Gods and Warriors (Gods and Warriors, #1)

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Gods and Warriors (Gods and Warriors #1)

3.76 of 5 stars 3.76 · rating details · 263 ratings · 69 reviews

From a time of myths and ancient magic will come the legend of the lost city of Atlantis, tales of gods and warriors – and the rise of a hero.

His sister is missing. His dog has been killed. High in the Greek mountains, Hylas is running for his life.

The mysterious black warriors want Hylas dead. So begins his quest across land and sea with only a girl and a dolphin by his s...more

Paperback, UK, 304 pages

Published August 28th 2012 by Puffin

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Oct 22, 2012 Phoebe rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Deborah, Cheryl

Shelves: adventure, historical, juv-fantasy, juv, bronze-age

A thrilling beginning sets the tone for this wonderfully researched and written new historical fantasy set in the Mediterranean Bronze Age, as goatherd Hylas is on the run for his life, an arrow in his arm, and utter terror and bewilderment in his heart. Why are the terrifying ashy-colored Crows bent on killing him, after killing his dog and shooting him? Where is his little sister? As an Outsider, he can't get help from the village, and so steals provisions and seeks shelter in a tomb, only to...more

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Oct 14, 2012 James rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: bad-books, waste-of-good-paper, no-good, toilet-paper

I was looking forward to reading the first book in the Gods and Warriors series. It was set in the bronze age, the blurb at the back of book sounded interesting and the title 'Gods and Warriors' made the book sound like a title worthy of Percy Jackson. Sadly the actual story is boring and doesn't in anyway make you want to read on the way Percy Jackson, The Hunger Games and Alex Rider do. I must admit the first chapter was a little bit exciting. The main problem I had with this, was the author m...more

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Jun 18, 2012 Mary rated it 5 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Actually, I am wavering between four and five stars on this one. Until I finished the book, I was thinking: what a lot I could learn from Michelle Paver! She has the gift of writing such a gripping story that you (I, at least) put down every other book in order to finish hers. She can also be trusted to do her research, write believable characters, and use good, clean prose. All this makes her books a pleasure to read.

This new series is set in Bronze-age Greece (before it was Greece) and Crete....more Actually, I am wavering between four and five stars on this one. Until I finished the book, I was thinking: what a lot I could learn from Michelle Paver! She has the gift of writing such a gripping story that you (I, at least) put down every other book in order to finish hers. She can also be trusted to do her research, write believable characters, and use good, clean prose. All this makes her books a pleasure to read.

This new series is set in Bronze-age Greece (before it was Greece) and Crete. I was extremely taken with the character of Pirra, a Cretan 12-year-old who has been promised in marriage to an Achaean lord she has never seen. Pirra is determined to escape. More than anything, she wants freedom to make her own life. Interestingly, until she meets the second protagonist, her best friend is an Egyptian slave who is like an older brother to her.

That protagonist, whom Pirra encounters as he tries to steal a boat, is the young goatherd Hylas. The book begins with Hylas wounded and running for his life from black-clad, ash-coated warriors. His goal is to survive the tumult he is caught up in and find his little sister. But, at every turn, he encounters more mysteries and more danger. He also makes a friend; a young dolphin he names Spirit, who saves his life when he is lost at sea. The relationship between Hylas and Spirit is reminiscent of the friendship between Torak and Wolf in the "Chronicles of Ancient Darkness". Paver writes animals and their viewpoints awfully well, and Spirit becomes the third pov character.

The fourth is Hylas's best friend, Telemon, who is caught in a terrible quandary. He has a relationship with the Crows, the warriors who have tried to kill Hylas, and who have driven Hylas's little sister further into the mountains. As a chieftain's son, Telemon is bound to obey his father. But he wants to help Hylas and little Issi. Can he find a way to fulfill all his obligations? I don't want to say more about Telemon's quandary, but I do hope we see more of him in further books. I could empathize with him, and, by the end of this book, he had come to a somewhat dubious decision, one that I hope he will rethink.

As for Hylas, he's a tough, illiterate kid - very capable and very ignorant at once. I liked the way he and Pirra, when stranded on a dangerous, sacred island, struck sparks off each other and also filled gaps in each others' knowledge. One of the things they discover is exactly why the Crows are hunting and killing outsiders like Hylas. There is, of course, a prophecy, and the Crows are determined to see it never comes true. The prophecy concerns a dagger which Hylas is given by a dying man. Hylas comes to think the weapon is evil and that it has a mind of its own. I think he might be right.

