The Dark Griffin (The Fallen Moon, #1)

Sep 12, 2012 Mercy Dragonslayer rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

This was a nice, good book. It was horribly slow starting up and it really needed some polish, but yeah, I liked it. Every time (every 25 pages or so) things got boring, the plot picked up a bit to keep me reading it.

The griffins were cool, albeit a bit . . . convenient. I could have done without their magic, and the fact that they can speak human languages. And I actually liked Eluna, but of course (this is a sore spot with me--my favorite character in a book will die 34 out of 35 times) the au...more

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Aug 15, 2012 Nerine Dorman rated it 4 of 5 stars

If you, like me, gobbled up Anne McCaffrey’s Pern novels like they were crack, then you’re probably going to enjoy The Dark Griffin. And I really, really enjoyed this story, even though the novel is a bit rough around the edges.

First off, there were definite viewpoint issues. I felt as though the author couldn’t decide whether to run with a third-person omniscient or a deep third. As it stands, the narrative exists in a funny kind of limbo, with authorial voice intruding from time to time to off...more If you, like me, gobbled up Anne McCaffrey’s Pern novels like they were crack, then you’re probably going to enjoy The Dark Griffin. And I really, really enjoyed this story, even though the novel is a bit rough around the edges.

First off, there were definite viewpoint issues. I felt as though the author couldn’t decide whether to run with a third-person omniscient or a deep third. As it stands, the narrative exists in a funny kind of limbo, with authorial voice intruding from time to time to offer readers glimpses into stuff that happens that the characters are not privy to. This is a bit jarring at times.

Hand in hand with this issue was the fact that Taylor could have laid on a bit more layering with regard to boosting characters’ motivations, and would definitely have helped to create more complexity in Arren. Often the main character does stuff and it’s not immediately clear as to *why* he acts. Granted, I was too absorbed in the story so it didn’t completely ruin it for me, but there were moments where I was jerked into editor mode and found myself absently casting about for my red pen.

Then, dialogue. Sometimes it felt as though Taylor was spending too much time conveying exposition using the dialogue as the vehicle, so things sometimes didn’t flow as they should. There were occasions where dialogue could’ve flowed more naturally but as stated earlier, I was too invested in the story to want to hurl the book across the room.

But despite these flaws, storytelling and world-building are Taylor’s strong points. I really enjoyed Mercedes Lackey’s griffins back in the day, so to have a new author invest so much love into creating a setting containing griffins thrilled me. Also the concept, of the main character’s fall from grace due to racial prejudices, really struck a chord with me. And that twist she offers near the end, of almost a “dark knight” rising, that also gave me wriggles of delight.

This is not a work of literary greatness, but it’s a fantastic story with a main character I ached for. Taylor succeeds in telling a powerful tale that had me teary-eyed at times, or sitting with my heart in my throat at others. Her world is bloody and violent, and I love the fact that she’s subverted my loyalties from supposed “good” guys to “bad” guys. And, without giving too much of a hint at a spoiler, if you loved Eric Draven as The Crow, then you’re going to absolutely adore Arren. Yes, this story is a big dramarama, but hell, it’s a rousing read and a perfect escape from Mundania.
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Jul 15, 2012 Honour marked it as to-read

Shelves: find-this-book-urgently

I was looking for reviews for this series (The Fallen Moon), having just seen last year's (2011) comic con Epic Fantasy panel.

K.J. Taylor was the only woman on it so I was curious.

Funny thing is, there are hardly any detailed reviews here or at amazon for her books. Amazon till date (July 2012) has just 6 reviews to offer and the longest of them is by Harriet Klausner (who is not my favourite reviewer on the net). Now that's just sad. I wanted to read a clear eyed critical review by a fan (and...more

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Jan 21, 2012 Veronika added it

