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Resonant
Win a free print copy of this book!
23 days and 09:51:21
10 copies available
U.S. only
"An impressive debut."—John Gwynne
An epic antediluvian fantasy about the struggle between power and free will—and what happens when the chosen make choices of their own.
Ranian is finishing the final hunt of his servitude to a shepherd merchant when a Firesong shudders through his mind. Elva, a Bell Maiden in training, hears it while aiming a knife at an assassin’s heart. Imebron’s studies are upended when the music passes through his body.
A Firesong of such strength hasn’t been heard in millennia, not since the Sundering tore the world into its Five Realms. It can only mean that a danger of corresponding magnitude is approaching . . . if it’s not already here.
The godly Authority has given its warning signs, and the Resonant have a decision to Will the three strangers abandon everything—including their values—to fulfill their calling to protect the Realms?
An epic antediluvian fantasy about the struggle between power and free will—and what happens when the chosen make choices of their own.
Ranian is finishing the final hunt of his servitude to a shepherd merchant when a Firesong shudders through his mind. Elva, a Bell Maiden in training, hears it while aiming a knife at an assassin’s heart. Imebron’s studies are upended when the music passes through his body.
A Firesong of such strength hasn’t been heard in millennia, not since the Sundering tore the world into its Five Realms. It can only mean that a danger of corresponding magnitude is approaching . . . if it’s not already here.
The godly Authority has given its warning signs, and the Resonant have a decision to Will the three strangers abandon everything—including their values—to fulfill their calling to protect the Realms?
- GenresFantasy
446 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 13, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
So here's the thing...
I'm a sucker for adventurous high fantasy with a destined quest, so I was excited to receive Resonant as an ARC. Jacobson establishes a solid foundation, with engaging worldbuilding, an intriguing central conflict, and an antagonist whose allegorical dimensions give the story more substance than a straightforward battle between good and evil. The pacing takes a little while to find its footing, but the narrative builds momentum effectively and finishes on a strong note. The prophecy element is introduced in an unusual and rather creative way - which, while challenging to connect with at times, did eventually land. It's an interesting approach to a familiar fantasy trope, and while novelty alone doesn't necessarily make a narrative choice effective I applaud the attempt to establish uniqueness in a prolifically covered genre. A few more chapters and a little more patience with the story's own ideas could have made this a considerably stronger read.
My greater reservations, however, concern the characterization. I appreciated the attempt at queer representation, but the execution left me disappointed: the only queer character is acknowledged as such while seemingly being denied the opportunity to meaningfully exist as queer on the page. Representation that establishes an identity only to keep it at arm's length feels particularly unfortunate when that character is otherwise part of a story asking readers to invest in its people. The women gave me similar trouble. They're undeniably badass, but their characterization sometimes feels less like an exploration of complicated women and more like an attempt to construct female characters according to a very particular masculine fantasy of what a badass woman should be. Think video game assassin designed by a room full of aggressively straight cis men, except now she's been handed questionable morals to make the male characters look even better by comparison. And here's the frustrating part: I love morally grey women. Give me viciousness, ambition, questionable decisions, and a woman who makes everyone around her deeply uncomfortable. Delicious. But when the narrative then frames those same qualities as failures of honor, it starts to feel as though the story wants to enjoy these women's transgressions while simultaneously reprimanding them for having the audacity to commit them. What could have been viciously empowering instead becomes something the narrative seems determined to condemn. That tension felt aggravatingly male-gaze-coded to me, and it significantly diminished my investment in characters who otherwise had the potential to be among the book's greatest strengths. It's bothered me enough that after sitting with the book, collecting my notes, and drafting my review, I'm dropping my initial rating another .25 star.
Ultimately, Resonant is a promising fantasy adventure with a solid world, an engaging trajectory, and a villain I particularly enjoyed. The story has plenty to offer readers looking for an ambitious quest, and its stronger moments left me wishing the execution had been given more room to develop. I can appreciate what Jacobson was attempting even where the choices didn't work for me, and I suspect a little more depth in both the worldbuilding and characterization would have made a substantial difference. I would consider picking up a sequel if this becomes a series; there's enough here to make me curious about what comes next, and if more is written I sincerely hope the next installment (?) trusts its characters — particularly the ones who aren't straight dudes — to exist and develop outside these narrative limitations.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bindery Books for the eARC of Resonant in exchange for an honest review. It is always an honor to be trusted with unpublished work, and I look forward to the next opportunity.
I'm a sucker for adventurous high fantasy with a destined quest, so I was excited to receive Resonant as an ARC. Jacobson establishes a solid foundation, with engaging worldbuilding, an intriguing central conflict, and an antagonist whose allegorical dimensions give the story more substance than a straightforward battle between good and evil. The pacing takes a little while to find its footing, but the narrative builds momentum effectively and finishes on a strong note. The prophecy element is introduced in an unusual and rather creative way - which, while challenging to connect with at times, did eventually land. It's an interesting approach to a familiar fantasy trope, and while novelty alone doesn't necessarily make a narrative choice effective I applaud the attempt to establish uniqueness in a prolifically covered genre. A few more chapters and a little more patience with the story's own ideas could have made this a considerably stronger read.
My greater reservations, however, concern the characterization. I appreciated the attempt at queer representation, but the execution left me disappointed: the only queer character is acknowledged as such while seemingly being denied the opportunity to meaningfully exist as queer on the page. Representation that establishes an identity only to keep it at arm's length feels particularly unfortunate when that character is otherwise part of a story asking readers to invest in its people. The women gave me similar trouble. They're undeniably badass, but their characterization sometimes feels less like an exploration of complicated women and more like an attempt to construct female characters according to a very particular masculine fantasy of what a badass woman should be. Think video game assassin designed by a room full of aggressively straight cis men, except now she's been handed questionable morals to make the male characters look even better by comparison. And here's the frustrating part: I love morally grey women. Give me viciousness, ambition, questionable decisions, and a woman who makes everyone around her deeply uncomfortable. Delicious. But when the narrative then frames those same qualities as failures of honor, it starts to feel as though the story wants to enjoy these women's transgressions while simultaneously reprimanding them for having the audacity to commit them. What could have been viciously empowering instead becomes something the narrative seems determined to condemn. That tension felt aggravatingly male-gaze-coded to me, and it significantly diminished my investment in characters who otherwise had the potential to be among the book's greatest strengths. It's bothered me enough that after sitting with the book, collecting my notes, and drafting my review, I'm dropping my initial rating another .25 star.
Ultimately, Resonant is a promising fantasy adventure with a solid world, an engaging trajectory, and a villain I particularly enjoyed. The story has plenty to offer readers looking for an ambitious quest, and its stronger moments left me wishing the execution had been given more room to develop. I can appreciate what Jacobson was attempting even where the choices didn't work for me, and I suspect a little more depth in both the worldbuilding and characterization would have made a substantial difference. I would consider picking up a sequel if this becomes a series; there's enough here to make me curious about what comes next, and if more is written I sincerely hope the next installment (?) trusts its characters — particularly the ones who aren't straight dudes — to exist and develop outside these narrative limitations.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bindery Books for the eARC of Resonant in exchange for an honest review. It is always an honor to be trusted with unpublished work, and I look forward to the next opportunity.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book is perhaps the definition of "I don't know what I was expecting". Because I don't, really, know what I was expecting of a book that pitched itself as an epic antediluvian fantasy. The word "antediluvian" made me extremely curious. I think, really, it was meant to wave a big flag to those who already knew what that word meant, rather than to draw in people like me, who were excited to see a different perspective in fantasy.
Antediluvian means, dear reader: "ridiculously old-fashioned". This book is so. It is written like it is trying to emulate the feeling you get when picking up a book written in Old English. It is unflinchingly unchallenging towards the male gaze.
Despite that, I found I liked many of the characters. The hunter in particular has great characterization, as well as both of the assassins. That's... about where things start to go downhill. The characters are called upon by the magic of a Chosen One Prophecy to go on a quest. What is that quest, you say? Well.... they don't know. Now, the people /around/ them know, because the Prophecy has been written in song and mapped out their path long before they were called to undertake it. Despite that, NONE of our main characters could tell you what they're supposed to be doing! Even our scholar character is ferried off by his father, who says that he cannot undertake the quest with his son because he must fulfil his part in the prophecy.
What is his part? Oh. It's delivering something to one of the other main characters, who meets up with the cast but moments later.
I really don't know what I expected. Something that spoke on the illusion of choice? Something that made fun of the comedy of errors that is a Prophecy? We established early on that characters can go against what's written, to mixed results, but none of the characters even KNOW what's written. But their companions do. Siblings, fathers, close allies, they all have no problem telling our characters what they're supposed to be doing per that Prophecy. And they're not even, I don't know, stretching the interpretation in order to further their goals, or something.
When I tell you this entire book is a massive prologue that establishes the next quest, and the characters ALSO don't know what they need to do for the next quest, because they are sent on their way, I am not exaggerating. If our hunter character wasn't as endearing as he was I wouldn't have been able to get through it.
That said, wew, we really need to have a conversation about implications. I cannot be the only one who realized that of our main cast of characters, the one who are "morally good" are the men. The two women are assassins and seductresses, constantly looked down on by the scholar for their potential misdeeds. The hunter's companion is an unstable and violent queer man (the only queer person explicitly written into the text, that I could see), who describes the vow of celibacy he took after his husband was violently murdered. So we've buried our gays /and/ come up with a convenient reason not to have him be gay on the page going forward. Huh. And our representation for women are morally bankrupt shadow assassins who do things like... let me check my notes here. Oh. She fakes crying in an interrogation because men don't like to see women cry, and then tortures him and kills him when she's done.
All things I LOVE, for the record, but the narrative goes out of its way to condemn these characters. Our scholar character, who is not a fighter, ends up winning HANDEDLY against our shadow assassin by... let's see. Distracting her? Right. And then he chastises her for making him fight, because he is a pious man of moral upstanding. How DARE he be goaded into sparring?
Very strange behavior. None of it alone is indicative of much, but there are so many little slights here and there that give me the vibe that the word antediluvian is pulling more weight to signal something slightly more significant than the time period and the nigh-immortal nature of humans at this time (which, btw, is very cool).
Antediluvian means, dear reader: "ridiculously old-fashioned". This book is so. It is written like it is trying to emulate the feeling you get when picking up a book written in Old English. It is unflinchingly unchallenging towards the male gaze.
