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The Tormay Trilogy #1
The Hawk and His Boy
The Beginning of an Epic Adventure One night in the city of Hearne, a young thief named Jute is instructed to break into a wizard's house and steal an old wooden box. It sounds like a straightforward job. Climb down the chimney, creep through the house, find the thing and get out fast. Unbeknownst to the boy, however, the box contains the knife that killed the Wind. Overcome with curiosity, Jute opens the box and sets off a chain of events that soon has him on the run from the wizard, his old masters in the Thieves Guild, and their client, who happens to be the Lord of Darkness himself. On his odyssey of escape, Jute is aided by an unlikely assortment of friends, including a guilt-ridden assassin, a reluctant wizard, and a hawk who just might be able to teach him how to fly. But the Darkness will do anything to find Jute, even if it means plunging the whole land into war.
The Hawk And His Bo y is the first book of The Tormay Trilogy . The trilogy continues with The Shadow At The Gate , and concludes with The Wicked Day .
The Hawk And His Bo y is the first book of The Tormay Trilogy . The trilogy continues with The Shadow At The Gate , and concludes with The Wicked Day .
225 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 19, 2010
127 people are currently reading
1620 people want to read
About the author
Christopher Bunn
33 books118 followersChristopher Bunn was born and raised in California. After serving his obligatory sentence in school, he hit the road and spent years wandering around the world. He's worked on all the continents except for Antarctica. Among other jobs, he has worked in a shoe factory in Israel, ran a post office in a UN refugee camp in Thailand, done construction in the Amazon jungle, crewed on TV documentaries and dramas in England, demolished post-hurricane structures in Hawaii, worked in an orphanage in Ethiopia, and produced kids dvds and video games in Chicago. Currently, he lives and works on a farm in California with his family. He loves to bake pie, compose music, and talk to God.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 118 reviews
May 11, 2018
So the first book is free, but it's not a standalone book. At all. I've heard that the trilogy is basically just one book in three volumes, and it definitely reads like that. This book just stops. You turn the page, and realize that was the end. Nothing is resolved. There's not even a climax. Really the story has only just gotten going. I feel like I need to continue just because two thirds of the book are cut off. Clever marketing strategy.
I'm not sure I care enough to purchase the next two books just to get an ending. I guess it will come down to how much it bothers me having the story left hanging. I do have a lukewarm interest to read more, but will be moving onto other things without much regret. Maybe someday I'll continue, or maybe this will just fade into obscurity without a fuss.
I'm not sure I care enough to purchase the next two books just to get an ending. I guess it will come down to how much it bothers me having the story left hanging. I do have a lukewarm interest to read more, but will be moving onto other things without much regret. Maybe someday I'll continue, or maybe this will just fade into obscurity without a fuss.
June 17, 2014
Given all my complaining about fantasy these days, I was all prepared to dismiss this book. The title made me think of C.S. Lewis' Horse and His Boy, and that's my least favourite Narnia book, so my hopes were not suffering from any inflation.
Note: The rest of this review has been withdrawn due to the changes in Goodreads policy and enforcement. You can read why I came to this decision here.
In the meantime, you can read the entire review at Smorgasbook
Note: The rest of this review has been withdrawn due to the changes in Goodreads policy and enforcement. You can read why I came to this decision here.
In the meantime, you can read the entire review at Smorgasbook
October 15, 2023
3,5*
This is a fast paced story with good characters and dialogue! There was enough mystery going on to keep me interested throughout the book, and while it starts with just a bit of magic it gradually becomes more magical.
I enjoyed the slowly expanding world and the smooth prose of the book.
My main complaint is that the book has no real ending at all. Yes, it is part of a series, and the story will continue in the next book, but usually there is some sort of climax at the end, or at least a part of the story is revolved. This one just stops.
All in all it was a fun and entertaining story, especially for fans of the more traditional fantasy stories.
This is a fast paced story with good characters and dialogue! There was enough mystery going on to keep me interested throughout the book, and while it starts with just a bit of magic it gradually becomes more magical.
I enjoyed the slowly expanding world and the smooth prose of the book.
My main complaint is that the book has no real ending at all. Yes, it is part of a series, and the story will continue in the next book, but usually there is some sort of climax at the end, or at least a part of the story is revolved. This one just stops.
All in all it was a fun and entertaining story, especially for fans of the more traditional fantasy stories.
July 23, 2014
The debut of an independent fantasy trilogy of which both next books are written and in editing, to be published in 2011, The Hawk and His Boy was a big positive surprise for me.
I found out about it by a review inquiry on FBC and while the blurb seemed mostly standard, though on the intriguing side for me, I checked the Kindle sample and I really liked what i read there so i bought the ebook and it became my main read.
I felt compelled to turn the next page when finishing the current one, so I read it in almost one sitting the first moment in recent times i had some extended reading time/energy and I am really looking forward to the next two books.
The Hawk and His Boy is only partly well described by the blurb above since Jute's thread while reasonably accurately described is only a part of a complex and quite surprising storyline with a bunch of interesting characters - a rogue scholar/wizard, a mysterious woman, a young noble who dreams of her ancestors and may have magic powers on her own as she seems to understand the living world, a nasty death-dealing creature, a young girl that survived an attack that destroyed her village, an officer of the city guard and more.
There are missing books of magic, a past conflict that pitted wizards against the secular power allied with mysterious dark forces, conflict that may reverberate/rekindle today, a magic system based on the four elements and words of power and overall much more depth than I expected.
The first book is in some ways an introduction with stuff starting to happen and plot-lines introduced, but the book achieves a great sense of balance and I never felt the scatter in other similar many-threaded books. There are no narrative walls and the threads transitions are handled so well, you never notice it, while the prose flows smoothly.
Despite being an independent book, I never really noticed editing problems - there may be some but nothing that jars or throws one out of the story - and to my surprise I enjoyed this one considerably more than I expected while the series has very great potential. The one niggle is that the world building is a bit naive and idealistic (dukes hanging out with farmers0 but no more than in most fantasies with similar pre-industrial setting, so it was not a big deal.
The ending is at a good stopping point in most threads though the book needs the next installments, but it seems they will be available soon, with The Shadow at the Gate expected early in 2011 and the conclusion later in 2011, so a huge bonus here of a complete series in a short time.
An A+ from me and great potential if the next two books keep delivering, The Hawk and His Boy is quite traditional fantasy but very interesting and with surprising depth
I found out about it by a review inquiry on FBC and while the blurb seemed mostly standard, though on the intriguing side for me, I checked the Kindle sample and I really liked what i read there so i bought the ebook and it became my main read.
I felt compelled to turn the next page when finishing the current one, so I read it in almost one sitting the first moment in recent times i had some extended reading time/energy and I am really looking forward to the next two books.
The Hawk and His Boy is only partly well described by the blurb above since Jute's thread while reasonably accurately described is only a part of a complex and quite surprising storyline with a bunch of interesting characters - a rogue scholar/wizard, a mysterious woman, a young noble who dreams of her ancestors and may have magic powers on her own as she seems to understand the living world, a nasty death-dealing creature, a young girl that survived an attack that destroyed her village, an officer of the city guard and more.
There are missing books of magic, a past conflict that pitted wizards against the secular power allied with mysterious dark forces, conflict that may reverberate/rekindle today, a magic system based on the four elements and words of power and overall much more depth than I expected.
The first book is in some ways an introduction with stuff starting to happen and plot-lines introduced, but the book achieves a great sense of balance and I never felt the scatter in other similar many-threaded books. There are no narrative walls and the threads transitions are handled so well, you never notice it, while the prose flows smoothly.
Despite being an independent book, I never really noticed editing problems - there may be some but nothing that jars or throws one out of the story - and to my surprise I enjoyed this one considerably more than I expected while the series has very great potential. The one niggle is that the world building is a bit naive and idealistic (dukes hanging out with farmers0 but no more than in most fantasies with similar pre-industrial setting, so it was not a big deal.
