Book: Songs of Flint by David Pariseau
Reviewed by Anonymous
Life is going well for Dashin. Since completing his trials, he has become “of the tribe,” officially adopted into the community of TreeFolk where his space pod crashed several moons earlier. He has adapted to life in the canopy, settling into his new role as the community’s engineer. He now has everything he has ever dreamed of—a family, friends, and even a soulmate, the brave and beautiful Alina. Everything is good.
However, everything begins to change when news arrives of a sickness affecting the seers in neighboring TreeFolk communities. The sickness brings dark, hopeless visions of horrible events that are to come, and it traps the seers inside their own minds. Soon, it becomes clear that the fate of the TreeFolk depends on Dashin, Alina, and their krax friend Pritha (a jaguar-like creature who has a unique bond with Dashin). Their actions, however small, will determine whether their village survives the threats to come.
This series has stolen my heart. David Pariseau has a talent for drawing the reader into his world and making us feel like we are part of the TreeFolk community. After reading both Dreams of Verdure and Songs of Flint, I feel as if I know each of the TreeFolk personally and love them like my own family. I have a special soft spot for Solvan and Matse, the orphaned tree children taken in by the village. Witnessing their growth has been a heartwarming experience. I find Solvan’s use of the word “round” to be especially charming; he uses it in the way we Earth Humans describe favorable things as “cool.” And of course, I can’t fail to mention Pritha and how entertaining she is as she enters the krax equivalent of the “snarky teenager” phase.
I find Pariseau’s prose to be melodic and beautiful. To me, it feels like a story that is meant to be told aloud. The TreeFolk do not have a writing system; instead, their history is passed down through oral storytelling tradition known as “songs.” The book itself is written to feel like the song of these people. I can picture parents telling their children of Dashin and Alina’s adventures as a bedtime story, not needing to rely on the printed book to remember the tale. Dashin, Alina, and the rest of their tribe are now part of my heart, and I look forward to reading Book 3 so that I can learn the next part of their song.