Review: The Bird and the Sword

The Bird and the Sword by Amy Harmon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I am in awe of Amy Harmon's skills as a writer. Her ability to captivate her audience is not limited by genre as she so brilliantly proves in The Bird and the Sword. Although I'm not typically fond of fantasy, unless it's urban fantasy I was intrigued from the beginning. Harmon has created a world of intriguing people, magical places, and I hope she has plans to bring us back.


Lark's mother was killed in front of her and that day before she died, she told the King he'd trade his soul and lose his son to the sky. She told her husband that he must protect their daughter as his life was now tied to hers. Then she gave these words to Lark forever trapping her voice.

Swallow, Daughter, pull them in, those words that sit upon your lips. Lock them deep inside your soul, hide them ‘til they’ve time to grow. Close your mouth upon the power, curse not, cure not, ‘til the hour. You won’t speak and you won’t tell, you won’t call on heav’n or hell. You will learn and you will thrive. Silence, Daughter. Stay alive.


In a world of hidden gifts, the Tellers and Spinners, Changers and Healers all hide who they are for fear of losing their lives. In a world among others without gifts, they're threatened and everyone must be equal. King Zoltov has killed every one of the gifted for fear of losing his throne. Lark longs to be free, free of her father and her curse.

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