The ending is at a good stopping point in most threads though the book needs the next installments, but it seems they will be available soon, with The Shadow at the Gate expected early in 2011 and the conclusion later in 2011, so a huge bonus here of a complete series in a short time.
An A+ from me and great potential if the next two books keep delivering, The Hawk and His Boy is quite traditional fantasy but very interesting and with surprising depth
March 27, 2012
Ebook: Free Price i would willingly pay: £1.00
The Bad:
1. To many narratives, this book literally jumped all over the map, we were constantly changing narrators and view points, I could never build any momentum up to really get behind a character.
2. There is a distinct lack of action. A few scuffles but otherwise it is an entire novel of setup.
The Good:
1. The premise is fantastic, if the next books deliver on what this story promises then it will end up a great series.
2. The characters are starting to become interesting, i just hope the narratives settle down so i can know for sure
3. The creatures and powers are very subtle, well used and intriguing
4. The languiage and writing is clear and easy to follow (once you get over the jumping narrative thing)
So the good outweighs the bad, this story was enjoyable enough, and i will be adding the second and third books to my reading list, they just won't be at the top i am afraid. I would recommend it to be added to your reading list.
The Bad:
1. To many narratives, this book literally jumped all over the map, we were constantly changing narrators and view points, I could never build any momentum up to really get behind a character.
2. There is a distinct lack of action. A few scuffles but otherwise it is an entire novel of setup.
The Good:
1. The premise is fantastic, if the next books deliver on what this story promises then it will end up a great series.
2. The characters are starting to become interesting, i just hope the narratives settle down so i can know for sure
3. The creatures and powers are very subtle, well used and intriguing
4. The languiage and writing is clear and easy to follow (once you get over the jumping narrative thing)
So the good outweighs the bad, this story was enjoyable enough, and i will be adding the second and third books to my reading list, they just won't be at the top i am afraid. I would recommend it to be added to your reading list.
March 11, 2011
In book one of The Tormay Trilogy, The Hawk and His Boy, by Christopher Bunn we meet several interesting characters. We start off meeting a young boy named Jute. The reader is instantly aware that Jute isn't your average boy as there are just some things that seem to be different about him. He has been sent on a job by his father figure, The Juggler, who is a mean and fat man who collects the city's orphans and puts them to work as thieves. Of course the job doesn't go as planned and Jute finds himself on the run and with no idea who to trust. We are also introduced to The Knife, or Ronan, who happens to be the one who assisted Jute on the job, as well as the one who poisoned Jute and left him for dead. It seems as though Ronan longs to be free but must continue to do the bidding of The Silentman, who we really don't learn that much about until the end of the book. Possible one of my favorite characters in The Hawk and His Boy was Levoreth. Her story intrigued me even though I'm sure there is more to learn about her in the remaining books of this trilogy. Levoreth is also known as The Mistress of Mistresses and has the ability to speak with animals. The animals are more than willing to be at her beck and call, even if it means giving up their lives to accomplish the tasks she asks of them. Perhaps the character that I liked least was Nio. At first he just seems to be a cranky old man, but he quickly turns into a character that is easy to dislike. Not because he is written poorly, but just because he is obsessed over the box that Jute stole from him and he will do anything to get it back, even if that means hurting the innocent. Of course he isn’t the worst character in this book by any means. There is a darkness that is traveling the countryside, killing innocent families for whatever reason drives it. There is a survivor of the last attack, a young girl named Fen, who I am certain will come back into play in the near future. The writing style of The Hawk and His Boy did take me a couple of chapters to get used to but then smoothed out and flowed nicely. There are a few dark parts but this book is suitable for most ages. I’m interested to see what happens in the remaining books of the Tormay Trilogy as I have a few ideas of my own as to where this story is headed.
February 20, 2011
Hidden away in a tower, there is a wooden box, engraved with an ugly carving of a hawk. Sealed shut by magical forces, its owner has no idea what's inside, but is determined to open it. Equally determined to get his hands on this box, a mysterious stranger hires a group of thieves to steal the box. Jute is the right boy for the job, bypassing magical wards and making his way through the house to retrieve the box. But things don't go quite as planned when he unexpectedly opens the lid and touches the object inside. Now he's on the run and has to decide who he can trust...can he trust the voice he now hears in his head, or is that another trick?
The first book in the "Tormay Trilogy" by Christopher Bunn, this intriguing story is full of magical spells, wizards, and evil darkness. With a fluid, engaging writing style that matches the genre of book nicely, this story takes us on an adventure through this magical kingdom. The ending nicely sets up the second book in the trilogy, tying up only the most general of threads so we are compelled to look to the next book to find out more.
With a bevy of unique and interesting characters, you really become interested in the backstories of each character. You get the feeling they are all connected in some way, but very few of those connections are made clear in this installment. I would have liked a little more closure and a little more direction as to the connections between all these characters. At times, it seemed there were too many to keep up with, and without those connections it's sometimes hard to keep track of them. You just get into one character's story when you are introduced to another, and another, and another. Jute seems to be the main character, but I wanted more information on his connection to the hawk. I also wanted more backstory on Levoreth; much is hinted, and it's enough to make you really wonder who she is, exactly, and what she can do. Although I think the set up for the second book is good, I just wanted more satisfaction in this first book with regards to the information gained. It's definitely piqued my interest!
Overall, a really good first installment, one that prepares you for the second in the series from this talented author.
The first book in the "Tormay Trilogy" by Christopher Bunn, this intriguing story is full of magical spells, wizards, and evil darkness. With a fluid, engaging writing style that matches the genre of book nicely, this story takes us on an adventure through this magical kingdom. The ending nicely sets up the second book in the trilogy, tying up only the most general of threads so we are compelled to look to the next book to find out more.
With a bevy of unique and interesting characters, you really become interested in the backstories of each character. You get the feeling they are all connected in some way, but very few of those connections are made clear in this installment. I would have liked a little more closure and a little more direction as to the connections between all these characters. At times, it seemed there were too many to keep up with, and without those connections it's sometimes hard to keep track of them. You just get into one character's story when you are introduced to another, and another, and another. Jute seems to be the main character, but I wanted more information on his connection to the hawk. I also wanted more backstory on Levoreth; much is hinted, and it's enough to make you really wonder who she is, exactly, and what she can do. Although I think the set up for the second book is good, I just wanted more satisfaction in this first book with regards to the information gained. It's definitely piqued my interest!
Overall, a really good first installment, one that prepares you for the second in the series from this talented author.
July 6, 2013
A really fun fantasy adventure. There was a lot of set up in this volume, to the extent that at times I felt a bit like each new chapter was still part of the introduction.
It's the characterisations that really made the book for me. Usually in a fantasy book there's one person I want the whole book to be about, and every time we get another POV I'm itching to get back to the other head. But here I find almost everyone fascinating, and I was disappointed when the book ended that I hadn't had the time I'd wanted with most of them.
Luckily, part one of a trilogy, woot!
My review for the series as a whole is here: five intensely satisfying stars.
It's the characterisations that really made the book for me. Usually in a fantasy book there's one person I want the whole book to be about, and every time we get another POV I'm itching to get back to the other head. But here I find almost everyone fascinating, and I was disappointed when the book ended that I hadn't had the time I'd wanted with most of them.
Luckily, part one of a trilogy, woot!
My review for the series as a whole is here: five intensely satisfying stars.
July 2, 2012
I have to admit that this book was entertaining enough that I couldn't set it down once I'd started. I really did enjoy it, and will be picking up the sequel as soon as I can, because Christopher Bunn has definitely gotten me intrigued.
