The Thirteen Hallows

Jan 26, 2012 Seak (Bryce L.) rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-review, 2012, urban-fantasy

I have to admit, the cover got me. The cool looking sword, the hazy Big Ben in the background, the shades of blue, it's just a great cover. I'm sorry to say the rest of the book didn't quite live up to it.

For some reason I thought this would be YA, but that's far from the truth. It's probably because Scott wrote the Alchemyst series (Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel). Lots of bloody rituals, sex, and more bloody rituals.

Thirteen people, the keepers, charged with watching over the thirteen...more I have to admit, the cover got me. The cool looking sword, the hazy Big Ben in the background, the shades of blue, it's just a great cover. I'm sorry to say the rest of the book didn't quite live up to it.

For some reason I thought this would be YA, but that's far from the truth. It's probably because Scott wrote the Alchemyst series (Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel). Lots of bloody rituals, sex, and more bloody rituals.

Thirteen people, the keepers, charged with watching over the thirteen hallows, powerful objects that when brought together, well, that's just a bad idea. Evil and bad with a touch of scary happens.

The thirteen keepers are charged with keeping their respective hallow safe and never to bring them together. Judith Walker is a keeper and she's noticed that, while the police and media aren't acknowledging it, the keepers are being killed one by one and she's number four...wait, sorry, wrong book.

Did I mention Judith Walker is 77? So, we start out with a 77 year old protagonist, and while I felt bad about it, I had a hard time with a 77 year old running around trying to solve a mystery. It just kind of breaks all the tension. It could have also been the fact that I was picturing a nonexistent walker.

Luckily, there are more people who get involved and Judith doesn't remain the main protag for very long.

So, why didn't I like The Thirteen Hallows?

It's pretty simple. The characters are pretty shoddy. They are stale and boring to be honest. There's nothing that makes you want to hang out with the leads, buy them a drink. They aren't even sympathetic. Sarah Miller is in her 20s and repressed by her parents, so she stays and continues to take it? No, I have no sympathy. Grow a pair.

And then the antagonists are just evil for evil's sake. They're killing children brutally (luckily we're saved from that description for the most part) and they revel in it, have sex in it. It was pretty disgusting actually. There's some attempt at explaining why they're that way, but I wasn't ever convinced.

I ended up sticking it out to the end, so The Thirteen Hallows wasn't terrible, it just wasn't good. Okay is really the best way to describe it. I don't recommend wasting your time, there's too much out there that's really good.

2 out of 5 Stars (Okay)

Ps. If you were wondering, yes, The Thirteen Hallows does mention Harry Potter. Thought you were wondering. :)(less)

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Jun 25, 2012 Kathleen Minde rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: pissed-me-off

Those who love the children's series "The secrets of the immortal Nicholas Flamel" by Michael Scott need to realize that this new series of his is NOT, repeat NOT, for children. This book contains the violent torture and murders of elderly men and women, multiple beheadings and too many boringly gratuitous sex scenes. By the end of chapter 1, two women have been filleted. The beginning of chapter 3 has the evil characters, Ahriman and his psychic wife, Vyvienne, coupling upon a church alter.

So,...more Those who love the children's series "The secrets of the immortal Nicholas Flamel" by Michael Scott need to realize that this new series of his is NOT, repeat NOT, for children. This book contains the violent torture and murders of elderly men and women, multiple beheadings and too many boringly gratuitous sex scenes. By the end of chapter 1, two women have been filleted. The beginning of chapter 3 has the evil characters, Ahriman and his psychic wife, Vyvienne, coupling upon a church alter.

So, parents of the kids who loved "Nicholas Flamel", do not stick this book in their Christmas stockings this year.

"The Thirteen Hallows" starts with a young woman in London, Sarah Miller, who saves an elderly stranger from what appears to be a mugging. When the elderly woman entrusts Sarah with a broken rusty sword, she tells her to give it to her nephew, Owen, with the message "I'm sorry for what's going to happen". Thus starts the unlikely journey of two people who have just met. The broken sword holds extraordinary powers and is part of a group of 13 Hallows, ancient holy objects, that protect the world from a demonic horror and must never come together.

Ahriman and Vyvienne, when they are not busy having sex and have time to put on their clothes, are tracking down the Hallows and destroying their elderly owners in gruesome satanic blood rituals. They want to rule the world with the power of the Hallows. Realizing Sarah has one of the Hallows, they begin hunting her by employing inept drug addicts and thugs to do their dirty work. The police are also hunting Sarah and Owen because they think this mousey little bank teller is a serial killer leaving dead bodies all over London. Their train of thought is one dimensional, at best.

I know this is a fantasy novel with ancient magic and folklore and a bit of the Bible tossed in for good measure, but it is highly implausible and has way too many lucky coincidences.The readers are supposed to suspend their disbelief, but it's hard. The characters aren't that engaging, the story is one big chase scene filled with horrific murders, and very little of this story is fresh or exciting. The descriptions of the crime scenes were overboard; the reader knew what the blood looked like, smelled like, it's consistency, freshness, if it was dripping or just puddling. And, strangely enough, the book is written with short paragraphs and chapter; like a children's or young adult's novel.