Despite that, I found I liked many of the characters. The hunter in particular has great characterization, as well as both of the assassins. That's... about where things start to go downhill. The characters are called upon by the magic of a Chosen One Prophecy to go on a quest. What is that quest, you say? Well.... they don't know. Now, the people /around/ them know, because the Prophecy has been written in song and mapped out their path long before they were called to undertake it. Despite that, NONE of our main characters could tell you what they're supposed to be doing! Even our scholar character is ferried off by his father, who says that he cannot undertake the quest with his son because he must fulfil his part in the prophecy.
What is his part? Oh. It's delivering something to one of the other main characters, who meets up with the cast but moments later.
I really don't know what I expected. Something that spoke on the illusion of choice? Something that made fun of the comedy of errors that is a Prophecy? We established early on that characters can go against what's written, to mixed results, but none of the characters even KNOW what's written. But their companions do. Siblings, fathers, close allies, they all have no problem telling our characters what they're supposed to be doing per that Prophecy. And they're not even, I don't know, stretching the interpretation in order to further their goals, or something.
When I tell you this entire book is a massive prologue that establishes the next quest, and the characters ALSO don't know what they need to do for the next quest, because they are sent on their way, I am not exaggerating. If our hunter character wasn't as endearing as he was I wouldn't have been able to get through it.
That said, wew, we really need to have a conversation about implications. I cannot be the only one who realized that of our main cast of characters, the one who are "morally good" are the men. The two women are assassins and seductresses, constantly looked down on by the scholar for their potential misdeeds. The hunter's companion is an unstable and violent queer man (the only queer person explicitly written into the text, that I could see), who describes the vow of celibacy he took after his husband was violently murdered. So we've buried our gays /and/ come up with a convenient reason not to have him be gay on the page going forward. Huh. And our representation for women are morally bankrupt shadow assassins who do things like... let me check my notes here. Oh. She fakes crying in an interrogation because men don't like to see women cry, and then tortures him and kills him when she's done.
All things I LOVE, for the record, but the narrative goes out of its way to condemn these characters. Our scholar character, who is not a fighter, ends up winning HANDEDLY against our shadow assassin by... let's see. Distracting her? Right. And then he chastises her for making him fight, because he is a pious man of moral upstanding. How DARE he be goaded into sparring?
Very strange behavior. None of it alone is indicative of much, but there are so many little slights here and there that give me the vibe that the word antediluvian is pulling more weight to signal something slightly more significant than the time period and the nigh-immortal nature of humans at this time (which, btw, is very cool).
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks Netgalley & the Bindery for the ARC!
Unfortunately this did not work for me. There were the occasional interesting ideas, but I felt myself disconnected from pretty much everything.
The main premise is of a Chosen One story. Our three main characters are considered resonant as they're called by a song presumably by the divine to go do... something to save the world. And herein lies a big problem: it never became clear to me what exactly the threat to the world was. Instead, they're following steps told to them by people interpreting this song, and it was entirely unclear to me why they're even going to these places and what they intend to do there, which made it really difficult to follow the plot or care about what happened.
This set up could have worked if the author had fully leaned into that. Of the three mains, one is definitely more reluctant about the whole Chosen One thing, but the author never fully went there. If it's completely unclear why they even need Chosen Ones or what problem they have to solve, then characters need to be either full of doubt or full of blind faith into the gods giving this prophecy, but the other two mains were mainly just following the instructions without giving clear motivation why they did or did not believe in this.
Much of the world building remained really unclear to me. People have very long lifespans and they keep referring to multiple lives, yet at the same time some people are described as looking old. But what is old in this context? It doesn't seem like people are really reborn so I have no idea why they talk about multiple lives. If this means something akin to centuries, why not just say that?
Other reviews mentioned they did enjoy the characters, but due to all the confusion I never found myself wholly connecting. The potential was there, but it just didn't work for me.
I would not recommend this book.
Unfortunately this did not work for me. There were the occasional interesting ideas, but I felt myself disconnected from pretty much everything.
The main premise is of a Chosen One story. Our three main characters are considered resonant as they're called by a song presumably by the divine to go do... something to save the world. And herein lies a big problem: it never became clear to me what exactly the threat to the world was. Instead, they're following steps told to them by people interpreting this song, and it was entirely unclear to me why they're even going to these places and what they intend to do there, which made it really difficult to follow the plot or care about what happened.
This set up could have worked if the author had fully leaned into that. Of the three mains, one is definitely more reluctant about the whole Chosen One thing, but the author never fully went there. If it's completely unclear why they even need Chosen Ones or what problem they have to solve, then characters need to be either full of doubt or full of blind faith into the gods giving this prophecy, but the other two mains were mainly just following the instructions without giving clear motivation why they did or did not believe in this.
Much of the world building remained really unclear to me. People have very long lifespans and they keep referring to multiple lives, yet at the same time some people are described as looking old. But what is old in this context? It doesn't seem like people are really reborn so I have no idea why they talk about multiple lives. If this means something akin to centuries, why not just say that?
Other reviews mentioned they did enjoy the characters, but due to all the confusion I never found myself wholly connecting. The potential was there, but it just didn't work for me.
I would not recommend this book.
July 29, 2026
Read for work, this book is sooooo fun! Honors the tropes and traditions while making it its own.
October 14, 2026
adventurous tense slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
Marked as a Resonant able to hear the prophetic "Song", a rag-tag group of individuals are thrust together on a quest to protect their shattering world.
As a reader naturally gravitating towards scifi/fantasy with quest-driven storylines, I had a lot of expectations with this book. The world itself was undeniably immersive and intricate with how large scale it was; a perfect setting for people on a quest. The concept of the "Song" being an actual guide between the characters also made it a refreshing take on the prophecy trope, as this time around there's not one but several Chosen Ones - all guided by said melodious force.
Unfortunately, the execution does not meet the books ambition. The prose felt dated, and it took me a while to get used to reading it as it was unnecessarily rigid. It felt like I was gatekept from the story itself. It doesn't help that the pacing was frustratingly slow, undercutting any sense of urgency and just overall boring. Which is a personal cardinal sin for books that rely on having the reader bond with its character on an actual journey. The lore felt all over the place as well, infodumping on one moment, while the necessary worldbuilding is withheld and dropped in the midst of the infodumps. I found myself a bit lost at times.
Still, it was an entertaining enough book, and I would recommend this to readers with a penchant for slow-paced plots with ambitious settings. For a more patient reader, the creative magic system and sweeping world might just make the journey worthwhile.
A sincere thank you to Bindery Books and NetGalley for providing this eARC. Please note that any quotes cited are taken from an uncorrected proof and may differ in the final publication. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
Marked as a Resonant able to hear the prophetic "Song", a rag-tag group of individuals are thrust together on a quest to protect their shattering world.
As a reader naturally gravitating towards scifi/fantasy with quest-driven storylines, I had a lot of expectations with this book. The world itself was undeniably immersive and intricate with how large scale it was; a perfect setting for people on a quest. The concept of the "Song" being an actual guide between the characters also made it a refreshing take on the prophecy trope, as this time around there's not one but several Chosen Ones - all guided by said melodious force.
Unfortunately, the execution does not meet the books ambition. The prose felt dated, and it took me a while to get used to reading it as it was unnecessarily rigid. It felt like I was gatekept from the story itself. It doesn't help that the pacing was frustratingly slow, undercutting any sense of urgency and just overall boring. Which is a personal cardinal sin for books that rely on having the reader bond with its character on an actual journey. The lore felt all over the place as well, infodumping on one moment, while the necessary worldbuilding is withheld and dropped in the midst of the infodumps. I found myself a bit lost at times.
Still, it was an entertaining enough book, and I would recommend this to readers with a penchant for slow-paced plots with ambitious settings. For a more patient reader, the creative magic system and sweeping world might just make the journey worthwhile.
A sincere thank you to Bindery Books and NetGalley for providing this eARC. Please note that any quotes cited are taken from an uncorrected proof and may differ in the final publication. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
March 17, 2026
3.5/5 - arc copy from NetGalley💗
Resonant was honestly a bit of a surprise for me. In the beginning I was kinda confused and it took me a while to really get into the story, but once it picked up, it actually got pretty gripping.
It did feel a little long at times, but the short chapters made it super easy to keep reading, which I liked a lot. I also really appreciated how original the story felt!
It didn’t feel like your typical plot.
The characters were definitely a highlight for me, they were really lovable and made me care about what was happening.
It’s not really my usual genre, but I’m still glad I gave it a chance because I ended up enjoying it more than I expected.
Resonant was honestly a bit of a surprise for me. In the beginning I was kinda confused and it took me a while to really get into the story, but once it picked up, it actually got pretty gripping.
It did feel a little long at times, but the short chapters made it super easy to keep reading, which I liked a lot. I also really appreciated how original the story felt!
It didn’t feel like your typical plot.
The characters were definitely a highlight for me, they were really lovable and made me care about what was happening.
It’s not really my usual genre, but I’m still glad I gave it a chance because I ended up enjoying it more than I expected.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks to Netgalley and Bindery Books for the ARC!
This is a super weird one to review, because I really DID NOT like this book at the start. I was considering DNF’ing around 8%, but I stuck with the story, and when it hit its stride, it suddenly drew me in and I started enjoying myself. The scale is epic, the worldbuilding is interesting, and the characters feel like real people - you just have to give it time to cook.
So, what put me off so much about the beginning? Mainly: clunky writing. The beginning of this novel is littered with unnecessary info-dumps and a whole host of telling and not showing, as well as a lack of particularly flowing prose and a slow start plot-wise, barring the intriguing prologue. The writing quality had its ups and downs throughout, but it got a lot better as it went on, which feels like something that probably should’ve been caught in an edit somewhere.
But I gave this book four stars, so clearly, things improved! Once this book hit its stride and I started to understand the characters, I got super invested. I ended up really liking all of them; Jacobson put a lot of effort into the development of our main characters, to the point where at the end they felt very real and engaging to me. I’m now super invested in their journey! They all at times gel together while also rubbing each other the wrong way, and I loved the interactions and development of relationships in the group; it felt like every character brought something interesting and different to the table.