However, I do have some reasons as to why I'm not rating this first book higher:
1) Although I recognize the worldbuilding and character building Bunn was doing in this novel (which, as a fan of Lord of the Rings and similar books made me very happy) I was sort of disappointed by the end that that was almost ALL the book was about. I think I had been hoping for a bit more adventure with my character building than I got. And really, that was pretty much the whole novel- establishing his characters so that we, the readers, would become invested in their stories. And I did become invested. I would have liked to have seen some more doing and a little less talking or dreaming that brought about more questions than answers in the book.
2) I was a bit disappointed with the stopping points he left each character at by the end of the book. I was reading this on my kindle app on my iPad and was completely NOT expecting it when I turned the page and found myself very suddenly and abruptly at the end. It was kind of jarring, since I'd expected Levoreth to at least have made it to Hearne by the end of the novel.
What I did like:
For a guy arguably using one of the most common plotlines in fantasy fiction (four elements vs.Dark- how many variations of that are around? 1,000?) I think Bunn has made it enough his own and different enough to interest even the most jaded of fantasy readers. While there were elements of the story that had me thinking, "Haven't I read this before?" I felt like he did a great job adding twists to the dreams each character was having, particularly Levoreth. Her own voice calling her out and reminding her she had work to be done added to the air of mystery to her at the beginning that drew me in and helped me get invested in her character.
Despite my disappointment regarding the lack of any real adventure going on in this novel, I must say that due to the wonderful character building Bunn did in this novel, any reader can expect to jump into the second novel fully prepared for an adventure. I know I am, since he left me with so many questions that were just beginning to be answered at the end of this novel. There was definitely a sense that things were moving quickly to a head, even though it didn't actually happen in this book. I think Bunn will definitely have things moving at a much quicker pace in the second book, so that all the explanations in this one will prove to be quite valuable and worth the time spent on them.
So I think that for the start of a series it could have done much, much worse. I also am pretty sure that with as well written and intriguing a beginning as this, the whole trilogy taken together should be impressive overall. I'm not going to rate this particular book higher, though, because for me personally it wasn't quite a 4 star book. It was close, though, and I do wish I could give it 3.5 stars, at least.
However, I do have some reasons as to why I'm not rating this first book higher:
1) Although I recognize the worldbuilding and character building Bunn was doing in this novel (which, as a fan of Lord of the Rings and similar books made me very happy) I was sort of disappointed by the end that that was almost ALL the book was about. I think I had been hoping for a bit more adventure with my character building than I got. And really, that was pretty much the whole novel- establishing his characters so that we, the readers, would become invested in their stories. And I did become invested. I would have liked to have seen some more doing and a little less talking or dreaming that brought about more questions than answers in the book.
2) I was a bit disappointed with the stopping points he left each character at by the end of the book. I was reading this on my kindle app on my iPad and was completely NOT expecting it when I turned the page and found myself very suddenly and abruptly at the end. It was kind of jarring, since I'd expected Levoreth to at least have made it to Hearne by the end of the novel.
What I did like:
For a guy arguably using one of the most common plotlines in fantasy fiction (four elements vs.Dark- how many variations of that are around? 1,000?) I think Bunn has made it enough his own and different enough to interest even the most jaded of fantasy readers. While there were elements of the story that had me thinking, "Haven't I read this before?" I felt like he did a great job adding twists to the dreams each character was having, particularly Levoreth. Her own voice calling her out and reminding her she had work to be done added to the air of mystery to her at the beginning that drew me in and helped me get invested in her character.
Despite my disappointment regarding the lack of any real adventure going on in this novel, I must say that due to the wonderful character building Bunn did in this novel, any reader can expect to jump into the second novel fully prepared for an adventure. I know I am, since he left me with so many questions that were just beginning to be answered at the end of this novel. There was definitely a sense that things were moving quickly to a head, even though it didn't actually happen in this book. I think Bunn will definitely have things moving at a much quicker pace in the second book, so that all the explanations in this one will prove to be quite valuable and worth the time spent on them.
So I think that for the start of a series it could have done much, much worse. I also am pretty sure that with as well written and intriguing a beginning as this, the whole trilogy taken together should be impressive overall. I'm not going to rate this particular book higher, though, because for me personally it wasn't quite a 4 star book. It was close, though, and I do wish I could give it 3.5 stars, at least.
September 18, 2011
This is a 3 book series. I was given all 3 books to review at one time. I decided to review each as I read them 1 at a time.
The first book the Hawk and the Boy starts off strong and drew me into their world, but the story did not end. You have to read the next book and if I would have had to wait I would not be happy. But since the next is just waiting for me to read I give the story 4 STARS.
I hate to wait to find out what happens next. Their is no smaller plot that finshed even in the first book. I would have rather had a big book than 3 seperate books.
Jute is a theif and works for the Juggler who works for the councel of theirs. Juggler is in charge of the children pickpockets,theifs. Jute is his best climber.
Jute climbs up to roof than goes down through the chimney and finds a box with a Hawk on it, but he must not open the box. If he opens the box then Knife who is waiting on the roof will kill him. Jute does like he is told and finds the box and he opens it and the knife inside cuts him. As jute climbs back up the chimney to Knife he hands over the box and says of course he did not open the box.
Knife than pricks him with a poison needle and he falls back into the chimney.
The house belonged to the wizard Nio who has spent 40 years to learn and find the box and knowledge about the four still points- anbeprun. He has tried lots of ways and cant open the box.
The four points are water,earth,fire and wind are standing against the darkness. they are travelers with power that roam the land. They have animals the only one known is earth as horse.
Jute survives the poison and the fall. A voice in his head tells him to trust no one and don't let them know he opened the box.
Nio has Jute treated than questions him and he tells all the secrets except that he opened the box. the wizard creates a creature out of water and darkness that he uses as a weapon. Jute falls into the sewer river that runs out of the old building. Survives and learns the voice he hears is a hawk.
Severan rescues Jute and hides him in the old ruins. He discovered the wizards creature and tells Jute what Nio was looking for.
The water creature kills and tracks down about the box. Nio discovers that the boy must have opened the box to have survied the poison.
Their is a creature and someone who is killing whole households at a time no one left alive except a girl who is cant speak.
Their are a lot of characters and I suspect some are the different powers but need to read more. Have lot of unanswered questions.
The first book the Hawk and the Boy starts off strong and drew me into their world, but the story did not end. You have to read the next book and if I would have had to wait I would not be happy. But since the next is just waiting for me to read I give the story 4 STARS.
I hate to wait to find out what happens next. Their is no smaller plot that finshed even in the first book. I would have rather had a big book than 3 seperate books.
Jute is a theif and works for the Juggler who works for the councel of theirs. Juggler is in charge of the children pickpockets,theifs. Jute is his best climber.
Jute climbs up to roof than goes down through the chimney and finds a box with a Hawk on it, but he must not open the box. If he opens the box then Knife who is waiting on the roof will kill him. Jute does like he is told and finds the box and he opens it and the knife inside cuts him. As jute climbs back up the chimney to Knife he hands over the box and says of course he did not open the box.
Knife than pricks him with a poison needle and he falls back into the chimney.
The house belonged to the wizard Nio who has spent 40 years to learn and find the box and knowledge about the four still points- anbeprun. He has tried lots of ways and cant open the box.
The four points are water,earth,fire and wind are standing against the darkness. they are travelers with power that roam the land. They have animals the only one known is earth as horse.
Jute survives the poison and the fall. A voice in his head tells him to trust no one and don't let them know he opened the box.
Nio has Jute treated than questions him and he tells all the secrets except that he opened the box. the wizard creates a creature out of water and darkness that he uses as a weapon. Jute falls into the sewer river that runs out of the old building. Survives and learns the voice he hears is a hawk.
Severan rescues Jute and hides him in the old ruins. He discovered the wizards creature and tells Jute what Nio was looking for.
