The Tales of the Chants Series by Alexandra Rowland

A wrongfully imprisoned storyteller spins stories from his jail cell that just might have the power to save him—and take down a corrupt government. Arrested on accusations of witchcraft and treason, Chant finds himself trapped in a cold, filthy jail cell in a foreign land. With only his advocate, the unhelpful and uninterested Consanza, he quickly finds himself cast as a bargaining chip in a brewing battle between the five rulers of this small, backwards, and petty nation... moreA wrongfully imprisoned storyteller spins stories from his jail cell that just might have the power to save him—and take down a corrupt government. Arrested on accusations of witchcraft and treason, Chant finds himself trapped in a cold, filthy jail cell in a foreign land. With only his advocate, the unhelpful and uninterested Consanza, he quickly finds himself cast as a bargaining chip in a brewing battle between the five rulers of this small, backwards, and petty nation. Or, at least, that's how he would tell the story. In truth, Chant has little idea of what is happening outside the walls of his cell, but he must quickly start to unravel the puzzle of his imprisonment before they execute him for his alleged crimes. But Chant is no witch—he is a member of a rare and obscure order of wandering storytellers. With no country to call his home, and no people to claim as his own, all Chant has is his wits and his apprentice, a lad more interested in wooing handsome shepherds than learning the ways of the world. And yet, he has one great his stories in the ears of the rulers determined to prosecute him for betraying a nation he knows next to nothing about. The tales he tells will topple the Queens of Nuryevet and just maybe, save his life. less

The follow-up to the fan-favorite A Conspiracy of Truths “reveals the author’s stunning prose, beautiful worldbuilding, and emotional detail,” (Library Journal, starred review) and serves as a timely reminder that the words we wield can bring destruction—or salvation. Three years ago, Yfling watched his master-Chant tear a nation apart with nothing but the words on his tongue... moreThe follow-up to the fan-favorite A Conspiracy of Truths “reveals the author’s stunning prose, beautiful worldbuilding, and emotional detail,” (Library Journal, starred review) and serves as a timely reminder that the words we wield can bring destruction—or salvation. Three years ago, Yfling watched his master-Chant tear a nation apart with nothing but the words on his tongue. Now Ylfing is all alone in a new realm, brokenhearted and grieving—but a Chant in his own right, employed as a translator to a wealthy merchant of luxury goods, Sterre de Waeyer. But Ylfing has been struggling to come to terms with what his master did, with the audiences he’s been alienated from, and with the stories he can no longer trust himself to tell. That is, until Ylfing’s employer finds out what he is, what he does, and what he knows. At Sterre’s command, Ylfing begins telling stories once more, fanning the city into a mania for a few shipments of an exotic flower. The prices skyrocket, but when disaster looms, Ylfing must face what he has done and decide who he wants to a man who walks away and lets the city shatter, as his master did? Or will he embrace the power of stories to save ten thousand lives? In this “wise, moving, and captivating adventure” (Publishers Weekly, starred review), a young storyteller must embrace his own skills and discover that a story can be powerful enough to bring a nation to its knees, certainly. But in the right hands, a story can rebuild a broken dam, keep the floodwaters back, and save a life—or thousands of lives. less

High in the mountains, there is a ravine. Across the ravine, a bridge. And deep at the bottom of the ravine, a god. Eisl has lived on the ledge between the ravine and the cliffs since he was born. He has only ever crossed the bridge once—the terror of the god dwelling far beneath it is too much for him to bear. But when a wandering storyteller, named Ylfing and called Chant, arrives in the village, Eisl's longing to see the world of his stories with his own eyes becomes too powerful to resist... moreHigh in the mountains, there is a ravine. Across the ravine, a bridge. And deep at the bottom of the ravine, a god. Eisl has lived on the ledge between the ravine and the cliffs since he was born. He has only ever crossed the bridge once—the terror of the god dwelling far beneath it is too much for him to bear. But when a wandering storyteller, named Ylfing and called Chant, arrives in the village, Eisl's longing to see the world of his stories with his own eyes becomes too powerful to resist. But the ravine, the bridge, and the god are all still there, and if Eisl wishes to free himself and cross over to the other side, he must first face his greatest fear. less