„Před dávnými časy,“ začala mírným, ale jasným hlasem, „byli orel a lev nepřátelé. Žili na zemi společně, ale oba jí chtěli vládnout. Neustále spolu bojovali, ale žádný z nich nemohl zvítězit. Orel měl výborný zrak a ostrý zobák a spáry, ale lev dokázal šplhat a sám měl silné zuby a drápy. Jednoho dne se orel snesl na lva a odnesl ho pryč. Chtěl ho utopit v moři, ale to bylo daleko a orlu brzy došly síly.
Začal padat z oblohy dolů, ale nemohl lva pustit, protože se drápy zamotal do jeho hřívy. Pa...more „Před dávnými časy,“ začala mírným, ale jasným hlasem, „byli orel a lev nepřátelé. Žili na zemi společně, ale oba jí chtěli vládnout. Neustále spolu bojovali, ale žádný z nich nemohl zvítězit. Orel měl výborný zrak a ostrý zobák a spáry, ale lev dokázal šplhat a sám měl silné zuby a drápy. Jednoho dne se orel snesl na lva a odnesl ho pryč. Chtěl ho utopit v moři, ale to bylo daleko a orlu brzy došly síly.
Začal padat z oblohy dolů, ale nemohl lva pustit, protože se drápy zamotal do jeho hřívy. Padali z velké výšky, protože tehdy orli dokázali doletět až ke slunci. Během pádu spolu zápasili, snažili se jeden druhého zabít, a když se orel pokusil uletět, lev se mu zakousl do ocasu a držel se ho. Spadli do obrovské díry v zemi. Díra byla hluboká, tak hluboká, že neměla dno.
Lev a orel dopadli do stínu, přežívali v něm a oba se báli, jako se ještě nebáli ničeho na světě.
Schoulili se k sobě jako mláďata v hnízdě. Neviděli ani jeden druhého, ani nebe či slunce na obloze. Padali roky a roky a nezastavili se, dokud nedoletěli ke světlu, které bylo na druhé straně temné díry. Pohltilo je a rozprostřelo se kolem nich, až se jím oba rozzářili. Když společně vylétli z díry a rozletěli se k obloze, viděli, že už nejsou jako dřív. Stali se jedním. Křídla a spáry orla a tlapy a ocas lva. Jeden tvor se silou obou. Tak se z nich zrodil první gryf a oni se rozletěli a vykřikli orlím hlasem, aby oznámili světu, že nyní jsou pány země a zůstane to tak navždy, protože světlo jim dalo magii a moudrost a žádný tvor nikdy nebude silnější a moudřejší než oni.“

Podíváme se do země zvané Cymrie, kde spolu žijí lidé a mocní gryfové pohromadě. Hlavním hrdinou je Arren, seveřan, který se shodou okolností stal gryfmistrem. Společnost mu dělá gryfí samička Eluna, která si ho vybrala ještě jako malé dítě. Arren se za docela podivných okolností vydá s Elunou chytit černého lidožravého gryfa, který terorizuje malou vesnici asi dva dny od Orlína. Jenže když se ho Eluna snaží před temným gryfem chránit, sama přijde o život a od té doby je Arren velmi zdrcený. Všichni jdou najednou proti němu a hodně rasisticky ho napadají, protože seveřané dříve sloužili jako otroci jižanům. Musí snášet všelijaké posměšky a dokonce i fyzické napadání. Jenže pak ho jedna událost zavede rovnou do spárů polapeného temného gryfa a začne tak jejich společné dobrodružství.

Ústřední postavou celé knihy je seveřan Arren, který je správcem trhu v Orlíně a také gryfmistrem. Do té doby, než přijdou o svou gryfku Elunu je velmi spořádaným člověkem, dbá o sebe a všichni ho berou s úctou, jakou si gryfmistr může jen zasloužit. Jenže pořád se někde najdou lidé, co mu potají nadávají do černého a nejraději by ho viděli otročit. Arren má však svoje dobré kamarády, ti si z něj neutahují. Jakmile ale přijde o svou společnici, změní se jeho chování i vzhled o stoosmdesát stupňů. A i přístup ostatních k němu se hodně změní. Postupně se v něm začíná objevovat jeho seveřanská stránka a on tomu neustále odmítá uvěřit. Stává se z něho vrah a zloděj. Na této postavě je skvěle vidět, jak se člověk po smrti milovaného dokáže změnit naprosto k nepoznání. Dokud to člověk sám nezažije, tak tomu jen těžko uvěří.
Bran, Gern a Flell jsou Arrenovi přátelé, kteří se snaží za každou cenu držet s ním. Ale i je zažene jeho seveřanská stránka, která se v něm pomalu ale jistě probouzí. Bran, jako strážník, ho dokonce musí hlídat ve vězení. Pomalu ale jistě mu přestávají věřit a myslí si, že se dočista zbláznil.
Do té doby, co byl Arren gryfmistrem, se k němu všichni chovali s velkou úctou a říkali mu pane, ale poté, co zemřela Eluna a neměl už tak po svém boku mocného gryfa se začala projevovat nenávist ostatních vůči seveřanům - černým. Hlavně vůči Arrenovi. Jsou to přesně takový lidé, kteří vám pochlebují jen do té doby, dokud máte moc, pak na vás vytáhnou nože a snaží se vás zbavit.
V knize jsou samozřejmě dalšími významnými postavami mocní gryfové. Kolem nich se točí celé město a každý z nich má patřičný respekt. Většina lidí, co něco znamená, má svého věrného gryfa. Ale gryf, který nás zajímá, nemá žádného svého člověka - je to lidožrout. Lidé v Orlíně ho přezdívají Temné srdce a chodí se na něj dívat do arény, jak vraždí a rozsápává zločince. Tento gryf je svým způsobem stejný jako Arren, nikdy ho nikdo patřičně neuznával a jen si z něj dělali legraci, nebo chodí na jeho show.