The water creature kills and tracks down about the box. Nio discovers that the boy must have opened the box to have survied the poison.
Their is a creature and someone who is killing whole households at a time no one left alive except a girl who is cant speak.
Their are a lot of characters and I suspect some are the different powers but need to read more. Have lot of unanswered questions.
January 6, 2011
The Gist
Jute is forced by the Thieves Guild to steal a box from the tower of a local merchant. The house is guarded by wards, and Jute is the only one who knows how to move silently and to still his mind so that the wards cannot see or hear him.
"Don't open the box, or I will gut you," said the Knife, the man who waits for Jute to return with the box.
Jute didn't mean to open the box. It just kind of happened. He didn't mean to reach for the blade inside and cut his finger. It just kind of happened. And when he does, the luster of the blade fades.
When Jute returns with the box and swears he didn't open it, the Knife stabs him with a poisoned needle. Enough poison to kill a horse.
Jute falls back down the chimney and into the house he just robbed. Everything goes black, and when he wakes up...
Wait, he shouldn't have woken up. He'd just been poisoned and had fallen three stories down a chimney. What was that item in the box?
What I liked
I was a little leery to read this book. I've lost interest in most traditional fantasy books, preferring more urban fantasy lately. I guess I've burned out on them.
Add to that the fact that I've never heard of this author before, I wasn't expecting much. However, I was pleasantly surprised by this book. There were elements of this story that reminded me of Brent Weeks' trilogy as there were some darker elements to the story. In fact, I think I'd label this as a dark fantasy for middle grade or early YA, but it can be enjoyed by all ages.
From the first chapter, the author intrigued me with the mysteries of his world--the box with the blade inside, the secrets of the characters, the intrigue and history of a very deep, dark world.
What I didn't like
I think Bunn's characters could have a little more "stage presence". They all had distinct personalities, but it seemed more like different shades of gray, rather than bright, vibrant contrasting colors. I think I'd like to read more by this author, and I'm hoping he grows and learns about character development.
I also was disappointed by the ending. I don't mind cliff hangers, but I'm used to there being smaller plots withing bigger plots. The small plot is resolved within each book, and the big plot takes the entire series to resolve. But all the same, I think this just means I need to find the other two books.
Jute is forced by the Thieves Guild to steal a box from the tower of a local merchant. The house is guarded by wards, and Jute is the only one who knows how to move silently and to still his mind so that the wards cannot see or hear him.
"Don't open the box, or I will gut you," said the Knife, the man who waits for Jute to return with the box.
Jute didn't mean to open the box. It just kind of happened. He didn't mean to reach for the blade inside and cut his finger. It just kind of happened. And when he does, the luster of the blade fades.
When Jute returns with the box and swears he didn't open it, the Knife stabs him with a poisoned needle. Enough poison to kill a horse.
Jute falls back down the chimney and into the house he just robbed. Everything goes black, and when he wakes up...
Wait, he shouldn't have woken up. He'd just been poisoned and had fallen three stories down a chimney. What was that item in the box?
What I liked
I was a little leery to read this book. I've lost interest in most traditional fantasy books, preferring more urban fantasy lately. I guess I've burned out on them.
Add to that the fact that I've never heard of this author before, I wasn't expecting much. However, I was pleasantly surprised by this book. There were elements of this story that reminded me of Brent Weeks' trilogy as there were some darker elements to the story. In fact, I think I'd label this as a dark fantasy for middle grade or early YA, but it can be enjoyed by all ages.
From the first chapter, the author intrigued me with the mysteries of his world--the box with the blade inside, the secrets of the characters, the intrigue and history of a very deep, dark world.
What I didn't like
I think Bunn's characters could have a little more "stage presence". They all had distinct personalities, but it seemed more like different shades of gray, rather than bright, vibrant contrasting colors. I think I'd like to read more by this author, and I'm hoping he grows and learns about character development.
I also was disappointed by the ending. I don't mind cliff hangers, but I'm used to there being smaller plots withing bigger plots. The small plot is resolved within each book, and the big plot takes the entire series to resolve. But all the same, I think this just means I need to find the other two books.
March 16, 2013
Picking up a free book from an independent author who you haven't heard of before is risky at best. There's a lot of sub-par stuff out there. Fortunately this is a good book.
I don't mean good for an indie. I mean it's good. I can easily see it being published by a large publisher. The book is presented properly. By which I mean it has a good cover, it's clearly been edited.
It's also a solid execution of some familiar fantasy elements. I don't think we're breaking new ground, but we're doing what we do well.
Now having heaped that praise on it I should raise a few reservations. This book is not for everyone. It is slow moving and does a lot of background and world building. It's also incomplete because it's part of a trilogy and it doesn't resolve *any* story arcs in this book.
For some that will be a significant negative.
There are a lot of characters and story threads introduced over the course of the book. Some don't arrive until two thirds of the way through. So there is nothing at all stand alone about this. However I have to say I found all of the story threads intriguing, not just the one that involves the eponymous boy or the mysterious hawk.
Yes we do have a Thieves Guild and there is an evil wizard, but all the players have motivations beyond the trope. Even the evil wizard is pretty easy to sympathize with at times.
And there's something bigger behind all these stories. The Dark, whatever that is, is stirring. And the walking embodiments of the four elements who resist The Dark are beginning to react.
The book isn't perfect mind you. Sometimes it switches between characters just a bit too quickly which is distracting. And if you're not going to complete the story it might be wise to at least leave things on a cliffhanger. I think it might be a little too easy for people to walk away as things stand.
Personally though... I will be looking for the rest of the trilogy.
I don't mean good for an indie. I mean it's good. I can easily see it being published by a large publisher. The book is presented properly. By which I mean it has a good cover, it's clearly been edited.
It's also a solid execution of some familiar fantasy elements. I don't think we're breaking new ground, but we're doing what we do well.
Now having heaped that praise on it I should raise a few reservations. This book is not for everyone. It is slow moving and does a lot of background and world building. It's also incomplete because it's part of a trilogy and it doesn't resolve *any* story arcs in this book.
For some that will be a significant negative.
There are a lot of characters and story threads introduced over the course of the book. Some don't arrive until two thirds of the way through. So there is nothing at all stand alone about this. However I have to say I found all of the story threads intriguing, not just the one that involves the eponymous boy or the mysterious hawk.
Yes we do have a Thieves Guild and there is an evil wizard, but all the players have motivations beyond the trope. Even the evil wizard is pretty easy to sympathize with at times.
And there's something bigger behind all these stories. The Dark, whatever that is, is stirring. And the walking embodiments of the four elements who resist The Dark are beginning to react.
The book isn't perfect mind you. Sometimes it switches between characters just a bit too quickly which is distracting. And if you're not going to complete the story it might be wise to at least leave things on a cliffhanger. I think it might be a little too easy for people to walk away as things stand.
Personally though... I will be looking for the rest of the trilogy.
April 9, 2011
This book opens the 'Tormay Trilogy', and it's a great start. The quality of the writing is excellent - smooth, accessible, clear - and the book is very well edited, with few discernible errors. The story follows the adventures of a range of characters situated across the duchies of Tormay. Jute is a child-thief hired to steal a mysterious box; the completion of the job changes his life forever. Levoreth is niece to a duke, though her talent for conversing with animals suggests that she's more than she seems. Nio is a scholarly wizard, powerful, driven and ruthless. Ronan, aka 'the Knife', is at the top of the thieves' guild and justly feared. We also meet a small child who survives the inexplicable and brutal murder of the rest of her village, and the soldier-captain who takes her in.
As the above might suggest, there are a lot of different plot-threads going on here. They are all interlinked, but they come very thick and fast; to begin with I struggled a little to keep up. However, the coherence of the story improves as the book goes on and the links between the characters become steadily clearer. By the end I felt caught up in the tale, and I'm looking forward to finding out how it progresses in the second book.
