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Heroes of the Valley

Jonathan Stroud (Goodreads Author)

3.44 · Rating details · 5,166 ratings · 695 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.

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Hardcover, 483 pages

Published January 27th 2009 by Disney-Hyperion (first published 2009)

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Aug 04, 2011 Mike (the Paladin) rated it did not like it

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 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 that 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, people with "feet of clay", 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, for what it's worth, can't recommend it. If you like it, enjoy. (hide spoiler)]
...more

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Jan 01, 2009 Betsy rated it really liked it

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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Oct 21, 2010 Danielle The Book Huntress (Back to the Books) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, audiobook, smart-aleck, awkward-misfit, 2011-reading, fantasy, library-checkout, beauty-is-in-the-eye, hero-i-loved, tomboy

Heroes of the Valley turned out to be a good book to listen on audio. At first I wasn't sure how much I'd like it, but I ended up enjoying it immensely.

Halli is a roguish, endearing young hero who wrapped himself around my heart. Although he was quite a prankster, he was a good kid at heart. He didn't really get a chance to shine until he broke free from the mold of his family and their expectations for him. This took him on a journey of self-discovery and enlightenment about his world. Everyone Heroes of the Valley turned out to be a good book to listen on audio. At first I wasn't sure how much I'd like it, but I ended up enjoying it immensely.

Halli is a roguish, endearing young hero who wrapped himself around my heart. Although he was quite a prankster, he was a good kid at heart. He didn't really get a chance to shine until he broke free from the mold of his family and their expectations for him. This took him on a journey of self-discovery and enlightenment about his world. Everyone in the Valley lives in the shadow of their great ancestors, who all died in a standoff with trolls that were plaguing the humans of the Valley. Now, they are nearly worshipped by each of the twelve houses founded in their names. Halli grew up with tales of the bravado of his ancestor, Svein, and wishes to commit similar feats of bravery to have his name listed in the hall of heroes. That's a bit hard to do with the current situations. All weapons are outlawed and any disputes are judged by the Lawgivers, women of the twelve houses.

When Halli's uncle Broda is murdered by Olaf of the Hakonsons, Halli is determined to avenge his uncle. He goes on a journey deeper into the valley, and comes to realize that heroism and bravery is not the way it sounds in the stories he was weaned on.

Halli makes it on my heroes I love shelf because he is a great kid. He is brave in a real life way. He gets himself into some very sticky situations, but he fights his way through with his ingenuity and his determination. He's not unaware that others view him in a negative light, but he doesn't let that stop him from doing what he believes is right. He stands up for himself, and others, and I loved his pluck. He's an outrageous kid who tells it like it is, and that's a trait that I can't help but admire. And Halli saves the day in a great way, not just to be labeled as the Hero, but because it's the right thing to do.

Jonathan Stroud keeps the reader guessing where Halli's adventures will lead him next, and this makes for a book that is nothing like I expected. I'm still trying to work my mind around the twist near the end that I completely didn't expect.

Heroes of the Valley has some good messages for younger (and older readers) about being true to yourself, standing up for what you believe, and using your wits instead of resorting to violent actions. There is violence, yet it's not pointless. Instead, violence in this story is used to illustrate something important. Violence doesn't make you a hero just because you are capable of using brute force to harm others and end lives. There is a place for it, but we must all question when is violence necessary, and count the cost of that violence, which can be a lot greater than we previously anticipated. In this story, the reader sees what kind of man Svein really was, and you have to wonder if he's truly a hero. Or do our heroes truly have feet of clay that merely make them the humans they were all along, despite their fantastic, lauded deeds. I truly believe that each person has it in them to be the hero, merely by standing up and doing what's right when they find themselves in those situations that don't even seem very grand. But their actions can be crucial, and how they react to those situations can define them and how confrontations end up being resolved, for the better or worse.

