Home Culture Books The Obsessive Bookseller Reviews: “The Weaver’s Lament” by Elizabeth Haydon

The Obsessive Bookseller Reviews: “The Weaver’s Lament” by Elizabeth Haydon

July 27, 2016

Book Review: “The Weaver’s Lament” by Elizabeth Haydon

No. 9 in the “Symphony of Ages” series. Fantasy. Tor/Forge Publishing, 2016.

“The Weaver’s Lament,” the ninth and final book in the “Symphony of Ages” series by Elizabeth Haydon, takes place over 1,000 years after the conclusion of the previous book, “The Hollow Queen.” The first third of the book was an account of how the characters’ lives had progressed over the millennia. It read much like an extended epilogue, which I didn’t mind because I’m always clamoring for more “where are they now?” content at the end of a good series. Even though this catch-up-the-reader storytelling wasn’t particularly eventful, it was enjoyable.

Then Haydon used the remainder of the book to rip out my heart … and I’m still reeling.

I love this series first of all for the characters — it’s one of the few that boasts nonhumans as main POVs, a trait which demands much more creativity on the author’s part. The series also has dragons (which is always a win in my book), and they’re represented in a way I’ve never seen before, so major kudos to Haydon for originality. I also love it for its total immersion into this world’s rich culture and histories. The world is so well conceived that it feels like a real place, and I will probably miss the overall “feel” of it more than anything else.

I admit I hadn’t enjoyed the last couple of books as much as I’d wanted to, even though they were good stories. I think the reason might be the multiple perspectives used to tell the tale. For me, the selling point of this series has always been about the Three — Rhapsody, Grunthor, and Achmed. While the other POVs were interesting, they just didn’t bring the same flair to the story. In “Weaver’s Lament,” Hayden recaptured the magic of the series by focusing solely on the Three and bringing their epic saga to an end.

Overall, “Weaver’s Lament” is one of the most satisfying series-enders I’ve read in ages. The series as a whole is well worth your time if you like fantasy. Even so, I find it a little difficult to recommend with confidence. The first hundred pages or so of book one are hard to get through (not including the awesome prologue), mostly because it’s a bit confusing and drawn-out. The series also has a ton of story recap and discussion which, while integrated seamlessly, sometimes takes away from plot advancement. Between all of that, however, are moments of pure brilliance which make the whole series worthwhile. All the rehashing might make for a long-winded story, but after reading this series over the course of 15 years, I can honestly say I remember almost everything about it quite vividly. My recommendation is that if you love fantasy and have a bit of patience, pick up “The Symphony of Ages” series — it won’t let you down.