The reason I'm wavering between 4 and 5 stars is that, fine as it is, this story does not quite stand alone. I was frustrated that we never found out what happened to little Issi, and, at the end of the book, all four of the viewpoint characters have been separated. That was frustrating, too!

One of the blurbs about this series is that Hylas would be helped in his quest by three animals, a dolphin, a falcon, and a lion cub. We have met the dolphin, and he seems strongly linked to Hylas. I have a suspicion that the falcon will be linked to Pirra, and the lion cub to Telemon, the chief's son. We'll see!

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Jun 10, 2012 Li-hsin rated it 5 of 5 stars

4.5 stars. It's the first book I picked up from the pile of ARCs I got from the BEA. I've finished it just now, and I can finally sleep and dream about dolphins. I loved it. Michelle Paver's previous fantasy series "chronicles of ancient darkness," set in the ancient hunting-gathering paleolithic age, is my absolute favorite, so I had super high expectations for this book, which is the first in her new middle grade fantasy series set in the bronze age. I was blown away once again. Unlike Torak's...more

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Aug 12, 2012 SJH (A Dream of Books) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-review, own, young-adult, historical-fiction

I'm a huge fan of Michelle Paver and I loved her Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series. I was therefore massively excited to have an opportunity to review the first book in her brand new series 'Gods and Warriors'.

The story is set during the Bronze Age and features an unlikely hero called Hylas, a twelve year old boy who finds himself being hunted down by rebels at the start of the book. The beginning is fast paced and incredibly thrilling as Hylas manages to escape but finds himself separated f...more I'm a huge fan of Michelle Paver and I loved her Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series. I was therefore massively excited to have an opportunity to review the first book in her brand new series 'Gods and Warriors'.

The story is set during the Bronze Age and features an unlikely hero called Hylas, a twelve year old boy who finds himself being hunted down by rebels at the start of the book. The beginning is fast paced and incredibly thrilling as Hylas manages to escape but finds himself separated from his younger sister Issi and out in the world on his own.

I thought the setting for the story was wonderful. Michelle Paver always does such thorough and meticulous research and this pays off with fantastically precise details of Hylas's world. I found the beliefs of the people of the Bronze Age hugely interesting and enjoyed reading about their connections to the spirits and their rituals in worshipping a greater power. The descriptions of all the places that Hylas visits in the book are rich and detailed which made them easy to imagine as I was reading.

There are lots of other great characters in the book too, including Pirra who wants to experience freedom but is destined for a marriage she does not want. Her path eventually crosses with that of Hylas as they each face personal struggles.

One of my favourite things about Paver's books is the way she depicts the relationship between people and animals. as well as the chapters from Hylas's point of view, there are also the ones seen through the eyes of the dolphin that comes to his rescue. From the dolphin is conveyed a sense of the vastness and beauty of the ocean and it's hidden depths. Although animal and boy, the two share a special bond which runs extremely deep.

'Gods and Warriors' is a brilliantly written opening to what promises to be an epic adventure. Paver is definitely back even better than ever. This is the first in a five book series, the next of which will be published in 2013, so I'm looking forward immensely to following Hylas on the next stage of his journey.
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Aug 21, 2012 TheBookSmugglers rated it 2 of 5 stars

Ana’s Take:

Gods and Warriors is set in the Bronze Age of Ancient Greece, when Mycenae and Crete were kind of ruling that part of the world. Young Hylas is our protagonist, an orphaned goatherd and an Outsider (i.e. not part of a village) whose sister disappears when they are both attacked by strange warriors bent on killing all Outsiders. On the run for his life and desperate to find his little sister and an explanation for the Outsider killings, Hylas befriends a dolphin and Pirra, the runaway...more

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Oct 21, 2012 Alison rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: confident-readers-chapter-books

Michelle Paver's Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series is one of the best recent children's series, so I was very much looking forward to reading this one, based in bronze-age Greece, pre-classical period. And I wasn't disappointed. Her ability to conjure up the cold and dangers of ancient Scandinavia translates to Greece, with the dangers from sea, sun and volcanoes to her protagonists Hylas and Pirra.

