship in Celtic, Norse and animist folklore, myth and history. With exemplary skill, it weaves these elements into its characterizations, world building and depiction of magic to create a narrative that grips throughout. This is one of the finest high fantasy debuts in years. Agent, Richard Curtis. 100,000 first printing; major ad/promo. (Sept.) Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.

VOYA

The land of Serendair is inhabited by humans, elflike Lirin, and the Bolg, a large, furry, warlike race. Rhapsody, a reformed halfLirin prostitute, runs from her enemies directly into the path of Achmed and Grunthor, two monstrouslooking Bolgish warriors. In the heat of the moment, she adopts them as her brothers and they defend her. The three become unwilling companions, outrunning human and demonic foes, and traveling together through time. Gradually, they grow close, especially when they find themselves more than a millennium from home, surrounded by danger, and with no way to return. After a particularly clumsy beginning, the prose improves. The grudging friendship that develops among Achmed, Grunthor, and Rhapsody is fun to watch. There is plenty of suspense until twothirds of the way through the book, when the story loses momentum with the introduction of a new central character and plot line, taking the narrative in a lessinteresting direction. Nevertheless serious fantasy fans may enjoy the bantering relationship of the three main characters, the kindhearted Grunthor's Cockney speech patterns (he says "Oi" for "I" and drops his "h"s), and Achmed's acid tongue. Rhapsody's dazzling beauty gets tiresome, especially because men react to the mere sight of her by falling into explicit sexual fantasies. The end clearly paves the way for a sequel, or perhaps a long line of them. VOYA CODES: 2Q 2P S A/YA (Better editing or work by the author might have warranted a 3Q; For the YA with a special interest in the subject; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12; Adult and Young Adult). 1999, Tor, Ages 16 to Adult, 544p, $27.95. Reviewer: Rebecca Barnhouse

Library Journal

Thrown into the past for a brief moment, Gwydion falls in love with a young woman named Emily only to lose her when he returns abruptly to his own time. In a parallel story, a true bard named Rhapsody travels through time to a distant future, where she uncovers a conspiracy of evil with its roots in a past now lost to her forever. Haydon's first novel launches her characters on an epic quest that spans centuries and lifetimes as an ancient prophecy moves inexorably toward fulfillment. Set in a world that borrows loosely from Celtic mythology, this series opener belongs in most fantasy collections. Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

First of a much-hyped fantasy series. In Serendair, ex-whore Rhapsody flees an insistent and thoroughly unpleasant former client, only to encounter an enigmatic assassin enslaved by a F'dor, a primordial fire-demon. By swearing kinship with the assassin and renaming him Achmed the Snake, Rhapsody unwittingly frees him. Deeply suspicious of Rhapsody's Namer magic, the new Achmed abducts and interrogates her. The infuriated F'dor, meanwhile, sends forth the Shing, a thousand-strong army of shadow-beings dedicated to hunting Achmed down. Rhapsody, Achmed, and Grunthor, Achmed's gigantic warrior-sidekick, head for the Enchanted Forest's Great Tree, Sagia, whose roots extend through space and time. As they clamber inside Sagia's vast roots, Achmed explains that he and Grunthor are Bolg, hereditary enemies of the F'dor, whom they kill because the F'dor intend to wake the Primal Wyrm from its slumber deep inside the world, destroying everything in fire. Later, when they come upon the Wyrm, Rhapsody sings it into prolonged sleep. But to escape Sagia, they must pass through the fire at the world's core, where each is remade: Rhapsody becomes stunningly beautiful (though unconscious of her beauty) and acquires a flaming sword; Grunthor gains the powers of the earth, while Achmed can clairvoyantly sense the path ahead. They emerge on the other side of the world, to learn that 1400 years have passed. Serendair has been destroyed, though immortal survivors have populated this new land. Achmed decides it's time the Bolg had a king. But a malevolent spirit followed the colonists. Did the F'dor survive too? A well-worked-out backdrop of impressive depth and appeal, and there's a reasonable ifanticlimactic resolution. Despite the hype, though, newcomer Haydon's still feeling her way. (First printing of 100,000)