Published: Sep. 30, 2012
Words: 13,125 (approximate)
Language: Australian English
ISBN: 9781301386161

Short description

Journalism student Christine enters a tavern to conduct an interview with self-proclaimed wizard singer Darren Brown. Her goal: to unearth Darren’s hidden truths. Her obstacles: his annoying fans, and Darren himself. Her benefactor: a puzzling woman who will pay well to know why Darren fled their town when he heard an extraordinary young man from a temple far away had vanished.

Extended description

Christine aims to produce a feature article that will impress her masters and set a standard among student journalists that will never again be met. Darren Brown sings for coins in karaoke taverns, a man beloved by local trendsetters for his magical choir-singing, a vocal ability that he attributes to skill and wizardry. His talents brought to Christine’s attention by new acquaintance Maiko, a somewhat enigmatic woman with her own agenda, the student travels from the Kitaumi Area to tiny dump-of-a-town Mirinshita to interview the singer. Darren is unprepared for Christine’s determination to penetrate his lies, and, at the mercy of glass after glass of unrefusable liquor, is forced to reveal the true meaning of his voice and his relationship to a young man legendary for his unearthly abilities, Kaiyu Tana, who has recently disappeared.
Set in the Four Free Areas, a technologically advanced world where Gods watch from rivers and fantastical arts are practiced by wizards and prie.. (Read more) Christine aims to produce a feature article that will impress her masters and set a standard among student journalists that will never again be met. Darren Brown sings for coins in karaoke taverns, a man beloved by local trendsetters for his magical choir-singing, a vocal ability that he attributes to skill and wizardry. His talents brought to Christine’s attention by new acquaintance Maiko, a somewhat enigmatic woman with her own agenda, the student travels from the Kitaumi Area to tiny dump-of-a-town Mirinshita to interview the singer. Darren is unprepared for Christine’s determination to penetrate his lies, and, at the mercy of glass after glass of unrefusable liquor, is forced to reveal the true meaning of his voice and his relationship to a young man legendary for his unearthly abilities, Kaiyu Tana, who has recently disappeared.
Set in the Four Free Areas, a technologically advanced world where Gods watch from rivers and fantastical arts are practiced by wizards and priests, The Chosen Voice is the first instalment of the short story cycle Treading Twisted Lines with Darren, Maddi, and Kai.
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Tags

mystery, fantasy, violence, journalism, music, singing, lying, social work, karaoke, choir, magic abilities

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Reviews

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Review by: Sam Seudo on Jan. 20, 2013 :
“The Chosen Voice” describes sharp and driven student journalist Christine’s attempt to launch her career by interviewing Darren Brown, a young man with a remarkable talent and a mysterious past. It is set against the backdrop of an intricate and well-thought out world that combines a smattering of Western fantasy tropes with distinct Japanese cultural influences, all within a setting that is modern in a way that makes it easily relatable.

The story proves to be highly enjoyable. At the end I was left eager to find out more about the details of the fictional setting and its history. The narration is concise but richly descriptive, and it boasts a good sense of humor. The passage of time felt a little disjointed at certain points in the story, but it flowed smoothly overall. As for the major characters, I did not find Christine particularly likeable, though I felt that this was the author’s intent. It did leave me feeling less than convinced about her journalist skills, as her antagonistic approach to other characters seems like it would be counterproductive in getting people to be open with her. She is well-written, however, and her characterization is consistent over the course of the story. I was also very curious to find out more about her past and about what might have led her to become the type of person that she is. I hope to learn more about her in subsequent appearances. In contrast to Christine, Darren came across as much more likeable and even charming, even as he admits to being a habitual liar, who has chosen to run away from his responsibilities. Though much of the mystery surrounding him is elucidated within the pages of the story, we are left with the tantalizing knowledge that some of his secrets have yet to be revealed. Both characters are depicted as believable and three-dimensional, even though we have the limited space of a short story in which to get to know them.

On the whole, I was impressed with “The Chosen Voice” and I look forward to reading the other stories in the “Treading Twisted Lines” series.
(reviewed long after purchase)

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