Resonant also really sells the epic fantasy feeling with the scale of its worldbuilding. All the huge buildings the secrets of whose making have been lost to time, the enormous magical waterfalls and canyons and storms and rivers, the city the size of a country - it all adds up to create this vision of a wildly fantastical, epic landscape for these characters. Jacobson also includes several really interesting worldbuilding ideas, and he’s clearly spent a good deal of thought on how these things would affect his world. By the end the world of Resonant ends up feeling familiar and yet alien in a really interesting way - and I have some suspicions on what might be going on due to the interesting inclusion of Christian mythology, but we’ll have to see if I’m right in the next book!
I did find it odd that some worldbuilding elements were woven into the story really well, while others weren’t. Sometimes Jacobson would reference a worldbuilding idea without fully explaining things all at once, allowing readers to gradually pick up what was going on; at other times all the info would be dumped on you in a clunky way.
Maybe a small thing, but I really appreciated the fact that a lot of the leaders/rulers in this universe immediately understood the importance of the quest and were willing to provide help. It makes a refreshing change from the often used trope of having people be reluctant to help even though the world is at stake! I liked that leaders had realistic reactions to the importance of the Firesong, but without everyone in the world immediately jumping to help the characters; there was a realistic mix of views and goals in everyone they encountered.
I also actually really enjoyed that the characters didn’t know exactly what or who they were looking for, and weren’t exactly sure what the gods wanted them to do, throughout the novel. I liked that people who could ‘read the song’ could only see clues, and the characters had to actively hunt them down and figure out what was meant; that allowed readers to figure out what was going on alongside them, and I generally enjoyed Jacobson adding the element of uncertainty when it came to the intelligence and morality of the gods.
As much as I liked the worldbuilding, I did think it could also be contradictory at times. For example, it was sometimes unclear what was going on re: peace between different countries, as characters kept insisting the realm hadn’t seen “real war” for many millennia despite also referencing a war between countries that happened about two thousand years ago…? There were in general a couple of other moments where I was scratching my head, wondering if something was a contradiction or if I had just misread/misremembered something.
I will say I didn’t really like the narrative’s thesis that the entire realm was stagnating because there hadn’t been any serious armed conflict for thousands of years. That seemed like a worryingly pro-war stance, which really isn’t for me.
So, in short: if you love epic fantasy, stick it out for the first 15% or so, because Resonant gets way better! I’m now super invested in and looking forward to the sequel, because Jacobson has set up a lot of intriguing questions, and I’ve fallen in love with these characters!
This is a super weird one to review, because I really DID NOT like this book at the start. I was considering DNF’ing around 8%, but I stuck with the story, and when it hit its stride, it suddenly drew me in and I started enjoying myself. The scale is epic, the worldbuilding is interesting, and the characters feel like real people - you just have to give it time to cook.
So, what put me off so much about the beginning? Mainly: clunky writing. The beginning of this novel is littered with unnecessary info-dumps and a whole host of telling and not showing, as well as a lack of particularly flowing prose and a slow start plot-wise, barring the intriguing prologue. The writing quality had its ups and downs throughout, but it got a lot better as it went on, which feels like something that probably should’ve been caught in an edit somewhere.
But I gave this book four stars, so clearly, things improved! Once this book hit its stride and I started to understand the characters, I got super invested. I ended up really liking all of them; Jacobson put a lot of effort into the development of our main characters, to the point where at the end they felt very real and engaging to me. I’m now super invested in their journey! They all at times gel together while also rubbing each other the wrong way, and I loved the interactions and development of relationships in the group; it felt like every character brought something interesting and different to the table.
Resonant also really sells the epic fantasy feeling with the scale of its worldbuilding. All the huge buildings the secrets of whose making have been lost to time, the enormous magical waterfalls and canyons and storms and rivers, the city the size of a country - it all adds up to create this vision of a wildly fantastical, epic landscape for these characters. Jacobson also includes several really interesting worldbuilding ideas, and he’s clearly spent a good deal of thought on how these things would affect his world. By the end the world of Resonant ends up feeling familiar and yet alien in a really interesting way - and I have some suspicions on what might be going on due to the interesting inclusion of Christian mythology, but we’ll have to see if I’m right in the next book!
I did find it odd that some worldbuilding elements were woven into the story really well, while others weren’t. Sometimes Jacobson would reference a worldbuilding idea without fully explaining things all at once, allowing readers to gradually pick up what was going on; at other times all the info would be dumped on you in a clunky way.
Maybe a small thing, but I really appreciated the fact that a lot of the leaders/rulers in this universe immediately understood the importance of the quest and were willing to provide help. It makes a refreshing change from the often used trope of having people be reluctant to help even though the world is at stake! I liked that leaders had realistic reactions to the importance of the Firesong, but without everyone in the world immediately jumping to help the characters; there was a realistic mix of views and goals in everyone they encountered.
I also actually really enjoyed that the characters didn’t know exactly what or who they were looking for, and weren’t exactly sure what the gods wanted them to do, throughout the novel. I liked that people who could ‘read the song’ could only see clues, and the characters had to actively hunt them down and figure out what was meant; that allowed readers to figure out what was going on alongside them, and I generally enjoyed Jacobson adding the element of uncertainty when it came to the intelligence and morality of the gods.
As much as I liked the worldbuilding, I did think it could also be contradictory at times. For example, it was sometimes unclear what was going on re: peace between different countries, as characters kept insisting the realm hadn’t seen “real war” for many millennia despite also referencing a war between countries that happened about two thousand years ago…? There were in general a couple of other moments where I was scratching my head, wondering if something was a contradiction or if I had just misread/misremembered something.
I will say I didn’t really like the narrative’s thesis that the entire realm was stagnating because there hadn’t been any serious armed conflict for thousands of years. That seemed like a worryingly pro-war stance, which really isn’t for me.
So, in short: if you love epic fantasy, stick it out for the first 15% or so, because Resonant gets way better! I’m now super invested in and looking forward to the sequel, because Jacobson has set up a lot of intriguing questions, and I’ve fallen in love with these characters!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The concept for this one won me over pretty quickly: a song that marks the chosen ones of the gods, heard only by them, and sending them on a quest to protect the realm. It instantly gave the story a strong start.
What impressed me most is how unique everything felt. The world, the magic, and even the plot all came across as fresh, despite the story following familiar tropes. I'm a sucker for a journey and a group quest, so this one hit several marks for me.
My only challenge was the prose itself. It felt a bit rigid and could have used a little more editing. But epic fantasy is a huge undertaking for any author, let alone for a debut, and Jacobs pulled it off well. This is a great fantasy debut.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bindery Books for the advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.
What impressed me most is how unique everything felt. The world, the magic, and even the plot all came across as fresh, despite the story following familiar tropes. I'm a sucker for a journey and a group quest, so this one hit several marks for me.
My only challenge was the prose itself. It felt a bit rigid and could have used a little more editing. But epic fantasy is a huge undertaking for any author, let alone for a debut, and Jacobs pulled it off well. This is a great fantasy debut.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bindery Books for the advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Resonant is an ambitious take on the epic fantasy genre. I always enjoy when a band of different people have to come together on a great journey. The world felt large and immersive, and Jacobson did a great job writing fleshed out characters who felt like they had real motivations and desires.
What kept this from being in the four star range was I just never felt the urgency of the quest. I, as the reader, knew there was this firesong pushing them to go together, but I just never felt the urgency for them to get there or the stakes if they don't.
The book leaves the reader set up for a sequel, and if there is one, I will definitely pick it up.
Thank you to Netgalley and Bindery Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
What kept this from being in the four star range was I just never felt the urgency of the quest. I, as the reader, knew there was this firesong pushing them to go together, but I just never felt the urgency for them to get there or the stakes if they don't.
The book leaves the reader set up for a sequel, and if there is one, I will definitely pick it up.
Thank you to Netgalley and Bindery Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
October 17, 2026
Thank you to the publisher for approving me to read this book, I’m rating it 3.25 stars.
This story is a debut novel that really takes care with the world building and character arcs to bring to life this bold adventure with moral quandries, engaging fight scenes, magic, myth and gods.
I feel like this story is set up for something bigger, some characters are fleshed out with great backstories and some sadly feel overshadowed by the depth of the plot, but if the story continues then these characters may be developed further. The pacing is what I felt disconnected with in this story, it felt quite slow in parts so I found it harder to get caught up in the epic quest these characters are on.
This story is a debut novel that really takes care with the world building and character arcs to bring to life this bold adventure with moral quandries, engaging fight scenes, magic, myth and gods.
I feel like this story is set up for something bigger, some characters are fleshed out with great backstories and some sadly feel overshadowed by the depth of the plot, but if the story continues then these characters may be developed further. The pacing is what I felt disconnected with in this story, it felt quite slow in parts so I found it harder to get caught up in the epic quest these characters are on.
October 13, 2026
If you’re looking for found family, action packed adventure like Lord of the Rings, and monsters that creep in the shadows, Resonant is your next read!
Fantastic world building that’s easy to imagine and characters to love and hate and keep you guessing!
I enjoyed the different perspectives from the main MCs, Ranian, a hunter, Elva, a Bell maiden (warrior), and Imebron, a light wielder. There’s so much to learn and understand about each character and their impact to this adventure.
And don’t sleep on the monsters! They lurk in the shadows and are relentless! It was fun to see each MC showcase their strengths but also lean on their fellow journeyman to survive the evils in the dark.
This definitely has the feel to something bigger and this just the beginning!
Looking forward to what may come!
Fantastic world building that’s easy to imagine and characters to love and hate and keep you guessing!
I enjoyed the different perspectives from the main MCs, Ranian, a hunter, Elva, a Bell maiden (warrior), and Imebron, a light wielder. There’s so much to learn and understand about each character and their impact to this adventure.
And don’t sleep on the monsters! They lurk in the shadows and are relentless! It was fun to see each MC showcase their strengths but also lean on their fellow journeyman to survive the evils in the dark.
This definitely has the feel to something bigger and this just the beginning!
Looking forward to what may come!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!
I enjoyed this book. A chosen-ones quest fantasy is right up my alley and I was excited to read it.
I think the worldbuilding was super interesting and intriguing and I kept hoping for more hints and information throughout the book.
However I don't think it was advertised that it is NOT a standalone, so I'll have to keep reading to get answers.
I think my biggest problem with this book was the pacing, with some exciting parts feeling quite rushed. Beyond this, just like the characters I had no idea where they were going, and what they were supposed to be doing, which is a bit weird since they keep meeting people that are readers of the song but won't say what they're supposed to be doing exactly.
