Ilana C. Myer's Last Song Before Night plunges readers into a world where nobles possess all the power, except for one: music. In the past, music and the poets who practice it held sway over kings, but the magic is no longer as powerful. The poet-musicians in Myer's novel are still the thinkers and dreamers in her medieval society, reminiscent of Plato's philosopher kings, but they have now been forced into subservience.
The story opens in the normally peaceful city of Tamryllin, where a noble is murdered. This violent act turns out to be one in an ongoing series of brutal deaths about which few residents know any details. Meanwhile, Lin is an aspiring poet who has come to visit Tamryllin to compete in its prestigious music festival. She ran away from an affluent family after suffering much abuse, and is notable for being the first woman poet. She works with her music partner for the promise of the Silver Branch, the prize awarded to the best musician at the festival. But to win, they must compete against a young duo whose natural talent and cheek have already made them legends.
As the story escalates, connections form to link the murders, the legendary duo and the competition. When Lin realizes the contest is a stage for betrayal and a means for dark magic to rise, she begins a gripping journey that redirects the course of her life and the welfare of the world, forever. --Justus Joseph, bookseller at Elliott Bay Book Company