Again, this is not a book for the squeamish or your children.(less)

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Jan 30, 2012 Christina rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, urban-fantasy, supernatural, magic

Starting off the review, with a note from the author, found at the end of the book:
"Most of the Hallows mentioned in this novel still exist, as do the group of people known as the Hallowed Keepers."

Wow, I was surprised by the overtone of darkness and the grisly nature of this novel. I wasn't expecting it since Michael Scott last wrote "The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel" which is a kids series. This is definitely an adult novel in such contrast, with the magical rites using sex, torturo...more Starting off the review, with a note from the author, found at the end of the book:
"Most of the Hallows mentioned in this novel still exist, as do the group of people known as the Hallowed Keepers."

Wow, I was surprised by the overtone of darkness and the grisly nature of this novel. I wasn't expecting it since Michael Scott last wrote "The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel" which is a kids series. This is definitely an adult novel in such contrast, with the magical rites using sex, torturous ritual, and lots of bloodshed. However, compared to other adult novels that involve murders and mystery it's not unusual. I would classify it as supernatural/adult fiction/fantasy, maybe a little horror in it as well. Nothing frightening though, you can definitely sleep at night after reading it.

I love that the author has studied mythology and folklore, because the tie-ins to religious mythology such as the number thirteen relating to the thirteen names of God, and the Hallows, regular items that were imbued with power, being the keys to locking away the demons that used to roam this earth before man existed.

The story itself is written in excellent form. It's well-edited and the story is absolute. It's a bit predictable in how it's all going to end up, but the details of how it all goes down along the way is different many other novels of it's genre so that is a major plus. The authors historical knowledge of folklore from many walks of religion (Christianity to Pagan) is wonderfully tied together to weave a tale that makes you realize that there really is no good or evil, just power and energy and how each individual chooses to wield. Personal choice is what it always comes down to. Then, and now. Picking otherwise is just an illusion of immunity (and often superiority).

The writing is a little dry to me, and some parts of the book seem somewhat dull and unnecessary. Overall, a good read in the end, especially to those that enjoy mythology, history, and the supernatural.(less)

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Apr 05, 2013 Heather rated it 4 of 5 stars

I read a lot of the reviews on this book...and found the majority of them to be negative so I felt compelled to add a review. It has been stated that this book is most definitely not for children...having said that I do not think that the sex and violence is "gratuitous" as I've heard others mention. Is there Sex? Yep. Violence? Most definitely. This book is about an EVIL man trying to unleash hell and damnation into the world of humankind. Sex and human sacrifice have always gone hand in hand w...more

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Mar 11, 2013 Eric rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: thriller

This book had the emotional depth of a wading pool.

It was well written, had an actual plot, but the characters were just moving through the plot. It reminded me of a Dean Koontz novel with all of the emotional investment in the characters stripped out of it.

I honestly couldn't care if the demons were unleashed on london or not. The sexy evil sorceress that suffered from a highly abusive relationship and the skinhead junkie murderer were the most fleshed out characters, but still felt like carica...more

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Feb 04, 2013 Mary Bird rated it 1 of 5 stars

Good premise. Lots of potential. The characters were one-dimensional. Skinner was the only one I felt any sympathy for. The sex and the violence were totally gratuitous. All the ingredients were there but it fell flat. There were inconsistencies in the stories of some of the hallows. Despite the fact that the protagonists were wanted by the police and apparently covered with gore most of the time, they seemed to travel around with impunity. There was no intrigue, no build up and no denouement. P...more

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Nov 20, 2012 Stefanie rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-paranormal-fantasy

Technically this book was very good. The lead up, rising action, climax, etc. All very well done and moved along at a good pace. But emotionally I wasn't able to connect to the characters at all. They came across as very one dimensional. Very little detail was established about their characters. For instance with Sarah we really only learn that she comes from a family with a verbally abusive mother who is always nagging at her and telling her what to do and that she is worthless. Yet somehow Sar...more

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May 17, 2012 James rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: mysteries

Sarah Miller is a 22-year-old Londoner in a dead end job who lives with and supports her widowed mother. Her mother dominates her life in every way, and Sarah allows it because she does not know what else to do. But when she comes to the aid of an elderly woman being mugged, she becomes hopelessly embroiled in a murderous conspiracy stretching back over 2,000 years. A criminal mastermind known as the Dark Man and his mistress/wife is gathering together 13 magical items. They are the Hallows of B...more

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Feb 27, 2012 Vanessa rated it 5 of 5 stars

A well written, entertaining read

I was actually blown away by this book. It’s incredibly well written for a horror book and the pacing is probably the best I’ve ever enjoyed. I sat down to read one chapter and the next thing I realized, eleven chapters had flown by. I am not a fast reader; however, I finished this book in three days.

I’ve actually enjoyed reading the various reviews on the book and find it amusing that people are so vociferous in their distaste for the gore. This is a horror/fant...more

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Feb 07, 2012 Brian Fitzpatrick rated it 3 of 5 stars

Urban fantasy has been my fiction "drug" of choice over much of the last five to ten years. So I was excited to get a chance to read the new book from Michael Scott (author of The Alchemist, The Magician, and The Sorceress from the young adult series The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel) and playwright and screenwriter Colette Freedman, who's recently been named one of the Dramatist Guild's "50 to Watch."

