Soulwinder

By: Travis Daniel Bow

Narrated by: Robert Andrew Stevenson, Brittany Stevenson

Three strangers. Two plots. One champion.

In the crater of a volcanic island, musical magic and enchanted swordplay rule society. Every seven years, a champion from each caste climbs the tournament ladder for a chance at a new life. This year, three apparent strangers—a sabotaged craftsman trying to save his mentally disabled father, a legendary duelist resisting the machinations of her master, and a janitor fighting an empathy-sapping magical talent—are desperate to reach the final battle. But, a web of strange coincidence connects them, the city is on the brink of collapse, and nothing is as it seems.

Everyone's a puppet... but who holds the strings?

"Utterly immerssive...unique worldbuilding...I could hardly put this book down...a spectacular, unforgettable read!" (Reader's Favorite)

"Soulwinder establishes Bow as a master of intrigue. Read this book."(Caleb Cage, Nevada Writers Hall of Fame Silver Pen recipient)

"Here is that rare chance to watch a craftsman work magic... A spellbinder, start to finish." (Ben Rogers, author of The Heavy Side)

"Unique magic system, complex world-building, and fascinating character interactions...impressed by this book." (Affaire de Coeur Magazine)

"Suffice to say, the magic system Bow has crafted is beautiful, the characters he has written are compelling, and the society they inhabit is flawed in the most fascinating ways." (Jennifer Debie, rosieamber.blogspot.com)

©2021 Travis Daniel Bow (P)2021 Travis Daniel Bow

Fantastic

I found this one to be well done and entertaining. . I enjoyed every minute of this story.

The narrating is well done as well and I didn't even have to speed up the audiobook.

I can't wait to read more of Travis' books in the near future.

I do recommend this one.

Enjoyable accords the board

I really enjoyed watching how the characters were connected and how they struggled with deciding what the right choices were.
A good balance of bringing the reader into the world without spending too much time on inconsequential details.

Excellent book and easy to listen to on audible!

The story was great with plenty of twists to surprise the reader and an exciting storyline. It has amazing world building and made me want a prequel to find out how the chords were made. A very satisfying ending with room for sequels, but not leaving the reader hanging. It was thought provoking to think of what people would be like without emotions or empathy. I love the mantra "Do the hard thing". A great book for those that want a fun read and also those that want to contemplate some of the deeper issues addressed.

Soulwinder made me look forward to my commute!

Right from the start I was hooked. The world, and characters, the author created are intriguing and relatable. The masterful use of language kept me invested in the journeys of these characters. I was a little sad to finish it and I can only hope there is a sequel (or an entire series) in the works.

riveting book, that keeps you guessing

I just finished this book today, I really enjoyed it! It had me guessing all the way until the epiloge! I enjoyed the character development, the conspiracy, the plot, and the outcome. It was riveting! I felt drawn into their world, I have been purposely cleaning and organizing for 2 days, just so I could listen just a little bit longer! I like to think a mark of a good book is, not wanting to put it down, as well as being sad when it's over. I felt both! overall a great listen!

Something Fun and Unpredictable!

I was surprised by just how intricately the author wove the various threads of the story together. The world he created was novel, creative, and fun. The way he seamlessly worked various timelines was unexpected but felt right. It was true to life in that all the main characters were flawed in some way. None were fully good or fully evil. It made each of the characters very real and people that could be empathized with. I was quite captivated by the story and would like to see more books about Anselin. There is certainly room for a few more stories in there! Great book from Bow! Keep them coming!

Such an Amazing Journey!

I loved the journey as this story kept me captive through the twists and turns of the characters lives and interactions with each other. Without giving away the secrets, as I realized how the details came together, my heart ached as I felt the pain of injustice, rejoiced at the soul mates united, and felt on the edge of my seat as I rooted for characters as they overcame social roadblocks. This story left me longing for more!

It is well written, draws you in and as I listened to the story on Audible, I found myself swept up in the emotions of the story as if I was experiencing the journey myself. And I could actually visualize the magic and while emerged in the story believed it was real.

I am eagerly awaiting for Travis's next chapter or book.

Fantastic story and character development

The characters really make the plot and themes very compelling. You wonder where the personalities and behaviors of the three main characters will take them as they reach toward the final battle. All the supporting characters we see in their lives bring each of "heroes" character to maturity in that final contest. These were wonderfully woven by Bow. The soul magic, the strings it creates, and the sounds those strings make are a very clever magic "world". As I got farther into the book the details of how that magic worked with the caste communities and their world was intriguing. I actually liked Bow's descriptive sense better than Brandon Sanderson's. Bow's is more to the point and doesn't drag out details I don't really care to know. I also like having a little bit of heads up with the chapter titles as they tell what main character the chapter is about.
One small criticism in the audio book is that the narrators don't try to give accents to the various characters they are reading; just something I like. But I really like that a husband and wife team, Robert and Brittney Stevenson, narrated the book! I look forward to hearing more from them especially as they grow into their work.
I like books where there is strong moral drive. There are characters in Soulwinder that you wonder about, but the ones that count are described well. The oft used phrase "Do the right thing" develops into a powerful story theme--who will do the right thing. I really do love this book!
I want to hear the sequel, please make it soon. I'll listen to this again in the meantime.

Brilliant!

I enjoyed the experience of being lead through a web of personal stories that came together in the end in an unexpected way. You know a book is well designed and thoughtfully created when you can’t wait to get to the end, but then feel sorry the story has ended and it is time to put it down. Good job Travis! Anxiously awaiting your next masterpiece!!

Creative

It took a bit to get into the story with the different perspectives but, once I did, it was a very intriguing and entertaining story. It'll definitely keep the reader interested throughout.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.