As the above might suggest, there are a lot of different plot-threads going on here. They are all interlinked, but they come very thick and fast; to begin with I struggled a little to keep up. However, the coherence of the story improves as the book goes on and the links between the characters become steadily clearer. By the end I felt caught up in the tale, and I'm looking forward to finding out how it progresses in the second book.
May 8, 2012
I knew going in this was the first book in a trilogy so wasn't expecting a full story. The plot sounded interesting, a common 'orphan thief' theme, but that appeals to me if it is done well.
The first section of the book started out well, enjoyed the orphan thief and his expertise and the supporting cast to that part of the story was quite well done, with suitable bad actors. Unfortunately, the book did not go on from there, but continued to introduce surprising (and confusing) number of characters with little connection between them. Obviously, they are all involved in the eventual plot of the trilogy, but it wasn't much apparent in this first book, which made it confusing and at times just simply tiring. I could vaguely see where the author was perhaps going with this but there were too many characters, too many unrelated threads and basically, no story to hold them together.
I did finish the book, hoping that it would start pulling the various pieces together, but it did not get there. I suspect this might be one of those trilogies that would benefit by drastic editing from a trilogy into one volume.
The first section of the book started out well, enjoyed the orphan thief and his expertise and the supporting cast to that part of the story was quite well done, with suitable bad actors. Unfortunately, the book did not go on from there, but continued to introduce surprising (and confusing) number of characters with little connection between them. Obviously, they are all involved in the eventual plot of the trilogy, but it wasn't much apparent in this first book, which made it confusing and at times just simply tiring. I could vaguely see where the author was perhaps going with this but there were too many characters, too many unrelated threads and basically, no story to hold them together.
I did finish the book, hoping that it would start pulling the various pieces together, but it did not get there. I suspect this might be one of those trilogies that would benefit by drastic editing from a trilogy into one volume.
April 27, 2011
I enjoyed this book. The story line was interesting and the characters seemed realistic. Jute, the main character starts off as a thief, but he's more than he appears. The character Levoreth can talk to animals, and some of her backstory is revealed. I'm very interested in seeing how the story progresses and learning more about the cast of characters, especially the hawk. Nio makes a good villain, obsessed with his goals and willing to utilize dark magic to attain his wishes. I would recommend this book for any fan of fantasy.
April 5, 2011
I'm not sure I want to write too much now since I wasn't able to stop when the book finished. I just clicked and continued with The Shadow.
I will say that it's not a book to read as you are falling asleep. You'll need all your brain power. Very cleverly written and fun to ready. Now if I could only get some sleep in. :-)
I will say that it's not a book to read as you are falling asleep. You'll need all your brain power. Very cleverly written and fun to ready. Now if I could only get some sleep in. :-)
April 13, 2011
This is a great story. A large cast of characters for different backgrounds allows for a full and fun story. I can't wait to read the next installment. If you are looking for a good summer read for your chapter book reader, I would add this to the list.
June 26, 2011
So far..excellent! Can't beat a great book for $.99 on my Kindle.
August 28, 2017
Whaaat?! How could you end the book there!!
Issa very unfair to put your book in a collection and then end it on a cliffhanger.
Twas a very good book though, the plot was most intriguing and the characters quite interesting.
The perspectives jumped around a lot, but I'm willing to overlook that.
I highly recommend this book to young adults who enjoy fantasy and all that kind of old world ancient languages and awesome world building.
Content wise it can be a little on the creepy side (in a good way) and there's a bit of 'magic' and a couple of deaths. I'd probably recommend 14+
And guess what! It's free on Amazon, so go and buy it.
Issa very unfair to put your book in a collection and then end it on a cliffhanger.
Twas a very good book though, the plot was most intriguing and the characters quite interesting.
The perspectives jumped around a lot, but I'm willing to overlook that.
I highly recommend this book to young adults who enjoy fantasy and all that kind of old world ancient languages and awesome world building.
Content wise it can be a little on the creepy side (in a good way) and there's a bit of 'magic' and a couple of deaths. I'd probably recommend 14+
And guess what! It's free on Amazon, so go and buy it.
February 8, 2015
Christopher was kind enough to let me review this book for him and I don't know whether I have ever been so exited about a review-book. It has everything I would expect in a fantasy-book and it's an amazing first part of a trilogy.
The Hawk and His Boy consist out of four different stories that are all interlinked. The first and most central is the story of Jute, a boy who is part of the Thief Guild. He has to steal a box, but he ends up being "killed". He isn't however and falls into the hands of Nio, to whom the box belonged. Another story line follows Nio's "quest" to get the box back. He is a magician, who uses his magic for his own purposes, leaning on the Dark for this.
The Dark is what combines all these stories. Levoreth, the niece of the Duke of Dolan, is a reincarnation of the Levoreth that lived years ago, as were all other Levoreth's before her (every daughter is named Levoreth in this family). She turns out to be much more than just a Duke's niece and her story is intertwined with the Dark.
Bunn's style of writing is very accessible which is sometimes not the case with fantasy books that are so complex as this one. By keeping his use of works "simple", meant in a positive way, he is able to convey much more than if he had used lots of difficult plot twists and weird words. I think he has also achieved to tell multiple stories at the same time without confusing the reader. That is an achievement on its own, yet it does add to the credibility of the book. In a normal world several things would be happening at the same time and it's the same here. All stories have certain elements in common, such as place and theme, yet are different which keeps you interested.
My favourite storyline is probably the one following Levoreth. She is this Ur-woman who, I think, embodies Mother Earth in a way. I found her fascinating. She is one of these characters that doesn't let you go. While I loved all the other story lines and characters as well I found myself wanting to read about her more. This might just happen in the next two books because she's very important to the story. I also loved the Hawk. I think this has to do with the fact that I love hawks and always wanted by own, the way that Harry has Hedwig. The Hawk in this book had me doubting sometimes as to whether he was good or bad. That might just be my paranoia or the author's genius, but it's a good character.
I was especially proud of myself for recognizing the language in which some of the ancient words in the books are written. These are mainly spells and names of books, yet the characters' names are also inspired by ... Old English. I think this is one of the best foundations you can have for a book and a character. A character's name should represent part of his identity, just like Saruman in the Lord of the Rings.
I didn't want to go for the entire 5 Universes, because I think a book or author should maybe have withstood the test of time a little bit longer before falling into my 5 Universe-category, but I did love this book.
The Hawk and His Boy consist out of four different stories that are all interlinked. The first and most central is the story of Jute, a boy who is part of the Thief Guild. He has to steal a box, but he ends up being "killed". He isn't however and falls into the hands of Nio, to whom the box belonged. Another story line follows Nio's "quest" to get the box back. He is a magician, who uses his magic for his own purposes, leaning on the Dark for this.
The Dark is what combines all these stories. Levoreth, the niece of the Duke of Dolan, is a reincarnation of the Levoreth that lived years ago, as were all other Levoreth's before her (every daughter is named Levoreth in this family). She turns out to be much more than just a Duke's niece and her story is intertwined with the Dark.
Bunn's style of writing is very accessible which is sometimes not the case with fantasy books that are so complex as this one. By keeping his use of works "simple", meant in a positive way, he is able to convey much more than if he had used lots of difficult plot twists and weird words. I think he has also achieved to tell multiple stories at the same time without confusing the reader. That is an achievement on its own, yet it does add to the credibility of the book. In a normal world several things would be happening at the same time and it's the same here. All stories have certain elements in common, such as place and theme, yet are different which keeps you interested.
