Allaigna's Song

When Allaigna was seven, she almost sang her baby brother to sleep, forever. She may be heir to neither her mother's titles nor her secrets, but she has inherited her grandmother's dangerous talent for singing music into magic. As her education proceeds from nursery to weapons ground to the rank of royal page, it becomes increasingly hard to keep her heritage and abilities hidden. Secrets, it seems, are stock-in-trade for her family, and as Allaigna works to keep her own, she uncovers two that will affect both her life and the unstable peace of the Ilmar nations. One is the fate of her grandmother, who married a prince, turning the gift of the Sight into a double-edged weapon of state. The other is the truth behind her mother's two-week disappearance following an ambush by outlaws in route to her wedding. As she discovers, who she is, Allaigna must decide what to become, the skilled courtier her mother wants her to be, the political chess piece her father bargained on, or the hero her grandmother foresaw. Allaigna's Song: Overture is a love story, a family saga, and a coming-of-age novel that braids together the stories of daughter, mother, and grandmother into a rich and deftly woven narrative.

Allaigna has discovered that her family has lied to her about her parentage all her life. Fuelled by anger and spurred by her betrothal to a neighbouring lord, Allaigna has packed her saddlebags and stolen away in the night. The perils of the road test her illicit ability to sing music into magic to its limit. Unlikely allies, subterfuge, captivity, and assault conspire to change Allaigna's status from mere runaway to fugitive. While Allaigna charts her dangerous course, the quieter tales of her mother and grandmother unfold in poignant vignettes that underscore the tensions of families and nations on the brink of war. Praise for Allaigna "Elegantly constructed" "Brilliantly observed … subtle and powerful" "Beautiful writing and gripping storytelling throughout. ""JM Landels not only knows her magic, music, and swords, she knows how to weave all these elements into an exciting, enchanting, and uplifting tale. More please!" – CC Humphreys "This beautifully-written high fantasy weaves together the tale of three generations of women, all of whom make very different life choices. It's rare to find a fantasy that focuses on female characters and their relationships, and even rarer to find one that does it so well. Magic and knights and swords and horses, yes, all of that is here, but this is definitely not your grandfather's old-school fantasy series. The story and the relatable characters will hook you right from the beginning, and leave you wanting to know more." - Amazon reviewer "The compelling plot kept me hooked for hours! It was addictive." - Nabila Fairuz "JM Landels writes with exquisite effect in this emotionally taut, action-imbued book set in a land that battles to come to terms with different forms of magic. Three intriguing women chart their own paths, creating a weave of intersecting consequences for the heroine. There is no shortage of surprises for the reader, in no small part because the characters in this tale refuse to fit into boxes. " - Myst de Vana