This is a review for the duology as as whole *spoilers ahead*
I
have read plenty of BL (boys love) manga—also known as yaoi—and I have
same-sex couplings amongst my characters, but I haven’t read an m/m
romance before. Well, there was one that was part of a larger series,
but it was the only one in that series that could be considered m/m. I
decided it was time to start. I love fantasy, and that has been my genre
of choice, so I started looking for m/m romance that would fit the
bill. I literally typed in “gay fantasy romance” in the Amazon search
bar. A bunch of choices popped up, and Song of the Fallen caught my eye.
I have a thing for elves, so an m/m romance with elves in it? Yes,
please! This duology caught my attention, and after reading over
reviews, I decided to read it for myself. I have never finished two
books so fast. I could not put them down. Counterpoint held my
attention, as did Crescendo. I loved both Frayrik “Rik” and Ayden
(especially Ayden). I really do have a thing for elves. And that poor
guy went through so much. Frayrik did, too, but Ayden…it was just one
thing after another. The flogging scene towards the end of Counterpoint
was brutal. I have to look away if there is a whipping scene on TV, and
reading it was just as bad. But it shows the strength of the writer to
be able to invoke such emotions. And the banter between him and Freyrik
made me laugh on several occasions. Both of these characters have their
flaws, but they care for their people, and will do whatever they can for
them. But they also love each other, and their loyalties are often
torn. Fortunately, it worked out in the end, and they didn’t have to
choose, because they got both.
Speaking of the ending, I will
agree with other reviewers that it was…abrupt. There was all this
build-up to the final battle, and then it was just…over. I’m grateful
for the epilogue, otherwise it would have been a terrible ending, but I
feel the author could have given more details about the battle, and
then written the epilogue. There were a lot of unanswered questions. I
wanted to know more about the world. What happened to Brenedil? Kona? We
know that the slaves were finally freed, but there are loose threads I
felt should have been tied up. The battle was anticlimactic, and there
was a lot going on that didn’t get the attention it should have. This
world has so much potential.
That said, it was a happy ending,
and, after all they went through, it was good to see that Freyrik and
Ayden could stand together as equals in the eyes of others. Ayden no
longer has to be seen as Rik’s slave (Rik stopped seeing him that way a
long time ago, but others did not), and they can be with each other.
They get their happily ever after (though I hope they can find a way to
prolong Rik’s life, as he is human, and Ayden will outlive him). I love
the line where Ayden says “I’ve looked into the customs of your people.
You’ll be wearing the dress” (in reference to marriage). Again, I loved
Ayden. As anticlimactic as the final battle was, I was glad for the
happy ending, and it was proof that in all the trials they went through,
Ayden and Freyrik’s love prevailed. They were tested many times. But
they got to be together, to live and love.
I recommend this book
to anyone who loves fantasy. Even if you have never been exposed to m/m
relationships, give Song of the Fallen a try. It’s a great story, and
the sex is balanced with plot. I picked it up, and it felt like reading a
fantasy novel. Even now, I can’t stop thinking about it.
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