Hylas is an Outsider in Lyconia- he and his sister Issi are blonde haired, and therefore heard...more

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Jul 13, 2012 Sugar rated it 4 of 5 stars

Review:

The back cover of the book mentioned that this story was for readers who enjoyed the Percy Jackson series. This fact alone made me start reading as soon as I got my hands on it. Fortunately, there were numerous reasons to like this book aside from the small snippet regarding Percy.

I have never read a book where the storyline dates so far back in history and I was thoroughly entertained. Of course, most credit goes to the likeable characters, constant action and imaginative writing instea...more

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Feb 10, 2013 Helen Huber rated it 5 of 5 stars

What a fabulous read by Michelle Paver, author of the also excellent Wolf Brother series in the Chronicles of Darkness series. Set in ancient Greece during the bronze era, this book follows the journey of a 12-year Outsider, separated from his younger sister and haunted by the death of his dog. Issues of friendship, trust and identity twirl through the plot. Why is he being chased and hunted down? The characters are well-developed and realistically portrayed with their strengths and the plot zoo...more

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Sep 24, 2012 Book Chatter-Cath rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed, to-read-review, booksellersnz

original review here: http://mybookchatterchat.blogspot.co....

On the run from the war hungry Crows, Hylas is afraid for more than just his own life, but the life of his missing sister Issi also.

In his haste to find Issi, tension and excitement ensues when Hylas is helped by his friend Telamon, crosses paths with young bride-to-be Pirra, gets saved by a mischievous dolphin and ends up stranded on an almost deserted Island with more questions than answers.

Fighting for their lives, Hylas and Pirra...more

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Aug 26, 2012 Darby Karchut rated it 5 of 5 stars

My ARC of GODS AND WARRIORS just arrived in the mail via the First Reads program. Can't wait to begin tonight! Thanks, Penguin Teen and Dial Books for Young Readers, for sending it to me.

UPDATE: Here's my review:

Michelle Paver’s latest book goes to the top of my recommended list. Right. Now. As a junior high teacher and middle grade author, I found Gods and Warriors to be spot on for this age group. This book has perfectly actualized characters, (both main and supporting) and a pounding plot all...more

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Dec 08, 2012 Charlotte rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is just fantastic, I wish Michelle Paver had been around when I was little. She has a very natural writing style so you barely even notice you're reading, you're just there, with the characters. There are some genuinely scary bits, possibly because like Pirra I'm not keen on enclosed spaces (had to turn off The Descent long before the monsters showed up), and the peril seems real because the characters are so well drawn, they are clever and resourceful, without being unbelievable, but don't...more

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Oct 10, 2012 Sandee rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: children-s-must-read, own-it

4.5 stars

You can also find my review at http://tenuinanoa.blogspot.com/2012/1...

Thank you Penguin for the free book! I was so happy that I received this book. The story did not disappoint. Hylas is a tough, wild sort and a survivor. He is chosen to fulfill a prophecy which yet remains a mystery. Paver's world building skills are superb as it was with the Wolf Brother series. I love the mix of mystic and mother nature. I like the undertones of magic that are subtle yet unmistakeable.
Pirra, I am...more

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Jan 24, 2013 Amanda Northrup rated it 3 of 5 stars

I loved Michelle Paver's Wolf Brother and I wanted Gods and Warriors to be equally as fun and addicting. It wasn't. Although the story arc is interesting, Hylas is being pursued by blood-thirsty warriors, the actual writing didn't do it for me.

I think the trouble was that the structure was too similar to to Paver's other works in the Wolf Brother series - two kids and a wild animal beat the bad guys. This time, the characters just weren't as gripping (a dolphin?) and the structure felt redundant...more

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Mar 12, 2013 MrsB rated it 3 of 5 stars

This has a well-developed fantasy/ancient world, but I felt like it took a long time to connect with the characters. The pacing was kind of slow for an adventure, and you knew the entire time that it was going to set up a series and probably not get very far. For fans of the Wolf Brother series, this should be comparable. Rather than the wolf/human connection, this one focuses on a dolphin/human connection. I'm never really sure whether to classify Paver as fantasy or historical fiction. On the...more

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Nov 01, 2012 Katharine rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: children-s, historical-fiction

Exciting, evocative and engrossing story that once it got going was impossible to put down. As with "The Chronicles of Ancient Darkness" series this book catapults you into another era, in this case the Greek Bronze Age, and paints a vivid picture of the beliefs and ways of survival in that time. Hylas, Pirra and Telamon all sprang to life with faults and flaws that make them believable and interesting characters. The icing on the cake is the depiction of Spirit, the dolphin who befriends Hylas,...more

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Jul 31, 2012 Jen (Almost Grown-up) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: bea-12, mg

Posted to Almost Grown-up:

The back cover of Gods and Warriors by Michelle Paver boasts that it’s “perfect for fans of Percy Jackson.” I qualify under that category MOST ARDENTLY, so I was really really excited to begin reading. I don’t think it’s really perfect for Percy Jackson fans… but it might just be perfect for me.