My highlight for this book was definitely the characters, altought I felt like it focused a bit more on Ranian than on Elva and Imebron, and I'm assuming we're gonna have a bit more development from the two of them in the next book.
I enjoyed this book. A chosen-ones quest fantasy is right up my alley and I was excited to read it.
I think the worldbuilding was super interesting and intriguing and I kept hoping for more hints and information throughout the book.
However I don't think it was advertised that it is NOT a standalone, so I'll have to keep reading to get answers.
I think my biggest problem with this book was the pacing, with some exciting parts feeling quite rushed. Beyond this, just like the characters I had no idea where they were going, and what they were supposed to be doing, which is a bit weird since they keep meeting people that are readers of the song but won't say what they're supposed to be doing exactly.
My highlight for this book was definitely the characters, altought I felt like it focused a bit more on Ranian than on Elva and Imebron, and I'm assuming we're gonna have a bit more development from the two of them in the next book.
September 20, 2026
I really really wanted to enjoy this, I was looking g forward to this book so much. And every aspect of it is unique and like nothing I’ve read before, this story has so much potential, the characters are intriguing, the plot is engaging, the magic system original, the world unique. However the writing was really clunky, this could definitely do with at least one more round of edits before its release! The potential is there but the execution just isn’t yet.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
~Review of an advanced copy obtained from Netgalley~
Many thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for the opportunity to participate in the ARC in exchange for an honest review. The first part of this review is in English, followed by Spanish.
The concept of "antediluvian" caught my attention from the start, but the density of the text also left me dragging the pages, uncomfortable with the reading and the narration, which sometimes feels unnatural. The same goes for the explanations of the magic system and lore in general; it goes from being well-described to being brutally thrown at the reader. By the way, "antediluvian" refers to the fact that the fantasy world is carved out of the area where Asia and Europe collide in our world, with rivers like the Euphrates playing a large part in the story.
The characters are well-written: each with their own voice and personality, standing out among the variety presented and present in the story; we have several protagonists and points of view simultaneously. This felt structured; But the deference with which he treats the female characters (as deceitful, seductive, manipulative, and cold) stands in stark contrast to how he treats the male characters (with strong moral compasses, oriented toward the earth or its gods, secure and powerful in their positions).
In short, it's a fantasy with a world structured around Abrahamic and Southeast Asian mythology, with little real fantasy invented by the author (good god, evil serpent). The characters are the most remarkable aspect and what made the reading more enjoyable.
I feel I would give it another chance if there are a few changes here and there, because I grew very fond of Ranian. That's it, thank you again.
∆
~Reseña de una copia avanzada obtenida en Netgalley~
Muchas gracias a los editores y a Netgalley por la oportunidad del ARC a cambio de una reseña honesta. La primera parte de esta reseña es en inglés, luego en español.
El concepto de "antidiluviano" me llamó la atención desde el principio, pero también la densidad del texto me dejó arrastrando las páginas, incómoda con la lectura y la narración que a veces se siente poco natural. Lo mismo con las explicaciones del sistema de magia y lore en general; pasa a ser bien descrito a ser lanzado con brutalidad al lector. Por cierto, con "antidiluviano" se refiere a que el mundo fantástico es recortado de la zona donde chocan Asia y Europa en nuestro mundo, con ríos como el Eufrates siendo gran parte de la historia.
Los personajes están bien escritos: cada uno con su voz y personalidad destacando entre la variedad que es presentada y que ocupa la historia; tenemos varios protagonistas y puntos de vistas al mismo tiempo. Eso se sintió estructurado; pero la deferencia con la que trata a los personajes femeninos (como engañosas, seductoras, manipuladoras y frías), representa un alto contraste a como trata a los masculinos (con fuertes sentidos morales, orientados a la tierra o a los dioses de la misma, seguros y poderosos en sus posiciones).
En fin, es una fantasía con un mundo estructurado alrededor de la mitología abrahámica y del sudeste asiático, con poco de fantasía real inventada por el autor (dios bueno, serpiente mala); los personajes son lo más destacable y los que hicieron que la lectura fuera más amena.
Siento que le volvería a dar una oportunidad si es que hay algunos cambios aquí y allá, porque me encariñé mucho con Ranian. Eso, muchas gracias nuevamente.
Many thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for the opportunity to participate in the ARC in exchange for an honest review. The first part of this review is in English, followed by Spanish.
The concept of "antediluvian" caught my attention from the start, but the density of the text also left me dragging the pages, uncomfortable with the reading and the narration, which sometimes feels unnatural. The same goes for the explanations of the magic system and lore in general; it goes from being well-described to being brutally thrown at the reader. By the way, "antediluvian" refers to the fact that the fantasy world is carved out of the area where Asia and Europe collide in our world, with rivers like the Euphrates playing a large part in the story.
The characters are well-written: each with their own voice and personality, standing out among the variety presented and present in the story; we have several protagonists and points of view simultaneously. This felt structured; But the deference with which he treats the female characters (as deceitful, seductive, manipulative, and cold) stands in stark contrast to how he treats the male characters (with strong moral compasses, oriented toward the earth or its gods, secure and powerful in their positions).
In short, it's a fantasy with a world structured around Abrahamic and Southeast Asian mythology, with little real fantasy invented by the author (good god, evil serpent). The characters are the most remarkable aspect and what made the reading more enjoyable.
I feel I would give it another chance if there are a few changes here and there, because I grew very fond of Ranian. That's it, thank you again.
∆
~Reseña de una copia avanzada obtenida en Netgalley~
Muchas gracias a los editores y a Netgalley por la oportunidad del ARC a cambio de una reseña honesta. La primera parte de esta reseña es en inglés, luego en español.
El concepto de "antidiluviano" me llamó la atención desde el principio, pero también la densidad del texto me dejó arrastrando las páginas, incómoda con la lectura y la narración que a veces se siente poco natural. Lo mismo con las explicaciones del sistema de magia y lore en general; pasa a ser bien descrito a ser lanzado con brutalidad al lector. Por cierto, con "antidiluviano" se refiere a que el mundo fantástico es recortado de la zona donde chocan Asia y Europa en nuestro mundo, con ríos como el Eufrates siendo gran parte de la historia.
Los personajes están bien escritos: cada uno con su voz y personalidad destacando entre la variedad que es presentada y que ocupa la historia; tenemos varios protagonistas y puntos de vistas al mismo tiempo. Eso se sintió estructurado; pero la deferencia con la que trata a los personajes femeninos (como engañosas, seductoras, manipuladoras y frías), representa un alto contraste a como trata a los masculinos (con fuertes sentidos morales, orientados a la tierra o a los dioses de la misma, seguros y poderosos en sus posiciones).
En fin, es una fantasía con un mundo estructurado alrededor de la mitología abrahámica y del sudeste asiático, con poco de fantasía real inventada por el autor (dios bueno, serpiente mala); los personajes son lo más destacable y los que hicieron que la lectura fuera más amena.
Siento que le volvería a dar una oportunidad si es que hay algunos cambios aquí y allá, porque me encariñé mucho con Ranian. Eso, muchas gracias nuevamente.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Netgally and Bindery Books for this eARC
I also want to thank Zoranne-Fantasy and Frens: I stumbled across your post about this book which made me seek it out on Netgalley!
Resonant was a solid 3.75-4 star read for me. The strongest part of the book was definitely the characters. They felt well developed, and by the end I genuinely cared about them and their journey as if I were part of the adventure alongside them. One thing I especially appreciated was seeing how much growth many of the characters experienced throughout the story.
Elva grows into her role as a leader through the challenges and battles the group faces, gradually learning to trust her fellow Resonants instead of relying entirely on her older sister, Bail. Bail also experiences meaningful growth as she learns to trust Ranian, the young hunter, and begins opening herself up to outsiders and accepting them as part of the team. Ranian himself felt believable as a younger character trying to figure out who he is and what kind of person he wants to become, learning when he needs to adapt and change.
Even the supporting characters felt thoughtfully developed, which made it easier to care about the larger group as a whole. Characters like Abithar added meaningful representation, while Areth and Ylkonis stood out because of how strongly they believed in the cause they were fighting for and the loyalty they showed toward their new companions.
The scenes were vividly written and easy to picture, which made the world feel immersive without becoming overwhelming. I also think this would be a great introduction to epic fantasy for readers who are newer to the genre. The scope and world-building are approachable compared to a lot of larger fantasy series, which made it easier to settle into the story and connect with the characters.
What held the book back for me was the way some of the world-building information was delivered. At times, characters — especially the scholar-type characters or newly introduced ones — would suddenly explain large amounts of lore all at once. Some of these sections felt more like information dumps than natural conversation, and because so much information came so quickly, it was difficult to retain all of it or understand why it was important in the moment. I found myself rereading certain paragraphs to keep track of the details.
That said, there were also moments where the world-building was woven naturally into the story, and those sections worked much better for me because they felt connected to the characters and plot rather than explained separately.
One thing that changed my perspective while reading was realizing that this book is part of a series. I actually didn’t know that until I was about halfway through. Once I understood that this was only one part of a larger story, it became easier to accept that both the readers and the characters were not meant to fully understand everything yet. By the end, it’s clear this book is setting up a much larger tale.
Even with some frustrations, I’m still interested enough to continue the series. I want to see where the characters go next and how the author develops the larger storylines moving forward.
I also want to thank Zoranne-Fantasy and Frens: I stumbled across your post about this book which made me seek it out on Netgalley!
Resonant was a solid 3.75-4 star read for me. The strongest part of the book was definitely the characters. They felt well developed, and by the end I genuinely cared about them and their journey as if I were part of the adventure alongside them. One thing I especially appreciated was seeing how much growth many of the characters experienced throughout the story.
Elva grows into her role as a leader through the challenges and battles the group faces, gradually learning to trust her fellow Resonants instead of relying entirely on her older sister, Bail. Bail also experiences meaningful growth as she learns to trust Ranian, the young hunter, and begins opening herself up to outsiders and accepting them as part of the team. Ranian himself felt believable as a younger character trying to figure out who he is and what kind of person he wants to become, learning when he needs to adapt and change.
Even the supporting characters felt thoughtfully developed, which made it easier to care about the larger group as a whole. Characters like Abithar added meaningful representation, while Areth and Ylkonis stood out because of how strongly they believed in the cause they were fighting for and the loyalty they showed toward their new companions.