But be warned. The Thirteen Hallows is not for the faint of heart. This is by far the...more

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Jan 14, 2012 Robb Terranova rated it 1 of 5 stars

Ever read a book ad wonder why you bothered to finish it. This was one of those books for me. It has been one of the most disappointing books I have ever read !!

I've read the previous four books of Michael Scott's fantasy series, "The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel," which have been decently written, plotted, accurate enough (in their use of real places and characters), and enjoyable.

This thing co-authored with playwright Colette Friedman is however, comparatively speaking, a piece of t...more Ever read a book ad wonder why you bothered to finish it. This was one of those books for me. It has been one of the most disappointing books I have ever read !!

I've read the previous four books of Michael Scott's fantasy series, "The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel," which have been decently written, plotted, accurate enough (in their use of real places and characters), and enjoyable.

This thing co-authored with playwright Colette Friedman is however, comparatively speaking, a piece of trash. I got the impression the authors got together for whatever reason, but about a quarter of the way through either got tired of each other or got tired of each other's company and decided to get this piece of junk finished as quickly as possible.

The plot seems slapped together, the characters have little charisma (two romances seem to be based on little more than lust). Again and again I found myself saying, "Oh sure, like that's really going to happen." Also, I could not believe the characters could possibly be so stupid. Thirteen people are being murdered, the clues are staring the police right in the face, yet they completely ignore them. Women who read this should be extremely upset by the female villain who, although she knows she is being used by the male villain and is easily more powerful than the male villain, allows herself to be sacrificed so he can be the most powerful person on earth. C'mon lady, the sex might be good, but you can get that somewhere else with someone who actually might love you.

The villain thinks he is going to rule the world be releasing a horde of people-eating demons and does not for a moment thing they might turn on him. He does not consider the fact that if he manages to rule it will last little more than 60 years. It would be like one Roman general thinking if he kills off all the other Romans, then he will be able to rule the rest of the world.

There is more violence in this book (and most of it of the gory, disturbing variety than is likely to happen in real life (especially when one considers that only two detectives are working on the thing rather than the hundreds that should be involved for such cruel murders). I think the words 'meat" and 'blood' are used more often in this book than such words might be used in an entire week in a busy butcher's shop.

There are also glaring errors including a crystal chess set created no later than 10 AD, more than 500 years before anything resembling the game of chess is even mentioned in historical records and at least 1400 years before the game of chess as we know it came into being.

There is also a massive storm as part of the 'thrilling climax' of the book that kills 612 people and injures about 9,000 that is totally unnecessary, does not advance the plot in any way, indicates that one of the central characters who is supposed to be Joseph of Arimathea is actually an idiot without the ability to think of a better way to create the havoc he, for some reason, thinks is necessary.

The real stupidity here is that anyone would believe the preposterous idea that the young Jesus of Nazareth would have to go to so much trouble to seal a rift between our world and the world of demons.

If I had known better I wouldn't have bothered to read this thing, but I won't reveal much more of the plot, simply because this might be the kind of junk you like. As they say, one person's trash is another person's treasure. (less)

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Dec 30, 2011 Erin rated it 5 of 5 stars

When Sarah Miller saves an elderly woman from a brutal attack and robbery she soon learns that there was more to saving Judith Walker than the impulse to help an old lady hold onto her bag. Sarah is inexplicably pulled into an ancient struggle that dates back thousands of years as a mysterious enemy seeks to destroy everything around her in his attempt to claim the rusted piece of metal that Judith entrusted her to guard. The action in The Thirteen Hallows burns across every page from start to f...more When Sarah Miller saves an elderly woman from a brutal attack and robbery she soon learns that there was more to saving Judith Walker than the impulse to help an old lady hold onto her bag. Sarah is inexplicably pulled into an ancient struggle that dates back thousands of years as a mysterious enemy seeks to destroy everything around her in his attempt to claim the rusted piece of metal that Judith entrusted her to guard. The action in The Thirteen Hallows burns across every page from start to finish as Sarah risks everything to protect the sword in her effort to stop the encroaching hoard of demons from gaining access to our world.

The Thirteen Hallows is an exciting blend of fantasy, mystery, and modern day thriller. With every new revelation comes a new twist that digs Sarah more deeply into the secret of the hallows and pits her against an enemy who will stop at nothing to kill her, and anyone else who may stand in his way, as he seeks to bring the thirteen hallows together.

One of the most impressive things about The Thirteen Hallows is the extensive, yet intricate, web of historical facts that the authors weave into the novel, which helps to establish a solid sense of the story’s probably and elevates it from the status of “just another fantasy” to something that feels fresh and new. The Thirteen Hallows is a thoughtful, action packed novel that is the first in what is sure to be a very exciting new modern day fantasy/thriller series.

Readers who enjoy modern and urban fantasies with a taste of good old-fashioned epic fantasy elements will love this book. In addition, readers who enjoy thrillers, mysteries, and crime dramas and who are open to stories with fantastical themes will also find The Thirteen Hallows to be a fun and interesting ride into a very dark and dangerous world that is steeped in equal parts of history and ancient lore.