One thing Gods and Warriors does have in common with Percy Jackson is the way that young kids have these really awful things happen to them and wind up in this impossibly huge si...more

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May 16, 2013 Madame Librarian added it

Shelves: abandoned

Arg. After my friends "liked" this book, I thought I had better give it a try. I just couldn't do it. I read Wolf Brother, the first of the Chronicles of Ancient Darkness, and liked the story very much but was totally put off by the setting and all of the "primitive spiritualism". Not my thing at all and it really bothered me long after I had finished the book. I thought Gods and Warriors might be different but I felt like I was rereading Wolf Brother. I abandonded it because I just don't have t...more

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Mar 23, 2013 Travis Berketa rated it 3 of 5 stars

I'm not 100% sure how I felt about this book. After reading it, I fell that I have only read an introduction to the story, rather than Book 1 of the story. I am looking forward to the second book, which will hopefully give more answers instead of raise more questions. I felt that I was only beginning to understand Hylas' character and his purpose. Pirra and Spirit were somewhat annoying in certain scenes, but I believe that it was more the way they were written. I felt Telamon, who is meant to b...more

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Dec 17, 2012 Lett' rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

http://letteraturaa.wordpress.com/201...

Avant de commencer ce livre, je ne savais pas du tout quoi penser…je pensais à un livre sur les dieux gréco-romains à l’antiquité, c’est pour ça que je fus assez agréablement surpris de découvrir l’histoire qui se passait bien avant cela. Ce livre au final fut pour moi une assez bonne lecture malgré de petits défauts assez nombreux.

Tout d’abord, parlons des points positifs de ce livre qui rester tout de même une assez bonne lecture. Ainsi, on a deux person...more http://letteraturaa.wordpress.com/201...

Avant de commencer ce livre, je ne savais pas du tout quoi penser…je pensais à un livre sur les dieux gréco-romains à l’antiquité, c’est pour ça que je fus assez agréablement surpris de découvrir l’histoire qui se passait bien avant cela. Ce livre au final fut pour moi une assez bonne lecture malgré de petits défauts assez nombreux.

Tout d’abord, parlons des points positifs de ce livre qui rester tout de même une assez bonne lecture. Ainsi, on a deux personnages principaux des plus attachants comme Hylas et Pira… Hylas est peut-être le plus attachant dès le début parce qu’on connait sa situation et on s’est comment il en est arrivé là ! Donc, j’ai énormément apprécié découvrir les histoires d’Hylas, sa fuite, son histoire avec le dauphin…tout est juste magnifiquement bien présenté !

Par la suite, on découvre Pira. Personnellement, je ne savais pas vraiment ce qu’elle faisait dans l’histoire puisque je n’avais pas lu la quatrième de couverture, mais malgré cela, on l’aime tout de suite Pira. Vu sa situation désastreuse, on ne peut que l’aimer puisqu’elle n’a pas une vie heureuse si l’on puis dire…

Et en parlant de personnage, j’allais oublier le personnage le plus intéressant de l’histoire qui m’a fait continuer ce livre malgré ses défauts, eh bien c’est le dauphin ! C’est bien le seul livre de ma bibliothèque où j’ai un personnage animal dont on découvre l’histoire de son point de vue complètement à part, totalement déroutant, mais l’on comprend tout de suite que ce dauphin va servir à quelque chose…et pour finir, il est juste trop mignon comme dauphin ! Vous ne pouvez que l’apprécier !

Quant à l’action, elle est extrêmement diverse, j’allais dire on n’a pas le temps de s’ennuyer, mais ce n’est pas entièrement vrai, donc je dirais plus qu’il y a de l’action mais pas tout le temps, et ça peut assez déranger. Mais je ne dis pas qu’il n’y a pas d’action, ça serait mentir parce que l’auteur a tissé une très bonne intrigue avec des petites choses qui interviennent petit à petit…mais parfois, il y a des blancs ! Et c’est bien ça qui a cassé tout mon délire et m’a ressentir plein de sentiments contradictoires dans ce livre.

