Haydon’s “Symphony of Ages” has stunning overture, so-so coda

Elizabeth Haydon’s “Symphony of Ages” series began as a trilogy. The first novel, “Rhapsody,” was the tale of the eponymous main character and her two companions (Grunthor and Achmed... the Snake). Haydon created a beautiful fantasy world. Rhapsody is a Namer who uses musical talent to learn and possibly manipulate the true names of people and objects around her.

Haydon’s fantasy world isn’t super-high powered or flashy. There are dragons and people tied to the elements (those being the classic air, water, fire, stars, and earth), but there aren’t big-wig wizards or hairy little hobbits. It sounds typical, but it has a very different feel from the series that I’m used to. Haydon does a *very* good job of painting pictures with words: early in the series she could easily captivate me with a lyrical turn of phrase or a particularly vivid description of scenery. The plots were not overly complex, but they were full and richly detailed.

Haydon does okay at writing action, too. There isn’t really a lot of sword-swinging, but when it’s there it’s clear and easy to follow, although I don’t quite feel like I’m taking blows when the protagonist does.

I mentioned above that the series began as a trilogy. It now contains five books, with a sixth to be released in January 2007. I’ll admit, the later books aren’t quite as good. The end of the trilogy was very well done and left some matters open for the readers’ imagination. Subsequent books have dealt with more complex plots, with more point-of-view switching (which I usually find annoying) and less of the single-minded focus that was a signature of the trilogy.

They aren’t bad books, by any means, but I cruise through the newer books with less interest than the originals, which I devoured in their entirety in about four days.

For those looking for some rich, enjoyable reading over the break, I’d recommend picking up “Rhapsody.” If you like it, pick up the others in the trilogy, “Prophecy” and “Destiny.” Only if you fall in love with Rhapsody, Grunthor, and Achmed should you really bother reading the fourth and fifth books in the series, “Requiem for the Sun” and “Elegy for a Lost Star.”