I didn't have a lot of expectations for this, but I ended up a satisfied listener. I think the narrator did a good job, and he brought the characters to life in a distinctive manner that fits the story, and had me listening intently. I am glad I was able to meet Halli, and his young girl friend Aud. They are definitely the true heroes in this story. ...more

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Sep 27, 2010 Robert rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

Stroud's best book.

This a fantasy set in an isolated valley above a fjord where farming and feuding are the primary occupations. The culture is based on what can be found in Icelandic sagas, complete with a heavy emphasis on legal disputes. The protagonist, a boy with a quick wit and a way with words, is fascinated by the legends of the Heroes who settled the valley and made it safe from the monsters that lived underground and preyed on the new-comers. He hopes for a more exciting life than bein ...more

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Dec 07, 2016 Avalley rated it really liked it

I liked it though it wasn't that good in the beginning and was boring sometimes. overall though, it wasn't bad. ...more

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Feb 22, 2009 Laura rated it it was amazing

So, halfway through this book I wasn't really sure I was enjoying it all that much. I could admit that it was probably a good book, but I was annoyed that it was so departed from the Bartimaeus trilogy, which I LOVED. Mostly, I think I was annoyed that it just wasn't funny. It wasn't supposed to be funny, but I wanted it to be.

The other problem was that I was having a hard time cheering for a main character that I didn't really like or relate to in any way, a foolish young boy who derides respon ...more

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Oct 16, 2009 Kitri rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, mock-printz-2010, youngadultfiction

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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Dec 29, 2014 gio rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Short comment, 'cause I feel lazy tonight.

1) Lys <3 (as always :3)
2) My jaw is still literally on the floor because...THAT ending. I reached the end and when the plot twist was revealed I felt so stupid. I didn't expect that at all, Stroud, you evil genius.
3) Halli you TONTO.
4) This was so different from Bartimeus (read it if you haven't, people). I liked it less than Barty (because Bartimeus' ending still makes me want to go in a corner and cry like ther's no tomorrow) but more than Lockwood &c ...more

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May 13, 2012 Maninee rated it really liked it · 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 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
...more

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Apr 14, 2012 Kat rated it really liked it

Shelves: young-adult

Well written, but somewhat unsatisfying.

One thing I always look for in a young adult book is what ideology the author is presenting to the intended young reader. This book is a cleverly written story of the progression of a restless young boy into a responsible, if adventurous, young man. The author belittles violence borne of pride and considers self-sacrifice and self-defense (even deadly) as noble and honorable. This book (similar to the Bartiemeus trilogy) certainly encourages questioning t Well written, but somewhat unsatisfying.

One thing I always look for in a young adult book is what ideology the author is presenting to the intended young reader. This book is a cleverly written story of the progression of a restless young boy into a responsible, if adventurous, young man. The author belittles violence borne of pride and considers self-sacrifice and self-defense (even deadly) as noble and honorable. This book (similar to the Bartiemeus trilogy) certainly encourages questioning the status quo and not simply accepting and respecting "authority" that does not demonstrate it is worthy of such respect.

The folklore theme to this book is also something I find interesting. The story is told in the context of a set of lore regarding an ancestral hero. Throughout the book, you see the tidbits of stories both as chapter introductions and through tellings by the characters. You also see one of the most striking layers of the author's intent in how he shows the faults and truths of such lore. One one hand, you see multiple groups claiming the same great deeds on behalf of their own ancestors. You see some foolishly allowing claims of "oh now that was MY ancestor" inciting boastful banter, hostile replies, and even violence. You see, through the telling of the main (would-be-hero) character's adventures how disparate actual events, the perception of events, the telling of events, and the hearing of events can be. I found it quite masterfully done.