My favourite storyline is probably the one following Levoreth. She is this Ur-woman who, I think, embodies Mother Earth in a way. I found her fascinating. She is one of these characters that doesn't let you go. While I loved all the other story lines and characters as well I found myself wanting to read about her more. This might just happen in the next two books because she's very important to the story. I also loved the Hawk. I think this has to do with the fact that I love hawks and always wanted by own, the way that Harry has Hedwig. The Hawk in this book had me doubting sometimes as to whether he was good or bad. That might just be my paranoia or the author's genius, but it's a good character.
I was especially proud of myself for recognizing the language in which some of the ancient words in the books are written. These are mainly spells and names of books, yet the characters' names are also inspired by ... Old English. I think this is one of the best foundations you can have for a book and a character. A character's name should represent part of his identity, just like Saruman in the Lord of the Rings.
I didn't want to go for the entire 5 Universes, because I think a book or author should maybe have withstood the test of time a little bit longer before falling into my 5 Universe-category, but I did love this book.
August 21, 2011
This trilogy seems to be another play on the boy saving the world trope that used to be so prevalent in fantasy, but seems to have been replaced by the kick-ass chick meets vamp/ghost/demon/were. I'm enjoying both, but wish this one was done more often; when done right, it's so enjoyable.
The Hawk and His Boy is no different. There are a few rough spots in the editing, but they in no way interfere with the storyline or enjoyment of the tale.
I am liking the story so much that I immediately purchased the rest of the trilogy and sampled 5 or 6 books that were recommended by Amazon because of this purchase. I am very happy to have found this self-pubbed book out of the mess that had previously been recommended to me. I will be trying more self-pubs because of this one.
--------------------
Edit after finishing series
This review is for the entire trilogy.
I hope this doesn't sound snobbish, but this trilogy forever changes my mind about indie books. Up until now I've been either ho-hum or actively looked down on all the self-published Kindle books out there. In my defense, a lot of that was due to all those spam books in the Kindle store. On the other hand some was also due to the fact that I always figured that if a book was really good, someone would pick it up. Guess I was wrong!
Anyway, back to the books. This was a great installment of the standard boy meets wizard, goes on quest with band of trusty helpers, boy saves world trope in epic fantasy. When done correctly (as this one is), it will remain an oldie but a goodie.
There was a good mix of humor, magic, mystery and a few twists that I didn't see coming. In the end, not all evil was defeated and not all of the good guys got their HEA which surprised me, but made me wonder if it wasn't an opening for another book or two. I'm all for that!
Favorite Lines (All from Book #3. I tried a new quote system that failed miserably for books 1 & 2)
"though all agree that the painted caravans of the Farrow clan were never again seen trundling about the duchies of Tormay. Declan was the last of that blood."
Note: Awww. I was hoping the Farrows got their HEA. Not fair.
"They died, cursing and spitting and calling out defiance even as more and more ranks of the enemy marched over the ruins of the walls to join the fray."
Note: This part of epic fantasy stories always seems stupid to me.
"He is the fire that always burns. He was the eldest of the anbeorun."
Note: Didnt see that coming
“Your neck. Do you hear? I’ll snap it like a twig.” “Very well, my lord.” The steward managed to look both alarmed and honored at the prospect of being strangled by the Lord Captain of the Guard."
Note: Haha. Try to manage that.
Book 1 - B
Book 2 - B-
Book 3 - B+
The Hawk and His Boy is no different. There are a few rough spots in the editing, but they in no way interfere with the storyline or enjoyment of the tale.
I am liking the story so much that I immediately purchased the rest of the trilogy and sampled 5 or 6 books that were recommended by Amazon because of this purchase. I am very happy to have found this self-pubbed book out of the mess that had previously been recommended to me. I will be trying more self-pubs because of this one.
--------------------
Edit after finishing series
This review is for the entire trilogy.
I hope this doesn't sound snobbish, but this trilogy forever changes my mind about indie books. Up until now I've been either ho-hum or actively looked down on all the self-published Kindle books out there. In my defense, a lot of that was due to all those spam books in the Kindle store. On the other hand some was also due to the fact that I always figured that if a book was really good, someone would pick it up. Guess I was wrong!
Anyway, back to the books. This was a great installment of the standard boy meets wizard, goes on quest with band of trusty helpers, boy saves world trope in epic fantasy. When done correctly (as this one is), it will remain an oldie but a goodie.
There was a good mix of humor, magic, mystery and a few twists that I didn't see coming. In the end, not all evil was defeated and not all of the good guys got their HEA which surprised me, but made me wonder if it wasn't an opening for another book or two. I'm all for that!
Favorite Lines (All from Book #3. I tried a new quote system that failed miserably for books 1 & 2)
"though all agree that the painted caravans of the Farrow clan were never again seen trundling about the duchies of Tormay. Declan was the last of that blood."
Note: Awww. I was hoping the Farrows got their HEA. Not fair.
"They died, cursing and spitting and calling out defiance even as more and more ranks of the enemy marched over the ruins of the walls to join the fray."
Note: This part of epic fantasy stories always seems stupid to me.
"He is the fire that always burns. He was the eldest of the anbeorun."
Note: Didnt see that coming
“Your neck. Do you hear? I’ll snap it like a twig.” “Very well, my lord.” The steward managed to look both alarmed and honored at the prospect of being strangled by the Lord Captain of the Guard."
Note: Haha. Try to manage that.
Book 1 - B
Book 2 - B-
Book 3 - B+
January 3, 2016
Di questo libro avevo letto cose interessanti, e sembrava poter andare incontro ai miei gusti.
Un mondo interessante, con un bel background e promesse di epicità: i quattro anbeorun, con poteri elementali e immensi, immortali creature a difesa del mondo contro l’Oscurità.
E l’Oscurità che torna in vita e porta morte, silenziosa e furtiva. Senza motivo apparente.
Un cimelio, un artefatto magico per il cui furto è commissionato un ragazzino. Che viene ucciso subito dopo, dato che nessuno deve sapere di questo furto.
Ma ha toccato l’artefatto, che forse era destinato proprio a lui. E l’artefatto ora è con lui, in lui… lo salva, lo fa sopravvivere alla caduta e al veleno.
E lui si ritrova in fuga, in fuga dallo stregone cui ha rubato il pugnale, in fuga dalla Gilda dei Ladri che pensa di averlo ucciso e sarebbe più che pronta a rimediare all’errore, in fuga dal mostro elementale evocato dallo stregone per cacciarlo.
Senza sapere niente di cosa sia realmente successo, peraltro, perché lo studioso che alla fine lo aiuta fa il misterioso e non condivide ciò che sa con lui (né quindi con noi).
E poi abbiamo un paio di creature elementali (che pare si reincarnino di generazione in generazione, forse) che stanno convergendo nella città dove si trova il ragazzo.
Dove sta per arrivare l’Oscurità.
Promesse di epicità, dicevo.
Ma restano promesse.
Tutto il libro è lentissimo, i personaggi non si incontrano mai, spiegazioni non vengono date, e alla fine ci troviamo a dire “tutto qui? E allora?”
Non è neanche un classico primo libro di una trilogia, che introduca i personaggi e li faccia incontrare. Qui abbiamo solo l’introduzione. Per il resto, niente.
In più c’è anche la questione delle dinastie.
La patrona della terra che si reincarna sempre nella stessa famiglia, sempre la stessa ragazza, senza che nessuno se ne accorga di generazione in generazione… ok, ci può anche stare.
La patrona dell’acqua che prende il posto di una ragazzina morta per i propri scopi. Ok, ci sta, ci sta anche che inganni il padre di lei.
Ma che il capo della guardia e il consigliere del Duca siano ruoli dinastici… la cosa diventa abbastanza goffa.
Poi è scontatissimo chi sia il capo della Gilda, o chi sia l’Assassino. Scontato fin dall’inizio.
E vogliamo poi parlare dell’Assassino messo ko da un gruppo di bambini?
No, il libro è stato purtroppo deludente.