The scenes were vividly written and easy to picture, which made the world feel immersive without becoming overwhelming. I also think this would be a great introduction to epic fantasy for readers who are newer to the genre. The scope and world-building are approachable compared to a lot of larger fantasy series, which made it easier to settle into the story and connect with the characters.
What held the book back for me was the way some of the world-building information was delivered. At times, characters — especially the scholar-type characters or newly introduced ones — would suddenly explain large amounts of lore all at once. Some of these sections felt more like information dumps than natural conversation, and because so much information came so quickly, it was difficult to retain all of it or understand why it was important in the moment. I found myself rereading certain paragraphs to keep track of the details.
That said, there were also moments where the world-building was woven naturally into the story, and those sections worked much better for me because they felt connected to the characters and plot rather than explained separately.
One thing that changed my perspective while reading was realizing that this book is part of a series. I actually didn’t know that until I was about halfway through. Once I understood that this was only one part of a larger story, it became easier to accept that both the readers and the characters were not meant to fully understand everything yet. By the end, it’s clear this book is setting up a much larger tale.
Even with some frustrations, I’m still interested enough to continue the series. I want to see where the characters go next and how the author develops the larger storylines moving forward.
October 13, 2026
Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for providing a digital review copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review
If you, like me, are unfamiliar with what antediluvian means, apparently it's supposed to describe something ancient, extremely outdated or old-fashioned. Which accurately sums up the use of language and prose in this book, it reads like Old English. Now, I struggled a lot with this book. It starts off very promising, with really cool worldbuilding and a Song that is supposed to be some prophecy from the Gods, that chooses it's "Chosen Ones" which are called the Resonant. However, our hesitant band of Chosen Ones go on some kind of quest without having any idea of what the Quest is and where they are going and what they are supposed to do. Our main cast seems to have no personal agency and is just dragged forward cluelessly. Everyone they meet has heard the Song and knows what the prophecy means, yet nobody actually explains it to any of our MCs, or the reader, and as a result this book felt very aimless and I struggled remaining interested in their journey. Similarly to said Prophecy, the worldbuilding is brought up time and time again and seems very promising but is never really explored or elaborated on. I felt so lost, so clueless, and I'm sure that was the intention to keep up the ✨mystery✨ in this book, but it didn't work for me. I also absolutely hated Imebron. He's something called a Lightborn which seems to be some superpower capable of wiping out entire cities and armies. Yet, Imebron spends the entire book acting condescending and letting his companions do his dirty work while he keeps his hands clean. His "holier than thou" and self-righteous preaching really grated on me and I really wanted to strangle him. At times, our scholarly characters, including Imebron, will suddenly start infodumping a large part of lore all at once, and aside from these brief snippers of information overload, we get very little answers. There's so much time spent on the setting and yet actual answers are nowhere to be found. This entire book reads like one very long prologue, a journey to a destination. I thought it would be a standalone, not part of a series, so I expected a complete story especially in a book of this length. Despite being part of a series, I stand by the opinion that each book should stand on it's own, with a cohesive start, middle and end. Instead this book is just a prologue that goes on forever and it left me unsatisfied and wanting. I wanted more, I wanted answers, I wanted it to explore the setting and the worldbuilding, and more than anything else, I wanted the book to explain about the damn prophecy and quest, that every single side character seems to know about except our main cast. This book could've been so much more, but instead it feels like an aimless journey without direction, and that's exactly what it was. The setting is incredibly interesting and cool and I loved whatever snippets of worldbuilding we got, but it was not enough to make me enjoy this book. My favourite part of this book? The cover, actually, which is so beautiful I wish I could hang it as a painting on the wall.
If you, like me, are unfamiliar with what antediluvian means, apparently it's supposed to describe something ancient, extremely outdated or old-fashioned. Which accurately sums up the use of language and prose in this book, it reads like Old English. Now, I struggled a lot with this book. It starts off very promising, with really cool worldbuilding and a Song that is supposed to be some prophecy from the Gods, that chooses it's "Chosen Ones" which are called the Resonant. However, our hesitant band of Chosen Ones go on some kind of quest without having any idea of what the Quest is and where they are going and what they are supposed to do. Our main cast seems to have no personal agency and is just dragged forward cluelessly. Everyone they meet has heard the Song and knows what the prophecy means, yet nobody actually explains it to any of our MCs, or the reader, and as a result this book felt very aimless and I struggled remaining interested in their journey. Similarly to said Prophecy, the worldbuilding is brought up time and time again and seems very promising but is never really explored or elaborated on. I felt so lost, so clueless, and I'm sure that was the intention to keep up the ✨mystery✨ in this book, but it didn't work for me. I also absolutely hated Imebron. He's something called a Lightborn which seems to be some superpower capable of wiping out entire cities and armies. Yet, Imebron spends the entire book acting condescending and letting his companions do his dirty work while he keeps his hands clean. His "holier than thou" and self-righteous preaching really grated on me and I really wanted to strangle him. At times, our scholarly characters, including Imebron, will suddenly start infodumping a large part of lore all at once, and aside from these brief snippers of information overload, we get very little answers. There's so much time spent on the setting and yet actual answers are nowhere to be found. This entire book reads like one very long prologue, a journey to a destination. I thought it would be a standalone, not part of a series, so I expected a complete story especially in a book of this length. Despite being part of a series, I stand by the opinion that each book should stand on it's own, with a cohesive start, middle and end. Instead this book is just a prologue that goes on forever and it left me unsatisfied and wanting. I wanted more, I wanted answers, I wanted it to explore the setting and the worldbuilding, and more than anything else, I wanted the book to explain about the damn prophecy and quest, that every single side character seems to know about except our main cast. This book could've been so much more, but instead it feels like an aimless journey without direction, and that's exactly what it was. The setting is incredibly interesting and cool and I loved whatever snippets of worldbuilding we got, but it was not enough to make me enjoy this book. My favourite part of this book? The cover, actually, which is so beautiful I wish I could hang it as a painting on the wall.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Resonant by Jeremy Jacobson
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with an eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own, this is my honest review!
Resonant by Jeremy Jacobson was an absolute delight to read. Jacobson crafted a cast of incredibly interesting and importantly divergent characters all working towards a common goal). The world building was incredibly well done and honestly at this point I just want to read all about the lore of the Luminire.
Resonant is the term given to those called by the Firesong – a calling from the gods to embark on a divine mission to alter the fate of the world. In the first book of what plans to be a series, we meet three resonants. Ranian, a talented hunter who is paying for the sins of his father and tasked to hunt the “scaled” beasts; Elva, a silver bell warrior who is part of an elite order of fighters, spies, and assassins; and Imebron, a lightborn or luminire scholar who is part of a group of the most powerful people within their realm but who does not consider himself a fighter but rather is only interested in learning and studying. They are also accompanied by a handful of others as they embark upon their gods-given mission which really rounds out the story.
Each character is so different but also struggles with similar issues in different ways. All of them seem to just truly want to find themselves and establish their place in the world which feels true to them. This is compounded by the fact that their fate has now been chosen for them by being chosen by the gods as resonant.
The world-building is also incredibly interesting and I’m excited to read more about the realms beyond the main characters’ in subsequent books! I would like a deep lore dive please and thank you!
I would strongly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fantasy – especially those who enjoy the “chosen one” trope but are looking for a more unique take on it. I looked forward to reading this book every time I wasn’t reading it and didn’t want to put it down when I was reading it.
A huge thank you to the author, publisher and net galley for giving me the opportunity to read Resonant, it was truly a gem!
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with an eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own, this is my honest review!
Resonant by Jeremy Jacobson was an absolute delight to read. Jacobson crafted a cast of incredibly interesting and importantly divergent characters all working towards a common goal). The world building was incredibly well done and honestly at this point I just want to read all about the lore of the Luminire.
Resonant is the term given to those called by the Firesong – a calling from the gods to embark on a divine mission to alter the fate of the world. In the first book of what plans to be a series, we meet three resonants. Ranian, a talented hunter who is paying for the sins of his father and tasked to hunt the “scaled” beasts; Elva, a silver bell warrior who is part of an elite order of fighters, spies, and assassins; and Imebron, a lightborn or luminire scholar who is part of a group of the most powerful people within their realm but who does not consider himself a fighter but rather is only interested in learning and studying. They are also accompanied by a handful of others as they embark upon their gods-given mission which really rounds out the story.
Each character is so different but also struggles with similar issues in different ways. All of them seem to just truly want to find themselves and establish their place in the world which feels true to them. This is compounded by the fact that their fate has now been chosen for them by being chosen by the gods as resonant.
The world-building is also incredibly interesting and I’m excited to read more about the realms beyond the main characters’ in subsequent books! I would like a deep lore dive please and thank you!
I would strongly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fantasy – especially those who enjoy the “chosen one” trope but are looking for a more unique take on it. I looked forward to reading this book every time I wasn’t reading it and didn’t want to put it down when I was reading it.
A huge thank you to the author, publisher and net galley for giving me the opportunity to read Resonant, it was truly a gem!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I really went into this book not knowing what to expect, but thank you so much Bindery because I really enjoyed the adventure this book took me on.
Admittedly at first I struggled as it is high fantasy and there’s always that learning curve at the beginning where we are getting to know the lay of the land, characters, magic systems etc. This was quite heavy at first, it took me a minute to get into it but I’m so glad I stuck it out. The concept of a song from the gods that chooses a select few to basically save the world is already so intense and interesting. Then on top of that we have multiple POVS, magic, political systems and complex monarchies. It’s a lot. Once you get into the flow though it’s really an enticing story.
One thing I love the most were the characters, each of them were really fleshed out and had great backstories, struggles and strong voices. There was a good amount of banter, found family vibes and fun which was good when compared with the heavier plot line.
I did like the story, it’s a really great concept and I liked the imagination in the world building and creatures they encounter, also the different cultures. I did find some of the other aspects harder to follow, at times it felt as though there were too many different things happening, this combined with multiple POVs did at times make it hard to follow. There are also questions that don’t get answered, I understand that maybe in the sequel it might be but the characters life spans and different lives they live confused me, I hope this gets explained more in the next book.
The intrigue within the plot and how it affected each character kept me invested though, I liked the mortality issues that were brought up with each character, they had to ask themselves what they were willing to do, would they betray their values to carry out this gods plan? It gives you a lot to think about and I thought this was very different and interesting to bring into the world.