Než jsem se do knihy pustila, neměla jsem na ní nijak zvlášť valný názor. Ale jak jsem se začala začítat, čím dál tím víc mě to pohltilo. Hodně mě překvapil ten, jak bych to řekla, rasismus, který se v knize vyskytoval vůči Arrenovi, čas od času mi ho bylo až líto a dokázala jsem chápat jeho pocity.
Kdykoliv se v knize objevilo nějaké trhání lidských končetin, okamžitě mě zabolela ruka nebo noha, někdy dokonce i hlava. Někteří gryfové byli prostě až moc krutí, ale to k téhle knize tak nějak patří, vždyť je to přeci Temný gryf.

Kniha splnila moje očekávání. Chtěla jsem nějaké tajemné fantasy a to se mi vyplnilo. Asi jediný chlup na knize (pro mě) byla většina jmen postav nebo gryfů. Gryfí jména bych ještě pochopila, jsou to přeci jen starobylá a mocná zvířata, takže musí mít divně znějící jméno ale dívčí jméno jako je Flell jsem vážně trošku nedokázala přenést přes pusu. Ale příběhu to samozřejmě nijak neškodí. Také bych ráda vyzdvihla sécnu, kdy jedna gryfka vypráví Temnému srdci jak jejich druh vlastně vznikl, to se mi moc líbilo (nahoře máte ukázku). Velkým plusem knihy jsou také nádherné černobílé ilustrace. Není jich tam sice nějak hodně, ale není to žádná knížka pro malé děti, aby na každé stránce musel být obrázek. Každopádně jsou hodně vyvedené a líbí se mi. Jako poslední bych řekla, že se mi kniha moc líbila a bylo to něco naprosto jiného, než co většinou čtu, a jsem za to ráda, těším se na další díl.(less)

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Jan 20, 2012 Ambra rated it 4 of 5 stars

Arren is the first Northerner to become a griffiner in a land where, until some decades ago, people from the north were enslaved. He grew up ashamed of what he was and trying to conceal it, to blend in. He even changes his name, Arenadd, into one similar but common in the south I don't think this was a silly idea: if you feel ashamed of something, especially when young,generally you try to hide it or you display it in a very redundant manner. Arren tries to conceal his diversity by changing his...more Arren is the first Northerner to become a griffiner in a land where, until some decades ago, people from the north were enslaved. He grew up ashamed of what he was and trying to conceal it, to blend in. He even changes his name, Arenadd, into one similar but common in the south I don't think this was a silly idea: if you feel ashamed of something, especially when young,generally you try to hide it or you display it in a very redundant manner. Arren tries to conceal his diversity by changing his own name).
Some reviewers said this book wants to send only one message: racism is a bad thing. Yes, this message undoubtedly is there but I don't think it is so simplicistic. I think what "Dark Griffin" tries to show is what fear, abuse and shame can do to a person. Arren is not only a victim: because of his being a victim for so long he becomes the very thing he despises, a murderer.I would have liked to know better Arren's thoughts, especially during his "descent into madness"...
In this book I didn't perceive the absolute rift between good and evil typical of so many fantasy books. The characters show their humanity: every single one is capable of both love and evil, kindness, selfishness and regret. The main antagonist here acts out of what he perceives as necessity, and under pressure from his griffin. I appreciated the part where he rambled whit himself at the same time regretting and justifying his actions while Shoa scolded him for doing so: it had a quasi-Macbeth aura, it made me think he would have become mad if what happened hadn't. Or maybe this is only how I read it. I like the fact that the future antagonist is a farmer boy - bastard son, the typical good guy of classical fantasy; the few times I saw him in this book I didn't hate him: his seemed the actions of an insecure boy, petty, yes, but nothing really evil given the social context in which he lives. And I don't think I will despise him for future actions against Arren, given what he does. But in my opinion this is not necessarily a bad point: I like human characters, and no human is absolutely good or evil. I like grey. I found the ambiguity of "The Dark Griffin", the fact that you can both love and hate the characters based on their actions in different moments, refreshing. Not disturbing but real. I'd very much like to know if this is something the author wanted to obtain or not.
I took away a star because the first chapters didn't catch me: I read them some months ago and put the book away, then picked it up again yesterday. Then there was the deus-ex-machina event of his being rescued at the last moment by that person which I found a bit disconcerting: why would he risk so much for someone he didn't practically know? Ok, sense of justice, but it has its limits, I would think... Another thing: I didn't understand why the black griffin began to kill humans: I understand that he wanted them to talk with him and they didn't talk griffish but why did he kill them? There were cows around so it wasn't hunger...uh...well, anyway apart from these flaws, I liked this book and will read the next one.,

PS: sorry if there are some errors but this is not my language, so I'm justified ;)(less)

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Jul 31, 2011 Ryn rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult-fantasy

Ok, so I really wanted to classify this as YA, but the weird bout of griffin sex made me change my mind. However, the the style of writing, and the development of the characters and plot scream YA.

This novel, like The Battle Sylph, had a lot of potential - but ultimately failed to deliver. I liked the world K.J. Taylor created, and I didn't even mind the main character and the series of unfortunate events he faces. (Readers who couldn't understand how quickly and horribly Arren's life sank shoul...more

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May 30, 2011 Yune rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Dark and unsophisticated: not a winning combination.

The book begins with a mother griffin tending to her chicks. In the wilderness. During dire times. Related in short sentences. This gets better, but those first three sentences were not promising, and in retrospect I wish I'd stopped there. The story progresses rather like a nature documentary until one chick triumphantly reaches adulthood.

Then we get introduced to Arren, a human of a traditionally enslaved race, who nonetheless has garnered so...more Dark and unsophisticated: not a winning combination.

The book begins with a mother griffin tending to her chicks. In the wilderness. During dire times. Related in short sentences. This gets better, but those first three sentences were not promising, and in retrospect I wish I'd stopped there. The story progresses rather like a nature documentary until one chick triumphantly reaches adulthood.

Then we get introduced to Arren, a human of a traditionally enslaved race, who nonetheless has garnered some respect as a (domesticated, speech-capable) griffin's companion and with some commercial authority. He turns out to need some money, the local lord suggests that he capture a wild griffin for the bounty, and Arren sets off with a special griffin sleeping potion. You guessed it, the griffin at large is none other than the one we watched grow up into a fierce and dangerous beast. This felt a bit computer game-like to me, where you get ushered into a custom-fitted adventure.

From there, though, Arren falls upon tragedy after tragedy, and frankly, I never felt compelled to sympathize with him all that much. I'm sure he was your generic stalwart goodfellow before all the betrayals and bad times ensued, but I never really was moved by his grief or terror. He was just a guy I happened to be reading about between scenes from a griffin point of view. And the way stuff piled up on him was just depressing, with the loss of loved ones and title and safety and dignity, and people turning on him and refusing to believe him when he defended himself. Basically, anything that could make him more miserable happened. I don't blame him for his reactions of stupid anger, but it didn't really give him much agency, and just gave other characters justification to consider him the wretched villain he was accused of being. He doesn't really fight his way through it, just stumbles into another horrific situation that happens to let him out of a previous one, and oh, by the way, at the end of it manages to bond with that griffin.

To be fair, the paths converge decently, but I'm still shaking my head over the grim indignities that Arren suffered. The two getting together was insufficient resolution to make up for all that. And the worldbuilding felt sparse in places; the role of the griffins (besides making their human companions seem cool) and of this other human race seemed convenient rather than integrated and fully explained.

I'm skipping the rest of these.

(ETA: I know now that this is meant to be an origin story for a villain. That makes sense. However, there is a reason people like to read about heroes...)(less)

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May 13, 2011 Elecampane rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: do-not-recommend

Like Nita, below, I have difficulty summing up my reactions to this book.

I love griffins, and I love fantasy stories where the nonhuman race(s) are not just humans in another shape; and this is probably the best feature of the book. The griffins have their own language, culture (a simplistic one, but it includes an origin myth and some cultural norms that are quite different from any human group's). I wish there'd been some more exploration of this, and some further explanation of how griffins'...more Like Nita, below, I have difficulty summing up my reactions to this book.

I love griffins, and I love fantasy stories where the nonhuman race(s) are not just humans in another shape; and this is probably the best feature of the book. The griffins have their own language, culture (a simplistic one, but it includes an origin myth and some cultural norms that are quite different from any human group's). I wish there'd been some more exploration of this, and some further explanation of how griffins' unique magic works, along with their history of association with humans.

Most of the book, in fact, could do with some more exploration, explanation, and complication. The main character was dully predictable and one-dimensional, especially as the plot progressed. I kept waiting for him to recognise the campaign against him and begin planning a counterattack with the few loyal friends he had -- why else had the author included a city guard and a councilman's daughter among them? Instead, Arren behaved like an idiot all the way through, bottling up his anger until he exploded in rash violence, and then getting angry again because exploding made the situation worse; repeat through the entire book. If anyone had sat on him till he spilled the whole story and called in his friends, the entire plot would have been dead in the water.

The dialogue and narration are simple (which sometimes makes it feel juvenile, or just unconvincing), and the plot likewise; the villain stood out from a mile away, and everything he did was predictable, adding to the frustration when Arren never saw it coming, not even once.

The simplicity isn't helped by Darkheart's inclusion; large parts of the novel are "narrated" from the perspective of a griffin whose grasp on language and reason are on the level of a five-year-old child, because he grew up without any exposure to his own species. Giving parts of the story from a griffin's perspective was a prime chance to fill readers in on griffin history and society, but the author has thrown it away and slowed down the novel with sections of laughably stereotypical "animalistic" narration. If the novel had been more structured, with some plot twists and character development, this would have made for a nice contrast, but with the human cast coming across so flat and simple, it just highlighted the blandness.

