Review: Orchestra of the Gods by Damien Buckley

Disclaimer: I received an advanced reader copy of this book through BookSirens and this review is my own opinion.

Length can be a bit of a contentious issue when it comes to fantasy novels. They tend to be on the long end of the spectrum, and this can be for many valid reasons, especially if it’s the first of a series, but sometimes a book is long when it doesn’t need to be. 

This is the core issue I had with Orchestra of the Gods by Damien Buckley. At a little over 500 pages, it isn't quite as long as some first novels in the fantasy genre, but the length here felt unnecessary. A lot of the length comes from dialogue that is longer than it needs to be. Most of the characters meander, using phrases like ‘how should I say’ or ‘for want of a better word’ almost religiously, and the vast majority of this dialogue would be improved by the removal of these phrases. I’m not saying that this sort of thing can’t be done, but when a lot of the characters are doing it, it becomes tiresome and unnecessary.

That being said, the story itself is unique and interesting. Orchestra of the Gods has a unique take on dragons that I think really breathes some life into the oversaturated mythical beast. The twists and turns do build well and Buckley has a good grasp of tension building. Orchestra of the Gods doesn’t break any new ground but is a passable first entry into yet another fantasy series. For anyone who just can’t get enough of fantasy, this one will be for you.

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