Review: A Fable of Riddles and Redemption

A Fable of Riddles and Redemption by Sara Farnsworth was the third ARC I received from the upcoming Dungeons and Legends series, and it quickly became a new favorite. As someone who thoroughly enjoyed her Realms of Caelia series, I was thrilled to see Odile from Lake of the Wild Swans return as the main character. Her brief appearance in that book stood out to me, and I was eager to learn more about her story. A Fable of Riddles and Redemption combines the musical and book versions of Phantom of the Opera with the fairy tale, "The Pied Piper," making for a fun combination that perfectly balances darker and lighter elements, complete with a surprise RPG-style dungeon at the end.

The story begins with Odile, a victim of circumstance from the author's previous book, Lake of the Wild Swans, changing her name to Zorina and hoping to start a new life without harming others through her magic. She gets a modest job in the village when the shop is invaded by thieving red pandas. Herrick, the huntsman from Ella and the Seven Dwarves, is put in charge of dealing with the situation. The pandas are stopped in the most unexpected way. Caliban, a visiting minstrel, uses a magic flute to control them. Zorina soon befriends one of the pandas, which becomes a cute companion throughout the book. However, their problems aren't over yet. Maidens in the village start to disappear and come back in a disoriented state, accompanied by threatening letters from a mysterious Maestro.

This book has so many fun Easter eggs for fans of the Phantom of the Opera Broadway musical. Multiple lines of dialogue practically quote the musical word-for-word with a few clever changes. Instead of being sought for her voice, Zorina is sought out for her magic, something she's tried very hard to put behind her after it nearly murdered her cousin. As a guardsman, Herrick makes the perfect Raoul, determined to protect Zorina and the rest of the village. The villain reminds me of Rothbart from Lake of the Wild Swans, since he is convinced that he's in love with Zorina in his own twisted way.

The RPG-inspired dungeon near the end of the book brands it as part of the Dungeons and Legends series, even though it was a little hard to believe that one person had all these video game-style monsters and traps at his disposal. The book had an overall lighter tone than the other two I read from this series, which I appreciated because it felt more like a fairy tale retelling than a ghost story. Taking place in the same world as her other series, it has a home in both Realms of Caelia and the Dungeons and Legends. I love how this author can blend so many different stories and elements in a way that feels organic.

If you're looking for a Phantom of the Opera-inspired fairy tale that's a little lighter than the source material, look no further than A Fable of Riddles and Redemption. This book is perfect for fans of Sara Farnsworth's other retellings who want to know more about what happened to some of the characters who aren't featured as prominently. I enjoyed all the musical references and the concept of using music as a form of magic. The book is also great for people who want to break into the Dungeons and Legends series with an entry that isn't too spooky or occult.