All in all this was an ambitious plot with a very good execution, great characters and a very imaginative world, my issues were small and I liked this story enough that I definitely want to read the sequel. If you enjoy high fantasy and complex plots then I really think you will like this book.
Admittedly at first I struggled as it is high fantasy and there’s always that learning curve at the beginning where we are getting to know the lay of the land, characters, magic systems etc. This was quite heavy at first, it took me a minute to get into it but I’m so glad I stuck it out. The concept of a song from the gods that chooses a select few to basically save the world is already so intense and interesting. Then on top of that we have multiple POVS, magic, political systems and complex monarchies. It’s a lot. Once you get into the flow though it’s really an enticing story.
One thing I love the most were the characters, each of them were really fleshed out and had great backstories, struggles and strong voices. There was a good amount of banter, found family vibes and fun which was good when compared with the heavier plot line.
I did like the story, it’s a really great concept and I liked the imagination in the world building and creatures they encounter, also the different cultures. I did find some of the other aspects harder to follow, at times it felt as though there were too many different things happening, this combined with multiple POVs did at times make it hard to follow. There are also questions that don’t get answered, I understand that maybe in the sequel it might be but the characters life spans and different lives they live confused me, I hope this gets explained more in the next book.
The intrigue within the plot and how it affected each character kept me invested though, I liked the mortality issues that were brought up with each character, they had to ask themselves what they were willing to do, would they betray their values to carry out this gods plan? It gives you a lot to think about and I thought this was very different and interesting to bring into the world.
All in all this was an ambitious plot with a very good execution, great characters and a very imaginative world, my issues were small and I liked this story enough that I definitely want to read the sequel. If you enjoy high fantasy and complex plots then I really think you will like this book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
In a matter of seconds, Ranians, Imebrons, and Elvas ' lives are turned upside down when, after thousands of years, the "Firesong" sounds over the realm, appointing the three strangers as "Resonant" and sending them on a quest to follow their calling to protect the realms from an approaching, or maybe already existing, danger.
I really liked the concept of a group of strangers being thrust together by the gods to fulfill a quest. However, the plot moved so slowly that I had a hard time getting into the book, especially because most of it consisted of the group traveling through the realm with no clue what their quest actually was, making it hard for me to stay interested. Honestly, the characters were the main reason I kept reading, and it was so easy to fall in love with Ranian and Abithar. While it was fun to read about Ranian's growth and his struggles within the group, Abithar, on the other hand, was probably the most interesting character I read about in a long time. His character, his background, and the way he carries himself were perfect. Also, the world-building? It was honestly so fascinating to me. I loved reading about the different areas, the people, and the creatures, but if anyone asked me about it, I wouldn't be able to explain anything. I would love to understand the realms, their gods, and the whole "Resonant" thing better, but barely anything was explained, and you just have to accept that, and that really bothered me.
"Resonant" reminded me a lot of every dnd one-shot I ever played, from them receiving the quest and being forced to create a party, to them traveling through the realm with small fights against monsters now and then, and I'm not sure it worked out for me. The insane world-building, the interesting characters, and the unique plot should have made me love this book to bits, but even though most of it started strong, it lost me along the way.
Thank you, Netgalley, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I really liked the concept of a group of strangers being thrust together by the gods to fulfill a quest. However, the plot moved so slowly that I had a hard time getting into the book, especially because most of it consisted of the group traveling through the realm with no clue what their quest actually was, making it hard for me to stay interested. Honestly, the characters were the main reason I kept reading, and it was so easy to fall in love with Ranian and Abithar. While it was fun to read about Ranian's growth and his struggles within the group, Abithar, on the other hand, was probably the most interesting character I read about in a long time. His character, his background, and the way he carries himself were perfect. Also, the world-building? It was honestly so fascinating to me. I loved reading about the different areas, the people, and the creatures, but if anyone asked me about it, I wouldn't be able to explain anything. I would love to understand the realms, their gods, and the whole "Resonant" thing better, but barely anything was explained, and you just have to accept that, and that really bothered me.
"Resonant" reminded me a lot of every dnd one-shot I ever played, from them receiving the quest and being forced to create a party, to them traveling through the realm with small fights against monsters now and then, and I'm not sure it worked out for me. The insane world-building, the interesting characters, and the unique plot should have made me love this book to bits, but even though most of it started strong, it lost me along the way.
Thank you, Netgalley, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
*Thank you to NetGalley and Bindery for approving my ARC request*
I couldn't enjoy it right from the beginning but decided to stay because it felt cowardly to give up so soon🥲. In hindsight I wish I did. There were times I really wanted to skim through the book but was concerned I'll miss vital information and end up confused. Well surprise I didn't skim anything yet I still ended up confused 😕. It seemed like before they could solve one problem, another had appeared causing things to be muddled. Magic is supposed to be whimsical instead there are elements of Physics and Chemistry(not the romantic kind either) which I didn't appreciate because I'm dutifully trying to avoid clapping eyes on my textbooks yet this serves an occasional reminder which I do not appreciate(petty I'm aware 😔). I didn't really like any of the main characters due to the fact that Imebron was prideful and found every other person at fault for things going wrong, Elva seemed stubborn and unwilling to admit that she needed help when it became her turn to be a leader while also acting like she knew everything (I found the argument between her and Imebron to be quite irritating although I did hope that she would have humbled him which didn't happen). I can admire Ranian for his dedication to his morals despite the pressure and insistence from others. Abithar was my favorite(and the only queer character explicitly mentioned) and I would have loved more on his story. Imebron didn't want to participate in any fighting yet constantly acted holier than thou whenever the ladies had to spill blood. The battle with the boss of the first quest they underwent was anticlimactic because they defeated the boss a bit more easily than expected. Also who charges at a villain you obviously know is stronger than you while screaming???🤦🏼♀️🤦🏼♀️. It's most likely to be a series because they are continuing on to their second quest but I do not think I will go any further than this.
I couldn't enjoy it right from the beginning but decided to stay because it felt cowardly to give up so soon🥲. In hindsight I wish I did. There were times I really wanted to skim through the book but was concerned I'll miss vital information and end up confused. Well surprise I didn't skim anything yet I still ended up confused 😕. It seemed like before they could solve one problem, another had appeared causing things to be muddled. Magic is supposed to be whimsical instead there are elements of Physics and Chemistry(not the romantic kind either) which I didn't appreciate because I'm dutifully trying to avoid clapping eyes on my textbooks yet this serves an occasional reminder which I do not appreciate(petty I'm aware 😔). I didn't really like any of the main characters due to the fact that Imebron was prideful and found every other person at fault for things going wrong, Elva seemed stubborn and unwilling to admit that she needed help when it became her turn to be a leader while also acting like she knew everything (I found the argument between her and Imebron to be quite irritating although I did hope that she would have humbled him which didn't happen). I can admire Ranian for his dedication to his morals despite the pressure and insistence from others. Abithar was my favorite(and the only queer character explicitly mentioned) and I would have loved more on his story. Imebron didn't want to participate in any fighting yet constantly acted holier than thou whenever the ladies had to spill blood. The battle with the boss of the first quest they underwent was anticlimactic because they defeated the boss a bit more easily than expected. Also who charges at a villain you obviously know is stronger than you while screaming???🤦🏼♀️🤦🏼♀️. It's most likely to be a series because they are continuing on to their second quest but I do not think I will go any further than this.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and Bindery Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review! ♡
This is one of those books where I can absolutely see the vision and I wanted to love it more than I actually did.
The concept of the Firesong and these three completely different people suddenly being chosen by the gods and thrown into a quest together is SO up my alley, and there are some genuinely fantastic ideas here. The world feels huge, ancient and properly lived in, and I honestly think the worldbuilding was probably my favourite part. There were so many little pieces of lore, magic and history that made me want to dig deeper.
Unfortunately, I also spent a decent amount of the book feeling like I was trying to catch up with it. There is a LOT going on, especially early on, and between the different POVs, terminology, politics, magic and general mystery surrounding what the characters are even meant to be doing, I struggled to properly settle into the story. The pacing was also pretty uneven for me. Some sections were a bit slow, while other moments seemed to happen almost too quickly, so I never quite found that addictive rhythm I wanted.
I also wish I had connected more strongly with the characters themselves. I liked them, but in a book this big I really need to become slightly unwell about at least one person, and that just never happened.
That being said, I definitely don't think this is a bad book. It is ridiculously ambitious for a debut and there is SO much potential here. I can absolutely see this working much better for readers who love dense, lore-heavy epic fantasy and don't mind being dropped into a world and having to figure things out as they go.
For me, the ideas were stronger than my actual reading experience, but I'm still genuinely curious to see what Jeremy Jacobson does next.
This is one of those books where I can absolutely see the vision and I wanted to love it more than I actually did.
The concept of the Firesong and these three completely different people suddenly being chosen by the gods and thrown into a quest together is SO up my alley, and there are some genuinely fantastic ideas here. The world feels huge, ancient and properly lived in, and I honestly think the worldbuilding was probably my favourite part. There were so many little pieces of lore, magic and history that made me want to dig deeper.
Unfortunately, I also spent a decent amount of the book feeling like I was trying to catch up with it. There is a LOT going on, especially early on, and between the different POVs, terminology, politics, magic and general mystery surrounding what the characters are even meant to be doing, I struggled to properly settle into the story. The pacing was also pretty uneven for me. Some sections were a bit slow, while other moments seemed to happen almost too quickly, so I never quite found that addictive rhythm I wanted.
I also wish I had connected more strongly with the characters themselves. I liked them, but in a book this big I really need to become slightly unwell about at least one person, and that just never happened.
That being said, I definitely don't think this is a bad book. It is ridiculously ambitious for a debut and there is SO much potential here. I can absolutely see this working much better for readers who love dense, lore-heavy epic fantasy and don't mind being dropped into a world and having to figure things out as they go.
For me, the ideas were stronger than my actual reading experience, but I'm still genuinely curious to see what Jeremy Jacobson does next.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Rating 3.75 Rounded up
A world shattered into five realms by an ancient catastrophe known as the Sundering awakens to a long-dormant power known as the Firesong. Resonant is a story about fate versus free will, where being chosen can demand the ultimate cost of the loss of who you are.
One of the novel’s greatest strengths is its worldbuilding. Jacobson crafts a deep, layered, almost mythological fantasy setting that feels ancient, fractured, and alive. Each of the five realms has its own culture, power structures, and relationship with magic. The Firesong itself is a rare, almost mystical force. It’s mysterious, symbolic, and tied to emotion, destiny, and inner transformation. The world’s vast, ancient, and slightly enigmatic qualities make it profoundly immersive.
