Song of the North by Jules Watson
Sweeping Tale of War, Love, Intrigue Amid Scotland’s Ancient Tribes
Song of the North presents an intriguing glimpse into ancient cultures and magic of Scotland (Alba) under Roman rule, but Watson's world-building disappoints.
Jules Watson’s third epic historical fantasy, Song of the North, hits U.S. bookstores in January, 2008. Sometimes considered the final volume in her Dalriada Trilogy, the final stand-alone novel is full of political turmoil, war, past lives and natural magic, while dwelling on themes of slavery, destiny, honour, romance, betrayal, family and the meaning of freedom. Originally published in Great Britain as The Boar Stone, Song of the North is set in 366 AD in Alba (ancient Scotland) and centers around the tribes of the Dalriada and Picts in their ultimate battle for freedom from Roman rule - three centuries after the setting of Watson’s first and second books of the Dalriada, The Dawn Stag and The White Mare.
Barbarian Uprising in Alba, c. 366 AD
The magic in Watson’s fantasy world is organic, intimately connected to plants and the natural world and tied with the bloodlines of the “seers” and other visionaries. Each tribal race has unique magical and mystical beliefs, but little of this aspect is described, leaving the novel more in the realm of historical fiction than genuine historical fantasy.
The challenge for any story set in this historical period is to create a world that is true to what is known about tribal Scotland, yet creative enough to enchant readers with its novelties and magic. Watson’s writing in Song of the North at times reads like an amateur effort - largely, it seems, due to the challenges of the setting - and at others, echoes with passion and power.
Although her characters are richly portrayed, vibrant human beings, the world-building is not altogether convincing, and the beauty of Alba itself fails to move the reader as it might have done. The pacing is uneven and the story lacks the richness of, for instance, Jacqueline Carey’s similarly set Kushiel series. The plot is slow to pick up speed and to deliver the kind of fast-paced action and exploration that drives the story home in the latter half of the book.
The battles are well wrought, but certain of the conspiracies and plot developments seem to come out of nowhere, unraveling threads and unduly weakening the tension of the novel when it is at its strongest.
Richly Painted Characters
Despite the shortcomings of the world-building, Watson’s talent for characterization shines through, marking both the male and female characters as highly memorable and giving flavor to the tale of a crushed land rising to throw off its oppressors. Even the Roman soldiers and the brutal Pict warriors maintain their humanity.
Minna, the protagonist, is a heroine for the ages. With her curious combination of vulnerability and strength, she is portrayed with more realism than most heroes or heroines of mainstream fantasy fiction - and is likeable and believable in a way that few fantasy heroes or heroines really are.
Several of the minor female characters are also noteworthy, including several clever and spunky servants, the barren spinster princess of the Dalriada and the humbled but unbroken Pictish Queen.
Despite certain flaws in the descriptive story-telling, Song of the North is powerful and memorable for its characters and the sweeping quality of the story.
