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The Hallows
One of the 13 Hallows - Dyrnwyn, the sword of Rhydderch - is discovered buried. For 51 years the Guardians have ensured that the magical relics will never be brought together, and their magical powers unleashed. But now the Guardians are dying, horrible, lingering deaths.
368 pages, Paperback
Published June 29, 1995
123 people want to read
About the author
Michael Scott
186 books6,854 followersIrish-born Michael Scott began writing over thirty years ago, and is one of Ireland's most successful and prolific authors, with over one hundred titles to his credit, spanning a
variety of genres, including Fantasy, Science Fiction and Folklore.
He writes for both adults and young adults and is published in thirty-seven countries, in over twenty languages.
Praised for his “unparalleled contribution to children’s literature,” by the Guide to Children’s
Books, Michael Scott was the Writer in Residence during Dublin’s tenure as European City of Culture in 1991, and was featured in the 2006 edition of Who’s Who in Ireland as one of the 1000
most “significant Irish.”
variety of genres, including Fantasy, Science Fiction and Folklore.
He writes for both adults and young adults and is published in thirty-seven countries, in over twenty languages.
Praised for his “unparalleled contribution to children’s literature,” by the Guide to Children’s
Books, Michael Scott was the Writer in Residence during Dublin’s tenure as European City of Culture in 1991, and was featured in the 2006 edition of Who’s Who in Ireland as one of the 1000
most “significant Irish.”
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 24, 2016
Ο συγγραφέας είναι γνωστός στο κοινό του Φανταστικού, χάρη στην εφηβική σειρά φαντασίας "Τα μυστικά του αθάνατου Νίκολας Φλαμέλ", που γενικά είναι από τις πιο γνωστές και πολυδιαβασμένες του είδους της. Το συγκεκριμένο βιβλίο, πάντως, απευθύνεται κατά κύριο λόγο σε ενήλικους, χάρη στην γραφική βία που υπάρχει. Και, βέβαια, δεν είναι εξίσου γνωστό. Έχει ελάχιστες αξιολογήσεις στο Goodreads, ενώ γέρνει πάρα πολύ προς την παλπ λογοτεχνία. Γενικά είναι ένα μάλλον μέτριο βιβλίο, που διαβάζεται όμως εύκολα και αρκετά ευχάριστα. Σίγουρα δεν πέρασα άσχημα.
Η ιστορία διαδραματίζεται στην Μεγάλη Βρετανία. Διάφοροι ηλικιωμένοι άνθρωποι (τόσο γυναίκες όσο και άντρες) αρχίζουν να δολοφονούνται με πραγματικά άγριο τρόπο. Γιατί; Γιατί έχουν στην κατοχή τους από ένα μαγικό κειμήλιο, όντας "Φύλακες". Τα μαγικά κειμήλια είναι δεκατρία και όποιος τα αποκτήσει, θα μπορέσει να ανοίξει μια πύλη. Ένας νεαρός, ο Γκρεγκ Μάθιους, του οποίου η οικογένεια θα σφαγιαστεί, θα μπλεχτεί στην όλη ιστορία, όταν ένα τέτοιο κειμήλιο έρθει άθελά του στην κατοχή του. Η συνέχεια θα είναι γεμάτη με κυνηγητά, δεκάδες πτώματα, αίμα, βία και λίγο υπερφυσικό...
Αυτά σε γενικές γραμμές. Όπως είπα, πρόκειται για ένα παλπ μυθιστόρημα του Φανταστικού, το οποίο συνδυάζει το θρίλερ, την φαντασία και τον τρόμο. Η πλοκή έχει το ενδιαφέρον της, αλλά είναι γεμάτη με υπερβολές, ευκολίες και κάποιες χρήσιμες συμπτώσεις. Δεν πείστηκα απόλυτα από κάποια συγκεκριμένα πράγματα. Επίσης οι χαρακτήρες μου φάνηκαν μονοδιάστατοι και μάλλον αδιάφοροι. Η γραφή δεν έχει κάτι το ιδιαίτερο, πάντως είναι ευκολοδιάβαστη και κάνει την δουλειά της. Γενικά πέρασα καλά, χάρη στην όλη δράση, την βία και την ατμόσφαιρα της ιστορίας, πάντως χωρίς αμφιβολία πρόκειται για ένα εύπεπτο και παλπ μυθιστόρημα, κάτι σαν αναγνωστικό φαστ φουντ.
Η ιστορία διαδραματίζεται στην Μεγάλη Βρετανία. Διάφοροι ηλικιωμένοι άνθρωποι (τόσο γυναίκες όσο και άντρες) αρχίζουν να δολοφονούνται με πραγματικά άγριο τρόπο. Γιατί; Γιατί έχουν στην κατοχή τους από ένα μαγικό κειμήλιο, όντας "Φύλακες". Τα μαγικά κειμήλια είναι δεκατρία και όποιος τα αποκτήσει, θα μπορέσει να ανοίξει μια πύλη. Ένας νεαρός, ο Γκρεγκ Μάθιους, του οποίου η οικογένεια θα σφαγιαστεί, θα μπλεχτεί στην όλη ιστορία, όταν ένα τέτοιο κειμήλιο έρθει άθελά του στην κατοχή του. Η συνέχεια θα είναι γεμάτη με κυνηγητά, δεκάδες πτώματα, αίμα, βία και λίγο υπερφυσικό...
