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Heroes of the Valley

3.44 of 5 stars 3.44 · rating details · 2,197 ratings · 415 reviews

Halli Sveinsson has grown up in the House of Svein, listening to the legends of the heroes as all his forefathers did. His is a peaceful society where the violence of the past has been outlawed and disputes are settled by the Council. But young Halli has never quite seemed to fit in with the others. For starters, he was not at all handsome or tall, like his attractive blon...more

Hardcover, 496 pages

Published January 27th 2009 by Disney-Hyperion

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2010 Best Books for Young Adults (Nominations)

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Aug 30, 2012 Mike (the Paladin) rated it 1 of 5 stars

I read Stroud's Bartimaeus trilogy and liked it pretty well, the writing and the originality of the book (especially the ending) impressed me. THIS BOOK I think I can sum up (at least in my humble opinion) in 3 words... "OH GOOD GRIEF".

Now I am tempted to let my one star rating and those three words sum up my feelings here and move on. I see many enjoyed this book (actually, predictably I think). I didn't, so to be fair to those who would like more detail let me add another phrase, seven words t...more I read Stroud's Bartimaeus trilogy and liked it pretty well, the writing and the originality of the book (especially the ending) impressed me. THIS BOOK I think I can sum up (at least in my humble opinion) in 3 words... "OH GOOD GRIEF".

Now I am tempted to let my one star rating and those three words sum up my feelings here and move on. I see many enjoyed this book (actually, predictably I think). I didn't, so to be fair to those who would like more detail let me add another phrase, seven words this time, "been there, done that, got the T-shirt".

This book, like several other "youth books" I've come across (many of which have what Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn would call a "whole raft of awards") is far more "youth indoctrination" than "youth literature". This story exists solely to drill the desired "lesson" into minds of it's readers. Now while that in itself is a huge problem for me a worse one is...it doesn't even do it while telling a good story. The story begins somewhat slowly, becomes repetitive and beats the reader over the head with it's "persuasion" (brainwashing?), and it does it with all the finesse and delicacy of a howitzer shell.

So, should I tell the BIG lesson of the book? That would of course constitute a spoiler and therefore negate the necessity of you finishing the book. I could be doing you a favor...still there are some of you who I'm sure will want to read it for yourself, heck some will wholeheartedly embrace the indoctrination. So, I'll cover that below a spoiler warning. For now I give the book one (1) star. Why do I give the book one star? Because I can't give it less without it looking like I just read the book and didn't rate it.

I can't recommend this one.

(view spoiler)[ So okay, now it's just us. What's the BIG lesson? What's the big reveal? Why it's that everything "you" ("you" being the "youth" who's reading the book and inculcating it's propaganda) have (you've) been taught is A LIE. The role models you were brought up to look up to even the ideals you were taught to embrace are all LIES.

There's even a place where we get the line "Halli realized all the ideals he'd been taught were lies". Thus my summing up, "oh come on".

The book starts out with Halli making a series of bad decisions meeting the results of said bad decisions (and the actions based on them) and rationalizing it all away because he was clinging to the stories of the "Heroes" this happens over and over in varying ways, these events running the gamut from (attempted) humor to (attempted) pathos.

Along the way the book sets up straw men that can be knocked down. For example, Halli is constantly almost coming to blows...or coming to blows to, "defend his honor" or his family's "honor". Leaning hard on the negative (and incorrect) definition of the word honor as basically overweening pride and ignoring the positive (and more correct) aspect of the word "honor". It (honor) is seen as "a bad thing". It's not understood as a basic honesty and respect for one's self and others, the thing that teaches us to do the right thing, even when no one is looking, the reason to play by the rules even when a "little cheating" will bring a win. This sort of thing goes on throughout the book. Halli doesn't learn that the "Heroes" were just human, with the "proverbial feet of clay". He (and of course the co-protagonist) discovers that the greatest evil of all is of course the hero he's been taught to revere. (By the way the hero's name is "Svein"...again the phrase comes to mind, "oh come on".)

If the lesson of this book had been the Halli (and by extension the reader) needed to learn to think for themselves, find balance, that he would come to realize that the "Heroes" were a mixture of good and bad, humans doing the best they could, making decisions both good and bad, then I could have said okay. Poor story telling aside that's a good lesson. As it is the book (again in my opinion) fails on both levels. The main action in the book is set in motion by what amounts to a cruel practical joke Halli plays on members of the household of another of the Great Heroes (Hakon). It ignites (reignites) a feud and leads to all the "unpleasantness" that follows. All this never, even in the end teaches Halli to think. He moves from one set of indoctrinated ideas to another (what was all good is now all bad, of course) and after he and his "partner" and co-protagonist the girl Aud learn this they leave the Vally..as no one is supposed to be able to do. So the stories around them say they probably died killed by the Trows (the monsters the Great Heroes of legend are renowned for saving the valley from). So in the end the "lies continue" simply inculcating Halli and Aud into them.