I've not quite decided yet whether to pick up the next book, or just let it go the way of other generic fantasy novels I've read, fading into the background of my memory.(less)

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Dec 29, 2010 Kallie M rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

This book is truly remarkable in the fact that the plot is unlike any other that I have read. Having an entirely new concept - bypassing the current mediocre vampire/werewolf dramas that seem to be the sole fantasy media circulation these days.
Anyhoo, back to the story. The world KJ Taylor creates is very vivid and full of cultural background, making it plausible that the world could actually exist. Although the world is not without it's dark areas. Which is what I think I love the most about Ea...more

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Aug 12, 2009 Anthony Eaton rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I had the privilege of being asked to speak at the launch of this book, so I'm probably a little biased, but this is, I believe, one to watch out for. Taylor has inverted many of the traditional tropes of the fantasy genre with this one, while at the same time staying faithful to the genre in a way that demonstrates clearly her familiarity with, and the depth of her understanding of this often-maligned field of writing.

Her writing is deft, the story engaging, and the plotting is, for the most pa...more

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Jul 01, 2012 Shaheen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: hc-aust, aww2012

Going into this book I was expecting a traditional 'farm-boy-to-hero' story. A few chapters in I realised that The Dark Griffin isn't what I expected at all. Arren's dark story of betrayal and retribution realistically documents easily how quickly society turns on those who are different. Arren becomes a victim of a set up, designed to disgrace him and strip him of his power. At the first signs of trouble his neighbours and work mates condemn him and he very quickly loses the things he once took...more Going into this book I was expecting a traditional 'farm-boy-to-hero' story. A few chapters in I realised that The Dark Griffin isn't what I expected at all. Arren's dark story of betrayal and retribution realistically documents easily how quickly society turns on those who are different. Arren becomes a victim of a set up, designed to disgrace him and strip him of his power. At the first signs of trouble his neighbours and work mates condemn him and he very quickly loses the things he once took for granted such as his job and other people's trust and respect.

Arren is heavily victimised and I wondered for some time why he didn't fight back, until I remembered that he is only nineteen and has led a pretty privileged life until he was set up. The author does a wonderful job of bringing Arren's fear, anger and sense of helplessness to life, and I found him to be a very interesting character to read. Once his own friends and lover desert him Arren is forced to look for other ways out of his situation and ends up relying on the enigmatic black griffin Darkheart.

The griffins are a large part of the world Taylor has created, but the origins of their pairings with humans are unclear. In many ways this aspect of the story reminded me of Eragon. The griffins are fiercely loyal to their companions but the humans do not have control over them and they retain their fearsome nature. Since the novel alternates in view-point between Arren and Darkheart, it is easy to sympathise with the griffin as well, especially when his hunting of humans is seen through his eyes as an act of self-preservation. I did feel, however, that Darkheart had a very 'human' voice still - to again compare with Eragon, Sapphira had an alien voice when chapters were narrated from her view-point.

The novel is focussed on the alienation of Arren and Darkheart from all they hold dear, and as such prevents us from exploring any relationships they cultivate. Darkheart loses his family at a very young age and Arren quickly becomes an outcast in his birthplace. Thus I feel the supporting characters fall flat, and although I can see some of them sticking around for the rest of the series, I hope they become more dimensional.

The Dark Griffin is a wonderful read took me completely by surprise. I think any fan of fantasy is missing out if they haven't tried the series out yet - and I for one will be reading the next two books in the series soon. I was also sent the first book of the sequel trilogy, The Shadow's Heir, for review, so I will be reading that as well!

You can read more of my reviews at Speculating on SpecFic .(less)

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Jun 18, 2012 Melbourne on my mind rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, australian, fantasy

Plot summary: Arren Cardockson is a griffiner - the companion and rider of a griffin. He's also a Northerner, a people who were enslaved centuries ago. He became a griffiner by chance, chosen by his griffin at a young age. When he's sent to a small town to investigate a rogue man-eating griffin, life as he knows it changes forever.

Thoughts: I honestly don't know how I feel about this book. I mean, I wanted to know what happened. And I liked the world in which the story took place. But there were...more Plot summary: Arren Cardockson is a griffiner - the companion and rider of a griffin. He's also a Northerner, a people who were enslaved centuries ago. He became a griffiner by chance, chosen by his griffin at a young age. When he's sent to a small town to investigate a rogue man-eating griffin, life as he knows it changes forever.

Thoughts: I honestly don't know how I feel about this book. I mean, I wanted to know what happened. And I liked the world in which the story took place. But there were some things that just seemed a little...jerky?

The story starts out with a mother griffin waiting for her eggs to hatch. They eventually do, and one of the chicks is jet black, something highly unusual. Through a series of incidents, the black chick is left by itself, and grows up alone. Then there's a really random and slightly awkward scene involving griffin sexy times. I get why it's there - at some point, the dark griffin has to learn about humans to move the story forward. But seriously?? That scene was just weird.

Next, we meet Arren Cardockson and his griffin, Eluna. Things are pretty good for Arren - good job, good friends, the love of his life. Then everything pretty much simultaneously turns to shit, and he ends up going slightly crazy and rampaging around the place. As other reviewers have said, when his friends include a city guardsman (who, in my mind at least, was basically Hagrid) and the daughter of a councilman, why didn't he turn to them and come up with a plan? Why did he feel the need to do his own thing, with disastrous consequences?

