The Hummingbird’s Tear by C.M. Kerley

Thank you to the author for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest opinion. The Hummingbird’s Tear is available for purchase now.

Prophecies, meddling deities, intrigue, and magic battles, this novel has it all! The Hummingbird’s Tear is a gem of a book and one that all fantasy readers should pick up.

I knew I would love The Hummingbird’s Tear as soon as I opened it and started reading the world’s origin myth. Rarely has a creation myth held my attention so completely. It was creative and beautifully told. From the creation story, the book went straight into a well-crafted storyline written with confidence and skill.

The book follows Brennan and his brother Callum. As children, they were a part of something big, though they only remember it vaguely. Through that event, a prophecy was set into motion and an old enemy was given a new opportunity. Since that night, Brennan has been his brother’s caretaker. Neither of them is quite like other people and Brennan knows it.

Brennan and Callum both have odd gifts. Brennan can sort of hear the thoughts or intentions of others and Callum has an unfortunate tendency to accidentally set things on fire. These talents are hidden because having them is dangerous. Orren, the king’s son, sees the signs of an old prophecy coming together and becomes convinced that Brennan and Callum are part of it. He tries to recruit the now-adult brothers to stop a gathering evil before it is too late.

While the characters (possibly) fulfill parts of an old prophecy, the book is very character led, which I appreciate. The focus is less on the prophecy itself and more on the different relationships between the characters, the choices they make, and what they choose to believe regarding fate and free will.

Brennan and Callum end up going in very different directions, which added another facet to their characters. While Brennan opened up the political storyline, allowing for suspense and intrigue to build, Callum added a mystical aspect. His interactions with Orren were unexpected and really cool. I loved his character and how it developed.

The Hummingbird’s Tear is technically all setup for the beginning of a quest and the prelude to a war, all of which it seems subsequent books will explore. However, it didn’t feel like only setup, and it was definitely not lacking in action. Brennan and Callum both find themselves changing and growing rapidly, while being thrust into situations they would never have imagined happening.

This book had so many things that I love to see in fantasy! I loved the new twists on “classic fantasy”, and I can’t wait to see what happens next. The Hummingbird’s Tear is an excellent addition to the fantasy genre. I highly recommend it.