So, my opinion, poor book on several levels. I've seen the reviews, many love it, I'm not among them, not being a big fan of brainwashing and BEING a big fan of good stories. My take, my opinion, can't recommend it. If you like it, enjoy. (hide spoiler)]
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May 22, 2011 Bunga Mawar rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, it-s-mine, translated-into-indonesian

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. *maaf, tulisan berikut ini adalah dongeng semata, bukan sebuah review*

Kisah Bangsawan Bunga Mawar dan Bocah Salah Asuhan

Mari, mari sini semua mendekat. Ya, Sobat, kau juga. Kau yang sempat membelalakkan matamu tanpa hasil yang keren. Kau langsung tahu siapa aku, tentu saja. Memang kecantikanku tidak mungkin melayu dalam tiga tahun ini. Sekiranya pun pandangan menyedihkanmu ternyata makin kabur, begitu langkahku melewati pintu masuk Penginapan Suka Tidur ini kau bisa mengendus wangi patenku, Moro...more *maaf, tulisan berikut ini adalah dongeng semata, bukan sebuah review*

Kisah Bangsawan Bunga Mawar dan Bocah Salah Asuhan

Mari, mari sini semua mendekat. Ya, Sobat, kau juga. Kau yang sempat membelalakkan matamu tanpa hasil yang keren. Kau langsung tahu siapa aku, tentu saja. Memang kecantikanku tidak mungkin melayu dalam tiga tahun ini. Sekiranya pun pandangan menyedihkanmu ternyata makin kabur, begitu langkahku melewati pintu masuk Penginapan Suka Tidur ini kau bisa mengendus wangi patenku, Moroccan Rose -kubeli di Body Shop, tentu saja tidak kuekstrak sendiri. Kurang kerjaan banget. Memang masih dirikulah ini, sang Bangsawan Lembut Hati nan Berduri, satu2nya dengan Cap Bunga Mawar Merah yang masyhur.

Ya, ya, kau juga tahu siapa aku, wahai Tuan bertopi pelaut di pojok sana. Tentu aku mengenali rambut keriting yang gagal kau rebonding saat mencoba naik pangkat menjadi kelasi pertama di The Flying Dutchman. Tahu tidak, si tengkorak tua sial itu kini terdampar di Benua Putih, dihempas badai selepas meloloskan diri dari Selat Magelhaens. Biarkan saja, kataku, biar tahu rasa dijepit es Antartika dan diolok2 penguin abad 21.

Ah ya, terimakasih, Bung. Ini minumanku sudah tiba. Kuharap persis sama dengan yang kuminum tiga tahun lalu, teh tawar hangat seduhan daun teh cap mawar. Ngomong2, dalam pengembaraanku rakyat Sari Wangi menyuguhiku teh nikmat, Gold Selection aroma jeruk. Sayang aku tak bisa membaginya dengan kalian. Beli sendiri saja, ya. Kalian tentu tahu aku tidak mengunyah tembakau, ganja, menenggak bir. anggur atau ale. Aku masih konsisten dengan diet golongan darah. Kalau tidak terpaksa, aku takkan menggoreskan duriku pada nyamuk. Kurang higienis, kalau boleh kuingatkan.

Nah, baiklah. Kalian sudah mendekat semua, sudah yakin bahwa aku ounya sesuatu untuk telinga2 kalian yang haus jeweran, Aku terharu, sungguh. Terasa perjalananku tidak sia2 walau begitu melelahkan. Maka aku akan tidur sekarang. Pelayan! Sudah kausiapkan kamar terbaik? Baiklah, terimaka... Apa??? Aku mendengar desah kecewa dari bawah meja itu! Siapa itu berani mengeluh? Tolong, tarik dia dari sana!

Yaaa... rupanya seorang bocah kecil, ha? Berapa umumrmu, Nak? Empat belas tahun? Pantas kau begitu tak paham etika. Kaukira seorang wanita baik2 sepertiku mau semalaman duduk bercerita tentang pengalamanku yang bersimbah darah? Di malam purnama begini, di mana roh2 durjana melayang dan mengintai di dahan sambil cekikikan? Rupanya ayahmu harus memukulmu lebih keras, Nak, alih2 menyerahkanmu pada emban pengasuh tua yang mendongengimu kisah kepahlawanan palsu. Atau kau akan berakhir seperti tokoh yang kutemui sebelum turun ke sini.

Sekarang, pulanglah. Ya, pulanglah kalian semua. Jangan lupa membayar tagihan makan malam kalian. Sudah kubilang aku harus tidur sekarang! Apa lagi? Ceritaku tentang si bocah salah asuhan tadi? Baca sendiri, sana!