The answer to this potentially comes in the last few chapters (view spoiler), but it's not adequately explained.

I feel like the ending has left me unsatisfied. Too many unanswered questions, and too many "wait, what??" moments, but more in an "ugh, that's annoying" way than an "OMG MUST READ NEXT BOOK RIGHT NOW" way. If I find the next book in the series at the library, I might pick it up and see if the series gets any better. If not, I don't think I'll be losing sleep over it. (less)

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Jan 06, 2013 Tsana Dolichva rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Dark Griffin is a story about a griffin and a human. The griffin has an unfortunately difficult life, fighting to survive from the time it's born. I was a bit surprised when I started reading, actually, that the first two chapters are told entirely from the point of view of griffins with humans barely featuring on the periphery. Taylor pulled it off, however. In a section that had the potential to feel like a drawn-out prologue, I was captivated the entire time.

In Taylor's world, griffins ar...more The Dark Griffin is a story about a griffin and a human. The griffin has an unfortunately difficult life, fighting to survive from the time it's born. I was a bit surprised when I started reading, actually, that the first two chapters are told entirely from the point of view of griffins with humans barely featuring on the periphery. Taylor pulled it off, however. In a section that had the potential to feel like a drawn-out prologue, I was captivated the entire time.

In Taylor's world, griffins are as intelligent as humans, have varying magical powers and can talk. The humans that ride them are called griffiners and learn to speak the language of the griffins. Arren is a griffiner, despite being of Northern descent. His people were, until recently, slaves in his city and he looks a bit different to the Southerners he lives among. The only reason he's allowed to be a griffiner is because his griffin bonded to him when they were both and there was nothing to be done about it.

Arren's story is very much one of racism and ostracism. Once Arren's position in society becomes slightly less assured, he quickly finds out how thin the veneer protecting him was. A lot of bad things happen to Arren and almost all of them are thanks to racism against his people. After a comfortable life as a respected citizen with some status, denying his heritage out of shame, it all comes as a bit of a shock to him when he loses (ostensibly only some of) that status. Suddenly people no longer respect him and constantly use dismissive language against him ("Oh, but he's only a member of the slave-race"). (Possibly not a book to read if you're particularly sensitive of/triggered by racism and oppression generally.) In the end, Arren's actions, taken out of a desperation the reader can entirely understand, appear to be increasingly erratic to the people around him, giving them more ammunition to use against him. There were some gut-wrenchingly tragic moments.

I also liked how the racism was not based on skin colour. The small world Taylor created was based loosely on Britain and so there wasn't room, geographically, for wildly different ethnic characteristics. It's nice to be reminded that an ethnic group doesn't have to look completely different to be oppressed. And of course, the themes of racism/oppression explored in the novel are widely relevant to modern culture.

The Dark Griffin is a compelling novel. Both the griffin and Arren suffer due to unfair circumstances they cannot be blamed for, and their parallel stories intertwine to powerful effect. Another brilliant fantasy read by a brilliant Australian author. I have read few run-of-the-mill fantasy novels (particularly BFF — big fat fantasy) by Australians, and The Dark Griffin certainly doesn't buck that trend.

I highly recommend The Dark Griffin to all fantasy fans. In particular fans of any or some of Jennifer Fallon, Glenda Larke, Rowena Cory Daniells or Naomi Novik's Temeraire books will probably probably enjoy this book. Having foreseen a burning desire to read the whole series, I already have the rest of the trilogy on my TBR shelf and intend to pick up book two straight away.

5 / 5 stars

You can read more of my reviews on my blog.(less)

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Dec 23, 2010 Doreen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

I started this book somewhat warily. An acknowledgments page of mostly Internet-handles doesn't usually bode well for the quality of what comes after, and for the first few chapters or so, The Dark Griffin proved as generic as expected (which isn't necessarily a bad thing in a genre novel.) Also, the blurb on the back hailing this as "edgy" always makes me wary. Granted, I'm a big fan of the Game of Thrones series, so in the end this book, to me, wasn't edgy so much as it was complex and well-ac...more

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Oct 23, 2011 Saphirablue rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, in-english, read-in-2010

Well, I didn't like this book very much. It had it's moments but overall - no, didn't like it.

What irritated me the most was the constantly changing POV. In the book the POV often changed within the scene or the paragraph. :( That's something I can't deal with anymore in most cases. Fanfic Authors really spoiled me in this regard.