I have to thank the publisher for sending me The Thirteen Hallows because I hadn’t heard of it prior to being asked if I’d like to review it. I said, “yes,” thinking that it sounded interesting. However, interesting doesn’t come close to capturing how much I enjoyed this novel. I really loved it and I’m already looking for the next installment. I can’t wait to see what happens next. Whatever it is, I’m sure it’s going to be well-written, extremely exciting, and very satisfying. The Thirteen Hallows was an exciting novel that was a joy to discover.(less)

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Dec 25, 2011 drey rated it 3 of 5 stars

The Thirteen Hallows combines mystery and folklore with romance and destiny in an age-old good-vs-evil story.

drey’s thoughts:

The Thirteen Hallows has everything you’d look for in a murder-mystery with magical objects at its heart – action, plot, and history. The magical objects number thirteen in all, and perform a function in keeping the demons locked away from humanity. The Guardians number thirteen as well – although they’re being systematically destroyed, so the count’s a few short. And one...more

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Dec 16, 2011 Kitty Bullard rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Book Title: "The Thirteen Hallows"
Author: Michael Scott & Colette Freedman
Published By: Tor Forge
Age Recommended: 18 +
Reviewed By: Kitty Bullard
Raven Rating: 5

Review: This book completely knocked me for a loop. By far one of the best modern fantasy books for adults I have ever read. The story revolves around the Keepers of the Thirteen Hallows, all of which are elderly having guarded these Hallows for generations after they were passed down from son to son and daughter to daughter, and so on...more

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Dec 14, 2011 Marleen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Sarah Miller is an unremarkable young woman, working a job she doesn’t like and continuously held back by her domineering mother.
When she sees an elderly woman being attacked by two junkies she does the unthinkable and intervenes. For reasons she doesn’t quite understand herself Sarah accompanies the woman, Judith Walker, to her home and when they find the place ransacked, Sarah offers Judith a bed for the night in her own house. An offer which has devastating consequences for both Sarah and Jud...more Sarah Miller is an unremarkable young woman, working a job she doesn’t like and continuously held back by her domineering mother.
When she sees an elderly woman being attacked by two junkies she does the unthinkable and intervenes. For reasons she doesn’t quite understand herself Sarah accompanies the woman, Judith Walker, to her home and when they find the place ransacked, Sarah offers Judith a bed for the night in her own house. An offer which has devastating consequences for both Sarah and Judith.
With her dying breath, Judith asks Sarah to deliver a bag containing a broken sword and papers to her cousin, Owen.
For Sarah the nightmare has only begun though. People are desperate to get their hands on the sword, and will do anything to get it, and soon Sarah finds herself having to kill just to stay alive.
Because what Sarah has been asked to look after is one of the Thirteen Hallows, ancient artifacts which protect the human world from demons who would destroy it.
For centuries the Hallows have been kept and protected by keepers whose duty it was to always keep them separate from each other. Now somebody is determined to reunite the Hallows and unleash devastation on the earth, and he’s getting close. He has killed nearly all the keepers, has collected nearly all the Hallows and will stop at nothing to complete his deadly collection.
Sarah and Owen find themselves in charge of a power they don’t understand and can’t quite believe in and facing an enemy far stronger and more ruthless than they are.
As they slowly learn more about the Hallows, about their heritage and their destinies it becomes clear that their lives will never again be what they used to be or what they expected.

This is a thrilling story. With short chapters, lots of action and even more cliff-hangers, this is a true page turner.
The book is rather full of, at times rather descriptive, violence. However, since we are dealing with demons and those who would consort with them, it makes sense for the story to be dark.
I was fascinated by the story of the Hallows, their history and the characters playing a role in that past and I liked the way it was revealed slowly, both to the reader and to the main characters in the book.
I would have liked to learn a bit more about Sarah and Owen. They were described in so little detail that they stayed a bit vague for me and I still can’t quite picture them.
However, this is the first book in a series, and it had a lot of other background information to share, so I hope that our two heroes will be further developed in subsequent books.
I would add one warning to this review though.
A lot of people may be familiar with or a fan of Michael Scott because of his “Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel” series, which is aimed at teenagers. This is on the other hand is very much a book for adults.
If you are, like me, one of those adults who couldn’t wait for the teenager in your life to finish their copy of The Alchemyst and its sequels so that you could read it yourself, this is definitely a book for you.
Finally I would like to remark on the physical beauty of this book. The cover is gorgeous and tactile while the pages of the book are printed in a beautiful and story-fitting font.(less)

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Dec 09, 2011 Jessica at Book Sake rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

When I received this book for review I started by showing it to my son and making the ooohing and aaahing sounds he detests. Come one, this is Michael Scott, author of one of his favorite series (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel), he was bound to be jealous. Then I read the first 20 pages and felt bad for my actions because this is NOT a kid’s book. So, no, my son won’t be picking this one up. I’m not familiar with Freedman (the other author), but Scott has a way with making fantasy c...more

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Oct 13, 2011 Beverly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Disclosure: I received an advance reader's copy of this book from the Amazon Vine Program in exchange for an honest review.