En effet, quand je parle de sentiments contradictoires, c’est qu’ils le sont vraiment !!! Dès le début, j’ai vraiment adoré ce livre, je me disais qu’enfin j’allais apprécier du Michelle Paver, et que ça allait être un super moment de lecture. Mais mon optimisme n’a pas vraiment duré puisque j’ai commencé à haïr les petits blancs où il ne se passait pas grand chose…donc je me demandais même si je devais l’abandonner ou pas ! Mais non, je l’ai pas abandonné et j’ai d’ailleurs bien fait puisque malgré ses défauts, ce fut une bonne lecture.

Je voulais juste vous parler de l’époque dans laquelle tout se passe. Je ne sais pas comment l’auteur l’a fait, mais cela n’avait rien d’historique dans le sens où l’on était pas extrêmement dérouté, et j’ai beaucoup apprécié ce talent de l’auteur. Sinon, je peux juste vous dire que l’époque traité est assez originale, et j’ai apprécié découvrir des choses sur cette avant-Histoire, si l’on peut dire.

Je ne sais pas du tout le nombre de livres qu’il y aura dans cette saga, mais j’ai adoré la fin ! Elle est vraiment triste, on laisse nos à-priori et on fonce droit dans l’histoire à qui on s’attache tellement, cette ambiance assez spéciale crée va nous manquer, on le sait…donc on attend l’inévitable, il arrive et nous emporte l’histoire avec…

Cette ambiance et les personnages me manquent…j’espère que la suite sortira de sitôt avec une aussi belle couverture que la première.

C’était donc mon humble avis sur un assez bon livre à lire je dirais par les plus jeunes qui pourront passer outre les défauts mais par vous aussi, jeunes ou pas !(less)

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Oct 27, 2012 Emelie rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: own

1. LET ME SLAP HER, LET ME SLAP HER, PLEEEEEEAAAAAASE!
Pirra - annoying, stupid and just plain slapable. Wow, she is such a stupid little spoiled brat! Brave and stupid, and I really can't stand stupid people. I mean, is she serious?
"OH NOES, HYLAS IS IN DANGER, I MUST HELP HIM" *gets lost* -.-
"OH SHIET, HE MIGHT DIE ANY SECOND NOW, I MUST...- OOOOOHH LOOK A SHELL! I MUST LOOK AT IT FOR FIVE MINUTES!" Seriously?
description

2. Errr... what? I... what just happened? So... the knife... the island... the gods....more 1. LET ME SLAP HER, LET ME SLAP HER, PLEEEEEEAAAAAASE!
Pirra - annoying, stupid and just plain slapable. Wow, she is such a stupid little spoiled brat! Brave and stupid, and I really can't stand stupid people. I mean, is she serious?
"OH NOES, HYLAS IS IN DANGER, I MUST HELP HIM" *gets lost* -.-
"OH SHIET, HE MIGHT DIE ANY SECOND NOW, I MUST...- OOOOOHH LOOK A SHELL! I MUST LOOK AT IT FOR FIVE MINUTES!" Seriously?
description

2. Errr... what? I... what just happened? So... the knife... the island... the gods. What?
I was a bit confused when it came to the story of this book, I couldn't seem to grasp it... It wasn't very clear to me, or maybe it was and I was just overthinking it. Yeah, that might've been it. But, anyways, the gods... normally, since I love history and think it's interesting how religion affected people's lives thousands of years ago... I was thinking about these different phenomenas in the book and how they could be explained today. I mean, people used religion etc. to explain unexplainable things, stuff that they couldn't understand and that science has found answers to over time. But these phenomenas... I was thinking: "okay, so, how can I explain this scientifically?" That disturbed me, because I couldn't grasp what the "miracles", or whatever they were, were trying to tell me. I couldn't interpret and understand the situation... maybe that brings me closer to the Bronze Age people?