There was also way to little backstory and explanation for the characters and the society - for example: Your read pages over pages about griffins and suddenly a griffi...more

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Jan 26, 2011 Greenbird rated it 3 of 5 stars

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

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Dec 22, 2010 Amy rated it 4 of 5 stars

I received this copy for review off of GoodReads First Reads to provide a review for the book. And to be perfectly honest, I'm not sure how to review it. Usually things are pretty cut and dry for me. Either I liked it, or I didn't. This book has a wonderfully developed protagonist, great dialogue, scenes that make you happy, angry, infuriated, sad

.....but....

there were parts that dragged a little bit also. The beginning of the book was interesting, we learn about the origins of the black griffin...more

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Dec 27, 2010 Wenj rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-review, read-2010

Review provided by Black Lagoon Reviews:

The Dark Griffin is the first novel in The Fallen Moon Trilogy by K.J. Taylor focusing on the life of Arren and a black griffin. Fantastical and filled with emotion, this novel was a great start to what has the promise to be a thrilling series.

The world building within the novel was first rate. Honestly, I normally don't like fantasy simply because the settings and creatures are too hard to relate too. Authors tend to take liberties with creating world-spe...more Review provided by Black Lagoon Reviews:

The Dark Griffin is the first novel in The Fallen Moon Trilogy by K.J. Taylor focusing on the life of Arren and a black griffin. Fantastical and filled with emotion, this novel was a great start to what has the promise to be a thrilling series.

The world building within the novel was first rate. Honestly, I normally don't like fantasy simply because the settings and creatures are too hard to relate too. Authors tend to take liberties with creating world-specific languages that the reader has to learn, not something that I overly enjoy. When I read I like to be able to relate to the writing without having to think what some unpronounceable word is suppose to mean. Taylor's writing of this mythical world that reveres Griffins is not such a novel. Instead, this is very relatable and easy to read. The language is straight forward yet the atmosphere of the world is well maintained. In truth, I really loved the settings of the novel. Taylor was able to capture something that was reminiscent of medieval times, but the language gave it a feeling of being more modern. But, more over it was the atmosphere created within these settings that truly set this novel apart. It is one that is ruled by emotions and those emotions play such a large part in dictating the settings. For instance, at the beginning of the novel there is a warmth surrounding Arren and his small, meager home. While not well furnished or very posh, there is a light there that is comfortable and cozy. When we return to his home later after his trials at Rivermeet, his home is no longer so pleasant. Instead, the dwelling is cold and dark covered in dirt and cobwebs. Light can no longer penetrate the darkness that lurks within to warm it. It is empty, no longer a home but a refuge from the outside world.

The characterization within the novel is also quite enjoyable. We begin the novel following a griffin and her chicks which focuses on the struggle for survival and a mother's devotion to her offspring. Soon, the mother is killed by humans and the single surviving chick is left alone to try and survive on his own. We then follow this chich, black griffin, who is wonderfully personified. I loved reading his passages immensely! While he doesn't know many words which often makes communication with the few humans and griffins that he comes into contact with difficult, his thoughts and actions make him endearing to the reader. Arren is likewise relatable, but with him there is so much pain, torment and utter despair. Both are characters that the reader can sympathize with and you get drawn into. Also, both are given a rich back story and that we got to see both these characters before the 'fall' which only makes them more human as the novel progresses.

This is definitely not a light story. The subject matter is dark, violent and often brutal focusing on slavery, social class, and about the loss of self-identity. The mirroring of these plots between black griffin's story line and Arren's is wonderfully done, tying the two together in an unlikely bond. There was a lot in this novel that often had me grinding my teeth, the foremost being Arren's supposed friends. While they accept Arren and try to be loyal to him, their ease at believing him to be dangerous and insane is aggravating. True, after the death of his griffin Eluna he is in pain and enraged by the betrayal of an official he considered to be a friend, but no one believes his story about how was charged to go to Rivermeet. Ultimately, he is left more and more isolated as time goes on, ostracized, abused and mocked until finally his dignity is stripped away as well by the slave collar that is forced upon him. Likewise the dark griffin is subjected to this same demoralizing treatment until the situation finally comes to a head.

The only thing that I didn't like about the story was the pacing. It was more 'slow and steady' until finally picking up at the end, the weighty issues proving to slow the story. However, while these dark matters may have left the tale a bit slow to wade through, it definitely set the scene for later books. The action in fact does pick up towards the end when Arren and Skandar finally accept themselves and their positions in the world. It leaves such an opening for the next novel and I look forward to seeing what these two exiles go on to do. The promise of them together is just too great to ignore!