Sudah. Jangan usik aku lagi.
Bunga Mawar MVerah(less)

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Jan 29, 2009 Betsy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Jonathan Stroud simply is not a fan of innocent protagonists as pure as the newly driven snow. He has little patience for innocents as main characters. No time for guys like Harry Potter or Frodo, who find themselves thrust into dangerous situations that were not of their own making. Give Stroud a nicely corrupt kid or a wildly headstrong hero any day of the week. Having burst upon the juvenile writing scene with his breathtaking Bartimaeus trilogy, Stroud now scales himself back a little with a...more

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May 30, 2012 Maninee rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

I really, really like Stroud’s protagonists. They’re not like the others. In other YA fantasy series we have heroes like Harry(Potter) and Percy(Jackson) who are hardly responsible for the situations they get into. They are ordinary, unambitious guys who were thrown into adventure by fate. They did not wish to be famous or save the world but when the need arose they rose to the challenge. Harry survived the killing curse because of his mother and Percy got into scrapes because of who his dad was...more I really, really like Stroud’s protagonists. They’re not like the others. In other YA fantasy series we have heroes like Harry(Potter) and Percy(Jackson) who are hardly responsible for the situations they get into. They are ordinary, unambitious guys who were thrown into adventure by fate. They did not wish to be famous or save the world but when the need arose they rose to the challenge. Harry survived the killing curse because of his mother and Percy got into scrapes because of who his dad was. These characters are like blanks. Anyone can fit into their shoes and imagine they’re the ones doing the heroic deeds. But oh no, not Stroud’s heroes. They are a horde of wonderfully flawed characters who are utterly responsible for the scrapes they get into. They are (over)ambitious, scheming and hungry for fame and yes, they did get what they asked for even if it didn’t turn out to be quite the way they thought it would be. And you love them for being so vibrant and a pleasant change from characters as bland as oatmeal. Meet Halli, a rowdy, ambitious, ugly and (best of all) incredibly short hero who was born a trouble maker intent on getting in everyone’s way and dying to be famous. Halli is born into the house of Svein, one of the twelve founding heroes who fought the vicious Trolls long ago and thus brought the valley to safety. Each of these twelve heroes had founded a house during their times and now their descendants rule over their lands and their people, their livelihood being agriculture. The warring days of the heroes are long gone and all the houses live in peace and harmony, the only swords ever made are those which are to be buried along with the dead. No ones strays across the valley boundaries marked by the cairns of their ancestors, fearing that if they so much as touch the shadow of the mounds of the heroes the trolls would come and eat them. Everyone is happy with the life they now lead.

Except Halli. He longs for the day when he can ride out and meet the other houses, see the valley and yes, earn fame and honour by doing great deeds. On the year of his fourteenth birthday his house hosts the Gathering, a festival which is attended by the members of the other eleven houses. The leaders of the twelve houses and their families meet, there is music, food, drinks, dancing and wrestling—none of which Halli is allowed to take part in because of a prank he played on his brother. A dejected Halli is moping about in the orchard when he meets Aud, the gorgeous daughter of the house of Arne. Did I mention the other thing about Stroud I love? His heroines. Aud is this adventurous, lively, charming, pretty girl who yearns for adventure as much as Halli does and regards the stories of Trolls with much contempt and disbelief. And she seems to have a point. No one has ever seen Troll. Not really. All they know are stories passed from generation to generation which speak of the fearsome trolls. But none has ever seen any. True, animals which are lost and go beyond the boundary do turn up dead the next day but as Aud points out, couldn’t that be the work of eagles or wolves? Furthermore, even in the times of Svein and the other great heroes, no one but the heroes ever saw the fearsome creatures. The heroes went, fought with something , came back covered in blood and told everyone else to stay clear of the boundary. And then of course at the great battle they all left and fought together and were found dead the next morning but then again no one saw what exactly killed them. Aud tells Halli her theories and though Halli refuses to see eye to eye with her at first(his mind being more preoccupied with thoughts of feuds) she finally manages to convince him that there maybe adventure beyond the boundary and all that talk about Trolls tommyrot.

I liked this book. I didn’t like the end but we’ll get to that later. It starts a bit slow but that’s okay because you get to know the lives of the people in the valley in that time. I liked the legends, the simple minded people with their love of food and good music. I liked old Katla the nurse maid and her belief that Halli will die a tragic death(him being a mid winter baby and all), and the matter of fact way she deals with it. It felt real that Halli didn’t get along too well with his family even though he did love them.

(view spoiler)

The book gives a good insight to what courage really is and challenges the notion that heroes are always what they hyped up to be. Stroud of course takes an unorthodox approach to the subject of role models and shows that the people society tells us to look up to may not be as great as they are reputed to be.

An enjoyable read that I would recommend to all Stroud fans
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Dec 04, 2009 Kitri rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: youngadultfiction, mock-printz-2010, fantasy

What a great read! Spanning the edges of several different genres, Heroes of the Valley is so delightfully Stroud-esque that I couldn't put it down.