3. SCRAM IS DEAD.
I'm sorry, but this made me laugh. Throughout the whole book, Hylas is either worrying about surviving, escaping the Crows or how to find his sister... OR, he's complaining about that his dog is dead. In the first few chapters he repeated this: "I need to escape. I need to find Issi. SCRAM IS DEAD!" or "Why are they after the Outsiders? WHY DID THEY KILL SCRAM?" I mean, seriously, IT'S A DOG. GET OVER IT. Does this make me sound very coldhearted? Well, I don't care. It was a bit funny that he mourned his dog as much as he did, screw that he's got armed men at his heels and an idiot following his every step. Yeah, Pirra, I'm talking about you!

4. All in all
I'm sorry, I'm making it sound like I hated the book. I didn't. I thought it was okay, but no, not even close to The Chronicles of Ancient Darkness. I'm still holding on to the first three books of Paver's earlier series, and this wasn't even CLOSE to how good those books are. Don't get me wrong, I kinda liked this book as well, but not nearly as much as Wolf Brother or Spirit Walker. Paver is still one of my favourite childhood authors, and I fangirled like crazy when I met her a few weeks ago... She's lovely, by the way :D Anywho, I still appreciate her works and will regard her as one of my favourite childhood authors - but I didn't like this book VERY much. It was okay, and I absolutely adore Paver's leap into the history books. I love that she tells stories of the Stone Age and, in this case, the Bronze Age - that she is so close to history, that she does her research before writing her books and all that. I love that it feels very real, that's one of the reasons why Wolf Brother was so good. This, though, I loved that she tried Bronze Age and, admittedly, I don't know very much about the time in history... but it didn't feel very Bronze Age-y. It was more modern than the Stone Age, yes, but I couldn't really imagine this story as well as I could imagine every single happening in Wolf Brother. Yet, I love the research for this book. Really creative, I love that Paver is so original in ther works. It great, but this book just didn't do it for me. Sorry.
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Apr 19, 2013 TheBookAddictedGirl rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Everyone!

Shelves: arc, blog-tour, for-review, in-my-mailbox, signed, action-adventure, amazing-worlds, british-fiction, coming-of-age, fantasy, favourite-series, historical-fiction, mythical, magic, pre-teen, read-2012, ya-child-crossover