The Thirteen Hallows by Michael Scott and Colette Freedman

From the back of the book:

THE HALLOWS. Ancient artifacts imbued with a primal and deadly power. But are they protectors of this world, or the keys to its destruction? A gruesome murder in London reveals a sinister plot to uncover a two-thousand-year-old secret. For decades, the Keepers guarded these Hallows, keeping t...more

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Oct 05, 2011 Linda rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, paranormal, no-thanks-i-ll-pass

In a world separated from the one we inhabit, live a race of demons who love eating human flesh. Two thousand years ago, their entryway into our world was sealed off with thirteen locks, which can be opened only by their thirteen corresponding "Hallows". Each of these objects, once ordinary but now imbued with fearsome power, is strong enough in its own right, but should the thirteen ever be reunited, the demons will triumph and engulf us forever. When Sarah Miller rescues an elderly woman from...more

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Mar 25, 2013 Jesse rated it 3 of 5 stars

Ever since a fateful summer in Wales during World War II, when a bunch of young refugees from the city were sent to the countryside for safekeeping, the Thirteen Hallows - thirteen sacred, ancient treasures - have been scattered around Britain. It has been foretold that to bring them all together will be disastrous, but decades later, the children who were entrusted with the Hallows are all much older and the memory grown distant...while all the while, the forces of evil bide their time, waiting...more

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Mar 09, 2012 Knitpurlgurl rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is the story of the 13 hallows, their keepers, and the evil the hallows keep locked out of this world. A young woman, Sarah Miller, is thrust into a fight of good vs evil when she comes to the aid of an elderly woman who is mugged. When Sarah meets up with the woman's nephew, they embark on a harrowing journey as they simultaneously run from those who would kill them for the artifact they carry and try to unlock the secrets behind the hallows and their keepers.

Although I really liked the p...more

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Feb 10, 2012 Elise rated it 4 of 5 stars

I admit to being a bit surprised by the gruesomeness of this book in its first 20 pages. Like other readers, based on the marketing, I had expected more of a fantasy novel. But I read on, and so glad I did! Once I readjusted my expectations, I was pleasantly surprised, and became more so as the book continued and the complex and intriguing plot began to unfold. It became clear that the opening of the book was necessary to set up the story and even more so, the stakes, of what was to come. The fu...more

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Jan 12, 2012 Scott rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fangoria fans

Recommended to Scott by: On the shelves at Barnes and Noble

Shelves: fantasy

Wow! what a ride! Except instead of feeling exhilarating like I just stepped off good rollercoaster, I am feeling queezy like I just stumbled out of a cheep carnival tilt-a-whirl.

Though, I did find the book eminently readable and fast paced, the story was not at all what I was expecting. Reading the dust cover lead me to believe that this would be a story chuck full of archaic knowledge and old magic woven into the tapestry of a narrative that would give both history and mystery pertaining to th...more

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Jan 14, 2012 Michelle (In Libris Veritas) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, mythology-religion, horror, audiobook

In compliance with FTC guidelines, I received this book from Macmillan Audio in exchange for an honest review.

First I want to start with how fantastic Kate Reading is. She not only has a rather soothing voice but she's fabulous at providing the different voices, with different accents. I think it was an awesome move on Macmillan Audio's part to get her to read this, since it's set in the UK it only makes sense to have someone with the proper accent. I've heard other audio books that were not so...more In compliance with FTC guidelines, I received this book from Macmillan Audio in exchange for an honest review.

First I want to start with how fantastic Kate Reading is. She not only has a rather soothing voice but she's fabulous at providing the different voices, with different accents. I think it was an awesome move on Macmillan Audio's part to get her to read this, since it's set in the UK it only makes sense to have someone with the proper accent. I've heard other audio books that were not so well thought out in that aspect.

Now on to the actual story. It's certainly not what I was thinking it was going to be, but that's not a bad thing in this case. The blurb is rather spot on and it's not the plot that surprised me entirely, it's more of how very straightforward this is. It should be noted that this is not something you would call a light read, and there is a significant amount of violence, sexual content, and cursing. In both cases it's fairly blunt and anyone who can't stand a lot of either in a book should probably steer clear. I did find some of the violence really cringe-inducing because of some of the detail and at times had to take small breaks. The sex scenes are not what I would call erotic or overly sensual as they are fairly straightforward, but they are somewhat detailed and slightly numerous. However seeing as this is a book that deals with demons and ancient and primeval powers it makes sense.

The plot itself is really thought out and researched, and I personally really enjoyed the mixing of thriller and mythology. The Hallows of Britain are are not something I've seen in fiction before so I find it to be a refreshing change of pace from all the Greek and Fae lit that is out there. I had heard of the Hallows, but they are not something I was very familiar with before this novel. Now I'm extremely curious about them and kind of hoping that this won't be all Scott has to write about them. Unfortunately I would say that some of the characters lack the same detail as the plot. Sarah Miller is a great character and feel terrible for her, but I had a hard time really connecting to her counterpart Owen. The same thing goes for the Dark Man and Vivian. I felt that the Dark man was a great villian who was mysterious and creepy with an easy to understand motivation, but Vivian was hard to understand. The more I read the less I understood her reasoning to help gather the Hallows.

