Moonscript Blog Tour: Spotlights!

Hey'a, everyone! As promised, I'm joining up with the blog tour for Moonscript, H.S.J. Williams's magnificent new novel. I am SO EXCITED that it's here and I not only get to read it, but I also get to yell about it to all of you. Today, I'm going to tell you a little bit about the book and why I love it. (It's not a full review, mind you, just some quick points — go hit up my other blog for my full thoughts.) I'm also going to share about some of my favorite characters in the book because I didn't get to do all the Instagram/FB character spotlights I hoped. It's going to be great. But first, the official word on the book and author:

About . . .

The Book

"It is said that Darkness is empty and whatever vanishes into its depths is lost forever. I know this better than anyone. For I have suffered here in the shadows, and there are none who might find me."

Seventy years. Seventy years the elven prince has been lost to the darkness, assumed dead by his people and endlessly broken for a book that connects to the hidden realm of his ancestors, a land untouched by evil.

And now a light in the shadows. A chance for freedom. But those willing to help him come from the unlikeliest of worlds.

The orphan girl, yearning for a loving family, and the boy who won't leave her side. A healer maiden given an unexpected chance for a life beyond narrowed expectations. A grieving creature flown far from home.

They all search for something and now their fates are tied to his. If their quest for life can pull him from the dark mire in which his soul drowns, then perhaps he can be saved.

Or else he will drag them all down to a fate worse than death.
The beginning of an epic saga, MOONSCRIPT is a journey of innocence, despair, and redemption.

Seven illustrations by the author exclusively included in the paperback edition! 

 Find it on: Amazon || Kindle || Barnes & Noble || Book Depository || Goodreads

The Author

From the beginning, H. S. J. Williams has loved stories and all the forms they take. Whether with word, art, or costume, she has always been fascinated with the magic of imagination. She lives in a real fantastical kingdom, the beautiful Pacific Northwest, with her very own array of animal friends and royally loving family. Williams taught Fantasy Illustration at MSOA. She may also be a part-time elf.

Find her on: Art Page || Instagram || Facebook || Pinterest

Quick Thoughts on Moonscript

• Moonscript feels like a combination of The Silmarillion, The Tales of Goldstone Wood, and The Songkeeper Chronicles. It's awesome.
• On that note, I feel like you can definitely tell that the author is a Silmarillion nerd and not just a Lord of the Rings nerd. The influences of both are evident, but yeah. (I mean, technically she's a general Tolkien fan, but I digress.)
• The book is very focused on family and friend relationships, which I absolutely love.
• The book's spiritual elements are handled super well. I don't think I've read a book where overlap between the spiritual and physical felt so natural since Goldstone Wood and Karac Tor.
• It's just a really good book, ok? Read it.

Favorite Character Spotlights!

All art is by the author; please appreciate how gorgeous it is. She's legit one of my favorite artists I know. I have some of her art as my phone wallpaper and lock screen just so I can look at it periodically and appreciate the beauty and the fact that I know such an amazingly talented person.

 

Errance is the main character and our resident Tortured Elf Prince and Slightly Burnt Cinnamon Roll. He's an actual disaster and a hot mess, but I love him. For one thing, though he does get a little angsty, he has good reason — he has truly magnificent amounts of trauma, poor baby. But his character arc is so satisfying, and so is watching him develop friendships and other relationships with various other characters. Also, it's a weird sort of refreshing to have truly justified angst.

Tryss is another major character and the one I think I would get along with best out of everyone in this book. She's the mum-friend, but she also has a well-developed sense of and desire for adventure. She's practical, but with an appreciation for the wonderful and strange and beautiful and yeah. She spends a lot of time trying to take care of others, but never so much that it overwhelms who she is. If she were real, I think we'd be buddies.

Coren and Zizain are partners in adventure and smuggling, and they're kiiiiiiiiinda my favorites in the book, especially Coren. Coren is clever and daring and bold and adventurous and has a keen sense of dramatic style that I heartily appreciate. And Zizain is also daring and cheerful despite a tragic past and is astonishingly friendly. She's lovely.  

The Daisha is also awesome, something like a cross between a dragon and a cat, with many of the best traits of both. She's the last of her kind, which is tragic, but she doesn't really waste time moping around. She is very ready to tell everyone else when they're being stupid, which I heartily appreciate, and is absolutely loyal, which I also love. 

Finally, Leoren and Casara are minor characters, but I wanted to mention them because they're such sweethearts. Leoren is a bit of a tangle of anxiety trying to help everyone and do the right thing, but he's also willing to stand and act when the time comes. And Casara is a delight; like Tryss, she spends a lot of time caring for everyone, but in a different way. I don't know. I love them a lot, ok?

Are you excited for Moonscript? Which characters are you most excited to meet? Please tell me in the comments, and don't forget to stop by the other blog tour stops!
Thanks for reading!
-Sarah (Leilani Sunblade) 

BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE

May 7^th

H.S.J. Williams—Tour Launch

May 8^th

Light and Shadow—Book Spotlight
E. Rawls—Book Spotlight

May 9^th

Tracey Dyck
Elizabeth’s Universe—Book Review
Grace M. Morris—Book Spotlight

May 10^th

Allison’s Well—Book Spotlight
Amelia Nicole—Book Spotlight

May 11^th

Ester S. (Instagram)—Book Spotlight
Imperial Scribis—Book Review

May 12^th

Liv K. Fisher
The Labyrinth—Book Review

May 13^th

Dreams & Dragons—Book Spotlight
Bookish Musings—Book Review

May 14^th

Unicorn Quester—Author Interview
Embers Reviews—Book Review

May 15^th

Unicorn Quester— “3 Reasons Why” Video Review
Writing in Rivendell—Book Spotlight
Sarah, Plain & Average—Book Review

May 16^th

Jane Maree—Book Review

May 17^th

Jemma the Dragon Slayer (Tumblr)—Book Spotlight
The Bookish Raven—Book Review

May 18^th

Words of Hannah Kay—Book Review
Purely by Faith Reviews—Book Review

May 19^th

Functionally Fictional—Book Spotlight
Jenelle Schmidt—Book Spotlight

May 20^th

Beka Gremikova—Book Spotlight
Seven Billion Smiles—Book Review

May 21^st

Today by Bryn—Tour Conclusion & Art Gallery