What did bother me about this book is the lack of relational emotions. The main character experience rage, fear, horror, terror, doubt, and sense of failure. But he expresses nothing but disdain for his family (save 1) or the townspeople he is willing to honorably and nobly sacrifice his own life to defend. There is a hint that he has warm feelings for his co-conspirator friend, but that is really the only instance where he seems to experience true emotion related to another person. All the rest of his emotions are tied up in his own self-pity and ideas of grandeur.
...more

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Jul 13, 2014 Mary-Jean Harris rated it it was amazing

Shelves: historical, fantasy, historical-fantasy, young-adult-fantasy, book-club

This was an amazing book, with very likeable characters (despite their numerous faults!) and interesting events. It was written beautifully and had many elements of an old tale being told, the simultaneous legend of the "heroes of the valley" at the beginning of each chapter, and to a lesser extent, the story itself. I found the beginning a bit jumbled, since you weren't really sure who the story was about. But once it got started, I liked it more and more. The main character, Halli, seemed too ...more

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Jul 06, 2014 Katharina Gerlach rated it it was amazing

Shelves: ungewohntes, young-adult

Nothing like Stroud's other books but just as good.

This book reads more like a historical novel set in a time where people lived rather isolated lives for there's fairly little magic involved. The mythology of the people in this tale resembles stories told about Vikings but there are no direct clues that indicate the author really meant to create vikings. I'd rather like to think that they live in their own world, a world where wisps of magic are still lingering.

The story develops slowly, focusi ...more

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Mar 19, 2012 Ulfah rated it it was ok

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

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Jul 21, 2010 Emi rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Halli lives in a valley founded by 12 Heroes long ago who fought monsters, called Trows, for mastery of the land. As the second son in his family, he’s a bit of a prankster, seeking attention from a village that would rather see him remain quiet and out of the way than have fun. But when his uncle is murdered by the arbiter of another house, Halli embarks on a quest, seeking revenge for his fallen kin. Along the way he begins to question his family’s history, the legends of the Trows, and his fe Halli lives in a valley founded by 12 Heroes long ago who fought monsters, called Trows, for mastery of the land. As the second son in his family, he’s a bit of a prankster, seeking attention from a village that would rather see him remain quiet and out of the way than have fun. But when his uncle is murdered by the arbiter of another house, Halli embarks on a quest, seeking revenge for his fallen kin. Along the way he begins to question his family’s history, the legends of the Trows, and his feelings for a young girl named Aud.

I had high hopes for this book. Really, I did. After seeing “How to Train Your Dragon” in theaters this last spring, Viking stories have made it onto my list of things to explore. But this book was probably not the best story to start with, for multiple reasons.

Heroes of the Valley gets off to a slow start. For the first 75 pages or so, the events that take place and background information provided (mostly about Halli’s history with his family) have little—if any—importance to the actual plot. Eventually, things picked up around page 200 or so. But Halli himself was just a boring character. I found him unsympathetic and without much drive to do anything (except complain) until his uncle is killed, and even then I didn’t believe he was genuinely interested in regaining his family’s honor. The beginning of the book insisted on how witty Halli was but I had difficulty believing this as he made page after page of untactful and stupid choices. Not to mention that his dialogue was staler than a piece of dry flat bread. Sure, he had a few funny lines, but still lacked the charisma that you would expect an insisted “prankster” to have. I think this was partially due to his perfect grammar—for a fifteen year old kid, the guy spoke like an experienced noble, using diction beyond the intelligence of a Viking teenager. Really, it was the female lead, Aud, who had the personality he should have had. She was forward, charismatic, intelligent, attractive, brave, ect., and I was sad to see that she didn’t show up more. Stroud placed her in this story to be the love interest, but for those of you seeking romance, you’ll be disappointed by the end. Though it’s clear that Aud and Halli like each other, it’s never clear what happens to the two of them.