O magari stanno cambiando i miei gusti…
Un mondo interessante, con un bel background e promesse di epicità: i quattro anbeorun, con poteri elementali e immensi, immortali creature a difesa del mondo contro l’Oscurità.
E l’Oscurità che torna in vita e porta morte, silenziosa e furtiva. Senza motivo apparente.
Un cimelio, un artefatto magico per il cui furto è commissionato un ragazzino. Che viene ucciso subito dopo, dato che nessuno deve sapere di questo furto.
Ma ha toccato l’artefatto, che forse era destinato proprio a lui. E l’artefatto ora è con lui, in lui… lo salva, lo fa sopravvivere alla caduta e al veleno.
E lui si ritrova in fuga, in fuga dallo stregone cui ha rubato il pugnale, in fuga dalla Gilda dei Ladri che pensa di averlo ucciso e sarebbe più che pronta a rimediare all’errore, in fuga dal mostro elementale evocato dallo stregone per cacciarlo.
Senza sapere niente di cosa sia realmente successo, peraltro, perché lo studioso che alla fine lo aiuta fa il misterioso e non condivide ciò che sa con lui (né quindi con noi).
E poi abbiamo un paio di creature elementali (che pare si reincarnino di generazione in generazione, forse) che stanno convergendo nella città dove si trova il ragazzo.
Dove sta per arrivare l’Oscurità.
Promesse di epicità, dicevo.
Ma restano promesse.
Tutto il libro è lentissimo, i personaggi non si incontrano mai, spiegazioni non vengono date, e alla fine ci troviamo a dire “tutto qui? E allora?”
Non è neanche un classico primo libro di una trilogia, che introduca i personaggi e li faccia incontrare. Qui abbiamo solo l’introduzione. Per il resto, niente.
In più c’è anche la questione delle dinastie.
La patrona della terra che si reincarna sempre nella stessa famiglia, sempre la stessa ragazza, senza che nessuno se ne accorga di generazione in generazione… ok, ci può anche stare.
La patrona dell’acqua che prende il posto di una ragazzina morta per i propri scopi. Ok, ci sta, ci sta anche che inganni il padre di lei.
Ma che il capo della guardia e il consigliere del Duca siano ruoli dinastici… la cosa diventa abbastanza goffa.
Poi è scontatissimo chi sia il capo della Gilda, o chi sia l’Assassino. Scontato fin dall’inizio.
E vogliamo poi parlare dell’Assassino messo ko da un gruppo di bambini?
No, il libro è stato purtroppo deludente.
O magari stanno cambiando i miei gusti…
August 10, 2012
3.5 Stars
My full review: http://coffeecookiesandchilipeppers.b...
I do not normally review more than one book in a series at the same time. However, I feel that this trilogy reads much more like one book in three volumes and that each of the titles cannot really be treated as a stand-alone book.
Disclaimer: I was given this trilogy free by the author via a Librarything Member Giveaway, in return for an honest review.
The world building is well done and we are rarely presented with piles of exposition. There is an interesting magic system based upon the use of words of power that can be used to take control of things. I especially liked the idea of the magical wards, which had a variety of uses varying from simple alarms when a door was opened to disguising a person’s identity. We are also provided with a creation myth and a far portion of history relating the battle between the Anbeorun and the Darkness that seeks to destroy all life. Elements of this did seem a little similar to Tolkien’s creation story, as outlined in The Silmarillion, but was sufficiently different to keep me interested. One aspect of this world that I particularly liked was the interaction with animals. Some, like the Hawk, were able to speak to all humans, but mostly we saw exchanges between Levoreth and the various animals that she encountered. There was one particularly delightful scene with her helping a squirrel by asking a tree to grow a branch towards another tree so that it could gather nuts without crossing the ground and being harassed by foxes.
On the whole this was a fantasy with some elements of epic scale, such as battles and whole nations plunged into conflict. However, in the great tradition of Tolkien, it kept a firm grounding in the actions of individuals and their connection to the homes and families.
My full review: http://coffeecookiesandchilipeppers.b...
I do not normally review more than one book in a series at the same time. However, I feel that this trilogy reads much more like one book in three volumes and that each of the titles cannot really be treated as a stand-alone book.
Disclaimer: I was given this trilogy free by the author via a Librarything Member Giveaway, in return for an honest review.
The world building is well done and we are rarely presented with piles of exposition. There is an interesting magic system based upon the use of words of power that can be used to take control of things. I especially liked the idea of the magical wards, which had a variety of uses varying from simple alarms when a door was opened to disguising a person’s identity. We are also provided with a creation myth and a far portion of history relating the battle between the Anbeorun and the Darkness that seeks to destroy all life. Elements of this did seem a little similar to Tolkien’s creation story, as outlined in The Silmarillion, but was sufficiently different to keep me interested. One aspect of this world that I particularly liked was the interaction with animals. Some, like the Hawk, were able to speak to all humans, but mostly we saw exchanges between Levoreth and the various animals that she encountered. There was one particularly delightful scene with her helping a squirrel by asking a tree to grow a branch towards another tree so that it could gather nuts without crossing the ground and being harassed by foxes.
On the whole this was a fantasy with some elements of epic scale, such as battles and whole nations plunged into conflict. However, in the great tradition of Tolkien, it kept a firm grounding in the actions of individuals and their connection to the homes and families.
October 10, 2011
I can smack myself for not getting around to reading this one sooner. It's been awhile since I read a good straight-forward fantasy. This book also reminds me why I don't normally read fantasy on my Kindle. If there is a map, it's not there for reference. That would have been helpful for maintaining prespective but it was not a deal breaker. It would have also been helpful to have a lineage chart of some sort since there are so many legends attached to ancestors. Not a dealbreaker either.
I have purchased the two remaining novellas in this trilogy. I assume they are novellas as this is one. It's compact but it's very detailed and well conceived. The most important aspect in my opinion is the magical foundation. I have not encountered anything like it before in my reading. I enjoyed the shifting character perspectives and generous cast. The plot is not as defined in this one. All I know is that something bad is jumping off and that it's going to take major cooperation and serious magic to stop it. Who will step up to the plate, not sure on that one just yet. I expect several of the characters from this book to be dead by the end of book three. Although the pace is quite fast, I got a sense of who the characters where and I cared about them. I want to know what happens to them. I also want to know who are the bad guys, all of them.
I feel very sure in recommending this book to fantasy fans of The Castings Trilogyand Auralia's Colors. This is YA.
I have purchased the two remaining novellas in this trilogy. I assume they are novellas as this is one. It's compact but it's very detailed and well conceived. The most important aspect in my opinion is the magical foundation. I have not encountered anything like it before in my reading. I enjoyed the shifting character perspectives and generous cast. The plot is not as defined in this one. All I know is that something bad is jumping off and that it's going to take major cooperation and serious magic to stop it. Who will step up to the plate, not sure on that one just yet. I expect several of the characters from this book to be dead by the end of book three. Although the pace is quite fast, I got a sense of who the characters where and I cared about them. I want to know what happens to them. I also want to know who are the bad guys, all of them.
I feel very sure in recommending this book to fantasy fans of The Castings Trilogyand Auralia's Colors. This is YA.
February 6, 2015
Really lovely fantasy, set in a world filled with ancient magic both wondrous and terrible, written in beautiful prose. The story is in part about a young thief boy, Jute, who stumbles across a magnificent and terrifying destiny in the course of a thieving job, and is befriended by a mysterious hawk. But there's a lot more besides: corrupt wizards, unexpectedly courageous scholars, and other people from noblewomen to thieves who are more than they seem to be, as a struggle against an ancient, terrifying evil begins to gather. I don't know if the author was influenced by these books, but I detected echoes of the Earthsea Trilogy and the Riddle-Master: The Complete Trilogy, two of my all-time favorites, in The Hawk and His Boy, which for me added to the beauty and the magic.