The writing is rather fluid and descriptive, which when paired with the short chapters and cliff hangers you end up with a book that's hard to put to down. I do recommend this, it comes with a word of caution. It's not a young adult novel like Scott's Flamel series, and it's not something that can be considered light in any sense of the word. It is a really good book though, and I'm certainly going to look into Scott's other work.(less)

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Dec 21, 2011 Kristin (MyBookishWays Reviews) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

You may also read my review here: http://www.mybookishways.com/2011/12/...

Sarah Miller is having a really, really bad day. After helping an elderly woman during an apparent mugging, the woman convinces Sarah to take an artifact of hers (a piece of a broken sword) and keep it safe. Sarah’s not quite sure why she agrees to do it, but feels that it’s somehow her duty, and agrees. Turns out this artifact is part of a broken sword with ancient and deadly powers, and it’s also one of 13 Hallows that i...more You may also read my review here: http://www.mybookishways.com/2011/12/...

Sarah Miller is having a really, really bad day. After helping an elderly woman during an apparent mugging, the woman convinces Sarah to take an artifact of hers (a piece of a broken sword) and keep it safe. Sarah’s not quite sure why she agrees to do it, but feels that it’s somehow her duty, and agrees. Turns out this artifact is part of a broken sword with ancient and deadly powers, and it’s also one of 13 Hallows that if brought together can bring about the destruction of mankind. The woman’s American nephew Owen, is also an important key to the story, and she’ll have to seek his help after a group of killers targets her entire family, seeking the artifact.

The Thirteen Hallows is a mix of horror, thriller, and fantasy that moves at a breakneck speed. I enjoyed seeing Sarah go from a timid 22 year old still living at home to a confident, strong heroine. We don’t meet Owen until a little over halfway into the novel, but I’ll enjoy seeing where their relationship goes. The main baddies (the man and woman trying to get their hands on all 13 of the Hallows), and their minions are seriously evil, nasty (and sadistic) indeed. They’re big into torture, and sex magic, and some scenes, while not gratuitous, are not for the faint of heart. It’s a race for Sarah and Owen, not only to discover the truth about the Hallows, and clear Sarah’s name, since she’s the prime suspect in a series of murders, but to escape the very people that are hot on their trail and will stop at nothing to see them dead. Their main goal is to bring the Thirteen Hallows together, which would be very, very bad (we’re talking demons getting loose kind of bad). The chapters are short, and bounce from Sarah and Owen, to the Keepers, to the bad guys, and back, and will keep you turning the pages. I kept wanting to read just “one more chapter”, which, of course, led to pretty much devouring the whole thing in 2 sittings. I really enjoyed the mythology behind the Thirteen Hallows and some of it really surprised me (in a good way), and made me wish the 2nd book was already out. If you’re a fan of thrillers with strong horror (and fantasy) elements and are in the mood for a fast moving, exciting read, you’re in for a treat with The Thirteen Hallows!(less)

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Oct 09, 2011 Trunatrschild rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: amazon-vine-program, fantasy, fiction

At the beginning, I thought I'd have difficulty putting aside my disbelief, but as I continued to read, I didn't have that problem. The action was great at first, I was on the edge of my seat, but then it just devolved into downright bloodiness. I thought that was odd for an English book, their movies don't seem to be so violent and bloody.
I think that if the author who is an 'expert in mythology and folklore' had used more of his knowledge, this book could have been a keeper. Instead it seemed...more

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Jul 11, 2012 Martin rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Kdysi dávno bylo použito třináct obyčejných věcí k zapečetí démonů, aby se nemohli dostat do našeho světa. Díky tomu se z těch věcí staly neobyčejné relikvie, které si strážci předávají z generaci na generaci. Relikvie nesmí být pohromadě, protože i jednotlivě mají velikou moc. V současnosti jedna ze Strážkyň zjišťuje, že ostatní Strážci jsou postupně vyvražďování. V médiích je to sice označováno jako nehody ale Judith Walkerová ví své. Jednoho dne jí náhoda přivede do cesty mladou Sáru. Ta Judi...more Kdysi dávno bylo použito třináct obyčejných věcí k zapečetí démonů, aby se nemohli dostat do našeho světa. Díky tomu se z těch věcí staly neobyčejné relikvie, které si strážci předávají z generaci na generaci. Relikvie nesmí být pohromadě, protože i jednotlivě mají velikou moc. V současnosti jedna ze Strážkyň zjišťuje, že ostatní Strážci jsou postupně vyvražďování. V médiích je to sice označováno jako nehody ale Judith Walkerová ví své. Jednoho dne jí náhoda přivede do cesty mladou Sáru. Ta Judith pomůže, když je napadena. Sára je tím pádem zatažena do smršti událostí. Judith jí předává relikvii, kterou dosud hlídala a žádá, aby relikvii předala Owenovi. Sára se vydává Owena, který se má stát také Strážcem, hledat a čelí spolu mnoha nebezpečím.

Sára je dost odvážná hrdinka. Po tom co se v jejím okolí děje během knihy bych spíš čekal, že se bude hroutit nebo něco podobného. Ale ne, místo toho statečně čelí osudu.