Halli Sveinsson lives in a valley founded by 12 Heroes long ago, who fought the vicious Trows for mastery of the land. Now 17 generations later, Halli questions the Hero stories he grew up with, and seeks to know the truth. Through a strong friendship, revenge, and many adventures involving courage, quick thinking (and as always with Stroud, a lot of...more

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Oct 25, 2011 El Templo de las Mil Puertas added it · review of another edition

Shelves: 10-eltemplo, reseñas, templis-2009, novela-extranjera, finalista

"Mucho, mucho tiempo atrás, doce héroes unieron sus fuerzas para expulsar del valle a los malvados trows. Sus descendientes fundaron los doce clanes, que desde entonces han vivido más o menos en paz y armonía, pero que nunca han olvidado las historias épicas protagonizadas por sus antepasados, que se siguen contando de generación en generación. Halli, del Clan de Svein, es todo lo contrario al héroe que admira: feo, bajito, paticorto y una auténtica calamidad que no hace más que causar problemas...more

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May 02, 2011 La Stamberga dei Lettori added it · review of another edition

Shelves: valetta97, tancredi

Una tremenda incredibile delusione.

Jonathan Stroud è l'acclamato autore della Trilogia di Bartimeus, da me stesso osannato come il capolavoro che ha radicalmente sconvolto il genere fantasy. Ciò che brilla particolarmente in quei tre romanzi è lo stile, arguto e sarcasticamente critico, l'uso di personaggi che capovolgono il classico fantasy (il protagonista è, a tutti gli effetti, un anti-eroe, negativo per due libri su tre, mentre il vero protagonista, amato da tutti, è il cinico demone Bartim...more

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Jan 29, 2011 Tancredi rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: inglesi, fantasy

Una tremenda incredibile delusione.

Jonathan Stroud è l'acclamato autore della Trilogia di Bartimeus, da me stesso osannato come il capolavoro che ha radicalmente sconvolto il genere fantasy. Ciò che brilla particolarmente in quei tre romanzi è lo stile, arguto e sarcasticamente critico, l'uso di personaggi che capovolgono il classico fantasy (il protagonista è, a tutti gli effetti, un anti-eroe, negativo per due libri su tre, mentre il vero protagonista, amato da tutti, è il cinico demone Bartim...more

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Mar 23, 2009 Eva Mitnick rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, ya

Halli Sveinson, aged 14, is the second son in one of the 12 main houses in the Valley. Somewhat squat – his short legs are a running joke – and swarthy, he is a trickster and a trouble-maker from birth. Brought up on tales of the Heroes, including his own ancestor Svein, who rid the Valley of the man-eating Trows untold years ago, he chafes at his boring, placid, rural life.

When an annual Gathering of representatives from all the Houses is held at the House of Svein, previous bad blood between H...more Halli Sveinson, aged 14, is the second son in one of the 12 main houses in the Valley. Somewhat squat – his short legs are a running joke – and swarthy, he is a trickster and a trouble-maker from birth. Brought up on tales of the Heroes, including his own ancestor Svein, who rid the Valley of the man-eating Trows untold years ago, he chafes at his boring, placid, rural life.

When an annual Gathering of representatives from all the Houses is held at the House of Svein, previous bad blood between Halli’s reprobate uncle Brodir and the leaders of the House of Hakon leads to Brodir’s murder at the hands of one of the Hakonssons. Halli, who witnesses the murder, is horrified when he realizes that all his family will do to get revenge is demand land of the Hakons through the Valley justice system. His blood is hot with the need for more visceral and bloody justice, and so he leaves his remote part of the Valley for the first time and journeys all the way to the House of Hakon to mete out his own punishment.

It’s a darn good thing that one other significant thing happened at the Gathering – Halli met a girl about his own age named Aud, only daughter of the head of the House of Arne. Her caustic manner of speaking is balanced by her common sense, curiosity, and basic decency. As Halli is himself a decent sort of guy despite his tendency to act without thinking, they get along instantly – and Aud saves Halli from disaster any number of times. Her presence during the final battle scene (a scene that manages to be both unspeakably grisly and ridiculously funny) prevents Halli from suffering a most gruesome death and removes a huge threat from the Valley once and for all.

Being a big Bartimaeus fan myself, I tore eagerly into Heroes of the Valley. Although it began rather slowly, the more I read, the more I appreciated the slow build-up of tension, character development, and humor. Something about the tongue-in-cheek dryness of the wit is reminiscent of Terry Pratchett, although sometimes it veers into Monty Python territory with wonderful results, especially when the characters of Snorri, a crusty old beet farmer, and Katla, Halli’s old and dismissive nurse, make an appearance.

Halli, the hero of our tale, is not so clear-cut a character. At first he seems like a truly annoying trouble-maker, and in fact he does have a tendency until the end to act impulsively and sometimes idiotically. However, he is rarely mean-spirited, even when being bratty and obnoxious, and he shows true and believable growth throughout the book. When Halli displays real leadership qualities at the end, it makes complete sense, unbelievable as it would have been at the beginning.

