by Seon Jung
Souls of Malapace, Book 3
2026
I have read all three books in Seon Jung's Souls of Malapace trilogy, and somewhere while reading The Book of Hush, I finally got it. Seon is his own writer.
I know that sounds obvious, but I had spent a lot of the first two books comparing his writing to other fantasy I had read. His voice was younger, more casual and sometimes a little goofy, and I kept waiting for it to sound more like the fantasy I was used to reading.
By this book, I stopped doing that.
The Souls of Malapace
The trilogy follows Taba, Queenie and Hush, three young members of the Family who enter Malapace believing they know who their enemies are. As the series goes on, that becomes a lot more complicated. Loyalties change, relationships change, and each book gives us more of one of the three.
The Book of Hush brings us to Hush, and by now these characters have been through a lot together.
Understanding Seon's Voice
Seon has described himself as a goof, and after three books I think I finally understand what he means. He is a very smart goof.
His writing is young, casual and playful. One of my frustrations with The Book of Taba was the repeated cut-off words and interrupted speech. It happened so often that after a while it stopped having much effect for me. I noticed some of those same habits again at the beginning of The Book of Hush.
As I got further into the book, I noticed them less and less. By the end, they were either almost gone or used sparingly enough that they worked. Honestly, they didn't annoy me anymore. They fit.
And when I think about where his writing was in the first book compared with this one, the growth is pretty clear. He hasn't lost the goofy, creative part of his writing. He just seems to know better now when and how to use it.
I also realized that I had spent a lot of time wanting him to sound like other fantasy writers instead of just letting him sound like Seon.
Hush Gets His Story
Hush has been through a lot by the time we reach this book, and now we get more of his story and what everything that has happened has done to him.
His relationship with Queenie is part of it, but so is his family and everything Taba is willing to give up for them. We have watched these relationships change through three books, and by now you understand why these people would be willing to give up so much for one another.
I cared about Hush, Queenie, Taba and this strange little family they had created. I wanted to know where Seon was going to leave them.
Coming Full Circle
I liked where he left them.
The story comes back around in ways that made sense for the series, and it felt like the right place to end this particular roller coaster.
I gave The Book of Taba a pretty hard review. The Book of Queenie was considerably stronger. I really enjoyed The Book of Hush.
Reading all three has also given me a very different view of Seon as a writer. He has grown a lot, but somewhere along the way I learned how to appreciate the way he writes too.
He is young, funny, a little goofy and incredibly creative. Once I stopped expecting him to sound like somebody else, I understood what he was doing a lot better.
Who Should Read The Book of Hush?
Definitely don't start here.
Read The Book of Taba and The Book of Queenie first. You need to know Taba, Queenie and Hush and everything that has happened between them before you get to this one.
If you like fantasy with young characters, found family, loyalty, strange worlds and a little goofiness mixed in, give Seon a try.
As for me, I think three books later I finally understand this very smart goof.
Hey Seon. Great job.
I might just read them all again.
I think I'm finally up to the job.
Definitely worth the read.
Thank you Seon for the advance copy. Opinions are my own.