4¼ Out of 5
“But why we're the black warriors after Outsides? It didn't make sense. Nobody cares about Outsiders; they're the lowest of the low…”
Hylas is an Outsider, a boy without kin, ancestors or a clan. A nobody, the lowest of the low. No one cares about him, no one other than his sister Issi and his dog Scram.
And then the Crow warriors attack. They are killing Outsiders, and Hylas has no idea why.
He doesn't know where his sister is or if she is even alive. Scram is dead.
On the run and feari...more 4¼ Out of 5
“But why we're the black warriors after Outsides? It didn't make sense. Nobody cares about Outsiders; they're the lowest of the low…”
Hylas is an Outsider, a boy without kin, ancestors or a clan. A nobody, the lowest of the low. No one cares about him, no one other than his sister Issi and his dog Scram.
And then the Crow warriors attack. They are killing Outsiders, and Hylas has no idea why.
He doesn't know where his sister is or if she is even alive. Scram is dead.
On the run and fearing for his life, Hylas fled the only home he's known - he must carry out his quest alone. Until he finds Pirra – the daughter of the High Priestess, who grew up in the House of the Goddess and has just seen the outside world for the first time, having fled the arranged marriage she is meant to be forced into – as well as a dolphin named Spirit.
But even with their help, can Hylas escape the Crow Warriors? Can he find his sister? And will he ever know why the Crows are after him?
And what is the importance of the plain bronze dagger a dying man pressed into his hand...?
I love Michelle's Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series. It's so new and awesome and cool. Gods and Warriors – well, it just exceeded even my highest expectations. I raced through the story at warp speed, gobbling it all up. I felt like I was there with Hylas and Pirra and Spirit, going on all their adventures with them, seeing the island and Blue Deep with Spirit. I loved every second of the book and can't wait for the sequel: I also can't wait to pass this onto my brothers – they love Michelle just as much as me and are desperate to get their hands on Gods and Warriors!
Hylas was an outsider – and really kind of amoral. I found finding out what he didn't know intriguing – he didn't know what a bath was, for example, and had never seen a horse up close. And even though he had this rule to not help people who couldn't help you, he was still caring and a generally good person, albeit a bit selfish. As for Pirra, I totally got her obsession with freedom. She was totally useless at living rough, but she was strong and tough and determined. She kind of hated her mother, but in her toughest moment, Pirra thought of her. It's little oddities like that that made Pirra – and in fact, all of the characters – come to life. And I loved Spirit, the dolphin. He was so clever and protective and I loved seeing the world through his eyes – he saw everything so differently and it was so intriguing and amazing. I just loved him to pieces.
Plus, the relationship between Hylas and Pirra killed me. They were such unlikely friends, so mismatched. That just made me crack up – how they scoffed at everything the other didn't know... Until they had to ask what something meant! But they were totally on the same level and were a brilliant team, even though they really were the oddest pair!
There weren't really that many big characters in the book. Sure, we had the leads but there weren't that many others. Somehow, Michelle made me fall head over heels or into an instant burning hate for these few characters. She's amazing... But I also really liked Userref, Pirra's slave and surrogate big brother. I really didn't like Pirra's mother, though, 'cause she was heartless! But Telamon was a great character too – he was noble and honourable: a warrior.
I love Michelle's writing to absolute pieces - it's so marvellously descriptive and paints a picture in my head. And I absolutely loved the time I spent in Spirit the dolphin's head – I loved being a dolphin! He thought hair was seaweed – that one really made me giggle! Now, I'm not squeamish or anything, but the scenes where Hylas was eating raw fish or turtle eyeballs or drinking blood – just YUCK. It doesn't help I'm a vegetarian, I think. But kids will love the gory stuff – they do love Horrible Histories after all! Actually, I love HH too... So funny!
Back on topic: the plotline was even better. It had me hooked from the very first sentence. The action started on the very first page and didn't let up. It was nonstop and totally addictive – I loved every second and was constantly guessing: I had no idea where it was all going whatsoever!
And the setting? Oh, so epic! I loved learning about all the rituals and rites and beliefs. They were all so different and intriguing to me. I could so see how much work Michelle had put into it - it was all so amazing! Their belief system knocked my socks right off! I loved learning all about all the gods, all the mythologies and rituals. And I loved all the spirit-y stuff. Oh, I just loved the entire setting full stop. Loved the whole book full stop…
A story that had me hooked every single moment and racing towards the end, Gods and Warriors us a book both children and their parents will love – whether it's being read aloud or in your head, you're always be hearing: just one more chapter... This is the perfect book for all reluctant readers and reading addicts alike – whether you're ten or a little older... I know I'll be anxiously and excitedly waiting for the next in the series – what can I say? I'm hooked!(less)

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Jul 06, 2012 Lillian rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, kids, topten2012

Lately I've had a hard time finding books in this age group (roughly 9 to 12) that really grab me, but this one was great. It's set in bronze age Greece, but never gets overwhelmed by historical detail. Like her other book for this age (Wolf Brother) it is on the bloody end of the scale - not really overly violent, just that the scenes with blood are very descriptive. It's well-written and interesting and not exactly what I expected. Also, there's a strong boy and girl character so it's great fo...more

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Oct 20, 2012 Kristen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: middlegrade, mythology, action-adventure

First Impression:
When I heard Michelle was starting a new series, I was intrigued, having read Wolf Brother and enjoying it. Also, she writes in a unique setting that my higher readers really find interesting and I was excited to see that she kept to olden times.

While Reading:
It was hard to put this book down. When we meet Hylas he is already on the run from the Crows, separated from his sister and trying to stay alive. He's an outsider, not from the land he resides on and the tribe barely tol...more

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Jul 24, 2012 Lexie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: genre-historical, genre-fantasy, genre-young-adult, review-blog, 2012

Prelim Review: I've been intrigued by ancient societies and cultures for as long as I can remember breathing. Egypt holds most of my interest, but honestly I'll read anything set in BC time period as long as its interesting. GODS AND WARRIORS, the first in its series, is set during Bronze Age Greece--a first for me--and is fast paced, engrossing and utterly entertaining. I read this over the course of about two hours--that's right TWO HOURS--because I couldn't bear to put it down.

I was a little...more

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Sep 16, 2012 Christa (More Than Just Magic) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: publisher-penguin, arc, bea-12, middle-grade, genre-fantasy, part-of-a-series

Originally posted at Hooked on Books

Michelle Paver, author of the incredibly popular Chronicles of Ancient Darkness, is back with the start of a brand new Middle Grade series. I immediately fell for the premise of this book – fantasy, Bronze Age, a dolphin companion! It's hard to tell what hooked me in more.

