Song-Catchers

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

It is the year 1008 in the great Megalopolis of the East, Constantinople,andJanus is a boy at the bottom of the social ladder who nonetheless possesses an amazing skill: he can read.

Stuck in the gutter with him is Felix, a singer who didn't know plagiarizing other people's music was a big deal until he was getting a daily beat-down for it.

When these two unlikely heroesrealize they are both seeking the mysterious organization known as the Song-Catchers, they decide to team up. Little do they know they are about to be drawn into the bizarre world of Crafters, users of strange and wonderful abilities that can alter the fabric of reality without pissing off the Church by involving any pesky demons.

Can these boys find their place in the Queen of Cities and the world of supernatural intrigue behind it, or will they be killed by a pig...or or a swordsman...or a lady in a weird hat? Find out in the first volume of Song-Catchers.

Information

Status: Hiatus
Year: 2024
Author: KT Corbett

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.5/ 5.0
Followers: 38
Views: 12,256

Chapters(22 total)

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!

Community Reviews(5)

InyssaRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This is the first fantasy story I've seen that focuses on this particular bubble of history, which is a shame because I feel like Constantinople is a breeding ground for great ideas for stories. This is a clear example; we get a mysterious protagonist, an enormous, interesting world and a clear mission, and off we go.
It's impressive how... accurate? Well-researched this feels, it's clear the author is very passionate about history and this period in particular, and it shows in the meticulousness of the writing.
The prose and grammar are impeccable, I would say definitely above the usual level in this site, and it makes everything very pleasant and easy to read. Sometimes the paragraphs feel a bit long and clumped in the first chapter, but it's very easily overlooked.
The main characters are immediately relatable, and their clashing personalities make for a good relationship, especially when they're forced to work together under threat of death.
Overall, this is a very competent piece of historical fantasy, and definitely a gem in the rough I wouldn't recommend missing.
Lions QuillRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
The beginning drags on a little bit in my own opinion, but I have dyslexia and a slow reading speed so I am biased. Overall I think the characters are pretty likeable, and the writing and grammar is fine.
All in all if you like this sort of interesting premise of people using (not) magic and going on an adventure it's pretty good.
Yvan UngRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
It's clear that you understand the setting; if you're interested in life in pre-Crusades Eastern Roman Empire, and other references to classical history, as well as mythology, this story should be of interest to you.
Also I know that people of the time rarely traveled much further away than about a day's walk from their home unless they absolutely needed to. I guess feeling like a fish out of water would be appropriate, be it in Bulgaria or in Constantinople...
FremdaRoyal Road
★★★★ 4.0
I like the story. I like the two protagonists. They have a nice chemistry, and both are relatively unconventional for the genre. I like Janus in particular, I think he's funny.
I like the setting too. I am also not a Byzantine scholar but there's enough flavor that I found it colorful. The narrative regularly recognizes and confronts things like people not being able to read or write or not being able to read or write a particular way. The players' goals and ideas rotate around the city, what it can do for them, and where they've come from. It's a story very anchored in its place, which appeals to me.
I also think the story's invented metaphysics are cool, the exploration of sound, the distinction between different kinds of fantasy reality bending and what's theoretically okay to do in the context of Christianity. It's only just begun to explore them in detail though.
I usually liked the writing. The one thing I saw that I thought was consistent and didn't like was this
"“Well, the only forest to the west is about a mile from here. Are you sure you really want to come with me?” On the way there, Janus had insisted he was in this until he found the school for singers. “You've already done, really, too much for me. I’m not going to be able to do anything to repay you—for a while at least.”"
"The most disturbing thing was the new scars, big ones on his arms and chest. There was no way those were just scrapes he hadn’t noticed until they healed. Then there were his hands. As soon as he started forgetting things, it became progressively harder to hold a quill properly. His fingers begged to be left to recover even though he had barely used them for anything but gripping a walking stick. What was he doing when he lost track of himself, he wondered. Getting into fist fights with trees or boulders?"
The story has a tendency to "set up" revelations or bits of dialogue while they're happening. I thought it was a bit odd, but it really doesn't happen that much. The only other
PyritePirateRoyal Road
★★★★ 4.0
Style: This uses a solid and functional writing style, but it's nothing special either. I don't mind it, and my own style is similar in that regard, but adding some moments of flair will greatly improve the reader's experience.
Story: Probably the best part. It's an interesting world that uses historical realism well in a way that works with the more fantastical elements. The plot flows smoothly.
Grammar: This was a bit disappointing in this regard. More errors than you'd expect in a work of this quality, and some iffy word usage. To the writer's credit, they seem to be fixing the errors when they're spotted, but I'd still suggest getting a beta reader/editor or just using Grammarly, which is free.
Character: They're likable, but there's not much to them yet. They do feel like real people, which is a plus, and there is a nice bit of mystery concerning the main character's past. Their thoughts and feelings could be conveyed a bit more clearly. I don't particularly care for any of them yet, but Janus does have his moments.
Overall: 4 Stars, a great story I hope you continue to the end. I'm glad to see more non-isekai fantasy stories coming up.