The story is character-driven, following three protagonists bound by the same central dilemma. Though chosen by the Firesong, none of them are willing participants, and each must grapple with whether to resist or embrace their fate. This moral tension adds a depth that elevates the narrative above typical epic fantasy: the internal conflicts feel as urgent as the external ones.
Resonant is not a fast-paced read. The novel dedicates significant time to setup, lore, and introspection, which can slow the momentum, especially early on. There are stretches where plot takes a backseat to atmosphere and internal reflection, but this deliberate pacing is rewarding. The novel excels in creating atmosphere, exploring character psychology, and presenting a unique, emotionally resonant magic system.
Overall, Resonant is a promising and emotionally resonant debut that prioritizes meaning over momentum. It lingers, not for what happens, but for what it makes you think and feel.
A world shattered into five realms by an ancient catastrophe known as the Sundering awakens to a long-dormant power known as the Firesong. Resonant is a story about fate versus free will, where being chosen can demand the ultimate cost of the loss of who you are.
One of the novel’s greatest strengths is its worldbuilding. Jacobson crafts a deep, layered, almost mythological fantasy setting that feels ancient, fractured, and alive. Each of the five realms has its own culture, power structures, and relationship with magic. The Firesong itself is a rare, almost mystical force. It’s mysterious, symbolic, and tied to emotion, destiny, and inner transformation. The world’s vast, ancient, and slightly enigmatic qualities make it profoundly immersive.
The story is character-driven, following three protagonists bound by the same central dilemma. Though chosen by the Firesong, none of them are willing participants, and each must grapple with whether to resist or embrace their fate. This moral tension adds a depth that elevates the narrative above typical epic fantasy: the internal conflicts feel as urgent as the external ones.
Resonant is not a fast-paced read. The novel dedicates significant time to setup, lore, and introspection, which can slow the momentum, especially early on. There are stretches where plot takes a backseat to atmosphere and internal reflection, but this deliberate pacing is rewarding. The novel excels in creating atmosphere, exploring character psychology, and presenting a unique, emotionally resonant magic system.
Overall, Resonant is a promising and emotionally resonant debut that prioritizes meaning over momentum. It lingers, not for what happens, but for what it makes you think and feel.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
It’s so frustrating when it isn’t mentioned that a book is NOT a standalone.
The story is a quest fantasy. A powerful and ancient melody called a "Firesong" suddenly links three strangers: a hunter, a warrior in training and a scholar. This signal has not been heard in thousands of years and warns that a massive danger is coming to the Five Realms. These three chosen individuals are expected to leave their lives behind and protect the world. However, they must decide if they will blindly follow their destiny or use their own free will to make their own choices.
There were certainly highlights; there are some page-turner chapters where I couldn’t put the novel down. The world-building is really intriguing, although some details aren’t explained which I guess will be addressed in future books. However, I felt the author relied too heavily on forced conflict to propel the plot forward, rather than letting it evolve naturally.
My biggest struggle were the characters; I find most of them unlikable. While I initially expected to love the main trio, as the plot progressed, I liked them less and less. They became increasingly difficult to root for. The female characters felt disappointingly one-dimensional, often falling into the "female assassins" trope, either seducing their enemies or resorting to extreme, gratuitous violence to achieve their goals. The hunter, who was my early favorite, seemed to undergo a reverse character arc. Instead of growing, he became less likable (at least, until the end). I wish we knew more about the Song readers.
Like I said at the start, I’m mostly annoyed that this isn't a standalone book. It’s frustrating when a book doesn't tell you it’s part of a series. To be honest, I don’t know if I’ll continue with the series. The cover is beautiful though.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and comments are my own.
The story is a quest fantasy. A powerful and ancient melody called a "Firesong" suddenly links three strangers: a hunter, a warrior in training and a scholar. This signal has not been heard in thousands of years and warns that a massive danger is coming to the Five Realms. These three chosen individuals are expected to leave their lives behind and protect the world. However, they must decide if they will blindly follow their destiny or use their own free will to make their own choices.
There were certainly highlights; there are some page-turner chapters where I couldn’t put the novel down. The world-building is really intriguing, although some details aren’t explained which I guess will be addressed in future books. However, I felt the author relied too heavily on forced conflict to propel the plot forward, rather than letting it evolve naturally.
My biggest struggle were the characters; I find most of them unlikable. While I initially expected to love the main trio, as the plot progressed, I liked them less and less. They became increasingly difficult to root for. The female characters felt disappointingly one-dimensional, often falling into the "female assassins" trope, either seducing their enemies or resorting to extreme, gratuitous violence to achieve their goals. The hunter, who was my early favorite, seemed to undergo a reverse character arc. Instead of growing, he became less likable (at least, until the end). I wish we knew more about the Song readers.
Like I said at the start, I’m mostly annoyed that this isn't a standalone book. It’s frustrating when a book doesn't tell you it’s part of a series. To be honest, I don’t know if I’ll continue with the series. The cover is beautiful though.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and comments are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is a review copy from netgalley.
Resonant is a great start to what could become an epic fantasy series. This book definitely isnt standalone, it is the beginning and therefore a lot of set up and mystery for the world and characters. The premise follows a group of characters who get called together by the voice of the gods, something that happens rarely in history. The heroes don't get full details of their mission and why they are doing it, so an interesting part of the plot is you and the characters piecing the "why" together. The group travels between different locations, from cities to swamps, and each felt interesting and nothing overstayed its welcome.
The characters were all interesting as far as protagonists go, and they form a group that goes on a journey in a fellowship style. Each character adds something to the group, and I liked how each character had spots where they couldnt help and had to rely on one another. This made each character feel necessary to the group. Each pov chapter had the perfect length, I never once felt anything dragged on too long, and by the end I read the last 30 percent in one sitting.
Id consider this dark fantasy but not grimdark, it has a lot of violence and some minor body horror, but nothing that I think would dissuade anyone from reading. There are things like cursing and cults, but nothing else too dark that would push this into grimdark territory. Id compare it to something like Sandersons style more than Joe Abercrombie or George rr martin.
The back of the book says this is the authors first book, and I think its great as far as indie fantasy goes. I will definitely be reading any sequels and I think depending on how they go this could be a heavily recommended series.
Resonant is a great start to what could become an epic fantasy series. This book definitely isnt standalone, it is the beginning and therefore a lot of set up and mystery for the world and characters. The premise follows a group of characters who get called together by the voice of the gods, something that happens rarely in history. The heroes don't get full details of their mission and why they are doing it, so an interesting part of the plot is you and the characters piecing the "why" together. The group travels between different locations, from cities to swamps, and each felt interesting and nothing overstayed its welcome.
The characters were all interesting as far as protagonists go, and they form a group that goes on a journey in a fellowship style. Each character adds something to the group, and I liked how each character had spots where they couldnt help and had to rely on one another. This made each character feel necessary to the group. Each pov chapter had the perfect length, I never once felt anything dragged on too long, and by the end I read the last 30 percent in one sitting.
Id consider this dark fantasy but not grimdark, it has a lot of violence and some minor body horror, but nothing that I think would dissuade anyone from reading. There are things like cursing and cults, but nothing else too dark that would push this into grimdark territory. Id compare it to something like Sandersons style more than Joe Abercrombie or George rr martin.
The back of the book says this is the authors first book, and I think its great as far as indie fantasy goes. I will definitely be reading any sequels and I think depending on how they go this could be a heavily recommended series.
Did Not Finish
October 13, 2026Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Overall, Resonant has strong bones and a good premise. With a bit more streamlining more showing rather than telling, I think it could be a great story.
Unfortunately, I did not finish this novel due to lack of enjoyment, so don’t feel able to give a rating - DNF at 33%.
Critique -
- Given the scope of the setting, adding a map and glossary of terms would greatly help readers keep track of the journey and who’s who.
- The pacing frequently slows due to heavy exposition, info dumping and an overall reliance on ‘telling’ rather than ‘showing’.
- The prose can feel stilted and clunky due to the use of long sentences, an excessive number of adjectives and repetition.
- The narrative spends a significant amount of time detailing items and locations that seemingly have no relevance to the plot or lore (and more often than not, they are details that aren’t that interesting nor help expand/shape the world building).
- The dialogue can, in many cases, go on for too long, and sound a little cheesy (classic fantasy role playing type dialogue) and not really add much to a scene. More often than not it slowed the pace. For example, a battle scene followed by a load of introductions (summarise please!).
- Similarly, the action scenes were too quick in the first 30% - they’re the best part! Draw them out!
- Plot-wise, nothing really happens until the 30% mark either, which is far too late in the day for me.
- The characters were quite bland/tropey in my opinion. None of them were particularly likeable (to me).
As always these are just my opinions, I wish every success for the author and book.
Overall, Resonant has strong bones and a good premise. With a bit more streamlining more showing rather than telling, I think it could be a great story.
Unfortunately, I did not finish this novel due to lack of enjoyment, so don’t feel able to give a rating - DNF at 33%.
Critique -
- Given the scope of the setting, adding a map and glossary of terms would greatly help readers keep track of the journey and who’s who.
- The pacing frequently slows due to heavy exposition, info dumping and an overall reliance on ‘telling’ rather than ‘showing’.
- The prose can feel stilted and clunky due to the use of long sentences, an excessive number of adjectives and repetition.
- The narrative spends a significant amount of time detailing items and locations that seemingly have no relevance to the plot or lore (and more often than not, they are details that aren’t that interesting nor help expand/shape the world building).
- The dialogue can, in many cases, go on for too long, and sound a little cheesy (classic fantasy role playing type dialogue) and not really add much to a scene. More often than not it slowed the pace. For example, a battle scene followed by a load of introductions (summarise please!).
- Similarly, the action scenes were too quick in the first 30% - they’re the best part! Draw them out!
- Plot-wise, nothing really happens until the 30% mark either, which is far too late in the day for me.
- The characters were quite bland/tropey in my opinion. None of them were particularly likeable (to me).
As always these are just my opinions, I wish every success for the author and book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
'Resonant' is a high fantasy/ adventure that takes place in a shattered world divided into realms. There is magic, monsters and biblical influences throughout the book. Our main characters are called upon the gods for vague and mysterious purposes that typically involve saving the world in some way. We follow a lightborn scholar, an assassin and a hunter on there journey to essentially save/change the world in some way.