The beginning of the novel leads you to believe that the focus of Halli’s adventure will lead him to an epic battle with the Trows (just the ancestors of the 12 houses did), due to the emphasis on them throughout the story. (Trows are creatures of the earth that come out at night and eat people. They’re never really described, except that they are human like, have sharp claws, and smell like dirt) However, instead, the ending focuses on the dying relationship between the houses, rather than the union of them against a common enemy. Though I thought the ending was cut too short, I enjoyed Halli’s display of maturity in the end and his rise to become a hero. I would say that the story is an exploration in what makes a hero - how a legend it born, how it gets distorted and dies, and how a new legend can arise when seeking the truth - rather than your typical adventure story.

Overall, I didn't really care for the book. It wasn't the worst thing I've ever read, but it wasn't good either. ...more

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Jul 02, 2014 Abhishek Dafria rated it really liked it · review of another edition

How do you see your tale’s hero? Tall, handsome, a knight in shining armour, the one with the brains and the brawn to make things right. If you are interested in the typical heroes, then do not pick up a Jonathan Stroud book. But if you need something new, something different from the others, if you are willing to bear a protagonist who has a better chance of burning himself than achieving any of his goals, then you may very look forward to a Jonathan Stroud adventure. After having completed the How do you see your tale’s hero? Tall, handsome, a knight in shining armour, the one with the brains and the brawn to make things right. If you are interested in the typical heroes, then do not pick up a Jonathan Stroud book. But if you need something new, something different from the others, if you are willing to bear a protagonist who has a better chance of burning himself than achieving any of his goals, then you may very look forward to a Jonathan Stroud adventure. After having completed the Bartimeus trilogy, my admiration of author Stroud had risen multifold, and that has not diminished after completing Heroes of the Valley.

Heroes of the Valley is about the adventure of young Halli Sveinsson, the second son of the ruler of the Svein House. A lad hungry for adventure, though living in peaceful times, with only the tales of old heroes to dream about. Foolhardy in his ways, a bit too quick with his tongue, Halli has all the ingredients to stir up trouble when it can be avoided. And that is eventually what is bound to happen. When the Svein House hosts the annual Gathering where folks across all Houses are invited, Halli’s mischievous prank disturbs the delicate balance of peace in the valley. And from thereon begins his adventure, an adventure which will teach Halli much more about life, about honour and courage, and also about himself.

Heroes of the Valley is a joy to read right from the start. Jonathan Stroud begins the opening pages with an age-old tale of the dead heroes who fought the mythical Trows, and instantly you are hooked. What follows then is the beginning of the adventure which would change so much, as Stroud adroitly takes us through his chapters, building on the characters meticulously, and making you like Halli more and more with each passing page. Joining his adventure is Aud from another house, who matches Halli in her love for recklessness, and together they make for a wonderful partnership. As the book moves on, the layers of character of Halli that Stroud unravels is excellent, which gives this whole tale so much more depth and personality. Along with it he also brings the feel of living in a Norse mythological story, which gives it all a grandiose touch. It’s a wonderful story, beautifully written, worthy to be considered for a feature film at some point. Keep up the good work, Jonathon Stroud! ...more

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Aug 28, 2009 Cindy rated it it was amazing

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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Mar 14, 2009 Ryan Mishap rated it really liked it

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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Jan 02, 2011 Mackenzie rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

I didn't hate this book and certainly it wasn't a badly written one but I couldn't connect with it either. I may come back and revisit the story so I could write a more proper review. But at this point I just felt that the plot was so disjointed that I had a hard time getting into it. By the time I managed to find a comfortable place to sit in the story, it was over very quickly not long afterwards. I may have picked the wrong Jonathan Stroud book to familiarize myself with his writing; I should ...more

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Mar 23, 2011 Ian rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy

What makes a hero? Halli is certainly an unlikely candidate - stocky, unattractive, and decidedly non-altruistic, he spends his days fighting with his family and creating general mischief. Growing up in the shadow of the Svein, the greatest hero of the valley, is no easy task. Halli yearns deep down for the dangerous days of the heroes of yore, when fearsome Trows terrorized the land and laws were meted out with a firm fist. When his uncle is murdered by the family of a rival house, he strikes o ...more

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Dec 19, 2012 Tom Metge rated it it was amazing

This is an unusual book, with the plot driven less by action than by character building and introspection. This may be the reason why I liked it so much: I tend to enjoy the exploration of the personalities at least as much as the story itself. Take this as both a recommendation and a warning: if you want a fast-paced, action-packed book, this isn't for you. If, however, you love a good character - a realistically flawed and self-aware person - as much as you like action, read this book.