Αυτά σε γενικές γραμμές. Όπως είπα, πρόκειται για ένα παλπ μυθιστόρημα του Φανταστικού, το οποίο συνδυάζει το θρίλερ, την φαντασία και τον τρόμο. Η πλοκή έχει το ενδιαφέρον της, αλλά είναι γεμάτη με υπερβολές, ευκολίες και κάποιες χρήσιμες συμπτώσεις. Δεν πείστηκα απόλυτα από κάποια συγκεκριμένα πράγματα. Επίσης οι χαρακτήρες μου φάνηκαν μονοδιάστατοι και μάλλον αδιάφοροι. Η γραφή δεν έχει κάτι το ιδιαίτερο, πάντως είναι ευκολοδιάβαστη και κάνει την δουλειά της. Γενικά πέρασα καλά, χάρη στην όλη δράση, την βία και την ατμόσφαιρα της ιστορίας, πάντως χωρίς αμφιβολία πρόκειται για ένα εύπεπτο και παλπ μυθιστόρημα, κάτι σαν αναγνωστικό φαστ φουντ.
May 27, 2022
I physically threw this book out my window. I watched it, as it got soaked up by the rain, rotted from inside, a raccoon ate a piece, flies pooped on it, death, all, with joy.
July 28, 2011
This book peeked my interest because Im a big fan of Michael Scott's ya series The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel. And while this novel is very adult by comparison, I found the writing and description of settings and characters very similar. Despite the differences in the novels you could still tell it was written by the same author which I enjoyed.
The Hallows is about 13 hallowed objects of power and their protectors or keepers. The objects are powerful on their own but are never supposed to be brought together in one place. The Dark Man is killing the keepers and trying to bring all the artifacts together. This book was interesting, in that it followed many of the characters, and the story jumped between them. The main character, Greg Matthews who starts out as an innocent bystander, is thrust into the story when he helps Judith while she is being mugged. Judith turns out to be one of the keepers and Greg finds himself being hunted by the dark man and his goons, as well as being framed for numerous horrific murders associated with the hallow keepers.
I enjoyed this book despite it being a bit graphic at times both with respect to the murders and some intimate scenes. I do wish we had gotten more information about the hallows themselves and why they were so important. Some of the importance came through at the end of the book, but I would have loved more history on each of the objects. I found the characters interesting and easy to follow in their motivations. I did feel the ending was a bit abrupt and wish it would have played out a little differently but overall a really good horror novel.
The Hallows is about 13 hallowed objects of power and their protectors or keepers. The objects are powerful on their own but are never supposed to be brought together in one place. The Dark Man is killing the keepers and trying to bring all the artifacts together. This book was interesting, in that it followed many of the characters, and the story jumped between them. The main character, Greg Matthews who starts out as an innocent bystander, is thrust into the story when he helps Judith while she is being mugged. Judith turns out to be one of the keepers and Greg finds himself being hunted by the dark man and his goons, as well as being framed for numerous horrific murders associated with the hallow keepers.
I enjoyed this book despite it being a bit graphic at times both with respect to the murders and some intimate scenes. I do wish we had gotten more information about the hallows themselves and why they were so important. Some of the importance came through at the end of the book, but I would have loved more history on each of the objects. I found the characters interesting and easy to follow in their motivations. I did feel the ending was a bit abrupt and wish it would have played out a little differently but overall a really good horror novel.
September 22, 2020
Αρκετά καλό
December 12, 2021
Strange stuff
May 20, 2009
This is one of those books that makes me realize we need 1/2 star rating capabilities... this would definitely get 4 1/2 - why not the full 5 (although I gave it the full 5 since I don't have the 4 1/2 option!)? Well, because I would have like to have seen a little more of the end. And it's hard to explain what I mean by that without giving up the end. I also would have liked a little more of the history of the Hallows - we get quite a bit towards the end, but I think there was a little more potential that was left untouched - especially with the sword's history. But it was excellent!
Michael does a great job of cutting back and forth between scenes and yet I still feel like the book flows - sometimes authors try to do that and I feel so disjointed about it - and here, the transition is seemless and the book still flows and keeps things moving forward. I am becoming a fan of the way Michael sets out chapters/sections of the books by date too (see the Alchemyst and Magician for the same device).
There is suspense, action, gore (although not too much) and history all rolled up into one here. The opening chapter sucked me in and I couldn't put the book down. I really felt for the character Greg Matthews and his losses. I also really disliked the bad guy - and when I can identify with the characters and feel invested, I know it's a great book!
This means I am off to pick up more of Michael's books!
Michael does a great job of cutting back and forth between scenes and yet I still feel like the book flows - sometimes authors try to do that and I feel so disjointed about it - and here, the transition is seemless and the book still flows and keeps things moving forward. I am becoming a fan of the way Michael sets out chapters/sections of the books by date too (see the Alchemyst and Magician for the same device).
There is suspense, action, gore (although not too much) and history all rolled up into one here. The opening chapter sucked me in and I couldn't put the book down. I really felt for the character Greg Matthews and his losses. I also really disliked the bad guy - and when I can identify with the characters and feel invested, I know it's a great book!
This means I am off to pick up more of Michael's books!
January 29, 2016
Good book really enjoyed it. Intriguing idea - 13 ancient hallows are hidden around Britain with their keepers. They are the keys to the otherworld where demons wait trying to get through to our world. The gate was locked thousands of years ago and the 13 keys (hallows) given to 13 keepers, passed down through the family, to guard. To open the gate the 13 hallows are needed. In current times, one by one, the 13 Hallows keepers are being murdered and the Hallows taken. It's little bit gory in places but not gratuitously so, good characters, you feel a great deal of empathy with the "heroes" and the plot is pretty good kept me hooked, but I felt the ending just sort of petered out a bit. It could have done with another couple of chapters to have tied things up properly. Also you never got any idea of exactly why the protagonist wanted to open the gate or what exactly he hoped to gain. Small points but would have gained it the extra star because despite these points I did thoroughly enjoy it.
June 20, 2012
Obviously a book for teens: a mixture of ancient rituals, sex and violence. The plot is quite gripping though and the action is fast-paced.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews