Halitor the Hero

by Rebecca M. Douglass

Halitor has failed at every apprenticeship under the Ice Castle. He figures it’s his last chance when his parents foist him on Bovrell the Bold as an apprentice Hero, and he pores eagerly over the Hero’s Guide to Battles, Rescues and the Slaying of Monsters. But Halitor infuriates his master when he drops his sword and gets rattled around Fair Maidens. When his master abandons him at an inn in Loria, Halitor is ready to give up and just be a kitchen boy. But Melly, the young kitchen wench, has other ideas. She wants to go find her father, and soon the two are battling monsters and worse on a wild journey to her home. Before they are done, Halitor has learned more than just how to be a Hero.

Genres: Middle Grade

168 pages, Paperback

First published November 30, 2014

About the author

Rebecca M. Douglass has lived in Idaho, Arizona, California, and Washington, and now lives and writes in the Seattle area. Her imagination resides where it pleases, in and out of this world. Her passions include backpacking, hiking, books, and moderately adventurous travel, especially when shared with good friends and family. Douglass is the author of the delightful Ninja Librarian books for children, and the Pismawallops PTA cozy mysteries for adults, and the new Seffi Wardwell Mystery series. After more than seventeen years working at the her local library and volunteering her time in the schools, she has retired to concentrate on reading, writing and travel.

Reviews

[M.G. King · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! Halitor is a Don Quixote for older kids and tween readers. A bit hapless, but very likeable, Halitor sets out to make the world a better place. Things don't always go as planned, however, and good deeds tend to go a bit awry, especially where Melly the kitchen wench is concerned. Good action, good heart, and some good suprises will keep you reading to the end. Among indie books available for kids, in my opinion, this is one of the best; truly a hidden gem.

[Jemima Pett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Halitor the Hero, or Halitor the Hapless? I love the way each chapter casts Halitor into a different role. Even his name fits the unheroic mould, since halitosis is bad breath! The author brilliantly chooses an equally potentially punning name for the heroine, kitchen-maid Melly - or is that Smelly? - who Halitor almost saves from the clutches of an ogre. Strange really, since ogres are only supposed to snatch Fair Maidens and Princesses, but Melly comes from a suitably murky past, and who knows what her parentage might be? She's a slave now, and a slave she will stay - unless she runs away with the aid of a hapless hero-in-training whose master has abandoned him, that is.

If that event were to occur, then maybe they'd stray into dragon territory, or have to escape from bandits, or giants, or other gruesome beasties. And they might come across a mysterious old woman in a cottage in a wood where they might seek shelter. But if Halitor and Melly are so weak and unskilled in the art of looking after themselves, they aren't going to last that far into the story, are they?

This is a delightful, witty tale of two delightful and amusing mismatched companions, who turn out to be a pretty good team. Melly's secret is not difficult to guess some way before it is disclosed, but this in no way detracts from the disclosure or the excitement of the adventure. It's a journey of discovery, not only of the countryside they are in, and the beings within it, but of the workings of friendship and loyalty, and that incomparable thing which is so vital to skill - forgetting that you are trying to do something, but just doing it.

It's a great tale for would-be heroes and feisty maidens alike, and I'm really glad that the ending implies Halitor may ride again. Full marks to Ms Douglass for a thoroughly enjoyable fantasy adventure.

(I received a free ARC from the author for my honest review.)

[V.K. Finnish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sixteen-year-old Halitor was supposed to be on his way to becoming a Hero, according to the very-important manual, The Hero’s Guide to Battles, Rescues, and the Slaying of Monsters. But he is such a mistake-prone and girl-shy klutz that his master sacks him at a most inconvenient time, leaving poor Halitor stuck as the kitchen help at an inn in the middle of nowhere. There, he meets the determined and NOT-shy Melly, the kitchen maid, who demands that he teach her what he knows about sword fighting and Hero-ing so she can escape. So begins an adventure that stumbles across giants, bandits, dragons, and a battle to save a kingdom.

I had the opportunity to review an advance e-copy of Halitor the Hero, a fun, quick read, great for ages 8 to 11. The pace was good, the characters had great interaction—often humorously. While I felt sorry for Halitor most of the time, I couldn’t help laughing at the well-played humor brought out by his mishaps. There is enough misfortunate adventure to make Don Quixote proud. The characters felt much younger than their ages, so, even though we’re following fifteen and sixteen year olds, the story is suitable for a middle-grade audience.

There are a couple of nondescript references to concern about physical situations—which make adults think rape—and which I felt wasn’t fit for the intended young audience (thus a 4 stars instead 5 stars), but there is nothing graphic or even explained, and most readers will probably pass it over without remotely getting the significance.

As a fun, traditional fantasy adventure, Halitor the Hero sits perfectly alongside books like The Hobbit, The Horse and His Boy, and Igraine the Brave, and can be enjoyed by both boy and girl readers.