I would ...more

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Feb 11, 2009 Craig rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, young-adult, fantasy

Terrific meta-legend, sort-of fantasy, coming-of-age, young adult novel. It's all about what makes a hero - how a legend is born, how it dies, and how a new legend can arise out of its ashes. There's plenty of action and a good dose of humor, but there's also a depth to it that makes it more than it might seem at first. The tone is what you might expect in a classic legend and, perhaps partly because of that, it starts a little slowly, but once you immerse yourself in the author's world, it pick ...more

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Apr 09, 2013 Alex Jones rated it liked it · review of another edition

The first half of the book was really rather dull, so dull I was tempted not to finish it. The world was (by design) highly uninteresting and the POV character was fairly unintelligent. However, I am glad I persevered. The second half of the book was much better! Halli (the POV character) becomes intelligent and pro-active and suddenly a real plot comes into focus! The ending was genuinely surprising and enjoyable! If you have it lying around your bookshelf like I did you could do worse, but I w ...more

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Sep 12, 2015 Dzura rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: my-favourite

This book is very entertaining with cuteness, innocence, sadness, struggle and romantic story of Halli and Aud. An adventure with stories of eye-opening. Sign to my favorite list :D

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Nov 05, 2018 Nora rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

not really exciting ..

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Dec 30, 2019 Wai Kok rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Jonathan Stroud is no longer as popular as he used to be, but he remains one of the few automatic-buy authors for me—if he has a new book or series out, I am on it like shit on fly—even though one would say I should have outgrown him long ago. There are still turns of phrases and words from his books that I still use in conversation to this day (e.g. "unmentionables" to refer to one's privates). When I saw a remaindered copy of Heroes of the Valley at a book sale, I bought it without any hesitat Jonathan Stroud is no longer as popular as he used to be, but he remains one of the few automatic-buy authors for me—if he has a new book or series out, I am on it like shit on fly—even though one would say I should have outgrown him long ago. There are still turns of phrases and words from his books that I still use in conversation to this day (e.g. "unmentionables" to refer to one's privates). When I saw a remaindered copy of Heroes of the Valley at a book sale, I bought it without any hesitation, even though it is one of his least popular works. Currently, it boasts a very middling 3.44 out of 5 average score on Goodreads, which is usually a pass for me for most other authors. I'll just say first that I am glad I didn't pass this over.

I can see why this novel didn't do well. After the success of his amazing Bartimaeus trilogy, readers looking to get more of the same would quickly feel betrayed or at least disappointed by Heroes of the Valley. Bartimaeus is set in a very well-realised dystopian London ruled by corrupt magicians and the books take us as far afield as Prague and Egypt, while Heroes of the Valley is set in a generic no-name fantasy agrarian countryside where all farmboys with destinies originate from (and what more, the entirety of the story took place in titular Valley, which is like if Bilbo Baggins never left the Shire in The Hobbit). While Bartimaeus featured a fascinating system of magic and a taxonomy of demons and spirits that magicians enslave to do their biddings, the world of Heroes of the Valley is mostly devoid of flashy fantasy elements. While Nathaniel is a humourless, self-serious prat in the Bartimaeus books, he is balanced well by the charismatic, hilarious laugh-a-minute djinni, Bartimaeus. Halli Sveinsson who headlines Heroes of the Valley is only marginally more charistmatic than Nathaniel, and he has no Bartimaeus to be his foil.

But I think it is a mistake to dismiss this book. I would argue that this is probably Stroud's most introspective and intelligent book so far.

Halli Sveinsson is no one's idea of a fantasy hero. He is a stout, foul-tempered bandy-legged youth who is unremarkable in every way, and half the time, he escapes getting killed only by the virtue of him being a whole head shorter than the aim of his enemies' blows. He is the second son of one of the 12 landowners of that populate the valley. Legend has it that the patriarchs of the valley cleared the region of murderous trows, and after their death, their cairns supposedly guard the boundaries of their land from further trow incursions. There are many rules, laws and taboos within their society that supposedly ensure the perpetuity of this protection—and it leaves the inhabitants of the valley functionally imprisoned for their safety. No one is allowed to bear arms as well, and the great families and landlords settle their disputes legally in moots and councils. This suits Halli poorly. Halli was raised on a diet of stories recounting his family's founder's feats of heroism, and he thirsts to prove himself. How does one become a hero if one isn't allowed to swing a sword, or to leave the valley?

Of course, fans of Stroud's wry humour will find much to enjoy in this book, even if they are a bit muted. And Aud Arnesson is a treasure, and is probably Stroud's best (and most charismatic) female character so far. It is a shame that she is missing from large swathes of the story.

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Apr 27, 2009 Chris rated it it was amazing

Shelves: adventure, not-graphic, ya, fantasy

“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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Feb 03, 2020 Jaimie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I didn't quite know what to expect from this novel, since I had previously only read Stroud's (admittedly excellent) Bartimaeus trilogy, but I figured that seeing him tackle a story set in Viking times was worth a try. Stroud sets the story ina valley settlement that was established by a group of twelve viking heroes in ages past, eaching setting up a house to lead sections of the valley's people and working cooperatively together to maintain peace. Yet, life in the valley is dull for our protag ...more

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Oct 10, 2018 Jeremy Jackson rated it really liked it

Jonathan Stroud always spins a good tale. This is a standalone coming of age story, its tone and the culture of its world harkening to the Norse sagas.

We follow Hanni, a second son of one of twelve noble houses in an isolated valley, all of whom worship their twelve "hero" Founders. Hanni, in turns, reveres and becomes disillusioned with his heritage as he embarks on a quest to redeem the honor of his House. Undergirding his quest is the rumor of the lurking Trow, a race of demons who live "bey ...more

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Jan 30, 2021 Natascha rated it it was ok

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

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Jan 25, 2019 Stephanie Ricker rated it it was amazing

Shelves: young-adult, mythology

My mouse hovered between four and five stars for a long time. I LOVED this book! But I'm not totally sure if I loved it because it was great, or because it just so happened to tick all the check boxes for Things Stephanie Loves with Inordinate Passion:

--Icelandic saga-inspired setting (!!!!)
--A spunky heroine who is also realistic (not a world-class swordswoman the first time she picks up a sword, for example)
--A hero who is, in fact, NOT handsome
--Witty, funny dialogue
--Understatement
--Frame na ...more

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topics	posts	views	last activity
What's the Name o...: SOLVED. A YA Fantasy novel with a male main character who lived in a clan, along with other clans, in a valley watched by their ancestors. At night, outside the valley, there were terrible burrowing monsters, and so nobody left. [s]	8	64	Mar 16, 2019 06:47PM
What's the Name o...: SOLVED. Fantasy, everyone lives in a valley, with cairns on the hills. [s]	4	21	Oct 03, 2018 11:02AM
"Heroes of The Valley" Ending	7	112	Oct 23, 2014 07:07AM
Goodreads Librari...: Missing cover	3	14	Dec 13, 2013 11:30PM

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About Jonathan Stroud

Jonathan Stroud

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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

Books by Jonathan Stroud

The Amulet of Samarkand (Bartimaeus, #1)

The Screaming Staircase (Lockwood & Co., #1)

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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.” — 53 likes

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

"Actually, it's called improvising.” — 46 likes

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