A Bard's Real World Blog
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Pleasantly surprised by a Liar, Rie Sheridan Book Review

Ye know, a couple nights ago, I was reading a book and something occurred to me. I don't expect much from people I know. I mean... successwise.

Sure they might succeed, but I guess I really just don't expect they will. This goes the same with our music. Andrew and I are still surprised by the overwhelming responses we get from our music. I don't know what that is, but it is.

This made it all the more surprising when I realized how good this book I was reading really was.

I remember back in 5th grade I took one of those assessment tests. The results came back and said I was reading below my age. I always loved watching TV or playing with Star Wars figures more than reading growing up. But this was a bad sign, so my dad sat down with me every night and had me read with him.

The first book I read was a Star Trek novel. It was captivating. I remember an explosion on the Enterprise that left a metal shard lodged in Spock's green blood. I forget all the details, really. But it got me started at least.

My reading has wavered on and off, but last year, I started reading Lord of the Rings again to help me write music for Memories of Middle Earth. That too has gone on and off, but I've been back in the habit of reading at bedtime to help distract/relax my mind from business-filled evenings.

I just finished reading the first Harry Potter book. Thing I love about it is how easy it is to read. That's something I consider important. Even LOTR is a wee bit slow reading for me though much better than the first time I read it. There were some Forgotten Realms books that I really Loved. The Crystal Shard series was way cool and EASY to read.

Any case, having just finished Harry Potter, I decided... timidly... to start a new book I bought. The timid part was because the book, The Lute and The Liar was written by a friend, Rie Sheridan.

I mean, I always like helping folks out, but sometimes I help them out without having really read the works or been a fan of their art. That makes it difficult to write about with passion.

I'm really only halfway through the book, but I love it so far. The story flows quickly as we meet the thoughtful bard, Mordigan Bryre, who is a compulsive liar until he meets a witch on the road who offers him a magical instrument, but he is not allowed to lie.

So he goes on a quest to recover it and is beset with poverty and peril. Last I learned, everyone seems to know his father... Haven't figured that one out, though I'm guessing it's Talthos, the wizard who's making the magical instrument.

Any case, I'm very impressed. The Lute and The Liar flows easily. Rie does a fantastic job at describing... using metaphors and similies with her own magic. A couple times, I've thought, there's a wee bit too much description, but honestly, considering how easily the book flows, it's hard to complain.

Guess this should wake me up to the fact that, well, there are friends out there with remarkable talent. Rie Sheridan is definitely one of them. And I really need to open myself up to that with other friends as well.

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Well if you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer those as well.