Official Review: The Silver Horn Echoes: A Song of Roland

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AliceofX
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Official Review: The Silver Horn Echoes: A Song of Roland

Post by AliceofX »

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Silver Horn Echoes: A Song of Roland" by Michael Eging and Steve Arnold.]
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3 out of 4 stars
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The Silver Horn Echoes: A Song of Roland is a historical novel by Michael Eging and Steve Arnold. The story takes place in Medieval Europe during the time of Charlemagne. While King Charles is busy fighting the Saxons, Marsilion, Emir of Saragossa, takes his opportunity and launches an attack from the south.

Roland is a young, hotheaded nobleman. The ghost of his father William appears to Roland and tells him to take on his old role as the king’s champion. He must help King Charles fight not just against foreign enemies, but against his own family members who are trying to seize the throne.

The Silver Horn Echoes
is based on the 11th century epic poem The Song of Roland. Due to its source material, it often felt like an old fairytale. It’s a book where historical fact and historical literature mix together. There are some historical inaccuracies, but they didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the story.

What I liked best was how easy it was to read this book. I never felt like I didn’t understand something because the time period and the setting was always clearly explained. The book is full of vivid descriptions about the places we visit and the people that live in them. It paints a world of courtly intrigues and where glory is won on the battlefield.

It’s a book that tries to fairly portray both sides of the conflict. The villains aren’t merely bad guys that do what they do because they’re evil. They have reasons that you can understand and sometimes even empathize with.

This is a book that is focused on action and it often felt like a movie. The shortest way to describe it is that it’s a medieval war story. Most of the attention is devoted to the many battles that take place in the book. If you’re not a fan of those things then I wouldn’t recommend this book. Rather, I would recommend it to those who are looking for an action story set in medieval times, or maybe are just curious about another spin on the classic poem.

Also, there are no lengthy narratives that focus on the character’s thoughts and feelings, but it is through their actions that you learn what kind of people they are. However, while not a bad thing in and of itself, that is also one of the biggest flaws of the book. The story moves quickly and doesn’t spend enough time with its characters to truly get to know them. They end up feeling flat and lacking depth. Therefore I give this book 3 out of 4 stars. There was only one spelling error that I noticed. Other than that the book was well edited.

******
The Silver Horn Echoes: A Song of Roland
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Cecilia_L
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Post by Cecilia_L »

Medieval war-stories are not my cup of tea. However, I appreciate your thorough review.
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Post by daydreaming reader »

I was hoping that the book contained great characters, but since there is not much time spent on the characters, it seems doubtful. Regardless, thank you for your honest review.
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Post by Asanda Kutwana »

The Silver Horn Echoes seems to be a gripping historical novel that masterfully blends action, politics, and emotion. By drawing inspiration from the 11th-century epic poem The Song of Roland, the authors create a richly detailed world of medieval Europe, bringing to life the complexities of courtly intrigue and the glory of battlefield conquests. The story's ability to balance multiple perspectives, humanizing even the villains, adds depth to the narrative. An interesting review.
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Post by Rebecca De Figueiredo »

The review has summarised the story well, thank you. From their review I can guess that there is a lavish and atmospheric tone about the book, especially when I opened it and was immediately transported back to the time of 1066; an important date for the English!
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Post by tibs_5253 »

Hey, this was such a solid review! You really explained the story and its vibes in a way that made me wanna dive right back into the book. Loved how you broke things down without spoiling too much—super helpful. Nice work! 🙌📖
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Post by Lauren Stjohn »

:tiphat: "The Silver Horn Echoes" is explained in sufficient detail by the reviewer. The review puts the spade into this historical novel set in medieval times. Historical novels are challenging to tell. However, the authors, as divulged by the reviewer, created an interesting masterpiece. All the points noted in the flow of the character Roland and his quest were delivered to him by his father. All hail the king and defend him!. Great review. I will read the entire book. Thank you.
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Post by Leen282 »

I love the book cover, and am immediately intrigued. Medieval war stories, based upon a historical poem, can certainly entertain me. I understand the reviewer wanting more depth in the characters, but that will not stop me from reading the book since sometimes it is nice to just enjoy the flow of the story.
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Post by Esther Kavithe »

The reviewer has summarized the book well. It includes the historical medieval war stories. It's nice review
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Post by Sushan Ekanayake »

"The Silver Horn Echoes" is a gripping retelling of the poem, 'The Song of Roland', set in Charlemagne’s Europe. With vivid battle scenes, political betrayal, and a ghostly father urging his son to rise, it’s a fast-paced tale of loyalty, war, and glory. Congratulations on being BOTD!
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Post by Lethabo M 4 »

Hey, great review of The Silver Horn Echoes! I totally get why you gave it 3 out of 4 stars—it sounds like a fun, action-packed medieval ride with vivid settings and a cool nod to The Song of Roland. I love how you pointed out the mix of history and fairytale vibes, and it’s awesome that the book keeps both sides of the conflict nuanced. Bummer about the flat characters, though; I feel you on wanting more depth to connect with them. The fast pace and battle-heavy focus seem perfect for fans of epic war stories, but I can see how it might not hit the mark if you’re after deeper character moments. Just curious, did the historical inaccuracies bug you at all, or were they easy to brush off? Thanks for the detailed write-up—definitely makes me want to check this one out!
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Post by Amarachi Stephanie Ejike »

"The Silver Horn Echoes: A Song of Roland" by Michael Eging and Steve Arnold reminds me of those fairytell and folklore bedtime stories. Set in Medieval Europe,Roland, the hot-headed nobleman must take on his late father's role as the King's champion and help King Charles fight against foreign enemies and against the King's family members trying to seize the throne. The book features a blend of historical fact, historical literature and insight into medieval wars.
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Post by Kenesha Latoya Fowler »

This was a good summary of the book, with enough information to help a reader decide if they want to read the book or not. I appreciate that it's action-packed and intriguing, but I don't feel like I want to explore this book right now. Thank you for a great review.
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Post by Pradeep T M »

The Silver Horn Echoes: A Song of Roland" by Michael Eging and Steve Arnold is a historical novel with main lead Roland who facing most challenging situations due to choosing the sides in the battle. One side his ghost father another side, his own family pulling him in different direction. It's about battle, choosing and strength.
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Post by CortneyMikesell »

Thanks for a great review! Stories set in Medieval times are not my favorite but I think my husband would love this book! I’ll recommend it to him!
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