Stroud’s Bartimaeus Trilogy was wildly popular with 11 and 12 year olds, particularly boys. Maybe it was the sassy, pompous, over-confident, yet ultimately thoughtful djinni, maybe it was the crazed footnotes, maybe it was the thrilling magic and intriguing setting, or most likely it was a combination of all three. At any rate, it was a trilogy that was right at home in both the children’s and YA sections. This book, lacking the over-the-top goofiness of the Bartimaeus books, skews a bit older and perhaps won’t have their wide appeal. But maybe I’m wrong. Just in case, hand it to as many kids and teens as possible.
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Mar 14, 2009 Ryan Mishap rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult-fantasy

The Bartemius Trilogy was a very complex young adult series--morally, in plot, and in theme--and it is good to see Stroud sticking to high standards. While this novel is aimed at maybe a slightly younger audience than the trilogy, it has enough exploration of "gray areas" to be a worthy successor.
In an isolated valley--between mountains and descending to the sea--are twelve houses named for each of the twelve ancient heroes who settled the valley and drove off the Trows--vicious underground cr...more

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Oct 19, 2012 Justinaeng9 rated it 2 of 5 stars

Recommends this book for: People who enjoy Adventure Novels
"Heroes of the Valley" by Jonathan Stroud is a novel about a boy named Halli Sveinsson who is bored with his life and hopes for an adventure. Having been raised listening to stories of his ancestors, when a feud begins between the Hakonssons and the Sveinssons Halli seeks to avenge a member of his family who is killed. Halli worsens the feud between the families when he gets revenge and decides he wants to leave his home for good. Halli...more

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Oct 17, 2012 Ivon rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 3rd-pov, action, adventure, fantasy, fiction, it-s-heart-warming, it-s-inspiring, it-s-fidgeting, suspense, traveling

Satu lagi buku yang membuatku pusing harus memberi empat atau tiga bintang ...

Begini,

aku suka dengan hampir keseluruhan isi buku ini. Aku suka dengan narasinya, petualangannya, kenaifan tokoh utamanya -dan tidak ambil pusing dengan pendapat-pendapat yang mengatakan kalau tokoh-tokoh yang ada di dalamnya terlalu "tipikal"-, settingnya, misterinya, ketegangannya, antagonisnya, dan -haha- humornya.

... tapi ini juga adalah buku pertama yang aspek pengecewaannya -bagiku- malah terletak pada bagian "...more

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Mar 19, 2012 Ulfah rated it 2 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Mar 06, 2012 IndyPL Kids Book Blog rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, historical-fiction

Halli Sveinsson lives in Medieval times (warrior/knights, castles, sword fighting) in a valley divided into 12 family groups, or Houses, each descended from one of 12 heroes who long ago fought the troll-like Trows and drove them out of the valley. The 12 Houses share a peaceful existence in the valley gathering once a year to trade stories and brag about their own Hero’s bravery and strength. Each House is sure their Hero is the best one.

Halli lives in the House of Svein and he’s tired of livin...more

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Jun 23, 2011 ZIMF The all 3 fruit. Epic. rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Heroes of the Valley was an excellent read. It was so involving and action-packed that I sat for hours, regardless of the time, and was late to an appointment. There is something about the characters that is just so attractive and engaging.
The sheer number of plot twists and revelations just make this book amazing. Are the Trows real or not? The way the myths are intersparsed with the rest of the story just gives it such an air of myth and reality intertwining, of time and wonder and so much mor...more

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May 11, 2011 Yulibean rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Masih inget dengan Jonathan Stroud dengan trilogy Bartimaeus-nya? Kali ini Stroud kembali lagi dengan novel fantasi terbarunya, Heroes of the Valley. Genre yang sama dengan rasa yang berbeda.

Buku-nya kali ini mengambil seting yg berbeda, tidak ada lagi mantra-mantra sihir, demon, imp, dan suasana kelam gothic kota London. Stroud membawa kita menyelami abad pertengahan (walaupun tidak dijelaskan dengan tegas di dalam buku ini) dan budaya Norse. Benteng, balairung, hutan, kapak, kuda, legenda dan...more Masih inget dengan Jonathan Stroud dengan trilogy Bartimaeus-nya? Kali ini Stroud kembali lagi dengan novel fantasi terbarunya, Heroes of the Valley. Genre yang sama dengan rasa yang berbeda.

Buku-nya kali ini mengambil seting yg berbeda, tidak ada lagi mantra-mantra sihir, demon, imp, dan suasana kelam gothic kota London. Stroud membawa kita menyelami abad pertengahan (walaupun tidak dijelaskan dengan tegas di dalam buku ini) dan budaya Norse. Benteng, balairung, hutan, kapak, kuda, legenda dan bau pertempuran menghiasi cerita. Sedikit banyak ketika membaca novel ini saya teringat dengan LOTR, atau lebih tepatnya legenda anglo-saxon Beowulf di abad 7-10. Abad dimana syair-syair yang dinyanyikan berisikan kisah-kisah kepahlawanan tokoh-tokoh besar.