The plot this book is very interesting but I will say that it can be confusing sometimes but you get enough information to piece the world together.
The pacing is rather slow for the first half of the book but it was in no means boring. The second half was more fast paced, but i feel the book itself should've just been longer to help with building the character of Elva and others introduced in the portion in the book. Easily could've been another 100-200 pages to help explain or more naturally deliever the exposition in the second half.
I loved the characters, Ranian and Imebron being my favourites. There was a lot of character development for Ranian which was very enjoyable for me as he was my favourite. Sadly, Imebron didnt seem to be used as much, although he was super interesting I would have liked to see more from him. But assuming there will be a second book I look forward to more Imebron.
I see there is a lot of potential with this series, if there is a second book I would definitely be interested in reading it. I can the story developing in a very grand way and I look forward to more world building and what happens to our characters!.
For me it is 3.5 stars but rounded up to 4 because I can tell it will be a good series as it goes on.
The plot this book is very interesting but I will say that it can be confusing sometimes but you get enough information to piece the world together.
The pacing is rather slow for the first half of the book but it was in no means boring. The second half was more fast paced, but i feel the book itself should've just been longer to help with building the character of Elva and others introduced in the portion in the book. Easily could've been another 100-200 pages to help explain or more naturally deliever the exposition in the second half.
I loved the characters, Ranian and Imebron being my favourites. There was a lot of character development for Ranian which was very enjoyable for me as he was my favourite. Sadly, Imebron didnt seem to be used as much, although he was super interesting I would have liked to see more from him. But assuming there will be a second book I look forward to more Imebron.
I see there is a lot of potential with this series, if there is a second book I would definitely be interested in reading it. I can the story developing in a very grand way and I look forward to more world building and what happens to our characters!.
For me it is 3.5 stars but rounded up to 4 because I can tell it will be a good series as it goes on.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Resonant is one of those novels that immediately feels like the opening movement of something much larger. Jacobson crafts a story with the scope and structure of classic epic fantasy—more in line with Sanderson style plotting and worldbuilding than romance driven narratives—focusing on characters pulled into action and bound together by circumstance rather than by romantic entanglements.
One of the novel’s greatest strengths is its diverse cast of characters, each with distinct skills, magical abilities, and personal motivations. This creates a dynamic cast that feels ripe for deeper exploration in future instalments. Jacobson also threads moral dilemmas through the narrative, adding nuance to the characters’ decisions and giving the story a thoughtful edge beyond the action.
The pacing begins on the slower side, but once the plot gains momentum, it moves with purpose.
This is very much a plot driven fantasy, and while the worldbuilding has clear potential for expansion, Jacobson wisely avoids over describing. Instead, the book leaves enough space for readers to imagine and shape the world themselves.
Some characters shine with the promise of rich backstories, while others feel slightly overshadowed by the pace of the plot. Even so, the groundwork laid here is strong, and it’s easy to see how future books could deepen these arcs.
Overall, it’s an impressive debut—one that will appeal to readers who love ensemble casts, magic infused quests, and expansive fantasy worlds. It’s absolutely one to watch for fans of epic fantasy looking for a new series to follow.
Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy
One of the novel’s greatest strengths is its diverse cast of characters, each with distinct skills, magical abilities, and personal motivations. This creates a dynamic cast that feels ripe for deeper exploration in future instalments. Jacobson also threads moral dilemmas through the narrative, adding nuance to the characters’ decisions and giving the story a thoughtful edge beyond the action.
The pacing begins on the slower side, but once the plot gains momentum, it moves with purpose.
This is very much a plot driven fantasy, and while the worldbuilding has clear potential for expansion, Jacobson wisely avoids over describing. Instead, the book leaves enough space for readers to imagine and shape the world themselves.
Some characters shine with the promise of rich backstories, while others feel slightly overshadowed by the pace of the plot. Even so, the groundwork laid here is strong, and it’s easy to see how future books could deepen these arcs.
Overall, it’s an impressive debut—one that will appeal to readers who love ensemble casts, magic infused quests, and expansive fantasy worlds. It’s absolutely one to watch for fans of epic fantasy looking for a new series to follow.
Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Resonant is the kind of fantasy that feels ancient, mythic, and deeply introspective. Set in a world fractured into five realms after the Sundering, the story follows three strangers who are unwittingly drawn together after hearing the mysterious Firesong. A force tied to destiny, power, and something far greater than themselves. At its core, this is a story about free will, faith, sacrifice, and whether being “chosen” is truly a gift.
The lore feels immersive, with each realm carrying its own identity, history, and relationship to power. There’s a very atmospheric quality to the writing that makes the world feel old and lived in. The magic system surrounding the Firesong was especially interesting because it feels emotional and symbolic rather than purely mechanical.
The story spends a lot of time building its world, themes, and characters before the larger plot fully unfolds. While I did find myself confused at certain points, I was still intrigued enough to keep going because the ideas behind the story were compelling. I would’ve loved a little more development across the board to deepen the emotional connections between the characters and their journeys but the second half picks up significantly and left me much more invested in where the series could go next.
Resonant feels like the beginning of something much bigger. It’s a thoughtful, atmospheric fantasy that prioritizes themes and character introspection. I am curious to see where the next book goes.
Thank you so much Bindery Books, Jeremy Jacobson, and NetGalley for the #gifted earc.
All opinions are my own 🖤
The lore feels immersive, with each realm carrying its own identity, history, and relationship to power. There’s a very atmospheric quality to the writing that makes the world feel old and lived in. The magic system surrounding the Firesong was especially interesting because it feels emotional and symbolic rather than purely mechanical.
The story spends a lot of time building its world, themes, and characters before the larger plot fully unfolds. While I did find myself confused at certain points, I was still intrigued enough to keep going because the ideas behind the story were compelling. I would’ve loved a little more development across the board to deepen the emotional connections between the characters and their journeys but the second half picks up significantly and left me much more invested in where the series could go next.
Resonant feels like the beginning of something much bigger. It’s a thoughtful, atmospheric fantasy that prioritizes themes and character introspection. I am curious to see where the next book goes.
Thank you so much Bindery Books, Jeremy Jacobson, and NetGalley for the #gifted earc.
All opinions are my own 🖤
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC
I remember requesting this book because the blurb instantly gave me old school fantasy vibes. And it ended up being just that. I love stories where people have to goon a roadtrip to save the world form the big bad, classic right there.
The start was rough for me, It took me a while to get into it because there’s so much thrown at you immediately. Names, history, magic, different places- the first 3 chapters and the prologue sent me around a bit. I was confused for the first few chapters and had to just trust that things would make sense eventually, they mostly did.
Once the main journey actually got moving, I started having a much better time with it. The world feels old, a lot of the world building gave the feeling of thousands of years of history, sometimes it's hard to establish that in a work of fiction. These guys were in Situations with a capital S, but without too many spoilers, I still kept wanting to know more about how everything connected.
I do think the pacing dragged in places. There were sections where I’d read a chapter or two and then leave the book alone for a day before picking it back up again. I also wanted a little more from the characters emotionally because I found the setting more memorable than the people at times, I felt harder connecting or even caring about some of their motivations, which is a bummer for me.
Still, I had fun with this. It feels like the kind of fantasy book that would really work for readers who miss slower, classic-style adventure fantasy where the journey matters just as much as the destination.
I remember requesting this book because the blurb instantly gave me old school fantasy vibes. And it ended up being just that. I love stories where people have to goon a roadtrip to save the world form the big bad, classic right there.
The start was rough for me, It took me a while to get into it because there’s so much thrown at you immediately. Names, history, magic, different places- the first 3 chapters and the prologue sent me around a bit. I was confused for the first few chapters and had to just trust that things would make sense eventually, they mostly did.
Once the main journey actually got moving, I started having a much better time with it. The world feels old, a lot of the world building gave the feeling of thousands of years of history, sometimes it's hard to establish that in a work of fiction. These guys were in Situations with a capital S, but without too many spoilers, I still kept wanting to know more about how everything connected.
I do think the pacing dragged in places. There were sections where I’d read a chapter or two and then leave the book alone for a day before picking it back up again. I also wanted a little more from the characters emotionally because I found the setting more memorable than the people at times, I felt harder connecting or even caring about some of their motivations, which is a bummer for me.
Still, I had fun with this. It feels like the kind of fantasy book that would really work for readers who miss slower, classic-style adventure fantasy where the journey matters just as much as the destination.
September 10, 2026
Set in a mythical and unknown era, which the author describes as ‘antediluvian’ (although in my view this claim is unfounded, given that it could easily be classified as fantasy), this novel recounts a journey. There is a call – a mysterious, ancient melody that some recognise, but which resonates in a special way only within a select few. Their mission is to seek something – though no one knows what it is – in a world that has for millennia been divided into kingdoms unable to communicate with one another, whilst they are pursued and constantly threatened by demonic forces determined to prevent them from completing their mission.
With few clues, many misunderstandings, and forced to decide at every turn whether the person before them is a friend and potential ally or a mortal enemy, they must first and foremost build a balanced relationship amongst themselves, realising that, despite their vastly different backgrounds, they are all indispensable.
Among them, the hunter stands out: seemingly simpler and more naïve than the others, yet the only one capable of asking the right questions and, ultimately, defying what appears to be an inexorable fate.
The writing is rather ornate, as if drawing inspiration from a language more ancient and elegant than the modern one, and the characters are described in great depth, almost three-dimensionally. What leaves one somewhat perplexed is the plot. There are events whose necessity and connection are unclear, making the protagonists’ actions seem meaningless.
To sum it up in a single sentence: excellent characters in search of a plot.
With few clues, many misunderstandings, and forced to decide at every turn whether the person before them is a friend and potential ally or a mortal enemy, they must first and foremost build a balanced relationship amongst themselves, realising that, despite their vastly different backgrounds, they are all indispensable.
Among them, the hunter stands out: seemingly simpler and more naïve than the others, yet the only one capable of asking the right questions and, ultimately, defying what appears to be an inexorable fate.
The writing is rather ornate, as if drawing inspiration from a language more ancient and elegant than the modern one, and the characters are described in great depth, almost three-dimensionally. What leaves one somewhat perplexed is the plot. There are events whose necessity and connection are unclear, making the protagonists’ actions seem meaningless.
To sum it up in a single sentence: excellent characters in search of a plot.
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