The title character, Jute, is maybe about 13 years old (? don't remember if it says anywhere) and the book contains no content inappropriate for YA readers, but most of the other characters are adults and the book is written from a mature view of the world. Both teen readers and adults can enjoy The Hawk and His Boy.
The book develops slowly but without unnecessary padding. This is the first part of a trilogy; not a stand-alone story but the development of the world, characters, and conflicts which lead into the next book. I would recommend having book 2, The Shadow at the Gate close to hand to start reading immediately after finishing The Hawk and His Boy.
The title character, Jute, is maybe about 13 years old (? don't remember if it says anywhere) and the book contains no content inappropriate for YA readers, but most of the other characters are adults and the book is written from a mature view of the world. Both teen readers and adults can enjoy The Hawk and His Boy.
The book develops slowly but without unnecessary padding. This is the first part of a trilogy; not a stand-alone story but the development of the world, characters, and conflicts which lead into the next book. I would recommend having book 2, The Shadow at the Gate close to hand to start reading immediately after finishing The Hawk and His Boy.
June 26, 2012
I struggled with the rating on this book. And I struggle with the review. I read this book because it was free and I needed a book to read. That being said, I finished the book. Which is a big step considering it was free. I had nothing invested and nothing to lose.
As to technicalities: I did not find any glaring errors while reading - no typoes, wrong words or other editorial issues. Which isn't to say they are not there, but, rather, they were not so overwhelming or obvious as to invade the story to me. (But, then, I do not notice these things unless they ARE glaring.)
The writing, itself, was ok. Just ok to me. The author follows several characters and rarely sticks with one character long enough for me to get into a comfort zone and feel attached. Reading, to me, is about spending time with characters I love and watching their relationships with others. Which leads me to the most blatant problem with this book. There is no "the hawk and his boy." The title of this book led me to the conclusion that it was a story of a hawk and a boy. While there is definitely a hawk and a boy, the book delves into this relationship on a very minute level. I assume that the sequels do so more in depth, but I have not decided whether I care enough to invest either the time or the money into exploring this relationship.
I will admit that my rating for this novel definitely falls into the "expectation" scale. I may well have "expected" more from this novel than it delivered. And, that may be MY fault and not the author's.
As to technicalities: I did not find any glaring errors while reading - no typoes, wrong words or other editorial issues. Which isn't to say they are not there, but, rather, they were not so overwhelming or obvious as to invade the story to me. (But, then, I do not notice these things unless they ARE glaring.)
The writing, itself, was ok. Just ok to me. The author follows several characters and rarely sticks with one character long enough for me to get into a comfort zone and feel attached. Reading, to me, is about spending time with characters I love and watching their relationships with others. Which leads me to the most blatant problem with this book. There is no "the hawk and his boy." The title of this book led me to the conclusion that it was a story of a hawk and a boy. While there is definitely a hawk and a boy, the book delves into this relationship on a very minute level. I assume that the sequels do so more in depth, but I have not decided whether I care enough to invest either the time or the money into exploring this relationship.
I will admit that my rating for this novel definitely falls into the "expectation" scale. I may well have "expected" more from this novel than it delivered. And, that may be MY fault and not the author's.
February 8, 2015
This book had so much potential. I mean, I fully expected, even just at first glance of the cover, to be taken into a wonderful and amazing adventure. And, it could have been. The characters are amazing, as are their names and personalities (For example: JUTE!!! What a superb and unusual, sticking-in-the-brain kind of name!); the descriptions delightful and engaging. The idea of this story is enchanting, magical. The plot makes me curious and pulls me along wanting to know more. Which is why I got as far along as I did in the book. But... I trudged through. It seemed to take forever to get to the point of why or how each character- and their were more than a few- were pertinent to the story. The length of the mystery lost me. I got a little confused and got distracted by that confusion; that, then, made it difficult for me to "imagine". And, that does not happen easily for me. I was fine in rooms, small sections which were explained thoroughly and with explicite details; but in the corridors, alleys, hallways, I just could not seem to travel along. I usually follow through whatever I read, even if I dislike it immensely; but every so often, I just cannot do it. I really, really wanted to LOVE this, and to rate it better. But, I lost interest, climbed back in, lost interest, climbed back in, and continued to do so; Until I determined that this story just isn't for me. :-( For your information: There is TONS of wizardry, wards, magic, spells, and such within this book. A heavy dose that almost feels too much. It is like a character, or more than one, in and of itself.
February 3, 2017
No bird crap?
Great story with well written characters, interesting situations and places I'd like to visit (as long as I had a nice blade). Kept my interest throughout and left me wanting more, nice for the author, bad for my pocket book.
Great story with well written characters, interesting situations and places I'd like to visit (as long as I had a nice blade). Kept my interest throughout and left me wanting more, nice for the author, bad for my pocket book.
February 5, 2013
Beautiful prose, rich character development - rare finds in this age of ebooks and indie authors. The sheer number of characters is dizzying, and I wonder why the book ends where it does instead of getting more of the story told before we turn the last page of Book One. The hawk is marvelous, and the final image of him awake at his post all night while Jute sleeps is magical. The magic in the prose is what moves me to give 5 stars to a story that seems weaker in plot and pace than in character development. Jute, The Juggler, The Knife, the wizards, the female characters - Levoreth, and more names than my brain will hold for long - all are memorable and riveting. It's a shame we don't get to stay with any one character long enough to see a story through to the end. The wolves, the mystery killings, the box with the hawk engraved on the lid, the missing contents (but Jute didn't take what was inside! Why is it missing toward the end of the novel?), the quest of Ronan, the Autumn Harvest, the horse deals.... so much is going on here, this can't be a YA or children's fantasy. It has a very adult feel, to me. Very sophisticated, complex, intriguing and rich with myth and legend. It doesn't follow the conventions of the hero's journey, at least not in Book One. I'm looking forward to Two and Three. This is well crafted prose, full of mystery and magic, told by a master storyteller.
December 5, 2014
I won this book in a First Reads contest.
By the time I finished reading the first few chapters of this book, it was clear to me that Christopher Bunn created an interesting world with a dense mythology and history.
The author switches points-of-view between a variety of characters. Many of these characters do not interact with each other in the first book of the Tormay trilogy. One point-of-view, that of the "boy" in the book's title, is used to establish much of Tormay's mythology and history. Occasionally, it seemed to me that the characters' points-of-view had the same "voice", with similar language for each character. However, the author is always clear about which character has the current point-of-view.
The goal of this book is to set up the characters and conflict for the Tormay trilogy. Readers who expected some sort of conclusion at the end of this book will be disappointed, but the author clearly states at the beginning of this book that the books in this trilogy are not stand-alone, and are meant to be read as a single story.
The author always keeps the story interesting, allows the readers to deduce parts of the story before explicitly revealing the details, and creates interesting characters, leaving the reader excited to read the next book in the trilogy.
By the time I finished reading the first few chapters of this book, it was clear to me that Christopher Bunn created an interesting world with a dense mythology and history.
The author switches points-of-view between a variety of characters. Many of these characters do not interact with each other in the first book of the Tormay trilogy. One point-of-view, that of the "boy" in the book's title, is used to establish much of Tormay's mythology and history. Occasionally, it seemed to me that the characters' points-of-view had the same "voice", with similar language for each character. However, the author is always clear about which character has the current point-of-view.
The goal of this book is to set up the characters and conflict for the Tormay trilogy. Readers who expected some sort of conclusion at the end of this book will be disappointed, but the author clearly states at the beginning of this book that the books in this trilogy are not stand-alone, and are meant to be read as a single story.
The author always keeps the story interesting, allows the readers to deduce parts of the story before explicitly revealing the details, and creates interesting characters, leaving the reader excited to read the next book in the trilogy.
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