Mahkluk yang ditakuti di cerita ini adalah para Trow (trow… sangat mirip dengan pelafalan troll bukan?), mahkluk bawah tanah yang haus darah dan selalu lapar dengan daging manusia. Setiap malam setia menyebarkan terror kepada manusia. Hingga akhirnya munculah 12 pahlawan besar yang dipimpin oleh Svien, menghentikan untuk selamanya kejahatan para Trow. Benarkah untuk selamanya? Ratusan tahun kemudian salah seorang keturunan Svien yang agung akan mengetahui kenyataan yang sesungguhnya terjadi dengan legenda-legenda para pahlawan agung itu.

Halli, sang tokoh utama, dicekoki dengan legenda-legenda besar Svien agung, leluhurnya dalam menaklukkan musuh-musuhnya dan merebut tanah yang mereka tempati sekarang dari mahkluk-mahkluk ganas. Mulai dari kecil, penduduk di klan Svein dicekoki peringatan untuk tidak menyebrangi pagar-pagar dimana leluhur mereka dikuburkan untuk menjaga para Trow tidak menyerang desa.

Stroud lebih serius dalam menampilkan kisahnya kali ini. Joke-joke sinis ala Bartimaeus tak akan kita temui disini. Kita akan dibawa dalam suasana yang selalu tegang dimana bahaya akan selalu ada di luar sana menunggu waktu yang tepat untuk membantai tokoh-tokoh dalam buku ini. Sedikit banyak cerita yang dibawakan oleh Stroud mengingatkan saya dengan filmnya M. Night Shyamalan, The Village, dan mau tak mau juga saya dengan jantung berdebar-debar di tiap lembarnya bersiap-siap dengan kejutan yang tak terduga. Sayangnya hal itu tidak saya temukan di akhir novel ini. Stroud terasa kelelahan dalam menjaga suasana tegang sepanjang cerita sehingga akhir yang ditampilkan menjadi antiklimaks. Tetapi… hal ini jangan membuat anda urung dalam membaca buku ini. Teramat sayang bagi anda untuk melewatkan buku ini, apalagi bila anda penggemar berat Jonathan Stroud. Seperti saya yang teramat sayang untuk meletakkan buku ini dari jam 7 malam hingga selesai jam 3 pagi, membuat saya harus menderita sakit kepala seharian di kantor.

Pesan yang saya tangkap di akhir kisah ini adalah jangan menakuti legenda, takuti apa yang ada dibalik legenda itu…

Yogyakarta, awal Mei
(less)

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Feb 20, 2011 Seaniqa C. rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book displays a lot of ideals, and thoughts, supporting everything from botchery to bravery and everything in between. This book had a lot of running themes throughout the book, and thoughts. There are many questions awoken by this book like; what is bravery? What is loyalty? What is justice? What is honor? What is the limit?
I think a Viking world was very skillfully crafted by Jonathan Stroud, and made very viable and logical. He made Halli a very relatable person, (especially since I am...more

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Jan 18, 2011 Kelly Bryson rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-fantasy

This book was not what I thought. The hero is U-G-L-Y, he ain't got no alibi...sorry. My apologies. Halli Sveinsson was ugly, though, and not a great fighter. Set in a viking styled world, "Heroes of the Valley" is about a young man who has been raised on the exagerrated and conflicted stories of the Svein and the other heroes. He attempts to live his life by asking WWSD? (What would Svein do?) but his society is not actually interested in heroes. They've gotten quite comfortable in the status q...more

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Aug 05, 2010 Bonnie rated it 4 of 5 stars

A great epic style action adventure novel for teens set in a sort of medieval Norse world by the author of the popular Bartimaeus Trilogy. The setting is a long valley inhabited by twelve settlements ruled by twelve "Houses" the descendants of the early warrior settlers. No one ever leaves the valley because they live in fear of the Trows, flesh eating underground creatures who used to pop up through the earth and grab and eat people. The heroes of the old days vanquished them to outside the val...more

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Aug 28, 2009 Cindy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: must-reads

A younger son, Halli Sveinsson rebels against his parents' and village's expectations through a series of endless (mostly harmless) pranks and escapades. But when his beloved uncle is murdered by a rival house, Halli sets out to avenge his uncle, a quest that will have startling repercussions for all of the residents of the valley.