Nečetl jsem předchozí knihy od Scotta ze série Tajemství nesmrtelného Nicholase Flamela, které se řadí mezi YA tak je nemůžu porovnat. Na druhou stranu Třináct relikvií už je stejně kniha pro dospělé čtenáře. O tom se ostatně můžete přesvědčit sami už od prvních stránek. Poměrně brutální vraždy, vulgární výrazy a také sex. Ano tohle vše v knize najdete a to už od začátku. Na druhou stranu určitě nečekáte, že budou záporáci mluvit jak raketoví inženýři. Jak už jsem psal, jsou tu vraždy a předchází jim mučení.

Co mi na knize vadí je její členění. Přestože je psaná z pohledu třetí osoby, rozděluje se deníkovým stylem podle data a dne. Dále je příběh rozdělen na kapitolky. Záměrně píšu kapitolky, protože jsou na tři listy ale také jen na jednu stranu. Také o tom svědčí fakt, že na 333 stranách je kapitolek 104. Jedna kapitolka vypraví o hlavní hrdince, další o hlavním záporákovi, záporákovi poskoci a policisti. Takhle se po sobě střídají a než se stačíte začíst do jednoho, skočíte na druhý.

K obálce toho moct říct nebudu, protože kniha vyjde v srpnu a tak obálka pro české vydání zatím není. Nezbývá než doufat, že budeme mít stejnou obálku jako originální vydání, které se mi opravdu moc líbí. Je celé v modrých barvách a hlavní motiv je meč.

Jinak se mi ale příběh líbil. Kniha je dost čtivě napsaná a napínavá. Hrdinům budete od začátku fandit a přát si aby vše dobře dopadlo. Přesto musím snížit ohodnocení kvůli způsobu rozdělování jednotlivých kapitol a deníkovému dělení, které mi přišlo opravdu zbytečné.

(less)

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Dec 21, 2011 M. Ulin Nuha rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, ebook, read-in-2011, thriller

Premis buku ini mirip dengan Prophecy of the Sisters, di dunia ini ada Otherworld yang dihuni oleh Demonkind. Beberapa di antara mereka pernah masuk ke dunia kita dan membuat kerusakan. Mereka juga berhubungan dengan manusia dan menghasilkan ras vampir dan werewolf. Sekitar dua ribu tahun yang lalu, seorang anak bernama Yoshu'a menyegel gerbang antara dunia kita dan Otherworld dengan tiga belas Hallow. Tiga belas Hallow itu juga disebut Thirteen Treasures of the Island of Britain. Hallow-Hallow...more Premis buku ini mirip dengan Prophecy of the Sisters, di dunia ini ada Otherworld yang dihuni oleh Demonkind. Beberapa di antara mereka pernah masuk ke dunia kita dan membuat kerusakan. Mereka juga berhubungan dengan manusia dan menghasilkan ras vampir dan werewolf. Sekitar dua ribu tahun yang lalu, seorang anak bernama Yoshu'a menyegel gerbang antara dunia kita dan Otherworld dengan tiga belas Hallow. Tiga belas Hallow itu juga disebut Thirteen Treasures of the Island of Britain. Hallow-Hallow tersebut dititipkan kepada para Penjaga dan diwariskan turun temurun. Secara individual, Hallow memiliki kekuatan yang luar biasa yang bisa dimanfaatkan Penjaganya. Tapi jika digabungkan, ketiga belas Hallow tersebut akan membawa bencana.

Tujuh puluh tahun yang lalu, tiga belas anak diungsikan ke pedesaan Madoc, Wales, Inggris karena adanya Perang Dunia. Mereka bersahabat dan menjalani kehidupan tenang di sana. Sampai suatu ketika, seorang kakek bernama Ambrose memberikan masing-masing kepada mereka sebuah Hallow untuk dijaga.

Judith Walker adalah seorang penulis novel urban fantasy. Ia juga merupakan salah satu dari tiga belas anak yang dititipi Hallow tujuh puluh tahun yang lalu. Hallow-nya berupa Pedang Dyrnwyn yang katanya merupakan Hallow terkuat. Di suatu jalan, seorang pemuda hendak merampoknya dan memintanya memberitahukan keberadaan Hallow-nya. Seorang gadis bernama Sarah Miller yang kebetulan lewat kemudian menolong Judith.

Ternyata, ada seorang pria yang sedang berusaha mengumpulkan tiga belas Hallow untuk membuka gerbang Otherworld. Dan pemuda yang merampok Judith tadi adalah suruhan pria ini. Pria ini sudah berhasil mengumpulkan sepuluh Hallow dan akan segera melakukan ritual pembukaan gerbang empat hari lagi, yakni pada 31 Oktober atau yang dikenal sebagai Hallowe'en atau Samhain, salah satu hari penting dalam budaya Celtic di mana dunia fisik dan dunia supranatural berada pada kondisi terdekat.