From page one I was absolutely captivated by the mystique of this book. Michelle Paver truly has a way with words. Word by word, sentence by sentence a picture was painted in my mind of the w...more Originally posted at Hooked on Books

Michelle Paver, author of the incredibly popular Chronicles of Ancient Darkness, is back with the start of a brand new Middle Grade series. I immediately fell for the premise of this book – fantasy, Bronze Age, a dolphin companion! It's hard to tell what hooked me in more.

From page one I was absolutely captivated by the mystique of this book. Michelle Paver truly has a way with words. Word by word, sentence by sentence a picture was painted in my mind of the world Hylas and Pirra resided within. Most of the story takes place on a relatively small island, but Michelle Paver makes that island feel like an entire world. This is an example of some seriously awesome world building and I was left wanting to read more and more about it.

Gods and Warriors had me glued to its pages from start to finish but when all was said and done I couldn't help but notice that the characters hadn't grown as much as one might expect. Despite all that happens to them they're really the same people they were at the beginning of the story. A friend of mine, who has studied Greek literature and it's conventions, suggested that perhaps Paver was following along the belief that people never really change. At our core we're always the same. Or maybe she's just saving the really good character development for later on in the series. Either way I'm excited to keep reading and find out.

This is an incredible start to a new Middle Grade series and I can't wait to recommend it to everyone I know – whether they regularly read Middle Grade or not.

Final recommendation: An absolute must read for fantasy fans. Michelle Paver's writing style is reminiscent of some of my all time favourite fantasy novels. Also recommended for an older middle grade audience.

*side note: There is a really great and detailed Author's Note at the end of the book that explains a lot of the mythos and setting. Since not that many people are as familiar with the Bronze Age, I really think this note should be place at the front. It think it would really enhance the reading experience as a whole. (less)

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Jun 08, 2012 Ash rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This will be my weirdest review because I'm not the one who will review it. Madonna WILL.

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Many minutes after Madonna revealed that she never cooked a whole meal by herself and her sex book is not banned in the house and
this
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Cynthia McFadden finally asked Madonna.
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There's one big question that is blowing the whole internet. Do you know what is it?
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No I have no idea.
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Did you read Michelle Paver's Gods & Warriors before the release date?
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Yes. I confess, I did. I'm a book nerd. After...more

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Mar 18, 2013 Cindy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2013

I really like Michelle Paver's books - she does such a thorough job of researching her worlds that the Afterword is a fascinating part to read.

This story is set in an alternate Bronze Age Greece - there were twists in the plot, there are mysteries yet to solve, and yet she managed to wrap up this part of the story quite well.

She tells the story from 3 main points of view, a boy, a girl and a dolphin. I really like that about her work - it's interesting to read and discover their worlds.

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Apr 02, 2013 Olivia rated it 5 of 5 stars

I couldn't put it down! It was one adventure after another! I love how Paver can fit culture and religion into a story that doesn't make me want to fall flat on my face with boredom. Like the Chronicles of Darkness, this book has an animal to human relationship as well as many human to human interactions that make this book very lifelike. Very connectable characters, I felt I knew them very well. Can't wait to read more of Pavers books!

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Jan 06, 2013 Amanda rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-fiction, fantasy

I loved 'Chronicles of Ancient Darkness' and was looking forward to reading the first in this new fantasy adventure series. This one is set in the Bronze Age within the Minoan and Mycenean cultures. Once more Paver demonstrates her meticulous research, sense of pace and elegant economy of style. Perhaps not quite as compelling as 'Wolf brother', but still a very enjoyable tale and worth tuning in for the rest of the series.

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About Michelle Paver

Michelle Paver was born in Central Africa, but came to England as a child. After gaining a degree in Biochemistry from Oxford University, she became a partner in a City law firm, but eventually gave that up to write full-time.

The hugely successful Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series arose from Michelle's lifelong passion for animals, anthropology and the distant past - as as well as an encounter...more

More about Michelle Paver...

Books by Michelle Paver

Wolf Brother (Chronicles of Ancient Darkness, #1)

Spirit Walker (Chronicles of Ancient Darkness #2)

Soul Eater (Chronicles of Ancient Darkness, #3)

Outcast (Chronicles of Ancient Darkness, #4)

Oath Breaker (Chronicles of Ancient Darkness, #5)

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