I love Jonathan Stroud's books. He's the king of the snark, and he doesn't disappoint in this one. Halli has turned insult into an art. The dialogue brought tears of l...more

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Nov 28, 2012 Feraena rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

When you heard about a book titled " Heroes of The Valley", you might think that its protagonist would be one clever, muscled handsome person who can use sword very well. Well, that's the exact description which Halli Sveinsson was NOT, except maybe for the clever part. Halli's the second son of a clan's leader, but unlike his older brother and sister, he's ugly, have short legs, and his only remarkable skills seems to be escaping from death and making troubles. Stroud's tendencies to not write...more When you heard about a book titled " Heroes of The Valley", you might think that its protagonist would be one clever, muscled handsome person who can use sword very well. Well, that's the exact description which Halli Sveinsson was NOT, except maybe for the clever part. Halli's the second son of a clan's leader, but unlike his older brother and sister, he's ugly, have short legs, and his only remarkable skills seems to be escaping from death and making troubles. Stroud's tendencies to not write a heroic goody protagonist is definitely showing.

This book is not a Bartimaeus book, where the story was written from the point-of-view of one charming, impudent djinni, which made the whole narration (and the footnotes) filled with wits and rude remarks. This book was written from a story-teller perspective, making the narration rather "flat". However, it didn't loose Stroud's sense of humor, which is shown in many scenes and in Halli's and Aud's parts.

The main character is loveable, with all his flaws and heroic idealism and pranks. Aud, the heroine, is an interesting character as well. She's pictured as one who can adapt her persona depending on the situation. I love how the characters are developed along with the story. You could see what makes them who they were, and how all of the events surrounding them affect them and make them who they are.

It's rather hard to judge a novel of an author that has write some amazing novels like Stroud. At first, this work felt overshadowed by Bartimaeus trilogy. It didn't help that the story started slow, makes it boring for me at first. However, as I keep reading, the plot development made me unable to look away, and the plot twists often caught me off-handed. It seems that I was led to believe that the story will go to one direction, but then it when to the other direction. Not completely the opposite, but enough to be unexpected (like the ending, when you were led to believe about one thing, and then you were led to believe that it's not true, THEN you found out that it IS true but not like what anyone expected before)(less)

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May 24, 2011 Althea Ann rated it 4 of 5 stars

I very much enjoyed this book. In style, it reminded me quite a lot of books by Howard Pyle and retellings of Viking legends that I read as a child. However, this book is much more morally and ethically ambiguous. It provides the reader with a lot of food for thought without handing out predigested pap on a platter. For a more contemporary comparison, it also brought to mind Ursula LeGuin's 'Gifts.'
Long ages ago, the titular valley was settled by a group of legendary heroes. Each founded a House...more

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Apr 29, 2009 Chris rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, fantasy, not-graphic, ya

“They’re only stories,” he would say, “What do stories matter?” But he wasn’t stupid. He knew as well as Myrddin that in the end stories are all that matter.
--Here Lies Arthur

“The heroes, the Trows--the stories that bind us, Halli. The stories we live by, that dictate what we do and where we go. The stories that give us our names, our identities, the places we belong, the people we hate.”
--Heroes of the Valley

Story seems to be the theme of my reading lately (see here for more), and these two boo...more

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Sep 25, 2011 Patrice rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011

I'm on a young adult fiction bender! It's partly in preparation for coaching the 8th grade Battle of the Books team at the middle school where I work.

I liked this book more than I thought I would. The valley is a strange Viking world, consisting of 12 houses united in some ways and at odds in others. The main character, Halli is an awkward and lovable antihero. I enjoyed the character Aud, a strong, smart, and beautiful woman warrior from an opposing house. Aud and Halli are an unlikely pair, b...more

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May 17, 2011 Yola NY rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: punya, terjemahan

Jonathan Stroud emang slalu bikin kaget!

sebelumnya crta ttg bartimeus yg endingnya lumayan bikin hati tersayat2..

dan sekarang, certa ttg Halli Sveinsson, keturunan salah seorang dari 12 pahlawan, bikin emosiku naik turun..

Jonathan Stroud kayaknya bukan pengarang yg suka menjabarkan klo tokoh utama certanya itu sempurna, atau kuat, atau hebat. malah si Halli ini awalnya dia terkesan lemah banget.. kecuali fakta ttg dia yg suka berbuat onar dan nakal di kediaman klan-nya..

ketika malam terbunuhnya...more Jonathan Stroud emang slalu bikin kaget!

sebelumnya crta ttg bartimeus yg endingnya lumayan bikin hati tersayat2..

dan sekarang, certa ttg Halli Sveinsson, keturunan salah seorang dari 12 pahlawan, bikin emosiku naik turun..