Dalam keadaan darurat, Judith meminta tolong Sarah untuk menyerahkan Hallow-nya kepada keponakannya, Owen Walker, beserta beberapa diary dan hasil risetnya mengenai Tiga Belas Hallow. Dan terjadilah adegan kejar-kejaran dengan pembunuh dan pihak berwajib ala The Da Vinci Code, serta pembunuhan-pembunuhan sadis pada orang-orang yang terlibat.

Genre buku ini sih fiksi dewasa jadi jangan kaget kalau ada banyak adegan pembunuhan sadis dan banyak adegan seks di dalamnya. Malah, si bad guy-nya ini mempercayai bahwa ritual seks merupakan salah satu jenis ritual sihir tertua.

Buku ini mencampurkan Celtic Mythology dan Christian Folklore (kalau nggak salah). Tapi nggak heran juga sih, kan spesialisasinya Om Michael Scott di mitologi Celtic. Banyak tokoh dan obyek mitologi (dan sejarah) yang disebutkan di buku ini seperti Fallen Angel, Arthur dan Sword in the Stone, De Danann, John Dee, Ratu Elizabeth, dan Joseph Arimathea. Di sini juga dijelaskan mengenai konsep Otherworld dan Astral Projection.

Rangkaian ceritanya sendiri hanya terjadi selama empat hari dan diceritakan seperti novel-novel suspense-thriller lainnya. Saya menikmati gaya penceritaannya walaupun juga merasa risih dengan adegan pembunuhannya. Yang menurut saya agak kurang adalah pada sisi karakternya. Karakternya tidak berhasil membuat saya jatuh cinta (apasih!). Mereka sepertinya melakukan sesuatu hanya karena mereka 'harus' melakukannya (beberapa karakter memiliki motif yang lumayan kuat sih).

Dan setelah saya berbahagia karena seolah mendapatkan buku fantasi yang tidak berseri, saya mendapati sedikit kekecewaan di beberapa bab akhir buku karena sepertinya kedua penulis memang merencanakan membuat sekuel.

Jadi, empat bintang untuk Thirteen Hallows.(less)

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Jan 11, 2012 Jenna rated it 2 of 5 stars

The Thirteen Hallows is yet another supernatural thriller based around a mystical object (in this case a sword) that gives the user supernatural abilities. As usual, there are bad people looking for it, and good people dying to protect it.

The story has everything in place to be exciting and enjoyable despite it's predictabe story line. There are plenty of appropriately sympathetic, or thoroughly despicable characters and action to keep the pace brisk and engaging. Where the author lost me was i...more

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Jan 01, 2012 Christopher rated it 3 of 5 stars

Michael Scott is a fun, young adult author that I picked up and have been reading his Flamel series, so I thought I would give this a try. Unfortunately this is not quite the same caliber. I breezed through The Thirteen Hallows, so if you want a quick read this will definitely fit the bill. The characters do not seem that developed or even interesting. The background story of each character, which are important, had major holes that even the fantastic elements of the novel could not patch. There...more

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Aug 19, 2012 Kristen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Mythology, religion, magic and action make for an interesting and exciting thriller.

When Sarah Miller comes to the aid of an elderly woman who appears to be being mugged, she has no idea that she has just involved herself in a centuries old battle that could lead to the end of the world as we know it.

Sarah takes the old woman, Judith Walker, home with her, after seeing her to her own flat and realizing it's been trashed. But once Sarah is seen to have been "with" Judith, the shadowy people who a...more Mythology, religion, magic and action make for an interesting and exciting thriller.

When Sarah Miller comes to the aid of an elderly woman who appears to be being mugged, she has no idea that she has just involved herself in a centuries old battle that could lead to the end of the world as we know it.

Sarah takes the old woman, Judith Walker, home with her, after seeing her to her own flat and realizing it's been trashed. But once Sarah is seen to have been "with" Judith, the shadowy people who are trying to kill Judith are now on Sarah's trail.

Thinking Judith gave an artifact to Sarah, these people - who will stop at absolutely nothing to get it back - murder Sarah's entire family, making it look like Sarah herself is guilty of the horrible crime. Sarah is soon on the run, trying desperately to figure out what is going on, how she's involved, and what to do next. Her only ally is Judith's nephew Owen, to whom, Judith's dying words are directed via Sarah, and whom Judith tells Sarah to take the artifact to.

This is a very good story. The author blends mythology, religious history, myth and magic to make for a very intriguing and entertaining story. There is quite a bit of violence in the story, although it is mostly implied rather than being graphic and gory details. You know people are dying, and in gruesome ways, but you aren't subjected to every bloody detail, and can gloss over that if you are not a fan of gore.

The story mostly revolves around Sarah and Owen, two ordinary young people who are mystified and terrified to suddenly be dragged into an epic battle between good and evil. They have no idea what to do or whom to trust, and it's the actions they take and how they handle the situation that really makes for an interesting character-driven plot.

My only real complaint about the story was the ending. The actual ending itself was fine, and what I wanted to happen, but after the detailed and exhaustive setup the author writes leading up to the ending, the ending itself seemed extremely abrupt and abbreviated when it actually came. It was almost as though the author ran out of steam towards the end and just wanted to get it done. Although it was a bit jarring, this didn't detract too much from the overall story, which I really did enjoy and would recommend as a good read.(less)

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