Crystal Singer by Anne McCaffrey - Musings And A Review

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Official Blurb About The Book

Her name was Killashandra Ree; and after ten grueling years of musical training she was young, beautiful—and still without prospects. 

Then she heard of the mysterious Heptite Guild on the planet Ballybran, where the fabled Black Crystal was found.

For those qualified, the Guild was said to provide careers, security, and the chance for wealth beyond imagining. The problem was, few people who landed on Ballybran ever left.

To Killashandra the risks were acceptable . . .

My Review
(That has a little more musing than normal)

As many of you know, Susan and I recently started doing "joint reviews".  That is to say we both read the same book and discuss our thoughts based on a set of questions we created.  Choosing books we agree on is HARD!  During the discussion this book came up as a suggestion from me. I have read it before, so many times I can almost quote it.  I can pick up any of the trilogy and read quite happy from any point and just keep going.  Susan's reaction - That cover is awful! lol

OK I will give her that.  The book, which released in 1982 has had a plethora of covers over the years and this one definitely isn't one of the better, but it is the one that is listing everywhere, and you know what they say ..... Never judge a book by its cover!

My father introduced me to Anne McCaffrey's writing when I was 7 with her world of Dragons, and at the time I could imagine nothing more fantastic, until I read this.  Music lovers especially will be able to relate to this fantasy novel, and I hope that you take a chance a give it a read. 

Technically, nowadays it would probably be listed as a YA title, due to the protagonists age at the outset, possibly nudging into the NA market.  That to me was, and remains irrelevant.  It is a great story of a girl who trains her whole schooling to sing, only to be told she will never be the star she envisions.  Refusing to be second best at anything she leaves her life behind for a new, and at times dangerous, career. 

As a 7 year old girl with perfect pitch I too decided I was going to be a Crystal Singer (preferably with a dragon if I could find a way to get the world to co-exist - I mean I was 7 - it all seemed possible.)  That dream of being a Crystal Singer stayed with me for years, and even now I smile fondly as I consider once again picking up my well worn trilogy. 

This remains a 5 star read from me.  Anne McCaffrey sadly passed in 2011, but her stories live on and hopefully some of you will decide to give them a try.

*** My Actual Trilogy Copy - Now Out Of Print - As You Can See - Well Loved! I do have them all as individual books too but this is my "cheat" for the one book on a desert island game! ***