Jonathan Stroud kayaknya bukan pengarang yg suka menjabarkan klo tokoh utama certanya itu sempurna, atau kuat, atau hebat. malah si Halli ini awalnya dia terkesan lemah banget.. kecuali fakta ttg dia yg suka berbuat onar dan nakal di kediaman klan-nya..

ketika malam terbunuhnya Brodir, paman Halli yang suka menceritakan dongeng tentang pahlawan klan kepadanya (Sang Svein yang agung), Halli bertekad membalas si pembunuh. kebetulan pembunuh itu sendiri dari klan Hakon, klan kaya dan berkuasa di lembah. Halli yg berangkat dengan bekal seadanya, di jalan bertemu dengan si tua Snorri dan pedagang licik Bjorn, seiring dengan perjalanan itu membuktikan kalau Halli bukanlah anak umur 14 tahun yang lemah. fisiknya yg pendek, gembul dan item slalu dicerca oleh org2 bahkan klan-nya sendiri, tapi terbukti si Halli ini keturunan Svein yg terkenal kuat itu.

dan ada juga Trow, makhluk pemangsa manusia yg tinggal di rawa2 balik makam2 pahlawan. tapi sekarang udah nggak nyerang penduduk lembah lagi gara2 pengorbana yg dilakukan 12 pahlawan dahulu kalan

tapi jujur deh, aku bukan penggemar tokoh kayak Halli ini. (lumayan mirip Nathaniel, soalnya akhirnya dia nggak jadi bunuh Olaf Hakonsson, tapi si olaf ujung2nya mati jg sih karna kebakaran di balairung klan Hakon). Halli juga penakut, dan nggak cekatan pas ngadepin musuh. butuh ditolong berkali-kali oleh Aud, putri dari klan Arne.

tapi akhirnya Halli yang berhasil mengalahkan penyerbuan klan Hakon ke klan Svein, gara2 klan Hakon yg nggak terima dengan keputusan Dewan gara2 pembunuhan Brodir.

dan akhirnyaaaa... Halli emang ngasih "rasa" sendiri biar para pembaca nggak ngelupain dia. dengan kecerdikan dia. dan pengorbanan buat klan-nya. walaupun klan dan keluarganya sendiri tidak meyakininya.

dan ttg trow? makhluk itu benar2 ada seperti yg dicrtakan dongeng! tapi bahkan bukan makhluk itu yang menetap di rawa2 di balik makam2 pahlawan! waaah,, novel ini emang bikin kejutan!

jadi kangen Nathaniel >.<(less)

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Dec 11, 2010 Hartsell rated it 2 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Apr 10, 2013 Kayla rated it 4 of 5 stars

Halli Sveinsson wants to live in the time of heroes where men settle questions of honor with swords and spend evenings fighting Trows, monsters that burst from the ground and devour all who cross the boundary that surrounds the valley. But heroes have been buried in the carins for centuries, no swords have been smelted for ages, and it has become a time of Lawmakers and friendship feasts.That is until members of another house kills someone dear to Halli's heart and he seeks vengeance.

At first, I...more

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Nov 09, 2009 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: teen-fantasy, fantasy, humor, teen-humor

I absolutely adored Jonathan Stroud's Bartimaeus Trilogy. The same witty dialogue, dry humor, action adventure, and layered character relationships with which I became enamored in Bartimaeus, shines through in Heroes of the Valley.

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Sep 29, 2011 Patricia rated it 3 of 5 stars

I need to stop creating expectations about books I happen across (and don't research on goodreads beforehand). In several different ways, this book wasn't what I expected. At this point, I am not quite sure what I expected the story to be--maybe a medieval tale of knights and kings. That doesn't make the story unlikeable, just different than I expected.

At the beginning of the book, I was actually forcing myself to continue reading--I was just not enjoying it. (At that point, it would have been...more

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Feb 22, 2009 Alex rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: coming-of-age, magic, mythology

Halli, the second son of the House of Svein has grown up hearing the tales of his ancestor's great deeds and wishes to have adventures for himself, but instead finds himself living a quiet existence in a lonely mountain pass. But when his uncle is killed by the head of another House, Halli sets out on a quest to avenge his uncle. Through the events of the his quest, Halli begins to great up and find inner courage to face even the darkest of foul creatures.
Very enjoyable, I actually ignored my pr...more

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About Jonathan Stroud

Jonathan Anthony Stroud is an author of fantasy books, mainly for children and youths.

Stroud grew up in St Albans where he enjoyed reading books, drawing pictures, and writing stories. Between the ages seven and nine he was often ill, so he spent most of his days in the hospital or in his bed at home. To escape boredom he would occupy himself with books and stories. After he completed his studies...more

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Books by Jonathan Stroud

The Amulet of Samarkand (Bartimaeus, #1)

The Bartimaeus Trilogy Boxed Set (Bartimaeus, #1-3)

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Trivia About Heroes of the Valley

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Quotes from Heroes of the Valley

“But I do get afraid. It's just that fear makes me sort of . . . angry and resentful, and I bite back at it. It's hard to describe."

It isn't hard to describe, you idiot," Aud said. "It's called courage.” — 42 people liked it

“Ah, you coward! Look at you, running."

"Actually, it's called improvising.” — 30 people liked it

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