In the end, I found this novel to be wonderfully written and while bleak, I enjoyed reading it. There is a lot of potential for the following novels and I looked forward to seeing Arren and Skandar's bond be further explored. Definitely a good read for anyone who enjoys fantastical worlds and mythological creatures!
(less)

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May 31, 2011 Yvonne Boag rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

The Dark Griffin starts pretty slowly. At first I couldn't get into it and then it picked up and had me hooked. Aren who was born in the south is still regarded by all as a hated northerner. As a griffiner he is regarded with some respect but mostly because people fear his griffin. He is sent to capture a wild black griffin who has been killing people and Aren's life changes forever.
It is quite different from your normal fantasy, very dark without designated lines of good and evil. There are a...more

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Jan 03, 2011 Marsha rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

I'm so glad that I won this book. One thing I find lacking in most other books of the same genre are richly written details of the world in which the story unfolds. I'm not actually comparing this book to Lord of the Rings, but (for me) that is one book that fills in so much history and detail of the world and history that the story seems real/plausible. Taylor did just that with her detail and understanding of her world making me feel as though this world did exist (or could). She obviously put...more

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Jan 04, 2011 Michele rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

A strong portrayal of birthright, genetics, prejudice, betrayal and revenge.
So I dont know what possessed me to put in for this book, and when I won it on goodreads to preview I was nearly disappointed at the the thought of having to read something so far from my normal genre......however, I really enjoyed this book. It was written very well, it was easy to read and follow. The story is a dark story about a dark griffin and a dark man that come together in tragedy and prejudice. There is a str...more

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Dec 18, 2011 Ingrid Jonach rated it 5 of 5 stars

I LOVED this book. In the interest of full disclosure I am friends with the author, BUT I really did love this book.

I actually cried three times. The first time was when (view spoiler).

Given that my all time favourite book Brother Night by Victor Kelleher gained its status due to the copious a...more

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Jan 19, 2011 Rae rated it 1 of 5 stars

The writing was just terrible, the plot predictable and the overall feel of the book was amateurish. One thing I distinctly remember is the over-use of the word "snuggle." There's a scene where the griffin devours his siblings then misses them because he wants to snuggle them. So, the author uses vivid, gruesome details to describe the griffin eating his siblings then follows it with a word like "snuggle."

The detailed griffin sex was completely unnecessary.

I thought the villain was pretty obvio...more

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Feb 08, 2011 Brandy Alexander rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. To start off, here is the summary, straight from the back:

Being chosen as a griffen's companion has allowed Arren Cardockson to gain a place of status within the land of Cymria. But even with his griffin by his side, Arren can never escape the prejudice that comes with his Northerner slave origins. After an unfortunate incident leaves him in debt, Arren accepts the well-paying task of capturing a wild griffin, ignorant of the trials about to befall him.

Betrayed by those he trusted and forced to...more

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May 21, 2011 Nathan rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, reviewed-2011

The author is inexperienced and makes the new author mistake of making things hard to pronounce. I get the impression that they are an amateur historian in love with ancient Wales.

The politics of the world are very hard to fathom and don't make a whole lot of sense sometimes. The characters don't always react in ways I'd expect real people to react and I began to get tired of reading about all the bad things that kept happening to the main character.

Unfortunately, I bought the trilogy complete...more

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Sep 19, 2012 Alexis rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, anti-hero, really-good

I don't know if this book was good, but it certainly was enjoyable. It could have been excellent, I think, with a heavy dose of polish and a tweak or two.

The nature documentary at the beginning was unnecessary. Some of the slow parts in the middle could have been picked up. A few of the characters annoyed me. Yet I liked it, for the last few chapters if nothing else; looking back on it as a whole leaves me with a favorable impression.

If you get tired of dragons and farm-boy heroes in your fantas...more

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Dec 17, 2010 Brittany rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-read

I received this book through Goodreads. It sounded interesting and I was very excited to sit down and read it. The author spins an amazing world with amazing imagery. The character development is fantastic as well. I went through many emotions while reading along with the main character Arren. Arren realizes through the process of this story that everything he thought and held dear weren't what he thought they were. I don't want to give anything away but it is a great read. It is the beginning o...more

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Dec 28, 2010 Jane rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: sci-fi-fantasy, own, 2010, first-reads

Not sure what I was expecting, but I liked it. The two main story-lines are those of Arren Cardockson, and of the dark griffin (Darkheart), although you occasionally get a glimpse of other characters. The lives of Arren and Darkheart intersect and they connect on a certain level because neither feels like they really belong. Arren is a dark haired young man of Northern blood, whose ancestors were slaves and Darkheart is one of the last wild griffins (until Arren captures him) with unusual black...more

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Dec 14, 2010 Uriah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, first-reads

A first reads win.

This was a very interesting read. The characters are dark and you see the main characters struggle with numerous problems. There is rich description of both characters and surroundings with being too verbose. The world and setting are intriguing and fresh. I really enjoyed reading it and would like to read it again and read following books.

It is the first in a series but I didn't feel like I had any idea what the second book could be about. There didn't seem to be a compellin...more

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Dec 03, 2012 Debbie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: format-kindle, science-fiction-fantasy, fantasy, 4-star

Quickly caught up in story, characters and world building -- but honestly, although well written so I knew I would finish the book, the first few chapters left me with no clue what book/series was going to be. The character points of view swinging from adult griffin (possibly headed toward a Mutual of Omaha Wild Kingdom type of special, lol), to infant griffin to the protagonist Arren gsve no hint as to how good the book became once it mostly settled on Arren and the events in his home city. Wha...more

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The Dark Griffin (The Fallen Moon #1)

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