Singer in the Snow

In this inventive and well-told fantasy, Marley creates a world bound by ice and snow, where the daily ritual of quirna is all that keeps its residents from death. Those who create the ritual are called Singers, their ability to channel their Gift - a psionic power - and create warmth carefully trained at the Conservatory before they are sent out into greater society to serve. Emle is training to be a Singer, but while her technical skills are perfect, she can't control her psionic power. Frustrated and angry at the unreliability of her gift, she wonders what she'll do with her life if she can't become a full Singer. When she's sent to a holding named Tarus to help interpret for Mreen, a new Cantrix with a great gift but without the ability to speak, it may be her last chance to master her gift. The novel deftly switches between Emle's point of view, and her struggles to not be jealous of Mreen's greater gift, and that of Mreen, as she struggles with the great responsibility placed on her shoulders in assuming her new position at Tarus, and with her shame over the circumstances of her birth. When Emle and Mreen arrive at Tarus they step right into a difficult situation with the apprentice hrussmaster, Luke, who is trying to protect his little sister, Gwin, from their abusive stepfather. Marley unfolds a story that is rich with internal conflict, as each of her characters has to discover their own strength and path in life, and yet keeps a quick pace. Not strongly action-oriented, her novel is more about her characters and the decisions they face. By focusing on three central characters she can touch on many of the themes of adolescence; searching for meaning, struggling with the new responsibilities of adulthood, and knowing when to stand up for yourself, thus giving readers a lot they can relate to. Though this book is set in a world she has written in before, it can be read on its own even if you haven't read the others in the series. Reviewed by: Dena Landon

I am not sure why this is listed "juvenile" except that it could be read comfortably by middle school readers and adults alike. The "Sing the Warmth" series by Marley is one of sci-fi's great pleasures; a trilogy, now a tetrology, about a new world where everything is cold except for one infrequent summer, years apart. That's when the Visitor arrives, a second star that adds warmth to an Ice-Age planet. Marley is as always, clever with language. It's great fun to read her books and discover how she originated the words for her world's creatures "hruss" and "tkir" and "caeru." The concept of the Gifted, people who can warm an entire cold estate with nothing but a flute or a lute and singing is dramatic and wonderful. In "Singer in the Snow" we follow Mreen, the child of Isbel, who in the previous novel, gave up her status as Singer by committing an unforgivable crime. But the chief Singer in Conservatory, Magistrix Siri, committed an awful crime as well. This is something pondered by Mreen's flawed assistant Emle, who can sing and extend her psi but not create the "quiru" or warm umbrella of psionic warmth that heats a bath or a mansion. The mystery of Emle, and the people they meet when Mreen is sent off to her first post as a singer is revealed with great care. You end up caring about the characters, even though this is not a very long or detailed novel. It's a worthy fourth to the series, and I hope Marley continues the series so we can finally find out about The Ship and why Observatory continues to watch for it.

Singer in the Snow is a delightful story. Ms. Marley's writing is nothing short of lyrical (which is appropriate for a book about singers!) I was captivated by the setting and well-formed characters, and pleased by a very satisfying conclusion. Although this book is categorized as young adult, I think it has universal appeal.

This book is being sold in the category for young adults...well, I must be a young adult at 53 because I loved this book!!! The characters are engaging, the sense of the setting is that you're there, and I was totally absorbed in the story. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys this genre. Louise's first trilogy was also a favorite of mine and I hope the decision is made to reprint it. JC

Singer in the Snow is Louise Marley's best novel yet. It is a very intimate coming of age story, with strong, beautifully drawn characters that strike a chord from page one. The ice planet of Nevya is captivating and Marley's background as a musician brings a sense of realism to the psychic gifts of Mreen and Emle. Ultimately this book is a rewarding blend of SF and fantasy in the vein of Anne McCaffrey's DragonRiders and I couldn't put it down. You don't need to read the earlier Nevya books to enjoy this one, but now I'm definitely going to seek them out. Highly recommended for readers young and old.